() Cincinnati officials lashed out at the media for coverage of a beating that went viral, saying the reports were stoking racial division.
Videos of the beating circulated online, showing a woman having her head slammed into the ground and appearing to be knocked unconscious. Authorities say there were six victims in total.
Six people have been charged with felonious assault in the wake of the crime, and three have been arrested. Authorities are actively seeking the other three suspects and continuing to investigate the case.
Earlier, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge also called out the media for the videos being circulated and coverage of the case.
In a press conference Friday, authorities again criticized the media, noting the intense coverage of the beating and relatively less coverage paid to other crimes. They suggested the story is being framed in a way that emphasizes racial division.
Leaders also called national officials’ comments on the beating “misguided,” again criticizing reporters for giving a platform to those remarks.
City officials have come under scrutiny for the lack of police presence in downtown Cincinnati when the beating happened and the response to the attack.
