(NewsNation)—A group of teenagers from affluent families in Gilbert, Arizona, has been wreaking havoc in the city since 2019 and documenting it on social media.
However, it took the beating death of Preston Lord, 16, to finally set off alarms about the ongoing issue.
Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg told NewsNation host Elizabeth Vargas on Tuesday that new information surfaced after Lord’s death.
“After that unfortunate death of Preston Lord, a lot of attention and a lot of new information came forward,” Soelberg said during an appearance on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” “Prior to Preston Lord being killed, we had made 15 arrests on group teen violence cases in the 18 months prior. But the majority of these videos and the information we’ve now seen was not reported to us until after Preston was killed, unfortunately.”
Shocking videos show the teens, known as the “Gilbert Goons,” brutally beating other teens. The group has documented their attacks on social media as a type of twisted badge of honor, showing their victims being pummelled relentlessly.
Seven individuals are being charged with first-degree murder, among other charges, for the beating death of Lord at a Halloween party in 2023. Rumors of a cover-up involving one of the suspects and his father have already cast a shadow on the proceedings.
Additionally, three defendants charged in other violent attacks linked to the “Gilbert Goons” reached plea deals this week that allowed them to avoid jail time.
Community members are outraged over whether justice is really being served.
Soelberg said he “understands the public’s frustration” but blames “misinformation.”