DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — One person is in custody after a violent brawl over the weekend in the Oregon District.
Multiple videos are circulating on social media, showing a large fight between several people on the street in the early morning hours of Aug. 24.
No one was injured, according to police, but businesses and patrons in the Oregon District say the effects of that fight are ongoing.
“Don’t let this one bad weekend color your picture of the district,” said one business manager.
Dayton police officers were dispatched to East Fifth Street once at 2 a.m. and again at 3 a.m. for fights happening in the Oregon District early Sunday morning.
Police say they’ve only arrested one person, and that appears to be an isolated incident.
“It’s disheartening when something that lasted for just mere minutes sort of becomes the face of a business district,” said Nikki Stargel, Salar general manager.
Owners and managers in the Oregon District told 2 NEWS that incidents like these shake public confidence in the district’s safety.
Stargel says it’s upsetting to see local stores and restaurants potentially lose business because of rare events like this.
“They don’t even happen every weekend. The majority of the time, you’re having a good time, listening to music, looking at art,” said Stargel.
Some local business owners say there used to be a substantially larger police presence in the Oregon District, and now say this is what happens without that security.
2 NEWS also spoke to customers and residents in the area, who say the impact is felt everywhere.
“I’m still not completely feeling safe, with something like this happening,” said one customer. “I was under the assumption that the police were always nearby.”
One resident says the effects of the fight are disappointing.
“That affects the businesses here quite a bit, and it makes people sort of slow down, kind of catch their breath, and you wonder how could it happen?” he said.
The city has not released a statement regarding the fight, but multiple businesses told 2 NEWS they would appreciate seeing increased security in the district.
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