During the Memorial Day weekend last year, three men are believed to have baited Salt River Police Officer Jair Cabrera into a traffic stop.
According to court records, the driver, Joey Michael Thomas, 21, was driving with his high beams on and flashing his lights on and off.
Once the stop was made, Elijah Loren Arthur Sr., 33, is accused of stepping out of the red Pontiac with an LAR-15 rifle and firing it through the windshield of Cabrera's patrol car, hitting him in the head.
Previously released tribal court records show both Thomas and Arthur Sr. are gang members.
"The motivation is often violence," said DPS Deputy Director Heston Silbert.
The shooting once again shined a spotlight on gang activity in Arizona.
"I think they are the biggest security threat to our citizens," said U.S. Marshal David Gonzales.
Gonzales estimates there to be about 450 different gangs in Arizona, with 30,000 gang members. According to statistics in the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment Report, 80 to 90 percent of all crimes are linked to gang activity.
Extremely sophisticated in some areas, gang members are involved in both blue collar and white collar crimes. In many cases gang members become violent if someone gets in the way of their dealings.
According to Gonzales, gangs are involved in drug trafficking, prostitution, ID theft, home invasions, burglary and counterfeiting.
"They are operating like the mafia was back in the '60s and '70s," said Gonzales.
Late last year, the U.S. Marshal's Office, along with agencies across the East Valley, arrested 343 people in a gang sweep after a month-long investigation called Operation GRIT.
What is even more alarming than the number of documented gang members in Arizona is the age some kids are getting involved. Silbert says he's seen kids as young as 5 flashing gang signs.
"There are parents raising kids out there who are getting them to aspire to be a gang member," said Silbert.
Gonzales believes state and local police departments have contributed to the potential threat of gangs by not focusing their efforts.
"While we were looking at international terrorism our homegrown terrorists started growing and getting stronger," said Gonzales.
Officials in dozens of cities and states, including Arizona, acknowledge weapons trafficking is "severe" and a major problem. According to the most recent National Gang Intelligence Center statistics, in 2013, Phoenix ranked in the top 10 in gang-related firearm recoveries.
Silbert acknowledges the Valley has a growing -- if not active -- gang problem, but he is convinced his agency, along with other agencies across the Valley are doing a good job in controlling the problem.
"They present a challenge but I think we will always be able to meet that challenge," said Silbert.
