Actor Shia LaBeouf Arrested in New Orleans on Mardi Gras

NEW ORLEANS, La. (KPEL News) — Actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans in the early hours of Mardi Gras after an altercation inside and outside a French Quarter business left two people injured, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

NOPD officers were called to the 1400 block of Royal Street at approximately 12:45 a.m. Tuesday. Court records cited by nola.com confirm LaBeouf, 39, was booked on two counts of simple battery. He is scheduled to appear in magistrate court Tuesday afternoon.

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What Happened Outside the Royal Street Bar

According to the NOPD press release, LaBeouf was causing a disturbance inside a Royal Street business and becoming increasingly aggressive. A staff member attempted to remove him from the establishment. Once outside, LaBeouf allegedly struck that employee multiple times with closed fists to the upper body.

LaBeouf then left the scene — but came back. When he returned, witnesses say he was even more aggressive than before. Multiple people attempted to hold him down. When bystanders let him go, hoping he would leave on his own, he allegedly struck the same victim again. He then punched a second person in the nose.

Video obtained by TMZ shows LaBeouf shirtless on the street near the scene, and later receiving medical attention from paramedics in the back of an ambulance. He was held down by bystanders until police arrived, transported to a hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries, and arrested upon his release.

LaBeouf Had Been Celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans All Weekend

The arrest didn’t come out of nowhere. LaBeouf had been visible in the city throughout the Mardi Gras weekend. According to nola.com, he attended Sunday’s Krewe of Bacchus parade alongside actor Anthony Mackie, catching throws, posing with fans for photos, and moving through the crowds draped in beads.

LaBeouf also posted photos to X over the weekend showing him in the middle of the festivities.

He has a personal connection to the state. As nola.com notes, LaBeouf is Louisiana Cajun on his father’s side and has family in the area. He was spotted in Slidell last year at the St. Patrick’s Day parade, posing with police officers and other fans. His last name itself is a Cajun variation of the French surname LeBoeuf, with roots going back to Louisiana.

An anonymous bartender told the Hollywood Reporter that when she served LaBeouf earlier in the week — on the Thursday before Mardi Gras — she described his behavior as alarming, saying, “He is terrorizing the city.”

LaBeouf’s Prior Legal Troubles

This is not LaBeouf’s first time facing legal consequences. According to Variety, he was arrested in Savannah, Georgia in 2017 on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct, and was court-ordered to attend rehabilitation following that incident.

LaBeouf has spoken publicly over the years about his struggles with addiction and mental health, attributing some of his behavior to untreated childhood trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. He has pursued various forms of long-term recovery support, including therapy and structured programs. He also converted to Catholicism in 2022 while preparing for the film Padre Pio, a role he said was spiritually transformative.

In a civil matter, singer-actress FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit against LaBeouf alleging sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress. According to Variety, that lawsuit was settled in July 2025.

What Comes Next

As of Tuesday morning, it is unclear whether LaBeouf has retained legal representation for the current charges. The case is expected to move through Orleans Parish’s local court system. Simple battery in Louisiana is a misdemeanor offense under state law.