A violent incident occurred at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Alabama, where a Black ferry co-captain was allegedly assaulted by three white boaters. The suspects have now turned themselves in to the police and are facing charges.
On Wednesday, Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, surrendered to the authorities after arrest warrants were issued against them. They have each been charged with one count of assault in the third degree, which is a misdemeanor. A third suspect, Richard Roberts, a 48-year-old white male, turned himself in on Tuesday and has been charged with two counts of third-degree assault.
The altercation was captured on videos taken by witnesses and obtained by ABC News. It appears that the fight started with a white man punching Damien Pickett, the co-captain of the Harriet II ferry. Several other white individuals joined the altercation, which quickly escalated into a brawl involving Pickett, bystanders, and the white boaters. Some onlookers even jumped into the fray in an attempt to defend Pickett, with one man seen swimming to the dock from a riverboat.
According to Montgomery Police Department Chief Darryl Albert, the victims in this case are Damien Pickett and an unnamed 16-year-old white male who was allegedly struck by the owners and operators of the private boat that was blocking the riverboat from docking.
The police are also interested in interviewing a man who was allegedly seen brandishing a folding chair in the bystander videos.
When asked about the possibility of a hate crime, Chief Albert stated that the police had thoroughly investigated all angles but were unable to find any evidence to support racially biased charges or a riot.
The charges against the white boaters came after four arrest warrants were issued related to the incident. The police have not ruled out the possibility of additional arrests as they continue to review video evidence.
The disturbance at Riverfront Park began when a dispute arose over a pontoon boat that was obstructing the space where the riverboat was supposed to dock. Christa Owen, a witness who recorded the incident, mentioned that the owners of the pontoon boat had been asked multiple times to move it but had refused. Ultimately, a crew member from the riverboat had to disembark and attempt to move the pontoon boat himself. The incident left several hundred people stranded on the riverboat until the pontoon boat was finally moved.
This news highlights the unfortunate clash between the white boaters and the Black co-captain, shedding light on the current tensions surrounding racial issues. Investigations are ongoing as the police analyze the video footage to ensure that all parties involved are held accountable for their actions.
