MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Authorities announced on Tuesday that three men are facing charges following a massive brawl caught on camera at a boat dock on a riverfront in Montgomery, Alabama.
According to the Montgomery Police Department, 48-year-old Richard Roberts was charged with two counts of third-degree assault, and 23-year-old Allen Todd, and 25-year-old Zachary Shipman will be charged with misdemeanor assault.
Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert announced the charges during a news conference on Tuesday and said more charges are likely to come.
And here’s part of what happened after the riverboat docked and the other workers and people on the boat were able to get to the fight. pic.twitter.com/bPPOyVIqsI
— Josh Moon 🇺🇸 (@Josh_Moon) August 6, 2023
Albert said the police were working with the FBI to determine if hate crime charges could be brought.
The violent melee garnered national attention following the release of multiple videos that went viral over the weekend.
The brawl happened on Saturday after a pontoon boat was blocking the city-operated riverboat “Harriott II” with its 227 passengers from docking in its designated space, police said.
Do you comprehend the historic gravity of a Black man swimming from a riverboat to a Montgomery Alabama dock to help his fellow man run some white men’s fade?! pic.twitter.com/1xMUqjm5SZ
— Old Atlanna (@ATLboneNbred) August 6, 2023
Albert said the riverboat co-captain tried to contact the pontoon boat owner by loudspeaker, but people on the other boat responded by taunting him and made gestures.
The riverboat co-captain was “attacked by several members of the private boat” after he went to shore in an effort to move the pontoon boat, Albert said.
Video showed a white man shove and punch the riverboat co-captain before several more white people joined in the attack.
Additional video showed bystanders, mostly Black, confront the group that attacked the co-captain, and a massive brawl ensued.
Montgomery PD identified the victims as Damien Pickett, the Black co-captain of the riverboat, and a white 16-year-old boy who transported Pickett in a small vessel Pickett to the dock.
More about the brawl and investigation can be found here.
Corey A. Washington is Editor of BLK News Now! His journalism experience includes Television, Newspapers, and Digital Media as a Writer, Reporter, Content Producer, and Digital Producer. Some of those media outlets include CBS Phoenix (KPHO), NBC4 Los Angeles, ABC7 Los Angeles, California Black Media, SCNG, and more. He can be reached at Corey@BLKNewsNow.com.