Eight teenagers have been charged with murder after the fatal beating of a fellow student, who agreed to fight the group in a row over stolen wireless headphones.
Jonathan Lewis, 17, was set upon by a mob of 10 on November 1. He died in hospital on November 7, and on Tuesday the charges were announced.
Lt. Jason Johansson of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said all the people involved — believed to be 10 — were students of Rancho High School.
Johansson described a viral video showing the beating as ‘void of humanity’.
Lewis’s father said he ‘can’t watch’ the clip.
Johansson said that a citizen found Lewis unresponsive after the beating, which happened in an alleyway near the school, and brought him back to the school.
Lewis was then taken to UMC where doctors determined that he had suffered ‘non-survivable head trauma,’ Fox 5 Vegas reported.
Johansson said that the fight was over a pair of stolen wireless headphones and possibly a vape pen, which were taken from friends of the victim. All parties involved agreed to meet in the alley to fight, according to police.
Jonathan Lewis, 17, died on November 7 in hospital, following the November 1 fight
‘As soon as a punch is thrown, ten subjects immediately swarm him,’ he said.
He added that the department was able to identify approximately ten subjects that were involved in the murder and eight of those have been ‘positively identified’ as suspects.
Johansson said the process is underway for the eight to be charged as adults.
LVMPD will be releasing photos of two individuals who they want to find, who participated in the beating but have not yet been identified.
Johansson appealed for anyone else with video of the fight to come forward.
‘There’s a high likelihood that there’s additional video out there that we don’t have,’ he said, urging parents to talk to their children about what happened and not ‘put your head in the sand’.
Lewis’ father, Jonathan Lewis Sr, who lives in Austin, Texas, said his son was targeted in the melee after rushing to help another student being picked on by the bullies.
He said Jonathan was initially attacked by a few students who the 17-year-old shook off ‘because he was so strong.’
‘But then all the other kids joined in and beat him to death after that,’ he added to NewsNation.
Jonathan Lewis Sr said his son was involved in the fight to fend off bullies
Jonathan Lewis Sr condemned the brutal attack
Shocking footage of the attack shared to social media saw around 15 bullies attack a student, purported to be Jonathan Lewis, 17. Police have not officially verified the footage
As the violent scenes escalate, all out chaos ensues as the victim lays on the ground, beaten until he is unconscious
Footage was also shot from an additional cellphone which has since been posted to X
After Jonathan is knocked to the ground, one of his friends attempts to intervene and stop the brutal attack before making a run for it
Lewis Sr has since set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of his son’s untimely death, and he said the proceeds – which has topped $65,000 – will be split between Jonathan’s mother’s and father’s families.
According to the fundraiser set up after Lewis’ death, which cites the teen’s girlfriend, his decision to leap into action was because the other bullied student he helped was far smaller, and had items stolen from him by the group.
The page described him as ‘a kind, loving, gentle young man who has the heart of a champion and the brightest loving energy that attracts people to him with love.’
The family, writing before his death, said: ‘He’s an aspiring artist, devoted big brother, and a fierce protector of love ones!
‘We are so grateful for all the love and community support that has poured in for our son and hope that the world will focus on all that love and compassion as a beacon of hope for human relations and place recognition upon how much stronger the love and the spirit of community is than the dark moments of violence.
‘Love wins our son is a champion of love and family and the resilient spirit of human perseverance and will to be good and kind and loving!’