GILBERT, Ariz. — A recent arrest has been made in connection with a violent assault and robbery outside an In-N-Out restaurant last August, where a juvenile victim was hospitalized. The suspect, Christopher Fantastic, 18, is accused of being involved in the attack, which reportedly involved a group of individuals beating and robbing a minor. The victim’s father shared with authorities that his son had to be taken to the emergency room following the incident and, due to safety concerns, he decided to send his son overseas to live with his mother.
During Fantastic’s court appearance, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office representative stated that the August incident was a planned attack and allegedly done in retaliation. The prosecutor expressed extreme concern for the safety of the community due to the suspect’s association with a particular “group” and requested a $100,000 bond. However, the judge assigned a $25,000 bond to Fantastic. The assault occurred just a couple of months before another incident in which 16-year-old Preston Lord sustained fatal injuries at a Halloween party in Queen Creek, shedding light on the prevalence of teen violence in the East Valley and the so-called “Gilbert Goons” group.
The Gilbert Police Department has revealed that it is currently investigating at least eight incidents related to teen violence, with Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell affirming that Fantastic’s arrest is unrelated to the Lord case.