Latest news with #DowntownResidentsCouncil
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Yahoo
'Brutal and deeply disturbing': Downtown residents to meet with officials to talk crime
After a fight in downtown Cincinnati went viral on social media, residents of the city's urban core expected to meet with city leaders to discuss issues surrounding public safety, which has been a high-profile topic in recent months. The Downtown Residents Council has scheduled a meeting on public safety at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, at the main branch of the Cincinnati Public Library, according to their website. The meeting was scheduled before the fight in response to "months of growing concern from our residents and stakeholders regarding public safety in the Central Business District," Andrew Naab, the council's president, said in an emailed statement to The Enquirer. "The assault that occurred over the weekend was brutal and deeply disturbing," Naab said. "Violence of that nature has no place in our city, especially not in the heart of our Downtown, where residents, visitors, and businesses deserve to feel safe at all times." City Manager Sheryl Long, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge and 3CDC President and CEO Steve Leeper are expected to attend the meeting as panelists, Naab added. "Ultimately, we expect our panelists to speak not only to how they are responding to crime, but how they are collaborating to prevent it, through stronger partnerships, smarter design, and a shared vision for a thriving, inclusive urban core," Naab said. What happened during viral Downtown fight? A post by the Signal 99 Facebook page claims the fight took place at the corner of Fourth and Elm streets during the evening of Friday, July 25. In another video posted on Facebook by Marvin C. Bennett, the LoVe on Fourth nightclub can be seen in the background. However, Cincinnati police said the incident happened July 26 near the intersection of Fourth and Elm streets. Kober said that police responded to the scene, but that he didn't have any more information to share on the response. Signal 99, a Facebook page which calls itself "a Spicy meme page for Cops, Firefighters, Medics and Dispatchers," shared the video the morning of July 26. It went on to gain traction on multiple platforms, including on Mayoral candidate and JD Vance's half-brother Cory Bowman's Facebook page, and additional angles of the incident have also been shared. Elon Musk and Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, also weighed in. Seen in one of the videos is a group of people striking one man until he falls to the ground as they continue to punch and kick him. Shortly after, another man is seen punching a woman in the face, causing her to fall to the ground, where she remained motionless until a person helped pick her back up. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge previously said the fight stemmed from "a sudden dispute between individuals following a verbal altercation." Police have yet to announce any arrests; however, the Cincinnati police union's president said several suspects have been identified. Residents council president: violence 'shakes the public's perception of safety' City officials have made a push over the summer to reduce crime in the city's urban core. Naab said that Downtown residents and stakeholders have submitted questions about public safety topics, including violent incidents, youth behavior, unlicensed clubs, late-night noise, judicial accountability, 911 response and police visibility. "Beyond the incident itself, this kind of violence understandably shakes the public's perception of safety," he said. "It causes people to question whether Downtown is a place they want to live, work, visit, or invest in. And that perception matters. It affects our community's confidence, economy, and our collective well-being." Naab said the meeting is meant as a venue to elevate neighbors' voices and hold respectful dialogue between residents and city leaders. "We expect a thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion that reflects the complexity and urgency of safety concerns in our Central Business District," he added. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Downtown residents to meet with city leaders in wake of viral fight
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Yahoo
'I will not tolerate lawlessness.' Residents pack Downtown meeting with Cincinnati leaders
Over 100 people, concerned and upset with the state of crime in Downtown, packed into a community meeting Tuesday night to hear from city leaders following a recent viral fight featured on social media and an uptick in crime. While Police Chief Teresa Theetge and City Manager Sheryl Long detailed many of the initiatives the city has taken on to try and combat crime – such as ACT for Cincy and the street crime task force − little new information was shared about the fight that has captured national attention and spawned criticism far and wide. A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with the weekend brawl, and Theetge said three more people are wanted by police. More: 5 suspects charged, 1 911 call from crowd. What we know about the viral Cincinnati fight The chief, who has lashed out at bystanders of the fight, bars for overserving and the media, criticized the city's portrayal on national news and how the fight has been used as political ammo. "I will not tolerate lawlessness on the streets of Cincinnati," Theetge said during the July 29 meeting at the Cincinnati Public Library. "I owe it to you as people who live and work here to get the lawlessness under control." The meeting was scheduled by the Downtown Residents Council before the recent viral fight in response to "months of growing concern from our residents and stakeholders regarding public safety in the Central Business District," Andrew Naab, the council's president, previously said in an emailed statement to The Enquirer. Alongside city leaders was Steve Leeper, the president and CEO of the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., better known as 3CDC. Leeper rebuked the state of crime Downtown but continued to indicate his support for the city's current leadership. "We've been here 20 years. And we all recall when there was major disinvestment north of Central Parkway in Over-the-Rhine," Leeper said. "The condition then was unacceptable. The activity and crime that were going on there is reflective of what we're seeing today. It was unacceptable then and is unacceptable now." 3CDC's revitalization work has led the way through much of Downtown and Over-the-Rhine. Leeper said it's important residents continue to invest their time and money Downtown for that to continue. Cincinnati's Downtown restaurateurs, including the CEO of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, have called for a "real plan" to address the recent public safety concerns. Residents question police response to crime Residents expressed concerns about issues such as motorcycles and other cars speeding down one-way streets in Downtown during the middle of the night. Theetge said officers have to consider the risk of pursuing a suspect, like a motorcyclist, that will likely speed away from police if confronted, endangering pedestrians or other motorists. One resident questioned the department's response to the fight during the early hours of Saturday morning, asking Theetge how many 911 calls for noise complaints or other disorder police received prior to the fight breaking out. A woman chimed in that there was at least one, indicating she had called that night. "Downtown was hopping. It was loud. It was crowded. It was noisy," Theetge said, admitting she did not have the exact number of calls for noise complaints or disorder that night. The chief said there was only one other medical run for the fire department that evening she knew of. The room was filled, with several people being turned away due to the capacity limit being reached. Two people were ejected after yelling out during the meeting. City leaders explain the work they're doing, but add nothing new The ideas touched on by city leaders are the same as what were introduced in June when they announced efforts to combat the "unacceptable rise in crime" across Cincinnati. Some of the initiatives city officials mentioned they are still mulling to combat crime include: Resuming enforcement of the current, or a modified version of, the city's curfew for youth under the age of 18 Cracking down on nuisance businesses like bars with repeated complaints or violations Finding a way to "hold parents accountable," Theetge said, for their child's actions when they engage in crime Downtown Much of the conversation centered around discussing what kind of efforts Cincinnati police have already been taking, including launching a street crime task force in early July, and providing some residents the opportunity to ask questions to Theetge, Long and Leeper. Long spoke on the city's programming for youth, which has been a major element of the city's plan to combat juvenile crime during the summertime. Long emphasized her focus is on long-term solutions, not just "check the box exercises," but admitted that the programming only goes so far in reducing nighttime crime. "We can provide programming all day long. But when we get to 12, one, two, three a.m. in the morning, these kids need to be home," Long said. "How many remember the saying 'nothing good happens after 11 o'clock?'" Mayor Aftab Pureval, who joined virtually while he is out of town, acknowledged residents' concerns and briefly commented on the importance of residents' perception of crime. "It's not lost on anyone here that for everything else that we care about as a community, none of it works unless crime is under control and residents feel safe," Pureval said. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati leaders speak on Downtown crime concerns after viral fight Solve the daily Crossword
