Two Arrested In Cincinnati Following Viral Incident
Downtown Cincinnati saw chaos over the weekend, and now we’re learning more about who police believe was behind it.
At a public safety meeting Tuesday, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced that two people — 34-year-old Montianez Merriweather and 24-year-old Dekyra Vernon — have been arrested in connection with the brutal attack that left two victims seriously injured.
Here’s where it gets interesting: police still haven’t announced what charges the pair are facing, and Hamilton County jail records don’t list them either. But according to FOX 19, the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office says three more arrest warrants have been issued, so we’re likely to see additional suspects in custody soon.
This wasn’t some minor scuffle. It was a full-on mob attack early Saturday morning at Fourth and Elm — right outside LoVe, a popular nightclub, and a late-night restaurant next door.
The disturbing footage that’s been circulating online shows a group savagely beating two people, including a woman who was knocked unconscious while bystanders stood around recording on their phones instead of helping. The video drew national outrage, and rightly so.
The Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police praised officers for quickly making arrests but didn’t miss an opportunity to highlight a glaring problem: the court system.
They pointed out that Merriweather was already indicted just weeks ago — on July 10 — for receiving stolen property, possessing weapons under disability, and improperly transporting a firearm, among other charges. And yet? He was released on a $4,000 bond. That means he only had to put up $400 to walk out the door.
The FOP’s blunt statement summed it up: “This is your court system.”
So now, less than a month later, this same individual is allegedly tied to a vicious mob assault that’s turned Cincinnati into the latest viral example of bystander apathy and violent street chaos.
With three more suspects expected to be arrested, the big question isn’t just who else was involved — it’s how many times people like Merriweather are going to get a free pass before something like this happens again.
