The weapon Dave Chappelle’s attacker had on him at the time of the incident was confiscated by the Los Angeles Police Department not long after the subsequent brawl. Chappelle was mid-set at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Tuesday night (May 3) as part of the Netflix Is A Joke Festival when 23-year-old Isaiah Lee charged him with what looked like a real gun.
Although it turned out to be a replica, it had a very real knife attached to the end of the barrel. According to TMZ, Lee was able to sneak the weapon through security by circumventing the metal detector near the entrance area.
Following the attack, Lee suffered a brutal beatdown that resulted in a trip to the hospital. He’s currently in custody at the Los Angeles County jail with bail set at $30,000.
Lee was identified later as an aspiring rapper named NoName Trapper, who has a song called “Dave Chappell.” With over 5,7000 monthly listeners on Spotify and around 32,000 Instagram followers, it seems he’s been at it for years. While it’s unclear why he decided to attack Chappelle, some people have speculated he simply wanted attention and/or a jumpstart with his career.
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The incident led to Chris Rock’s first public joke about Will Smith. Smith, of course, infamously slapped Rock on live television during the 94th Annual Academy Awards on March 27. Shortly after the chaos subsided, Rock returned to the stage and asked Chappelle, “Was that Will Smith!?”
Lee has been charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon. Chappelle wasn’t injured during the attack — but Lee certainly was. Photos of Lee shows a swollen right eye, bloody nose, busted arm and several bruises.
