AM Roundup: Phoenix clears officers who pinned man on hot pavement, Salt River death, RFK Jr. in the Valley

Good Wednesday morning, Arizona!

We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for July 23; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:

From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Drying out in the Valley for the rest of the week

Drier air is taking over, clearing out storm chances in the Valley for today and the rest of the week. Expect mostly sunny skies with a high of 103º, and overnight lows in the low to mid 80s.

See the forecast from Kidcaster Genesis:

Phoenix clears officers who pinned man on scorching pavement

The Phoenix Police Department cleared a quartet of officers who pinned a wrongly-identified man on hot pavement, which burned away chunks of his skin across his body.

The incident occurred last summer and is now the subject of an ongoing federal lawsuit.

In a written statement, Phoenix police officials said a special board reviewed the officers’ actions.

“The administrative investigation is completed and closed. It went before the Critical Incident Review Board, which is made up of an assistant chief, a commander, a peer and three civilians. The CIRB determined the actions of the officers were in policy as written at the time. The Chief concurred,” according to the statement.

The statement continued: “In February, Phoenix police revised its operations orders to include the following: Employees will be reasonably attentive to environmental conditions, extreme temperatures, surface heat, etc., when placing a person on the ground, against vehicles, or other surfaces. When safe and feasible, employees will promptly move subjects to temperature-safe locations during detention, arrest, or while in custody.”

Man arrested after falsely claiming to be federal agent at Phoenix light rail station

Phoenix police arrested a man who claimed to be an undercover federal agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after he refused to provide credentials to verify his identity.

The incident allegedly began when Jose Herrera, 52, confronted and grabbed a Valley Metro Light Rail security guard, accusing the guard of impeding his investigation.

Herrera claimed the security guard had allowed "a terrorist who was in his visual custody to get away," according to court documents.

When Phoenix police officers arrived on the scene, Herrera continued to claim he was an undercover federal agent with ICE and demanded officers arrest the light rail security guard.

Herrera allegedly refused to provide police his identity, stating he did not need to provide city officers any form of credentials because he worked for the feds.

Officers made multiple attempts to verify Herrera's credentials with Border Patrol and ICE, and both agencies denied he was employed with their departments.

Missing Salt River fisherman found dead near Sheep's Crossing, MCSO says

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says a man who was last seen along the Salt River Monday evening was found dead on Tuesday.

Family identified the victim as Tre-Vor Adams, 53, who was last seen fishing in the Sheep’s Crossing area of the river Monday evening.

Officials say Adams had been fishing in the water for several hours, but was reported missing by his wife around 5:30 p.m.

“When he didn’t call me back within two or three hours, I knew something was wrong,” said Nicole Nichols about her missing husband Tuesday morning. She described her husband as an experienced fisherman who frequented the area.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seen on weekend Camelback Mountain hike

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hiked Camelback Mountain over the weekend, leaving a lasting impression on fellow adventurers.

RFK Jr. posted a photo of his hike on X, which led many to question his choice of clothing — denim jeans — for the activity and weather, as Valley highs reached 107º on Saturday.