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Preston Lord

Queen Creek memorial set of Lord anniversary

Posted 10/28/24

Queen Creek is coming together to mark the death and remember the life of Preston Lord.

On Oct. 28, 2023, Lord was severely beaten at a Halloween house party in Queen Creek. The 16-year-old …

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Preston Lord

Queen Creek memorial set of Lord anniversary

Posted

Queen Creek is coming together to mark the death and remember the life of Preston Lord.

On Oct. 28, 2023, Lord was severely beaten at a Halloween house party in Queen Creek. The 16-year-old Combs High School student died of his injuries on Oct. 30.

The nonprofit Justice4PrestonLord organization is holding a water lantern memorial in Queen Creek on Monday to mark the first anniversary of Lord’s death.

The memorial takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Frontier  Family Park, 20039 S.220th St. The gathering will be located on the southeast side of the park by the ramadas and lake.

The organizers are asking the public to wear Lord’s favorite color, orange, at the memorial. Water lanterns will be released on the lake to commemorate the teen’s life. The lanterns will be available for purchase for a suggested $10 donation.

Originally a social movement that developed following Lord’s death, Justice4PrestonLord became a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit “dedicated to breaking the cycle of teen violence and fostering a culture of hope, healing, and positivity in the lives of our young people through education and community resources. We believe that every individual deserves to live a life free from the grip of social media abuse, trauma, and mental health struggles.”

The organization is built on the following objectives:

  • Raising awareness about the devastating impact of teen violence on individuals, families and communities.
  • Intervening with programs and services that address the root causes of violence, including mental health, parenting and education.
  • Educating and empowering youth with the skills, knowledge and resilience to overcome adversity and thrive.
  • Creating safe, supportive, inclusive environments that nurture growth, healing and positive change.
  • Fostering partnerships with community organizations, schools and families to amplify our impact and ensure lasting change.

Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley issued a statement on Monday in which she recalled “a young life taken too soon.”

“As a community, we must continue to come together to address teen violence and stand up and say violence will not be tolerated. The support from the community for Preston and his family gives me hope — and so does the commitment to helping our youth feel heard and, most importantly, safe,” Wheatley stated.

Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice also released a statement calling Lord’s death a “senseless loss” that “continues to weigh on my heart and mind.”

“Our work is not done. We need to continue to have conversations about the importance of mental health support for our youth and ways to prevent crime, and we must work together to find and implement solutions,” Brice stated. “We must remember that it is our collective responsibility to protect and support our youth.”  

Seven young men have been arrested and charged with murder in Lord's beating death.

queen creek, preston lord, qcpd