Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
Las Vegas high school student beaten to death by 10 classmates between 13 and 17, police say
A makeshift memorial for a high school student lines a fence along an alleyway near Rancho High School in eastern Las Vegas on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. Authorities arrested eight teens Tuesday in connection with the beating of Jonathan Lewis Jr., who died a week after a prearranged fight over a pair of headphones and a vape pen. (AP Photo/Rio Yamat)
Latest News
November 16, 2023

Las Vegas high school student beaten to death by 10 classmates between 13 and 17, police say

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A 17-year-old high school student in Las Vegas was beaten to death in an alleyway around the corner from campus by 10 of his classmates between the ages of 13 and 17, a prearranged fight that authorities said broke out over a pair of headphones and a vape pen.

But police homicide Lieutenant Jason Johansson said that detectives think the victim wasn’t originally supposed to be involved in the brawl, which the students agreed would take place after classes were done for the day at Rancho High School in eastern Las Vegas.

Jonathan Lewis Jr walked to the alleyway with his friend, whose headphones and vape pen had been stolen, Johansson said.

The deadly beating on November 1 was captured on cellphone video and widely shared on social media. Johansson described the footage as “very void of humanity.”

In the video, he said, the victim is seen taking off his shirt to prepare for the fight, and then the 10 students “immediately swarm him, pull him to the ground and begin kicking, punching and stomping on him.”

Eight of the students were arrested Tuesday by Las Vegas police and the FBI on suspicion of murder. They were not immediately identified because they are under 18.

Las Vegas police said they haven’t yet been able to identify the two remaining students, who will also face murder charges. The police department released images of the teenagers, asking for help from the public to identify them.

On Wednesday afternoon, as classes ended for the day and students were leaving campus, a small memorial with flowers and eight candles sat against a fence in the alleyway where Lewis was killed.

Rancho High School principal Darlin Delgado said in a letter this week to parents that support and resources were available for students and staff members as the beating “has and will continue to impact our school community.”

Scott Coffee, a deputy public defender with 28 years of experience in Las Vegas, said it is unusual to have so many co-defendants of such young ages charged with murder in a single case. Coffee said he had not seen court documents and does not represent any of the defendants.

“When kids are involved in this kind of activity, they take the risk by being involved,” Coffee said. “But the flip side is this: Does it look like anybody intended to kill anyone?”

A family court judge on Wednesday ordered four of the students who are 16 or older to be transferred to the adult court system, the Review-Journal reported. Hearings will be held at later dates to determine if the students under 16 will be charged as adults.

Police and prosecutors will have to measure the level of culpability for each of the 10 defendants as the case moves through the court system, Coffee noted.

“Was there somebody in charge of this group? Was somebody younger just going along with the older folks?” he said, adding that although the students face similar charges at the time of their arrests, “it doesn’t mean the resolutions are necessarily going to be similar.”

After the brawl, a person in the area found the teenager badly beaten and unconscious in the alleyway and carried him back to campus, where school staff called 911, police said.

Lewis was hospitalised with severe head trauma and other injuries until his death a week later. The coroner’s office in Las Vegas ruled the beating a homicide.

The victim’s father, Jonathan Lewis Sr didn’t respond Wednesday to requests for an interview. But on a fundraising page he created to help with funeral and medical expenses, he wrote that his son was attacked while standing up for his friend.

“Our son is 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 page reads.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Woman accused of stealing overnight companion’s cell phone
Latest News, News
Woman accused of stealing overnight companion’s cell phone
June 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A woman accused of stealing a cell phone from a man she spent the night with will return to court in late June for trial on simple...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Businessman charged after US$270,580 allegedly found in luggage at Sangster airport
Latest News, News
Businessman charged after US$270,580 allegedly found in luggage at Sangster airport
June 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica —  A 34-year-old businessman has been charged after allegedly trying to enter the country with US$270,580 (J$42.8 million) in his lu...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Police confirm quadruple killing in Retirement
Latest News, News
Police confirm quadruple killing in Retirement
June 10, 2026
ST JAMES, Jamaica — The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has confirmed that four men were killed during an early morning police operation at the Retir...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
PNP calls for transparency in NMIA incident involving Venezuelan airline
Latest News, News
PNP calls for transparency in NMIA incident involving Venezuelan airline
June 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica —  The Opposition People’s National Party says it has taken careful note of recent public statements issued by the Venezuelan Consor...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Haiti hoping to do their country proud and upset odds at World Cup
Latest News, Sports
Haiti hoping to do their country proud and upset odds at World Cup
June 10, 2026
GALLOWAY, United States (AFP) —  Haiti's achievement in qualifying for the World Cup amid ongoing turmoil in the Caribbean nation is one of the most i...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
US inflation shock raises fresh import-cost risk for Jamaica
Business, Latest News
US inflation shock raises fresh import-cost risk for Jamaica
 What rising US prices could mean for food, fuel, electricity and interest rates at home
June 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A rise in United States inflation is raising a practical question for Jamaican consumers and businesses: could higher prices abroa...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
QUANTAS Advantage Inc IPO oversubscribed
Business, Latest News
QUANTAS Advantage Inc IPO oversubscribed
June 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — QUANTAS Advantage Inc’s initial public offering (IPO) has been oversubscribed as it garnered more than $2.38 billion in investor s...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Donovon Samuels appointed minority leader of KSAMC
Latest News, News
Donovon Samuels appointed minority leader of KSAMC
June 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tivoli Gardens Division councillor Donovan Samuels has been appointed as minority leader of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal C...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct