Source: Julie Bennett / Getty
The fallout from the Alabama Riverboat brawl continues.
Now, two more white men who helped ignite the exhaustive fight have been arrested.
The Montgomery Police Department announced late Wednesday night that 23-year-old Allen Todd, and 25-year-old Zachary Shipman, turned themselves in, and they’ll both be charged with one count of third-degree assault.
The arrests come after the MPD announced more people were preparing to turn themselves in. The total number of arrests is now three, as 48-year-old Richard Roberts was previously detained and currently sits in jail while facing a third-degree assault charge for punching a 16-year-old.
However, the crimes may be taken even more seriously now because the initial claims of race being a factor have returned.
TMZ reports that one of the ferry’s employees heard the white men yell, “Fuck that n-gger,” before deciding to run back down to the dock and fight.
The brawl on the river ended with 13 people being detained on Saturday for questioning, but all were released.
The confrontation began when the riverboat attempted to dock, but the white men’s pontoon boat was in its spot. They were asked to move but refused and responded to requests with profanity.
The co-captain, Damien Pickett, approached the men to resolve the situation, but several white men met him with hostility and a fury of punches. He tossed his hat in the air and squared up, and soon after, Riverfront employees ran to his defense as the boat finally docked, and the fight ensued.
Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert says reckless individuals caused the fight and vows to have the assailants face the power of the law.
“We want to ensure that the public understands that we put everything that we had into making sure that the right charges are presented and that these folks will face the appropriate charges and their day in court,” Albert told CNN.
From hat tossing and chair swinging, Twitter was hyped about the fight. See the reactions below.
