Transformers actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans during Mardi Gras after police say he punched two men during an early-morning disturbance.
The incident comes right after a new report claimed LaBeouf had been on a days-long Mardi Gras bar crawl in the city leading up to Fat Tuesday.
Update: TMZ has video that shows the actor getting attacked on the ground by multiple assailants:
What Police Say Happened
According to the New Orleans Police Department, officers were called around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, February 17, to a business on Royal Street after reports of an assault.
Police say LaBeouf was causing a disturbance and becoming increasingly aggressive.
Reuters reports that when a staff member tried to remove him, LaBeouf allegedly struck the staffer several times with closed fists. Police say he left, then returned and became even more aggressive.
Several people attempted to restrain him, briefly releasing him in hopes he would leave. Police say LaBeouf then hit the same staffer again and punched another man in the nose.
LaBeouf was held by bystanders until officers arrived, taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries, and then arrested after his release. He faces two counts of simple battery.
Guardian Names The Location
The Guardian report says the incident happened at Royal Street Inn and Bar in Faubourg Marigny, near the French Quarter. The Guardian also reports that the bar manager tried to escort LaBeouf out, and the alleged punches happened during and after that removal.
The Guardian says LaBeouf was later released on his own recognizance, with a tentative next hearing date set for March 19.
This Comes Right After A “Terrorizing The City” Mardi Gras Report
The arrest landed hours after THR published a piece framing LaBeouf as having been out drinking around Uptown for several days ahead of Fat Tuesday, with multiple bar employees and patrons describing him as loud, belligerent, and trying to lean into the “do you know who I am?” celebrity routine.
The Guardian notes that reports of unruly behavior had been circulating for days and cites a doorman describing LaBeouf arriving at a bar in a “somewhat belligerent state,” plus an anecdote about him trying to get behind the bar and serve drinks.
Background: Past Legal Trouble And Public Sobriety Claims
LaBeouf has had multiple past run-ins with the law over the years. The Associated Press also revisits his prior arrests and notes his history of publicly discussing sobriety and rehab.
As for Tuesday’s case, police have not publicly detailed what sparked the initial disturbance, and they have not provided victim condition updates beyond the allegations in the report.
