Indian-origin man arrested for choking, assaulting co-passenger mid-flight

A 21-year-old Indian-American man, Ishaan Sharma, was arrested after assaulting a fellow passenger during a Frontier Airlines flight bound for Miami. The incident caused panic onboard and the footage of the altercation surfaced online.

According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Sharma attacked a passenger identified as Keanu Evans without any apparent provocation. As Sharma returned to his seat, he reportedly grabbed Evans by the neck and began hitting him.

Evans, describing the terrifying experience, said Sharma was acting erratically moments before the attack. “He was doing this dark laugh, like, ‘Ha ha ha ha ha,’ and saying things like, ‘You puny, mortal man. If you challenge me, it will result in your death,’” Evans told local media.

Evans claimed he had already reported Sharma’s strange behavior to the flight crew, who advised him to press the assistance button if the situation escalated. Not long after, the confrontation turned physical.

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“He was looking at me very angrily, eye to eye, forehead to forehead, and then suddenly grabbed me by the throat and started choking me. At that point, my fight-or-flight instincts kicked in,” Evans recalled. “I had no choice but to defend myself in a tight aircraft cabin.”

In-flight assault shocker:

21-year-old Ishaan Sharma from Newark allegedly attacked fellow passenger Keanu Evans without provocation on a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami.#FrontierAirlines #FlightIncident

pic.twitter.com/Y2QpkvvrG7

— M9 USA🇺🇸 (@M9USA_) July 3, 2025

However, some co-passengers told reporters that Evans had been taunting Sharma throughout the flight, allegedly provoking him with negative remarks. They said Sharma went to the restroom after one such exchange and returned to attack Evans.

In videos circulating online, the two men were seen exchanging blows while shocked passengers yell for them to stop.

Sharma sustained a cut above his left eyebrow and required medical attention after the plane landed at Miami International Airport. Evans suffered minor injuries but declined treatment.

Witnesses also said that after the incident, Sharma was seen smiling, muttering to himself, and taking selfies of his bloodied face.

Sharma was taken into custody by authorities upon landing. The investigation is ongoing.