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MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CRIME & JUSTICE

Michigan woman kicks down store windows and poses with stolen goods on Facebook Live, booked for inciting riot

Lyons had posed with beer that had likely been stolen from Mojo's bar, as well as clothing that had been stolen from F David Barney Clothiers
PUBLISHED JUN 3, 2020
Alexandria Lyons (Kent County Sheriff's Office)
Alexandria Lyons (Kent County Sheriff's Office)

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN: A woman has been arrested and charged after police said she posted a Facebook Live video where she incited violence and encouraged others to cause destruction and loot.

Alexandria "Ally" Lyons, 22, came to the attention of authorities after many called to report of her alleged role in riots that engulfed parts of Grand Rapids after protests over the Memorial Day death of George Floyd turned violent in the city.

In a probable-cause affidavit obtained by MLive, Detective Matt DeJong wrote that Lyons had posed with beer that had likely been stolen from Mojo's bar, as well as clothing that had been stolen from F David Barney Clothiers. When police went to the home, they found a shirt from the store.

While police said they were still investigating the case and that they are reviewing surveillance footage, Lyons was seen breaking the window at a county building at 82 Ionia Avenue that houses the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office and others.

She was tracked down and arrested after receiving numerous reports that "Ally was responsible for causing and creating a lot of damage in the downtown area during this time." She was subsequently taken to the police headquarters for questioning but refused to talk to detectives and asked for an attorney.

While the 22-year-old was still at the police station, investigators reportedly received the text of a video that allegedly showed her kicking in a window at 82 Ionia, causing the glass to shatter and fall to the ground.

"She is heard multiple times encouraging her friends and others to throw bricks or other objects at windows of multiple businesses downtown and at one point picks up a brick herself and mentions heading 'back to the courthouse,'" the arrest affidavit said.

She and her friends were also accused of encouraging others to try to break into an ATM and helping themselves to jewelry from a smashed display case that was lying on the sidewalk. "Defendant could be heard telling her friends to get her a gold bracelet because she already has silver ones," the affidavit said.

Furthermore, and she and her friends were suspected of taking beers from Mojo's Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant after she encouraged others to break the windows, She then suggested they go to the courthouse armed with sticks.

Lyons was arraigned on Tuesday, June 2, in Grand Rapids District Court on charges of inciting a riot and malicious destruction of property. The former is punishable by up to 10 years in prison while the latter carried a five-year sentence. She is currently being held on a $40,000 bond.

Grand Rapids was the scene of a "significant riot" this past weekend after a protest march against police brutality and racism took a turn for the worse. In the ensuing chaos, more than 100 businesses were damaged, and seven patrol cars were torched.

A total of seven people, excluding Lyons, were arrested for the violence, which also saw Mayor Rosalynn Bliss set a 7 pm curfew for May 31 and June 1.

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