According to police documents, some of the teenagers accused in the fatal beating of 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis may be affiliated with gangs such as Young Rich Team, Murder Block, and 2100 Block. Lewis, a student at Rancho High School, was declared brain-dead on November 7, nearly a week after being beaten unconscious in an alley near the school on November 1.
Arrest reports obtained by 8 News Now reveal that four teenagers, Dontral Beaver (16), Gianni Robinson (17), Damien Hernandez (17), and Treavion Randolph (16), are currently facing charges as adults in the court system. They have been formally charged with second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit battery with substantial bodily injury.
Initially, police had stated that Lewis was defending a friend who had something stolen. However, further investigation revealed that Lewis had his wireless headphones stolen earlier in the week and believed he knew the culprit. He challenged that student to a fight, and as they entered the back alley, a group of teenagers attacked Lewis, punching, kicking, and stomping on him, causing him to fall to the ground.
Cellphone videos captured by several onlookers during the brawl were crucial in identifying the individuals involved in the attack. These videos were later used by the police and school administrators to identify the students responsible.
On November 2, the day after the incident, the identified students were pulled out of class at Rancho High School and taken to different school offices, where they were separated from each other. Homicide detectives were called to the school, but before their arrival, the parents of two of the teens removed their children from the premises. The remaining six students had their cell phones confiscated as evidence and were then released to their parents.
Police have stated that a total of 10 teenagers were involved in the beating. Presently, four teens are in custody, awaiting adult certification. Another suspect was recently taken into custody, but one individual involved in the incident is still at large.
Jonathan Lewis’s organs were donated on November 12, and an autopsy revealed that his cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.
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