A Phoenix man who was caught on video viciously beating a female police officer last week may have a history of attacking law enforcement, according to reports.
Joseph Huggins, 51, is being held on a $100,000 cash bond after allegedly assaulting a Phoenix police officer near 19th and Southern avenues on Friday. Video shows Huggins punching the officer repeatedly in the face. She fell to the ground with a broken nose and a broken ankle, according to 12News.
She has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
Court records show that this is not the first time Huggins has been accused of attacking police officers. Back in November 2024, Huggins was arrested for assaulting another officer in the same south Phoenix area. But despite a police recommendation for felony charges, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office decided not to prosecute that case.
The office said there was not enough evidence for a likely conviction, and the remaining lesser charges were sent to the city prosecutor.
In this latest incident, police say Huggins was panhandling outside a Dollar General store and got angry when asked to leave. Witnesses said he punched the store’s glass doors while shouting at the manager.
When an officer arrived, she tried to calm Huggins down, but he allegedly became aggressive, started yelling, and squared up to her in an intimidating way. As the officer tried to de-escalate, Huggins pushed her and then punched her in the face three times, causing her to fall to the ground. She couldn’t get up because of pain in her leg. Huggins fled but was arrested a short time later.
During questioning, Huggins admitted to drinking alcohol before the attack. He also claimed he was “Israeli, not American,” and told police he wasn’t sure why the officer fell. But after watching the video, he admitted to punching her.
This brutal assault has sparked outrage, with police officials reminding the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activity. The officer, who has been with the department for six years, is now focused on recovering from her injuries.
Huggins is facing serious felony charges for aggravated assault on a police officer and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. His bail remains at $100,000 cash-only.
While general anti-police sentiment seems to be on the rise, it is almost certainly exacerbated in Phoenix due to a 2021 Department of Justice probe examining 134 alleged incident reports filed against the Phoenix Police Department. However, law enforcement experts Dr. Travis Yates and Dr. JC Chaix argue that the DOJ report was 97% factually or contextually inaccurate due to the vague details provided in the report and the fact that it appeared to be created at the behest of political pressure from the Biden administration.
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