Investigation Continues in Riverfront Brawl
The Montgomery riverfront brawl has piqued the attention of people nationwide.
Videos of the violent uproar have struck a chord with people who have seen the fight, including experts, onlookers, and social media users—and reactions have remained divided.
Some are saying that race had nothing to do with the incident, while many African Americans deemed the fight as emblematic of the country’s racist past and a symbol of the ongoing struggle for equal rights.
What’s certain is that the incident has reignited conversations about race across the US.
Altogether 13 people have been detained following the brawl. The most recent to have been arrested on assault charges stemming from the incident are Richard Roberts, 48, charged with two counts of third-degree assault, and Mary Todd, 21, Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, all of whom turned themselves in as well. Shipman and the Todds were each charged with one misdemeanor count of third-degree assault, said Montgomery Police Maj. Saba Coleman.
All those arrested have been released from police custody. Police Chief Darryl J. Albert has asked Reggie Gray, a man allegedly seen smashing a woman in the head with a folding chair, to come in for questioning as well. Chief Albert said that more charges are “likely” forthcoming.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said in a news conference that he feels the police department has handled this incident in a professional manner, and upon further investigations he learned the people who incited the incident were not from the city of Montgomery, Alabama. “The city of Montgomery has been very positive and the progress of multiracial, multigenerational, and multicultural work will continue,” said Mayor Reed.
