Disturbing footage posted online shows the moment an unidentified man was violently attacked by an unruly mob in downtown Cincinnati in what officials are now calling a ‘breakdown of order.’
The viral video of the assault Friday night at the intersection of Fourth and Elm Streets started with a verbal dispute between at least two men, according to police chief Teresa Theetge.
The carnage left at least two people, an unidentified male and female victim, injured, with WKRC reporting that a good Samaritan rushed them to a local hospital in the aftermath.
Their conditions remain unclear as cops work to identify and arrest all of those involved.
The shocking footage, originally posted to the Signal 99 Facebook page, shows an unidentified assailant attacking a man in a white t-shirt from behind.
The man in the white shirt then tries to run away into the street, when the original assailant and one of his friends punch and tackle him to the ground.
At that point, more people joined in on the assault, stomping on the victim for nearly a minute as he lay in the middle of the street.
When the barrage of attacks temporarily stops, the victim could be seen attempting to stand – but he immediately falls over in apparent disorientation as frustrated drivers honk their horns to get the mob to move out of the way.
Disturbing footage posted online shows the moment an unidentified man was violently attacked by an unruly mob in downtown Cincinnati on Friday night
One man could then be heard shouting, ‘My man’s drunk.’
Moments later, an unidentified woman in a black dress could be seen trying to check on the fallen man – when another woman in the crowd grabs her and a separate man in the crowd violently punches her.
The impact caused the woman to fall to he ground, with her head slamming into the concrete.
It soon becomes clear that she is unconscious as blood spews from her mouth.
The viral video ends with bystanders attempting to move the woman out of the street.
Another video obtained by WKRC appears to show the moments leading up to the attack.
It shows the man in the white t-shirt talking with the group, when he suddenly slaps a man in a red t-shirt. It also shows another man being targeted by the unruly mob.
‘I am in complete disgust waking up to the viral video many of you have now seen,’ Chief Theetge said on Saturday, after mayoral candidate and Vice President JD Vance’s half brother reposted the video – arguing that the current administration is not doing enough to address crime in the city.
The unruly mob was seen stomping on the victim as he lay in the middle of the street
‘The behavior is nothing short of cruel and absolutely unacceptable,’ she continued, vowing that investigators will work ‘diligently to identify every individual involved in causing harm.’
Authorities have already spoken to two people seen in the video, Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober told WKRC.
‘They’re doing everything they can,’ he insisted. ‘These investigators have been working around the clock to identify everybody that’s involved, to be able to locate these people. to be able to interview them, to be able to get a true picture of exactly what occurred.’
Investigators have also received tips on some of the attackers’ identities, Kober revealed.
‘I would ask… that the public play a part in this, because stuff like this shouldn’t happen in our city, but when it does, we need people to step forward, that way we can bring these people to justice.’
In separate remarks to WLWT, Kober called the violence ‘disgusting.’
‘What’s equally disgusting is those who chose to watch and record instead of calling 911, attempting to defuse the situation or render aid.’
Hamilton Township Police Chief Scott Hughes argued the video represented a ‘breakdown of order, decency and accountability’
Cincinnati city councilman Mark Jeffreys also described the video as ‘incredibly disturbing and horrific’ as well as ‘downright inhumane.’
He added that he has spoken with other city officials and police to work on ‘finding the individuals responsible and arresting them urgently.’
‘This behavior cannot stand and will not represent our city,’ Jeffreys said. ‘Those responsible must be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.’
Similarly, Hamilton Township Police Chief Scott Hughes argued on X: ‘What happened on Fourth Street in Cincinnati wasn’t just a fight, it was a breakdown of order, decency and accountability – caught on video and cheered on by a crowd.
‘This isn’t just Cincinnati’s problem, it’s ours too,’ he said, arguing that such violent attacks do not just stay in the city because ‘the perception of danger ripples across the region,’ discouraging residents from visiting evens and attractions.
‘Families stop going out. Businesses stop investing. and cities lose the very momentum they worked to build,’ Hughes wrote.
‘This video isn’t just another viral moment. It’s a warning shot,’ he concluded. ‘We can either raise our voices or watch silence fund the chaos.’
Cincinnati police data released on July 21 shows that the central business district and riverfront area where the assault took place has seen a 25 percent increase in violence compared to last year.
It also shows that there were 12 aggravated assaults in the city between January 1 through July 21, compared to 16 during the same time period last year.
