Gilbert police chief reassures community after youth violence incidents

By Tom Blodgett
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Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg condemned youth violence in the community at a town council meeting Tuesday. 

Soelberg read a statement on the matter after four women spoke to council during the meeting’s public comment period to express their concerns about recent youth violence incidents that have resulted in the deaths of three teenagers, including Preston Lord of Queen Creek. 

The speakers urged the council to take action, including publicly condemning the violence, holding listening sessions on safety and violence prevention, and providing more education and mental health resources in schools. They also called for a zero-tolerance policy toward violence.  

“I want to acknowledge the fear and frustration that the community is filling after the tragic deaths of three East Valley teens, Preston Lord in Queen Creek, Hailey Stephens in Casa Grande and Jamiere Jenkins in Pinal County,” Soelberg said. “Although the three recent incidents are unrelated, they have greatly impacted our respective communities due to the violence that has led to the tragic loss.” 

Soelberg noted that arrests have been made in the deaths of Stephens and Jenkins and that the Queen Creek Police Department is investigating Lord’s death. 

“I'm here to tell you that we do condemn any violence within our community, and I'm here tonight to reassure our community members that we will do everything we can do to successfully investigate and prosecute those who have committed violence within our community,” Soelberg said. 

Katey McPherson, who recently moved from Gilbert to Queen Creek, said the children’s deaths had created a “perfect storm of collective trauma” in the region. 

“While I did not know Preston, he is all of our children,” she said. “He looks like my children. He acted like my children, and he has quickly become our town's child.” 

She called on leaders in Gilbert, Queen Creek, Chandler and Mesa to condemn the violence and work on solutions. 

“Unfortunately, kids don't get to choose their parents and the environment, and when those environments don't meet the needs of ‘I see you, I hear you, I love you,’ they will find other ways to be seen, heard, and loved and form a crew and a cause, and that is what has happened here. I'm hopeful that together we can see, hear and love each other and our youth. They need us now more than ever.” 

Another speaker, Nicki Connelly, recounted her child being jumped by about 20 youth outside Chandler Fashion Center in November 2020. Her son was punched down and stomped on, but the attackers fled as police responded to a 911 call. 

She reported that her son has recovered today. 

“Thank goodness he was one of the lucky ones,” Connelly said. “Preston, unfortunately, God rest his soul, was not, and I just feel like at this point it's getting worse, and I think the communities of Gilbert, Chandler, and Queen Creek, the city councils have to come together and figure out a way that we can help these kids and make this stop.” 

Soelberg assured the community that all reported incidents are being investigated and encouraged people to report any concerns directly to the police department so that justice will be provided to families of victims. 

“Gilbert PD will continue to work on continued teen safety education via our school resource officers, our crime prevention team and our social media channels,” he said. 

We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on X. 

Tom Blodgett
Senior News Editor | Gilbert

tblodgett@iniusa.org

Meet Tom
Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.

Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.

Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism. 

Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.  

Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).