Man arrested with butcher knife near 'Miami Vice '85' Brooklyn set, no injuries reported
Alex Perez, 23, was taken into custody around 11 p.m. Friday after allegedly brandishing a large knife during a dispute on the Brooklyn shoot of the Michael B. Jordan film.
A man carrying a large butcher knife was arrested near the Brooklyn set of 'Miami Vice '85' late Friday night after allegedly displaying the knife during a dispute, briefly disrupting production on the Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler film.
The New York City Police Department identified the man as Alex Perez, 23, of Brooklyn. He was taken into custody at approximately 11:17 p.m. near Avenue N and McDonald Avenue, close to Washington Cemetery, where the production was filming along Bay Parkway and McDonald Avenue.
The individual was then taken into custody without incident, and the knife was recovered.— NYPD
No one was injured. Perez was charged with menacing with a weapon in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, according to the NYPD.
According to TMZ, which obtained video of the incident, Perez ran across the set before being escorted away by a production staffer, at which point he pulled the large knife from his sweatshirt pocket. TMZ also reports that Perez directed a racial slur at a production staff member while in handcuffs, and that he has five prior arrests involving alleged gang-related activities, assault with a firearm, and burglary.
The NYPD's official account describes the incident as a verbal dispute between Perez and another man in the area, during which Perez displayed the knife. It was not immediately clear whether Perez has retained an attorney.
'Miami Vice '85' is a reboot of the 1980s undercover detective drama, directed by Joseph Kosinski. It was not immediately confirmed whether Jordan or Butler were present on set at the time of the incident.
Why it matters — The incident highlights the security challenges of filming on public streets in dense urban areas, and raises questions about on-set safety protocols for major productions.
⚠ Not yet confirmed
- Perez ran across the set and disrupted filming before the confrontation
- Perez directed a racial slur at a production staff member while in handcuffs
- Michael B. Jordan or Austin Butler were present on set at the time of the incident
- specific reference to confrontation with a crew member (NYPD described it only as a dispute with another man)
Sources differ on Who Perez confronted with the knife: A verbal dispute with another man in the area (nbcnews.com) vs Threatened a production staffer (tmz.com)
Reported by variety.com, nbcnews.com, hollywoodreporter.com, tmz.com
- Austin ButlerAmerican actor (born 1991)
