The Brief

The Gila River Indian Community is considering a landmark proposal to banish and "dis-enroll" members convicted of violent crimes, a move that would be the first of its kind for a tribe in Arizona.

What we know:

The proposal comes as the 600-square-mile reservation grapples with a surge in violence that has shaken the community.

The decision to consider banishment followed a series of high-profile violent crimes, including the shooting death of tribal police officer Joshua Briese last summer.

His death prompted Governor Stephen Roe Lewis and the tribal council to crack down on crime by implementing a curfew for minors and banning teen dance parties.

The community was further devastated in April by the brutal killing of tribal elder Karen Peter, who died after being

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