Shipman recently addressed the incident after multiple individuals were detained. Mayor Steven L. Reed said no arrests will be announced until Tuesday, having vowed that justice will be served.
“I am sure most of you have seen the news about the riverboat incident. Yes, I was there but I was the first to try to get away,” Shipman shared in a statement. “You can see in the video I attached, and I do not condone what happened.”
“I tried to stop it and realized that I could not, so I tried to get away,” Shipman went on. “There is a video of me being the first to run away because what was happening was wrong and I did not want to be a part of it. I realize I have a business to run and represent and no charges were filed against me because I was not involved.”
Many people who viewed the clip felt otherwise and have lambasted Shipman on his Yelp page, which temporarily disabled the ability to post while they investigate the numerous 1-star reviews.