An apparent crew member of a riverboat in Alabama became a breakout internet sensation after he swam to the rescue of a co-worker who was being attacked by a group of pontoon boaters.
For his efforts, he’s been dubbed “Black Aquaman,” among a series of other nicknames.
Riverboat fight videos explode online
The viral drama went down Saturday night in Montgomery, Alabama, and according to a series of videos and reports, a group of boaters refused to remove their pontoon boat from a pier where the city’s riverboat, the Harriot II, was supposed to dock.
Watching from the riverboat, a number of people began chanting the lyrics “Move, Bitch,” a popular song by Ludacris, at the pontoon boaters, ratcheting up the tense environment.
Attempting to move the pontoon himself, a Black staffer was then assaulted by the white group.
@ace876media.ent1 This is how it started #MontgomeryRiverfront #BoatBrawl ♬ original sound – Ace876media
As the fight played out, one of the crew members appears to have leaped off the riverboat and swum to the dock to aid in the fight.
The crew members of the riverboard, along with others on the boat after it docked, then went to confront the owners of the pontoon boat, where another skirmish broke out.
In it, what appears to be a crew member of the riverboat throws a woman into the water, as police struggle to contain the situation.
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But the breakout star of the video was the crew member who desperately swam to offer aid on the dock.
He’s been dubbed not only Black Aquaman, but also Michael B. Phelps, a play on Michael B. Jordan, Evander Holyfish, and Lil’ Bass X.
The scene itself got compared to something out of the Avengers.
The crew members and the boaters have yet to be identified, and Montgomery police say they are investigating the matter and will file the appropriate charges. The riverboat fight videos apparently helped lead to multiple arrests, according to Montgomery news outlet WSFA.
Update: Several days later, three men were charged with assault in the 3rd degree. Richard Roberts, a 48-year-old white male; Allen Todd, a 23-year-old white male; and Zachary Shipman, 25 year-old white male.
