A quiet morning workout erupted into violence when a gym member punched a gym employee in the face and broke his nose during a heated confrontation.
The incident occurred around 10:11 am on December 12 at a Planet Fitness location on Southwest 8th Street in Little Havana, Miami. The 35-year-old suspect, identified as Kiara Bryant, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct.
Highlights
- A Miami Planet Fitness member was arrested after punching an employee during a locker room disturbance.
- Surveillance video shows the woman jumping the counter and repeatedly striking the worker.
- The employee was hospitalized with a broken nose, prompting calls for felony charges.
The viral surveillance footage showed Bryant repeatedly attacking the employee after being asked to lower her voice inside the gym.
A 35-year-old ‘Karen’ who attacked gym staff was behaving disorderly before the issue escalated
Image credits: Miami Police Department
According to the arrest report, Miami police were initially called to the gym facility over a woman “running without clothing” and causing a disturbance inside the establishment.
When officers arrived, Kiara Bryant was found in the parking lot, where she was allegedly yelling profanities and attempting to confront bystanders.
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A Planet Fitness employee told police it all started in the locker room, where Bryant had been “yelling and being disorderly.”
The worker further shared that he informed her she could not continue yelling inside the gym, instructing her to lower her voice or leave the premises.
He also warned the attacker that police would be called if the behavior continued.
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Instead of doing what he asked, Bryant responded by stepping directly into his personal space. The worker stated he pushed her back twice with both hands in order to protect himself and create distance.
The police report further claimed Bryant remained aggressive, clenching her fists, and continued to escalate the confrontation.
A viral video shows Kiara Bryant jumping over the counter and punching an employee in the face repeatedly
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A now-viral surveillance footage reviewed by police shows Kiara Bryant putting on her shoes before moving toward the front desk area. She then leapt over the counter into an employee-only restricted space while yelling profanities and chasing the staff member.
Police revealed she did this twice before the encounter turned physical.
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On her third attempt, she reportedly jumped over the counter again and punched the worker repeatedly in the nose with a closed fist while he attempted to cover his face and did not fight back.
Upon realizing police had been called, Bryant exited the building and tried to leave the scene in her car. However, she was blocked by the bystanders.
In response, she left her vehicle and threatened to “fight everyone” in the parking lot.
Image credits: WPLG Local 10
Police shared Bryant admitted to an officer that she “came up to the victim, got in his face and flinched at him in an aggressive manner because he told her she couldn't be disorderly inside the gym.”
Bryant was arrested and later released on a $150 bond.
The victim’s attorney feels charges against Bryant were not strong enough
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Under Florida law, battery is generally classified as a first-degree misdemeanor where a person intentionally strikes another individual against their will.
According to the state’s law, the conviction can carry penalties of up to one year in jail and a $1000 fine.
The victim’s attorney, Alecsander Kohn, told CBS News Miami that the injuries sustained in the attack warranted more serious charges.
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“She took things too far, brutally battered our client, and ultimately, left him in the hospital with a broken nose and severe emotional distress,” the lawyer said.
He further added, “This would be a case of felony battery,” hoping there would be modifications of the charges given the severity of the injuries.
Felony battery involves serious physical injury or repeat offenses while normal battery covers less severe physical contact.
As of now, no changes have been announced by prosecutors.
The attorney released a set of X-ray photos illustrating the extent of the damage sustained by the victim
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X-ray images shared by Alecsander Kohn with the Daily Mail demonstrate the severity of a broken nose suffered by the victim. The attorney hopes the images support his argument that the case should be treated more seriously than a misdemeanor battery charge.
Kohn also stated his client chose not to speak publicly or be photographed.
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Following the incident, Planet Fitness released a statement confirming it fully cooperated with law enforcement and has taken action against Bryant.
“The safety of our employees and members is our top priority, and we have zero tolerance for violence of any kind in our clubs,” the statement read. “The franchise group worked closely with local police and has cancelled the member in question.”
Bryant joins a growing list of “Karens” who have shown shameful behavior in public, from hitting others to outright racism.
Netizens shared their reactions of the viral clip, "He quit that night"
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