Tempe Police Nab Man for Trespassing; Previously Seen Helping Homeless in Parks

Austin Davis, a man known for feeding the homeless in Tempe, was arrested on Friday for trespassing, as confirmed by the Tempe Police Department.

Davis had previously received several warnings and citations related to trespassing at Moeur Park. The first incident occurred on July 1, when he was found in the park after hours and allegedly became “verbally aggressive” with park rangers. Subsequently, he was banned from the park for 30 days.

Despite these warnings, Davis continued to return to Moeur Park, with sightings recorded on July 3, July 6, July 7, July 23, and July 24. He was ultimately arrested on July 26.

Additionally, Davis had already been prohibited from entering Papago Park for a year. The police statement noted, “Before his arrest Friday, he was given verbal reminders, multiple citations, and a one-year ban from the Papago Park Regional Area. He was also provided with a map that highlighted the area he could not visit.”

It’s currently unclear if Davis has been released from the Tempe jail.

On Sundays, Davis organized picnics at Papago Park, providing food and water to the homeless. He chose this day to alleviate the difficulties many faced on Sundays, which reminded them of family dinners. His choice to hold these picnics without permits led to legal complications.

The city received complaints about excessive trash and drug paraphernalia left behind following these events. Greg Ruiz, interim deputy city manager over Community Health and Human Services, stated, “All public open space used for events requires a special event permit. No person or organization is above city code, regardless of the type of event being held.”

Davis applied for the necessary permit in December 2023 and was instructed to halt his picnics during the review process. However, he continued holding the events. By January, his permit application had been denied.

In a June court hearing, Davis claimed he faced unfair treatment during the permit process. A city employee testified that the initial denial was due to an incomplete application. Later, a city manager’s office representative denied the application because Davis continued with his events while the permit was under review.

City employees from the permitting and special events department testified that their procedures were standard.