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Salem woman recovering after being beaten up in brawl

SALEM, Mass. — Four people have been arrested and charged with assault after a brawl in downtown Salem. The fight left a young woman bleeding and injured on the ground.

Salem Police say they're still investigating what happened and that it's unclear exactly how this fight started.

"I have eight stitches here, this must have been from the concrete, I was hit over here," said Jayda Byrne, who added that she's still recovering from a concussion, bruises and broken teeth after she was beat up outside a bar in Salem last weekend.

"I just blacked out and all I can remember is holding the back of my teeth in my hand," Byrne said. One's still chipped."

The Salem State University student says she was walking with friends downtown when she got caught up in a fight.

Police say, according to witnesses and video, a man named Xavier Negron started a fight with Byrne's friend William Martines outside The Village Tavern. Then, eventually, police say Negron grabbed and assaulted Byrne, before viciously slamming her head into the brick pavement.

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"He was the first one to punch me and I went down from that one punch," she said.

Once she was on the ground, Byrne said people started kicking her. Police confirmed at least one other woman kicked her while she was down. Negron's father, Angel, also faces assault charges for this incident.

"I just can't believe a dad would kick a young girl," Byrne said. "I don't know if he has a daughter or would wish that upon his daughter or his wife…to be able to do that is pretty disgusting."

Salem Police say when officers arrived at the scene on Essex Street, they did see two women fighting, including the victim. They’re also charging Byrne’s friend with assault on a police officer for shoving them away and resisting arrest.

"My friend Billy came and tried to help, but then he ended up getting arrested and was trying to push away from the cops to get me," Byrne said. "And then got charges on him that I'm upset about because he was there to help me."

In total, police say three men and one woman were arrested and charged with assault and battery for the fight.