Arrest Records Reveal Racial Slurs and Incriminating Texts in Viral Longview Bar Assault Case

A Parking Lot Attack That Went National

Three women — Ciarrianne Fuller, 21, of Longview; Dejae Brown, 21, of Pittsburg; and Alana Mumphrey, 21, of Longview — are charged with assault causing bodily injury in connection with a June 21 attack in the parking lot of Whiskey J's bar. The case drew national attention after the victim, Sammie Howery, wrote on social media that the women said "Free Karmelo" before the assault and claimed the assailants were targeting "the smallest white girl they could find." Howery's Facebook post, which showed her physical injuries, went viral.

According to arrest affidavits from the Longview Police Department, officers responded to the bar on the morning of June 21 after reports of an assault in the parking lot. The victim told officers she was walking through the parking lot after leaving the bar when she was suddenly attacked by multiple people, and she said she did not know the suspects or have any prior issues with anyone inside the bar.

What Witnesses Told Investigators

Investigators interviewed several witnesses, including a security guard who told officers he heard a woman say, "The next white b***h that walks out, I'm going to hit her," before seeing a group of women assault the victim. Two other witnesses also told officers they saw multiple women attack the victim, while another said he heard someone say, "Any white girl can get it," and "Free Karmelo" before the assault began.

The security worker helped break up the assault and get the victim away from the crowd. The victim reported having injuries to the back of her head and her right eye, according to court documents. The "Free Karmelo" statement was a reference to Karmelo Anthony, a 19-year-old Black high school student from North Texas who murdered a white high school student, Austin Metcalf, at a track meet in April 2025. Anthony was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison on June 9.

After Fuller's arrest, investigators obtained a search warrant for her cellphone. According to the affidavit, officers found a group text created on the day of the assault that allegedly included messages saying, "We gotta get our story straight friend," and, "We shouldn't have did that s**t bro."

Arrests, Bonds, and the FBI's Role

Fuller was arrested on June 23, and Brown and Mumphrey surrendered to law enforcement on June 25. All three suspects were released the day after their arrests on $20,000 bonds. Whiskey J's acknowledged the incident in a June 21 Facebook post and said it took place in the parking lot after the people involved had left the establishment. The bar's operators are cooperating with police, and the incident was outside the range of the bar's security cameras.

Numerous people online have asked whether suspects in the case can be charged with a hate crime. Texas does not have a hate crime statute, so such charges cannot be filed. However, under Texas law, punishments can be enhanced for crimes committed by prejudice or bias. Longview police are in communication with the FBI regarding the case because of online conversations "concerning retaliation, division and attacks between members of our community."

Victim's Attorney Urges Restraint

On June 26, Howery's attorney, J.D. McMullen with the Texas Resolution PLLC law firm in Longview, said in a statement that Howery is recovering from "serious physical injuries and real emotional trauma" and asked that people respect her privacy. McMullen urged people not to "attach labels, motives or broader narratives" to the case, saying, "My client does not see herself as part of any movement, and she does not want her injuries turned into a symbol in someone else's fight."

The case sits at a combustible intersection of race, social media virality, and criminal justice — and it is far from over. With the FBI monitoring online threats, a cellphone search warrant already yielding potentially incriminating messages, and three defendants out on bond, prosecutors will now have to decide whether the evidence supports charges that carry enhanced penalties. How investigators and the courts handle the question of bias motivation could set a significant precedent for how Texas prosecutes racially charged violence in the social media age.