Vice President JD Vance delivered sharp criticism regarding a violent brawl that occurred in Cincinnati early Saturday morning, July 26, calling the incident disgusting and demanding full prosecution of those involved. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the viral street fight that sparked widespread attention from political figures and social media users.
The melee broke out just after 3:00 a.m. local time on Saturday in downtown Cincinnati, according to Police Chief Teresa Theetge. Footage of the incident quickly went viral after being posted to social media platforms, including a local crime-focused Facebook page called Signal 99.
Montianez Merriweather, 34; Dekyra Vernon, 24; and Jermaine Matthews, 39, have been charged with assault and aggravated riot. Merriweather and Vernon face additional charges of felonious assault, which carries a potential sentence of up to eight years in prison. Records indicate Merriweather is being held on $500,000 bond, while Vernon faces a $200,000 bond and Matthews a $100,000 bond.
Speaking to a crowd in Canton, Ohio on Monday, Vance condemned the violence. Vance described what he witnessed as “a mob of lawless thugs beating up on an innocent person.” He emphasized his hope that every individual who engaged in violence would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, though he acknowledged not seeing the full context of the incident.
The footage showed two men initially squaring off while bystanders filmed, watched, and attempted to intervene before serious violence erupted. One man was surrounded by others who began beating him in the middle of a downtown street. Additional scuffles broke out, and video captured a man punching a woman until she lost consciousness.
Police Chief Theetge revealed that approximately 100 people were in the area during the incident, but only one person called police. She noted that alcohol consumption played a role in the violence and expressed frustration that more bystanders did not contact authorities while people were fighting in front of traffic.
The incident gained additional political attention due to Vance’s connection to the area. The Vice President grew up nearby, and his half-brother Cory Bowman is running for mayor of Cincinnati. Bowman criticized city officials and characterized the video as a wake-up call for the community.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate who also grew up in the region and is running for Ohio governor, criticized the response and accused leftists of being soft on crime. Elon Musk also weighed in on the incident through social media posts.
The viral nature of the video was amplified by speculation about racial motivations behind the fighting. An unnamed witness told local news station WXIX that the confrontation began 15 minutes before the video started, with a group overheard making racial comments. The footage showed one white man in the initial confrontation with several black individuals, and the white man was later beaten by what appeared to be mostly black men after serious violence began.
However, the videos also showed black men attempting to help stop the violence. The Signal 99 Facebook account, which first brought some footage to light, posted clarification stating these were not blacks targeting whites simply for being white. The account noted several black men attempted to intervene, knowing they could be jumped next by the mob, and requested an end to racist commentary.
Several right-wing social media accounts speculated about the incident’s cause despite uncertainty surrounding the events. The Libs of TikTok account posted about a white couple being brutally beaten by a black mob, claiming mainstream media would not cover the story. Musk replied asking why there were zero stories, despite coverage appearing in numerous local and national news outlets.
Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, indicated that nobody should be a victim of such a crime, and where race is a motivation, federal law may apply. Fox News and other media outlets reported that the FBI is also investigating the incident.
Merriweather had been indicted earlier in July on weapons charges and receiving stolen property, but was released on bail after paying 10 percent of a $4,000 bond. Police union officials criticized the judge in the previous case, with Ken Kober, president of the city’s Fraternal Order of Police lodge, telling the Cincinnati Enquirer that Merriweather never should have been released from jail.
Chief Theetge reported that traffic was heavy in the area due to several events late Friday, but officers arrived on the scene six minutes after receiving the call. By that time, the assailants had scattered. Police are still searching for two additional individuals in connection with the brawl.
