Maricopa police lodged felony charges against a 19-year-old Tortosa teen who they say incited a riot earlier this week.
Officers responded to a report of a “large street fight involving roughly 30 people” near Padilla Street and Toledo Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to a probable cause statement. Police separated participants in the fight and learned it stemmed from a disagreement between two families over a woman.
Video evidence showed the two families stood 20 to 30 feet apart, lodging threats against each other.
At one point, Dwayne Ellis Jr. charged towards the opposing family armed with a large machete to defend his brother after he allegedly saw someone with a gun. A family member intervened and took the machete from Ellis before he could injure anyone with it, after which a “large riot ensued.”
However, police determined a gun was not present after reviewing videos and interviewing witnesses.
Ellis was arrested and charged with riot and disorderly conduct with a weapon, both felony charges. Police also detained three minors involved in the fight, however, the charges were not made public.
“Fortunately, there were no major injuries,” Maricopa Police Department spokesperson Monica Williams.
However, she offered a warning from MPD about resolving disputes before they rise to the level of a Shakespearean tragedy.
“Community members are reminded to seek the assistance of the police department when addressing disputes that may have the potential to escalate into physical confrontations,” Williams said.
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