Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost denounced local teenage violence in a YouTube video published Saturday afternoon after Mesa police’s recent arrest of a juvenile connected with the “Gilbert Goons” gang.

The 17-year-old suspect was arrested by the Mesa Police Department’s gang unit on Thursday in connection with a May 29 assault against another minor in a Mesa park, Cost said. The juvenile was charged with aggravated assault. A The incident was not reported to Mesa police until Jan. 4 when a man said victim of the assault was his stepson, according to police.

In the video, Cost thanked the victim’s family for reporting the assault.

More: Teen arrested in Mesa attack tied to ‘Gilbert Goons’ beatings, Preston Lord murder inquiry

“I commend the parents and the victim for coming forward and having the courage to make this report,” he said. “It’s folks like that, and it’s situations like that that are going to help us get a handle on this issue.”

The teenage suspect was booked into the Maricopa County Juvenile Detention Center, and a judge ruled he will remain detained, said a spokesperson for the court. His case was still ongoing, and Mesa police will continue to investigate it, Cost said.

Cost also affirmed that his department would continue collaborating and sharing information with jurisdictions across the East Valley to solve the string of teen violence cases.

“We still have more to do, and we will not stop until we put everybody in custody that has had anything to do with this case,” he said. “Whether you’re an accomplice or whether you’re helping them, we’re going to come for you.”

The move comes after an investigation by The Arizona Republic in December found 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.

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 said officers had never connected the attacks because victims did not specifically mention the gang. Victims since have referred to their attacks as being associated with the Goons, according to the department. Gilbert police have opened multiple investigations related to what officials there describe as “teen violence” cases.

Madeline Nguyen is a breaking news intern for The Republic. Reach her at Madeline.Nguyen@gannett.com or 480-619-0285. Follow her on X @madelineynguyen.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mesa police chief condemns teen violence tied to ‘Gilbert Goons’