A man experienced severe third-degree burns during an incident this summer when police in Phoenix restrained him on hot pavement for four minutes while the temperatures soared to extreme levels.

Michael Kenyon, who spoke to a local news station, endured over a month of hospitalization due to “unbearable pain” resulting from burns sustained on his face, arms, chest, and legs during the confrontation on July 6. On that particular day, the temperature reached a staggering 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius).

Kenyon believes he was detained because his roommate had recently informed authorities about a theft from their residence, located just across from where the interaction took place. The Phoenix police acknowledged that while Kenyon matched the suspect’s description, he was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. They are currently conducting both criminal and internal investigations into the incident.

At the time of his encounter with law enforcement, Kenyon had an outstanding warrant due to a failure to appear regarding a drug charge. He claimed he was unaware of this warrant, and the police confirmed that the officers involved were also unaware at the time.

Footage captured by surveillance cameras depicted Kenyon walking through the parking lot before being stopped and questioned by the police, who attempted to detain him. According to the police account, a struggle ensued, leading to them forcefully taking him to the ground.

“This young man suffered third-degree burns because the heat was intense enough to cook his skin against the asphalt,” expressed Bobby DiCello, one of Kenyon’s attorneys.

Every summer, numerous individuals in Phoenix are treated for surface burns due to dangerously hot sidewalks caused by extreme air temperatures that regularly surpass the triple digits. Children, the elderly, and homeless individuals are particularly vulnerable to contact burns, which can happen within seconds upon skin contact with surfaces reaching 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius). Such burns often arise accidentally, especially when individuals fall or collapse due to heat-related issues.

This incident is not the first of its kind involving allegations of burns during detainment by Phoenix police. In 2020, a lawsuit was filed claiming that a 17-year-old girl sustained second-degree burns on her arms after being pinned on a sidewalk during a day when temperatures reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius).

The lawsuit stated that the girl’s skin peeled away when officers lifted her from the hot surface, a claim that the police department rejected in court documents. Ultimately, this lawsuit was dismissed in April 2022.

This year, the U.S. Justice Department leveled accusations against the Phoenix Police Department for discriminatory practices against Black, Latino, and Native American individuals. Allegations included unlawful detentions of homeless individuals and excessive use of force, which encompassed unwarranted deadly force.

While the city has pledged to implement reforms within its police department, it has resisted entering into a consent decree with the Justice Department.

Additionally, earlier this month, Phoenix police faced scrutiny when footage surfaced of officers repeatedly striking a deaf Black man with punches and a Taser during an altercation in a parking lot on August 19. The charges of resisting arrest and aggravated assault against the man were later dropped.