Aspiring mixed martial artist Henny Rojas put his fighting skills to use when an intruder came into his sister’s home in Florida after wandering into the wrong property.
Henny opened up about the incident that took place in Wilton Manors on September 27 while speaking to CBS Miami in an interview published on Wednesday, October 1.
“I don’t like guns; I [wasn’t] looking for a knife or nothing — just God and my hands, that’s it,” Henny explained of how he defended himself against the intruder.
After explaining that he’s been training as an MMA fighter for about three years but hasn’t fought professionally, Henny said that his teen nephew first spotted the intruder enter the living room. He was staying with the teen at his family’s home while his parents, Patrizia Rojas and her husband, were in Miami.
Who Was Lizzie Borden? Meet Killer Set to Be Depicted in Season 4 of ‘Monster’
“He was screaming, ‘Mom, call [the] police, someone has broken into the house,’” Patrizia recalled of a phone call she received from her son during the incident.
The intruder was ultimately identified as Austin Carasani, according to CBS Miami.
Per the outlet, Carasani, 31, told police “he had been drinking at a local club and was attempting to go to his friend Paul’s house who resides in the area” when he entered Henny’s home.
“The guy was freezing and they started punching him in the face,” Henny’s neighbor, Andreas Gomez, told the outlet of what he witnessed amid the altercation.
Henny insisted he was “prepared” when Carasani entered the house, adding, “It’s not my first time; I don’t feel pain.”
Kaia Gerber Opens Up About Dating Lewis Pullman and Past Romances: ‘I Would Give Up Everything’
He added that he didn’t regret going into fighter mode because it’s important to “protect your family.” Henny continued, “There [are] a lot of crazy people [who] don’t believe in God, who [are] only looking for damage.”
Following the incident, Carasani was booked by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and appeared in front of a judge just hours later. In his booking photo viewed by CBS Miami, Carasani had visible cuts and bruises of different shades that covered his mouth and face.
Additionally, court footage obtained by the outlet revealed a judge hit Carasani with a home invasion charge. He is currently in custody on a $20,000 bond, according to the news station.
