Hollywood
Kanye West avoids battery charges after investigation into paparazzi incident
The rapper avoids a battery charge after paparazzi incident where he was recorded throwing a woman’s phone.
Kanye West won’t be charged with anything after an investigation into the previous paparazzi incident that occurred earlier this year. In January the rapper was seen in a viral video snatching a paparazzi’s phone and throwing it into the middle of the street.
Fortunately for the rapper, after an investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s department into the incident, West will not face charges for the recorded exchange. According to the report, acquired by TMZ, the phone only suffered minor damages affecting the $30 phone case.
Initially, when reported, the incident could have ended with Kanye West facing charges for battery. However, the photographer and owner of the phone has declined to press charges against Kanye.
What happened?
In late January, Kanye West was filmed taking the photographer’s phone and tossing it into the street close to a gym where his daughter North was playing basketball at the time. In the video, the rapper is seen asking the paparazzi not to film him while he was spending time with his kids.
A few weeks after the incident, Kanye was seen outside of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s department. According to TMZ the rapper was there discussing exchanges he had with the paparazzi previously.
Kim Kardashian speaks out
Shortly after the initial incident, West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian, with whom he shares four kids, was also seen protecting her children from the paparazzi.
After the reality TV Star was seen leaving her daughter North West’s basketball game alongside her other children, a paparazzi asked her questions about West’s alleged incident.
“Hey Kim, what do you think of Kanye hitting someone…. The paparazzi’s phone?” the cameraman is heard asking.
In the video, obtained by Page Six, Kim Kardashian is seen turning directly to the cameraman and saying, “Do not talk to me about that in front of my kids,”
The cameraman promptly apologizes. Also in the video one of Kardashian’s children is heard shouting “Please Leave!”