(José Niño, Headline USA) Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge told reporters on Monday that viral videos of Saturday’s brutal downtown attack show only one side of the story and complicate her department’s investigation.
Theetge condemned social media and mainstream journalism for circulating incomplete video footage of the weekend downtown assault that left multiple people injured and sparked national outrage. The first female chief in Cincinnati Police Department history argued that viral clips present only a partial picture of Saturday’s violent confrontation.
Cincinnati Police Chief Terri Theetge chastising social media and “the media” about showing videos of the black mob attacking random white people.
Unfuckingbelievable. pic.twitter.com/hZVgDSqv6P
— Kentucky Girl (@Notwokenow) July 29, 2025
“The post we’ve seen does not depict the entire incident. That is one version of what occurred,” Theetge told reporters during a news conference. She emphasized that social media and mainstream media commentaries often misrepresent circumstances surrounding events, creating obstacles for thorough investigations and law enforcement.
The chief explained that irresponsible social media usage shows “one side of the equation quite frequently without factual context,” causing misinformation to spread rapidly and grow beyond its original scope. She argued that this forces police to manage distorted narratives as part of their investigation process rather than focusing solely on enforcement.
When pressed by reporters about specific distortions, Theetge maintained that social media posts lack proper context and factual grounding. She noted that nearby patrol officers had to maneuver through heavy traffic to reach the scene, where approximately 100 people witnessed the assault but only one person called 911.
FATIGUE: One of the most violent members of the black mob that attacked and almost killed a male tourist and a single mother after a Cincinnati jazz festival was released on a $400 bond. Police chief claims he was the victim of the bartender who served him too much alcohol.
h/t… pic.twitter.com/FHoG9Vi30T
— @amuse (@amuse) July 30, 2025
As Headline USA previously reported, the Black-on-White assault has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics blasting both the attackers and bystanders who failed to intervene.
Five suspects have been charged in connection with the early Saturday morning incident on Fourth Street, though their identities and specific charges remain sealed, per the New York Post. The assault occurred during a busy weekend that included a Cincinnati Reds game, a Big3 basketball tournament, and the Cincinnati Music Festival, drawing over 150,000 visitors to downtown.
Theetge emphasized that anyone who physically harmed another person during the incident will face consequences regardless of which side they were on. She indicated that alcohol played a significant role in the violence and suggested that some suspects may have been served excessive amounts of alcohol at local establishments.
The police chief praised her investigative team for working immediately after the video was posted Saturday and expressed gratitude to Cincinnati Police Department officers for making the weekend successful despite this single incident. She encouraged people to continue visiting downtown while being “mindful” of alcohol consumption and avoiding the area during late night bar closures.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
