Three Riverfront brawl suspects turned themselves in

Published 7:13 am Thursday, August 10, 2023

The three suspects from Dallas County who were involved in the Montgomery Riverfront Brawl last Saturday are now in police custody, Montgomery Police Department told media Wednesday.

Allen Todd, 23, and Zachery “Chase” Shipman, 25, are in the Montgomery Municipal Jail on one count each of misdemeanor third-degree assault charges in connection with the fistfight. Todd and Shipman turned themselves in to Montgomery police around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday. Shipman made bail and was seen Thursday at Vasser’s.

The fight involved white occupants of a pontoon boat and Black riverboat passengers who came to the aid of the Black Harriet II co-captain, Damien Pickett, who was attacked by the pontoon boat occupants in an incident that was shown on videos throughout Social Media. The boat is well known as Montgomery’s only riverboat, available for private parties and daily cruises.

Montgomery attorney Darron Hendley is listed as representation for both Todd and Shipman, according to Montgomery Court records.

The third suspect, Richard Roberts, 48, turned himself in on Tuesday to Selma police. He is charged with two counts of third-degree assault.

In a Tuesday media conference, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said racist language was hurled before the brawl started Saturday. The witness reportedly gave a sworn statement to law enforcement that the slur was said in response to the riverboat captain’s request that the pontoon boat’s occupants move the vessel from the Harriett II docking spot. It’s unclear who allegedly made the slurs.

In a Tuesday press conference, the Montgomery Police Department said race was determined not a factor in this case.

Pickett and a 16-year-old dock employee were injured in the melee which followed Pickett pushing the pontoon boat himself to create room for the Harriett to disembark its 227 passengers.

The Montgomery police department continues to investigate the incident. Another man, Reggie Gray, has been identified by Montgomery police as the person seen in one video assaulting others with a folding chair.