CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Over a dozen arrests have been made following multiple reports of fights at The Banks, Downtown and Over-the-Rhine on Opening Day.
Cincinnati Police Interim Chief Adam Hennie says 17 people are facing charges, including disorderly conduct, possession of weapons while intoxicated, failure to comply, assault and resisting arrest.
"Yesterday, our city celebrated one of our most cherished traditions, Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds," Hennie wrote in a statement. "Unfortunately, as the day progressed, officers encountered several groups whose behavior became disruptive and unruly."
Although the city has experienced an increase in juvenile violence over the years, the suspects arrested during Thursday's festivities were not just teenagers. The interim chief says arrestees are between the ages of 14 and 50 years old.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval calls it "an outrage."
"This is exactly what causes fear and concern among our guests who come to support our urban core," he said in a statement Friday morning.
"It's the kind of behavior that forces us to look at and implement more severe crowd control restrictions in our Downtown. Thank you to our Cincinnati Police Department for your quick and effective work. I'm grateful that our Police, Hamilton County Sheriff, and state law partners were prepared with a coordinated and swift response to keep folks safe and prevent things from escalating even further. I am glad that they are okay. But we cannot ask this of them every night."
Extra police were called in to disperse people at The Banks following several reports of fights, Hennie said. Deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office also responded.
In addition to the fights, people were falling over each other, pushing and shoving to get free from the crowded plaza, according to witnesses and video shared with FOX19 NOW.
Cincinnati police were met with resistance when they arrived, making it hard to reach victims, Hennie explained. Officers used bikes and protective shields, some carrying non-lethal weapons.
Other fights broke out at Washington Park and on Fountain Square too.
Meanwhile on the other side of the Ohio River, Covington police blocked off their end of the Roebling Suspension Bridge for about two hours, police spokesperson Captain Justin Bradbury confirmed.
"Because of the volatility of everything going on in Cincinnati, we blocked the bridge to ensure the safety of those who may have ventured into Cincinnati, unaware of what was going on," Captain Bradbury tells FOX19 NOW.
They also blocked traffic from coming over from Cincinnati "to contain the disorder from coming into Covington," he said.
Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long says the region's Opening Day traditions are now "overshadowed" by the "disruptive and violent actions."
"CPD did what it does best - protect the safety and security of our residents and visitors," Long said in a statement. "I want to commend the entire department for their preparation and collective response. I'm grateful to our officers, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol for working together to de-escalate the situation. As a community, we must do better."
Several suspects who were arrested Thursday appeared in court Friday. Court records and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office detail some of the incidents that brought danger and chaos across the city.
Another suspect, 48-year-old Micah Taylor, of Mt. Airy, is also facing charges of disorderly conduct and using weapons while intoxicated.
Central Business District officers responded to multiple calls about a person pointing a gun outside a bar, and he still had the gun in his hand when they arrived, according to his criminal complaint.
He admitted to being in the Bay Horse Bar on Main Street Downtown and had a yellow band on from the Yard House at The Banks, which is given to patrons drinking there, police noted in the court record.
He "did recklessly cause alarm to another by engaging in threatening harm to persons or property," his disorderly conduct criminal complaint states.
Before the Reds game began, a woman was arrested for assaulting a Cincinnati police officer during the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade.
Iyonna Fairbanks, 34, of Cincinnati, faces charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, felonious assault and assault.
Police wrote in her criminal complaint that she knowingly tried to bypass officers during a parade to hinder the function and movement of the parade.
Then, they allege, she “did knowingly scratch (a police officer’s) face across his left eye to resist arrest, causing visible injury,” according to another complaint.
She also scratched the officer’s nose and neck, “drawing blood,” another court record states.
Some of the suspects appeared in Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Brad Greenburg’s courtroom. He released a statement Friday morning about how special Opening Day is to the Queen City.
“Our traditions and history are unique. Violence and disorder will not be tolerated. Chaos at a large public event is dangerous and can be spread like wildfire. This court will set high bonds on these cases to prevent recurrence and restore law and order.”
Steve Imm, the attorney representing Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge, said in a statement to FOX19 NOW:
"Chief Theetge is deeply saddened by what is happening in the city she loves, and wishes the mayor would put her back to work as soon as possible so that she can help solve these terrible problems."
Theetge has been on administrative leave since Oct. 20 following several high-profile violent crimes.
Imm says violent crime in Cincinnati has increased since her leave began.