In a tragic and senseless incident, eight juveniles are now facing murder charges in connection with the brutal beating death of 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis, a high school student in Las Vegas. The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, occurred on November 1 near the Rancho High School campus after school hours.
According to Las Vegas police, the altercation and beating occurred over a pair of stolen wireless headphones and possibly a stolen marijuana vape pen. In the video footage, approximately ten individuals are seen kicking, stomping, and punching Jonathan as he lay on the ground, unable to defend himself. The violence continued until he lost consciousness.
Jonathan Lewis passed away six days after the beating, with the autopsy revealing that the cause of death was blunt force trauma. The entire school district expressed its grief over the loss of a student and vowed to work with law enforcement to ensure accountability for those involved.
The eight juveniles, whose identities have not been disclosed, range in age from 13 to 17 and are students at Rancho High School. Half of the arrested teens will be tried as adults, while the remaining four, aged 13 to 15, will undergo certification hearings in family court to determine whether they should also be tried as adults.
Jonathan Lewis’s father described him as a caring and protective young man who tried to intervene when he saw a smaller friend being bullied and having something stolen from him. In response to the tragedy, Jonathan’s parents have established the Team Jonathan foundation in honor of their son.
Authorities are actively investigating the incident and are seeking information from anyone who may recognize individuals in the video of the beating.