ARIZONA NEWS

Police investigating 8 teen violence cases that could be linked to ‘Gilbert Goons’

Jan 8, 2024, 5:28 PM | Updated: Mar 12, 2024, 9:45 am

The Gilbert Police Department says it is investigating eight cases of teen violence that could be l...

The Gilbert Police Department says it is investigating eight cases of teen violence that could be linked to the "Gilbert Goons." (Gilbert Police Department Photo)

(Gilbert Police Department Photo)

PHOENIX — The Gilbert Police Department said Monday it is investigating eight teen violence cases that could involve the “Gilbert Goons,” including four that were reopened.

The department said the four other cases came from incidents that were previously unreported and came about through online tips. The “Gilbert Goons,” a purported group of affluent East Valley teenagers, have been in the spotlight since the death of 16-year-old Preston Lord at a Halloween party in Queen Creek in late October.

It is unknown if Lord’s death was due to violence from the gang. The Queen Creek Police Department submitted charges against seven suspects to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office on Dec. 28 but did not release names.

“Gilbert PD takes any incidents involving violence seriously and, as part of a thorough review of past assault cases and arrests involving youth, we are looking to see if there is any additional information or correlation between these incidents that can assist us with our past and current investigations,” the department said in a statement.

Police added that investigations will determine whether it can classify the group as a criminal street gang under Arizona law.

Gilbert’s Street Crimes Unit is working with several East Valley law enforcement groups to figure out more information on the cases.

What’s the latest on the Preston Lord case?

Maricopa County’s review into charges stemming from the murder of Lord is expected to take a while due to the sheer amount of materials that need to be sifted through, Attorney Rachel Mitchell said Friday.

Mitchell told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show the police report for Lord’s case is about 1,800 pages. Prosecutors also have to comb through about 2,000 pieces of evidence, including 600 videos, according to Mitchell.

Lord, a student at Combs High School, was assaulted near Sossaman and Chandler Heights roads after a Halloween party on Oct. 28 and died of his injuries two days later.

A reward of up to $10,000 was offered for information that leads to an arrest in Lord’s death.

Queen Creek set up a portal at www.fbi.gov/prestonlord where video, photos and other media can be submitted as potential evidence.

Information can also be called into the FBI’s tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Scottsdale Airport...

Danny Shapiro

Scottsdale Airport runway shut down following accident

The Scottsdale Airport runway was shut down on Monday afternoon due to an accident, authorities said.

21 minutes ago

new Surprise fire department West Valley Arizona...

Serena O'Sullivan

Surprise completes 1 new fire station, buys land for another

Surprise Fire Station 309, the new Surprise fire department at the north side of Cactus Road at Perryville Road, became operational last week.

46 minutes ago

Republican state Rep. Matt Gress is questioning the legality of the lease-purchase deal that bailed...

Kevin Stone

Arizona lawmaker raises questions about legality of Isaac School District lease-purchase deal

An Arizona lawmaker is questioning the legality of the lease-purchase deal that bailed the Isaac School District out of its financial crisis last month.

2 hours ago

research funding...

Kevin Stone

Arizona joins lawsuit to stop Trump research funding cuts that could cost state millions

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joined a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration to protect medical and public health research funding.

4 hours ago

The Arizona Constitution currently provides legislative immunity for traffic violations....

Kevin Stone

Arizona Republican wants lawmakers to follow same traffic laws as everyone else

An Arizona lawmaker introduced a resolution that would refer a constitutional amendment ending legislative immunity for traffic violations to the ballot.

5 hours ago

Officials: WM Phoenix Open 2025 more peaceful than last year...

Serena O'Sullivan

This year’s WM Phoenix Open upgrades made event smoother, more respectful, organizers say

Event organizers put in place a variety of changes during the WM Phoenix Open 2025 after weather conditions and crowd issues last year.

6 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Collins Comfort Masters: Your go-to plumbing experts in Arizona

Collins Comfort Masters, a trusted name in HVAC, water and plumbing since 1985, is you go-to plumbers for the residents of Phoenix and the Valley.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How IRAs are a helpful tool in retirement planning

When it comes to retirement planning, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) can be a great tool for income growth.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

Police investigating 8 teen violence cases that could be linked to ‘Gilbert Goons’