A fourth person has been arrested in connection to a violent brawl that occurred in Cincinnati on July 26. Dominique Kittle is facing charges of aggravated rioting and misdemeanor assault. He appeared in court Saturday, where his bond was set at $150,000. Interestingly, his attorney claims that Kittle suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.
Alongside Kittle, three other suspects named so far are Jermaine Matthews, Montiernes Meriweather, and Dekira Vernon.
In a statement, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval condemned the violence, asserting there is no place for such criminal behavior in the city. He emphasized that authorities would pursue and hold accountable those responsible. However, Senator Bernie Moreno criticized the mayor’s response, suggesting it was insufficient, especially given that Pureval was in Canada during the incident.
Moreno pointed out issues with the police force, noting significant officer shortages and suggesting that when criminals are arrested, the judicial system tends to be lenient.
The fight erupted between Elm and Force Streets, and the graphic footage quickly spread on social media, depicting a mob assaulting two individuals, one of whom was a woman knocked unconscious.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican candidate for governor of Ohio, shared that this woman, identified as Holly, had gone out for a friend’s birthday celebration. He expressed frustration over the apparent lack of police presence in the area during the incident.
Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Tegge highlighted that, shockingly, only one out of about 100 bystanders reported the fight to the police. She deemed the silence unacceptable, calling for the public to assist law enforcement in future incidents.
At a press conference, she spoke against the violence, labeling it an assault that impacted the whole community, and vowed that those involved would be held accountable.
The FBI and the Department of Justice have launched a federal investigation into the incident, with the FBI confirming they are working closely with local authorities regarding the matter.
