“A famous comedian performed at the Hollywood Bowl. He had finished his performance and as he was leaving the stage, a man who was part of the audience jumped onto the stage and grabbed this celebrity to the ground,” said LAPD Spokesman Officer Lizeth Lomeli.
The 23-year-old suspect was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and taken to a hospital for medical treatment, Lomeli said. The victim “was not injured in the act,” she said.
The weapon is a “knife blade,” Lomeli said.
LAPD officer Rosario Cervantes told CNN the suspect had a knife that was a replica handgun.
The motive for the alleged attack is still unclear.
It was also not clear if Chappelle made an official report to the police.
Chappelle appeared on Netflix is a Joke: The Festival.
Jed Simon, a viewer who was at the show, told CNN that Chappelle was finishing his set and about to introduce a musical performance when a man climbed onto the stage and grabbed the comedian.
Simon said he was sitting in the third row enjoying the show with his friends when he witnessed the incident.
“A guy in front of us just climbed onto the stage. I thought, ‘What the hell is going on here? He came right out of the audience.” Simon told CNN. “The next thing I know he’s lunging at Dave and throwing him to the ground quite aggressively. I thought what’s going on?
CNN correspondent Rachel Crane was also in the audience and described the chaos that followed the attack.
According to Crane, the suspect was carrying a backpack. He was pulled straight onto the stage, where he was muffled when Chappelle said, “Don’t do that on stage, take him off.”
CNN has reached out to representatives from Chappelle, Netflix and the festival for comment. CNN has also reached out to the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Hollywood Bowl for more information.