Vice President JD Vance has weighed in on a brutal street attack that captured national attention after viral videos of the incident spread rapidly across social media over the weekend. The violent confrontation, which occurred in downtown Cincinnati in the early hours of Saturday morning, has prompted widespread outrage from public officials, commentators, and citizens across the political spectrum.

Vance, who was in northeast Ohio on Monday to promote President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and budget package—often described by supporters as the “one big, beautiful bill”—was questioned about the disturbing footage during a press event. The videos showed a large group of individuals violently assaulting three people, prompting reactions from figures such as Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno and entrepreneur Elon Musk, both of whom condemned the attack online.

A reporter asked Vance for his response: “There was a group of people who attacked a couple folks on the street in Cincinnati. Senator Bernie Moreno and others have spoken out about it. What’s your reaction?”

Vance acknowledged he had not yet seen the entirety of the footage but had viewed enough to form a strong opinion.

“What I saw, even without the full context, was a mob of lawless thugs beating up innocent people,” he said. “It’s disgusting. And I hope every single person who engaged in that violence is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. And they will be—as long as law enforcement in Ohio takes this seriously.”

He referenced Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, noting that Yost has consistently emphasized the importance of confronting violent crime. Vance added that Moreno had sent him a clip of the altercation, and the two had discussed it privately.

“One part of the video that really shocked me,” Vance continued, “was a grown man sucker-punching a middle-aged woman. Where I come from, a man who does something like that should be sitting in prison for a very long time.”

He went on to remark that the assailant was fortunate there were no bystanders willing to intervene forcefully, adding that if citizens did not step in themselves, then law enforcement must do so decisively.

Vance broadened his comments to address what he described as a troubling rise in urban violence across American cities. “We’ve had far too much lawlessness in great American cities. How many of you have hesitated to go to downtown Akron, Canton, or Columbus because authorities have allowed crime to run wild?” he asked the crowd. “We need to make cities safe again for families and children. You shouldn’t be afraid to take your spouse or kids out for dinner. The only way to end this street violence is to hold the people who commit it accountable and put them behind bars.”

Authorities have since confirmed the first set of arrests related to the incident. According to Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge, five individuals have been taken into custody, though their names and specific charges have not been released. Theetge emphasized that the investigation is ongoing: “We have five we have charged, and we anticipate more,” she told reporters on Monday. She referred to the incident as a “fight,” though the viral recordings suggest a chaotic and severe assault involving multiple attackers.

The footage shows a man curled on the ground being repeatedly kicked and stomped by a crowd. In another portion of the video, a woman attempting to intervene was struck in the face with such force that she was knocked unconscious, left bleeding on the street.

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he spoke directly with the injured woman, identifying her only as “Holly,” a single mother who had been out celebrating a friend’s birthday. According to Ramaswamy, Holly told him she had received no outreach from any local or state official aside from a single police detective following up on the case.

“It’s unbelievable that there were no officers present in that area of Cincinnati on a Friday night,” Ramaswamy said, “and no ambulance available to take her to the hospital.”

Ken Kober, president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, told WLWT that the victims suffered “pretty serious injuries” and noted that their recovery would take time.

As the investigation continues and more arrests are expected, the assault has triggered renewed debate about public safety, policing resources, and accountability for violent offenders. For officials like Vance, the incident stands as yet another example of what they argue is a broader decline in law enforcement and city governance—issues they insist must be addressed urgently.