A Hollywood actor was arrested in New Orleans early Tuesday after what police described as a chaotic late-night confrontation in the middle of Mardi Gras celebrations.
Shia LaBeouf, 39, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of simple battery following an altercation in the 1400 block of Royal Street, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
Officers responded around 12:45 a.m. after two men reported being assaulted outside a business in the bustling French Quarter area.
Police said LaBeouf was “causing a disturbance and becoming increasing aggressive at a Royal Street business.” When a staff member tried to remove him from the establishment, LaBeouf allegedly struck the employee “with his closed fists on the victim several times.”
“The victims reported that LaBeouf left, but then came back, acting even more aggressive.”
Investigators said several bystanders attempted to restrain the actor outside the business in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood. He was briefly released in hopes he would leave the area.
Instead, authorities allege LaBeouf again punched the same victim, using “closed fists to the victim’s upper body,” before allegedly striking a second person in the nose.
“LaBeouf was again held down until police arrived,” authorities said. “He was taken to a hospital for treatment of unknown injuries. Upon release, he was arrested and charged with two counts of simple battery.”
Video published by TMZ appeared to show LaBeouf shirtless outside the venue before being transported by emergency medical services to a local hospital.
🚨 ALERTE INFO: 🇺🇸 L’acteur Shia LaBeouf a été impliqué dans une altercation nocturne lors du Mardi Gras à La Nouvelle-Orléans ; les ambulanciers sont intervenus sur place et il a ensuite été arrêté. (F) pic.twitter.com/BmCSAdlSr8
— Trump Fact News 🇺🇸 (@Trump_Fact_News) February 17, 2026
Police have not released further details. Representatives for the actor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The arrest marks another legal setback for the “Transformers” star, who has faced multiple run-ins with law enforcement over the years. In 2020, he was charged with misdemeanor battery and theft in a separate incident. He avoided jail time and was ordered to undergo anger management therapy, alcohol monitoring and random testing.
In a 2022 interview with Bishop Robert Barron, LaBeouf spoke candidly about his past behavior and struggles with addiction while promoting his role as St. Padre Pio.
“I had been abusive to women, and had been shooting dogs and willingly been giving women STD’s,” he said. “It’s disgusting. It’s depraved. My mother is embarrassed beyond imagination.”
At the time, he said he had achieved more than 600 days of sobriety and was converting to Catholicism following a public legal battle with former girlfriend FKA Twigs, who accused him in a lawsuit of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress. LaBeouf denied many of the allegations and said he was seeking treatment for PTSD and alcoholism.
Tuesday’s arrest unfolded as Mardi Gras festivities drew massive crowds to New Orleans, turning what should have been a celebratory night into yet another headline-grabbing controversy for the embattled actor.
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