New 'Gilbert Goons' beating video, chilling account of Preston Lord's attack emerge

Less than three weeks after 16-year-old Preston Lord was beaten to death at a Halloween party, a group of teenagers filmed themselves attacking another Queen Creek student.

A new video shows members of a group called the "Gilbert Goons" surrounding, knocking down and repeatedly striking a boy as he stumbles backward into a nighttime desertscape.

The video surfaced Wednesday after an investigation by The Arizona Republic first exposed a string of vicious, blitz-style assaults on teenagers spanning more than a year in mall parking lots and parks, outside fast-food restaurants and at parties.

Parents, students and community activists say members of the Goons were involved in the murder of Preston Lord, who died two days after being beaten and left on the side of the street in a Queen Creek neighborhood. One of the Goons, in a widely shared Snapchat post, appeared to admit hitting Lord and watching as others "kicked his head in the ground."

A disturbing account from the scene of the fatal beating also emerged Wednesday from the family of a boy who held Lord as he lay on the pavement.

Mario Hernandez, of San Tan Valley, told The Republic that his son was with Lord at the Halloween party when the Goons went after them and their friends; the two ran in different directions as the Goons chased them through a crush of teenage partygoers.

Hernandez said his son stopped running when he heard other kids shouting, "There's a kid lying in the street." He pushed through dozens of onlookers and saw his friend's battered form.

There was nothing his son could do, Hernandez said.

The emergence of another beating amid the investigation into Lord's death — as police and the FBI execute search warrants, question parents, collect evidence, seize cellphones and interview dozens of kids — frightens residents in the normally tranquil southeast Valley suburbs.

"I am absolutely sickened that there was another assault like this after what happened to Preston," said Kristine Brennan, cofounder of a Facebook page dedicated to finding justice for Lord that has become a hub for people sharing tips and theories on the case.

Community members, who have organized vigils, marches and protests in Lord's name, say they are increasingly frustrated by the attacks and a lack of answers and action by police and elected officials. Lord's family has also demanded accountability from the teenage attackers they say killed him.

"The new video shows some of the same kids who were involved in other beatings. They are the Goons," Brennan said. "This just shows they don't care and won't stop."

Boy beaten, chased in video of nighttime attack

The latest attack was recorded on a cellphone. Footage was shared privately among a small group of high school students. The video, just over a minute long, was shot in mid-November near San Tan Mountain Regional Park, according to students who watched it.

The video opens with three teenagers pushing a boy dressed in black backward. As the boy stumbles, his primary assailant throws a wild right punch to the boy's face.

The boy falls down but quickly gets up and continues backing away. Other kids form a loose circle around him, with at least one using a cellphone as a flashlight, illuminating the tableau. The main attacker steps forward, swinging his hands from side to side, as if using his arm as a club. The attacker screams obscenities.

The boy continues retreating as his attacker advances, leaning forward and yelling. The attackers hurl obscenities at the boy and repeatedly use the N-word, even though all appear to be white.

Then another teenager runs into the frame, passing the main attacker on the left and hitting the boy in the face. A girl is heard yelling encouragement.

The boy starts running, and the camera chases him. His primary attacker catches up and hits the boy in the face again. The boy grabs his assailant, and they fall to the ground. Another teenager steps up and kicks the boy. His main assailant gets up and delivers another kick. A third teenager moves in and appears to kick the boy a third time as the video ends.

Some of the boy's attackers appear in other attack videos reviewed by The Republic. On Nov. 19, a known member of the Goons posted a related video featuring a bonfire on his public TikTok page. In it, the same teenagers are dressed in the clothes they had on in the attack video.

The TikTok page was made private Wednesday.

The Republic is not naming victims, nor is it naming individual Goons, even in cases where they were convicted of assaults and other crimes, because they are underage. None has been charged or identified by authorities as suspects in Lord's murder.

Brass knuckles, beatings, fear: Random attacks on teens loom over Preston Lord murder case

A pattern of aggression and violence

Casteel High School Principal Jayson Phillips confirmed to a parent on Tuesday the victim of the attack is a student. He said in an email the school was able to identify the boy and alerted authorities to the attack.

Elizabeth Glenn, whose children attend Casteel, said she became concerned after seeing the video and felt compelled to alert authorities. She said the video rattled her.

Phillips, in an email to Glenn, wrote: "I wanted to let you know we were able to identify the student and they (have) been working with PD."

Queen Creek police on Wednesday confirmed the department was alerted to the attack.

"QCPD was notified by the school that a student had allegedly been involved in an incident off-school campus," a police spokesperson said. "However, the incident was not reported to QCPD as it occurred in Pinal County. PCSO is the investigating agency."

The Republic documented multiple attacks involving members of the Goons since December 2022, although several more are alleged by parents and students. Most of the attacks occurred in Gilbert, including at least four at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger at San Tan Village Parkway and East Williams Field Road, records and interviews show.

The attacks were strikingly similar and involved similar victims and many of the same perpetrators, who posted photos and videos of beatings on social media.

But Gilbert police never put the attacks under the same umbrella, interviews and court records show. Even when police arrested a Goon for two vicious attacks with brass knuckles in 2022, officers did not tie him to the larger group of assailants described by victims.

Nothing links the victims other than the Goons. The victims don't know each other, live in the same neighborhoods or go to the same schools. No race-based motive ― or any particular motive at all — appears to exist for the attacks. One Goon told police he just wanted to assault strangers.

Gilbert police officials on Friday said they are aware of the Goons and are reviewing past assault cases involving kids. Queen Creek Police Department acknowledged being aware of the Goons and allegations of assaults committed in other jurisdictions.

Former teacher and school counselor Katey McPherson, who has organized #Justice4PrestonLord events, said that as disturbing as the video is, she expected something like it would emerge.

"I'm not one bit surprised," she said. "These boys have been emboldened and empowered by social media. There's been very low accountability for this group. ... No one can hold them accountable, whether it's parents or police."

The new video shows the Goons are engaging in the same style of attacks as ones documented a year ago, McPherson said. The attacks are designed to disorient kids and shame them into not reporting attacks, she said.

"Confuse your victim, pursue your victim, attack your victim and publicly humiliate your victim by filming and embarrassing your victim," McPherson said. "Adults need to get with 2024 and see how teenagers are wired. Social media is an accelerant in this whole thing. Their clicks, their likes, this is a brand for them."

What we know: Preston Lord, the Queen Creek teen fatally assaulted at party

Holding Lord: 'He wishes he could have done more'

Lord and Hernandez's son shared classes at Combs High School and hung out in the same friend group after classes ended. The Halloween party was a last-minute thing; they'd heard about it through the grapevine and decided to go, Hernandez said.

They never expected to be targets of the Goons, but a case of mistaken identity might have led to the deadly encounter, Hernandez said.

Hernandez said his son told him the Goons were looking for another Combs High student they believed had a video that put them in a bad light. What that video showed, he didn't know.

"Doing something illegal, either fighting or doing something illegal," he said.

Hernandez said his son told him the Goons believed the kid they were looking for was associated with his son’s group. He said it was unclear to him whether the kid was a friend of his son or if he even had the video they wanted.

According to his son, the party was getting out of hand even before Lord and his son caught the attention of the Goons; so they decided to leave, Hernandez said.

On the way out, Hernandez said, his son noticed they were being followed. He said his son then tried to get lost in the crowd while alerting his friends to do the same.

“And that’s kind of when all hell broke loose,” Hernandez said.

They split up and fled. Hernandez said a few of his son’s friends got caught between some of the Goons. Some of the Goons threw one of his friends on the ground and broke his arm, he said. Others were able to escape by jumping fences and running.

Hernandez said his son heard many partygoers yelling about a kid lying in the street.

His son moved to the front of the crowd and found Lord lying next to a car, Hernandez said.

With the help of others, Hernandez said, his son tried to render aid. A couple of junior lifeguards stepped in while his son stood by and watched, Hernandez said.

“My son had to hold Preston. He was right there in the middle of everything,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said his son told him between five and 10 kids were involved in the beating. His son told him Lord was jumped on and head-stomped.

Hernandez said his son made a statement to police on the night of the attack but has heard little since. The family has gotten scant updates from Queen Creek police, despite repeated calls from his wife. He said he just wants to know what is going on.

Queen Creek police did not respond Wednesday to questions about Hernandez’s concerns.

Hernandez said his son now has survivor's guilt. Since the incident, he’s seen a change in his son’s sleeping patterns and has witnessed him struggling through waves of emotions. He said he is looking for a therapist to treat his son, who he worries is suffering from PTSD.

“He wishes he could have done more," Hernandez said.

Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8694. Follow him on X @robertanglen.

Reach reporter Elena Santa Cruz at elena.santacruz@gannett.com or 480-466-2265. Follow her on X at @ecsantacruz3.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Gilbert Goons' video, shot after Preston Lord death, shows new attack