Street brawl in Birmingham still under review

The Birmingham Police Department has issued a statement that it is continuing to investigate a street brawl involving anywhere from 20-40 persons in the early morning hours on Sunday, August 9, in the area of Willits and Bates outside Sidecar Slider Bar but are lacking specific evidence of who was involved in the incident.

The department’s statement was posted Thursday on social media and asks that "anyone ‘who witnessed the incident, was involved, was a victim of assault, has video of the incident, or has information that could help investigators identify those involved to contact Captain Michael Simpson at (248) 530-1770."

Police said they responded immediately when the department’s dispatch center received a report of the incident at 12:56 a.m. on Sunday and “located several individuals who were verbally arguing. Officers did not witness any physical altercations. There was very limited cooperation from participants and potential witnesses, and officers were unable to identify any potential suspects at the scene. The only injury reported at the time was a minor scrape to an individual's hand after falling in the roadway.”

Videos posted on social media, which police continue to review, documented a physical fight involving a large group of young people at the city location.

The statement from the police department said, “Unfortunately, the quality of the recording did not provide investigators with sufficient information to identify those involved. No victims have come forward to make a police report. In the days since the incident, additional cellphone videos have surfaced on social media and through news outlets. Investigators are actively reviewing this additional footage and following up on any information that may help identify the individuals involved.”

The altercation this past weekend has prompted a number of complaints to city officials and police officials said that they share the concern about such incidents.

The official statement from the department also said: “In response to the increased crowds and recent incidents, the Birmingham Police Department will be further increasing vehicle, bicycle and foot patrols throughout the downtown area. Residents and visitors can expect a highly visible police presence as we continue to work to deter disorder, respond quickly to calls for service and maintain a safe environment for everyone. The Birmingham Fire Department will also conduct additional periodic unscheduled occupancy inspections of downtown businesses to ensure capacity limits are not exceeded.”