In the early hours of Wednesday, a scene worthy of an action movie unfolded in the heart of the Edgewater neighborhood in Miami, when Peter Alexander Peraza, a bare-knuckle fighter known on social media as Dirt 2 Gold, was arrested after a dangerous escape from a skyscraper, descending between balconies from the 19th floor down to the seventh.
The operation involved the SWAT team and kept the residents of the luxury apartment building Bay Parc, located at 1756 North Bayshore Drive, on edge until the suspect was arrested.
A court order triggers the operation
It all started when a SWAT team executed a judicial order against Peraza in connection with an incident that occurred weeks earlier, specifically on April 1, linked to a case of assault and robbery.
According to CBS News, the tactical team raided the 19th-floor apartment, but the suspect fled to the balcony and, with movements that many witnesses compared to those of a superhero, slid down the side of the building using the balconies until he reached seven floors below, where he entered an unoccupied unit.
The resident of that apartment was not at home, but upon seeing Peraza on the surveillance cameras installed in their residence, they alerted the building management.
This allowed the police to locate Peraza and proceed with his arrest.
A witness recorded part of the operation and exclaimed: “The real Spider-Man... has no chance of escaping”, as revealed by WSVN.
The arrest: A militarized operation
The police deployment on Tuesday night turned into an urban spectacle. Videos shared by Only in Dade showed heavily armed agents entering the building and searching floor by floor.
Peraza was found inside the seventh-floor apartment, where he was crouching behind a sofa.
The security cameras captured the exact moment he was found, with his hands raised.
“She answered the phone, and the call said: ‘She’s in my apartment, she’s in my apartment. Help!’,” recounted Lauren Bergman, resident and direct witness to the incident (WSVN).
"They told me I couldn't go out, so I went back to my apartment to close the door and the balcony. But my balcony wasn't closed," he added.
Some neighbors received emergency alerts urging them not to leave their apartments. The chaos was such that several residents were stranded outside the building.
A documented violent past
The current arrest of 35-year-old Peter Peraza adds to a troubling history.
According to Local 10 News, on April 1, Peraza, along with 27-year-old Lillian Rebecca Goodman, broke into the apartment of a man, Goodman's ex-boyfriend, in the building located at 10 SW South River Drive.
According to the police report, Goodman demanded $2,000 from his ex-partner to pay the rent, and when the victim refused, he called Peraza, whom the man recognized from a gym called Omega.
The situation escalated quickly: “Peraza forcibly took the cellphone from his hand, threw it to the ground, and started kicking it, telling him: ‘I can kill you.’”
They then proceeded to steal belongings from the victim, including a MacBook, a Gucci watch, a camera, and a mobile phone.
As she fled down the stairs, the victim fell and fractured her right foot with "the bone visibly protruding."
The damage was severe: "The victim has been unable to walk for three months and needs six months of therapy," the report adds. Subsequently, security cameras captured Peraza and Goodman leaving the building in a white Jeep, taking items valued at around $4,200.
Charges and detention without bail
Peraza faces a series of serious charges, including: robbery with assault or injury (punishable by life imprisonment); illegal deprivation of liberty; grand theft; criminal damage exceeding $1,000; manipulation of a victim; armed robbery; burglary; and resisting an officer without violence.
This was detailed by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer during the bond hearing: “Starting April 1, it is considered robbery with aggression or injury, a crime that carries a life sentence if found guilty.”
Currently, Peraza remains detained without the right to bail at the Turner Guilford Knight (TGK) Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade.
For her part, Lillian Goodman was arrested on April 16, although, according to records, she is no longer in a county facility.
Who is Peter Peraza?
In addition to his encounters with the law, Peraza is known on social media for his career in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).
With over 50,000 followers on Instagram, he presents himself as Dirt 2 Gold. Some residents of the building, upon learning his identity, were not surprised by his determination to escape.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Escape and Arrest of Peter Alexander Peraza in Miami
Who is Peter Alexander Peraza and why was he arrested?
Peter Alexander Peraza is a fighter known on social media as Dirt 2 Gold, who was arrested after starring in an escape from a skyscraper in Miami. He was apprehended by the SWAT team due to charges related to an assault and robbery case that occurred on April 1.
How did Peter Peraza manage to escape from the SWAT team?
During the SWAT team's operation, Peraza descended along the side of the building from the 19th floor to the seventh using the balconies, in a maneuver that witnesses compared to that of a superhero.
What charges does Peter Peraza face?
Peraza faces multiple serious charges, including robbery with aggression or injury, illegal deprivation of liberty, grand theft, and breaking and entering. These charges could result in a life sentence if he is found guilty.
Where is Peter Peraza currently detained?
Peter Peraza is being held without bail at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade, while awaiting his court proceedings.
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