Arrest made in Newark, N.J., video beating

• Tweet

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A man has been charged in a Newark, N.J., gang-related beating seen by thousands after video footage of the incident was uploaded to the Internet.

The 19-year-old suspect was taken into custody Tuesday and is in the Essex County jail, The (Newark) Star-Ledger reported Wednesday, charged with robbery, conspiracy and aggravated assault.

Footage of the beating taken in August, in which a man, now 21, was forced to strip naked and endure a belt-whipping over an apparent $20 debt, has drawn more than 40,000 views on the website YouTube, the newspaper said.

At a news conference Wednesday, Newark Mayor Cory Booker called the incident "shocking," "disturbing" and "a blow to the conscience of our community."

"This is not who we are. We do not tolerate this level of cruelty," Booker added.

He then admonished those who may have witnessed the attack but did not report it, CNN said.

Police, and multiple voices heard on the video, said the victim's father owed the assailant $20, provoking the attack.

The alleged cameraman and a third person present at the attack were also arrested Tuesday, the newspaper said.