GILBERT, Ariz. — Five teen suspects accused of carrying out violent assaults against others in the East Valley were in court Thursday.
Three of the suspects were arrested Wednesday at three separate locations Gilbert Police said.
Kyler Renner, 18, Gage Garrison, 19, and a 17-year-old were arrested for their reported role in an attack at a Downtown Gilbert Parking garage in December 2022.
During Renner and Garrison's initial appearance Thursday morning, prosecutors claim brass knuckles were used in the attack. According to court documents the victim told investigators he saw one of the suspects had brass knuckles but wasn't sure if they were used.
Those same documents claim when Garrison was arrested, police found brass knuckles on him.
The 17-year-old was in Juvenile court. It was announced he will be charged as an adult in this case.
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Two other teen suspects, Christopher Fantastic, 18, and Aris Arredondo, 18, were also in court. Both are charged in another teen assault that happened at the In-N-Out parking lot at San Tan Mall last August.
Fantastic pleaded not guilty to the charges he's facing. Arredondo's hearing was moved because his attorney said they didn't know media would be at the hearing,
As Arredondo and two others were leaving the building, a 12News photographer tried to ask Arredondo about the accusations he is facing.
"F*** you, f*** you, I'm innocent," is how Arredondo responded before walking away.
Around this same time, chief Michael Soelberg with the Gilbert Police Department held another press conference regarding the ongoing teen assault investigations.
Chief Soelberg the department currently has 10 open investigations looking into groups of teenagers attacking victims. He also said officers have made 14 arrests since the start of the year.
“It is our hope, however, that these arrests will bring some level of healing for any victims of teen violence in Gilbert,” Chief Soelberg said.
12News has obtained some of the names and ages of 13 suspects. Following the press conference, 12News reached out to GPD communications team to learn the identity of the 14th person arrested but have not heard back at this time.
Soelberg also said investigators are still looking to charge others seen in the video of the parking garage attack.
EAST VALLEY TEEN VIOLENCE
For months, 12News has been tracking a growing number of teen violence cases in the East Valley.