New video shows off-duty, masked Phoenix cop armed at student ICE protest

CHANDLER, Ariz. - New details are emerging regarding an off-duty Phoenix police sergeant who protested at a student-led anti-ICE demonstration in Chandler while armed and masked. 

The backstory:

Dusten Mullen initially didn’t want to identify himself to Chandler officers near a student-led protest outside Hamilton High School. Police reports allege the sergeant's goal was to provoke student protesters into assaulting him so they could be arrested.

New Details:

A Chandler councilman is now calling for a Phoenix police sergeant to be fired.

New video obtained by FOX 10 shows the sergeant masked and armed back in January. Mullen gave up his name later when he wanted to press charges against a 15-year-old girl who allegedly threw water on him. 

Two sources confirmed that Sgt. Mullen was seen on cellphone video captured on Jan. 30 with his face fully covered, wearing a baseball hat and armed with a holstered handgun. The police report reveals he also had two extra handgun magazines on his other hip.

What they're saying:

Chandler Police said this created a tense situation as students became agitated and thought Mullen was an ICE agent. The video also appears to show that an officer advised Mullen to protest elsewhere, as stated in the police report.

According to Chandler PD, Mullen said he had others coming to support him, some armed with rifles—quoted by police saying his plan was to let protesters assault him and have them arrested on film, with the goal to "get all these kids in jail if they want to break the law."

"You know he came there with a loaded gun with multiple magazines. That is highly inappropriate for any law enforcement to be in such such a place where children are protesting that is weird," Chandler Councilmember OD Harris said. "That is very, very weird."

Harris believes Mullen should be fired.

"He conspired. He had other individuals ready to go. He had camera people. He had a team of people ready to conspire and create riot into inside violence in my city and that’s unacceptable from any law-enforcement officer to do that and to use his knowledge as a law-enforcement officer is unbecoming. He needs to be held fully accountable for his actions that day," Harris said.

Tara DeGeorge, the Legal Director at the ACLU of Arizona released a statement to FOX 10 on April 7:

"It is deeply concerning that a law enforcement officer, even off-duty, would use his free time provoking youth to take actions that could result in real harm or legal consequences — especially while they are exercising their First Amendment rights. Police don’t just enforce the law; they’re responsible for protecting people’s rights and the safety of those exercising their rights. This conduct should draw renewed attention to the legitimacy of the Phoenix Police Department's self-described initiative to ensure that its citizens' first amendment rights are protected."

Dig deeper:

Phoenix PD released this statement on Mullen on April 7:

The Professional Standards Bureau initiated an administrative investigation upon learning of the incident, and that investigation is currently ongoing. Sergeant Mullen is not on administrative leave and remains employed by the Phoenix Police Department.

Court records obtained by FOX 10 show Mullen has been employed with the department since at least 2011.

What we don't know:

It is unclear when this investigation began and if Mullen has been placed on any administrative duty. 

What's next:

Mullen is being investigated by the Professional Standards Bureau.