CINCINNATI, OH - During a news conference on Friday, August 1st, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval announced that there would be greater police presence after a violent street brawl that resulted in four arrests.
"Let me be clear, there is no place for violent crime in Cincinnati, whether it's fight or gun violence, we will pursue those responsible and we will hold them accountable no matter who they are, period," Mayor Pureval said, according to Fox News. A fourth arrest has been made in connection with a violent Cincinnati brawl that took place on July 26th.
Authorities said they are still looking for additional suspects, and more arrests are likely to be made. Dominique Kittle is facing charges of aggravated rioting and misdemeanor assault, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department. He made his first court appearance on Saturday morning, August 2nd.
His bond was set at $150,000. His attorney stated on record that Kittle suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. However, that information did not change his bond. The other suspects arrested so far in connection with the incident have been identified as Jermaine Matthews, Montianez Merriweather, and Dekyra Vernon.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) told Fox News that the mayor's response to the violent incident was "way too little." He also knocked Pureval for being in Canada when the incident occurred.
"No apology, no atonement, no atonement for the fact that under the mayor's leadership, we're down anywhere between 110 to 300 police officers," Moreno said. "There's no atonement for the fact that when police do arrest criminals, the judges and prosecutors basically give them a slap on the wrist and send them on their way."
"The police are doing the best they can in Cincinnati," he added. "They're the heroes every day. But nice words don't mean anything unless you have actual actions. This is way too little response," Moreno said.
The brawl took place between Elm and Fourth Streets, and videos of the incident quickly went viral on social media. The footage showed a mob attacking two people, including a woman who was knocked unconscious while bystanders filmed. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge later revealed that out of the approximately 100 people who witnessed the incident or were involved in the fight, only one called the police.
"That is unacceptable, to not call the police," Theetge said. "Traffic was horrendous. People saw this. They were fighting in front of traffic. Why didn't people call us?"
During a news conference, Theetge called the brawl "an act of violence that shook us all." She also vowed that all those involved in the attack would be held accountable, and reiterated her call to the public to alert law enforcement when they see violence taking place. "Trust me when I say this: had the Cincinnati Police Department been notified in real time, our officers would have responded with urgency and force to protect life," Theetge said.
The FBI and the Department of Justice have stated they have an open investigation into the incident. "The FBI has been and will continue to closely coordinate with the Cincinnati Police Department on this matter," the FBI said.
"Let me be clear, there is no place for violent crime in Cincinnati, whether it's fight or gun violence, we will pursue those responsible and we will hold them accountable no matter who they are, period," Mayor Pureval said, according to Fox News. A fourth arrest has been made in connection with a violent Cincinnati brawl that took place on July 26th.
Authorities said they are still looking for additional suspects, and more arrests are likely to be made. Dominique Kittle is facing charges of aggravated rioting and misdemeanor assault, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department. He made his first court appearance on Saturday morning, August 2nd.
His bond was set at $150,000. His attorney stated on record that Kittle suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. However, that information did not change his bond. The other suspects arrested so far in connection with the incident have been identified as Jermaine Matthews, Montianez Merriweather, and Dekyra Vernon.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) told Fox News that the mayor's response to the violent incident was "way too little." He also knocked Pureval for being in Canada when the incident occurred.
"No apology, no atonement, no atonement for the fact that under the mayor's leadership, we're down anywhere between 110 to 300 police officers," Moreno said. "There's no atonement for the fact that when police do arrest criminals, the judges and prosecutors basically give them a slap on the wrist and send them on their way."
"The police are doing the best they can in Cincinnati," he added. "They're the heroes every day. But nice words don't mean anything unless you have actual actions. This is way too little response," Moreno said.
The brawl took place between Elm and Fourth Streets, and videos of the incident quickly went viral on social media. The footage showed a mob attacking two people, including a woman who was knocked unconscious while bystanders filmed. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge later revealed that out of the approximately 100 people who witnessed the incident or were involved in the fight, only one called the police.
"That is unacceptable, to not call the police," Theetge said. "Traffic was horrendous. People saw this. They were fighting in front of traffic. Why didn't people call us?"
During a news conference, Theetge called the brawl "an act of violence that shook us all." She also vowed that all those involved in the attack would be held accountable, and reiterated her call to the public to alert law enforcement when they see violence taking place. "Trust me when I say this: had the Cincinnati Police Department been notified in real time, our officers would have responded with urgency and force to protect life," Theetge said.
The FBI and the Department of Justice have stated they have an open investigation into the incident. "The FBI has been and will continue to closely coordinate with the Cincinnati Police Department on this matter," the FBI said.
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Comments
2025-08-04T19:07-0400 | Comment by: Dawn
Did people choose NOT to call the police because they know nothing will be done to the criminals who were causing the whole situation? This "chief of police" is pathetic, and the people surely already recognize that the prosecutors office won't actually prosecute these people. Maybe that's why most people chose not to call and waste the time of police officers?