The incident involving a Black boat captain who was attacked by white boaters in an Alabama melee was captured in viral footage. The captain, Dameion Pickett, was charged with third-degree assault in connection with the brawl according to court officials on Thursday.
The footage showed Pickett arguing with the boaters after asking them to make way for his craft on August 5. A shirtless white man was then seen shoving Pickett and taking a swing at the captain’s face, leading to a wild brawl involving several other men.
Pickett’s family stated that the charge stemmed from the police’s belief that the captain punched another man, Zachary Shipman, who claims he was trying to stop a friend from fighting and had nothing to do with the brawl. Shipman is also being charged with assault in the third degree, according to a court clerk.
Pickett’s family insists that it would be unreasonable to expect their loved one to pause and consider who was around him before defending himself in such a chaotic situation.
The article was originally published on NBCNews.com.
