PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — The Pinal County Sheriff's Office is investigating a gang assault of a teen in the area of ​​Santan Mountain Regional Park.

It happened on November 18th. Officials said they were called to a desert area off North Wagon Wheel Road and West Sun Dance Drive for a report of an altercation.

In the East Valley, a video of the fight has been shared on social media, showing a 16-year-old boy being mobbed by a group of other teens. He was punched multiple times and when he fell to the ground, his assailants took turns kicking him.

A spokesperson for the Pinal County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the video shared was indeed from the November incident.

Officials said the boy suffered minor injuries, but they could not immediately identify his attacker.

The case has been forwarded to PCSO's Criminal Investigation Division for further investigation. The case remains active as investigators continue to interview people who may have been involved.

“I wasn't surprised by another attack,” said Katie McPherson, a youth mental health advocate and East Valley mother.

McPherson and others have expressed concerns over the past few months about the safety of East Valley teens. Community frustration has been growing since Preston Road's horrific death. A 16-year-old boy died after being assaulted outside a Halloween party in Queen Creek on October 28th.

RELATED: 'We'll rely on the evidence': Charges in Preston Lord's death could be wide-ranging and will take time to consider, lawyer says

“I think the public needs to know that it's not just a group of four or five people. We're talking deeply with 20 to 30 people, but this style is real. .That's the trend,'' McPherson said.

Gilbert police said they have reopened four of the teen assault cases in light of Lord's death.

RELATED: 'No results': Gilbert police reopen four teen assault cases as concerns continue over teen violence in East Valley

It is unclear whether those involved in the Pinal County assault case are connected to other cases under investigation.

McPherson warns parents about this violent trend and says social media plays a big role. She points out that perpetrators typically record group-style assaults and share the videos on social media to gain influence and likes.

“We knew this was going to happen post-coronavirus. Many experts and behavioral scientists are seeing an increase in aggression, an increase in physical assaults, and we knew this was going to happen after the coronavirus. That's unprecedented post-coronavirus, which is really surprising,” McPherson said.

Queen Creek police said the investigation into Lord's death is ongoing and that they have filed charges against seven people with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review.

RELATED: Here's what happened in the Preston Road murder investigation over the past two months

So far, no arrests have been made.

In an interview with KTAR on Friday, County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said the Queen Creek Police Department's report is 1,800 pages long and reviewed about 2,000 pieces of evidence, including about 600 videos. .

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