A New York City man faces criminal charges after police arrested him for allegedly brandishing a knife near the active production of an upcoming feature film in Brooklyn. The incident occurred late Friday night as crews worked on the project titled “Miami Vice ’85.”
According to the New York Police Department, officers received an emergency call at approximately 11 p.m. reporting a man brandishing a weapon near the intersection of Avenue N and McDonald Avenue in the borough’s Midwood or Kensington area. The caller, identified by authorities as a 42-year-old man, told investigators that he had engaged in a verbal dispute with an unidentified individual before the man pulled out a knife.
Responding officers took 23-year-old Brooklyn resident Alex Perez into custody without incident following the encounter. Police charged Perez with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon. Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported during the incident.
Footage of the confrontation captured on video shows a man identified in reports pulling a large butcher’s knife from the pocket of a black sweatshirt. The Brooklyn district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the arrest, and it remained unclear whether Perez had retained legal representation.
While the verbal dispute and subsequent arrest unfolded near Avenue N and McDonald Avenue, local news reports indicated that the “Miami Vice ’85” film set was operating nearby along Bay Parkway and McDonald Avenue, adjacent to Washington Cemetery. Universal, the studio producing the movie, did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the security incident or production schedule.
The high-profile project is being directed by Joseph Kosinski, whose previous directorial credits include “Top Gun: Maverick” and the racing film “F1.” According to promotional materials and company social media posts released by Universal, the film entered production on October 12 and stars Michael B. Jordan as detective Tubbs alongside Austin Butler as detective Crockett.
The feature is a new adaptation inspired by the iconic 1980s television police drama created by Anthony Yerkovich. The property previously inspired a 2006 theatrical film adaptation directed by Michael Mann, which underperformed commercially upon its release.
