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- Video taken at Miami International Airport on Monday shows a massive brawl taking place at a gate.
- Two men were arrested for their part on the skirmish which resulted in one police officer pulling out his gun.
- Read more crime news here.
Two men were arrested Monday at Miami International Airport after a large brawl was triggered at one of the gates.
According to NBC Miami, the melee began at Gate H8 when one of the men, 30-year-old Mayfrer Gregorio Serranopaca of Kissimmee, Florida, refused to let an airport employee in a cart pass, entered the vehicle, broke the key, then refused to get out of the cart.
The employee then notified police, who arrived on the scene and attempted to calm Serranopaca down. This resulted in a physical confrontation.
Videos of the scene posted on social media show a large crowd surrounding a police officer who appears to have a man in a chokehold. When others try to intervene the unruly traveler breaks free and chases after the cop, hitting him several times.
It was at that point the police officer appears to draw his gun on Serranopaca.
CBS Miami / @mikemajlak
The man who was arrested, Alberto YanezSuarez, 32, of Odessa, Texas, was allegedly “grabbing and pulling officers” as they attempted to arrest Serranopaca.
Miami International Airport issued a statement about the brawl
“Like airports across the country, MIA is seeing record-high passenger numbers this winter travel season,” Ralph Cutié, Miami International Airport director and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, that passenger growth has come with a record-high increase nationwide in bad behavior as well, such as the incident this evening at MIA.”
The statement also added, “Disruptive passengers face police arrest, civil penalties up to $37,000, being banned from flying, and potential federal prosecution.”
Police reported that Miami-Dade Fire Rescue treated a police officer at the scene who had been bitten on the head by Serranopaca.
He was charged with aggravated battery on a police officer, burglary of an occupied conveyance, criminal mischief and false imprisonment.
Yanez Suarez was arrested on charges of aggravated battery on a police officer and resisting an officer without violence.
Reactions to the shocking footage on social media were a mix of astonishment and disgust.
https://twitter.com/Phantammeron/status/1473293134528401415 https://twitter.com/Sing1out1Louise/status/1473137113419943941Worst airport in America
— Matt Thomas (@Matty1ce19) December 20, 2021
If they take on the authorities, what is to stop them from turning on a innocent traveler. Cop was in the right.
— katie (@katie00323231) December 21, 2021
Everyone wanna record rather than defuse the situation 🙄
— Draius Mills (@MillsDraius) December 21, 2021
The Miami-Dade Police Department is currently investigating what led to the brawl as well as what the circumstances were that led to the police officer drawing his gun.