3 arrested in connection with viral video of vicious beating of Newark teen

Police in Newark, NJ arrested three people on Tuesday in connection with a video of a savage beating of a teenage boy. According to the New York Daily News, police acted after the video of the brutal attack went viral, racking up tens of thousands of views.

In the video, the victim can be seen being ordered to strip off his clothes before another man attacks him with a belt, beating him ruthlessly for more than two minutes as the victim cowers and cries out in pain.

Authorities say that they have arrested a 19-year-old man and charged him with robbery, conspiracy and aggravated assault. Two others were arrested, the cameraman who filmed the attack and one other person. No names were released.

Newark mayor Corey Booker is slated to give a press conference regarding the arrests alongside Police Director Samuel DeMaio and Police Chief Sheilah Coley sometime on Wednesday.

The video first appeared on the website WorldStarHipHop.com and was then uploaded to YouTube before YouTube had it removed for content violations. Police are unsure of the exact date of the attack, but assume that it took place in warmer weather since the youths are dressed in T-shirts and shorts.

It's still unclear what motivated the merciless attack. A $20 debt is mentioned in the video, but it's unclear whether the money is owed by the beaten teen or his father.

Former Manhattan prosecutor Eugene O'Donnel told the Star-Ledger, "I'd throw every available book at these guys. It's an outrageous incident."

Watch the video, embedded below via WPIX:

[image via Shutterstock]