4 arrested in Covington fight seen in viral video

COVINGTON, Ga. - Four people have been arrested in connection to a fight seen in a viral video that Covington Police says happeend at the Park and Ride at Highway 278 and Turner Lake Road on Friday evening.

Police say 18-year-old Jason Redding, 19-year-old James Edge, and 18-year-old John Rodriguez were all charged with simple battery. Joseph Thompson, 21, was charged with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.

Officers were not called to the scene on Friday night, but investigators say they became aware of the fight later when citizens started to report the video.

Friday night, Thompson did approach an officer in Covington Square to make a complaint about a person with a gun. Thompson made no mention of the fight at the time, police say. Investigators later determined the gun was not used illegally.

Officers again spoke with Thompson on Sunday, but saw no visible signs of physical injury.

The next day, investigators were able to dig deeper into the incident. Police say Thompson was making threats towards other individuals and had been the instigator. 

Tuesday, all four were charged in connection to the incident.

Police released a statement on its Facebook page after receiving backlash on a post attempting to offer transparency on the investigation:

"Citizens expressed their shock and concern with the video. In our haste to respond to the numerous calls, posts, and emails regarding the video, we acknowledge that our initial response came across as impassive and indifferent to all the crimes that occurred during this incident. Our intent was not to place the blame solely on Joseph Thompson without addressing the criminal acts that occurred against him.

"The Covington Police Department will not tolerate the type of criminal conduct or behavior seen in the video."