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‘Chair wielding’ suspect charged in Montgomery riverfront brawl after turning himself in

The police chief previously described Reggie Gray as the man seen ‘wielding that folding chair’ in footage of the incident

Kelly Rissman
Monday 14 August 2023 18:32 BST
Alabama riverboat brawl: Montgomery Police Chief lists the names of suspects and charges

A fifth suspect was charged following the violent Mongtomery riverfront brawl.

Reggie Gray, 42, turned himself in to Montgomery Police on Friday, three days after the police chief asked him to get in contact with authorities for further questioning. He was charged with disorderly conduct, police said.

Mr Gray is currently being housed in the Municipal Jail. The police chief previously described him as the man seen “wielding that folding chair” in footage of the incident. Mr Gray seemed to pick up a folding chair and whack people on the dock over the head with it, videos show.

His arrest comes one day after 21-year-old Mary Todd turned herself in, and was charged with assault in the third degree.

Before that, Richard Roberts, 48, Zachery Shipman, 25, and Allen Todd, were also charged for their alleged involvement in the fight on the dock.

The fight broke out after the Harriott II riverboat was trying to dock in its designated space, but a pontoon boat was blocking it. After numerous attempts to get in contact with the pontoon boat owners over a PA system, senior deckhand Dameion Pickett approached them in person. Chaos ensued.

The five supsects arrested following the Montgomery riverfront brawl
The five supsects arrested following the Montgomery riverfront brawl (Montgomery Police Department)

One of the members of the pontoon boat began attacking Mr Pickett. Soon afterward, a massive fight broke out along the dock.

Police said on Friday that the investigation is ongoing.

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