In the shadow of Farmington’s red rock mesas, a wave of youth violence has gripped San Juan County, leaving residents shaken by a spree of assaults, shootings, and carjackings tied to a group of roughly two dozen juveniles. Over the past month, the loosely connected crew has escalated from schoolyard brawls to violent attacks that have drawn in multiple law enforcement agencies and sparked urgent community meetings. Victims have reported being lured to remote areas, given intoxicants, and then brutally beaten.

In one case, a teen escaped after being stripped and locked in a car trunk; in another, a gun was forced into a victim’s mouth. Separate incidents include a mid-September brawl at a Farmington home that left two minors wounded, one critically, and gunfire near the Navajo Nation border that brought FBI assistance. “To include vicious stuff—things like stripping somebody down and throwing them in the back of a trunk of a car and driving them off before he was able to escape, another incident where they put a gun in a victim’s mouth,” said Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe during the Oct. 6 briefing. “The level of violence is what’s so concerning for us up here.

It’s a matter of extreme urgency that our community and Legislature pay attention to what’s happening in Farmington.” So far, seven juveniles have been taken into custody, along with two adults, 22-year-olds Meshach Cayaditto and Dominic Dawes, who face charges related to the shooting at the brawl. Sheriff Shane Ferrari credited citizen tips for leading to the arrests and said about ten warrants remain active. “One of the most disturbing things we’ve found is that half the parents show genuine concern, and the other half are indifferent—it’s just another day of their children getting in trouble,” Ferrari said, warning that parents could face civil liability if they ignore their kids’ criminal activity. The violence has strained local resources in a city of roughly 46,600 people, forcing deputies to divert from regular patrols to track leads across the county’s vast terrain.

Still, both Ferrari and Hebbe say the worst appears contained. “We do feel this group is isolated, and we’ve stopped their actions,” Ferrari said. “They’re perfectly aware the long arm of the law is after them.” As the investigations continue, Hebbe called on state lawmakers to strengthen juvenile justice programs.

For now, Farmington parents lock their doors a little tighter, wondering whether this marks the end of the shadows—or just the intermission.