Federal Civil Rights Division steps in after violent downtown assault sparks national outrage and criticism of city leadership.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced it will closely monitor the local investigation into a violent assault on a white man and woman by a group of black individuals in downtown Cincinnati on Friday night.
The incident, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, has ignited national attention and prompted sharp criticism of Cincinnati’s local leadership.
“This happened last night, at 4th & Elm during the Cincinnati Jazz Festival. How can this go on for so long, and there be zero police presence? Towards the end of the video, a grown man punches a woman in the face and knocks her out,” said Adam Koehler on X, sharing a video of a Black man knocking out a white woman on the street.
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, confirmed the DOJ’s involvement on Sunday, stating via X, “Our federal hate crimes laws apply to ALL Americans. We @CivilRights will monitor closely how local authorities handle this attack. Nobody in our great nation should be the victim of such a crime, and where race is a motivation, federal law may apply.”
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CAUTION: This video will be disturbing to some.
This federal oversight comes in response to growing pressure, including from Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), who publicly called out Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval for his silence on the matter.
“The Mayor of Cincinnati, @AftabPureval, who has an opinion on lots of irrelevant topics, has not issued a statement, let alone a condemnation, of this heinous attack,” Moreno posted on X, urging the mayor to prioritize public safety.
Cory Bowman, a Republican candidate for Cincinnati mayor and half-brother of Vice President J.D. Vance, initially shared the video of the assault. Bowman, who is set to face Mayor Pureval in the November election, posted multiple clips on social media, criticizing the city’s management of law enforcement during public events.
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According to Bowman, the attack occurred near Fourth Street and Elm Street on a busy night that included a Cincinnati Reds game and the Cincinnati Music Festival. He alleged that no dedicated dispatcher was assigned to handle the increased call volume, a claim reportedly supported by sources within the city’s Emergency Communications Center.
While the incident has drawn widespread condemnation, controversial activist Tariq Nasheed posted a video asserting that the altercation was initiated by the white male involved, claiming he “slapped a Black man in the face” before the situation escalated.
Cincinnati’s police union president, Ken Kober, informed WKRC-TV that investigators are working tirelessly to identify all individuals involved in the attack. “They’re doing everything they can,” Kober stated. “There are still some people who have not been identified.”
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On Monday, five people were charged over the vicious beatdown, according to Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge.
“We have five we have charged, and anticipate more,” Theetge told reporters Monday, two days after the 3 a.m. Saturday incident, which she referred to as a “fight.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040 or the Central Business District Investigators at (513) 352-5445, assuring callers they can remain anonymous.
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