The Gila River Indian Community Faces Safety Concerns Amid Rising Crime
The Gila River Indian Community, located just south of Phoenix, is grappling with increasing safety concerns, leading to significant changes in community events and regulations. In response to a surge in violent incidents, tribal authorities are taking decisive action to protect their members and maintain public safety.
Two weeks ago, the community’s governor, Stephen Roe Lewis, implemented a 7 p.m. curfew for juveniles, aiming to curb escalating crime rates across the nearly 600-square-mile reservation. Although this curfew is set to end on Sunday, the tribe has decided to cancel a major event scheduled for this week due to unspecified safety issues.
The Mul-Chu-Tha Fair and Rodeo, a significant cultural event dating back to 1962, has been called off. Known as one of the largest tribal fairs in Indian Country, the event was last postponed in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year’s event in Sacaton, the tribal capital, attracted over 21,000 visitors.
The community declared a public safety emergency in February as incidents of violence increased. This action mirrors measures taken last June following the tragic death of 23-year-old Gila River deputy Joshua Briese. Deputy Briese was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance in Santan, and another officer was injured in the incident. In the aftermath, the tribe temporarily banned dances to address safety concerns.
For more information on the curfew, please visit the original article on KJZZ.
To learn more about the incident involving Deputy Briese, visit the coverage on KJZZ. Details about the temporary ban on dances can be found here.
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