The father of a Las Vegas teenager who was “beaten to death” by a gang of thugs has heartbreakingly revealed he “can’t watch” the viral video of the brutal attack.
Jonathan Lewis Sr. said his son Jonathan Lewis Jr. died Nov. 2, a day after he was beaten by a mob in broad daylight in a sickening episode captured on camera by a stunned bystander .
While the footage has since been seen by millions, Jonathan’s father told the Review Journal: “I can’t watch the video of my son being beaten to death, no.”
Pressure is mounting on Las Vegas police to take action over the senseless beating, and the Metro Police Department said Monday it was still investigating the incident.
In a separate interview with NewsNation, Lewis Sr. said he was dismayed by investigators’ response, saying, “They haven’t given me a reason why they haven’t made an arrest yet… There are other videos that haven’t been released.” to the public.’
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has yet to confirm that the viral footage is of the attack on Lewis, saying in a statement to : “LVMPD is actively investigating this incident.” An update will be provided when it is available is available.’
Jonathan Lewis Sr. said he is still waiting for answers as to why no arrests have been made following the suspected violent death of his son Jonathan Lewis Jr
Jonathan Lewis, 17, died on November 1, a day after he was surrounded and “beaten to death” by a gang of thugs.
Lewis Sr., who lives in Austin, Texas, said his son was targeted in the scuffle after he rushed to the aid of another student who was being teased by the bullies.
He pointed out that there are “other videos that have not been released to the public” that offer a different look at the incident, saying 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,” he added to NewsNation.
A large percentage of the mob appeared to be black, leading to some inflammatory comments about the attack being racially motivated, although there is no evidence that this was the case.
Lewis Sr. condemned the racist reactions of some to the footage, calling it “a disgrace to my son’s memory.”
He added to the Review Journal that he was demanding justice and accountability for those involved, claiming the gang of thugs had been involved in other similar incidents.
“This is not an isolated case, no. “We know there was another incident involving these exact children the previous Tuesday,” he said.
Clark County School District Police Department spokesman Lt. Bryan Zink, did not confirm that the recordings were of Lewis’ attack, but said they should serve as a chilling reminder of the dangers of bullying in school.
“Parents need to step in and talk to their children,” he said. “It’s just really sad.”
Officials in the school district have been warning about physical bullying for months — and Clark County school police have confiscated 20 guns and 52 knives so far this year.
Jonathan Lewis Sr. condemned the brutal attack but said some racist reactions online were a “disgrace to my son’s memory.”
Shocking footage of the attack shared on social media shows around 15 bullies attacking a student, believed to be 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis. Police have not officially reviewed the footage
As the violent scenes escalate, utter chaos ensues as the victim lies on the ground and is beaten until he loses consciousness
The footage was also shot from another cell phone and has since been posted on X
After Jonathan is knocked to the ground, one of his friends tries to intervene and stop the brutal attack before running away
Amid calls for accountability for Lewis’ death, the school district said in a statement to parents that it declined to provide additional information while the investigation is ongoing but that it “mourns the loss of every student.”
“While we cannot provide additional information because this is an active police investigation, please note that district leadership and school police are working with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office to ensure those involved are held accountable for their actions the statement says.
“CCSD does not tolerate violence or threats against students or their safety,” the statement continued.
“We must all come together as a community to address the needs of our students so that disagreements are resolved through dialogue, not violence.”
After it was revealed that Lewis Jr. suffered the attack because he stood up for another student, his father said his heroics may have been spurred by his family’s military background, as several relatives have received Purple Hearts in the past would have.
The Purple Heart is a military award given to those wounded or killed in action.
“Jonathan knew the strength of love, that’s what we teach in our family,” he continued.
“Love is the greatest strength and we protect our family members and have a deep sense of community and I think that just inspired him to do that.”
Asked why law enforcement didn’t act quickly, he said he was in “close contact” with Las Vegas police but was frustrated with how the investigation was progressing.
“They haven’t given me a reason why they haven’t made an arrest yet,” he said, adding that investigators continue to work “diligently.”
“I can tell you that I have sat down with these detectives and they are very effective at their jobs, there are many other unique factors at play.”
“Unfortunately the school rounded up a lot of these kids even though they were told not to and you know, I think they just wanted to help, but that ended up causing a lot of problems so the investigation became more complex.”
The teen’s father said his heroic actions to help another bullied student may have been fueled by his family’s military service, some of whom he said received Purple Hearts
Lewis Sr. has since set up a GoFundMe page to cover the costs of his son’s untimely death, and he said the proceeds – which total over $65,000 – will be split between Jonathan’s mothers and his father’s families becomes.
According to the fundraiser, which quotes the teen’s girlfriend, his decision to take action was because the other bullied student he was helping was much smaller and had items stolen from him by the group.
The page was written while Jonathan was still on life support and described him as “a kind, loving, gentle young man who has the heart of a champion and the most radiant loving energy that draws people to him with love.”
“He’s an aspiring artist, a devoted big brother, and a fierce protector of loved ones!”
“We are so grateful for all the love and community support our son has received and hope that the world focuses on and recognizes all this love and compassion as a beacon of hope for human relationships, how much stronger love is.” The spirit of community is greater than the dark moments of violence.
“Love prevails, our son is a champion of love and family and the resilient spirit of human perseverance and the will to be good, kind and loving!”