Fight breaks out over apparent docking of pontoon boat at Riverfront Park
Massive brawl at Montgomery, Alabama riverfront dock caught on video
A fight broke out on a riverfront dock in Montgomery, Alabama, over the apparent docking of a pontoon boat. (Credit: Christa)
A massive brawl broke out on a riverfront dock in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday evening over what appeared to be the docking of a pontoon boat, and the city’s mayor says several "reckless" individuals were detained.
The fight between a group of individuals and a man, who appeared to be a dockworker, was captured on video around 7 p.m. by onlookers aboard a nearby boat at Riverfront Park.
The woman recording the video can be heard saying that a worker was moving a black pontoon boat that had docked after the apparent owners were told they could not leave the boat in that area.
As the worker begins to move the boat on his own, a group of individuals approach and begin to argue with the man, the video showed. The verbal altercation then turns physical when one individual suddenly punches the worker in the head.
The dockworker, pictured right dressed in a white shirt, is punched in the head by a man following an argument. (Christa)
Other individuals in the group rush the worker and begin punching and kicking him while he is on the ground. Onlookers intervene and begin pulling the individuals off the worker, who then is seen standing up on his own and walking down the dock.
The fight escalated after a verbal altercation over the apparent docking of a pontoon boat along the river. (Christa)
Fox News Digital reached out to the Montgomery Police Department but did not immediately hear back.
Other individuals rush the dockworker and tackle him to the ground. (Christa)
Mayor Steven L. Reed responded to the incident Sunday with a post on social media.
Bystanders intervene and attempt to break up the fight. (Christa)
"Last night, the Montgomery Police Department acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job," Reed wrote. "Warrants have been signed and justice will be served."
Reed went on say that the "unfortunate incident" never should have happened.
The worker is able to stand up on his own and walk away down the dock. (Christa)
"As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community," the mayor wrote. "Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system."
Montgomery police said the incident happened at the 200 block of Coosa Street, and that several people were detained, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.
Four active warrants were issued, with the possibility of more after investigators review additional video of the incident, police said.
Authorities have yet to release the names of those who were detained or how many there were.
