8 Las Vegas teens face murder charges in classmate’s beating death

A makeshift memorial in Las Vegas for Jonathan Lewis Jr., 17, who was beaten to death, allegedly by classmates. Eight Las Vegas high school students between the ages of 13 and 17 were arrested on suspicion of murder in the beating death of a schoolmate that was captured on cellphone video and widely shared across social media. The fight appeared to be over a pair of headphones and a vape pen, police said, and the students had agreed to walk to an alleyway around the corner from campus to fight after classes ended for the day at Rancho High School in eastern Las Vegas. Rancho High School’s principal, Darlin Delgado, said in a letter to parents this week that support and resources were available for students and staff members, as the beating death “has and will continue to impact our school community.” Two weeks after the brawl, a small memorial with flowers and candles still sat against a fence in the alleyway where Jonathan was attacked. The district’s police chief, Mike Blackeye, said his agency has been partnering with police in Las Vegas and neighboring North Las Vegas to provide increased police coverage at the school in the morning, lunchtime and after school, which is when he said fights typically break out.