Fireworks incident on July 4th in Arizona has eerie parallels to Gilbert Goons

With New York magazine just reporting on our now notorious suburban street gang – the Gilbert Goons – youth violence is back in the news.

Gilbert police have arrested two boys accused of throwing fireworks into a barn and setting the building on fire while people were inside.

The owner of the building told The Republic that she believes the two boys set the fire in revenge for her daughter blocking her on social media.

The daughter, her cousin and eight of her friends were in the attic when a mortar firecracker was thrown into the barn.

When the building caught fire, everyone was able to leave the building.

And now the question remains: Is there a connection?

They have young troublemakers.

They have the Internet.

They have retaliation.

Are these the Goons?

As they say in West Texas, “I politely doubt it.”

Fireworks chaos is part of a larger trend in America

On this Fourth of July, people across the country set off fireworks, started bushfires and house fires, blew off their fingers, and even committed suicide.

Here are just some of the victims of last Thursday’s Independence Day:

Chicago:

“Father killed while setting off fireworks on July 4th”

The father of two young children and a third on the way was killed when a mortar shell accidentally detonated in his hands, ABC7Chicago reports.

Boise, Idaho:

“100-acre grass fire in southeast Boise caused by fireworks”

A 16-year-old called 911 to report the fire after setting off a mortar firework that ignited dry grass and brush, KTVB reports.

Redmond, Washington:

“45-year-old man dies after being hit in the head by mortar fire”

A 45-year-old man was setting off mortar-style fireworks in a parking lot when one of them fatally struck him in the back of the head, NBC Montana reported.

Anaheim, California:

“Man seriously injured by mortar firework he set off”

A man who set off fireworks suffered serious head injuries, the Orange County Register reports.

Chicago:

“Independence Day fireworks spark over a dozen house fires in Chicago and suburbs”

Thirteen homes were set on fire by fireworks on Independence Day, one of which was totaled, NBC Chicago reported.

Berkeley, California.

“Berkeley teenager seriously injured in fireworks accident

A young man was seriously injured when a firework accidentally exploded in his hand, reports CBS San Francisco.

Sacramento County, California.

“Unmarked California Sheriff’s Office vehicle damaged when mortar shells explode beneath it”

A teenager was arrested and several others were taken into custody after a group of about 30 people were seen throwing fireworks and Molotov cocktails at oncoming traffic on July 4, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Crescent City, California.

“Three-year-old boy injured after fireworks incident in Crescent City”

A young boy was seriously injured when he was hit by mortar shell fire. The boy was flown to the hospital by helicopter with a collapsed lung, ABC7 KRCR reports.

Florida, United States.

“Two South Florida teenagers had their fingers torn off by fireworks on July 4th”

Two teenagers suffered serious hand injuries when a homemade mortar grenade made from PVC pipe exploded, CBS News reported.

Gilbert seems to be part of a larger trend this time

So it seems that Gilbert is part of a nationwide trend toward reckless use of fireworks, especially mortar fireworks.

Mortar fireworks are designed to be fired from a tube and create a small explosion of light in the air. Aerial fireworks are banned in Arizona, Axios reports. Only certain ground-based devices are allowed on a few days of the year, including the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve.

Fireworks are often used illegally in the state. In 2019, Glendale police responded to 735 calls related to the illegal use of fireworks, The Republic reported.

Across America, approximately 9,700 people were injured and eight people were killed by fireworks in 2023, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Sixty-six percent of these injuries occurred in the weeks before and after Independence Day on July 4.

In a study of fireworks accidents, the American Journal of Emergency Medicine found that 90% of the patients were male and nearly 40% of the injuries were caused by “grenades/mortars.”

So what exactly is Gilbert’s problem?

Do we have a problem with youth violence? Yes, we do. Is it right to finally address it? Absolutely.

I’m not part of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, so I don’t care what the Goons do to the image of this town.

My wife and I moved to Gilbert in 1996 for one reason only. The houses were big and cheap. At that time, Gilbert was still a wood-frame town, which meant that the cotton fields were encroaching further into the hinterland.

At that time, life there was cheap and many young couples with plans to start large families moved here.

Once known as the “Hay Capital of the World,” Gilbert’s population doubled every five years between 1980 and 2000, eventually growing to a city of nearly 300,000.

The fact is that the sleepy little town is no longer small or sleepy

These are large urban communities with a dead-end atmosphere. But with lots of people comes dysfunction. With more people comes more dysfunction. And so our sleepy little community is no longer sleepy.

We have crime. And we have juvenile delinquency, which requires a more mature and sophisticated response than we were able to muster for the Goons.

But I don’t think the Goons are back.

And if yes?

Let’s not screw it up this time.

Phil Boas is a columnist for The Arizona Republic. You can reach him by email at [email protected].

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