New images released of woman brutalized in attack that prompted scandal for councilwoman

Editor’s Note: Graphic images included.

A state senator in Ohio now has released a photograph of a woman who was brutally beaten in an attack in Cincinnati, an event that has left behind a scandal for a politician who viciously claimed the victim “deserved” the beating.

It is U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno who released the image of the victim identified only as Holly.

“This is Holly. She wanted to have a nice evening out with friends. Instead, she got this. Holly gave me permission to release the photos so that others will never suffer what she did,” the senator explained.

JUST IN: Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno releases photos of the woman who was brutally beaten in Cincinnati after a local council member said she deserved the beatdown.

Councilwoman Victoria Parks said she was “grateful” that the woman, “Holly,” was beaten unconscious.

Moreno is now… pic.twitter.com/B9209VXwXv

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 30, 2025

A city councilwoman, Victoria Parks, said on Facebook that the victims of the attack “begged for that beat down!”

Several suspects have been taken into custody. But also released, according to a report from Fox, was a recording of the 911 call asking for help.

The report said, “A dazed-sounding man called authorities around 3 a.m. on July 26. The call lasted three minutes and 15 seconds, as the 911 operator asked a litany of questions, including how many people had been involved in the fight. It was placed after the brutal beatdown had ended, the caller indicated.”

The caller stated, “At this point, everybody’s running out, so it was before, about 20, 30 people, but everybody’s out.”

He insisted police still should come.

Police chief Teresa Theetge said of the 100 or so people there, the man made the only call to 911.

Video of the attack shows a mob punching and stomping on two victims.

Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, were arrested Tuesday night and now face felonious assault, aggravated riot and assault charges.

A third, Jermaine Matthews, was charged with aggravated riot and assault. Two others also were arrested.

WND reported Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican candidate for governor, said he spoke with the victim, and described her as a single working mom who went to a friend’s birthday party.

Cincinnati FOP President Ken Kober says 4-5 people of interest have been identified by police in connection to a violent brawl early Saturday morning that has gone viral on social media. https://t.co/qO9H2MOHR2 pic.twitter.com/RFN6QvEWfv

— WLWT (@WLWT) July 28, 2025

I spoke to Holly earlier today (the woman tragically assaulted in Cincinnati this weekend). She’s a single working mom who went to a friend’s birthday party. It’s unconscionable that there were no police present in that area of Cincinnati on a Friday night, or even an ambulance… pic.twitter.com/yTiJOL3Eh0

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 28, 2025

FOX19 reported the incident may have been sparked by “racial comments.”

“An anonymous witness reported that the situation started several minutes before the fight shown in the videos,” the station reported. “The footage captured a man, who, according to the witness, seemed to be intoxicated.

“The witness says the man walked away, but returned about 15 minutes later with a group of people who were overheard making racial comments.”

Vice President JD Vance on Monday was horrified by the perpetrators’ actions, and urged law enforcement to “throw their a**es in prison.”

“I don’t know how the fight started, but the one part that I saw that was really gruesome is you had a grown man who sucker-punched a middle-aged woman. And from where I come from, at least, when you have a grown man who sucker-punches a middle-aged woman, that person ought to go to jail for a very long time,” said Vance.