riverboat update

Shop TODAY’s 2024 Travel Gear Awards are here! Save up to 50% off winners

• TODAY Plaza
• Share this —

• Watch Full Episodes
• Read With Jenna
• Inspirational
• Relationships
• TODAY Table
• Newsletters
• Start TODAY
• Shop TODAY Awards
• Citi Concert Series
• Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

• On The Show

A waterfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama, went viral. What happened and why?

The riverfront worker who was attacked said he “held on for dear life” as a group of white boaters jumped him in a large brawl that broke out at the Montgomery Riverfront in Alabama on Aug. 5.

In a handwritten account he filed with law enforcement after the Aug. 5 melee and obtained by NBC News, Dameion Pickett recalled what happened the day when the men refused to move their boat so a dinner cruise riverboat could dock.

“A tall, older white guy came over and hit me in the face. I took my hat off and threw it in the air,” he wrote. “Somebody hit me from behind. I started choking the older guy in front of me so he couldn’t anymore, pushing him back at the same time.”

Pickett has not made a public statement regarding the incident and did not respond to NBC News' request for comment.

Videos that went viral on social media showed a group of white men attacking Pickett. The footage caused an outcry, with the Montgomery mayor addressing the altercation and police issuing arrest warrants.

Allen Todd, 23, and Zachery Shipman, 25, have been charged with one misdemeanor count of assault in the third degree, a spokesperson for the Montgomery Police Department said.

Another man, Richard Roberts, 48, faces two third-degree assault charges and turned himself in on Aug. 8.

A fourth suspect in the case, Mary Todd, 21, turned herself in on Aug. 10 and was charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault.

A fifth suspect, Reggie Ray, 42, turned himself in on Aug. 11 and was charged with disorderly conduct. Police had previously sought Ray after he was seen wielding a folding chair in the melee on social media videos.

So what exactly happened? Read on for a full explanation of this now-viral incident.

What happened at the Montgomery Riverfront

A large brawl broke out Saturday, Aug. 5, shortly before 7 p.m. at the Alabama capital after Pickett attempted to clear a dock along the river so that the Harriott II Riverboat could dock, witnesses told NBC News . The brawl was fueled by alcohol and adrenaline, witnesses also said.

When a group of rowdy boaters refused to move their pontoon at the Montgomery Riverfront, they attacked Pickett when he untied their boat to make way for the riverboat, witnesses said.

In video shared with NBC News , after a group of what appears to be white men ran along the dock to attack the worker, who is Black, more people joined in and appeared to defend Pickett. Other footage shared with NBC News shows people punching and shoving one another, with one person falling into the water as police struggled to contain the chaos.

The Riverfront is a popular destination with a park, stadium, amphitheater and riverboat.

What police say about the fight

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert, in a news conference on Aug. 8 , confirmed that a group of private white boaters had attacked a Black dockworker, identified as Pickett. Later, police would identify Pickett as the assistant boat captain of the riverboat.

He had been trying to move the private boaters' pontoon to make way for the riverboat.

As passengers aboard the riverboat — more than 200 — waited at least 30 minutes, Pickett tried to get the rowdy private boaters to move. Several members of the private pontoon group then attacked Pickett, Albert said.

Albert added that police arrived on the scene at 7:18 p.m. local time — about 18 minutes after the riverboat captain had called. He said 13 people were detained, questioned and then released.

What did the attacked dockworker say about the incident?

In a handwritten statement filed with police and obtained by NBC News, Pickett said he asked the group “five or six times” to move their boat.

When he and a dockhand were ignored and given the finger, he says, they untied the group’s pontoon boat, moved it “three steps to the right” and re-tied it to a post so the Harriott II could dock.

“By that time, two people ran up behind me,” Pickett wrote, adding that a man in a red hat yelled, “Don’t touch that boat motherf---er or we will beat your ass.”

He said the men continued to threaten him and then one of them called another man over.

“They both were very drunk,” Pickett wrote, adding that then the pontoon boat owner went over “started getting loud … He got into my face. ‘This belongs to the f---ing public.’ I told him this was a city dock.”

That’s when the brawl began. Pickett wrote, “A tall, older white guy came over and hit me in the face. I took my hat off and threw it in the air. Somebody hit me from behind. I started choking the older guy in front of me so he couldn’t anymore, pushing him back at the same time.”

Adding, “Then the guy in the red shorts came up and tackled me … I went to the ground. I think I hit one of them.”

Sharing more recollections from the fight, he said, “I can’t tell you how long it lasted. I grabbed one of them and just held on for dear life.”

Pickett was eventually helped by other people but noticed the brawl was getting out of hand, writing, “One of my co-workers had jumped into the water and was pushing people and fighting.”

He added that his nephew joined the melee and he had also seen his sister being choked during the fight.

As more chaos ensued, the riverboat had not been tied to the dock but Pickett helped the passengers off the boat. He wrote that he apologized “for the inconvenience. They all said I did nothing wrong.”

“Some of them were giving me cards with their names and numbers on it. Some said they had it all on film, so I pointed them out to MPD,” he added. After the altercation, he was treated at the emergency room where he was treated for bruised ribs and bumps on his head.

What witnesses say about the brawl

Witnesses told NBC News a similar version of events. Christa Owen said she was aboard the Harriott II with her husband and daughter when the brawl broke out.

“What was hard is we were all on the boat and witnessing our poor crewman being attacked by these guys, and we couldn’t do anything about it,” Owen said.

“It was really difficult to watch, and, like I said, we felt helpless, because we were forced to be spectators,” Owen added.

Owen was among those who recorded the altercations, explaining that it was “inexcusable behavior.”

Additionally, Leslie Mawhorter also on Harriott II, added: “They just didn’t think the rules applied to them. It was so avoidable. This never had to have happened. Everything just spiraled from there.”

“I knew something was going to go down, because their attitude was just, ‘You can’t tell us what to do.’ They were going to be confrontational regardless of who you were,” Mawhorter continued.

Have police made any arrests?

Four men and one woman are facing charges , according to police: Richard Roberts, 48; Reggie Ray, 42; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25, and Mary Todd, 21.

“There was no need for this event to take the path it did,” Albert told reporters earlier this week. “The people of Montgomery, we’re better than that. We’re a fun city, and we don’t want this type of activity to shed a dark eye on what this city’s all about.”

Was the fight racially motivated?

In the press conference on Aug. 8, Albert said investigators do not believe the incident was racially motivated.

He said that the local FBI and district attorney’s offices are involved in the ongoing investigation. 

“I don’t think you can judge any community by any one incident. I think it’s important for us to address this as an isolated incident, one that was avoidable,” Albert said. “One that was brought on by individuals who chose the wrong path of action.”

What the mayor of Montgomery said about the altercation

On Sunday, Aug. 6, Mayor Steven L. Reed released a statement saying that “justice will be served” after individuals attacked “a man who was doing his job.”

“Last night, the Montgomery Police Department acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job. Warrants have been signed and justice will be served,” the statement posted on social media read. “This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred. As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community.”

“Those who choose violent actions will be held accountable by our criminal justice system,” the statement concluded.

Reed shared how he felt about the incident during a press conference on Aug. 7.

"I feel like it’s an unfortunate incident. Our statement that we put out the other day is that it’s something that shouldn’t have happened and it’s something that we’re investigating right now," Reed said. "We’ll continue to go through that process before we take any additional steps."

When asked if Reed thought the incident was racially charged, he said the brawl is still under investigation, and that authorities are "investigating all angles."

The investigation is ongoing.

EDITOR'S NOTE (Aug. 11, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET): Previous police statements listed the man attacked as Damien Pickett and one of the suspects as Zachary Shipman. On Aug. 11, officials corrected their names' spellings to Dameion Pickett and Zachery Shipman. This story has been updated to reflect the correct spelling.

Liz Calvario is a Los Angeles-based reporter and editor for TODAY.com who covers entertainment, pop culture and trending news.

Anna Kaplan is a news and trending reporter for TODAY.com.

Sam Kubota is a senior digital editor and journalist for TODAY Digital based in Los Angeles. She joined NBC News in 2019.

Full Video: Viewer records as Montgomery riverfront brawl begins

12 Talk: Historical marker to be unveiled at Lowndesboro School

The Rundown

The Rundown: Weekend events for theatre, music fans and more

Alabama Live

Ask the Attorney: Part 1

Montgomery Symphony Orchestra holding Masterworks Concert Series Finale

Ask the Attorney: Part 2

Coosapalooza Brewfest coming to Wetumpka

Men charged in Montgomery brawl had been ‘trouble’ for riverboat, captain says

The three White men charged with assault Tuesday after they attacked a Black riverboat co-captain in Montgomery, Ala. , and ignited a brawl largely along racial lines had previously caused problems for the Harriott II, the vessel’s captain said, and were repeatedly asked to move their pontoon boat so the riverboat could dock.

Harriott II captain Jim Kittrell told media outlets he believed the attack on co-captain Damien Pickett over the weekend was “racially motivated.”

Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25, were charged with third-degree misdemeanor assault in the attack on Pickett at a dock in Riverfront Park, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert said at a news conference.

All three turned themselves in, Montgomery Police Maj. Saba Coleman told The Washington Post. She added that Roberts also has a warrant pending for striking a 16-year-old White boy, and that Reggie Gray, a 42-year-old Black man who was seen on video hitting people with a folding chair during the brawl, has not turned himself in after police called on him to do so.

White men charged with assaulting Black man in Montgomery Riverfront brawl

Authorities said that they had consulted with the FBI and would not be able to charge the White men with a hate crime or with inciting a riot. But Kittrell, who told WACV in Montgomery that riverboat staff previously “had trouble” with the boaters from Selma, Ala., emphasized that he believed the assault on Pickett, 43, was due to racism.

“The White guys that attacked my deckhand — and he was a senior deckhand first mate — I can’t think of any other reason they attacked him other than it being racially motivated,” Kittrell, who is White, told the Daily Beast on Tuesday. “All he did was move their boat up three feet. It makes no sense to have six people try to beat the snot out of you just because you moved their boat up a few feet. In my opinion, the attack on Damien was racially motivated.”

He added to radio show “ News & Views with Joey Clark ” that the brawl after the initial assault of Pickett “was not a Black-and-White thing.”

Neither Pickett nor Kittrell, 62, immediately responded to requests for comment Wednesday morning.

Albert announced the charges against Roberts, Todd and Shipman three days after videos went viral of the brawl, which was decried by Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed (D) as “an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred.”

“This is not indicative of who we are,” said Reed, Montgomery’s first Black mayor. On Wednesday, Reed criticized Todd and Shipman after they “did not honor their agreement to surrender to authorities,” and said that police “will do what it takes to bring them to justice.”

What we know about the Montgomery Riverfront brawl

Videos taken by onlookers and spread around the internet showed the Black co-captain, Pickett, arguing with one of the pontoon boaters on Saturday as a second White man charges at Pickett and hits him in the face. Pickett then tosses his cap into the air before the two hit each other. Almost immediately, Pickett is swarmed by several White men on the dock who throw punches while the Black man was on the ground, according to the videos posted online.

White and Black people on the dock and shore appear to jump in to try to help Pickett, and someone appears to jump off the riverboat and swim to the dock to help the co-captain. As the initial tussle calmed down, videos appeared to show a group of Black men confronting the White boaters. That fighting lasted more than a minute, with one of the Black men — allegedly Gray — being recorded hitting a White woman in the head with a folding chair and then being surrounded by police. One person seemed to get punched off the dock into the water.

Police detained 13 people for questioning, then released them, Albert said. The police chief said that “no stone was unturned” in deciding ultimately to not charge Roberts, Todd and Shipman with more serious charges.

“We examined this over a period of time, not only that night but since that night,” he told reporters. “At this time, based on the way the statutes read the laws are crafted, we were unable to present any inciting a riot or racially-biased charges.”

Kittrell has captained the Harriott II for about 13 years, steering the riverboat since it was originally known as Savannah River Queen of Savannah, Ga., according to the Selma Times-Journal . He told the Daily Beast he’s known Pickett for about 10 years during their time together on the Harriott II, a 19th-century riverboat offering dinner, dancing and live entertainment as part of Montgomery’s popular Riverfront Park.

The riverboat captain said this week that the three White men were part of a group of pontoon boaters from Selma that he’s had issues with in recent years.

“We’ve had trouble with them in the past, but just like jokey things,” he said Monday to the Montgomery radio station.

He pointed to an instance a couple of years ago when one of the riverboat’s golf carts was missing after returning from a cruise. Kittrell said the group had taken it and left it in an odd place: the lobby of a Hampton Inn.

“We looked at the Hampton Inn video, found out who did it, and we had them come down,” the riverboat captain told the radio station. “We were going to press charges then, but the police talked us out of it.”

But what unfolded Saturday was different, he said. When Kittrell noticed the pontoon boat was partially blocking the area where the riverboat docks, he asked the pontoon boat’s passengers over the PA system to move the boat “about five times,” he recalled. After he threatened to call the police on the boaters, “they started shooting birds at us,” which led him to call law enforcement, Kittrell told the radio station.

“I was nice as a peach when I was talking to them at first: ‘Please, help me out here, fellas. Move the boat up a little bit,’” he told the Daily Beast.

Not long after Pickett attempted to push the pontoon boat forward a few feet, Kittrell saw his colleague get attacked by the men from Selma.

“We’re 40 yards or 30 yards away from the dock watching all of this. There’s nothing we can do,” he said to the radio station. “About that time, another guy comes running up. And within a minute or so, it was an all-out brawl. And then I saw some more guys coming, and I said, ‘Oh. Thank God. They’re going to break it up.’ But instead of breaking it up, they jumped on him too. So, at one time, it was like six, seven guys on my deckhand that was trying to move the boat.”

While Kittrell maintained that the attack on Pickett was racially motivated, he emphasized that the rest of the brawl, which appeared to be along racial lines, was not the same as the initial encounter. He said he was thankful for the Harriott II staff for standing up and coming to Pickett’s aid during the attack.

“It was just shipmates trying to help a shipmate. They could’ve been little green men, for all they cared,” he told the Daily Beast. “When they attacked Damien, my crew was gonna jump out and do the best they could to help him out. It was my crew against the people who attacked their shipmate, that’s all it was.”

• Men charged in Montgomery brawl had been ‘trouble’ for riverboat, captain says August 10, 2023 Men charged in Montgomery brawl had been ‘trouble’ for riverboat, captain says August 10, 2023
• How oral storytelling helped a blind man see the Montgomery brawl August 12, 2023 How oral storytelling helped a blind man see the Montgomery brawl August 12, 2023
• Racial tensions linger in Montgomery after dock brawl August 12, 2023 Racial tensions linger in Montgomery after dock brawl August 12, 2023

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Montgomery riverboat co-captain says he was hanging on ‘for dear life’ in brawl

Damien Pickett, who is Black, describes being attacked by white boaters after attempting to move their pontoon boat

An Alabama boat co-captain was hanging on “for dear life” as men punched and tackled him on the riverfront of the state’s capital city, he told police after video of the brawl circulated widely online.

Damein Pickett, a crew member of the Harriott II in Montgomery, described the brawl in a handwritten statement to authorities included in court documents, saying he was attacked after moving a pontoon boat a few feet so the city-owned riverboat could dock.

Four white boaters have been charged with misdemeanor assault in the attack against Pickett, who is Black, as well as a teen deckhand, who was punched and is white. The deckhand’s mother heard a racial slur before Pickett was hit, she wrote in a statement.

A fifth person, a Black man who appeared to be hitting people with a folding chair during the subsequent fight, has been charged with disorderly conduct, police announced on Friday.

Video of the melee sparked scores of memes and video re-enactments. But the footage also prompted commentary in some quarters about how the fight vividly illustrated the racial tension and divide across the US.

Pickett told police that the captain had asked a group on a pontoon boat “at least five or six times” to move from the riverboat’s designated docking space but they responded by “giving us the finger and packing up to leave”. Pickett and another deckhand eventually took a vessel to shore and moved the pontoon boat “three steps to the right”, he wrote.

He said two people ran rushing back, including one cursing and threatening to beat him for touching the boat. Pickett wrote that one of the men shouted that it was public dock space, but Pickett told them it was the city’s designated space for the riverboat. He said he told them he was “just doing my job”. Pickett said he was punched in the face and hit from behind.

“I went to the ground. I think I bit one of them. All I can hear Imma kill you” and beat you, he wrote. He couldn’t tell “how long it lasted” and “grabbed one of them and just held on for dear life”, Pickett wrote.

After the fight was over, Pickett said he apologized to the riverboat customers for the inconvenience as he helped them get off the boat.

The deckhand had gone with Pickett to move the pontoon boat. His mother, who was also on the Harriott, said in a statement to police that her son tried to pull the men off Pickett and was punched in the chest.

Darron Hendley, an attorney listed in court records for two of the people charged, declined to comment. It was not immediately clear if the others had an attorney to speak on their behalf.

The Montgomery mayor, Steven Reed, said on Friday that the investigation is ongoing.

Police said they consulted with the FBI and determined what happened on the riverfront did not qualify as a hate crime. Reed, the city’s first Black mayor, said he will trust the investigative process but said his “perspective as a Black man in Montgomery differs from my perspective as mayor”.

“From what we’ve seen from the history of our city – a place tied to both the pain and the progress of this nation – it seems to meet the moral definition of a crime fueled by hate, and this kind of violence cannot go unchecked,” said Reed, referring in part to Montgomery’s being the site of a bus boycott which was a pivotal moment in the US civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

“It is a threat to the durability of our democracy, and we are grateful to our law enforcement professionals, partner organizations and the greater community for helping us ensure justice will prevail.”

Most viewed

• River City Live
• Newsletters

BREAKING NEWS

LIVE: Witnesses testify for man who killed Nassau County deputy after he takes stand in own defense

2 river flood warnings in effect for brantley and columbia counties, arrest warrants issued for alabama riverfront brawl.

Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Police said Monday that arrest warrants have been issued in connection with a riverfront brawl in Alabama’s capital that drew nationwide attention after video showed a group of white people pummeling a Black riverboat worker, an exchange that sparked a massive fight.

Major Saba Coleman of the Montgomery Police Department said there are currently four active warrants and more could be issued after authorities review more footage. Police said Sunday that several people were detained and charges are pending.

Recommended Videos

Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.

A white man shoved and punched the Black crew member, according to the video taken by a riverboat passenger and published by WSFA. The conflict escalated when several white people joined in on attacking the Black crew member. A separate video shows that several Black passengers then confronted the pontoon boat group after the riverboat docked, sparking another brawl that was largely split along racial lines.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said police will hold a briefing Tuesday to provide an update on the situation.

"While there is a lot of activity and interest in this, we know that we’ll come through this together as a community collectively as we have other situations,” Reed told news outlets on Monday, according to al.com. Reed said no one has been arrested yet.

Reed said in a statement Sunday that Montgomery police acted “swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job."

“This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred. As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community. Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system,” Reed said.

The fight took place along Montgomery’s downtown riverfront which the city has worked to developed into a tourist and recreation area with restaurants, bars and hotels.

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Man accuses riverboat co-captain of assault during Alabama riverfront brawl

The Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A Black riverboat co-captain at the center of an Alabama riverfront brawl that drew national attention has been accused of misdemeanor assault in the melee by one of the white boaters charged in the fight.

Court records show one of the white men accused of assaulting the co-captain during the August brawl filed a complaint last month saying the co-captain hit him first during the chaotic melee. The co-captain faces a charge of misdemeanor assault, according to court records.

"I was not trying to fight," the man wrote in a statement. The complaint was filed Oct. 26 ahead of the man's Nov. 16 trial on a misdemeanor assault charge of hitting and kicking the riverboat co-captain.

The August riverfront melee in Montgomery drew national attention after bystanders filmed white boaters hitting a Black riverboat co-captain and others rushing to his defense. Video of the fight was shared widely online, sparking countless memes and parodies.

Montgomery police said the brawl began when the white boaters refused to move their pontoon boat so the city-owned Harriott II riverboat could dock in its designated space. The boat's co-captain said he was attacked after moving the pontoon boat a few feet to make way for the riverboat.

Five other people were previously charged in the brawl. Two white boaters previously pleaded guilty to charges of misdemeanor assault or harassment. Three other people, including a Black man who was filmed swinging a folding chair, have upcoming court dates.

Arrest warrants issued for Alabama riverfront brawl

Montgomery, Ala. – Police said Monday that arrest warrants have been issued in connection with a riverfront brawl in Alabama's capital that drew nationwide attention after video showed a group of white people pummeling a Black riverboat worker, an exchange that sparked a massive fight.

Major Saba Coleman of the Montgomery Police Department said there are currently four active warrants and more could be issued after authorities review more footage. Police said Sunday that several people were detained and charges are pending.

Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.

A white man shoved and punched the Black crew member, according to the video taken by a riverboat passenger and published by WSFA. The conflict escalated when several white people joined in on attacking the Black crew member. A separate video shows that several Black passengers then confronted the pontoon boat group after the riverboat docked, sparking another brawl that was largely split along racial lines.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said police will hold a briefing Tuesday to provide an update on the situation.

"While there is a lot of activity and interest in this, we know that we’ll come through this together as a community collectively as we have other situations,” Reed told news outlets on Monday, according to al.com. Reed said no one has been arrested yet.

Reed said in a statement Sunday that Montgomery police acted “swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job."

“This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred. As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community. Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system,” Reed said.

The fight took place along Montgomery's downtown riverfront which the city has worked to developed into a tourist and recreation area with restaurants, bars and hotels.

• New Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Caption Policy
• Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .

Two remaining suspects in massive brawl on Montgomery, Alabama boat dock in custody

Three men are charged with third-degree assault after the weekend brawl at montgomery's riverfront park.

Alabama riverfront brawl: Video shows fight over parked pontoon boat

During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Montgomery Police Department Chief Darryl Albert announced assault charges for the following men: Zachery Shipman, 25, Richard Roberts, 48, and Allen Todd, 23. (Credit: Joe Davenport via Storyful)

The remaining two suspects in a massive brawl at a central Alabama boat dock over the weekend were taken into custody Wednesday evening.

Montgomery police confirmed Allen Todd, 23, and Zachery Shipman, 25, were arrested at around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday after turning themselves in to police, local outlet WSFA reported. A third suspect, 48-year-old Richard Roberts, turned himself in on Tuesday.

Todd and Shipman are both charged with third-degree assault while Roberts faces two counts of the same charge, which is a misdemeanor in Alabama.

The charges stem from a confrontation at the dock for the Harriott II riverboat, which is owned by the city of Montgomery, after a moored pontoon boat was blocking the larger vessel from docking at Riverfront Park at around 7p.m. on Aug. 5, police said.

ALABAMA RIVERFRONT BRAWL: MONTGOMERY POLICE ANNOUNCE CHARGES IN MASSIVE FIGHT AT BOAT DOCK

From L-R: Allen Todd, 23, Richard Roberts, 48, and Zachery Shipman, 25, are all charged with third-degree assault in connection with a fight at the Riverfront Park boat dock in Montgomery, Alabama. (Montgomery Police Department via WBRC)

Montgomery police Chief Darryl Albert said the riverboat's captain was met with obscene gestures and curse words when he used a public address system to try to find the owners of the pontoon boat. 

The riverboat's co-captain allegedly attempted to move the pontoon boat himself, according to police, triggering the fight that ultimately led to a massive brawl.

Now viral video of the incident shows a passenger on the pontoon boat talking with a crew member on the dock before hitting him. 

The dock worker, pictured right dressed in a white shirt, is punched in the head by a man following an argument. (Christa)

Members of the pontoon boat party can be seen in the video assisting in the attack, prompting crew members from the riverboat and other bystanders to join the fight.

Though only three people have been charged in the incident so far, Montgomery police said 42-year-old Reggie Gray is being asked to contact police for an interview. Gray was allegedly the man seen in the video hitting at least two people with a folding chair.

BRAWL AT MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, RIVERFRONT DOCK CAUGHT ON VIDEO

During a Tuesday press conference, Albert said that the FBI joined the department's investigation into the incident.

"The people of Montgomery, we’re better than that. We’re a fun city, and we don’t want this type of activity to shed a dark eye on what this city’s all about," Albert said.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey described the violent incident as "absolutely unnecessary and uncalled for," according to the Associated Press.

A verbal altercation over the apparent docking of a pontoon boat along the river at the Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Alabama, escalated into a massive brawl on Saturday, Aug. 5. (Christa)

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

According to Albert, over 200 people were on the riverboat when the fight broke out. The extent of the injuries sustained by any of the people involved is unknown.

Police are expecting more charges to be filed.

The Associated Press and Fox News' Adam Sabes and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.

You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

3 More Arrested After Viral Alabama Riverboat Brawl as More Charges 'Likely' Coming

“I don’t think we’re near finished,” Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert told reporters this week

Four people in Alabama have now been arrested on assault charges stemming from last weekend’s viral riverboat brawl that drew widespread attention online.

One day after Richard Roberts, 48, turned himself over to police and was charged with two counts of third-degree assault, the Montgomery Police Department said Thursday that three others — Mary Todd, 21, Allen Todd, 23, Zachary Shipman, 25 — had turned themselves in as well.

Shipman and the Todds were each charged with one misdemeanor count of third-degree assault, Montgomery Police Maj. Saba Coleman said.

Montgomery Police Department

It's not clear if any of the suspects have entered pleas or retained attorneys.

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert said at a news conference this week that more charges are “likely” coming as the investigation into the melee continues this week. Albert said police have also asked Reggie Gray, a man allegedly seen smashing a woman in the head with a folding chair, to come in for questioning. “As we identify additional folks that we need to talk to, we will ask them to come in and we’ll try to locate them and do further investigation to see if the charges are appropriate,” Albert told reporters, according to CNN .

The outlet reported a total of 13 people were detained and interviewed on Saturday after the extended brawl along a riverside dock in Montgomery. All 13 individuals were released from police custody at the time, CNN reported. “I don’t think we’re near finished,” Albert, the police chief, said. “We have a lot more work to do on this.”

Julie Bennett/Getty

Albert said police are reviewing “hundreds” of videos and statements taken Saturday and the public should expect more developments coming as the fallout from the brawl continues. “I would say at this point it is highly likely that more arrests and more individuals will face charges,” the police chief had said.

The fight, which broke out after a dispute over a pontoon boat blocking a large riverboat’s place to dock, was captured from multiple angles later shared on social media.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for  PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter  for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The pontoon boat had blocked the riverboat for nearly an hour, according to police, while the small boat’s occupants responded to the captain’s repeated requests over a loudspeaker with “gestures, curse words and taunting,” Albert said at his news conference Tuesday.

Videos show the brawl begin after Damien Pickett, a Black co-captain on the Harriott II riverboat, confronts a group of White men about moving the pontoon boat. According to The New York Times , Pickett attempted to move the pontoon boat himself before social media videos captured what happened next. 

Pickett can be seen arguing with the group when a White man rushes in to punch him, sparking a fight that spilled all across the dock. ”The co-captain was doing his job,’’ Albert told reporters Tuesday, according to AL.com . Pickett was treated at a local hospital for injuries he suffered during the fight, the outlet reported.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed told PBS News Hour this week that he was "shocked" when he first saw video of the incident.

"Like many people, I was surprised and shocked to see something like that happen for someone who was just doing his job," Reed said. "I was disappointed, to say the least. It was disturbing." PEOPLE has reached out to Harriott II’s Cpt. Jim Kittrell, who told The Daily Beast he believes the initial attack against Pickett was racially motivated.

“The white guys that attacked my deckhand—and he was a senior deckhand first mate—I can’t think of any other reason they attacked him other than it being racially motivated,” Kittrell told the outlet. 

However, Kittrell said the ensuing brawl that unfolded was more “shipmates trying to help a shipmate,” rather than a fight split along racial lines.

“They could’ve been little green men, for all they cared,” Kittrell told the outlet. “When they attacked Damien, my crew was gonna jump out and do the best they could to help him out. It was my crew against the people who attacked their shipmate, that’s all it was.”

Related Articles

• Anniston/Gadsden

Montgomery riverboat co-captain charged with assault months after brawl

• Published: Nov. 08, 2023, 7:25 p.m.

Screengrab from Montgomery riverfront brawl.

• Howard Koplowitz | [email protected]

The co-captain of the Montgomery riverboat involved in the August brawl between the vessel’s Black crew members and passengers and white occupants of a pontoon boat has been charged with third-degree assault, according to court records.

The charges against Harriott II co-captain Dameion Pickett, who has previously been identified in court records as Damien Pickett, were filed in Montgomery Municipal Court on Oct. 26.

Neither Montgomery police nor the Montgomery city attorney publicly announced the charges.

Pickett is charged with third-degree assault and is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 21, according to municipal court records.

The complainant in Pickett’s case was listed as Zachery “Chase” Shipman, who was on the pontoon boat and also faces a third-degree assault charge in connection with the brawl.

Pickett is listed as a victim in the charges against the pontoon boat occupants.

The viral Aug. 5 fight started at Montgomery’s Riverfront Park when crew members of the Harriott II were unable to dock the cruise boat because the pontoon boat from Selma was in the way.

The large fight captured on viral videos showed Pickett, who is Black, attacked by a group of white people as other Black people rushed to his defense.

Crystal Warren, the mother of a 16-year-old deckhand involved in the melee, claimed in a police report that racial slurs were used against Pickett during the brawl.

“You could here (sic) men yelling ‘f--k that n----r’ and the men came down to fight my son,” she wrote in her report. But in court in October, Warren testified that she did not hear a racial slur.

Pickett was in the courtroom late last month, when pontoon boat occupant Richard Roberts, 48, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges and apologized to Pickett for his actions that day.

“I think under different circumstances we could be friends,” Roberts told Pickett. “You might not think so.”

“I know you were doing your job,” Roberts added.

Roberts received a four-month suspended sentence. Of that, he will serve 32 days in jail in Perry County, with that time to be served on weekends. The sentence also calls for 100 hours of community service and court costs

A third pontoon boat occupant, Mary Todd, pleaded guilty to harassment late last month. She received a 15-day suspended sentence and was ordered to complete an anger management program and pay court costs.

Another defendant in the incident, Reggie Ray, who is Black and was seen wielding a folding chair in the melee , was charged with disorderly conduct.

All of the defendants who have been arraigned have pleaded not guilty.

Montgomery Brawl

• Riverboat co-captain pleads not guilty to assault in Montgomery riverfront brawl
• ‘I was not trying to fight,’ says man who filed charge against Montgomery riverboat co-captain
• Roy Wood Jr.’s Halloween costume on ‘The View’? A folding chair, as nod to Montgomery riverfront brawl

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

DOH issues blue-green algae advisory for Caloosahatchee River. Where else are blooms?

A blue-green algae outbreak in the Caloosahatchee River appears to be spreading as the state issued more contact advisories Friday.

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County issued an advisory for the Alva Boat Ramp after April 8 samples taken there showed toxins in the water.

Where else is algae a problem?

"Lee is also cautioning the public of the presence of blue-green algae blooms in the Caloosahatchee River (at the) Palace Grande Canal, Caloosahatchee River (at) Walpole Canal, and Whiskey Creek (at the) Winkler Road Canal," a DOH press release reads. "Blooms have the potential to produce toxins, and what triggers them to do so remains poorly understood. Since bloom conditions can change at any time, it is important to exercise caution as if the bloom were toxic, even if toxin presence has not yet been confirmed."

What to know about blue-green algae

Blue-green algae is naturally present at background levels in Florida waterways like Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee River, but concentrations can turn toxic during outbreaks.

Blue-green algae has also been reported in upstream areas of the river and in places like Cape Coral.

"Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida’s freshwater environments," the DOH press release says. "A bloom occurs when rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolor water and often produce floating mats that emit unpleasant odors. Some environmental factors that contribute to blue-green algae blooms are sunny days, warm water temperatures, still water conditions and excess nutrients."

Algae toxins can kill domestic animals, pets, fish and other wildlife. They can also cause problems in humans ranging from hay fever-like symptoms to gastrointestinal distress, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

More: Mote Marine, FWC rescue endangered sawfish 'whirling' in the Florida Keys

When do outbreaks normally occur?

These outbreaks typically occur during summer months as the algae prefers warmer conditions, but blooms can happen during any time of the year.

A 2018 blue-green algae bloom crippled the Fort Myers-Cape Coral area as thick mats of algae blanketed canals across the region for months.

That bloom started on Lake Okeechobee early in the summer and spread to the Southwest Florida coast, and a state of emergency was declared for Lee County.

Army Corps starts Lake O releases to Fort Myers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased releases Saturday to the Caloosahatchee River, pushing 2,000 cubic feet per second of water through the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, the structures that separates the downstream estuary from the upstream freshwater portion of the river.

Healthy flows for the river and its estuary range from around 400 cubic feet per second to 2,800 cubic feet per second. Anything outside of that envelop can be harmful for oysters and sea grass, indicators used to measure the health of the estuary.

More: Feds designate 13 Florida counties as critical habitat for nation's most endangered bat

Florida Department of Environmental Protection records show that a bloom persists on the west side of Lake Okeechobee, but Florida Gulf Coast University professor and blue-green algae expert Mike Parsons said the lake was not inoculating the river as blue-green algae has been documented in the Caloosahatchee River for several weeks.

Lake Okeechobee releases to the Caloosahatchee could be a regular occurrence for the next several weeks as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tries to lower the lake before the coming rainy and hurricane seasons.

Some health and safety tips

The Florida Department of Health offers these tips to reduce your risk and risk to pets:

• Avoid scummy, foamy water where algae mats are present (Heavy blooms often appear as bright or pea green to reddish-brown water, occasionally with a "paint scum" appearance due to dead algae, and may emit unpleasant gassy odors.)
• Don't cook with, eat fish from, or drink scummy water
• Do not let your pets or children eat or drink from affected waters
• Don't eat fish that look unhealthy
• Do not harvest dead or dying fish or shellfish
• Do not swim in, jet ski over, or play near scummy water or algal mats
• Do not allow your pets or children to swim in, drink from, or play near scummy water
• Do not irrigate with scummy water
• Do not use herbicides to kill blooms (this can release the toxins directly into the water)
• Minimize nutrient runoff and use of fertilizers (this reduces the risk of a potential harmful bloom occurring)
• If contact with suspect or contaminated water occurs, wash off immediately and thoroughly with clean water and soap (make sure to rinse the swimsuit areas and your pets' fur). Consult a doctor if illness occurs. Contact a veterinarian if your pet suddenly becomes lethargic or shows signs of poisoning including vomiting, diarrhea, or seizures.

Connect with this reporter: Chad Gillis on Facebook.

Update drivers manually in Windows

Note:  The best and safest way to get driver updates in Windows is always through Windows Update. If you are having problems with Windows Update, you might see if any of the links at Update Windows can help you out first.

Before you begin

Driver updates for Windows, along with many devices, such as network adapters, monitors, printers, and video cards, are automatically downloaded and installed through Windows Update. You probably already have the most recent drivers, but if you'd like to manually update or reinstall a driver, here's how:

Update the device driver

In the search box on the taskbar, enter device manager , then select   Device Manager .

Select a category to see names of devices, then right-click (or press and hold) the one you’d like to update.

Select Search automatically for updated driver software .

Select Update Driver .

If Windows doesn't find a new driver, you can try looking for one on the device manufacturer's website and follow their instructions.

Reinstall the device driver

Right-click (or press and hold) the name of the device, and then select Uninstall .

Restart your PC.

Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver.

If you can't see the desktop and instead see a blue, black, or blank screen, see Troubleshoot blue screen errors or  Troubleshoot black or blank screen errors .

Check for Windows updates

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Pittsburgh Reopens Bridge After 26 Barges Break Loose on Ohio River

The barges, some carrying coal, damaged a marina. One barge, which likely sank, remained missing on Saturday, an official said.

By John Yoon

The authorities in Pittsburgh reopened a bridge that had been closed as a precaution after 26 barges broke loose on the Ohio River late on Friday, drifting miles downstream and damaging a marina.

There was a risk that the barges could come into contact with the “substructure” of the McKees Rocks Bridge, the McKees Rocks Police Department said in a statement early on Saturday. The department said hours later that it had reopened the bridge .

“The police department closed the bridge until our bridge unit was able to inspect the structure,” said Steve Cowan, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. “They found no damage.”

There were no reports of the barges striking any other structures, Mr. Cowan said.

It was unclear early Saturday why the barges had broken free. Three of the barges were empty, but 23 were loaded with dry cargo like coal, the city said, adding that no hazardous materials were on board. There were no reported injuries.

Abigail Gardner, a spokeswoman for Allegheny County, said only one of the barges was unaccounted for by early Saturday. The missing barge had probably sunk, she said.

“We have a lot of coal barge traffic,” Ms. Gardner said, adding, “It’s obviously not great when coal sinks in your river, but it’s not that uncommon here.”

The barges are owned and operated by Campbell Transportation Company. A company representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The city of Pittsburgh initially said that the West End Bridge and the rail bridge to nearby Brunot Island had been closed, but a spokeswoman for the city, Cara Cruz, said in an email on Saturday that only the McKees Rocks Bridge was closed.

The bridge closure came just weeks after a container ship struck the Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse , killing six workers , disrupting a critical transportation link and prompting a huge salvage operation .

That collapse, on March 26, raised concerns about the structural deficiencies of many major bridges across the country.

In Pittsburgh, the loose barges caused “extensive damage” to a marina near Brunot Island, the city said.

At least 11 barges were found and pinned against a riverbank near the island and held by a tugboat, the city said. But others continued downstream, with six going over the Emsworth Dam, about five miles farther.

Efforts to recover the barges had not yet begun, said Lt. Eyobe Mills, a waterways safety manager for the U.S. Coast Guard, adding that mariners had been advised to avoid a 13-mile stretch of the Ohio River until the missing barge had been located.

The authorities began searching for the barges after the first report came around 11:25 p.m. on Friday that several were adrift, according to a shift commander at Allegheny County’s 911 center.

Barges become loose from tugboats at least once a year in the Pittsburgh region, and regularly strike bridges, but none of the crashes have caused major structural damage , Stephen Shanley, Allegheny County’s public works director, told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The McKees Rocks Bridge opened in 1931 and stretches more than a mile across the Ohio River.

As part of the Blue Belt, the innermost of several roads that loop around Pittsburgh, the bridge connects Pittsburgh and the borough of McKees Rocks. About 25,000 vehicles cross it daily, according to Federal Highway Administration data from 2023.

A flood warning was in effect until Saturday evening in Allegheny County, which includes the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, where water levels had risen above the flood stage, 25 feet, by early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Emily Schmall contributed reporting.

John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news. More about John Yoon

Watch CBS News

Apple River stabber Nicolae Miu to be sentenced on July 31

By Anthony Bettin

Updated on: April 18, 2024 / 7:40 AM CDT / CBS Minnesota

HUDSON, Wis. — Nicolae Miu, the man convicted of reckless homicide and other crimes after stabbing five people on Wisconsin's Apple River in 2022, will be sentenced this summer.

Miu's sentencing is scheduled for July 31, according to court records. Last week, a jury found Miu guilty of one count of first-degree reckless homicide, four counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and one count of battery.

Miu, of Prior Lake, Minnesota , stabbed five people on the Apple River on July 30, 2022, killing 17-year-old Isaac Schuman and injuring four others. According to witness testimony and evidence presented at the trial , Miu was looking for a lost phone in the river when Schuman's group began taunting him. Others on the river joined the confrontation, which turned physical and ended when Miu pulled out a knife and began stabbing.

Miu's trial lasted eight days and more than three dozen witnesses took the stand. The jury deliberated for about a day before handing down its verdicts.

St. Croix County District Attorney Karl Anderson, who prosecuted Miu, said he could face up to 97 years in prison. Miu's defense attorney Aaron Nelson said he faces "substantial, life-changing penalties."

Miu's defense argued he acted in self-defense in using his knife, while the prosecution sought to prove he was the aggressor. Miu was originally charged with intentional homicide and other, more serious crimes, but was convicted on lesser charges.

"[The jurors] couldn't agree on intentional, they agreed unanimously that it was reckless, that he showed utter disregard for human life," Anderson said.

Anthony Bettin is a web producer at WCCO. He primarily covers breaking news and sports, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings.

Featured Local Savings

More from cbs news.

Duluth man given maximum sentence for deadly drive-by shooting

Red Lake woman convicted for her role in torture, starvation of foster child

Man pleads guilty to barricading himself in St. Paul house after deadly shooting

Minneapolis man suffers potentially life-threatening knife wound, live-in partner arrested

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• March Madness
• AP Top 25 Poll
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Barges break loose on Ohio River in Pittsburgh, damaging a marina and striking a bridge

More than two dozen river barges broke loose from their moorings and floated down the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, striking one bridge that had already been preemptively closed and damaging a marina, officials said. The boats eventually were pinned to the riverbank or went over a dam downstream.

A group of barges sit pinned against the Emsworth lock and dam in Pittsburgh, on Saturday, April 13, 2024. More than two dozen river barges broke loose from their moorings and floated down the Ohio River, damaging a marina and striking a bridge. (WTAE via AP)

• Copy Link copied

PITTSBURGH (AP) — More than two dozen river barges broke loose from their moorings and floated down the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, striking one bridge that had already been preemptively closed and damaging a marina, officials said. The boats eventually were pinned to the riverbank or went over a dam downstream, officials said.

Pittsburgh police, fire and emergency medical services responded around 11:25 p.m. Friday to reports of the barges “floating uncontrolled” down the river, Pittsburgh Public Safety said in a statement. The area had been hit by flooding after heavy rains Thursday.

The Sewickley Bridge was struck by a barge a few minutes before 2 p.m. Saturday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said. It “was closed in advance of the strike and will remain closed until our crews complete an inspection,” spokesperson Steve Cowan said.

Officials in Moon Township, which is connected by the bridge to the community of Sewickley, earlier said the span would be temporarily closed “due to unmanned barge passing through.”

Eleven of the 26 barges that broke free were quickly contained to one side by another towing vessel just downstream, said Cmdr. Justin Jolley of the Coast Guard marine safety unit in Pittsburgh. Nine others were collected at the Emsworth lock and dam downstream.

Five or six barges went through the dam. Four ended up just downstream at a lock and dam, while another ended up on the bank of the river and was stabilized. Marine safety units were searching for one barge unaccounted for, Jolley said.

Pittsburgh public safety officials reported damage to Peggy’s Harbor, a marina on the river. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the McKees Rocks Bridge was also closed as a precaution but later reopened following inspection.

Twenty-three of the barges were carrying dry cargo, mostly coal, and at least one was loaded with fertilizer, according to the owner, Jolley said. Three were empty. There were no hazardous materials on any of the vessels, the city said.

The Coast Guard put out a broadcast notice to mariners to inform them about the potential hazard, but high water was preventing traffic on the river, Jolley said.

The barges were owned or operated by Campbell Transportation Co., the city’s statement said. Jolley said Coast Guard officials were working with the owner on a salvage plan. Pennsylvania State Police and other agencies were also alerted.

The vulnerability of bridges to strikes from barges and ships came into stark relief last month when a container ship rammed a support of the major Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing the span and leading to the deaths or presumptive deaths of six road workers.

IFD: Search continues for missing White River kayakers in Indianapolis

This article will update and more information becomes available.

INDIANAPOLIS — The search continues Wednesday for two missing kayakers last seen by witnesses in the White River near the Belmont Beach area .

The search resumed about 9 a.m. with boats and drones assisting, said Trevor Sager, a Department of Natural Resources conservation officer.

Rescuers are searching for Solomon Shirley, a 22-year-old Black man who was last seen wearing black pants and a black shirt, and Marcus Robinson, a 30-year-old Black man last seen wearing a gray shirt, gray pants and gray shoes.

“We know they got into the water, don’t know if they got out. We don't know if they’re still in the water," Sager said, encouraging anyone who sees anything noteworthy along the river to contact authorities.

Sager said the search is challenging, partly because of Emrichsville Dam and partly because of the large swath first responders are looking at.

The search will continue all day if needed until development comes or it's too dark, Sager said.

The Indianapolis Fire Department's dive team was dispatched at 8:35 p.m. Tuesday and put boats in the water near West New York and Limestone streets west of downtown Indianapolis.

A 911 caller said they saw the kayakers travel over the remnants of the low-head dam before their boats capsized and ejected the men into the water. The occupants never surfaced.

Firefighters found one blue and one orange kayak just south of the train tracks near the bank, the fire department said in a news release late Tuesday.

In the latest search, three boats were put into the water as part of the search and examined the surface, embankments and underwater using sonar equipment between Washington and 16th streets .

Drones from the Indianapolis police and fire departments also were launched to assist with the search.

All boats returned to shore at 10:15 p.m. and the search operation ended for the night at 10:46 p.m., the fire department said.

Recent rains had pushed the White River into flood stage over the weekend, but the waters had dropped below flood stage (10 feet deep) by early Tuesday morning at Michigan Street, according to the National Weather Service .

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis EMS, Pike Township EMS, Fishers Fire Department dive team, Wayne Township and IUPUI Police also assisted.

The dam where kayakers went missing is known as dangerous

Emrichsville is among the city's low-head dams, often described as "drowning machines"  by safety experts because of the circular current they create, which keeps people trapped underneath until the water finally pushes them out. In March 2021, the body of 17-year-old Kevin Josue Flores Rodriguez was recovered more than a week after his canoe capsized and swept over the Emrichsville Dam.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources cautions that these human-made dams can be deceivingly dangerous. Sometimes, they can be difficult to spot.

Experts say to familiarize yourself with a stream before entering the water and know if there are potential hazards.

Boaters are also warned to never paddle over a low-head dam or get too close.

More: Low head dams in Indiana

Article continues below map

Two other men rescued in Morgan County

Earlier Tuesday afternoon the Bargersville Fire Department rescued two men who were kayaking on the White River near Waverly when their boats overturned.

The men got to a nearby sandbar and waited for firefighters and others to rescue them by boat.

The fire department encouraged people to stay off the water.

"You risk your life and those of first responders," the department said on X.

Waverly is southwest of Indianapolis.

Human remains pulled from Pearl River confirmed to be missing Belhaven man, Dau Mabil

Lawrence County Sheriff Ryan Everett confirmed Thursday afternoon a body found Saturday in the Pearl River near Brookhaven is of a 37-year-old Dau Mabil.

According to Everett, an autopsy "did not reveal any type of foul play."

Everett said an official determination of cause of death may be made at a later time pending further testing.

The news comes after Judge Dewayne Thomas ordered an autopsy to be conducted on human remains which were presumed at the time to be Mabil, who went missing in late March .

Early Thursday, Thomas wrote in court documents that the Mississippi State Crime Lab would conduct the autopsy of a body, which "fit the description" of Mabil.

Dau's brother Bul Mabil led a petition against Dau’s wife, Karissa Bowley, Capitol Police and other defendants, according to court documents, because Bul wanted to prevent the release of the remains "so that crucial evidence will not be exterminated.”

In agreement, Thomas granted a temporary restraining order and an injunction to block the release of the human remains "currently presumed" to be Dau.

Thomas ordered the autopsy to be done "as expeditiously as possible."

“Given the nature of (Dau's) disappearance and the location of the body found, it is likely that an autopsy will be required to determine if foul play was involved,” Thomas wrote.

'Please help us find him:' Family of missing Belhaven resident urges the public for help in finding loved one

Dau Mabil left his home in Belhaven Heights on Monday, March 25, 2024, and has not been seen since.

According to Bowley, Dau sent her a text message at 11:58 a.m. saying he was going on a walk and left his phone at home to charge. Bowley said this was not unusual.

Bowley said she expected to hear from him by mid-afternoon March 25, but she didn't.

Mabil was last seen on video footage at 12:20 p.m. March 25 in the southbound direction on Jefferson Street, just north of High Street.