In the early hours of Wednesday, a scene straight out of an action movie unfolded in Miami's Edgewater neighborhood. Peter Alexander Peraza, a bare-knuckle fighter known on social media as Dirt 2 Gold, was apprehended after a daring escape from a high-rise building. He descended from the 19th floor to the 7th by maneuvering between balconies. The operation involved the SWAT team and kept residents of the luxury Bay Parc Apartments at 1756 North Bayshore Drive on edge until his arrest.
SWAT Operation Triggered by Court Order
The incident began when a SWAT team executed a court order against Peraza, related to an incident on April 1 involving assault and robbery. According to CBS News, the tactical team stormed the 19th-floor apartment, but Peraza fled to the balcony. Witnesses compared his agile descent down the building to a superhero's, as he used the balconies to reach an empty apartment seven floors below.
The apartment's resident, who was not home, noticed Peraza on surveillance cameras and alerted the building's administration. This led the police to locate and arrest Peraza. A bystander recorded part of the operation, exclaiming, “The real Spider-Man... He's got no chance of escape,” as reported by WSVN.
Military-Style Arrest Operation
The police presence on Tuesday night turned into a spectacle. Videos shared by Only in Dade showed heavily armed officers entering the building and searching floor by floor. Peraza was found in the 7th-floor apartment, hiding behind a couch. Security footage captured the moment he was discovered, hands raised.
Witness Lauren Bergman recounted to WSVN, “He answered the phone, and the call said, ‘He's in my apartment, he's in my apartment. Help!’” She added, “I was told I couldn’t leave, so I went back to my apartment to lock the door and balcony. But my balcony wasn’t locked.” Several residents received emergency alerts urging them to stay inside, and chaos left many stranded outside the building.
Documented Violent Past
This recent arrest adds to Peter Peraza's concerning history. According to Local 10 News, on April 1, Peraza and Lillian Rebecca Goodman, 27, broke into the apartment of Goodman's ex-boyfriend in a building located at 10 SW South River Drive.
The police report states Goodman demanded $2,000 from her ex to pay rent. When he refused, she called Peraza, whom the man recognized from a gym called Omega. The situation escalated rapidly: “Peraza forcibly took the cellphone from the victim's hand, threw it down, and began kicking it, saying, ‘I can kill you.’”
They then stole items including a MacBook, a Gucci watch, a camera, and the cellphone. As the victim fled down the stairs, he fell and fractured his right foot with “the bone visibly protruding.” The injuries were severe: “The victim has been unable to walk for three months and requires six months of therapy,” the report adds. Security cameras later captured Peraza and Goodman leaving in a white Jeep with stolen items valued at approximately $4,200.
Charges and No Bail
Peraza faces numerous serious charges, including robbery with assault or battery (punishable by life imprisonment), false imprisonment, grand theft, criminal mischief over $1,000, tampering with a victim, armed burglary, and resisting an officer without violence. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer detailed during the bond hearing, “As of April 1, it constitutes robbery with assault or battery, a crime punishable by life imprisonment if convicted.”
Peraza is currently held without bail at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade. Lillian Goodman was arrested on April 16, but records indicate she is no longer in county custody.
Who is Peter Peraza?
Besides his legal troubles, Peraza is known in the social media world for his career in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). With over 50,000 Instagram followers, he presents himself as Dirt 2 Gold. Some building residents, upon learning his identity, were unsurprised by his daring escape.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peter Peraza's Arrest
What led to the SWAT operation against Peter Peraza?
The SWAT operation was triggered by a court order related to an assault and robbery incident involving Peter Peraza on April 1.
How did Peter Peraza manage to evade police capture initially?
Peraza escaped by sliding down the side of a building, using balconies to descend from the 19th floor to the 7th, before entering an unoccupied apartment.
What charges is Peter Peraza facing?
Peter Peraza is facing multiple charges including robbery with assault or battery, false imprisonment, grand theft, and criminal mischief, among others.