GILBERT, AZ — The Gilbert Police Department has opened a new case involving teen violence, making this the 12th active teen violence case being investigated by the department.
In a news conference Thursday, Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg asked for the public’s help identifying two individuals in the newly opened investigation.
The date, time, and location of the incident are unknown, according to Gilbert PD’s Teen Violence website.
A video of the incident played during Thursday's news conference showed two people standing outside of a car, hitting a teen sitting in the passenger-side seat. Soelberg said police know the identities of the two people outside of the car, but they are asking for the public’s help identifying the two people sitting inside the car.
Soelberg said the department is looking to identify and question the driver of the vehicle, as well as the person who was being assaulted.
Soelberg also asked for the public’s help identifying additional people in three cases already being investigated by Gilbert police:
- Dec. 3, 2022: Police are looking to identify a person who is being held on the ground during an assault in a Gilbert parking garage.
- Jan. 8, 2023: Police are looking to identify two individuals alleged to have assaulted and robbed a juvenile victim. The juvenile victim is already known to police. According to police, “The two subjects are described by the victim as two unknown Hispanic juveniles both wearing dark colored hooded sweatshirts.”
- Unknown date: Police are looking to identify the victim of an assault that took place near Guadalupe and Freestone Parkway on an unknown date.
According to Soelberg, Gilbert police have made 40 arrests in teen violence cases since February 2022. The department is now investigating 12 cases of teen violence in the town of Gilbert.
Four East Valley cities and one county are investigating group teen violence cases.
The Gilbert Police Department along with other local, county, and state agencies are investigating a group known as the "Gilbert Goons." The agencies are working to determine if the group can be classified as a criminal street gang in Arizona.
ABC15 is taking action to get the answers needed as teen violence incidents occur in the East Valley. Follow our latest coverage here.
