FBI Gives Update In Cincinnati Investigation
A third person has been arrested in connection with a violent group attack in downtown Cincinnati that left two people seriously injured over the weekend. Police confirmed Wednesday that Jermaine Matthews was taken into…
A third person has been arrested in connection with a violent group attack in downtown Cincinnati that left two people seriously injured over the weekend. Police confirmed Wednesday that Jermaine Matthews was taken into custody overnight and is now facing charges of aggravated riot and assault.
His arrest follows those of 34-year-old Montianez Merriweather and 24-year-old Dekyra Vernon, who were both charged earlier this week with felonious assault, aggravated riot, and assault. The arrests come as video of the incident continues to spread online, causing outrage across the city and beyond.
All three suspects appeared in court on Wednesday morning for bond hearings. The judge set Merriweather’s bond at $500,000. Vernon’s was set at $200,000. Matthews, who was the most recent to be booked, received a $100,000 bond.
Prosecutors said Matthews was caught on video chasing one of the victims into the street. Once the victim fell, Matthews allegedly kicked him multiple times. After stopping, prosecutors say Matthews seemed “visibly enraged” and went on to strike another person.
One clip allegedly shows Matthews getting punched in the face just before the main assault began. Prosecutors acknowledged that in the early stages of the incident, Matthews may have been attacked first — but added that the situation escalated quickly after that.
Matthews has three previous felony convictions, all of them related to drugs.
During the same hearing, Vernon’s defense attorney described her as a 24-year-old woman with no criminal record, aside from traffic-related issues. She has an open warrant for a previous traffic violation. But prosecutors argued that video evidence showed her knocking out a woman who was trying to help one of the victims up off the ground. That moment, they said, made a higher bond necessary.
One of the victims has returned to the hospital twice since the assault and is still recovering from significant injuries.
The FBI has now joined the investigation. A spokesperson confirmed the agency is working closely with the Cincinnati Police Department and is continuing to monitor developments in the case.