WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Miami Southridge Senior High School student has been charged after, officials said, he attempted to take down his principal by performing a wrestling move.
7News cameras captured 18-year-old Gianny Sosa as he walked out of Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, early Friday morning.
The senior defended his actions during Wednesday’s scuffle with principal Humberto Miret.
“What I did, I wasn’t doing intentional. I wasn’t trying to hurt nobody,” said Sosa. “Before this happened, me and the principal, we play-fight. We play around. It was common. Now today, it seems like he wasn’t in the mood.”
Sosa is facing two charges, including battery on a school official.
Cellphone video captured Sosa as he attempted to wrap his arms around Miret’s neck in a hallway.
But the senior was unable to finish the maneuver known as the RKO. Miret stopped the student, placed him in a choke hold and hauled him off to a nearby office.
It was then that Sosa took out his smartphone and began recording himself yelling at Miret as the school official called for backup.
“Don’t touch me, bro!” the student is seen yelling.
Police took Sosa into custody shortly after.
“I knew I had to record it,” he said, “because if I just say it, they’re not gonna believe me. The officer didn’t believe me.”
The student appeared in bond court Thursday morning. It took Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Renatha S. Francis a few moments for the allegation to sink in.
“He was attempting a wrestling move?” she asked.
Sosa’s attorney had to explain the RKO to Francis, saying his client wasn’t even able to grab the principal’s neck.
“He’s literally going like this to the guy. He’s not even holding him. He literally was doing this, and that’s it,” said the attorney as he demonstrated the move.
Thursday afternoon, the student’s siblings rose to his defense.
“This has gone way too far for something that, I don’t think he planned it, or I don’t think those were his intentions,” said Camila Sosa, his sister, “because he did tell all of us he was just going to hug the principal. He wasn’t going to harm him in any way.”
“My brother is trying to go to the Army, you know. He’s trying to do something with his life,” said Mike Sosa, his brother. “He’s not trying to be out here selling drugs or stuff like that. He’s trying to do something with his life, and this guy is just like practically trying to ruin that for him.”
One classmate said Sosa has posted outrageous videos to social media in the past.
“He does crazy stuff,” said student Jonathan Farramalla. “I don’t think he’s good.”
Sosa was being held on a $5,000 bond and was ordered to stay away from Miret.
A Miami-Dade Public Schools spokesperson responded to Sosa’s arrest, saying, “This will result in disciplinary actions according to the Code of Student Conduct.”
Sosa is confident there will be an outcome in his favor at the end of it all.
“I was charged with battery when I never really touched him,” he said. “That didn’t make sense, but it’s already ’cause I’ma beat this case and then I’m gonna make sure that he doesn’t work no more.”
Miret was given the title of Miami-Dade Schools Principal of the Year in 2018.
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