Cincinnati Police Chief Terri Theetge provided an update on Monday concerning the violent brawl that erupted near the Cincinnati Jazz Festival over the weekend. She confirmed that police have identified both the suspects and the victims involved, with charges filed against five individuals so far.
View this post on Instagram
What Happened?
The incident occurred early Saturday morning near West Fourth and Elm Streets. According to Chief Theetge, the first 911 call was received at 3:06 AM, and officers arrived on the scene by 3:12 AM. By the time police reached the area, the altercation had ended, and most participants had already fled. Officers interviewed victims still present and documented the incident in an official offense report.
“At this point, we have victims and suspects identified, and we have charged five people in this offense,” Chief Theetge stated during a press conference. She did not disclose the names of those charged, noting that the charges are sealed. She urged any remaining individuals involved in the incident to turn themselves in at the nearest police district, adding, “We have charged five and anticipate more.”
Viral Videos Spark Outrage
Footage of the fight began circulating on social media shortly after the incident. One video shows a man being repeatedly punched and kicked by multiple individuals, while another clip depicts a woman falling hard to the ground after being violently struck, appearing motionless afterward.
Unverified reports suggest a third victim, a male, may also have suffered serious injuries. The conditions of the victims have not been officially confirmed. Ken Kober, President of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), informed WLWT that the victims were hospitalized with “pretty serious injuries.”
“I mean, put a bunch of adults who can’t behave themselves in public, give them alcohol, and this is the end result. There’s no fear of consequences, so they just go out and run amok, and it’s unfortunate,” he commented.
JD Vance Reacts
Vice President JD Vance responded to the incident on Monday, condemning the group violence. “Take the thugs who engaged in that violence and throw their asses in prison,” he stated. “You had a grown man who sucker-punched a middle-aged woman. That person ought to go to jail for a very long time – and frankly, he’s lucky there weren’t some better people around because they would’ve handled it themselves.”
