The news is in a frenzy over reports of an alien spotting in Miami this week. The claims come after an incident that caused a massive police presence at the Bayside Marketplace shopping area.
Police responded to reports of a fight, as well as word that multiple individuals in the area shot off fireworks. Several arrests were made, Complex reported.
Footage from the scene made its way to social media and prompted some to push the “Miami mall alien” conspiracy theory. People started pointing to a portion of the footage they insisted captured a tall “creature” of some sort.
However, the portion of the footage in question was not clear, and it didn’t suggest anything other than so-so video quality, Complex reported.
Notably, the theory was being spread by largely alt-right members and questionable accounts on social media platforms.
The Miami Police Department confirmed that multiple officers had responded to “a large fight” at the scene.
“There were no aliens, UFOs, or ETs,” the rep told Complex in an email. “No airports were closed. No power outages. Nothing is being withheld from the public.”
The fight authorities responded to involved “over 50 juveniles possibly armed with sticks,” with reports that some other individuals allegedly involved were “discharging fireworks.”
“Citywide officers were on scene for crowd control due to the juveniles refusing to leave,” the rep added. “Some businesses were temporarily closed to allow us to clear the area but were immediately reopened.”
