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Montgomery PD, Screencap

Update, Aug. 11, 2023 at 08:55 AM:

An Alabama woman is the fourth person charged in a violent brawl at a Riverfront Park dock in Montgomery on Saturday, Aug. 5.

Mary Todd, 21, turned herself in after a warrant was issued for her arrest, according to the Montgomery Police Department.

Police also arrested Richard Roberts, 48, Allen Todd, 23, and Zachery Shipman, 25, for taking part in the attack on Damien Pickett, 31, a Black riverboat co-captain.

Hate crime charges were dropped against the three male suspects. Montgomery police and the FBI said there was insufficient evidence to charge them with a hate crime.

The attack on Pickett sparked a massive brawl involving dozens of people in viral cell phone videos that were seen around the world.
 
RELATED: Charges filed against combatants in wild boardwalk brawl in Alabama (Video)
 
The brawl began when Pickett asked a pontoon boat owner to move so the Harriott II riverboat could dock in its reserved spot on the Alabama River.

But the boat owner and a passenger responded with racial slurs and a raised middle finger, according to police.

Pickett told police that Mary Todd, who was drunk, pushed him while holding a beer in her hand and “would not let [him] pass”, according to AL.com.

Richard Roberts is accused of punching 16-year-old Daniel Warren, according to the boy’s mom, Crystal, who is pressing charges.

Crystal says she heard one of the attackers say “f**k that n*****”.

The Todds, Roberts and Shipman are all charged with assault. Police said the investigation is ongoing.
 

Originally published on: Aug 9, 2023 at 09:33 AM:

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Prosecutors in Montgomery, Alabama dropped charges against three white men who attacked a Black riverboat co-captain in Alabama.

The three men were arrested after they attacked a riverboat employee at a Riverfront Park boardwalk on Saturday, Aug. 5.

Officials say the attackers won’t be charged because the incident didn’t rise to the level of a hate crime.

After reviewing video footage of the brawl, the Montgomery Police Department and the FBI said there is not enough evidence to support hate crime charges.

Police Chief Darryl J. Albert announced he has issued arrest warrants for Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25, who were involved in the melee. Each man will be charged with assault when they are taken into custody.

CBS News reports police officers are asking the public to help identify a man who was seen on video hitting people with a folding chair.

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The brawl started when a pontoon boat was blocking the dock where a riverboat was trying to park, according to reports.

Damien Pickett, co-captain of the Harriott II Riverboat, said the pontoon was parked in his riverboat’s designated space.

“The co-captain, as he approached the dock and attempted to peacefully move the boat over, the owners of the boat confronted him in a hostile way,” Chief Albert said on Aug. 8, according to the Washington Post.

The boat owner allegedly “responded with rude gestures, bad words, and teasing,” according to Chief Albert.

Some of the 227 passengers on the riverboat recorded the wild scene that followed as the pontoon boat owner punched the riverboat co-captain in the face.

After the riverboat docked, two shirtless men got off and began punching the pontoon boat owner. Other passengers got off the riverboat and joined the brawl.

An announcer onboard the riverboat said: “Please check the guys in the water. Two guys are in the water behind the dock. Make sure nobody drowns.”

He then added: “FYI, in the future don’t f–k with the riverboat crew.”

13 people were arrested following the brawl on Saturday, but they were all released without charges.

Watch the videos below.