Racially Motivated Assault at Tempe Community Center Leaves Several Injured

Officers with the Tempe Police Department arrested a 62-year-old man after he allegedly attacked multiple people Wednesday inside the Escalante Multi-Generational Center in Tempe in an incident investigators say was racially motivated, according to court documents and police statements.

The Tempe Police Department says Derek Carl Kirven walked into the Escalante center’s lobby around 9:12 a.m. Jan. 7 and initially ignored a security guard’s instruction to leave a restricted area, according to Fox10 Phoenix. Staff subsequently told Kirven that food and drink service areas were for members only and attempted to sign him up, which he refused. 

Kirven left the building but returned about two hours later, around 11:30 a.m., entering the restricted recreation space where about 20 people were eating. When staff again told him he was not allowed in the area, police say Kirven began punching people “in his immediate reach” and moved around the room, assaulting others. 

Tempe Police Public Information Officer Jessica Ells told reporters on January 8^th that, “at that point he essentially lost control and he began attacking all the members who were inside the center.” She explained that he began to “Assault these people by punching them and throwing them to the ground,” according to 12News.

Last week’s attack at Tempe, Ariz. community center where 6 seniors were injured was "racially motivated," cops say.

Derek Carl Kirven, 62, told detectives he hoped he had killed someone and called them “confederate,” “hillbilly” and “white trash.” pic.twitter.com/4WMGlvTuka

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 13, 2026

Tempe police and security guards detained Kirven, who was subsequently arrested. Court documents list multiple counts, including aggravated assault, assault, criminal damage, disorderly conduct, and second-degree criminal trespass. 

Several victims suffered injuries during the assault, including:

• One person hospitalized with a broken wrist,
• Another with a severely broken nose,
• A third with facial injuries and a head injury from a fall,
• A fourth victim expressing concern a prior heart surgery was aggravated,
• An employee of the center also suffered injuries. 

According to 12News, one of Kirven’s victims is autistic and has a seizure disorder. That individual was punched and knocked to the ground.

Police allege in court documents that Kirven told detectives he returned to the center to find out why he was removed, believing it was because he is Black, as reported by AZ Family. Officials say Kirven acknowledged targeting White and Mexican people and believed he hit approximately 12 victims, many of whom were elderly and unable to defend themselves. 

According to the documents obtained by Fox10, Kirven also hurled racial slurs toward White and Hispanic detectives interviewing him. Investigators quoted him saying he “hoped he killed more than one of them” during the attack, adding that he would “assault people again if given the chance.” 

Court documents describe the attack as racially motivated, noting that Kirven allegedly stated he “does not like anybody else other than Black people” and believed “everyone is racist.”

Court filings indicate Kirven has previous felony convictions, including for crimes in Arizona and New Mexico, such as kidnapping and aggravated battery. Police also noted active warrants from Mesa for probation violations and a past failure to appear. 

A judge set Kirven’s bond at $500,000 cash, and his preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 16, per court records.