Seven Lewiston juveniles charged after assault video goes viral

Seven juveniles have been arrested and charged with aggravated assault following a video of a violent attack that circulated on social media earlier this week. The Lewiston Police Department said the video depicted multiple juvenile males assaulting a single victim on Pierce Street. The victim did not require hospitalization.

Lewiston police learned of the video circulating on social media on Wednesday and immediately launched an investigation. Officers gathered evidence and consulted with the District Attorney's Office and the juvenile corrections system before making arrests. Five juveniles were apprehended on April 29, with two additional suspects arrested on May 1. Notably, the assault itself had never been reported to police—authorities discovered the crime only through the social media video.

All seven juveniles were charged with aggravated assault and transported to the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland. The suspects were not identified due to their juvenile status. Police credited the video evidence as critical to identifying and locating the suspects. This case underscores how social media posts can serve as investigative tools for law enforcement while raising questions about youth violence in Lewiston.