The Gilbert Police Department released a new statement on Thursday addressing an alleged group ABC15 has been asking about for months. Gilbert Police said they recently became aware of the term "Gilbert Goons" through social media references.
ABC15 asked the department about the "Gilbert Goons" in early November, but the department said they had no documentation.
Thursday's statement read in part: "Social media and media reports allege that there have been police investigations involving a group of Gilbert individuals that have been targeting teens in the East Valley identified as the 'Gilbert Goons', a term of which Gilbert PD was made aware of via recent social media references."
Some parents in the East Valley said they are scared of the group. One mom who spoke with ABC15 asked to remain anonymous.
"A lot of people are afraid to come forward," said the parent. "We are absolutely terrified that this group will target another child, possibly one of our own, and we don't want to live in fear."
ABC15 attempted to speak with Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg on Thursday. After calling, emailing, and waiting at the department for over two hours, ABC15 was told that Chief Soelberg was not available.
Parents said these assaults haven't just happened in Gilbert, but also in other East Valley communities.
Queen Creek police acknowledged, almost a month ago, that their department was aware of the group. ABC15 sent follow-up questions, which the department would not answer.
"I cannot stress enough — if a crime has been committed in this jurisdiction or another, it must be reported," said Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice at the last Town Council meeting on December 6.
The last time Brice spoke publicly was at the December 6 meeting as he gave an update on the assault that killed 16-year-old Preston Lord at a Halloween party.
Lord's case has not been linked by police to the "Gilbert Goons."
Parents in the East Valley told ABC15 they are now being extra protective over their kids.
"Since October 28, our kids are not hanging out in public spaces," said the mom ABC15 spoke with. "Nobody is posting about parties. No one is posting invites at all. What used to be a fun environment has become a terrifying environment."
ABC15 has been gathering records of teen assaults in the East Valley, including a report that shows one of those attacks was so violent that brass knuckles were used.
One parent told ABC15 that another attack caused their family to move their son out of the country.
"This has been happening to multiple people — our kids deserve to feel safe," said the parent.
In their statement, Gilbert police said their department does not have police reports from victims or suspects associating or connecting the group to any alleged reported criminal activity.
Below is the full statement from the Gilbert Police Department:
"I want to acknowledge the fear and frustration that the community is feeling after the tragic deaths of three East Valley teens, Preston Lord in Queen Creek, Hailey Stephens in Casa Grande, and Jamiere Jenkins in Pinal County. We have heard from residents and from people in our neighboring communities about how these incidents, although unrelated, have greatly impacted them due to the violence that has led to the tragic loss of these three youths. Arrests have been made in both the Casa Grande and Pinal County investigations. Queen Creek PD is actively working on their thorough investigation and providing community updates as it progresses.
Recent alleged incidents of teen violence in Gilbert have heightened community awareness and we want to make it known that we condemn any violence within our community. I want to reassure our community members that we will do everything we can to successfully investigate and prosecute those who have committed any acts of violence in Gilbert. Social media and media reports allege that there have been police investigations involving a group of Gilbert individuals that have been targeting teens in the East Valley identified as the “Gilbert Goons”, a term of which Gilbert PD was made aware of via recent social media references. What we know at this time is that Gilbert PD does not have police reports from victims or suspects associating or connecting the named group to any alleged reported criminal activity in our community. Gilbert PD has investigated and will continue to investigate all reported incidents and take the proper actions to ensure any concerning behaviors or crimes are addressed promptly.
We want to reiterate our commitment to ensuring our community’s safety and we encourage any concerns or relevant information regarding these or other incidents of this nature to be shared directly with Gilbert PD by calling 480-503-6500, or the appropriate jurisdiction, to avoid potentially creating online confusion or misinformation. More importantly, providing information directly to the police department on these incidents will ensure proper follow up and/or investigation is conducted so that justice will be provided to the victims and their families. Gilbert PD will continue to work on teen safety education via our school resource officers, a dedicated crime prevention team, and the department's social media channels."
