Video captures brutal bashing of teenager before his death

Horrifying footage has surfaced showing a teenage boy being brutally bashed by at least a dozen kids days before he died.

WARNING: GRAHPIC CONTENT

Horrifying footage of a teenage boy being bashed to death by a gang of men has surfaced.

About 15 young men were shown kicking and punching Jonathan Lewis, 17, in what appeared to be a car park as he laid on the ground on November 1 in the US city of Las Vegas.

Seven days later, he died.

Jonathan had reportedly tried to stand up for a “smaller friend” who the group stole something from before throwing him into a bin.

They left him battered on the bitumen where police found him just after 2pm (local time), bleeding from the head, after being kicked and punched in the street as some teens proudly filmed the attack.

Jonathan was taken to University Medical Centre and placed on life support but died on Tuesday last week (local time).

Jonathan Lewis was kicked and punched while lying on the ground. Picture: Twitter

Up to 15 kids were involved in the brutal attack. Picture: Twitter

Video that captured the attack circulated widely on social media following his death.

Two young bystanders filmed the bashing as it was happening.

The teen’s dad, also named Jonathan Lewis, said the teen’s family had been told by investigators that several students were expected to be charged with murder.

His son typically kept to himself and lived in Las Vegas with his mother, though had planned to move to live with his father in Austin, Texas.

The dad was distraught the fight had led to the death of his son.

“Children don’t even know what they’re doing half the time,” he told KLAS, Fox News reported.

He hoped the incident could support conversations around youth violence in the city.

Mr Lewis said he loved his children “with all my heart” and described it as “unimaginable” that such violence “could ever come to this point.”

Jonathan tried to help a smaller boy. Picture: GoFundMe

But was then brutally attacked. Picture: GoFundMe

“I hope there’s a way they can find forgiveness in their heart and find a way to be able to come to terms with what they’ve done,” he said.

The Las Vegas Metro Police Department’s homicide unit is investigating the case, though no arrests have been made so far.

A GoFundMe established to support the late teen’s family has raised more than A$50,000.

Mr Lewis posted extensively about the enormity of his loss and the love he had for his son.

“He will always be so loved as his dad I’ll forever hold him in my heart, shine even brighter, love even more and work all my life to bring peace into this world,” he wrote when confirming his son had passed away.

This was the final text exchange between Jonathan and his dad. Picture: GoFundMe

Mr Lewis shared this photo the day his son passed away. Picture: GoFundMe

The grieving dad also shared the final texts he exchanged with Jonathan, with Mr Lewis letting him know he had put $50 in his account on October 27.

“I put $50 in your account son love you,” the dad said, with Jonathan replying: “thank you dad, love you too”.

A few days later, the teen asked what the balance on his card was and his dad replied telling him.

“thank you dad,” Jonathan wrote, and his dad replied: “you’re welcome son love you hope you are doing well”.

The dad’s final message, sent on a Thursday, simply read: “love you son”.

— With Fox News