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23-Year-Old Man Attacks Dave Chappelle Onstage at Comedy Show
During a performance at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday, comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked onstage by a 23-year-old man Tuesday night.
Chappelle was able to continue his performance while the man was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, thanks to security guards who chased and overpowered the attacker.
Authorities said the assailant was carrying a replica handgun with a knife blade inside.
The Los Angeles Police Department said that Mr. Isaiah Lee, 23, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
After being treated for an unspecified injury, Lee was booked into the Hollywood Division jail at 3:36 a.m. on Wednesday and held on $30,000 bail. It was not immediately known whether he had retained an attorney.
Los Angeles police said Chappelle was performing when Mr. Lee jumped onto the stage and tackled the comedian. He then produced the replica handgun containing a knife blade before security tackled him onstage.
In preparation for the “Netflix is a Joke” festival, Chappelle was performing at the amphitheater when the man ran on stage and tackled him. Chappelle thanked Jamie Foxx for responding to the attack as he sat in the wings of the stage.
Chris Rock was there as well and cracked a joke asking Dave Chappelle if the attacker was Will Smith.
During Chappelle’s routine, he mentioned how comedians need to worry more about their personal security in light of the Oscars, where Oscar-winning actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock live on-air for making a joke about his wife’s medical condition.
After the attack, Dave Chappelle “made a joke about him probably being a Trans man.”
A midday statement from Los Angeles police recounted the incident but gave no indication of whether investigators had determined the motive for the attack.
Netflix said in a statement that it cared deeply about the safety of creators and strongly defended the right of stand-up comedians to perform without fear of violence.
Source: The Associated Press
