The Cincinnati police union is defending its investigation into a viral downtown assault that left six people injured, while city leaders demand the prosecution of White individuals involved in the July beatdown. The union, represented by the Fraternal Order of Police, criticized political interference in the investigation, asserting that arrests should be based on evidence, not political pressure.
City officials, including Rep. Cecil Thomas and Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Kearney, argue that the suspects should be held accountable for the violence, which they claim was instigated by the White individuals, while the union insists that the charges are being pursued fairly. The development comes after a July 26 beatdown on the corner of Fourth and Elm streets quickly went viral, sparking national outrage and putting pressure on Cincinnati’s leadership to address safety concerns.
Additional footage of the assault obtained by WLWT shows the unidentified White man allegedly hitting a Black man in the face, leading to several others joining in on the beatdown that ultimately led to seven arrests. A separate video obtained by Fox News Digital revealed another angle of the moments before the fight, in which a White man can be heard repeatedly using a racial slur toward the group before the physical altercation began.
The viral incident has sparked racial tensions within the city as all seven arrested individuals are African American. Last week, a grand jury indicted Patrick Rosemond, Jermaine Matthews, Montianez Merriweather, DeKyra Vernon, Dominique Kittle, and Aisha Devaughn on three counts of alleged felonious assault, three charges of assault and two charges of aggravated rioting. A seventh individual, Gregory Wright, was arrested Monday and is facing charges of aggravated riot and aggravated robbery. If convicted, they would each face the possibility of up to 29 years in prison.
The potentially explosive situation forced Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Tyrone Yates to request additional security during Wright’s arraignment. Vice Mayor Kearney also reportedly weighed in on the criticism, stating that the actions of the White people involved appear to be the proximate cause of the violence and that they should be charged.