Actor Shia LaBeouf is facing criminal charges in New Orleans following two alleged assault incidents that occurred as Mardi Gras celebrations were ramping up in the city.
The New Orleans Police Department confirmed that LaBeouf, 39, was taken into custody on Tuesday, Feb. 17, after officers responded to reports of violence in the French Quarter. According to authorities, police were dispatched to the 1400 block of Royal Street at around 12:45 a.m., where two men told officers they had been assaulted.
Investigators said LaBeouf was allegedly creating a disturbance at a nearby business and becoming increasingly aggressive. After the incidents, the “Megalopolis” actor was transported to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries before being booked on two counts of simple battery. His custody status was not immediately disclosed. Representatives for LaBeouf have been contacted for comment.
What Police Say Happened?
According to law enforcement, staff at a local establishment attempted to escort LaBeouf out after he allegedly became disorderly. After being removed, the actor is accused of striking a man several times with closed fists in the area.
Police say LaBeouf briefly left the scene but returned shortly afterward and behaved even more aggressively. While bystanders attempted to restrain him, authorities allege he struck the same man again in the upper body. In a separate incident, LaBeouf is also accused of punching another man in the nose. Witnesses reportedly held him until officers arrived.
Footage obtained by TMZ appears to show LaBeouf being transferred by paramedics at the scene before his arrest.
Bar Crawl Reports Before the Arrest
Multiple employees from bars in the area told The Hollywood Reporter that LaBeouf had been participating in what they described as an extended bar crawl across New Orleans since the previous Thursday. Robert Skuse, a doorman at Ms. Mae’s dive bar, said the actor appeared “inebriated” and “somewhat belligerent” during a Sunday night visit. Skuse also claimed LaBeouf arrived shirtless and without cash and was asked to leave after attempting to act as a “celebrity bartender.”
A Pattern of Past Legal Issues
This is not LaBeouf’s first run-in with the law. The actor has faced multiple legal incidents over the years. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after an incident at a Broadway performance. In 2017, LaBeouf was arrested in Savannah, Georgia, on charges including public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and obstruction; he later pleaded guilty to two of those charges after the intoxication count was dropped.
In 2020, LaBeouf faced misdemeanor charges for petty theft and battery in Los Angeles after allegedly using force against another man. Separately, he was sued by former partner FKA Twigs in December 2020 over allegations of physical, emotional, and mental abuse during their relationship. That civil case was settled in July 2025.
The latest arrest adds to the actor’s long history of public controversies and legal troubles, once again placing him under intense scrutiny as Mardi Gras festivities continue in New Orleans.
Source: USA Today