A Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor has been charged with attempted manslaughter after trying to snap the neck of an American airman at Misawa Air Base in Japan. The incident occurred on New Year’s back in 2016.
According to Military.com, Rodrigo Pineda Gomez (pictured behind the woman and to the viewer’s left), a BJJ instructor, was drunk at the Cafe Mokuteki. He stumbled near a booth where a group of airmen were sitting. Words were exchanged, then Gomez hit one of them in the back of the head. Another airman told Rodrigo to calm down, but the BJJ instructor hit him, too.
Gomez’s son then put one of the airmen in a leg lock while the father twisted the airman’s neck violently.
Security showed up, but Gomez and his son refused to follow orders and continued to hit the victims. Rodrigo even hit one of the victims again while he was being led out.
Gomez claims he was acting in self-defense, but security footage shows he instigated the fight.
He will go to trial on August 20.
