Shia LaBeouf was taken into custody just after midnight on Tuesday in New Orleans following an incident during Mardi Gras in which police say the 39-year-old actor assaulted two men.
According to a police statement, officers answered a call at about 12:45 a.m. (0645 GMT) to a business on Royal Street after two men reported being assaulted. Police said LaBeouf had been creating a disturbance and grew increasingly aggressive. When a staff member at the establishment attempted to remove him, the statement alleges LaBeouf struck the employee several times with closed fists.
The statement says the victims told officers that LaBeouf left the site but then returned and behaved even more aggressively. Several people in the vicinity tried to restrain him and briefly allowed him to get up in the hope that he would depart. Police allege he then struck the same staff member again, punching the person's upper body, and subsequently punched another man in the nose.
Bystanders held LaBeouf until officers arrived on scene, the police statement said. He was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries and released from medical care. Authorities charged him with two counts of simple battery.
Police provided no further information about what prompted the disturbance on Royal Street, nor did they disclose details on the injuries or current condition of the two men who reported being assaulted. The actor has a documented history of prior arrests and legal matters, including previously pleading guilty to a charge of obstruction, the police statement noted.
Clear summary
- LaBeouf arrested after an alleged assault on two men during Mardi Gras in New Orleans; charged with two counts of simple battery.
- Incident took place in the early hours at a Royal Street business; bystanders restrained the actor until police arrived.
- He was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries and released; police did not provide details on what triggered the disturbance or the victims' conditions.
Key points
- Law enforcement response - Officers were summoned around 12:45 a.m. (0645 GMT) to a business on Royal Street after two men reported assaults.
- Charges and prior history - LaBeouf faces two counts of simple battery; the police statement referenced his earlier legal troubles, including a guilty plea to obstruction.
- Potential sector relevance - The incident involves a public figure in the entertainment sector and occurred during a major hospitality and tourism event, which could be of note to media outlets and local hospitality operators tracking reputational or operational impacts during large public gatherings.
Risks and uncertainties
- Unknown trigger - Police gave no additional details on what provoked the disturbance at the Royal Street location.
- Victims' conditions not disclosed - Authorities did not provide information about the injuries or current condition of the two men who reported being assaulted.
- Ongoing legal uncertainty - While charges have been filed, the eventual legal outcome and any further developments remain unspecified in the police statement.