Newly released Cincinnati bodycam footage shows a violent assault, with the suspects now facing increased charges after a grand jury indictment.
Six Suspects Indicted in Viral Cincinnati Brawl
A violent altercation that took place in downtown Cincinnati on July 26, 2025, has resulted in the indictment of six individuals by a grand jury. The brawl, which was captured on video and quickly went viral, left six people injured, including Holly, who sustained life-altering injuries such as brain damage and a severe concussion [1].
The incident occurred around 3:25 a.m. on the corner of Fourth and Elm streets in the heart of the city's business district. According to witness accounts and body camera footage, the fight began after a White man slapped a Black man on the cheek and used racial slurs, sparking the violent altercation involving multiple individuals [2][5].
The timeline of events is as follows:
- The fight broke out quickly, escalating into a chaotic assault involving at least 20-30 people in the vicinity.
- The incident lasted several minutes, with the victim being repeatedly thrown to the ground and assaulted.
- Only one witness called 911 during the three-minute, 15-second call reporting the brawl; many people were present but mostly dispersed before police arrived [1][3].
- The viral video footage of the beating went national, igniting outrage and racial tensions in Cincinnati.
- Following investigations, six suspects (all African American) were arrested and formally charged around early August 2025 [1][2][3][4].
The suspects face charges including multiple counts of alleged felonious assault, assault, and aggravated rioting. Some of them, such as Patrick Rosemond and Montanez Merriweather, face additional charges including federal gun possession and fugitive from justice allegations [1][2][3][4].
Community leaders have criticized the uneven charging, requesting that White individuals involved (including the man who allegedly initiated the fight by slapping) also be held accountable. However, as of mid-August 2025, no charges have been reported against them [5].
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval has come under fire for his handling of the city's law enforcement, with critics pointing to the relaxed bail policies as a contributing factor to the 'out of control' beating [6]. Council Member Anna Albi has condemned the brutal beating and vowed to support the community's police force [7].
Cory Bowman, a mayoral candidate and Vice President JD Vance's half-brother, has also criticized city leadership for the alleged relaxed bail policies [8]. Meanwhile, Cincinnati business owners are fighting to clean up downtown in the wake of the attack [9].
The viral video footage shows individuals yelling racial slurs as the violence unfolds, with a man involved in the attack claiming he was side-punched and that it was not a fair fight [5]. The incident has ignited a national firestorm, highlighting ongoing issues of racial tension and violence in the United States.
References: [1] Fox19 Now. (2025). Six people indicted in viral Cincinnati brawl. [online] Available at: https://www.fox19.com/2025/08/10/six-people-indicted-in-viral-cincinnati-brawl/ [2] WCPO. (2025). Body cam footage shows Cincinnati police response to viral brawl. [online] Available at: https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/cincinnati-news/body-cam-footage-shows-cincinnati-police-response-to-viral-brawl [3] Cincinnati Enquirer. (2025). Cincinnati brawl: What we know about the viral video. [online] Available at: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/07/29/cincinnati-brawl-what-we-know-about-viral-video/11422024002/ [4] WLWT. (2025). Six people charged in Cincinnati brawl. [online] Available at: https://www.wlwt.com/news/local-news/crime/six-people-charged-in-cincinnati-brawl/1951405096 [5] WVXU. (2025). Cincinnati brawl: Why are no charges filed against the man who allegedly started the fight? [online] Available at: https://www.wvxu.org/post/cincinnati-brawl-why-are-no-charges-filed-against-man-who-allegedly-started-fight [6] Cincinnati Business Courier. (2025). Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval under fire for handling of law enforcement. [online] Available at: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/08/05/cincinnati-mayor-aftab-pureval-under-fire-for.html [7] WLWT. (2025). Cincinnati City Council Member Anna Albi condemns Cincinnati brawl. [online] Available at: https://www.wlwt.com/news/local-news/cincinnati-city-council-member-anna-albi-condemns-cincinnati-brawl/1951405080 [8] Cincinnati.com. (2025). Cory Bowman, Cincinnati mayoral candidate, criticizes city leadership over relaxed bail policies. [online] Available at: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/08/04/cory-bowman-cincinnati-mayoral-candidate-criticizes-city-leadership-over-relaxed-bail-policies/20037166007/ [9] Business Courier. (2025). Cincinnati business owners fight to clean up downtown after viral brawl. [online] Available at: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/08/06/cincinnati-business-owners-fight-to-clean-up.html
- Amidst the turmoil over the violent Cincinnati brawl, the weather forecast and general news have taken a back seat, with health issues and crime-and-justice matters dominating the headlines.
- With six suspects facing charges for their roles in the vicious Cincinnati brawl that left Holly severely injured, sports updates and other non-essential news have been overshadowed in local newscasts and online platforms.
