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Gary Leroy Johnson, Florida Father, Referees Son's Fight, Pummels Teen Who Beat His Boy (Graphic Video)

Gary Johnson

First Posted: 09/01/11 11:55 AM ET Updated: 11/01/11 06:12 AM ET

A Florida father refereed a backyard brawl between his son and another youth, then pummeled the 16-year-old who fought his child, according to police.

Gary Leroy Johnson, 35, was arrested on charges of aggravated battery, child abuse and filing a false report after footage of the vicious beating appeared online.

Johnson allegedly organized a fight between his son and another youth behind his Palm Bay home on Aug. 19, according to CFNews13.

After his son quit fighting, Johnson -- described as 6-feet 5-inches tall and 220 pounds by WESH -- exchanged words with the other teen.

"You want to get knocked the (expletive) out by me, boy?" he asks the victim, according to The New York Daily News.

"I would like to see that," the teen replies, The Daily News notes.

GRAPHIC VIDEO:

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Johnson can then be seen punching the teen, knocking him over. He hits the boy repeatedly while the victim is on the ground, then kicks teen in the head, on a longer version of the video posted by WESH.

A woman, identified as the teen's mother by CFNews13, can be heard shouting in an attempt to stop the fight.

The assault appears to end when Johnson's son pulls his father away from the victim.

Johnson told police he agreed to oversee his son's fight to make sure it was fair, ABC News reports.

Investigators believe Johnson lied to officers by claiming the teen was the aggressor -- despite video showing him striking the teen while he was on the ground.

Johnson was released on $35,000 bond. He has reportedly been suspended from his job as an emergency room technician.

 
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04:32 PM on 09/02/2011
First of all, Gary Johnson must have forgotten HE was the adult. The teen got close to him with his chest, but posed no threat. His behavior leads me to believe that he mistreats his own son. If that is the case, I hope the teen contacts CPS on him. Secondly, no one has a right to lay their hands on a person like that, uinless their life is in danger. The Father was more than TWICE the size of the teen, which makes him a MAJOR COWARD. I sincerely hope he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and that he has to pay the teen punitive damages for that vicious assault. The guy couldnt have punched the teen in the arm, so he goes for the teen's ear? I pray he didnt rupture the teen's ear drum, or that he doesnt have future problems with that ear. Bottom line: The guy was out of line, and needs to be held accountable for his bad choice. I believe the guy needs major therapy, and hope he realizes what he did as he sits in prison. He has severe anger issues.
Sergeant
Dress Right
02:28 PM on 09/02/2011
Gimme two steps, gimme two steps mister, gimme two steps to the door....
02:15 PM on 09/02/2011
- this guy would learn how to punch properly (although the teen is lucky that Johnson punched like a sissy). Oh well, watch http://goo.gl/8SvZ7
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CDL1
Sultry in Seattle
01:44 PM on 09/02/2011
Guess the guy was peeved that his son isn't the big bad brawler he was raised to be. I would hate to be related to the guy. If he's got enough anger to beat a neighbor kid like that there's no telling what he might do. What he really needs is a good beat down. He'll probably get that in prison.
01:18 PM on 09/02/2011
The young punk walked up to an older punching machine, mashed some buttons and got punched. . Watch - http://goo.gl/WoD9L
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09:23 AM on 09/03/2011
ITS FUNNY HOW YOU CAN MAKE COMMENTS ON SOMETHING THAT HAS NO MERIT, THIS VIDEO SHOWS NOTHING OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AND THE WORDS THAT WERE SHARED BEFORE THE BEAT DOWN THE FULL VIDEO IS PROOF IN ITS SELF THAT THIS DAD HAD IT OUT FOR THIS BOY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FIGHT HE GRABS THIS BOY NUMEROUS TIMES BY THE BACK OF HIS NECK TRYING TO GIVE HIS BOY THE UPPER HAND
01:18 PM on 09/02/2011
Germany or Florida? Anyway, you'd think that after watching so much MMA - which, I bet, is the reason for this silliness - this guy would learn how to punch properly. Watch - http://goo.gl/WoD9L
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
indiecratublican
I am what I am.
12:59 PM on 09/02/2011
How can this caveman expect to monitor a fight when he's clearly biased? He essentially took out his disappointment that his son lost to the other out on the kid, who would not be expected to use adult judgement in the first place. Give him time and let him realize how tough he really is. He was unfair to the kid now let him feel that same unfairness. Time to face responsibility "dad".
02:51 PM on 09/02/2011
Wrong. He didn't take out his disappointment over his son's loss on this kid... he and this kid had words, and got into a mutual physical altercation.

Not excusing Johnson's actions here - he should have walked away instead of arguing with the kid, and he should be prosecuted and locked away for his actions. However, he didn't simply assault and innocent kid for no reason... the kid got in his face and challenged him, something I'm sure he'll think twice about before doing again.
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indiecratublican
I am what I am.
03:11 PM on 09/02/2011
So his kid losing had nothing to do with his emotional state at the time. Not to mention we don't know exactly all was said in their exchange of words to warrant the kid's reaction in the first place.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
motoGpifupleez
watching with amusement
12:54 PM on 09/02/2011
Now if he would just find a small Woman being held to the ground, he could step on her neck and head an earn a place on Rand Paul's campaign staff.
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LuvDaH8ters
the only constant thing in life, is change
12:53 PM on 09/02/2011
Had to be florida......
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twigtrigtrack
Aquila non capit muscas
12:43 PM on 09/02/2011
Germany or Florida? Anyway, you'd think that after watching so much MMA - which, I bet, is the reason for this silliness - this guy would learn how to punch properly (although the teen is lucky that Johnson punched like a sissy). Oh well, he should learn a thing or two in the pen
12:52 PM on 09/02/2011
Whats with the Germany comment? How are you comparing the two?
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twigtrigtrack
Aquila non capit muscas
01:24 PM on 09/02/2011
Adam Carolla had a radio show that contained a "Germany or Florida" segment. Basically, he would recite a couple facts and the listeners had to guess whether it happened in Germany or Florida (as the weirdest news stories seemed to come from those places). http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=germany%20or%20florida
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12:39 PM on 09/02/2011
The young punk walked up to an older punching machine, mashed some buttons and got punched.

He won't learn tho, next time he'll have a gun or a knife to even the match.

Violence escalates Violence.
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02:06 PM on 09/02/2011
NO HE LIVES IN FLORIDA NOT NEW YORK
12:37 PM on 09/02/2011
What the Adult did was wrong but the kid bares some of the blame.. Watch - http://goo.gl/NvLwC
06:46 AM on 09/03/2011
There was an adult there?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
smokeystover39
12:35 PM on 09/02/2011
Gary Leroy Johnson appears to have a severe anger problem - just check the video again - as such he should be terminated as an emergency room technician. Here's the reasoning: some emergency room patients can become combative - really combative due to their injuries and NO hospital can afford to have a technician who exhibits such poor judgement in combination with a hair trigger anger problem. Even having him around patients as a toilet attendant would be risky. Now for the ultimate punishment: after the legal system has its way with "Leroy" the parents of the lad he beat up will have a field day cleaning this guys financial clock. So long "Leroy".
12:35 PM on 09/02/2011
No calling the guy a animal, no talk about welfare, no talk about terrible parenting due to liberal government assistance­, not one reference to thug. Watch - http://goo.gl/NvLwC
12:32 PM on 09/02/2011
I made that comment earlier. plagurizin­g peoples comments isn't going to get you any fans!..Watch - http://goo.gl/NvLwC
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09:48 AM on 09/03/2011
I WATCHED THIS VIDEO IT MAKES ME LAUGH. HOW THE MEDIA CAN TAKE A VIDEO AND CUT AND PASTE AND GIVE IT ANOTHER TOTALLY DIFFERENT VIEW THEN WHAT REALLY HAPPENED THE FATHER THREATENED THE BOY WITH PHYSICAL VIOLENCE THE BOY SAID ID LIKE TO SEE THAT THEN THE FATHER PLUNDERS HIM WITH A PUNCH IN THE HEAD. THE BOYS ADRENALIN IS ALREADY OVER THE ROOF HE WANTS TO CONTINUE FIGHTING WITH THE BOY THE DAD STEPS BETWEEN THE TWO BOYS AND GIVES THE BOY GRIEF AND THREATENS TO HIT HIM