Nine people have been charged for offenses related to the April 18 “Chitt Fest” gathering on Chittenden Avenue between High and Summit Streets. Credit: Paige Cirtwill | Lantern Reporter
Nine people who took part in “Chitt Fest” have been charged by Columbus Police for riot and related offenses.
Of the nine, seven were charged with riot and related offenses and two were charged with receiving stolen property and criminal damaging, according to a CPD press release Thursday. Police are currently looking to charge three more people for riot and related offenses and one for criminal damaging.
The arrests come after the CPD released a video showing 18 persons of interest in connection to the April 18 riot at “Chitt Fest”, where more than a thousand people gathered on Chittenden Avenue between Summit and High Streets, despite university and COVID-19 guidelines. The gathering turned into a riot which saw multiple flipped cars and property damage.
According to the university’s online directory, three of the people charged are Ohio State students including Alexander Berman, Ahmed Darwich and Jackson Podraza. The other six are not listed in the university directory.
According to Franklin County Municipal Court records,the other six people charged are Austin Dugger, Donte Eldredge, Emma Franks, Gabriel Glenn, Otman Qatifachi and Brandon Soung.
All of the individuals charged are between the ages of 18-22.
Dugger is charged with criminal damaging and Franks is charged with two separate counts of receiving stolen property. Berman, Darwich, Eldredge, Glenn, Podraza, Qatifachi and Soung are charged with rioting and either criminal damaging or criminal mischief.
All charges are misdemeanors.
Status on individual conduct cases is unavailable.
“Ohio State is working with local law enforcement and is holding responsible any students who took part in the property destruction on Chittenden Avenue,” university spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email.
Sanctions for violating Ohio State’s Code of Student Conduct range from a formal reprimand to disciplinary probation, suspension or dismissal from the university, Johnson said.
According to the release, the CPD is working with Central Ohio Crime Stoppers — a nonprofit organization that acts as a link between media, law enforcement and the public by aiding law enforcement in conviction of criminals and encouraging the flow of information — and Ohio State’s Office of Student Life Conduct to further develop suspects.
This story has been updated as of 4:07 p.m. to include comment from Ohio State
This story has been updated as of Monday 2:25 p.m. to include the names of the people charged.
