Mesa police have arrested a 17-year-old in a teen attack from last spring.

On Thursday, police arrested the teen in connection with a May 29 assault against another minor in a park near Val Vista Drive and Pueblo Avenue. A report was not filed with police until Jan. 4 when a man reported his stepson was the victim of the assault, police said.

In December, The Arizona Republic reported the “Gilbert Goons,” a gang of mostly affluent teenagers, had engaged in a string of attacks on other teens in the southeast Valley for more than a year, according to interviews, court and police records, and social media posts.

Most attacks occurred in Gilbert. Parents, students and community activists say members of the Goons were involved in the Oct. 28 fatal beating of 16-year-old Preston Lord at a Halloween party in Queen Creek.

Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg initially said officers never connected the attacks because victims did not specifically mention “Gilbert Goons” — and the department did not have police reports associating the Goons “to any alleged criminal activity.” Victims have since referred to their attackers as being associated with the group, according to more recent updates from the department.

This week, arrests were made in connection to group attacks by teens in Gilbert and unincorporated Pinal County. As of Thursday, Gilbert police have nine active investigations related to teen violence: four were reopened, and five were previously unreported to the department.

Though a report was not made near the time of the May 29 assault in Mesa, there was a “subjects disturbing” call recorded by police, according to dispatch information.

At about 9:30 p.m., there was a fight in progress among 30-40 teenagers, both boys and girls, according to the caller. At that time, several vehicles started to leave the area, including one with a girl who had been fighting.

When officers arrived, they saw several people in the park who started scattering in multiple directions, according to the dispatch information. Police contacted some of the juveniles in the park and an apartment complex but observed no physical injuries to anyone. No potential victims came to them for help or said there was a fight.

No juveniles admitted to fighting or watching a fight, according to the dispatch record. The call was closed, and no report was written.

Since the suspect in the case is a minor, police said they would not be releasing his name. He was booked into the Maricopa County Juvenile Detention Center for aggravated assault.

The case remains active, police said.

Elena Santa Cruz is a criminal justice reporter for The Republic. Reach her at elena.santacruz@gannett.com or 480-466-2265. Follow her on X @ecsantacruz3.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mesa police arrest boy in May 2023 teen attack