Shia LaBeouf Arrested in New Orleans Following Alleged Mardi Gras Altercation
Shia LaBeouf was arrested early Tuesday morning in New Orleans after allegedly striking two individuals during an altercation at a French Quarter bar amid Mardi Gras festivities, according to local authorities.
The New Orleans Police Department confirmed that LaBeouf was charged with two counts of simple battery. He is expected to appear in court later Tuesday. A representative for the actor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Police said officers were dispatched after reports of a disturbance involving LaBeouf, who was allegedly behaving in an increasingly aggressive manner inside the establishment. According to the department’s statement, bar staff attempted to remove him from the premises. After being escorted out, one alleged victim reported that LaBeouf struck him multiple times with closed fists.
Authorities say LaBeouf then left the scene but returned shortly afterward, allegedly “acting even more aggressive.” Witnesses told police that several bystanders attempted to restrain him in hopes he would calm down and depart. Instead, officers allege that he again punched the same individual in the upper body before striking a second person in the nose.
Multiple people reportedly held LaBeouf down until officers arrived. Police transported him to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries before formally placing him under arrest upon his release.
The incident marks the latest in a series of legal and public controversies for the actor. LaBeouf has previously spoken openly about struggles with substance abuse and anger. In 2020, musician and actor FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit accusing him of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse during their relationship. At the time, LaBeouf acknowledged past harmful behavior, stating, “I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations,” though he later denied specific allegations. The case was settled last summer.
Over the past several days, LaBeouf had reportedly been seen attending various Mardi Gras celebrations throughout the city. According to multiple accounts, his behavior ranged from visibly intoxicated to disruptive. The Hollywood Reporter noted that he appeared shirtless at one venue before complying with requests to put a shirt on. Another bar reportedly asked him to leave after he attempted to position himself behind the bar as a “celebrity bartender.”
LaBeouf’s public image has been shaped as much by his legal troubles as by his work on screen. Once considered one of Hollywood’s most promising young actors, he rose to prominence in projects such as Transformers and Disturbia before shifting toward more experimental and independent filmmaking. In recent years, he has also drawn scrutiny for his involvement with the avant-garde theater collective depicted in the 2024 documentary Slauson Rec, which included footage of him berating and physically confronting members of the troupe.
As of Tuesday afternoon, further details about the alleged altercation had not been released. Authorities have not indicated whether additional charges may follow.
