Shia LaBeouf was arrested in the New Orleans area this week after getting into an alleged physical altercation amid Mardi Gras celebrations.
As first reported by TMZ, who included footage of the actor seemingly inside an ambulance in their reporting, the Megalopolis actor was initially said to have been involved in an incident that occurred outside a bar in the French Quarter in the early hours of Tuesday (Feb. 17). The report cites a witness as saying that LaBeouf had been escorted out of an area bar for an unknown reason, with the alleged altercation occurring after.
New Orleans-focused outlet WDSU also reported on the incident, adding that LaBeouf was hit with two charges of simple battery.
While additional details were somewhat scarce as of this article’s original publication, a rep for the New Orleans Police Department provided more details when reached for comment by Complex.
“At approximately 12:45am on February 17, 2026, NOPD officers were called to the 1400 block of Royal Street in response to a simple battery where two victims (two adult males), reported being assaulted,” a department rep told Complex on Tuesday (Feb. 17). “Investigators say a man identified as 39-year-old Shia LaBeouf was reportedly causing a disturbance and becoming increasing aggressive at a Royal Street business. A staff member attempted to eject Mr. LaBeouf from the establishment. Once removed from the building, the victim reported being struck by LaBeouf who used his closed fists on the victim several times.”
According to the police rep, the alleged victims said that LaBeouf then left the scene, but returned and was “acting even more aggressive.” At this point, per police, multiple people tried to intervene.
“Multiple people attempted to hold him down,” the police rep told Complex. “He was eventually let up in hopes that he would leave, but he reportedly again struck the same victim with closed fists to the victim’s upper body. LaBeouf then reportedly assaulted another person, punching him in the nose. LaBeouf was again held down until police arrived.”
The rep also confirmed that LaBeouf was transported to a nearby hospital for “unknown injuries.” Once released, he was “arrested and charged with two counts of simple battery.”
Over the weekend, LaBeouf shared a photo to X in which he was seen adorned with presumed Mardi Gras beads.
Complex has reached out to reps for LaBeouf for comment. This story may be updated.
Before news of the reported arrest broke, the Hollywood Reporter’s Steve Garbarino ran a piece on LaBeouf’s time in the famed Louisiana city. In it, several anonymous sources were quoted, with descriptions of the Honey Boy writer’s alleged behavior ranging from “totally chill” to a claim that he was “terrorizing the city.”
Meanwhile, a separate TMZ report took a softer approach, citing witnesses who said LaBeouf was “friendly and animated” in his interactions.
LaBeouf has been open about his struggles with sobriety in the past, including in a 2022 interview with his Fury co-star Jon Bernthal. The aforementioned Honey Boy, billed as a loosely autobiographical exploration of LaBeouf’s young stardom and his relationship with his father, was written while the actor and performance artist was in a rehab program.
However, LaBeouf later distanced himself from this characterization of the critically acclaimed film, telling Bernthal in 2022 that he “juiced” his dad as part of a narrative that was “just fucking nonsense.”
In July of last year, it was reported that FKA twigs, a former romantic partner of LaBeouf’s who was also featured in Honey Boy, had agreed to settle her lawsuit against the actor. The suit, initially filed in 2020, had alleged that LaBeouf was physically and emotionally abusive.
“Committed to forging a constructive path forward, we have agreed to settle our case out of court,” the two were quoted as saying in a joint statement released by their legal reps at the time. “While the details of the settlement will remain private, we wish each other personal happiness, professional success and peace in the future.”
Last year also saw the release of multiple LaBeouf-led projects, including David Mamet’s Henry Johnson, based on Mamet’s play of the same name, and Björn Franklin’s boxing drama Salvable.