Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge lashed out at reporters and social media users following the release of viral footage showing a brutal mob attack over the weekend. The brawl, which left a woman unconscious and bloodied, has led to five arrests and national outrage, but Theetge appeared more frustrated with media coverage than with the violence itself.
The incident occurred late Friday night and involved a mob kicking and beating two victims in downtown Cincinnati. Theetge, speaking at a press conference, downplayed the event, calling it “one incident” that is “undoing the good stuff” from the weekend. She dismissed connections to the nearby Cincinnati Music Festival and blamed the violence partly on alcohol and poor parenting.
Criticizing the media, Theetge claimed the viral video offers “one version” of the events and accused journalists of distorting the facts. “Social media and mainstream media and their commentaries are a misrepresentation of the circumstances,” she said. Theetge argued that such coverage “makes our job more difficult,” but did not offer an alternative explanation or clarify what was misrepresented.
When pressed by reporters about the victims’ condition, Theetge stated she did not know if they were hospitalized, but claimed officers found them still on the scene appearing “as well as could possibly be expected.”
Footage from the incident paints a more severe picture. A man is seen thrown to the ground and kicked in the head multiple times. When a woman attempted to help him, she was attacked by several individuals before being knocked unconscious with a blow to the face, her mouth visibly bleeding.
While the police chief criticized the media, she provided few answers about what led to the attack or how law enforcement plans to prevent similar violence. Her remarks have only intensified public concern over safety in the city’s downtown area and the department’s handling of violent crime.
