Phoenix man videotapes terrorist stunt to test police response

PHOENIX - Posted on YouTube for the world and police to see -- a teen dressed like a terrorist carrying a fake RPG. And the man behind this video is in big trouble with police.

It wasn't a terrorist plot exactly, but the actions of one valley man certainly created a huge scare for the Phoenix Police department over the summer, and now an independent filmmaker faces some serious charges.

We spoke to neighbors and police about what happened July 28 and how dangerous the stunt was.

That independent filmmaker, Michael David Turley, faces four different charges including endangerment and knowingly giving false information.

Police say he never told them the true intent of his film was to test their response.

The YouTube video that has gotten more than a thousand hits speaks for itself. An alarming sight -- a man wielding what appears to be a rocket propelled grenade, standing in the intersection of 33rd Avenue and Bell.

According to Turley, this was a test to see how quickly police would respond to the threat. It occurred days after the tragic shooting inside a Colorado movie theatre.

Turley was arrested Monday in connection to the stunt.

"Imagine driving the street on Bell Road and you see someone pointing a grenade launcher," says Phoenix Police Officer James Holmes.

Officer Holmes says the actor portraying the would-be terrorist was Turley's 16-year-old nephew. They say the teen is lucky he wasn't hurt.

"What if one of those citizens decided that this peson dressed as he is, with that rocket decided he was a danger to him and decided to run over that child?"

A time lapse in the film shows it took first responders nearly 15 minutes to arrive on scene. Officer Holmes believes it was more immediate.

"We were there in about a minute of the call," says Holmes.

"The helicopter was just circling around the whole neighborhood," says one neighbor.

That neighbor described to us the spotlights that shined from the choppers and how SWAT surrounded the area, a sight too scary to believe. It's a lesson no one should have to learn out on valley streets -- which may have been the intent of the filmmaker.

"We urge you to take a more active role in the community," says Officer Holmes.

Phoenix Police say nine 911 were made, and Turley's nephew admitted to them that Turley told him the stunt was dangerous.

On September 5th Turley posted on his Facebook page, admitting he made the video, and saying in part, a person has to do something extreme to make a point.