The father of a Las Vegas teenager who was ‘beaten to death’ by a gang of bullies has heartbreakingly revealed he ‘can’t watch’ the viral video of the brutal attack.
Jonathan Lewis Sr. said his son, Jonathan Lewis Jr., died on November 2 – the day after he was beaten in broad daylight by a gang of bullies in a sickening episode caught on camera by a stunned onlooker.
While the footage has since been viewed by millions of people, Jonathan’s father told the newspaper 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 assault, and the Metro Police Department said Monday it was still investigating the incident.
In a separate interview with NewsNationLewis Sr said he was appalled by the 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 DailyMail.com: “The LVMPD is actively investigating this incident. An update will be provided as soon as it becomes available.”
Jonathan Lewis Sr. said he is still waiting for answers as to why no arrests have been made in the alleged death of his son, Jonathan Lewis Jr.
Jonathan Lewis, 17, died on November 1, the day after he was overrun by a gang of bullies and ‘beaten to death’
Lewis Sr., who lives in Austin, Texas, said his son was the target of the fight after he rushed to help another student who was being bullied by the bullies.
He noted that there are “other videos that have not been released to the public” that offer a different view of the incident. He said Jonathan was initially attacked by some students who the 17-year-old shook off “because he was so strong.” ‘
“But then all the other kids joined in and then beat him to death,” he added to NewsNation.
A large percentage of the crowd appears to be black, leading to some inflammatory comments about the attack being racially motivated, despite there being no evidence that this is the case.
Lewis Sr condemned the racist reactions some have had to the images, which he branded ‘a shame to the memory of my son’.
He added to the Review Journal that he demands justice and accountability for those involved, and claimed the gang of bullies were involved in other similar incidents.
‘This is not a one-off, no. We know there was another incident the Tuesday before with these exact children,” he said.
Clark County School District police spokesman Lt. Bryan Zink did not confirm that the footage of the attack was of Lewis, but said it should serve as a grim reminder of the dangers of bullying at school.
“Parents need to stand up and talk to their children,” he said. “It’s just really sad.”
School district officials have been warning about physical bullying for months — and Clark County school police have seized 20 guns and 52 knives so far this year.
Jonathan Lewis Sr condemned the brutal attack but said some racist comments from internet users are a ‘disgrace to the memory of my son’
In shocking footage of the attack shared on social media, around 15 bullies attacked a student, believed to be 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis. Police have not officially verified the images.
As the violent scenes escalate, utter chaos ensues as the victim lies on the ground, beaten until unconscious.
Footage was also captured from an additional cell phone that has since been posted to X
After Jonathan is knocked to the ground, one of his friends tries to intervene and stop the brutal attack before he flees
Lewis Sr has since had a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of his son’s untimely death, and he said the proceeds – which have topped $65,000 – will be split between Jonathan’s mother and father’s families.
Amid calls for accountability over 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 “regrets the loss of every student.”
“While we cannot provide additional information as this is an active police investigation, please know 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 said.
“CCSD will not tolerate violence or threats to students or their safety,” the statement continued.
“We must all come together as a community to meet the needs of our students so that disagreements are resolved through dialogue rather than violence.”
After it emerged that Lewis Jr. was attacked for standing up for another student, his father said his heroics may have been spurred by his family’s military background, and that his grandfather received a Purple Heart.
The Purple Heart is a military award given to those wounded or killed in action.
“Jonathan knew the power of love, that’s what we learn in our family,” he continued.
“Love is the greatest force and we protect our family members, and have a deep sense of community, and I think that just inspired him to do that.”
When asked why police didn’t take action quickly, he said he has been in “close contact” with Las Vegas police but is frustrated with the way the investigation is going.
“They have not yet given me a reason why they have not made an arrest yet,” he said, adding that investigators continue to work “diligently.”
“I can tell you that I have spoken to these detectives and they are very effective at their job. There are many more unique factors involved.
“Unfortunately, the school rounded up some of these kids even though they were told not to, and you know, I think they were just trying 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 in helping another bullied student may have been fueled by his family’s military service, some of whom he said have received Purple Hearts.
According to the fundraiser set up after Lewis’ death, which names 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 describes him as “a kind, loving, gentle young man with the heart of a champion and the brightest loving energy that draws people to him with love.”
‘He is an aspiring artist, a devoted big brother and a fierce protector of loved ones!
“We are so grateful for all the love and support from the community 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 relationships and recognize how much stronger the love and the spirit of community is then the dark moments of violence.
“Love wins, 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!”