More police and more arrests expected in wake of Cincinnati brawl, mayor and chief say

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12 hours ago

This story has been updated to reflect the latest number of people arrested.
Cincinnati's mayor and police chief expect more arrests and charges in the viral street fight that has drawn national attention, they said in a press conference Aug. 1.
They also unveiled how they will increase police presence in Downtown, including a bike patrol on and around Fountain Square and using Ohio State Highway Patrol officers for traffic details on highways.
The press conference came nearly a week after the July 26 street fight in the Downtown business district. Three people have been arrested after videos of the fight have gone viral, becoming part of a broader national argument about politics, crime and race.
Multiple videos of the 3 a.m. fight Downtown circulated on social media over the weekend, showing a fight breaking out in a crowd. In one, people threw punches, kicked and jeered as a man on the ground tried to fend off the blows and a woman tumbled to the concrete, bloody and disoriented.
Here are six takeaways from the press conference on how city leaders are addressing the fallout from the fight and the rising concerns over crime.
Attorney: Video shows racial slurs that 'triggered' downtown Cincinnati brawl
Dozens of community leaders stood with the mayor
Dozens of community leaders flanked Mayor Aftab Pureval, Police Chief Teresa Theetge and City Manager Sheryl Long as they addressed the media in a room below the carousel along the city's riverfront. They included activist and pastor, Rev. Damon Lynch III, multiple City Council members, Visit Cincy President Julie Calvert and activist and city consultant Iris Roley.
Pureval called for unity.
"Too many Cincinnatians don't feel safe," Pureval said. "We have to make the city safer right now."
More arrests likely
Six people have been charged with felonious assault and aggravated rioting, four of which have been arrested, Theetge said. Police are still looking for the other two and will name them when they're apprehended, she said. They plan to release more footage of the incident next week, she said.
"This remains an open investigation, and I assure you, we will not stop until justice is fully served," Theetge said.
Others could be charged, the mayor said, but she wouldn't provide specifics.
"This incident will require further investigation, further charges and further arrests for every single person involved," Pureval said.
'Slapper' being investigated
Some videos show a man slapping another individual, which led to the brawl's escalation. The city is actively investigating him, Pureval said.
Lynch raised the question of why only Black people in the video have been arrested.
"When I see the mugshots, I only see people who look like me," Lynch said. "I don't see the person who ... slapped another Black man. So I don't see the slapper's mugshot."
Lynch recounted what he saw in the videos. He said a Black man and White man were engaged in a verbal altercation. He said a second Black man stepped in and try to calm things down. Then, the White man reengaged and slapped a third Black man.After that happened, Lynch said the White man was met with "disproportionate force."
The police have reached out to the man who administered the slap but were stopped by the man's attorney, Theetge said.
"The counsel said, 'No,'" she said. "He did not want the police talking to his client. So therefore we have not had a conversation with him yet."
11 officers were in Downtown business district during fight
Cincinnati police had 11 officers in the Central Business District at the time of the fight between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., Theetge said. They assign the number of officers based on historically what has been needed at that time. She said normally things quiet down after 2 a.m. for that particular weekend, which included the Cincinnati Music Festival at Paycor Stadium, she said.
"So this is a weekend that we've had for many years, music festival, Reds games, whatever's going on," Theetge said. "This is not new territory for us as far as policing. We work with a schedule that we think is best for the events that are occurring."
Police will be more visible downtown
The mayor and police chief outlined steps they will take immediately to address concerns over rising crime.
People will see more police on downtown streets, Pureval said.
"They're going to see police officers on foot," Pureval said. "They're going to see police officers on bike patrols. They're going to see police officers in squad cars. They're going to see police officers on Segways and on Segways that have three wheels. We are prioritizing visibility in our urban core in order to not just maintain safety, but to make sure people feel safe when they're going out."
Pureval and Theetge announced a new bike patrol that will patrol the area around Fountain Square. He didn't say how many officers would be part of that bike patrol.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Pureval spoke on Wednesday, with the governor agreeing to send Ohio Highway Patrol troopers to help. Troopers will work traffic details on the highways to free up Cincinnati police to patrol and investigate in the urban core, Pureval said. This will last on a week-by-week basis until it's deemed no longer necessary, Pureval said.
Theetge said the Hamilton County Police Chiefs Association will form a committee of law enforcement and judges to look at ways to reform the justice system and "work for a safer Cincinnati." She didn't reveal any more specifics about the new committee.
Mayor, council member critical of how city is being portrayed
Pureval and others took aim at those who they see as sensationalizing the event.
"The racial dynamics of this fight are unavoidable, and some have cynically used the opportunity to divide us along racial lines," Pureval said. "That is a choice we must reject."
Councilman Scotty Johnson, who chairs City Council's public safety committee, slammed the media for fixating on the fight and the divisiveness.
"When you continuously run a loop where you have national leaders that are speaking irresponsible, showing Black and White people trying to knock each other's heads off," Johnson said, "what role do you play, media, in continually showing that level of violence?"
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mayor, city officials respond to fallout from Cincinnati street fight