2 suspects indicted in 2022 assault of a minor at a party in Gilbert

PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office indicted two youth violence suspects Wednesday.

William Owen Hines, 18, and a 17-year-old are two of the five aggravated assault indictments MCAO announced this week.

The duo assaulted a victim at a party on Nov. 22, 2022, MCAO said.

The Gilbert Police Department said the attack took place outside a residence near Higley and Riggs roads.

The juvenile victim reported the assault on Sunday, police said.

What charges are the youth violence suspects facing?

Hines is facing one count of aggravated assault, while the 17-year-old faces three counts of:

– Assault.
– Aggravated assault.
– Aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument.

MCAO’s Wednesday announcement didn’t specify what “dangerous instrument” was used. However, county attorney Rachel Mitchell addressed the use of brass knuckles in East Valley youth violence incidents during a 2 p.m. press conference.

“I know there’s currently an effort by Jon Kavanagh in the legislature to list the possession of brass knuckles as a prohibited weapon,” Mitchell said. “They certainly multiply the impact of the punch, and certainly multiply the injuries that are caused to the person. So it can definitely have a devastating impact.”

More details on East Valley youth violence indictments

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office announced on Jan. 1 Hines was indicted for a vehicular assault that took place in 2023.

Hines was indicted on one count of vehicular aggravated assault for his role in a July 6, 2023, attack that left a victim injured, MCSO announced.

In addition to these two incidents, Gilbert police accused Hines of taking part in two more assaults.

The Gilbert Police Department arrested Hines on Jan. 31 while investigating two separate teen violence incidents from Nov. 22, 2022, and Dec. 2, 2022, respectively.

Other youth violence indictments MCAO announced this week

County attorney Rachel Mitchell also announced the indictments of three other suspects on Tuesday:

– Gage Silas Garrison, 19, who is faced with one count of aggravated assault.
– Kyler Matthew Renner, 19, who faced one count of aggravated assault.
– A different 17-year-old who is facing two counts of aggravated assault.

The trio were allegedly assailants in a youth violence assault that took place in a Gilbert parking garage on Dec. 3, 2022.

Officials charged Garrison and Renner with one count of aggravated assault, while the 17-year-old was charged with two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the attack.

How many of these cases is MCAO looking into?

Mitchell’s office is currently looking at a total of 19 East Valley youth violence cases. They’re investigating 13 adults and six juveniles, she told reporters during the Wednesday press conference.