CINCINNATI: A violent street brawl in downtown Cincinnati on Friday night left a man severely beaten and a woman unconscious, as onlookers stood by, recording the incident instead of intervening. The shocking footage has since gone viral, drawing widespread outrage.
The video shows a white man being chased into the street by a group, tackled to the ground, and viciously assaulted. He is repeatedly punched, kicked, and stomped on by several individuals—one attacker even body-slamming him while others in the crowd cheer and join in.
As the man struggles to get up, a woman runs over to help, attempting to pull one of the assailants away. In response, she is punched twice in the face, causing her to fall backwards, hit her head on the pavement, and lie motionless as blood pours from her mouth. The crowd continues to jeer as the video abruptly ends.
The cause of the confrontation remains unclear. Witnesses told local outlet WXIX that racial slurs were exchanged before the fight broke out, though it is uncertain who instigated the conflict. Some bystanders claimed the man had interacted with the group about 15 minutes earlier before returning to the area, according to the New York Post.
Cincinnati police have launched an active investigation and are working to identify all individuals involved. In a statement released Saturday, Police Chief Theresa Theetge expressed deep concern:
“I am in complete disgust waking up to the viral video many of you have now seen. The behavior displayed is nothing short of cruel and absolutely unacceptable.”
Ken Kober, president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, also condemned both the attackers and the crowd’s inaction:
“The violence this video shows downtown is disgusting. What’s equally disgusting is those who chose to watch and record instead of calling 911, attempting to defuse the situation, or rendering aid.”
He added that he has full confidence in the Central Business Section investigators and expects arrests soon.
“It will then be the responsibility of the court system to hold these violent thugs accountable,” Kober said.
As of now, the identities and medical conditions of the victims have not been confirmed. Police urge anyone with information to come forward.
