Cincinnati Street Fight Arrests and Reactions
On Thursday, Republican Senator Bernie Moreno from Ohio appeared on Fox News’ “Ingraham Angle,” discussing a violent incident that occurred in Cincinnati. He shared that one of the victims, after being “brutally attacked,” had to call an Uber to get home.
Footage of the fight, which happened on Elm and Force Street early Saturday morning, showed several individuals being attacked. Moreno relayed the perspective of a victim, named Holly, as he conversed with Laura Ingraham. He emphasized, “Holly had nothing to do with the argument. Her only ‘crime’ was wanting to go downtown with friends. She tried to intervene in the fight. When the police finally showed up, she had to call for an Uber to get herself home. There was no ambulance; no one took her to the hospital.”
Moreno added that Holly had visited the hospital multiple times since the incident, stating, “I talked to her every day. She passed away in fear.” He expressed the trauma she must have experienced, noting that she was just a middle-aged woman caught up in a violent situation in one of America’s cities. He criticized comments made by Councilwoman Victoria Parks, describing them as “despicable.”
Following the widespread sharing of the video, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Tegge held a press conference, announcing that five individuals had been charged in connection with the violent brawl. She mentioned that more charges will likely follow.
The footage revealed that the brawl started with four men, one of whom was seen being repeatedly stomped on. It later showed the woman being punched and rendered unconscious on the street.
Moreno expressed further frustration over the situation, saying, “It’s even worse when you consider the lack of detail. The judge in this case, Justice Hathaway, had taken custody of the man involved. He was released due to a prior gun violation. Can you believe it? $400 bail, and now he’s free in Cincinnati after almost killing Holly.” He lamented the issues of corruption and ineffectiveness in dealing with such cases, urging local authorities to devise a plan in the next 30 days or risk losing federal funding.
Among those arrested were Montierness Merriweather, Dequila Vernon, and Jermaine Matthew. Reports indicated that Merriweather had recently faced charges related to stolen property, possession of a firearm while prohibited, and improper transport of firearms. He had previously served seven years for armed robbery.
Despite his criminal history, Merriweather was released on a $4,000 bond, needing to post only 10% or $400 to secure his freedom. For the Cincinnati brawl, bonds were set at $500,000 for Merriweather, while Vernon and Matthews faced $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.
