A dozen suspects have now been arrested in connection with the brutal beating of two students near a Miami charter school last month that was caught on camera, police said Thursday.
The 12 suspects, all between the ages of 14 and 18, are facing battery charges in the April 18 incident near SLAM! Charter School in Little Havana.
In a statement Thursday, Miami Police said the arrests were a result of "exhaustive investigative efforts, involving numerous interviews with witnesses and individuals who possessed crucial information about the incident. Search warrants were meticulously executed to gather all necessary evidence."
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A viral video captured the altercation near Northwest 12th Avenue and 5th Street, where multiple students could be seen kicking and punching another student who was already down on the ground.
Later in the video, a second student is seen on the ground. Both victims appeared motionless and unresponsive when the crowd separates.
Police said the two victims were found badly beaten and unconscious and were rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital. They were later released.
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According to arrest reports, the victims told police they don't know why they were attacked.
Christopher Lopez, one of the victims, told NBC6 that he suffered injuries to his face and head during the assault. The day after the attack, visible cuts and bruises marked the aftermath of what López described as an unprovoked assault.
He recounted that he and his friends were leaving school when they noticed a large group of students gathering around cars.
As they approached, he says he and his friend were suddenly attacked.
"I asked him, 'Are they coming for us?' And he went like this. After that, I blacked out, I don’t remember anything," he said. "Like, I felt like I was in a dream. Like I was just on the ground, I could not feel anything. I just woke up to people telling me that I was going to be alright."
