WYFF News 4's Mike McCormick was at the scene and said that he witnessed family members at the home on Spring Street in Union get into a confrontation with a reporter from televison station WSPA.
McCormick said the altercation started after the family demanded that news crews leave the scene, though at the time, he said all of the news people were on the street or on public sidewalks.
A large crowd formed quickly as the confrontation escalated, McCormick said.
McCormick said one of the women punched WSPA reporter Charmayne Brown, who then tried to defend herself.
He said the attack ended up with Brown on the ground being repeatedly punched by the women as some of those in the crowd tried to pull them off Brown.
Brown left the scene and went to the police station to file a report. McCormick said she appeared battered and bruised, but was not bleeding.
Two of the women who were charged are related to the man who has been charged in the death that police were investigating.
Police have charged the suspect's mother, Trina Vinson, 48, and Tousha Smith, 31, who is the suspect's sister, with assault and battery. Smith is facing two counts, because police said she assaulted both the reporter and a photographer.
Billie Taylor, 31, is also charged with assault and battery.
Death Investigation Precedes Arrests
Tuesday morning, residents of the neighborhood told WYFF News 4 that they were shocked to learn that their neighbor, Tommy Howell, 73, was found dead in his home on Spring Street.
Police said that they later learned that Howell had gotten into an argument with his grandson, 33-year-old Michael Shane Howell, at about 11 p.m. While arguing, Howell struck his grandfather and left the house, police said.
Investigators said that Michael Howell called a family friend on Tuesday morning and said that someone had broken into his grandfather's house. When officers went to the home, they found Tommy Howell dead inside. They said the investigation led them to the grandson.
Michael Howell is charged with murder.
Neighbors said that Tommy Howell was friendly and popular in the neighborhood. They said they were shocked to think that the man who would greet them while sitting on his porch swing was the victim of a homicide.
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