Violence in Suburbia: How a Teen Gang Rocked Gilbert, Arizona

2024

In Gilbert, Arizona, a town known for its safety and affluence, the existence of a teen gang called the Gilbert Goons went largely unnoticed by authorities until a tragic event unfolded. It wasn't until one boy was dead and seven others were charged with murder that the community began to grapple with the reality of youth violence within its borders.

Gilbert, a town with a reputation for being a prime place for early retirement, raising a family, and trick-or-treating, prided itself on its low crime rate. According to FBI statistics, it had one of the lowest crime rates for a town of its size in 2022. The town, with a population larger than Boise or Salt Lake City, maintained its status as a town rather than a city, preserving its image of a close-knit community. However, this image was shattered late last October.

On a Saturday evening, teenagers in Gilbert were looking for a party. Disappointed with one party, a flyer on Snapchat led them to another in Queen Creek, an upscale neighborhood adjacent to Gilbert. The flyer promised a wild "Halloween costume rager," and soon, teenagers started arriving in various vehicles, dressed in costumes ranging from cowgirls and ballerinas to soldiers and mobsters. The party featured alcohol, beer pong, and marijuana.

Among the attendees was Preston Lord, a sophomore known for his school spirit. He and his friends from the basketball team felt out of place at the wild party and mostly stayed in the garage. As the night progressed, tension escalated when a teenager filmed two partygoers arguing, prompting Treston Billey, dressed in a white pin-striped suit, to demand the video be deleted. The atmosphere became charged with anticipation of a fight.

Lord and his friends decided to leave, followed by a group of older boys dressed as gangsters. The confrontation escalated when the older boys taunted the younger group and began a physical assault on Lord, who was eventually knocked to the ground and brutally beaten. Despite attempts by partygoers to revive him, Lord never regained consciousness and died two days later. The coroner ruled his death a homicide.

The incident led to a series of shocking revelations. A video of Lord's body circulated among teenagers, and messages discussing the assault appeared in group chats. The Queen Creek police, handling their first homicide case since the department's formation in 2022, began an investigation.

Gilbert, once a small town with about five thousand inhabitants in 1980, had grown rapidly due to suburban developments, becoming the fastest-growing municipality in the country during the 1990s. Despite its growth, the town maintained an image of safety and affluence. However, this image concealed a darker reality of escalating teen violence and gang activity.

The Arizona Republic reported that Lord's death was not an isolated incident but part of a troubling trend involving the Gilbert Goons, a group of upper-middle-class teenagers responsible for violent attacks in the area. Despite high school students being aware of the Goons, the Gilbert police had no documented incidents associated with the group name. The newspaper detailed numerous violent attacks by the Goons, with many incidents captured on video and shared online.

In January, a mother of three gave a tour of Gilbert, highlighting its rapid development and the proliferation of shopping centers. She and other parents had become deeply concerned about the rising violence, participating in online discussions and community meetings to address the issue. The community's frustration grew as weeks passed without arrests, leading to public calls for justice and accountability.

The Gilbert Goons, a loosely organized group of about two dozen teenagers, mostly white and wealthy, had been involved in numerous assaults. Their actions were often recorded and shared online, contributing to a sense of invincibility. Despite this, police initially treated the beatings as isolated incidents, with little coordination or recognition of the broader pattern of violence.

The death of Preston Lord marked a turning point. Police investigations intensified, and public pressure mounted. The Goons were eventually designated as a criminal street gang, and law enforcement made several arrests. Seven teenagers faced first-degree murder charges, along with additional charges for aggravated robbery and kidnapping. If convicted, they could face life in prison.

The community of Gilbert, once known for its safety and affluence, was forced to confront the reality of youth violence within its borders. The image of a close-knit, safe town was irrevocably altered, revealing underlying issues of parental neglect, rapid development, and a lack of effective law enforcement. As the community grapples with the aftermath of Lord's death, the need for comprehensive solutions to address youth violence and restore a sense of safety remains paramount.

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