More arrests were made in connection to the riverboat brawl in Montgomery, Alabama. Authorities said the two remaining suspects turned themselves in yesterday (Aug. 9) after charges were filed against three white boaters who allegedly assaulted a Black ferry co-captain at the city’s Riverfront Park on Saturday (Aug. 5).
ABC News reported that “Both Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, turned themselves in to police today,” each being charged with a misdemeanor that is one count of assault in the third degree, according to the Montgomery Police Department. The third suspect, Richard Roberts, 48, was already in custody, as he turned himself in on Tuesday (Aug. 8).
As previously reported by REVOLT, during a press conference, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert revealed the co-captain of the Harriett II riverboat to be Damien Pickett. He confirmed that the white group failed to acknowledge Pickett’s requests to make room for the larger ship. When Pickett attempted to “push” their private boat to give the Harriott enough space to safely dock in its spot, that’s when chaos erupted. “They… responded with obscene gestures, curse words, and taunting,” the chief explained. “The co-captain [was picked up] by a separate vessel and brought to the pier in an attempt to have a conversation with the private boat owners and/or have those boats moved, so the Harriett could dock. A confrontation ensued… Mr. Pickett, the co-captain, [was] attacked by several members of the private boat. Several members of the Harriott II came to Mr. Pickett’s defense, engaging in what we all have seen since on social media.”
Albert also stated that the Montgomery Police Department worked with the local FBI to determine the charges, and there was not enough evidence to charge the three men with anything more than assault. No one has yet to be charged with a hate crime.