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4 people are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery

Dustin Jones

A screenshot from one of the videos of the brawl in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday. The video shows a fight that broke out between an apparent dock worker and several men who appeared to be parking their pontoon boat in a space reserved for the city's riverboat. @Josh_Moon / Screenshot by NPR hide caption

Authorities in Montgomery, Ala., are charging three men with assault for attacking a riverboat co-captain on Saturday. When officers arrived on scene, the fight had spiraled out of control into a full on brawl at the city's Riverfront Park.

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert told reporters at a press conference Tuesday that three men involved in the incident have been identified as: Richard Roberts, 48, facing two counts of third-degree assault; Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, both of whom face one count of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor in Alabama.

On Thursday, Mary Todd, 21, turned herself in to authorities and was also charged with third-degree assault, officials said.

The chief told reporters that the department has been working with the city's district attorney and the FBI on what charges could be filed. Albert said that at this time the incident doesn't constitute charges of a hate crime or inciting a riot.

Montgomery brawl doesn't constitute hate crime charges, police chief says

"I understand the question and concern, that's why this department looked under every stone for answers," Albert told reporters.

Albert said one of the men is already in police custody in Selma, while two others planned to turn themselves in later on Tuesday.

The chief said the men had parked their pontoon boat in a space reserved for the Harriott II riverboat, and that though there were no signs posted at the time, the dock space is well-known to be for the ship.

Damien Pickett, the Black man seen in videos of the incident, is the co-captain of the Harriot II. He was sent ashore with an unidentified 16-year-old white male employee to remove the pontoon boat after some 45 minutes of trying to dock, Albert said.

The crew from the Harriott II had tried to reach the owners of the boat by using their loudspeaker, but the owners responded with vulgar language and hand gestures, according to Albert.

I've spent my career explaining race, but hit a wall with Montgomery brawl memes

When Pickett arrived on the dock, he tried to remove the boat so the Harriot II could safely dock, but was then confronted by the three white suspects, and a fight quickly ensued, Albert said.

The police said in a statement Monday that officers responded to a disturbance near Riverfront Park, and "At the scene, they located a large group of subjects engaged in a physical altercation." By the end of the night, 13 people were detained and interviewed, but ultimately released, Albert told reporters on Tuesday.

Albert said more warrants will likely be issued as officers continue reviewing footage. He also asked 42-year-old Reggie Gray, a Black man allegedly seen using a chair as a weapon in the footage, to come forward for questioning.

Pickett was the only one reported to have been treated at a hospital for injuries sustained in the brawl, Albert noted.

Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed promised residents in a statement on Saturday that "justice will be served."

"This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred. As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community," Reed said. "Those who choose violent actions will be held accountable by our criminal justice system."

Reed briefly addressed the issue during a press event Monday afternoon. He said that the safety of the community is paramount, that police are continuing to investigate the incident and that more details will be shared in a press conference on Tuesday.

"We want to make sure that the community is aware that we are fully engaged and we are doing all of our due diligence to find out exactly what took place," Reed said.

There was an all out brawl in Montgomery yesterday. This is the beginning of it. The man in the white shirt is a dock worker for the city. According to several people present, the white guys had been told to move their pontoon so the city's riverboat could park. Then this.... pic.twitter.com/BVkgXID8JX — Josh Moon 🇺🇸 (@Josh_Moon) August 6, 2023

Alabama political reporter Josh Moon shared a video of the fight on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. It shows that the incident appears to have been started by a group of boaters who had docked their pontoon boat in a space reserved for the city's riverboat.

Videos show Pickett working to untie the pontoon boat when he is confronted by a group of white men who appear to be responsible for the boat.

The riverboat's operator did not respond to a request for comment.

While the attendant was pointing to the riverboat making its way to the dock, one of the men becomes visibly agitated before striking him. One man appears to try to break up the attack, but then more young white men sprinted along the dock and joined the fight, then dragging Pickett to the ground to continue their attack.

The attack quickly spiraled out of control as several onlookers joined in on the chaos.

The incident started just hours after former President Donald Trump joined his supporters at an annual Republican Party summer dinner in Montgomery, which is credited as the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement.

Albert said the investigation is ongoing and that it's important to note that the brawl wasn't started by Montgomery residents.

"This is not indicative of who we are as a city. Montgomery is much better than that," the chief said. He also issued a stern warning ahead of any "possible retaliatory acts."

"Don't come here with it. We're not going to tolerate it," Albert said. "We will be active, we will be aggressive, and we will not allow this type of behavior in our city."

Correction Aug. 8, 2023

An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to the name of the city's riverboat as the Harriet II. The boat is called the Harriott II. It has also been updated to clarify that police have detained several people in connection to the brawl, and say charges are pending. Previously, the story said multiple people had been arrested.

Watch CBS News

Two men plead guilty in Alabama riverfront brawl; charge against co-captain is dismissed

December 8, 2023 / 6:28 PM EST / AP

Two men pleaded guilty on Friday to harassment charges in connection with an Alabama riverfront brawl  that drew national attention.

The two men, Zachary Shipman and Allen Todd, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges as part of a plea deal, CBS affiliate WAKA reported . The August riverfront melee in Montgomery drew national attention after bystanders filmed white boaters hitting a Black riverboat co-captain, which then made crew members and bystanders rush to his defense. Video of the fight was shared widely online, sparking countless memes and parodies.

A judge on Thursday also dismissed an assault charge filed by one of the White boaters against the riverboat co-captain. The Montgomery Police Department said the co-captain was a victim in the assaults.

Montgomery police said the brawl began when the white boaters refused to move their pontoon boat so the city-owned Harriott II riverboat could dock in its designated space. The boat's co-captain said he was attacked after moving the pontoon boat a few feet to make way for the riverboat.

The guilty pleas concluded the last of the criminal cases brought against four white boaters in connection with the melee. The two men were ordered to complete an anger management class and perform community service. They will not serve any jail time unless they violate probation terms.

One white boater previously pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to serve 32 days in jail. Another white boater pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment. A Black man, who was filmed swinging a folding chair during the brawl, was charged with disorderly conduct and will go to court next week.

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A waterfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama, went viral. What happened and why?

The riverfront worker who was attacked said he “held on for dear life” as a group of white boaters jumped him in a large brawl that broke out at the Montgomery Riverfront in Alabama on Aug. 5.

In a handwritten account he filed with law enforcement after the Aug. 5 melee and obtained by NBC News, Dameion Pickett recalled what happened the day when the men refused to move their boat so a dinner cruise riverboat could dock.

“A tall, older white guy came over and hit me in the face. I took my hat off and threw it in the air,” he wrote. “Somebody hit me from behind. I started choking the older guy in front of me so he couldn’t anymore, pushing him back at the same time.”

Pickett has not made a public statement regarding the incident and did not respond to NBC News' request for comment.

Videos that went viral on social media showed a group of white men attacking Pickett. The footage caused an outcry, with the Montgomery mayor addressing the altercation and police issuing arrest warrants.

Allen Todd, 23, and Zachery Shipman, 25, have been charged with one misdemeanor count of assault in the third degree, a spokesperson for the Montgomery Police Department said.

Another man, Richard Roberts, 48, faces two third-degree assault charges and turned himself in on Aug. 8.

A fourth suspect in the case, Mary Todd, 21, turned herself in on Aug. 10 and was charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault.

A fifth suspect, Reggie Ray, 42, turned himself in on Aug. 11 and was charged with disorderly conduct. Police had previously sought Ray after he was seen wielding a folding chair in the melee on social media videos.

So what exactly happened? Read on for a full explanation of this now-viral incident.

What happened at the Montgomery Riverfront

A large brawl broke out Saturday, Aug. 5, shortly before 7 p.m. at the Alabama capital after Pickett attempted to clear a dock along the river so that the Harriott II Riverboat could dock, witnesses told NBC News . The brawl was fueled by alcohol and adrenaline, witnesses also said.

When a group of rowdy boaters refused to move their pontoon at the Montgomery Riverfront, they attacked Pickett when he untied their boat to make way for the riverboat, witnesses said.

In video shared with NBC News , after a group of what appears to be white men ran along the dock to attack the worker, who is Black, more people joined in and appeared to defend Pickett. Other footage shared with NBC News shows people punching and shoving one another, with one person falling into the water as police struggled to contain the chaos.

The Riverfront is a popular destination with a park, stadium, amphitheater and riverboat.

What police say about the fight

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert, in a news conference on Aug. 8 , confirmed that a group of private white boaters had attacked a Black dockworker, identified as Pickett. Later, police would identify Pickett as the assistant boat captain of the riverboat.

He had been trying to move the private boaters' pontoon to make way for the riverboat.

As passengers aboard the riverboat — more than 200 — waited at least 30 minutes, Pickett tried to get the rowdy private boaters to move. Several members of the private pontoon group then attacked Pickett, Albert said.

Albert added that police arrived on the scene at 7:18 p.m. local time — about 18 minutes after the riverboat captain had called. He said 13 people were detained, questioned and then released.

What did the attacked dockworker say about the incident?

In a handwritten statement filed with police and obtained by NBC News, Pickett said he asked the group “five or six times” to move their boat.

When he and a dockhand were ignored and given the finger, he says, they untied the group’s pontoon boat, moved it “three steps to the right” and re-tied it to a post so the Harriott II could dock.

“By that time, two people ran up behind me,” Pickett wrote, adding that a man in a red hat yelled, “Don’t touch that boat motherf---er or we will beat your ass.”

He said the men continued to threaten him and then one of them called another man over.

“They both were very drunk,” Pickett wrote, adding that then the pontoon boat owner went over “started getting loud … He got into my face. ‘This belongs to the f---ing public.’ I told him this was a city dock.”

That’s when the brawl began. Pickett wrote, “A tall, older white guy came over and hit me in the face. I took my hat off and threw it in the air. Somebody hit me from behind. I started choking the older guy in front of me so he couldn’t anymore, pushing him back at the same time.”

Adding, “Then the guy in the red shorts came up and tackled me … I went to the ground. I think I hit one of them.”

Sharing more recollections from the fight, he said, “I can’t tell you how long it lasted. I grabbed one of them and just held on for dear life.”

Pickett was eventually helped by other people but noticed the brawl was getting out of hand, writing, “One of my co-workers had jumped into the water and was pushing people and fighting.”

He added that his nephew joined the melee and he had also seen his sister being choked during the fight.

As more chaos ensued, the riverboat had not been tied to the dock but Pickett helped the passengers off the boat. He wrote that he apologized “for the inconvenience. They all said I did nothing wrong.”

“Some of them were giving me cards with their names and numbers on it. Some said they had it all on film, so I pointed them out to MPD,” he added. After the altercation, he was treated at the emergency room where he was treated for bruised ribs and bumps on his head.

What witnesses say about the brawl

Witnesses told NBC News a similar version of events. Christa Owen said she was aboard the Harriott II with her husband and daughter when the brawl broke out.

“What was hard is we were all on the boat and witnessing our poor crewman being attacked by these guys, and we couldn’t do anything about it,” Owen said.

“It was really difficult to watch, and, like I said, we felt helpless, because we were forced to be spectators,” Owen added.

Owen was among those who recorded the altercations, explaining that it was “inexcusable behavior.”

Additionally, Leslie Mawhorter also on Harriott II, added: “They just didn’t think the rules applied to them. It was so avoidable. This never had to have happened. Everything just spiraled from there.”

“I knew something was going to go down, because their attitude was just, ‘You can’t tell us what to do.’ They were going to be confrontational regardless of who you were,” Mawhorter continued.

Have police made any arrests?

Four men and one woman are facing charges , according to police: Richard Roberts, 48; Reggie Ray, 42; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25, and Mary Todd, 21.

“There was no need for this event to take the path it did,” Albert told reporters earlier this week. “The people of Montgomery, we’re better than that. We’re a fun city, and we don’t want this type of activity to shed a dark eye on what this city’s all about.”

Was the fight racially motivated?

In the press conference on Aug. 8, Albert said investigators do not believe the incident was racially motivated.

He said that the local FBI and district attorney’s offices are involved in the ongoing investigation. 

“I don’t think you can judge any community by any one incident. I think it’s important for us to address this as an isolated incident, one that was avoidable,” Albert said. “One that was brought on by individuals who chose the wrong path of action.”

What the mayor of Montgomery said about the altercation

On Sunday, Aug. 6, Mayor Steven L. Reed released a statement saying that “justice will be served” after individuals attacked “a man who was doing his job.”

“Last night, the Montgomery Police Department acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job. Warrants have been signed and justice will be served,” the statement posted on social media read. “This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred. As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community.”

“Those who choose violent actions will be held accountable by our criminal justice system,” the statement concluded.

Reed shared how he felt about the incident during a press conference on Aug. 7.

"I feel like it’s an unfortunate incident. Our statement that we put out the other day is that it’s something that shouldn’t have happened and it’s something that we’re investigating right now," Reed said. "We’ll continue to go through that process before we take any additional steps."

When asked if Reed thought the incident was racially charged, he said the brawl is still under investigation, and that authorities are "investigating all angles."

The investigation is ongoing.

EDITOR'S NOTE (Aug. 11, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET): Previous police statements listed the man attacked as Damien Pickett and one of the suspects as Zachary Shipman. On Aug. 11, officials corrected their names' spellings to Dameion Pickett and Zachery Shipman. This story has been updated to reflect the correct spelling.

Liz Calvario is a Los Angeles-based reporter and editor for TODAY.com who covers entertainment, pop culture and trending news.

Anna Kaplan is a news and trending reporter for TODAY.com.

Sam Kubota is a senior digital editor and journalist for TODAY Digital based in Los Angeles. She joined NBC News in 2019.

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Riverfront brawl brings unwelcome attention to historic civil rights city in Alabama

Police in Montgomery, Alabama, said three people are expected to be in custody Tuesday on charges including misdemeanor assault in connection with a riverfront brawl that drew nationwide attention. (Aug. 8)

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed speaks a news conference at City Hall in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday August 8, 2023, to discuss a riverfront brawl. Listening at right is Police Chief Darryl Albert. Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday, Aug. 5, that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.(Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

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Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, left, listens as Police Chief Darryl Albert speaks a news conference at City Hall in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, to discuss a riverfront brawl. Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday, Aug. 5, that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.(Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

The Harriott II riverboat sits docked in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. A riverfront brawl occurred on Aug. 5 when a crew member was punched for trying to move a pontoon boat that was blocking the riverboat from docking. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Three white boaters in Alabama’s capital city will be charged with misdemeanor assault for a riverfront brawl with a Black boat captain that drew nationwide attention, with more charges likely to come, police said.

Videos of the incident, which circulated widely on social media, have proven crucial in investigating what happened, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said. One person has turned himself in and the other two have agreed to turn themselves in by the end of the day Tuesday.

“The investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely,” Albert said.

The fight was largely split along racial lines and began when a moored pontoon boat blocked the Harriott II riverboat from docking in its designated space along the city’s riverfront, Albert said. The Harriott II had 227 passengers aboard for a tour.

The viral video of white boaters assaulting a Black riverboat captain and the following melee brought unwelcome attention to the historic city — which is known across the country for the Montgomery bus boycott in the 1950s and voting rights marches in the 1960s. The city in recent decades has tried to move beyond its reputation as a site of racial tension and to build a tourism trade instead based on its critical role in the Civil Rights Movement.

“I don’t think you can judge any community by any one incident. This is not indicative of who we are,” Mayor Steven Reed said Tuesday. He noted that the people on the pontoon boat were not from Montgomery. “It’s important for us to address this as an isolated incident, one that was avoidable and one that was brought on by individuals who chose the wrong path of action,” Reed said.

Before the fight began, the riverboat captain tried to contact the pontoon boat owner by loudspeaker. People on the other boat responded with “obscene gestures, curse words and taunting,” the police chief said. The riverboat co-captain took another vessel to shore to attempt to move the pontoon boat and “was attacked by several members of the private boat.” Albert said several people from the riverboat came to the co-captain’s defense, “engaging in what we all have seen since on social media.”

Video captured by bystanders showed that once the Harriott II docked, several people from the riverboat rushed to confront the people on the pontoon boat and more fighting broke out. The video showed people being shoved, punched and kicked, and one man hitting someone with a chair. At least one person was knocked into the water.

“The co-captain was doing his job. He was simply trying to move the boat just enough so the cruise ship could park safely, but it quickly escalated,” Albert said.

The police chief said so far the charges are against people from the pontoon boat who assaulted the co-captain and a 16-year-old who got involved. Police are trying to locate and question the man with the chair.

The fight took place along Montgomery’s downtown riverfront in an area where slaveowners once unloaded people from steam boats to be sold at auction.

Now, the city has developed the area into a tourist and recreation place with restaurants, bars and hotels. The Harriott II take tourists on sightseeing trips with food and entertainment, along the Alabama River.

The brawl sparked dozens of internet memes and videos with some joking that the chair should be placed in a local museum.

Albert said while some made racial taunts, the police department does not believe the motivation behind the fight rises to the standard of a hate crime. Alcohol is believed to be an escalating factor, he said.

Christa Owen of Clanton was aboard the riverboat with her husband and their daughter for a dinner cruise to celebrate the daughter’s 12th birthday. She said the riverboat captain said on loudspeaker: “Black pontoon boat, move your boat,” and that passengers also yelled for the boat to move so they could dock.

“They shrugged their shoulders,” Owen said. She said the crew member, identified by police as the co-captain of the riverboat, got off to move the pontoon boat a few feet. Owen said the tension was obvious and mounting before punches were thrown. She said passengers felt helpless as they watched the co-captain get pummeled by several people on shore.

Owen, a stay-at-home mom, filmed the confrontation as it began on the dock. She said as a “mother of many” she knows the importance of being able to document how a conflict started. Once the boat was able to dock, she said her family had to figure out how to get off the boat safely with the fighting going on around them.

“It didn’t have to escalate to that,” she said.

What we know about the Montgomery Riverfront brawl

A group of White boaters attacked a Black co-captain on Saturday on a dock at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Ala., sparking a massive brawl that resulted in assault charges and the city’s mayor calling for justice to be served to the boaters “for attacking a man who was doing his job.”

Three White men were charged with misdemeanor assault over the brawl after 13 people were initially detained by police for interviews , Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert said at a news conference with Mayor Steven L. Reed (D) on Tuesday. Those charged were Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25. Several people were detained after video clips of the brawl went viral on social media over the weekend.

Reed said in a statement Sunday that police “acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job.” He called the fight “an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred.”

Here’s what we know so far about the incident:

• Men charged in Montgomery brawl had been ‘trouble’ for riverboat, captain says August 10, 2023 Men charged in Montgomery brawl had been ‘trouble’ for riverboat, captain says August 10, 2023
• How oral storytelling helped a blind man see the Montgomery brawl August 12, 2023 How oral storytelling helped a blind man see the Montgomery brawl August 12, 2023
• Racial tensions linger in Montgomery after dock brawl August 12, 2023 Racial tensions linger in Montgomery after dock brawl August 12, 2023

• Anniston/Gadsden

Montgomery Riverfront Park brawl: What we know today after 4 charged in videoed fight

• Updated: Aug. 10, 2023, 4:19 p.m. |
• Published: Aug. 07, 2023, 6:00 a.m.

• Jeremy Gray | [email protected]
• Lawrence Specker | [email protected]
• Carol Robinson | [email protected]

A Saturday night brawl at Montgomery’s riverfront captured in multiple videos was national news Sunday but many questions still surround the incident.

On Tuesday, police said three people had been charged in connection to the incident: Richard Roberts, 48, two counts of third-degree assault; Allen Todd, 23, one count of third-degree assault, and Zachary Shipman, 25, one count of third-degree assault. All charges are misdemeanors.

Here is full coverage of the case

Roberts was in custody on Tuesday; Todd and Shipman surrendered on Wednesday .

A fourth man - 42-year-old Reggie Gray - is sought for questioning. The chief described him as the man seen on video “wielding” a folding chair and hitting a woman over the head with that chair.

On Thursday, police said Mary Todd, 21, surrendered to authorities on a third-degree assault charge . She is being held in Montgomery’s Municipal Jail.

The two victims told police the group of white men who attacked them were drunk and yelled racist slurs.

Here’s what we know today:

These white people jumped this black security guard at the Riverfront. The staff got off the boat and it turned into WWE Smackdown. I’m so proud of Montgomery 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/4DG5bShXfz — Housatlantavegas (@_dreadadon) August 6, 2023

How did this all begin?

Montgomery police said they were called at about 7 p.m. Saturday to the 200 block of Coosa Street, the area of Montgomery Riverfront Park, on a disturbance.

“At the scene, they located a large group of subjects engaged in a physical altercation. Several subjects have been detained and any charges are pending,” a police statement late Saturday night read.

Multiple videos posted to social media suggest the brawl started when a pontoon boat stopped at the riverf ront, preventing a riverboat from docking there.

Witnesses said a riverboat worker was attacked by people onboard the pontoon boat.

A Black versus White brawl took place at Montgomery Alabama, racial tension erupted when a black securiry guard was attacked by a group of white men. [TSHEGO] pic.twitter.com/EY7QzM6Tgx — TSHEGO (@TSHEGOMEDIA2021) August 7, 2023

What do the videos show?

A video clip shared by Josh Moon , a reporter for the Alabama Political Reporter, shows the scuffle beginning as a Black man who appears to be in a docks worker uniform talks to a white man.

Another white man -- shirtless -- strikes or shoves the Black man.

The incident appeared to unfold largely along racial lines.

The dock worker and the man who struck him engaged in a shoving match before the first white man placed a hand on the Black man in an apparent effort to separate the two.

Two more shirtless white men charged in, one tackling the Black man to the dock and the other piling on, rapidly joined by a fourth shirtless white man, one of whom shoved away another white man who seemed to try to intervene.

Two white women also were there, though it wasn’t clear whether they were supporting the four-on-one fight then in progress or trying to intervene.

A large and vocal audience, consisting of people on the riverboat from which the first video was shot, gathered, as did a crowd overlooking from the dock.

In this screencapture of a video, provided by The Associated Press, Anwar Price (wearing a blue shirt with a yellow Nike logo) attempts to separate people involved in the riverfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday, Aug. 5. Price was among the people who attempted to break up the violence.

In the first video, the fight begins to break up as a Black bystander joins in. Another jumps off the riverboat, swimming to join in.

The first Black man, identifiable by his black shorts and white shirt, is physically confronted by one of the women.

A second video , taken moments later, shows a group of Black men running off the riverboat.

They converge on a pontoon boat that apparently carried some of the parties involved in the incident.

Within seconds fighting erupts again, between two white men and white woman who were on the pontoon boat, another white man and white woman who appeared to be trying to get to it, and more than a dozen Black men and women.

Police officers or uniformed security guards can then be seen trying to break things up.

The brawling continued for several moments before tapering off. At that point officers began cuffing participants, Black and white.

Who was involved?

The person seen swimming is a 16-year-old identified only as Aaren, a statement from publicist Makina Lashea read.

“In the face of adversity, Aaren selflessly came to the rescue of a fellow colleague, showcasing courage beyond his years,” the statement from Lashea read.

“Aaren’s unwavering commitment brings immense pride to his parents, leaving him feeling grateful and touched by the strong support of the community. With his sights set on the future, he is eagerly preparing for a successful upcoming school year.”

Chase Shipman, the owner of Vasser’s Mini-Mart in Selma, posted on social media that he was there and “tried to stop it and realized that I could not, so I tried to get away,” The Selma Times-Journal reported .

“I have a business to run and represent and no charges were filed against me because I was not involved,” he wrote, according to that report.

The Times-Journal reported that some commenters disputed his account.

A 67-year-old man on Monday “The Think Tank” with Chris Coleman on V 99.5 in Birmingham he was onboard the riverboat as part of a class reunion from Robert C. Hatch High School in Uniontown.

The man, who did not give his name, said the incident “ made me proud of Black people ... that privilege thing is over with.”

Screengrab from Montgomery riverfront brawl.

“There’s no greater love than a man who gives his life for another man,” he told Coleman. “Everybody out there was willing to give their life for that man. It was no joke.”

Anwar Price, a 42-year-old Montgomery resident, was with his 14-year-old daughter, watching a back-to-school event along the Montgomery riverside, when he saw the melee develop and then explode.

Price said he never felt endangered during the 20 minutes he spent among the flying fists and swinging chairs.

“There was no harm done to me,” he said. “Once I got in there, in the middle of everything, they saw I wasn’t trying to bring that type of energy.”

“A lot of people are trying to promote this as about racism, and I don’t really think this was a racism thing ,” said Price, who is Black.

“Honestly, I think this was just a matter of doing the right thing versus doing the wrong thing,” Price said. “It was because of a series of bad choices.”

What happens next?

“Justice will be served. This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred,” Mayor Steven Reed said on Sunday.

“But as in regards to public safety here in Montgomery, it’s always at the forefront of our mind and we appreciate everything that the community has done to help us in this situation as they do with incidents each and every day.”

A reporter asked Reed if he believes the incident was racially motivated.

“We can’t confirm or deny it at this time,” Reed said. “We’re investigating all angles of this and we’re talking to people who were there as we speak.”

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Alabama boat fight video in full shows chair thrown in Montgomery riverfront brawl

Footage captured on the phones and cameras of dozens of spectators shows the fight in full in Montgomery riverfront, Alabama, which unfolded into a massive brawl including one fighter armed with a chair

• 14:35, 8 Aug 2023
• Updated 16:35, 8 Aug 2023

The full video of the shocking Alabama boat brawl has gradually been revealed as footage from dozens of witnesses from the riverfront has slowly found its way onto social media.

A number of people were arrested and even more arrest warrants issued in connection with the riverfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama’s capital, that drew nationwide attention.

Major Saba Coleman, of the Montgomery Police Department ,said there are currently four active warrants and more could be issued after authorities review more footage. Police said Sunday that several people were detained and charges are pending.

Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat, the historic Harriott II, a three-story dinner cruise boat, tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the mooring space. An argument erupted before a topless man swung at the worker and a fight began .

For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US

The conflict escalated when several white people joined in on attacking the Black crew member. A separate video shows that several Black passengers then confronted the pontoon boat group after the riverboat docked, sparking another brawl that was largely split along racial lines.

One of the brawlers, a Black man, got his hands on a chair and was seen towards the end of the melee bringing it down ferociously on people's heads, including one woman who had already been knocked to the ground. Before the Harriott II had a chance to moor, a 16-year-old boy, dubbed 'Aquaman,' jumped off the boat and into the water so he could swim over and join the fight.

Makina Lashea, a representative for the boy’s family, issued a statement following the incident.

“In the face of adversity, Aaren selflessly came to the rescue of a fellow colleague, showcasing courage beyond his years,” Lashea said in the statement on Facebook .

“The overwhelming love and support pouring in from all corners of the state and surrounding areas have deeply touched Aaeren.”

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said police will hold a briefing Tuesday to provide an update on the situation.

“While there is a lot of activity and interest in this, we know that we’ll come through this together as a community collectively as we have other situations,” he told news outlets on Monday, according to al.com.

The mayor said in a statement Sunday that Montgomery police acted “swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job.”

“This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred. As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitised to violence of any kind in our community. Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system,” Mayor Reed said.

The fight took place along Montgomery’s downtown riverfront which the city has worked to develop into a tourist and recreation area with restaurants, bars and hotels.

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Large brawl in Alabama as people defend Black riverboat worker against white assailants

Fight appeared to start when a worker objected to a pontoon boat preventing a larger river boat from docking, and was attacked by a group of white men

A dramatic brawl on the Montgomery, Alabama , riverfront pitted people standing up for a Black riverboat worker against a group of white people who began beating him for telling them to move their illegally parked pontoon.

The Saturday night fight, which was captured in multiple videos posted to social media, appeared to unfold largely along racial lines. And many social media users celebrated footage of the riverfront dust-up, which showed the white assailants get the tables turned on them by Black people who rushed to the riverboat worker’s aid.

“This is not … 1963 anymore,” read one comment, alluding to the year before the signing of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of race.

Montgomery police confirmed they responded to reports of a disturbance on the 200 block of Coosa Street in the area of the Montgomery riverfront park. They said officers had “located a large group of subjects engaged in a physical altercation”.

“Several subjects have been detained, and any charges are pending,” a police statement added, without elaborating.

The brawl appeared to start when a pontoon boat prevented a larger river boat from docking. When a Black riverboat worker objected, he was attacked by a group of white men .

The conflict escalated when a group of about six Black men from the riverboat confronted the white party. Cheered on by bystanders, they beat three white men and two women, at least one of whom could be seen first striking others by running up and throwing her body into them from behind.

At least two of the women jumped or were pushed into the river. A third was beaten over the head with a folding chair, video showed.

After the arrival of police officers, the brawl subsided – and then briefly reignited before police began cuffing the participants, Black and white.

NBC station WSFA of Montgomery reported that four arrest warrants have been issued in connection with the altercation and “there’s a possibility more will follow after the review of additional video”.

Police also appealed to the public for help in determining what had happened.

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Montgomery’s mayor, Steven Reed, said in a statement on Sunday that several people involved in the fighting on Saturday evening have been detained.

“Justice will be served,” he said. “This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred.”

As authorities try to untangle the incident, a man who was seen swimming across the river to the aid of the riverboat worker was partly identified as “Aaren”.

“In the face of adversity, Aaren selflessly came to the rescue of a fellow colleague, showcasing courage beyond his years,” a statement from his publicist, Makina Lashea, read.

An update on the investigation is expected on Monday afternoon.

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Several people detained after fight breaks out at Montgomery’s Riverfront Park in Alabama

Update : Montgomery police say 4 active warrants out after brawl at Riverfront Park in Alabama

Several people were taken into custody Saturday night after a fight broke out at Montgomery’s Riverfront Park in Alabama, authorities said.

The Montgomery Police Department responded to a disturbance at the 200 block of Coosa Street in Montgomery, Alabama, at 7 p.m. after a large group of people were fighting. Several people were detained, police said.

A video of the incident, which appeared to be racially divided, was shared Sunday on social media. It’s been reported that it began because a pontoon boat was blocking dock space needed to park a riverboat. That area is the regular spot reserved for the Harriott II Riverboat.

Watch the video to see the massive boat deck brawl that led to several people being detained.

One short video, posted on social media by Josh Moon of the Alabama Political Reporter, shows several white people fighting a single Black man, who according to Jasmine Williams of WSFA is a dock worker.

The only audio heard is from witnesses yelling, but it appears to begin with an argument between the Black man and one of the white men. Another white man rushes and hits the Black man, who backs up and tosses his hat into the air. Then the fight begins in earnest, and several white people begin hitting the Black man.

During the video, one witness, apparently watching from the riverboat, screamed repeatedly, “Y’all help that brother!” to onlookers who were on shore. It appears some people from the shore did join in to defend him, and the video shows at least one Black man dive into the water from the riverboat.

“Get up there, young buck!” yelled another voice on the video.

By the time the swimmer climbed up onto the dock, about a minute into the video, most of the altercation appeared to be over in Moon's video.

A separate video posted by Lauryn Lauren shows scenes after that, as the Harriott II was preparing to dock. A group of people approached the pontoon boat, and more fighting broke out. At least one person fell into the water from the dock. Authorities were soon on the scene and police began taking people into custody .

Authorities have not released the names of the detained suspects. Charges against anyone involved in the fight are pending, MPD said.

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel can be contacted at   [email protected]

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Wisconsin river stabbing suspect convicted after claiming self-defense in tubing fight that killed teen

Nicolae Miu was convicted Thursday after fatally stabbing a high school student and injuring four others during a fight on a Wisconsin river that he said was self-defense.

Miu and the others had been tubing on the Apple River on July 30, 2022 when a fight broke out, which resulted in the death of Isaac Schuman, 17.

After eight days in court and 40 witnesses' testimony, Miu was convicted of reckless homicide, battery and four counts of recklessly endangering safety.

Investigators wrote in court documents that Minnesota native Miu attacked the group after people accused him of approaching children in the water with a snorkel and goggles – but Miu said that he was looking for a cellphone in the water, and that he attacked the group out of self-defense, according to the Associated Press .

WISCONSIN RIVER TUBING STABBING SUSPECT CLAIMS SELF-DEFENSE, SAYS HE WAS FALSELY ACCUSED AS A 'CHILD MOLESTER'

Video shown to jurors showed Miu punching a woman in the group, appearing to start the altercation. After he falls into the water, he can be seen reemerging gripping a knife and stabbing one of the teens, the AP reported.

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The footage also captured someone in the crowd approaching Miu saying he was "looking for little girls" before the attack. Earlier, another witness captured a video of a shirtless Miu grabbing onto a group's tube before someone shouted at him to get away, Fox News Digital previously reported.

Defense attorneys argued that the group taunted Miu and swarmed around him in a scene that "quickly turned into... 13 against one," KARE 11 reported.

"A group of drunk teenagers... saw an opportunity to torment a man who was by himself," defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said. "They did this for no legitimate purpose."

Miu had also been tubing down the river with his wife and a small group of friends, according to court documents obtained by Minnesota Public Radio.

WISCONSIN TEEN SENTENCED AFTER TRIGGERING BONFIRE EXPLOSION THAT INJURED 17

When asked whether he needed to pull out his knife, which was displayed for jurors in court, Miu said that he "absolutely" did, and that he believed he "would have been killed that day " if he didn't act.

"They attacked me," he told investigators, according to the AP. "I was in self-defense mode."

But St. Croix County District Attorney Karl Anderson called Miu's actions "senseless acts of violence," saying that "all Nicolae Miu had to do was walk away."

WISCONSIN BOY'S DISAPPEARANCE LEADS SEARCHERS TO SCRAPYARD TIED TO 'MAKING A MURDERER' CASE

In addition to outlining moments where Miu could have walked away, prosecutors questioned why Miu initially lied to law enforcement – initially, NBC Chicago reported, he told police that one of the two boys in the group pulled out a knife.

Miu later admitted this was a lie: "As you can see, I was very confused," Miu said in court, according to the outlet.

The case largely hinged on witness cellphone video that recorded part of the altercation – jurors reportedly asked to see the footage again before delivering their verdict, NBC Chicago reported.

Defense attorney Aaron Nelson said he was "respectfully disappointed" by Thursday's verdict, and that Miu was "sad, obviously disappointed" and "contemplating his future life," according to the AP.

Schuman was heading into his senior year at Stillwater High School – his family described him as an honor roll student who was preparing to apply to several universities and study electrical engineering.

Miu's sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

Original article source: Wisconsin river stabbing suspect convicted after claiming self-defense in tubing fight that killed teen

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Apple River stabbing trial: Video of deadly fight shown in court

**warning: be aware, the video attached below shows gruesome and violent moments from the stabbing.**.

HUDSON, Wis. (FOX 9) - As witness testimony began Monday in the trial of Nicolae Miu , the man charged with murder in the stabbing on the Apple River in Wisconsin in 2022, the court reviewed a video that showed the deadly moments during the stabbing. 

WATCH LIVE: Apple River stabbing trial

The video shows the confrontation between Miu and two groups of tubers on the river leading up to and during the July 2022 stabbing that injured four people and left a Stillwater teen dead. It doesn't show exactly what preceded the confrontation, but rather the moments as the verbal altercation escalated into a fight and then eventually a stabbing.

GRAPHIC CONTENT: Apple River stabbing video released

Video of the Apple River stabbing incident was played in court on April 1 as evidence in the case against Nicolae Miu. Miu, 54, is facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide for the death of 17-year-old Isaac Schuman and multiple counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide for his alleged role in the stabbings on July 30, 2022.

Miu was on the river with a group of friends before the confrontation with another group of tubers. Court records explain that Miu, using snorkeling gear, said he was looking for a friend's phone lost in the river when the confrontation began.

Apple River stabbing: How to watch Nicolae Miu's trial

The video shows Miu approaching the tubers, who are recording him, with his snorkeling gear in hand. From that moment on, there is yelling between the group and Miu, with the tubers telling Miu to go away. At one point, someone yells, "He's looking for little girls" at Miu.

Miu then argues with a blonde woman who also appears to be telling him to walk away.

Midway through the video, a knife appears in Miu's hand. Shortly after, Miu is knocked into the water twice and slapped in the face, as some of the tubers laugh.

April River stabbing trial: Day one recap

After the first day of the trial of Nicolae Miu – the man accused of stabbing several people while tubing on Wisconsin’s Apple River in July 2022 – FOX 9’s Courtney Godfrey details the latest developments.

Miu gets up, holding the knife, and begins swinging. One of the girls near him appears to get cut, with blood visible on her torso. Next, Miu's hand holding the knife appears to be covered in blood.

The camera then pans to a young man in yellow trunks lying in the water, clutching his stomach. He too appears to have been stabbed. A bloody streak in the river is also visible.

The tubers are now visibly shocked, screaming and asking what happened and "Is this real?" Shortly after, the video ends.

Apple River stabbing trial: Second video of altercation released

Video from prior to the Apple River stabbing incident was played in court on April 1 as evidence in the case against Nicolae Miu. Miu, 54, is facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide for the death of 17-year-old Isaac Schuman and multiple counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide for his alleged role in the stabbings on July 30, 2022.

On the stand, 18-year-old Ryan Nelson, who was among the tubers who confronted Miu, recalled the encounter. Nelson said the group of six had met up for a day on the river.

Elaborating on the video, Nelson says Miu ran up to the first tubing group but didn't say why. Nelson said he felt scared and the group asked Miu to leave multiple times. Nelson said his group didn't know the members of the other group of tubers that intervened and also asked Miu to leave.

Nelson said Miu never explained what he was doing. Nelson says Miu was knocked to the ground after he struck the blonde woman.

Prosecutor: "When you say he punched the lady, was it possible he was flailing his arms?" Nelson: "No, it looked like he struck her definitively with his right hand."

Nelson says, after the woman was struck, her friends "tried to come to her rescue" and pushed Miu down.

Nelson says he wasn't hurt, nor did he have any physical contact with Miu, but his friend, Isaac Schuman was killed.

Apple River stabbing trial: Victim's friend takes stand

Ryan Nelson, a witness to the Apple River stabbing and friend of Isaac Schuman, took the stand today in the trial of Nicolae Miu.

Verdict Reached In Deadly River Stabbing Trial Following Graphic Videos, Suspect Testimony

The jury has reached a verdict after viewing horrific video of the confrontation, listening to graphic witness testimony and hearing Nicolae Miu's very different version of events.

Nicolae Miu, the man accused of stabbing four victims and killing a teenager during a Wisconsin river confrontation, was found guilty.

Isaac Schuman, 17, was killed in the incident, while Ryhley Mattison, A.J. Martin, Dante Carlson and Tony Carlson were all injured.

On Thursday, Miu was found guilty of first degree reckless homicide in the death of Schuman; he was also found guilty on four counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety for injured parties, as well as one count of battery for Madison Coen, who claimed she was punched by Miu during the confrontation.

The verdict came following a week-and-a-half long trail which saw Miu, several victims and police officers testify in front of the court.

The deadly incident went down at Apple River in August 2022, with victims and prosecutors claiming 54-year-old Nicolae Miu pulled a knife on a group during a confrontation on the water, which was captured on video. The state condemned some of the victims' behavior during the incident -- like calling Miu a "pedophile" and "raper" -- but argued their actions didn't warrant the violence which followed. The defense, meanwhile, argued Miu was acting in self-defense after being surrounded and taunted by the "drunk" group.

Sentencing will happen at a later date.

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Jury: Nicolae Miu guilty of reckless homicide in Apple River stabbing

G asps and sobs filled the St. Croix County courtroom on Thursday as a jury convicted Nicolae Miu of first-degree reckless homicide for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Isaac Schuman during a 2022 confrontation at the Apple River in western Wisconsin.

Miu, 54, and his attorneys lowered their heads as Judge Michael Waterman read the verdicts from the jury of six men and six women. In addition to the homicide conviction, Miu, of Prior Lake, was found guilty of four counts of reckless endangerment for stabbing four others in Schuman's group, and one count of battery against another person.

"It's been 21 months we've been waiting for justice for Isaac Michael Schuman. And we got it today," Donny Hernandez, the husband of Schuman's mother, Alina Hernandez, said after the verdict. A large group of family members and supporters stood arrayed behind them, outside the courthouse in Hudson.

Miu, who hung his head as the verdicts were read, had argued he was in fear for his life and acted in self-defense. He will be sentenced at a later date, and faces what one of his attorneys called "substantial, life-altering penalties."

Prosecutors sought a higher charge of first-degree intentional homicide against Miu, but also asked the jury to consider the lesser charges. Defense attorney Aaron Nelson said the defense team was surprised and disappointed by the verdict.

"In many ways, self-defense is a community standard," Nelson said. "And it's very dependent upon which group of 12 people within the community you ask."

Miu had remained in state custody since he was first jailed; after the verdict, Waterman revoked his bail and he returned to jail. The top count against Miu carries a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, with more time possible on the other counts. The sentencing determination lies with Waterman.

Prosecutor Karl Anderson said Miu's behavior that day revealed his guilt.

"A key point in this case was Nicolae's own actions," Anderson said. "After he stabbed all these people, he walked away, he ditched his knife, he didn't tell his group anything, and then he tried to get away and pretended like he wasn't involved."

Schuman was from Stillwater. Also stabbed in the confrontation on July 30, 2022, at the recreation spot near Somerset were Alexander Martin, Dante Carlson, Anthony Carlson and Rhyley Mattison. Miu was convicted of battery against another person in the group, Madison Coen.

The jury had briefly returned to the courtroom first thing Thursday to review video of the confrontation captured by Jawahn Cockfield, another member of the group that included Schuman. Miu was also with a group of people who were inner-tubing on the Apple River that day, at a site near Somerset.

Jurors reviewed the video from the one-minute mark, when Miu first spoke to Coen, who told Miu to leave after people in Schuman's group accused him of "looking for little girls." Miu testified that he was looking for a cellphone one of the others in his group had lost while tubing. He said he pushed Coen because she was yelling and in his personal space. Witnesses said Miu punched her, starting the brawl.

Miu had testified during the trial that his " fear was getting really high " as the confrontation escalated and he was pushed into the water several times. He glanced down and took a deep breath as the video showed him fighting Schuman's group, stabbing people around him.

Prosecutors called Miu a "prolific liar," pointing to inconsistencies between what he initially told police later in the day on June 30, and what he later admitted on the stand. Miu told police that day that he had taken the knife from one of the young men in the group, but later acknowledged it was his.

The trial revealed grisly details from the scene, with Martin testifying that the attack left him stunned as he held parts of his own intestines in his hands.

"Our position was, if he's truly afraid, why not just hold up the knife and people are going to back up," Anderson said.

Members of the jury exited the courtroom Thursday without comment to the media. Anderson, who said after the verdict that he was happy that "Isaac got justice," said the high-profile nature of the crime and trial, and the longstanding popularity of the Apple River as a summertime destination, probably played into public interest in the case.

"I think about half of the jury panel had been to the Apple River, so I think it kind of hits close to home for a lot of people," he said.

Miu's wife and friends testified he was a peaceful man bullied by Schuman's group that day. Miu looked worried after the fight, they testified. Miu himself testified to having nightmares about the stabbing every night, and he told officers who interviewed him that July afternoon that his "whole life is down the tubes."

Tim Peloquin, whose son testified he was part of Schuman's group that day, said the case will leave its mark on everyone who was involved.

"In this situation," he said, "nobody wins."

©2024 StarTribune. Visit startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Minnesota man convicted in fatal stabbing of teen on Wisconsin river

HUDSON, Wis. — A 54-year-old Minnesota man was convicted Thursday in the  slaying of a high school student  and stabbing of four other people who were tubing on a western Wisconsin river.

A Wisconsin circuit court jury found Nicolae Miu guilty of first-degree reckless homicide, four counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and one count of battery,  Minnesota Public Radio reported . No sentencing date has been set.

Isaac Schuman , 17, of Stillwater, Minnesota, was stabbed to death in late July 2022 while he and the other victims were tubing along the Apple River in St. Croix County, which sits along Wisconsin’s state line with Minnesota.

Two men from Luck, Wisconsin, a woman from Burnsville, Minnesota, and a man from Elk River, Minnesota, were wounded.

Miu, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, attacked the group after people accused him of approaching children in the water, investigators said in court documents. Miu told investigators that he acted in self-defense.

Miu was tubing down the river with his wife and several other people, according to a copy of a criminal complaint obtained by Minnesota Public Radio.

Miu told investigators that he was using a snorkel and goggles to look for a lost cellphone . Video and witness accounts indicate bystanders accused him of approaching children in the water. Witnesses said Miu was bothering a group of juveniles and others told him to leave, the complaint stated.

Instead of leaving, Miu punched a woman and a fight ensued, according to the complaint. Video shows him falling into the river, emerging with a knife and then stabbing a person.

Miu told investigators that he was provoked, according to the complaint. “They attacked me,” he said. “I was in self-defense mode.”

Prosecutors had argued that Miu had opportunities to diffuse the situation or walk away.

Defense attorney Aaron Nelson told reporters Thursday that he was surprised and “respectfully disappointed” by the verdict. Nelson said Miu was “sad, obviously disappointed in the result. And, you know, contemplating his future life.”

Schuman was heading into his senior year at Stillwater High School when he was killed. His family described him as an honor roll student who was preparing to apply to several universities to study electrical engineering.

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Video: watch lfa's best fight finishes from march 2024, share this article.

Legacy Fighting Alliance’s March was packed with with several exciting finishes.

The promotion’s had a busy month with LFA 178 in California, LFA 179 in Brazil and LFA 180 in Kentucky. But that busy month led to more than two dozen finishes over three events, which leaves plenty to pick from when looking for the best.

Check out the best finishes from LFA’s March events with body shots, head kicks, leg kicks and chokes galore.

You can watch the highlights in the video above, courtesy of LFA.

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