Phoenix PD investigates attack on man while feeding homeless community

PHOENIX – Phoenix police are investigating after the founder of a local nonprofit was allegedly attacked Saturday evening while providing food to the homeless community.

Erik Sánchez, the founder of MASA Arizonawas with his crew at 23rd Avenue and Indian School Road when he said a couple drove up to him while he was offering food to people.

Sanchez says he offered the man and woman a meal, but then demanded they leave after they started yelling at unhoused people in the area.

“If you really cared about these people, you would get them off our streets,” a woman is heard saying in a video Sanchez made of the incident.

“The fact that I have to carry any type of defensive or offensive weaponry or tools to protect myself and these customers from the public really tells you there is a problem,” Sánchez said, pointing to the non-lethal pepperball guns on his hips.

According to police, officers were dispatched to the area for an assault call around 8:30 p.m

Sanchez says that while this one was more drastic than most, these types of confrontations happen every few months.

“I was attacked on the canal. A gun was pulled on me and stabbed in my hip, telling us that this was their territory. We don’t belong there,” Sánchez said.

Despite these threats, Sanchez remains committed to helping the community.

“We are not paid to defend these people. We don’t get paid to feed these people. We defend them, feed them and help them because it is the right thing to do,” he said.

Police confirmed they are reviewing all video evidence from Sanchez and his team. So far, the attackers remain at large, no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.