After 'Goon' attacks, Chandler moves forward with brass knuckles ban, teen party crackdown

Sam Kmack, Arizona Republic
Updated ·3 min read

Chandler officials tentatively approved a ban on brass knuckles for minors and a significant beefing up of the city's unruly party laws in response to a recent surge in teen violence in the East Valley.

The new party ordinance expands who can be charged and how severe the punishment is, as well as the powers police officers have to break up the gatherings.

The issue came to light in December after an investigation by The Arizona Republic found the "Gilbert Goons," a gang of mostly affluent teenagers, had engaged in a string of attacks on other teens in the region for more than a year.

Many Goons attacks occurred in Gilbert, with some involving the use of brass knuckles. Members of the group have been charged in the Oct. 28 fatal beating of 16-year-old Preston Lord during a Halloween party in Queen Creek.

A Goons attack may have taken place in Chandler, and city officials vowed to lead a regional push to combat the issue because of the outrage among residents over Gilbert's failure to connect attacks or combat the issue.

95 assaults, 29 arrests: 'Gilbert Goons' videos raise questions on lack of police action

The Chandler City Council's unanimous vote to move forward with its two ordinances Thursday is part of that effort. The specific policies are:

  • An "unruly gathering" ordinance: Chandler's existing party rules only punish those who host gatherings where minors are drinking, and it carries maximum fine of $1,500. The new policy includes any party that "constitutes a threat to the public peace, health, safety or general welfare." It also applies to anyone involved, not just the host, and violators could face a $2,500 fine, six months in jail and three years of probation.

  • A brass knuckles ban for those under 18: Brass knuckles are currently legal for anyone to buy in Chandler. This ordinance would make it illegal for minors to possess them or for stores to sell them to kids. Like the unruly gathering policy, brass knuckles violators could face a $2,500 fine, six months in jail and three years of probation.

'Gilbert Goons': Chandler takes aim at brass knuckles, unruly parties in response to attacks

"When you were here the first night (in January), we said to you that we would lead the way. My colleagues did ... We meant it," Councilmember Matt Orlando said to the audience at Thursday's meeting, which included Lord's father and stepmother.

Chandler's updated party rules are in line with the policies in Tempe and Glendale, both of which hold everyone from the guests to the property owner responsible for the violation.

But Chandler's proposal to make violations a class 1 misdemeanor — the highest level of crime that can be prosecuted at the city level — make Chandler's tentative party law the strictest of any city in the Phoenix area because of the severe penalties such a charge entails.

The brass knuckles ban is somewhat less strict than similar policies in Phoenix and Yuma, where the sale of brass knuckles is prohibited outright. Chandler's new rule only bans the sale to minors, but it does go further than the two other cities by making it illegal for kids to possess the weapon.

"Chandler has stepped up as a leader in the East Valley to create (these policies)," said Melissa Ciconte, Lord's stepmother. "This will make us feel safer living in Chandler ... It is imperative that we take decisive action to address this issue."

Chandler's City Council will take a final vote to approve the policy changes on May 23. If approved at that meeting, the new ordinances would take effect June 24.

Reporter Sam Kmack covers Tempe, Scottsdale and Chandler. Follow him on X @KmackSam or reach him at sam.kmack@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Gilbert Goons': Chandler approves brass knuckles ban for minors