Dave Chappelle: His Attacker Has Been ID-ed, His Gun Was A Fake
Comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked onstage Tuesday night (May 3) as he performed at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl arena as part of the Netflix Is A Joke Festival. The attack happened at the end of Chappelle’s set, and law enforcement officials told TMZ that the attacker pointed a gun at Chapelle as he rushed him on stage. The gun, however, was not real; it was a replica of a semi-automatic. And, oddly, it had a knife attached to it.
Eyewitnesses told the outlet that the attacker attempted to run off stage after rushing Chappelle, but then actor Jamie Foxx and rapper Busta Rhymes, amongst others, swarmed him.
Chappelle continued with his act, telling the audience, “I don’t know if that was part of the show. I grabbed the back of that n—- head, his hair was spongy, absorbent.
Although recording devices including cell phones were prohibited during the show, the attack was recorded via audience members’ cell phones and shared online.
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Chappelle didn’t suffer from any injuries but the attacker was injured and taken by stretcher to an ambulance. The man who attacked Chappelle has been identified as 23-year-old Isaiah Lee and is being held on $30,000 bail, TMZ reports.
Lee, who lives in Los Angeles, was arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon, the Los Angeles Police Department said Wednesday. It’s unclear what provoked the attack.
Moments after the attack, Page Six reported that comedy guest Chris Rock came on stage and gave Chappelle a hug before saying, “Was that Will Smith?” Rock was referring to Smith slapping him after he made a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss at this year’s Oscars.
