OCEAN CITY — As expected, a fourth suspect in a melee on a downtown beach on July 21, a Dumfries, Va. woman who was nine months pregnant and had to have an emergency C-section following the incident, has been formally charged with second-degree assault and other charges.
Ocean City Police late last week charged Dalima Ekundayo Ibironke Palmer, 24, with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing and hindering following last month’s incident on the beach at N. Division Street. During the incident, Palmer was eventually wrestled to the ground and taken into custody. While in custody, she went into labor and had to be taken to the hospital, where she had an emergency C-section.
OCPD officials said she would be formally charged for her role in the fracas when the time was appropriate. Last Friday, the OCPD formally charged Palmer by summons with second-degree assault for her involvement in the fight.
Around 2:30 p.m. on July 21, Ocean City Police responded to the beach at North Division Street for a reported group of disorderly males. The request for assistance came from an Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguard, who told police he approached the group to speak with them and one of the suspects threatened him.
When OCPD officers attempted to speak with the suspect, identified as Abdul Kargbo, 25, of Woodbridge, Va., he began cursing and yelling at the officers and attempted to leave the scene. As officers attempted to arrest Kargbo, several other members in the disorderly group began to yell at police and act in a threatening manner, according to police reports. According to the OCPD, Palmer was among the disorderly group and assaulted the officers and resisted arrest.
What happened next, according to the police report and witnesses on the beach, was a pushing and shoving match between the suspects and police, including punches thrown, as officers attempted to detain the combatants. By that time, a large crowd had gathered causing additional officers to respond to the scene. Two other suspects, Musa Seisay, 24, of Garrisonville, Md., and Saidu Kargbo, 21, of Woodbridge, Va., allegedly assaulted officers and resisted arrest.