Dave Chappelle.Photo: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer has announced new charges againstDave Chappelle’s alleged attacker, Isaiah Lee, just hours after the L.A. District Attorney’s Office referred the case to Feuer’s office.
“What should’ve been an evening of laughter at the Hollywood Bowl this past Tuesday night was suddenly interrupted when suspect Isaiah Lee allegedly charged onto the stage and tackled comedian Dave Chappelle,” Feuer said in a video posted to Twitter on Thursday afternoon.
“The suspect allegedly was carrying a weapon. This alleged attack has got to have consequences, and this afternoon, my office has filed charges alleging battery, possession of a weapon with the intent to assault, and charges relating to interfering with a performance,” he continued.
Added Feuer: “My office takes protecting public safety extremely seriously, and we are going to vigorously prosecute this case.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Police initially saidthat 23-year-old Lee would be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, a felony, but on Thursday, a Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson issued a statement to PEOPLE saying, in part, that the office “has referred the case to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for misdemeanor filing consideration.”
“After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors determined that while criminal conduct occurred, the evidence as presented did not constitute felony conduct. The District Attorney’s Office does not prosecute misdemeanor crimes within the city of Los Angeles,” the spokesperson added.
Neither Chapelle nor any law enforcement officers were injured. One spokesperson says the weapon used was “a replica handgun with a knife,” describing it as a “replica handgun-slash-knife.”
RELATED VIDEO: Dave Chappelle Attacked on Stage During Netflix Is a Joke Festival in Los Angeles
The incident occurred towards the end of his performance at the Netflix Is a Joke Festival Tuesday night when a man in a black hoodie rushed the stage at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, PEOPLE confirmed.
In a memo shared withCNNWednesday,a rep for Chappelle said, “As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show.”
“Jamie FoxxandChris Rockhelped calm the crowd with humor before Chappelle introduced the last and featured musical guests for the evening,” they added.
Chappelle was introducing Black Star when the attack occurred, and the duo went on to perform after the scare.
Amid the chaos, Chappelle told audience members: “Everybody compose themselves. I want this to be a peaceful moment.”
source: people.com
