One of the victims in last month’s downtown Cincinnati brawl has been charged in connection with the fight, CPD announced Tuesday night.
CPD said a 45-year-old white man has been charged with disorderly conduct, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, in connection with the July 26 brawl near the intersection of Fourth and Elm streets. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 26.
Police are not releasing his name because he has also been identified as a victim; under Marsy’s Law, victims have the right to keep their identity confidential. But WLWT has reported that a man named Alex Tchervinski confirmed to the outlet that he is the victim facing the misdemeanor charge.
Tchervinski is the eighth person to be charged in connection with the incident and the first suspect also identified as a victim.
The brawl became national news after videos blew up on social media depicting a group punching and knocking a man to the ground, where they continued to punch and kick him. A woman is also seen being punched to the ground and appears unresponsive with blood on her face. Videos of the alleged attacks gained millions of views online, in part thanks to racist dog-whistle commentary from far-right conservative commentators like Libs of TikTok, Charlie Kirk and Elon Musk.
Other videos shared online show a white man hitting a Black man in the face. Videos shared with local news outlets depict different snippets and angles of the scene, including moments where the n-word can be heard in the crowd.
Following a July 30 bond hearing for several individuals charged in connection with the brawl, a suspect’s family member told reporters that one of the men charged was spat on and called racial slurs in the lead-up to the fight.
During a July 30 meeting on public safety held by Cincinnati’s Downtown Neighborhood Association, CPD Chief Teresa Theetge said her department needs to conduct a fair investigation to understand the whole story.
“I know there are many out there that are waiting for me to make a statement from this side denouncing some participant’s behavior in that activity, and I know there is some on this side who are waiting for me to denounce the other half of that fight’s participation in that activity. Here’s where I have to operate, folks,” Theetge said, gesturing to the center aisle of the room. “I have to operate in the neutral zone as the facts are being gathered by the investigators.”
Mayor Aftab Pureval released a statement after CPD announced the charge against the brawl victim, now known to be Tchervinski, saying, “We have been clear about the fact that anyone involved in perpetrating violence should be held accountable. This is another step toward achieving that, and I want to thank CPD and the prosecutors for their hard work as this process continues.”
But Ken Kober, president of Cincinnati’s Fraternal Order of Police, condemned the charge in a statement Tuesday night, saying, “The city administration is eroding the very fabric of the justice system with orders to prosecute those without probable cause. Cops are being used as political pawns. It’s disgusting.”
CPD is asking anyone who witnessed or has information about the July 26 incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
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This article appears in Aug 20 – Sep 2, 2025.
