Cincinnati police investigate massive brawl behind viral videos

By T.A. DeFeo | July 28, 2025

Cincinnati police are investigating viral videos that appear to show a violent brawl in the downtown section of the city.

Reports indicate the fight took place on Friday night, between Elm and Fourth streets. Police have reportedly identified suspects based on the viral videos and other surveillance footage that was captured.

It is unclear how the fight started, but it has drawn comments from online pundits and celebrities alike. It also appears to be unconnected to the Cincinnati Music Festival.

“The fight broke out in the heart of downtown Cincinnati on Friday night, with a white man and a woman appearing to be relentlessly targeted by a group of largely black assailants,” the New York Post reported.

Reports indicate the fight started before at least some of the videos circulating online.

“An anonymous witness reported that the situation started several minutes before the fight shown in the videos,” WXIX-TV reported. “The footage captured a man, who, according to the witness, seemed to be intoxicated.

“The witness says the man walked away, but returned about 15 minutes later with a group of people who were overheard making racial comments,” the station added.

The Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice is aware of the footage. It is monitoring local authorities’ response to the altercation.

“Our federal hate crimes laws apply to ALL Americans,” Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a post to X, formerly Twitter.

The Civil Rights Division “will monitor closely how local authorities handle this attack,” Dhillon added. “Nobody in our great nation should be the victim of such a crime, and where race is a motivation, federal law may apply.”

In a statement, Cincinnati Police Chief Theresa Theetge called the brawl “nothing short of cruel and absolutely unacceptable,” Fox News Channel reported.

“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,” Theetge said in a statement to Cincinnati.com. “Our investigative team is working diligently to identify every individual involved in causing harm.”

According to reports, investigators have enough evidence to arrest the perpetrators.

“They’re a great video that shows exactly what occurred and I think that these people are gonna be brought to justice,” Ken Kober, president of Cincinnati’s Fraternal Order of Police, told WKRC-TV in Cincinnati. “These investigators have been working around the clock to identify everybody that’s involved, to be able to locate those people, to be able to interview them, to be able to get a true picture of exactly what occurred.”

Critics blasted Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval for not initially commenting on the fight. He did issue a statement midday on Monday.

In a statement posted to X, previously Twitter, Cory Bowman, who is running for mayor, called for the resignation of City Manager Sheryl Long.

“For many, these images sparked shock and disbelief,” Bowman said in the statement. “For residents within our city limits, they served as a stark reminder of the ongoing crime and lawlessness we’ve had to endure this summer. Along with the reality of violence, this year alone, Cincinnati has faced mismanaged snow removal, leaving families and businesses without clear roads for days at a time; neglected street maintenance, causing potholes and infrastructure decay; senseless shootings and murders, occurring nearly daily in the warmer months; and other significant challenges.

“…Cincinnati deserves clean, safe, and prosperous streets. We cannot wait until November’s elections. Immediate action is needed to show residents and businesses that these intolerable conditions will be addressed swiftly,” Bowman added. “Without such action, more valued businesses and residents may leave our neighborhoods.”

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