The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested 8 high school students from Nevada on charges of murder in connection with the death of 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis Jr. The incident involved an after-school fight earlier this month, during which Lewis was beaten unconscious, the New York Times reported.
Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries a few days after the November 1 attack, as announced by the Las Vegas Police Department in a Tuesday news conference.
Lt. Jason Johansson of the Police Department stated that the altercation is believed to have originated from a dispute over a pair of stolen headphones. According to Lt. Johansson, the students had planned to convene in a back alley, situated less than 300 feet from the campus, after classes that day.
Following an investigation, the police identified and arrested eight students from Rancho High School in connection with the altercation, as disclosed by Lieutenant Johansson. He mentioned that the ages of the arrested individuals range from 13 to 17. Additionally, the Police Department is actively working to ascertain the identity of two other individuals who may have been involved in the fight, the media outlet reported.
The eight students, whose identities have not been disclosed publicly, were detained and booked into Clark County Juvenile Hall, as confirmed by the police. It remains uncertain whether they have legal representation.
The circumstances surrounding Jonathan's involvement in the altercation are unclear. According to a statement on a website from the boy's family, Jonathan was trying to assist a smaller child who was being bullied.
Lieutenant Johansson stated that the police suspect the stolen headphones, and potentially a vape pen, were taken from one of Jonathan's friends. According to the lieutenant, once Jonathan became involved in the altercation, "Ten subjects immediately swarm him, put him to the ground, and begin kicking, punching, and stomping him."
While Jonathan was on the ground, Lieutenant Johansson mentioned, he was "not defending himself" and endured the assault "until the point where he becomes unconscious."
Videos depicting the altercation have surfaced on social media, showing multiple individuals exchanging blows. Undersheriff Andrew Walsh of the Police Department characterized the videos as "extremely disturbing," with Lieutenant Johansson describing the footage as "very graphic."
He added: "And in my opinion, very void of humanity."
Following the fight, Jonathan was discovered "unconscious and unresponsive" in the alley, and an individual transported him to Rancho High School, as explained by Lieutenant Johansson.
Subsequently, he was admitted to a hospital, where it was swiftly determined that he had sustained "nonsurvivable head trauma" shortly after his arrival.
Six days after the incident, his family said that he was declared mentally brain-dead. His family decided to donate his organs. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, the New York Times reported.
