Schools' rocky reopening path / P. 14
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
NEIGHBORS ..............21 Scottsdale woman a hero at hospital.
BUSINESS ...................25 How to support blackowned businesses here.
ARTS............................... 28 Virtual concert planned in Scottsdale.
NEIGHBORS .......................................... 21 BUSINESS ...............................................25 OPINION ................................................ 26 ARTS ........................................................ 28 FOOD ....................................................... 29 CLASSIFIEDS .......................................30
Panel envisions rebound / P. 18
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF SCOTTSDALE) | scottsdale.org
Sunday, June 7, 2020
Of�icer to businesses: Lives matter more BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor
S
cottsdale Police Lt. Chris DiPiazza was blunt when he met with business owners several days after last weekend’s riot. “My officers are not going to kill them and I’m not going to get my officers killed for property,” a Scottsdale police officer told the group. “And I know that’s heartbreaking. I know this is your livelihood but these are people with families.” DiPiazza provided a front-line perspective to a conversation that had largely lacked context since the riot rocked the Scottsdale Fashion Square area May 30-31. He met with downtown business and property owners on June 2 to provide more information on why Scottsdale Police chose restraint over charging headlong into a violent conflict with rioters. DiPiazza also described an overwhelmed department that was scrambling to defend
Throngs of rioters broke into stores in the area of Scottsdale Fashion Square the night of May 30. (Wayne Schutsky/Progress Managing Editor)
residential properties and other vulnerable points while avoiding potentially fatal conflicts with a 700-person group that included everyone from armed agitators to local teens.
“I know for a fact Desert Mountain kids were rioting in our mall; our high school kids
Most – though not all – of the candidates in both races have shown support for the City of Scottsdale and its police department, even as the department’s response to riot drew criticism from some local residents and business owners for being inadequate in the face of vandalism and stealing that caused millions
of dollars in damage. Those candidates are putting the onus of the blame on the rioters who stormed the mall and adjacent properties last weekend. Scottsdale Police initially sent around 80 of-
see BUSINESSES page 10
City candidates question riot response BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor
I
n the wake of COVID-19, the riot at Fashion Square mall has injected yet another unforeseen point of debate into the Scottsdale City Council and mayoral races.
Andrew Bloom REALTOR®, Senior Partner Andrew@BVOLuxury.com VOTED #1 SCOTTSDALE REAL ESTATE TEAM FOR 2018
see POLITICAL page 12
(480) 999-2948 www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com
