A Brooklyn man was arrested late Friday night after allegedly confronting a production staff member with a knife on the set of the upcoming film “Miami Vice ’85,” according to police and local reports.
Alex Perez, 23, of Brooklyn, was taken into custody without incident by the New York Police Department around 11:15 p.m. near Bay Parkway and McDonald Avenue, close to Washington Cemetery. Authorities stated that Perez disrupted production during a verbal dispute with a 43-year-old male crew member, allegedly pulling out a large butcher knife that left the staffer fearing for his safety. Police recovered the weapon at the scene, and no injuries were reported.
Perez faces charges of second-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Court and arrest records indicate he has previous arrests involving alleged gang-related activity, assault with a firearm, and burglary.
Production on the high-profile feature, a reboot of the classic 1980s television series, has been underway across New York City and New Jersey. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for his work on “Top Gun: Maverick,” the crime drama stars Michael B. Jordan as Ricardo Tubbs and Austin Butler as James “Sonny” Crockett. Jordan was spotted filming nighttime scenes on the Brooklyn set on the evening of the incident.
The Hollywood project has utilized various locations for its period-accurate aesthetic. Earlier in the month, crews transformed a section of the Preakness Shopping Center in Wayne, New Jersey, into an 1980s Miami streetscape complete with retro storefronts and palm trees. The production also features co-stars Danny Ramirez and Dominic Sessa.
The original “Miami Vice” broadcast on NBC from 1984 through 1989, starring Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as the iconic undercover detectives operating in South Florida. The current feature-length reboot is scheduled for theatrical release in 2028.
