‘Just in shock’: Dock worker assaulted in Montgomery brawl speaks out in ‘GMA’ exclusive

Nearly two months after a brawl at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Alabama, went viral, Dameion Pickett, a dock worker who was once on the middle of the melee after he was once assaulted by means of a bunch of boaters, spoke out in regards to the incident in an exclusive interview with “Good Morning America.”

Pickett, who’s the lead deckhand of the Harriot II, mirrored on what led as much as the altercation and informed “GMA” co-anchor Robin Roberts that he was once simply “just doing my job” and was once “just in shock” when he was once violently attacked.

“I didn’t expect this to happen at work today,” Pickett stated. “I was just expecting another peaceful, nice cruise.”

According to Pickett, because the Harriott II was once finishing a dinner cruise and on the brink of dock, a personal pontoon boat was once illegally parked in its position, fighting the riverboat from docking safely.

“We could have docked, but we would end up hitting a couple of those boats and be responsible for it,” Pickett stated.

According to Pickett and witnesses aboard the Harriett II who spoke with ABC News, team contributors made a number of makes an attempt to invite the landlord of the pontoon boat to transport it, however their calls have been disregarded.

“Everybody was yelling, “Could y’all transfer y’all boat?” Pickett stated.

It was then that Pickett said he got off the riverboat “by means of the captain’s orders” and went to move the pontoon boat himself.

“Really simply moved it about one, two, four– 4 steps to the best, that is it,” he stated.

“I used to be, like, ‘I’m simply doing my task … After we dock, we do not thoughts y’all staying there however now not right now whilst we are seeking to dock,'” he added.

Moments after Pickett moved the boat, videos show that he was confronted and punched by a man and soon after, others attacked Pickett and were later identified by police as a boat owner and his family.

Pickett said that after he was assaulted, he had to defend himself.

“This guy simply put his hand on me. I used to be, like … it is my task, however I’m nonetheless protecting myself on the similar time. So when he touched me, I used to be, like, ‘It’s on,'” Pickett said.

According to videos captured by bystanders and obtained by ABC News, the incident led to a massive brawl that started between the individuals who attacked Pickett, all of whom were white, prompting several Black eyewitnesses to join a fight in an apparent attempt to defend Pickett, including a viral video of a teenager later identified as Aaren Hamilton-Rudolph swimming to the dock to defend him.

Hamilton-Rudolph, a 16-year-old who was only on his second week on the job, reflected on what made him swim to Pickett’s defense in an interview with “GMA.”

“Everybody was once simply recording. No one helped,” Hamilton-Rudolph said. “So I could not simply watch and sit down round and simply let him get beat on whilst everyone else is solely recording and observing.”

Roshein “RahRah” Carlton, Pickett’s coworker and buddy, additionally rushed to his protection.

“It’s our accountability as– as our coworker, as a workforce, to move and support and lend a hand him,” Carlton told “GMA.”

Pickett stated that “some nasty phrases” were directed at him when he got attacked, while Carlton claimed that he heard “a large number of racial slurs” being used during the incident.

The incident was investigated by the Montgomery Police Department, leading to misdemeanor assault charges against four white individuals, all of whom are now out on bond and set to appear in court for a hearing this week.

Montgomery Police Department Chief Darryl Albert identified Pickett and an unnamed 16-year-old white male who was allegedly struck by the owners and operators of the private boat as victims in this case during a press conference on Aug. 7.

The incident led to charges against five individuals.

Richard Roberts was once charged with two counts of attack in the 3rd level, courtroom information display. Meanwhile, Allen Todd, Zachary Shipman and Mary Todd have been all charged with attack in the 3rd level. All have pleaded not guilty.

ABC News has attempted to reach out to the suspects and their attorneys, but requests for comment were not returned.

A fifth arrest was made days later when Reggie Ray, a Black man who was seen attacking someone with a beach chair in a viral video, was charged with disorderly conduct. He also pleaded not guilty.

Ray’s attorney, Lee Merritt, told ABC News that his client had a “restricted function” in the brawl and was “involuntarily roped into the disorderly behavior initiated by means of a violent white mob.”

Asked if there’s any evidence of a hate crime, Albert said that police “checked out each road” and left “no stone unturned” but “have been not able to offer any perception in a rise up or racial racially biased fees right now.”

A spokesperson for the Montgomery Police Department told ABC News on Friday that there are no additional updates to share regarding the investigation.

Pickett told Roberts that all he wanted to do was make sure that the Harriott II, which was carrying more than 200 passengers at the time, was able to dock safely.

“I had a duty,” he said. “I used to be nonetheless seeking to get that boat in whilst the battle was once nonetheless occurring. I’m nonetheless telling the captain, ‘We gotta get those people right here safely to this dock.'”

Asked how he was doing after the incident, Pickett said, “I’m only a little– a little bit sore, little bumps and bruises right here and there. But I’m right here by means of the grace of God.”