5 suspects now charged in Coney Island assault near Luna Park

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Friday, April 21, 2017
Two arrests made in beating of teen on Coney Island boardwalk
Kemberly Richardson has the latest details.

CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Five suspects are now in custody in the brutal caught-on-camera assault outside Luna Park in Coney Island that was posted on Facebook.

The 16-year-old victim remains hospitalized with a partially collapsed lung, and police say the investigation is active and ongoing into up to five others possibly involved.

Authorities say the boy knew the suspects from high school in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, and had a previous encounter with them that was not reported to the police.

The victim was with friends on West 12th Street, outside Luna Park, when the other young men confronted them at around 6 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

Police said one of the young men asked him, "Are you static?" When the victim said "No," the others attacked.

The victim was taken by his mother to Interfaith Medical Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant following the beating, and his sister then walked into the 60th Precinct on Coney Island at around 6 p.m. Monday to report the incident.

As detectives began their probe, they were informed of the Facebook video and were able to connect it to the hospitalized teen.

Those arrested have been identified as:

Jahcorei Lewis, 17, charged with gang assault, assault and unlawful assembly

Maleek Mayer, 16, charged with gang assault, assault and unlawful assembly

The other three, a 14-year-old girl and two 15-year-old boys, will be charged as juveniles.

"Today in Coney," the Facebook user who posted the video, captioned it with three "tears" emojis.

The beating occurred about 45 minutes after false reports of shots fired near Luna Park sent hundreds of people running. That was believed to have been sparked by a fight among teens that included bottles being smashed against the ground, and is not believed to be related to the teen's beating.