Authorities in Cincinnati have identified at least four individuals involved in a violent street brawl that erupted downtown Friday night, police sources confirmed to Fox News.
The altercation broke out near Elm and Fourth Streets and quickly gained widespread attention after videos of the fight began circulating on social media.
Footage shows a chaotic scene where two individuals are seen attacking a man in a white T-shirt, eventually knocking him to the ground and kicking him repeatedly. Despite the beating, the man is later seen getting back up.
In another disturbing moment, a woman appears to be punched and left unconscious in the street. Bystanders rushed to assist her, and she later regained consciousness.
Police say at least four suspects have been positively identified, while authorities are working to identify eight more people involved.
The motive behind the fight remains unclear, though investigators believe it followed a heated verbal dispute.
Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge condemned the violence, calling the behavior “cruel and absolutely unacceptable.” She confirmed that detectives are actively working to identify and apprehend all those responsible.
“This was a sudden dispute between individuals following a verbal altercation,” Theetge said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Our team is determined to hold every violent participant accountable.”
Mayor Aftab Pureval also weighed in, expressing outrage at the attack.
“This kind of vicious and disgusting behavior has no place in our city,” the mayor posted on X (formerly Twitter). “I have full confidence in our police department’s ability to bring those responsible to justice. Cincinnati is an inclusive city, and we will not tolerate this kind of violence.”
Ohio Sen. JD Vance also reacted, describing the attackers as “a mob of lawless thugs.”
“I hope every single person who committed violence is prosecuted to the fullest extent,” Vance said. “You had a grown man sucker-punching a middle-aged woman. That man should be in jail for a long time — he’s lucky there weren’t better people around to stop him.”
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said the Justice Department is watching the case closely.
“No one in America should fall victim to a crime like this,” Dhillon wrote on X, adding that federal laws could apply if racial motivations are confirmed.
Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Kearney echoed the outrage, calling the incident “disgusting and horrible to watch.”
“We tell our teens not to fight — to deescalate,” she said. “Then adults behave like this in public. It’s unacceptable, and they will be held accountable.”
