Shia LaBeouf Arrested for Battery During Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans early Tuesday morning following an alleged altercation during Mardi Gras celebrations, according to New Orleans police. The actor, 39, is facing two counts of simple battery.

Police responded to a call around 12:45 a.m. Local time at a business in the French Quarter, where LaBeouf was reportedly “causing a disturbance and becoming increasingly aggressive.” An attempt by a staff member to remove him from the premises allegedly escalated into a physical confrontation.

According to police statements, LaBeouf struck a man “multiple times with closed fists” after being asked to leave the establishment. Witnesses then told officers that LaBeouf left the area, only to return and continue acting aggressively. Multiple individuals attempted to restrain him before police arrived.

The initial victim reported being struck again by LaBeouf upon his return. A second individual claimed LaBeouf punched him in the nose. LaBeouf was subsequently held by those attempting to restrain him until officers arrived on the scene.

Following the arrest, LaBeouf was transported to a local hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries before being taken into police custody. As of Wednesday, court and jail records did not list an attorney representing the actor. Requests for comment sent to LaBeouf’s publicists have not yet been returned.

Here’s not LaBeouf’s first encounter with law enforcement. He was arrested in New York in early 2017 for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, an incident that was livestreamed. He was later required to attend court-mandated rehabilitation. Later that same year, while filming “The Peanut Butter Falcon” in Georgia, he was arrested again for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and obstruction, resulting in a probation sentence.

More recently, in 2020, LaBeouf faced a misdemeanor battery and petty theft charge in Los Angeles. That same year, he was also the subject of a lawsuit filed by singer FKA Twigs, whose legal name is Tahliah Barnett. Barnett alleged physical and emotional abuse during their relationship, detailing instances of fear, humiliation, and even claims that LaBeouf knowingly transmitted a sexually transmitted disease. The lawsuit was settled in July 2023.

LaBeouf issued an apology following the filing of Barnett’s lawsuit, though he denied the allegations in a 2021 court filing, stating he was not responsible for any injuries or damages she may have incurred.

LaBeouf first rose to prominence as a child actor on the Disney Channel series “Even Stevens.” He transitioned into a successful film career, with notable roles in blockbusters like the 2007 “Transformers” and the 2008 “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.” He has continued to work steadily in independent and mainstream projects.

LaBeouf shares a daughter, born in 2022, with actor Mia Goth. The couple reconciled in 2020 after initially marrying in 2016.

The timing of this arrest, coinciding with the height of Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, is likely to draw significant media attention. The New Orleans Police Department has not released further details regarding the incident, and the investigation is ongoing. It remains to be seen what legal ramifications LaBeouf will face following these charges.