Montgomery, Alabama – Three men involved in a violent brawl that took place at a riverfront dock in Montgomery, Alabama, have had arrest warrants issued against them.
The fight, which was recorded on video, involved punches, a chair to the head, and several individuals in the water.
The incident was sparked by a dispute over a dockside parking spot at Riverfront Park between the crew of a large riverboat and the owners of a small private boat.
During a press conference, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert revealed that Richard Roberts, 48, was charged with two counts of third-degree assault, while Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, were each charged with one count.
The three men were identified as White and related to the private boat. One of the men has already been taken into custody after surrendering, while the other two are expected to be in custody soon.
It’s important to note that third-degree assault is classified as a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama, and those found guilty can face up to a year in prison.
As the fight largely divided along racial lines, with the city of Montgomery having a troubled history of racial violence, investigators looked into whether the incident could be charged as a hate crime or inciting a riot.
However, Chief Albert said that there was insufficient evidence to support either charge.
Two people were assaulted in an incident that occurred recently.
The victims were Damien Pickett, a Black co-captain of a riverboat, and a 16-year-old White male.
The police are seeking a Black man who was seen in a video swinging a folding chair and has asked him to contact them for further questioning. The case has been consulted with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, and the local FBI office before charging the suspects.
Thirteen people were detained and interrogated for several hours before being released. The investigation is still ongoing, and more charges are likely to come up. Chief Albert emphasized that they are working hard to ensure that the right charges are presented and the suspects will face appropriate charges in court.
Chief provides further details on start of fight
A recent press conference by the police chief has shed more light on a widely shared social media video of a fight between two groups of boaters.
The incident took place on Saturday evening when the Harriott II Riverboat, carrying 227 passengers, tried to dock in its designated spot along the waterfront but found a private boat already docked there.
When the owners of the private boat were asked to move, they responded with obscene gestures, curse words and taunting. The co-captain of the riverboat, Pickett, was then picked up by another vessel and brought to the dock to try and resolve the situation.
However, the boat owners confronted him in a very hostile manner and then attacked him. The chief confirmed that the co-captain was doing his job, and the fight was brought on by reckless individuals who did not use good judgement.
Mayor Steven Reed said that the fight was avoidable and that the police department reacted swiftly to address the matter. One witness aboard the riverboat, Lauren Spivey, told CNN they had been waiting for the small boat’s owners to come and move it for around 30 to 45 minutes, but nobody came forward.
An employee eventually went over to the small boat and started untying it, which led to a heated discussion with a group of white men. The situation escalated when a shirtless white man charged and shoved the employee, and several other white people knocked him to the ground and started hitting him.
The fight then escalated further, with other groups of people joining in. The footage shows a Black man attacking two others with a folding chair and another person being knocked off the dock into the water.
Clayton Thomason, who has worked as a singer and entertainer on the riverboat for 12 years, said the fight was disappointing.
He said they kept asking the owners of the private boat to move, even making up a song, but all they got in response were obscene gestures. It was obvious that all they wanted to do was cause trouble.
More News –
- More charges are possible, according to a local attorney, following the Montgomery riverfront battle
- The Reason Black People Are Excited About The Montgomery Brawl Is More Complicated Than You Think
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