Cincinnati police are looking into viral videos that show what seems to be a violent altercation in the downtown area of the city.
The incident occurred Friday night between Elm and Force Streets, and multiple videos of the brawl have circulated on social media. One clip shows a man in a white T-shirt being attacked by two individuals, pushed to the ground, and seemingly stomped on by others in the crowd, including a woman. The footage lasts around 50 seconds before bystanders help the man back up.
He tries to stand but collapses again, with some in the crowd suggesting he might be intoxicated. When he finally gets up, he appears to be bleeding from his head, nose, and mouth.
In a troubling development, the woman who tries to help the man is struck multiple times in the face, forcefully pushed to the pavement, and appears to lose consciousness after hitting her head.
It’s unclear who instigated the fight. Both the man and woman seen being assaulted are white, while most of the crowd attacking them consists of Black individuals.
Cincinnati Police Commissioner Teresa Tegge expressed her frustration over the incident, labeling the actions witnessed in the videos as cruel and inexcusable. She stated, “Our research team is focused on identifying all individuals involved in this harm,” and emphasized that this confrontation seemed to arise from a verbal dispute.
Cincinnati was hosting a music festival during the weekend, but Chief Tegge clarified that the brawl was “never connected” to the event. She encouraged anyone with information about the incident to reach out to the police or contact Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
