Topline
The man accused of using a folding chair as a weapon during a brawl at an Alabama boat dock is now in jail after he turned himself in Friday, according to multiple outlets—marking the fifth suspect to face charges following the altercation that gained significant buzz over social media.
Five people have been charged following the brawl. (Photo by Julie Bennett/Getty Images)
Key Facts
Reggie Gray, 42, was charged with disorderly conduct and is now being held in Montgomery’s Municipal Jail, according to AL.com.
Disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor in Alabama that could carry up to three months in prison and/or up to $500 in fines for those convicted of the charge.
Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said Tuesday that Gray, who was wanted for questioning three days before turning himself in, could be seen in social media videos of the brawl “wielding” a folding chair and hitting a woman over the head with it.
Gray joins four other people who were charged for their alleged involvement in the brawl at the dock, though he doesn’t face as many accusations as some of the other suspects.
Gray could not immediately be reached for comment.
Key Background
The brawl at the dock erupted after an argument between white boaters and the Black co-captain of a riverboat turned sour. The argument materialized after a private pontoon vessel commandeered by the boaters was reportedly blocking the riverboat, the Harriott II, from docking and unloading passengers. Viral videos of the fight showed a group of white men fighting a Black man on the dock. As the altercation dragged on, several more people engaged in the brawl, many of whom didn’t seem to be a part of the initial argument. By Wednesday, the men said to be the owners of the pontoon vessel, Allen Todd, Zachary Shipman and Richard Roberts, had turned themselves in to authorities. Roberts was charged with two counts of third-degree assault, while Todd and Shipman were each charged with one such count, according to law enforcement. Mary Todd, the fourth person arrested after the brawl, turned herself in Thursday and was charged with third-degree assault.
What To Watch For
The investigation is ongoing, according to a statement from Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who referred to the city’s history of racism and said the incident “seems to meet the moral definition of a crime fueled by hate.” He noted the FBI has not classified the attacks as a hate crime.
Further Reading
Reggie Ray, seen hitting people with chair at Montgomery riverfront brawl, arrested (Al.com)
RIVERFRONT BRAWL: Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed issues new statement (CBS)
Alabama Riverboat Brawl Leaves Three In Custody: Here’s What We Know—And Don’t Know (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/08/11/alleged-montgomery-brawl-folding-chair-wielder-arrested-after-turning-himself-in/