Seven suspects are awaiting trial on charges they beat 16-year-old Preston Lord to death at a party in Queen Creek last year, and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell is speaking out against rising youth violence in the state and also nationally.
She said juvenile violent crime is up in Maricopa County, in Arizona and around the United States.
"The number of juveniles charged with first-degree murder comparing between 2022 and 2023 is three times higher," said Mitchell. "That's actually over three times higher."
Mitchell says a disturbing aspect of the trend of rising youth violence is the number of incidents involving firearms.
“But, what I would say is if I’m the person who’s being shot, I don’t really care, relatively speaking, what the trends are. I care that I was shot. We’re seeing those numbers go back up, and that is of concern to me," said Mitchell.
Mitchell also said while gun crime is down from pre-COVID-19 levels, she’s concerned it’s heading in the wrong direction.
