Montgomery Police said it was “unable to present any inciting a riot or racially biased charges” despite consulting with the FBI to determine if hate crime charges should be brought.
“I think it’s important for us to understand that there was a young White dock worker or someone who worked on the boat who also tried to help and who was attacked as well,” Mayor Reed said.
Police later named another victim was named as a 16-year-old white male, who was an employee of a smaller boat that took Pickett from the Harriott II to the dock. The mother of the teen signed a warrant of one of the men arrested.
Reed said he would have “preferred” that the people who became involved in the brawl break the fight up, but that it was a unique situation.
“It’s easy to Monday-morning quarterback the situation when you’re not in it,” he said. “I certainly understand those who took the notion to try to defend… someone they thought was being mistreated.”
