Armed bounty hunters mistakenly raid home of Phoenix police chief
The sketchy world of American bounty hunters collided with the long arm of the Phoenix Police Department on Tuesday night, and the police won.
Around 10 p.m., armed, black-clad men from two bond recovery firms — NorthStar Fugitive Recovery and Delta One Tactical Recovery — swarmed a house in Phoenix, demanding entry to search for a fugitive wanted on drug-related charges in Oklahoma. The men picked the house based on "unconfirmed information from social media," the Phoenix police said Wednesday, and that was their first mistake: They had raided the home of Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner, who was not amused.
Responding to a 911 call from one of Yahner's neighbors, police surrounded the bounty hunters, arresting at least one, Brent Farley, on charges of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Farley, 43, is the owner of NorthStar and has two previous convictions, the Los Angeles Times reports, one for theft and the other related to sexual misconduct with a minor. On Wednesday, the Phoenix police released a cellphone video of the incident, which must have been frightening and was clearly infuriating to Yahner. At the end, if you watch below, you can see him come out in his underwear. Peter Weber
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Can the UK do more on climate change?Today's Big Question Labour has shown leadership in the face of fraying international consensus, but must show the public their green mission is ‘a net benefit, not a net cost’
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will US Catholics rebel against the Pope?Podcast Plus what are the ethics of freezing your late partner?
-
David Hockney at Annely Juda: an ‘eye-popping’ exhibitionThe Week Recommends ‘Some Very, Very, Very New Paintings Not Yet Shown in Paris’ testifies to the artist’s ‘extraordinary vitality’ and ‘childlike curiosity’
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
