Dock worker at center of wild brawl in Montgomery, Alabama, says he was ‘just in shock’ when he was attacked

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Alabama riverfront brawl: Video shows fight over parked pontoon boat

During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Montgomery Police Department Chief Darryl Albert announced assault charges for the following men: Zachery Shipman, 25, Richard Roberts, 48, and Allen Todd, 23. (Joe Davenport via Storyful)

The dockworker at the center of a viral video that captured a wild brawl at a dock in Alabama in August has revealed that he was "just doing [his] job" and was "just in shock" when he was attacked.

Dameion Pickett, during an interview with ABC’s "Good Morning America," said the Harriott II was wrapping up a dinner cruise on Aug. 5 when a "lot of people" were in the way of the vessel arriving at Riverfront Park in Montgomery. Police have said a moored pontoon boat was blocking the larger vessel from docking.

"We could have docked, but we would end up hitting a couple of those boats and be responsible for it," Pickett told ABC.

The lead deckhand added that "Everybody was yelling, ‘Could you all move your boat?’" before he got off the dinner cruise and, under "the captain’s orders," went to move the pontoon boat himself just "four steps to the right."

BRAWL AT MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA RIVERFRONT DOCK CAUGHT ON VIDEO 

Dameion Pickett, right, is punched in the head by a man after an argument on Aug. 5, 2023, in Montgomery, Alabama. (Christa)

Pickett said words were exchanged, and he told an individual he was just doing his job.

A viral video taken of the scene then shows a shirtless man running and taking a swing at Pickett, sparking what would become a massive brawl.

"This man just put his hand on me. I was like … it's my job, but I'm still defending myself at the same time. So, when he touched me, I was like, 'It's on,'" Pickett told ABC.

"I was still trying to get that boat in while the fight was going on. I was still telling the captain we got to get these folks here safely to this dock," he added.

5 CHARGED IN ALABAMA RIVERBOAT DOCK BRAWL

The fight escalated after a verbal altercation over the apparent docking of a pontoon boat along the river. (Christa)

Aaren Hamilton-Rudolph, a 16-year-old who ABC said was working on the boat for just his second week, was seen in the video jumping into the water and swimming to Pickett's aid.

"Everybody was just recording. No one helped," Hamilton-Rudolph told the network. "So, I couldn't just watch and sit around and just let him get beat on while everybody else is just recording and watching."

Dameion Pickett is seen on the ground during the brawl. (Christa)

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Four boaters have since pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault charges while another man who was filmed swinging a chair in the ensuing melee has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges, according to the Associated Press.