Riverboat co-captain was ‘doing his job’ before brawl, AL cops say. Here’s the latest
Three people have been charged following a violent brawl at Montgomery’s riverfront over the weekend, police in Alabama said.
The suspects, three white men, are expected to turn themselves in after arrest warrants were issued in the melee, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said at a news conference Tuesday, Aug. 8, streamed by AL.com.
The three were charged with third-degree assault, police said.
A Black man seen “wielding a folding chair” is also wanted for questioning, according to authorities.
The Aug. 5 incident was captured in viral videos that have seemingly touched every corner of the internet, spawning jokes and reenactments.
Social media clips showed a Black co-captain of the Harriott II riverboat being assaulted by several occupants of a private pontoon boat, which was unlawfully docked in a space designated for the Harriott II, police said.
In response, authorities said staff members from the Harriott ran to his defense.
“The co-captain was doing his job’’ when things turned violent and “escalated into a fisted encounter,” Albert said.
A 16-year-old employee was also struck during the incident, according to authorities.
Before the brawl, the Harriott II — loaded with 227 passengers — stayed away from the dock for about 45 minutes as the captain tried contacting the party on the pontoon via a PA system, Albert told reporters at the news conference.
Instead, the crew was met with “obscene gestures, curse words and taunting” that continued when the co-captain took a smaller boat to the dock in hopes of getting the pontoon to move, the police chief said.
Authorities detained 13 people for questioning after the skirmish and later released them, according to Albert.Now, authorities are calling on the public to submit videos that may aid in the ongoing investigation.
“More charges are likely,” the police chief said.
This story was originally published August 8, 2023 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Riverboat co-captain was ‘doing his job’ before brawl, AL cops say. Here’s the latest."