Videos showing a group of people attacking a man, then a woman who went to his aid, in Cincinnati's downtown area have left the city reeling.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Mayor Aftab Pureval found the Friday attack to be "disgusting behavior."
The mayor posted, "It is horrifying to watch, and this unacceptable and disgusting behavior is intolerable in any part of our community."
Local NBC station WLWT reported that the attack, initially against one man, happened at the intersection of the city's West Fourth Street and Elm Street. That's barely 1,000 feet to the north of the city's Paycor Stadium, home of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals.
In the videos, the people attack one man with fist strikes and kicks to the head.
The station reported that a woman who appeared to try to assist the fallen man was then attacked, and "after a moment, it becomes apparent that the woman is unconscious, as blood can be seen streaming from her mouth."
The video ended as bystanders could be seen moving her out of the street.
The Enquirer reported the two victims had not been publicly identified as of Monday afternoon, and there was no information on their medical status after being attacked.
A police union leader told the Enquirer that several suspects were identified, but he was unaware if any arrests were made.
The Enquirer also reported that Cincinnati police data released last week showed a 25% increase in violent crime compared with last year in the city's downtown area. The report also detailed that property crime has increased 57% in the past year.
City leaders admitted during a media briefing earlier in the year that there had been an "unacceptable rise in crime," and they were aware of "unease" among city residents, especially in the urban core.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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