Police in Cincinnati are investigating a viral video that depicts a violent brawl in the city’s downtown area, which left at least two individuals with serious injuries. The footage, which has spread rapidly across social media, shows a man in a white t-shirt being pushed to the ground by two other men and then subjected to a violent beating. The attack escalates as members of the crowd, including women, join in, with the man’s head appearing to be stomped multiple times. The victim remains on the ground for about 50 seconds before being helped back up, though he immediately falls again, enduring further blows and sustaining visible injuries to his head, nose, and mouth.
Throughout the video, the man is visibly struggling, and it is evident that the assault is not confined to a single individual. A woman, who appears to be a bystander, is then attacked by the same crowd, suffering a particularly brutal blow to her face that sends her tumbling to the pavement. The impact of the blow causes her to lose consciousness, as she remains motionless on the ground. The video ends with the crowd dispersing, leaving the two victims with severe injuries. The identities of the attackers and the victims remain unknown, though the majority of the aggressors in the video appear to be Black, while the victims are White.
Cincinnati Chief of Police Teresa Theetge expressed her dismay over the incident, stating that the behavior displayed was ‘nothing short of cruel and absolutely unacceptable.’ In a statement, she emphasized that the incident was a sudden dispute that arose from a verbal altercation, and it was not connected to the recent city music festival which had been held over the weekend. The chief requested that anyone with information contact the police department or call Crime Stoppers at 513-3,352-3040.
The incident has also drawn attention from local political figures. Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who was born in Cincinnati, took to X to condemn the violence, calling for a united front against reckless violence and urging law enforcement to strengthen its presence in the city. He stated that restoring law and order should not be a partisan issue and invited Democratic leaders to join in condemning the incident. This response highlights the political dimension of the event, as it has sparked calls for action and accountability from both sides of the aisle.