MIAMI – A New Jersey man was arrested Sunday after allegedly attacking another passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight that had just landed at Miami International Airport, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
Deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said they responded to Gate F7 shortly after 9:20 a.m. following reports of a battery aboard Frontier Flight 1203.
They said the flight had just arrived at MIA when the altercation occurred.
Deputies said the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Ishaan Sharma, approached a fellow passenger and grabbed him by the neck without provocation as the victim was returning to his assigned seat.
Authorities said a fight between both passengers followed shortly after, resulting in a visible cut above Sharma’s left eyebrow, which required medical treatment.
The scuffle was caught on camera by Local 10 viewer Rosa Gergely.
They said the victim sustained “superficial cuts” and told deputies he did not experience restricted breathing. He declined medical attention at the scene, according to the report.
After being treated at Jackson West Medical Center, deputies said Sharma was taken into custody and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Sharma appeared in bond court Tuesday, where his attorney claimed he had been meditating when he was confronted by the other passenger.
“My client is from a religion where he was meditating,” Defense Attorney Renee Gordon said in court. “Unfortunately, the passenger behind him did not like that.”
Despite the defense’s claims, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbart issued Sharma a $500 bond 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 place of employment.
A motive for the alleged attack remains unclear at this time.
Frontier Airlines did not immediately respond to Local 10’s request for comment on Sharma’s arrest.
