Dave Chappelle attacked: Suspect is now going through 4 misdemeanor prices after DA declines felony prosecution

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The armed man who’s accused of attacking Dave Chappelle on stage on the Hollywood Bowl is now going through a number of misdemeanor prices associated to the incident.

Earlier on Thursday, the Los Angeles County District Legal professional’s workplace introduced 23-year-old Isaiah Lee will not face any felony prices and referred the case to the L.A. Metropolis Legal professional, who solely handles misdemeanors.

Lee has been charged with battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, and two prices associated to interfering with a performer.

“This alleged assault has received to have penalties,” stated L.A. Metropolis Legal professional Mike Feuer in a video message. “My workplace takes defending public security extraordinarily critically, and we’ll vigorously prosecute this case.”

Lee was arrested for assault with a lethal weapon shortly after tackling the comic Tuesday evening. He is being held on $30,000 bail. It is unclear what motivated Lee to run onto the stage.

County prosecutors decided that whereas felony conduct occurred “the proof as offered didn’t represent felony conduct.”

Police stated Lee was armed with a duplicate handgun-knife when he ran onto the stage and tackled Chappelle. Witness video exhibits Chappelle falling again however he managed to shortly free himself as safety rushed out to seize the attacker.

In keeping with ABC Information sources, L.A. County prosecutors selected to not transfer ahead with felony prices as a result of Lee wasn’t brandishing the knife.

He reportedly had it in some kind of bag.

Unique footage from AIR7 HD captured the attacker on a gurney as he was being loaded into an ambulance to be taken to a hospital for unspecified accidents.

“The reproduction handgun, which contained a knife blade, was recovered and booked as proof,” police stated in an announcement.

A spokesperson for Chappelle issued an announcement Wednesday, calling the incident “unlucky and unsettling” however saying he refuses to let it overshadow the record-breaking efficiency on the Hollywood Bowl.

She famous that the comic continued together with his present and labored with Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock to assist calm the group with humor. He’s cooperating with the police investigation into the incident.

Spokesperson Carla Sims’ assertion reads:

“Dave Chappelle celebrated 4 nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking gross sales for a comic on the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for probably the most headlined exhibits by any comic on the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k followers of various backgrounds through the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Pageant, and he refuses to permit final evening’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic second.”

“As unlucky and unsettling because the incident was, Chappelle went on with the present. Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock helped calm the group with humor earlier than Chappelle launched the final and featured musical visitors for the night, hip-hop artists yasiin bey and Talib Kweli, a.okay.a. Black Star, who carried out music from their new album – the primary in almost 24 years – which was launched on Luminary. Different particular comedic visitors final evening included Earthquake, Leslie Jones, Jeff Ross, Sebastian, Jon Stewart and Michelle Wolf.”

A spokesperson for Netflix additionally issued a short assertion: “We care deeply concerning the security of creators and we strongly defend the precise of stand-up comedians to carry out on stage with out concern of violence.”

The comic was not injured within the assault and later joked with the viewers about it.

Comic Chris Rock, who carried out earlier within the evening, got here on stage with Chappelle moments after the assault and joked: “Was that Will Smith?”

ABC Information contributed to this report.