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Director Michael Bay Hurt In Alleged Shakedown On 'Transformers' Set

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Hollywood action film director and producer Michael Bay was injured Thursday after he was reportedly assaulted on the set of his latest "Transformers" sequel, according to reports.

Police say two brothers approached Bay on the set of "Transformers 4" in Hong Kong and demanded payment of nearly $13,000, according to Reuters.

When Bay refused to pay, one of the brothers assaulted Bay, along with three police officers who tried to intervene, Reuters reported.

According to Variety, which cited a Paramount spokesman, a man "allegedly under the influence of narcotics" stormed on set and swung an air conditioner unit at Bay's head.

The filmmaker behind box office hits including "Armageddon" and "Bad Boys" then "ducked and wrested the air conditioner from his attacker, preventing what could have been a serious accident," according to the statement reported by Variety.

Police said the younger brother was arrested on suspicion of blackmail and assault, while the elder brother was also arrested on suspicion of assault, according to the report.

It was not immediately clear why the brothers were demanding payment.

Bay suffered injuries to the right side of his face, but declined medical treatment following the alleged assault. The injuries were not considered serious, police told Reuters.

Filming resumed following the incident, according to the report.

There was no immediate comment from Bay or his representatives.

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