Cincinnati Man Beaten Almost To Death As Crowd Laughs and Jeers

Screen Shot 2015-07-06 at 8.14.05 AMThere is a growing controversy in Cincinnati where police had to fight their way into a scene to rescue a white male who was nearly beaten to death at a Fourth of July concert. The video below shows the mob laughing and taunting the nearly dead man lying on the ground. Critics have asked why the beating of the white male by a largely black mob was not immediately identified as a possible hate crime. They charge that, if the situation were reversed, the reaction would have been different in the media and the police. Yet, there is no evidence that I can find that the beating itself was racially motivated. In the end, the behavior of the mob does not have to be racially motivated to shock the conscience as to the lack of humanity and cruelty. Officers were attacked and injured by the crowd as they tried to rescue the unconscious man. While the police at the scene reported the beating as “anti-white,” the police chief later stated that the attack was not racially motivated.


The video itself is quite disturbing as you hear people laughing and enjoying the scene of carnage. It is also worth noting that there are some who can be heard expressing concern and the need for an ambulance.

It is not clear if there was a racial component to the crime and I would not immediately expect a hate crime investigation in such a case. Various blogs however are arguing that the Administration and local officials often immediately pledge to pursue such cases involving a black victim and white officers or assailants as a possible hate crime. I have tended to caution that such early framing of cases can have a distortive or dysfunctional impact absent clear evidence of a racial motivation. For example, while some in this crowd may have been celebrating the fact that the victim was white, it does not mean that the original attack was racially motivated.

62 thoughts on “Cincinnati Man Beaten Almost To Death As Crowd Laughs and Jeers”

  1. Those jeering and secretly cheering included pigs. Shame on your Cincy.

  2. I like hanging out at the “sagebrush cantina”, in Calabasas California…a number of sexy, bronzed goddesses (who work for vivid), slam chimi’s and corona’s on friday night…these chica’s are all smokin and tanned…I made out with one in my 71 Monte Carlo SS, with 454 cubes baby, just last week…I had to use my head and just barely got control of my senses before we did the deed…get my drift?

  3. The blacks get their jollies victimizing whitey…blacks are the worst racists…they love to smoke swisher sweets, drink malt liquor, eat chicken, corn bread and peach cobbler…loaf, listen to rap, and commit all kinds of anti-social mayhem in the community…blacks delight in rioting, then they can steal and rob and destroy the community…Liberia was started by freed slaves…wish they had all taken the hint and split…most blacks are savages…this kind of blood-letting is how they get their kicks…get my drift

  4. pissed
    1, July 10, 2015 at 11:33 am

    As do so many commenters here on JT’s blog, you seem to think that you deserve to be taken seriously if you just feverishly emote about the issue in question, with no need to offer any evidence whatsoever for your claims and assertions.

    Are you aware of other evidence regarding the incident besides that provided by the YouTube video?

    If so, you need to share that evidence, rather than assuming that, just because you’re “pissed,” your personal, private, uninformed opinion should be of any interest to anyone other than yourself.

  5. By the way, Ken , the point is neither here nor there about how badly the man was beaten. He was beaten period. If it was your mother, father, sister, brother, the weight on exactly how badly they were beaten would not matter. There was someone holding him down and others stomping him. Charge them asap. There was a lady’s voice suggesting they call 911 but please listen to the video closely as she makes her P others chime in making fun of her pleas others begin saying it in a mocking way and everyone starts laughing. At least these pathetic bystanders would understand that poor choices result in negative consequences if every fool involved can be proven and Found guilty

  6. Despite the fact that ignorant people like cyanideisblue and others blame black leaders for this incident, the truth of the matter is that these youth should in fact be charged for a hate crime. This was pure animal conduct and mob mentality. Being black myself and having a deep connection with black youth in the city, I was appalled and disgusted at the ruthless behavior. Blame the damn kids for their behavior. everyone makes their own decision. This decision should land all of them in jail with the highest consequence possible. Its funny how people blame Obama and others as if they can control the ludicrous decision of these hoodlums to beat a man near death. The law needs to step in and charge them greatly, even the 16 year old should be charged as an adult. I wished personally that the man had a weapon, but had he used it somehow he would awkwardly serve time for protecting himself. Society is awful in regards to race relations and I don’t know how to fix it. What I do know is we can start by using these youth as an example of what happens when one chooses to disregard another and act like he/she can do whatever the hell they want. Forget community service, throw them away and make sure everyone knows the outcome of the behavior. Its clear they have been desensitized and no one is safe until they are off the streets.

  7. @ Jonathan Turley 1, July 6, 2015

    “Cincinnati Man Beaten Almost To Death As Crowd Laughs and Jeers

    “There is a growing controversy in Cincinnati where police had to fight their way into a scene to rescue a white male who was nearly beaten to death at a Fourth of July concert. The video below shows the mob laughing and taunting the nearly dead man lying on the ground. Critics have asked why the beating of the white male by a largely black mob was not immediately identified as a possible hate crime. They charge that, if the situation were reversed, the reaction would have been different in the media and the police.”

    @ doctoryes
    1, July 6, 2015 at 11:43 pm
    “More on Christopher McKnight’s condition

    “McKnight was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with minor injuries, according to the police report. He was released from the hospital Sunday.

    “On Monday, [CPD Captain] Neville said McKnight suffered a concussion, broken nose and facial injuries.

    “Nasty beating? Yes. Nearly to death? No.”

    @ RTB
    1, July 7, 2015 at 9:45 pm

    “I just read a more detailed article about this attack. I don’t know what prompted the fight, but the police said the man was treated at a hospital and released the same day. A man who was beaten ‘almost to death’ as this misleading headline says, would not be released the same day. [McKnight was actually released the following, not the same day, but RTB’s main point remains valid].

    “What is with the racial hype Turley?”

    I second that question. Why throw half-baked, inflammatory chum like this piece into the already racist-infested waters of this comments section?

    The video offered as evidence of “mob violence” doesn’t afford a shred of evidence regarding who was involved in the man’s being injured, whether he was injured by one or more people, what their ethnicity may have been, whether the man had simply lost a fistfight, whether the injured man had initiated the violence, how serious or minor his injuries were when the video was made, nor how much time elapsed between his being injured and his receiving medical attention.

    What the video does evidence, however, is that all but one of the many audible comments in it are expressions of concern for McKnight, and for his getting immediate medical attention.

    Based on the evidence afforded by the YouTube video, the purportedly key extant piece of evidence regarding the incident, “Cincinnati Man Beaten Almost To Death As Crowd Laughs and Jeers” is simply indefensible.

  8. Why isn’t Mr. Obama, all the black leaders and the justice department speaking out about this hate crime. If white people riot does the mayor of Cincinnati allow them to blow off steam like Baltimore.

  9. The sad part, along with this guy being beaten, is the gross and disturbing reactions you see and hear from people. This Society is dysfunctional. This Society has raised people to accept crime and hate as a way of life. If you laugh at someone being beat to death, you are labled as being crazy in a good way, you cope with what you see by impressing others by how you react to this type of thing. Sick…….

  10. It’s a good thimg that Mr. McKnight is white, otherwise the AllStar Game would be played in an empty stadium.

  11. I just read a more detailed article about this attack. I don’t know what prompted the fight, but the police said the man was treated at a hospital and released the same day. A man who was beaten “almost to death” as this misleading headline says would not be released the same day.

    What is with the racial hype Turley?

  12. Anyone stupid enough to let themselves be surround by a pack of jungle monkeys deserves what they get. A part from a small percentage, blacks are evil violent scum that can’t be trusted. Even if you were best friends with one from childhood they would stand over you quietly and watch them kick you to death.

  13. More on Christopher McKnight’s condition

    McKnight was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with minor injuries, according to the police report. He was released from the hospital Sunday.

    On Monday, Neville said McKnight suffered a concussion, broken nose and facial injuries.

    Nasty beating? Yes. Nearly to death? No.

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