Montgomery Alabama brawl: 3 men face assault charges after attack on dock worker Damien Pickett

The men were charged by the Montgomery Police Department with a misdemeanour, escaping riot and hate-crime charges

Updated on: Aug 9, 2023, 06:43:39 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Three boaters are facing third-degree assault charges for attacking the co-captain of a riverboat on an Alabama dock. Private boat owners attacked Harriott II Riverboat Co-Captain Damien Pickett after he pushed their vessel away in an attempt to allow his vessel, which was larger, to dock.

The battle began after a group of boaters attacked a Montgomery Riverfront dock worker, according to witnesses (@_dreadadon/X)

Richard Roberts, 48, Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, were charged by the Montgomery Police Department with a misdemeanour, escaping riot and hate-crime charges on Tuesday, August 8. The attackers were white and the victim black.

At a press conference, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J.confirmed that one of the accused turned themselves in to the Selma Police Department. The two others were “en route” to do the same.The chief further said after working with the FBI, the Montgomery force determined the charges. However, there was not enough evidence to charge the three men with more than assault.

What happened during the brawl?

Following the incident, a 16-year-old boy is being referred to as ‘Black Aquaman’ after he jumped into an Alabama river and swam to a dock to help a staffer being beaten up during the brawl on August 5. Dozens of people were involved in the fight, which has been captured on video.

The incident took place at the 200 block of Coosa Street at about 7 pm on Saturday, police have confirmed. In a video, a shirtless man is seen starting the fight, running up and punching the dock worker in the face. The two then struggle, before two more men join in to assault the staffer. A woman is heard screaming and urging others to help.

Aaren is then seen running to the dock and jumping in the river, swimming over to help the staffer being beaten up. Several other people quickly approach the area, trying to defend the worker. Officers eventually intervened and stopped the fight.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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