Although there are still many unknowns about a Saturday Montgomery Riverfront Park brawl that has received national attention, as of Thursday, three assault suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Richard Roberts of Orange Beach, 48, Allen Todd of Selma, 23, and Zachary Chase Shipman of Selma, 25, have all been charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault.
Although some in the media are attempting to attribute racial motivations to suspects' behavior, Montgomery Police chief Darryl Albert initially downplayed race as a factor in the melee.
Still, the question persists in the headlines and reporting.
MSNBC host Joy Reid had suggested former President Donald Trump's appearance in Montgomery a day earlier at the Alabama Republican Party's summer dinner was somehow connected.
However, according to voting records available through the Alabama Secretary of State's website, at least one of the suspects is a documented Democratic Party voter.
Records show Shipman has voted in at least four elections since he registered to vote in February 2016. Among those were the 2016 primary election (party unavailable), the 2017 U.S. Senate special election, the 2018 general election and the 2018 Democratic Party primary.
Voting records for Roberts and Todd were not readily available on the Secretary of State's website.
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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