Isaiah Lee, the man accused of attacking comedian Dave Chappelle (The Closer) at his performance at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night, will not face felony charges, according to CNN. Lee still remains in police custody.
Greg Risling, a spokesperson for the DA, said in statement, “After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors determined that while criminal conduct occurred, the evidence as presented did not constitute felony conduct.”
However, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said that Lee was charged with four misdemeanors, including battery and possession of a weapon. It was revealed Wednesday that Chappelle had concluded his act and was allegedly attacked by Lee as he jumped on the stage and tackled him to the ground. After taking Lee to the hospital, police confiscated a knife from the suspect.
“We are reviewing our existing procedures both internally and with the assistance of outside experts so we can continue to provide a safe and secure environment at the Hollywood Bowl,” said Sophie Jefferies, public relations director at the Hollywood Bowl, via CNN. “We have implemented additional security measures, including an increased number of security personnel on-site to assist with bag checks and other security procedures.”
Chappelle reportedly continued with his act following the incident, with the help of comedians Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained) and Chris Rock (Everybody Hates Chris), who “helped calm the crowd with humor before Chappelle introduced the last and featured musical guests for the evening.”
In a statement released Wednesday, Netflix spoke out about the attack, “We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence.”