Senator Discusses Violent Incident on Cincinnati Streets
On Thursday, Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno appeared on Fox News’ “Ingraham Angle” and shared details about a violent altercation in Cincinnati. One of the victims, he noted, had to call an Uber to get home after being “brutally attacked.”
Footage of the fight, which occurred early Saturday morning at the intersection of Elm and Force Streets, has been circulating online, showing multiple individuals being assaulted. Moreno recounted a conversation he had with one of the victims about her experience as he spoke with Laura Ingraham.
“Just to clarify, Holly was not involved in the argument,” he explained. “Her only ‘crime’ was wanting to enjoy a night out in downtown Cincinnati with friends. She actually tried to intervene in the fight. And when a police officer showed up—there were 200 police officers on duty that night—she ended up calling an Uber to go home. No ambulance was called, and she didn’t go to the hospital at that time.”
“Now she has been in and out of the hospital three times. I’ve talked to her daily. It’s heartbreaking; she was terrified,” Moreno added. “You can only imagine the trauma she’s experiencing. She is a middle-aged woman who was assaulted in one of our major cities. The comments from Councilwoman Victoria Parks about this situation are deeply troubling.”
Following the incident going viral, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Tegge announced that five individuals have been charged in relation to the street fight, with indications that further charges may follow.
The video captures the chaos, starting with four men, one of whom was repeatedly stomped on. The situation escalates as a man appears to punch a woman, who subsequently falls unconscious on the street.
“The truth is, the situation is even worse than it seems because many details are still unclear,” Moreno mentioned. “The judge, Justice Hathaway, released a man who had been taken into custody after the incident. He had prior gun charges, but was let go on a $400 bail. So now, he’s back on the streets of Cincinnati after nearly killing Holly for just $400.”
“It’s disheartening to see such a lack of accountability. We’re trying to address these issues, but if they don’t put together a solid plan in 30 days, I’ll be advocating for the cutting of federal funds,” Moreno warned.
Those arrested include Montierness Merriweather, Dequila Vernon, and Jermaine Matthew. Reports indicate that Merriweather was facing charges for stolen property and firearm offenses at the time and had previously been imprisoned for armed robbery.
Despite his criminal history, he was released on a $4,000 bond earlier in July, with a requirement to pay only 10%, or $400, for release. For the brawl, bonds have been set at $500,000 for Merriweather, while Vernon and Matthew face bonds of $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.
