LOS ANGELES — The man arrested on suspicion of tackling comedian Dave Chappelle during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl will not be charged with any felonies, the district attorney’s office said Thursday.
Isaiah Lee, 23, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, police said, after rushing the stage toward the end of Chappelle’s set in the last of a four-night stint at the outdoor amphitheater as part of the “Netflix Is a Joke” festival.
According to police, he was carrying a replica pistol with large blade and folded it out like a pocket knife.
“After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors determined that while criminal conduct occurred, the evidence as presented did not constitute felony conduct,” the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in a statement.
The case has been referred to the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which prosecutes misdemeanors within the city. The office did not respond to an email that sought comment.
Mendez indicated that Lee was in Jail Records still held on Thursday as a lieu of $30,000 bail. His motive was unknown and it was not clear if he retained a lawyer.
There were many people standing around the sides of the stage. Actor Jamie Foxx, and Busta Rhymes, both rushed to get on the stage to assist Chappelle.
Lee was chased by security guards and taken into custody in an ambulance to be treated for an unknown injury.
“The performances by Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment,” Chapelle’s publicist Carla Sims said in a statement.
Chappelle was attacked as he was wrapping up a routine in which he talked about how comedians have to worry more about their personal security in the wake of this year’s Academy Awards ceremony where the Oscar-winning actor slapped Chris Rock on live television in reaction to a joke about his wife.
Rock was also in the wings of Chappelle’s show, He grabbed the mic and jokingly asked, “Was that Will Smith?”
Read More From Time
