MESA, AZ — On Friday, a detective in juvenile court claimed that a teen, allegedly involved in an assault last May, has ties to the "Gilbert Goons."
According to a spokesperson for the Mesa Police Department, a police report was not originally filed for the May incident, as officers did not observe physical injuries to anyone when they arrived on the scene of a reported fight in progress involving 30 to 40 teenagers.
Mesa police say a new report on the incident was filed last week after the victim and their family came forward about the attack. A 17-year-old, who is not being identified at this time due to his age, was arrested on Thursday in connection to the incident.
ABC15 is taking action to get the answers needed as teen violence incidents occur in the East Valley. Follow our latest coverage here.
Prosecutors say during that incident, a teen was attacked on the ground and surrounded by a "mob." After the attack, the teen allegedly received threatening messages, including being told that he would be "stomped out."
A Mesa police detective said in court that the alleged suspect has ties to the "Gilbert Goons," though the teen's attorney said that no gang charges were submitted.
The detective added that the teen allegedly has "extremely serious charges" currently pending in Maricopa County. The teen's attorney said that there are no other pending charges against the teen but there may have been submittals that were made.
In a video from Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost, he said that the 17-year-old arrested in this case is allegedly tied to other cases in other jurisdictions.
DEVELOPING: Mesa’s Police Chief telling the community by video that a teen arrested in their jurisdiction days ago is tied to other cases
— Nicole Grigg (@NicoleSGrigg) January 13, 2024
“That juvenile, as you’ve heard reports, does have ties to other cases in neighboring jurisdictions”
This is the reporting I broke Friday ⬇️ https://t.co/JVEk0SR9gb
The prosecutor requested in court that the 17-year-old suspect should not be released from juvenile detention for the "safety of the community." The judge ultimately decided that the teen would stay in the juvenile detention facility for now.
Mesa police say that this incident is still under investigation and they are looking for other people involved.
"We will not stop until we put everybody in custody that has had anything to do with this case," said Chief Cost.
ABC15 is closely following the latest developments of teen violence in the southeast Valley. Have a tip? Email us at TeenViolence@abc15.com.
