Police have charged six people in connection with a violent downtown beating that shocked the city last weekend, with police actively pursuing three suspects who remain at large, officials announced Friday.
The six suspects face charges of felonious assault and aggravated rioting stemming from the attack that was captured on video and spread widely on social media, Theetge said.
Three suspects have been arrested while the city's fugitive apprehension unit is pursuing the remaining three, whose names will be released upon capture, Theetge said.
"Through relentless work, CPD has now charged six individuals with felonious assault and aggravated rioting," she said. "This remains an open investigation, and I want to assure you, we will not stop until justice is fully served."
Authorities have identified six victims in the attack—five males and one female—who were "subjected to unimaginable physical violence," Theetge said. She added that their thoughts are with the victims "as they begin to heal from this traumatic event, knowing their lives have been forever changed."
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. Saturday involved dozens of people. Video footage shows a crowd before several people begin throwing punches, with one man falling to the ground and being repeatedly punched and kicked by bystanders. A woman is also shown being punched in the face, falling to the ground motionless and bleeding from the mouth before receiving help.
Attack 'Horrifying to Watch'
Viral video of the beating has stirred racial tensions as the attackers were black while the victims were white.Mayor Pureval, in a statement, called the attack "horrifying to watch" and stated that "this unacceptable and disgusting behavior is intolerable in any part of our community.”
The mayor, who faced criticism for taking a vacation during the aftermath, called for unity during Friday's press conference. "The racial dynamics of this fight are unavoidable, and some have cynically used the opportunity to try and divide us along racial lines. That is a choice we must firmly reject," Pureval said.
Chief Theetge pointed to broader systemic issues, describing "a revolving door of justice" where violent offenders are quickly released. "Our officers risk their lives daily to remove violent offenders from the streets, only to see them released quickly and sometimes without consequences," she said during Friday's conference.
Police responded about six minutes after receiving only one 911 call, arriving after the attack had ended.
Theetge said Friday that additional footage, including body camera video, would be released early next week to provide more details while maintaining the investigation's integrity.