Dave Chappelle was not injured after a person tackled him onstage during the comedian’s performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles Tuesday evening, according to multiple reports
Security officers responded after Chappelle, 48, was attacked, according to NBC News. The suspect reportedly sustained superficial wounds to the arm and face from the guards’ intervention and was taken to an area hospital.
The Los Angeles Police Department told NBC that the man was carrying a replica gun that was able to eject a blade when discharged, though it is unclear if the man tried to use the weapon on Chappelle.
Comedian Chris Rock had taken the stage prior to Chappelle, according to ABC 7, and later came onstage following the incident to joke, “Was that Will Smith?” in reference to the incident at the Oscars in late March when Smith slapped Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s appearance.
Chappelle appeared to momentarily lose composure because of the attack, but later joked about the attacker, saying, “That was a trans man,” according to NPR. The gender identity of the suspect is known as of this report.
The comedian has been criticized in the past for making comments that some LGBTQ+ organizations and critics have considered transphobic and homophobic.
The incident Tuesday evening shocked many audience members, with a BuzzFeed reporter who was in attendance later telling NBC News that everyone in the audience “kind of stood there frozen.”