Individual Goons are linked to each other in social media posts, police reports and attack videos.
Faces that appear in clips of beatings and assaults also show up on Snapchat and Instagram posts. These teens pose with guns and other weapons, and they call themselves the Gilbert Goons.
All the connections and the social media posts pointed towards a pattern of violence that had previously gone unnoticed.
The recent arrest of 20-year-old Jacob Pennington sheds light on the group’s activities.
Pennington, who claimed to be part of the ‘Gilbert Goons,’ was apprehended in connection with an incident on November 18, 2023.
The altercation, which took place in a desert area near Wagon Wheel Road and Sun Dance Drive in San Tan Valley, left a teen injured.
Pennington claimed that the fight began when he defended his female friend, allegedly hit by the victim.
Witnesses reported seeing Pennington repeatedly hitting the victim in the face, chasing him, and screaming racial slurs.
The victim managed to escape, sustaining minor injuries. An ongoing investigation suggests more arrests may follow.
More Arrests Expected
Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg acknowledged that the department had not connected the attacks earlier because victims did not explicitly mention the “Gilbert Goons,” and there were no police reports associating the group with criminal activity.
