A man with reported links to the Proud Boys is accused of calling a woman the "n-word" before winding up and “sucker punching” her in the face.
Andrew Walls, 26, was charged with possessing a firearm while intoxicated and assaulting 23-year-old woman Cameron Morgan.
It came after a viral video of the assault was posted online by Ms Morgan’s father, David Lee Morgan Jr, asking for help identifying the man.
"Cameron, who wouldn’t hurt anyone and has a heart of gold, was sucker punched by this racist guy in Highland Square in Akron last night for no reason. She weighs maybe 100 pounds," he wrote. "I’m heartbroken and sick to my stomach."
The video showed a man arguing with several people on the sidewalk before walking towards someone out of frame saying, "Let’s go, n----- b----, shut your mouth".
After he pulls up his right arm, Ms Morgan can be seen in the video as she’s punched straight in the face.
Walls allegedly dragged Ms Morgan into the street by the hair after the recording ended, her father told the Huffington Post. She was treated for a concussion.
Akron police captain, Dave Laughlin, said Mr Walls turned himself to police on Monday after internet sleuths identified him from a 2019 news story, in which he called himself the vice president of the Proud Boys’ Akron/Canton Chapter, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
Mr Laughlin told the outlet they couldn’t say "for certain" whether Walls is or was a member of the Proud Boys, but that they’re looking into "awfully similar" images of who police say appears to be Walls.
"It’s obviously an angle we’re pursuing to see if there’s any link to gang activity," Laughlin said.
An unidentified person at the home of Walls’ last known address told the Journal they had no comment while a Proud Boys spokesperson did not immediately respond to their request for comment.
The attack happened on West Market Street in Akron’s Highland Square in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to police.
Mr Laughlan added the investigation was continuing to determine if additional charges would be brought against Mr Walls.
