PHOENIX — With the multiple ongoing investigations into teen violence in the East Valley, another alarming trend is also taking place—videos depicting teens fighting and teens being assaulted are being posted to social media pages.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, several teen assault videos are making the rounds in the Valley.
12News coverage: Teen Violence in the Valley
Even with good intentions, like trying to bring awareness to the issue, posting these videos is going against the law, according to County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
In order to help, police and other law enforcement agencies need these videos to investigate the crimes being shown in them.
In fact, Mitchell said Arizona state law requires that law enforcement be contacted in these types of situations.
“Instead of putting those videos on social media, call the police and let them know of the fight. Call the police that are over the jurisdiction where the fight took place, if you know it,” Mitchell said in a post to X (formerly Twitter).
Parents and school staff, along with others, are required to report incidents, according to Mitchell.
This is what Arizona state law says:
Any person who reasonably believes that a minor is or has been the victim of physical injury, abuse, child abuse, a reportable offense or neglect that appears to have been inflicted on the minor by other than accidental means or that is not explained by the available medical history as being accidental in nature or who reasonably believes there has been a denial or deprivation of necessary medical treatment or surgical care or nourishment with the intent to cause or allow the death of an infant who is protected under section 36-2281 shall immediately report or cause reports to be made of this information to a peace officer, to the department of child safety or to a tribal law enforcement or social services agency for any Indian minor who resides on an Indian reservation, except if the report concerns a person who does not have care, custody or control of the minor, the report shall be made to a peace officer only. A member of the clergy, a Christian Science practitioner or a priest who has received a confidential communication or a confession in that person's role as a member of the clergy, as a Christian Science practitioner or as a priest in the course of the discipline enjoined by the church to which the member of the clergy, the Christian Science practitioner or the priest belongs may withhold reporting of the communication or confession if the member of the clergy, the Christian Science practitioner or the priest determines that it is reasonable and necessary within the concepts of the religion. This exemption applies only to the communication or confession and not to personal observations the member of the clergy, the Christian Science practitioner or the priest may otherwise make of the minor.
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