SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Social media influencer and YouTuber Jake Paul has been charged by police in Scottsdale after allegedly participating in weekend looting and riots.
Police said Thursday that 23-year-old Jake Joseph Paul was identified as being present among hundreds of tips and videos sent to officials. He reportedly unlawfully entered and remained inside Scottsdale Fashion Square mall when it was closed.
VIDEO: Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane speaks following Fashion Square lootings
Officials say Paul, who has a large following on YouTube, “was present after the protest was declared an unlawful assembly and the rioters were ordered to leave the area by police.”
Paul has been charged with criminal trespassing and unlawful assembly, both misdemeanor charges. Police say he was issued a summons to appear in court in a month, but was not arrested.
When asked if any other members of Paul's team who were with him at the time were also facing charges, a spokesperson for Scottsdale police responded: "Not at this time."
Paul acknowledged his charges and media attention Thursday, responding to an ABC15 tweet saying, "gimme my charges and let’s put the focus back on George Floyd and Black Lives Matter."
After the weekend looting incident, Paul also tweeted: “To be absolutely clear, neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism.” He says they were there to film and “share our experience and bring more attention to the anger felt in every neighborhood we traveled through…”
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) May 31, 2020
Paul has more than 20 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. According to his profile, "The squad 'Team 10' & I are always making comedy vids, acting, doing action sports & going on crazy adventures."
On Saturday, May 30, crowds gathered around the mall area, breaking into stores and the mall, tagging walls and stealing merchandise. Scottsdale police have arrested numerous people and recovered thousands of dollars in stolen property after the weekend incident.
