A Las Vegas high school grapples with how a feud over stolen items escalated into a fatal beating

53

In a Las Vegas high school, a tragic incident unfolded, leaving the community in shock and sorrow. The day had concluded, and students were heading home when an urgent message echoed through the school’s intercom system, urgently requesting a defibrillator near one of the classrooms.

Responding swiftly, a nurse rushed towards the scene, while a group of teachers attempted to administer CPR. However, it wasn’t until the following day that social studies teacher Reuben D’Silva discovered the harrowing truth: a student had been brutally beaten by ten of his peers in a nearby alley while defending a friend, resulting in life-threatening injuries.

This devastating episode struck at the heart of Rancho High School, situated in east Las Vegas and predominantly attended by minority students. Upon learning that 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis Jr. would not survive the severe head trauma and other injuries inflicted during the November 1 attack, some students even walked out of their classes in protest, according to D’Silva.

Compounding the tragedy, a video of the brutal assault spread widely on social media platforms, further traumatizing the community.

In the weeks that followed, a small memorial emerged in the littered alley, framed by apartment buildings and a sober living facility. Students, teachers, and staff were left grappling with the shocking escalation of a conflict revolving around a stolen vape pen and a pair of wireless headphones.

Psychology teacher Isaac Barron, who also serves as a councilman in neighboring North Las Vegas, remarked, “The trauma, quite frankly, extends beyond the young man’s family. It’s going to run deep, and there’s no magic wand to solve this.”

Law enforcement took action, with at least eight of the ten teenage students believed to be involved in the attack arrested. Four of them were formally charged as adults with second-degree murder, while the others, being under 16, await separate hearings.

On campus, a room was designated for social workers and counselors to offer support to grieving students and staff. D’Silva, a Rancho graduate himself, directed his students to this resource when they received the heart-wrenching news of their classmate being taken off life support.

D’Silva shared, “It’s so difficult to grapple with something like this, where you have a fight that just turns into a brutal beatdown of a student by other Rancho students. Everybody at Rancho either knew the victim or the perpetrators — or both.”

In a moving vigil held in the alley on Tuesday night, dozens gathered to remember Jonathan Lewis, placing long-stemmed white roses at the spot where he was attacked. A school photo of the young man, surrounded by candles, looked out at the mourners.

As the crowd dispersed, Mellisa Ready, Lewis’s mother, stood near the roses, tears streaming down her face. Sixteen-year-old Arturo Herrera, a friend of her son, approached her, his own eyes welling up with tears. Herrera, who had not left his home for over a week since learning of Lewis’s death, attended the vigil to find closure.

Maggie Villard, Herrera’s mother, expressed her pride in her son’s willingness to confront his grief. She stated, “It took a lot to get him to come out, but I told him he needs closure, and this is a way to get that.”

Initially, information about the case was sparse, and the school held a moment of silence during the morning announcements following the beating. Principal Darlin Delgado shared in a staff meeting that she could not provide details about Lewis’s condition, but the police department’s homicide unit was investigating, leaving the teachers in disbelief.

According to detectives, Lewis had walked to the alley with his friend after school, but he was not the intended target. Cellphone footage revealed that Lewis had prepared for a fight by removing his shirt, after which the ten students “immediately swarm him, pull him to the ground and begin kicking, punching, and stomping on him,” said police homicide Lt. Jason Johansson.

After the brutal encounter, a passerby found Lewis severely injured and unconscious, carrying him back to the campus. School staff called 911 and made efforts to assist the student.

Isaac Barron, a teacher with nearly three decades of experience at the high school, noted that his colleagues who tried to help are deeply affected by the tragedy. He emphasized, “You’re a dealer of hope if you’re a teacher. But this is something that really strikes the very core of who we are. We always hope our students will graduate and go on to lead productive lives. If we didn’t think so, I know I wouldn’t show up to work.”

Friends of Jonathan Lewis remembered him as a compassionate individual who kept to himself but was unafraid to stand up for his beliefs. Andrew Cabrera and Luis Valenzuela, fellow students, explained that it came as no surprise that Lewis had defended a friend during the attack.

At the memorial site in the alley, bouquets of flowers, candles, and rose petals surrounded a stuffed animal with a signed note that hailed Lewis as a hero. The note conveyed a heartfelt message: “Thank you for standing up for your beliefs.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about High School Tragedy

More about High School Tragedy

• Las Vegas Review-Journal – “4 Las Vegas high school students charged with murder as adults in classmate’s fatal beating”
• Las Vegas Sun – “Las Vegas high schoolers facing murder charges in their classmate’s death are due in court”
• ABC News – “A Las Vegas high school student was beaten to death by 10 classmates between 13 and 17, police say”
• The Big Big News – Source for teacher’s quote
• Las Vegas Review-Journal – “Las Vegas high schooler who suffered fatal beating was ‘a hero'”