Passenger Who Allegedly Incited Mid-Air Brawl Claims He Was Meditating. Alleged Victim Says He Muttered Threats

A 21-year-old New Jersey man was arrested and charged with battery over the incident, during which the other passenger involved claims the assailant grabbed his neck and choked him

NEED TO KNOW

• A New Jersey man was arrested after allegedly inciting a violent brawl on a Miami-bound Frontier Airlines flight
• Video footage captured onboard by fellow passengers show the bloody injuries sustained in the fight
• The alleged assailant’s lawyer claims he was meditating before the fight broke out. The other man claims he was mumbling threats

Video footage captured on a Miami-bound Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia shows two passengers engaging in a violent brawl — but the odd circumstances that led to the conflict are contested.

Clips surfacing online of the June 30 incident show two men throwing fists and trying to choke one another over the plane seats. During the altercation, other passengers can be heard begging the men to “stop” and “let him go.”

A 21-year-old Newark man, Ishaan Sharma, allegedly assaulted Keanu Evans, according an arrest affidavit provided to PEOPLE by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Evans spoke to local Miami news outlet WSVN about what he says occurred. “What I hate is that the video doesn’t capture what started the whole thing. It only captures me defending myself,” he says.

Evans claims Sharma uttered strange things and made threats, before he allegedly grabbed Evans’ neck.

“He was doing some like dark laugh like ‘Ha ha ha ha,’ Evans claims. “He was saying things like, ‘You puny mortal man, if you challenge me, it will result in your death.’ ” 

Before the fight, Evans alleges he went to the bathroom and expressed his concerns to the flight attendants. The crew allegedly told Evans to push the assistance button if Sharma’s behavior continued, which he says it did.

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“He kept threatening me with like death, that’s what made me get up and press the button above me,” Evans says. “I just turned around and I looked at him and I responded to him.”

He adds: “A lot was going on and immediately he just got up and put his forehead on my forehead like he was challenging me… then he just grabs me by the throat and just starts choking me. At that moment, it was, you know, fight or flight responses kick in.”

After the men were separated, additional cell phone video shows a flight attendant repeatedly asking Sharma to sit back down in his seat. He eventually cooperated. When the plane landed, he was escorted off, per the outlet.

Sharma’s attorney claims his client was meditating when the altercation happened.

“My client is from a religion where he was meditating,” defense attorney Renee Gordon said in bond court on Tuesday, July 1, according to WPLG. “Unfortunately, the passenger behind him did not like that.”

According to arrest records, Sharma suffered a “visible laceration to his left eyebrow,” requiring medical assistance.

Meanwhile, Evans only sustained “superficial cuts” and experienced “no restriction to his breathing” during the incident, per police records.

Following the incident, authorities placed Sharma into custody and transported him to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after clearing medical examination at a local hospital.

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Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbart issued a $500 bond for Sharma and prohibited him from contacting the victim in person or on social media. He also ordered him to stay at least 500 feet away from the victim’s school or work.

Man arrested for starting a fight during a Miami-bound Frontier flight; victim says fight started for no reason

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By Marisela Burgos, Cassie Martinez

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) – A man was arrested after, officials said, he started a fight during a flight to Miami from Philadelphia and the victim said it started for no reason.

Keanu Evans, the victim, said he wanted to clear the air after video of his fight with Ishaan Sharma went viral on social media.

Cell phone footage from nearby passengers captured Evans and Sharma in the middle of the brawl as other passengers plead for them to stop.

“Let him go,” said an unidentified passenger. “Stop, let him go.”

A flight attendant reportedly tried to break up the fight on the plane, but was unsuccessful.

“Sir, you have to sit down.” a flight attendant, seen on video, tells the men.

Speaking to 7News on Tuesday evening, Evans said he was attacked while simply returning to his seat and did nothing to provoke Sharma.

“What I hate is that the video doesn’t capture what started the whole thing, you know?” said Evans. “It only captures me defending myself.”

He said the cell phone footage doesn’t show what happened before the fight started that caused him to react.

“He was doing some, like, dark laugh like, ha ha ha ha ha. And he was saying things like, you, you puny mortal man, if you challenge me, it will result in your death,” said Evans.

After that encounter, Evans said he left his seat to use the restroom and made sure to tell the flight attendants what was going on, where they told him to push the button for assistance if it continues. Evans said he pushed the button.

“He kept threatening me with death.” said Evans. “That’s what made me get up and press the button above me and I just turned around and I looked at him and I responded to him. A lot was going on, and immediately he just got up and he puts his forehead on my forehead like he was challenging me.”

And then Evans said the situation quickly escalated.

You know, he’s looking at me very angrily and we’re looking eye to eye, forehead to forehead, and then he just grabs me by the throat and just starts choking me. At that moment it was, you know, fight or flight responses kick in. I’m in a tight, confined space on an aircraft, and all I can do is just defend myself.”

Upon landing on Monday night, MDSO deputies immediately handcuffed Sharma and took him into custody. Officials said he had a cut on his face and needed stitches.

“If you see on my face, I’ve got some scratches from him scratching me on this right hand side.” said Evans.

Video shows Sharma walking handcuffed alongside deputies.

“It makes me feel bad because I don’t want people to get the wrong idea about who I am as a person,” said Evans. “I’m a good person. You know, I recently got baptized. The biggest drawback for me, what I wish that I could have done better, was just not go back to my seat and been more adamant like, hey, keep me away from this guy.”

Sharma faces a battery charge and remains in custody.

Fight breaks out on Frontier Airlines flight, shocking passengers

MIAMI — There was chaos on a Frontier Airlines flight when a brawl broke out.

One of the passengers captured cell phone video of the incident.

She says it happened after the plane landed in Miami from Philadelphia.

Several people, including a flight attendant, tried to intervene and eventually were able to separate the two men.

A passenger says the fight was fueled by racism after the white man was allowed to leave the plane, while the black man was told to stay behind.

“You can see the white man on top of the Black passenger and just beating him in between the seats, the flight attendant got involved, the white man’s wife got involved, his son, I believe his son’s girlfriend, um, everyone was just involved,” said Kiera Pierre Louis, a Frontier Airlines Passenger.

Police say the Black passenger was not held back, but instead chose to stay so he could file a police report. Ultimately, he decided not to press charges.