Photo: Getty Images
A witness says racist language was used before the massive brawl broke out on an Alabama riverfront dock on Saturday (August 5).
According to court documents, the mother of one of the victims told police that "you could hear men yelling 'f**k that n***er'" while a Black co-captain of a riverboat attempted to move a pontoon boat in the way of its docking location at the Montgomery Riverfront Park, per CNN.
Viral videos of the incident show the brawl began with the Black man being attacked by a white assailant. The man and assailant appeared to fight on the dock before two more white men join in on the brawl.
At one point in the videos, a Black man appeared to be on the ground while being struck by several men. Onlookers later jumped to the man's defense, with one person even swimming up to the dock to fight back against the assailants.
Multiple altercations ensued on the dock. Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert said Tuesday (August 8) that 13 people were detained, brought in for questioning, and released following the brawl.
Arrest warrants were ultimately issued for three white men — 48-year-old Richard Roberts, 23-year-old Allen Todd, and 25-year-old Zachary Shipman — all of whom came from the private pontoon boat, according to Albert. Victims of the brawl were identified as Damien Pickett, the Black co-captain, and a 16-year-old white boy who had transported Pickett to the dock in a small boat.
According to court documents, the witness also said Roberts punched her 16-year-old son in the chest. Another man in the group said he "was getting his gun" at one point during the brawl, the witness alleged.
The chief said police have "many, many more interviews to conduct."
"As we identify additional folks that we need to talk to, we will ask them to come in and we'll try to locate them and do further investigation to see if the charges are appropriate," Albert said Tuesday.
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