Things have gone from bad to worse for Shia LaBeouf in New Orleans. The actor has been arrested for a second time in the city — and this one comes just hours after he gave a candid interview attempting to put the first incident to bed.
According to TMZ, LaBeouf was taken into custody just after 1:30 PM local time Saturday on a new battery charge, with online jail records confirming the arrest. Whether the charge is directly tied to his February 17 Mardi Gras brawl — which saw him hit with two counts of simple battery after an altercation outside R Bar in the French Quarter – remains unclear, though a second warrant had been reported earlier in the day in connection with an additional victim from that same incident.
Following his original arrest, the 39-year-old had been released without having to post bond and was spotted back on Bourbon Street continuing his Mardi Gras night. That carefree exit caught up with him on Thursday, when a judge set bail at $100,000, ordered drug testing, and mandated substance abuse treatment — also taking direct aim at his use of homophobic slurs during the altercation.
Earlier Saturday, LaBeouf had sat down with Andrew Callaghan for Channel 5, maintaining he doesn’t have a drinking problem while admitting the confrontation was triggered by gay men allegedly touching him — comments that have since drawn considerable backlash of their own.
As of writing, no statement has been issued on his second arrest.