Crime
Cincinnati Police Chief Condemns Brutal Downtown Brawl Captured in Viral Video
Viewer discretion is advised: The video contains graphic content and explicit language.
Cincinnati Police Chief Theresa Theetge issued a strong statement Saturday evening, expressing her outrage and condemnation following the emergence of a disturbing video showing a violent street brawl in downtown Cincinnati.
The video, nearly two and a half minutes in length and widely circulated on Facebook, depicts dozens of individuals engaged in a chaotic and brutal fight.
The footage shows one man being chased into the street, where he is violently kicked and stomped by multiple people.
Though some bystanders eventually help him to his feet, he collapses again shortly after.
He is later seen with a bloodied nose and visible injuries on his face.
Later in the video, another act of violence unfolds when a woman punches another woman in the back of the head.
As the victim backs away, a man delivers a direct punch to her face, knocking her to the ground and appearing to render her unconscious.
Blood is seen pouring from her mouth as several individuals rush to assist her. The video ends as the woman regains consciousness.
Chief Theetge did not mince words in her response.
“I am in complete disgust waking up to the viral video many of you have now seen. The behavior displayed is nothing short of cruel and absolutely unacceptable,” Theetge said in her statement. “Our investigative team is working diligently to identify every individual involved in causing harm.”
She also clarified that the violent incident was the result of a sudden dispute among individuals following a verbal altercation and was not connected in any way to the Cincinnati Music Festival, which is taking place downtown over the weekend.
A Cincinnati Police Department spokesperson noted that authorities were not made aware of the incident until the video surfaced online.
Chief Theetge is urging anyone with information related to the altercation to contact Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.