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How the Kanye Arrest Went Down

Posted Sep 11th 2008 12:17PM by TMZ Staff

Erik, our cameraman, is on his way back to our offices now, after being interviewed by LAX Police. Here's what happened that led to Kanye West's vandalism arrest at LAX.

Erik says he was at Terminal 4 (American Airlines) when he noticed a still photog taking several pictures of Kanye West. Erik says West rushed the photog and grabbed his camera. A struggle ensued and the still guy was screaming, "Police, help!" Erik says Kanye then took the still camera and threw it on the ground, breaking it into pieces. (Click here to see the video)

Erik then went over to Kanye, his camera rolling, when Kanye's bodyguard walked up to him, realized Erik was taping, and said, "Give me the camera, give me the camera." Erik responded that he had a press pass and had a right to shoot. The assistant then grabbed the camera, ripped off the mic and viewfinder and smashed it to the ground.

Erik says Kanye then tried to leave to board his plane, but cops stopped him before he got to security. The cops then interviewed Erik, the still photog, Kanye and his assistant.

This is where it gets crazy. The cops asked Erik if he videotaped the incident and Erik said he had. That's when Kanye lunged toward him and said, "Give me the fu***ng videotape." Cops had to restrain Kanye as he tried coming at Erik.

The videotape is on its way back to our offices. We will post shortly.

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(Page 11 of 11) Previous 15 Comments

151. this little bitch is out of control. Can sing, can't rap and is ugly to boot. Maybe he should search out the same Dr that helped out outhis mom...you know...kill to birds with one stone. If this punk ass is important...then we are all in deep trouble !

Posted at 7:42AM on Sep 15th 2008 by dustydog4297

152. Honestly, its not really exciting to see Kanye West board an airplane and I would be pretty pissed if a pap was up my butt taking pics too. I think Kanye and his manager definitely handled the situation wrong but like everyone else in this world thinks violence solves everything

Posted at 11:33AM on Sep 12th 2008 by Annoyed

153. TMZ YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF PUCCIES SINCE YOU CALLED THE COPS ON KANYE, YOU GUYS LOVE TO HARASS CELEBRITIES AND WHEN THE TABLES ARE TURNED YOU RUN TO THE COPS AWWWWW POOR TMZ AND THEIR CAMERA LOLZZZZZZ Sh!TS FUNNY

Posted at 12:22PM on Sep 12th 2008 by GO KANYE!

154. Why didnt he fly out of Burbank, or Ontario or the other 100 airports in Southern California. Flying out of LAX is just asking to be bothered by the photogs. And so what,he's taking your picture, you should be flattered because pretty soon nobody is gonna give a hoot who Kanye is.

Posted at 2:38PM on Sep 15th 2008 by bkzk

155. He going down faster , then his mama did when his daddy wasnt home...

Posted at 1:31PM on Sep 12th 2008 by BEN DOVER

156. It's a shame that kanye can't get any privacy. Yes these people choose this public life, their also intitled to have some privacy.

Posted at 8:49PM on Sep 12th 2008 by neicy

157. I think that the paparazzi needs to leave Kanye alone. All celebs deserve thier privacy, TMZ never bothers Jay and B so leave Kanye alone... PLEASE!!!! The papparzzi deserves what they get... I hope they make a law to not allow the celebs to be harrassed all the time by the paparazzi.....

Posted at 6:36AM on Sep 13th 2008 by Takiesha

158. He was wrong to breaking the camears, but something has to be done with the PAPS. There should be a specifiied minimum amount of space the PAP must give the individual. They are all over their cars almost causing accidents, they are in front of their faces when crossing streets which can get them all killed. They are TOO close!

Posted at 9:22AM on Sep 13th 2008 by Sonny

159. Good for him. I think there should be an agency that the stars could hire to sheild them from these leaches. A legal seperation so that no one could trace it back to them. You could hire felons and pay for their silence if they get arrested. If they see a pap taking a picture of their star just walk up with a baseball bat and cripple him. That would stop them. They must be stopped. They are contributing to the dumbing down of this country.

Posted at 9:50AM on Sep 14th 2008 by Tired of seeing these leaches

160. I sick of ppl getting upset with stars(talking about their class and etc.) because they're pissed off that ppl keep taking pics of them. Personally I wonder who most ppl and the razzi would react if ppl were always invading their space, sitting outside their houses, or other places taking pics. It's a shame just because they're in the public spotlight doesn't mean that you want the public to be on your back like the razzi are. And no one's safe starts can't even hang with their kids without the razzi taking pics of them also. There need to be laws against this because most ppl in the same situation would snap. Look at Britney. The razzi needs to chillout and mind they business cause once a star snaps and trys to mess them up they want to call the police when if they weren't doing what they were doing or maybe being more respectful about it they wouldn't have to worry. So I don't think that Kayne's wrong. The razzi are in the wrong because of their aggressive tatics. If so many of their tatics weren't so aggressive I don't think situations like this would be so commonplace.

Posted at 9:20PM on Sep 17th 2008 by KB

161. TMZ YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF PUCCIES SINCE YOU CALLED THE COPS ON KANYE, YOU GUYS LOVE TO HARASS CELEBRITIES AND WHEN THE TABLES ARE TURNED YOU RUN TO THE COPS AWWWWW POOR TMZ AND THEIR CAMERA LOLZZZZZZ Sh!TS FUNNY

Posted at 2:38PM on Sep 14th 2008 by GO KANYE!

162. TMZ YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF PUCCIES SINCE YOU CALLED THE COPS ON KANYE, YOU GUYS LOVE TO HARASS CELEBRITIES AND WHEN THE TABLES ARE TURNED YOU RUN TO THE COPS AWWWWW POOR TMZ AND THEIR CAMERA LOLZZZZZZ Sh!TS FUNNY

Posted at 2:41PM on Sep 14th 2008 by GO KANYE!

163. Kanye is such a whiner...Somebody needs to pop his balloon head. The pappo had every right to be there w/ a press pass. He should have expected this kind when he signed on to record albums. It's not like he's the ONLY one who gets his pic taken, countless celebs get their pix taken. He makes millions for his half assed lyrics and crappy vocals, so he shouldn't be complaining about a few pics.

Posted at 9:43PM on Sep 14th 2008 by nora

164. Kanye... You're a BiG Man... BIG Man! If you didn't have a bodyguard with you you'd get bitch-slapped by a eigth grader.

Posted at 1:41AM on Sep 15th 2008 by Ash

165. KB Your problem is,you think too much. Kanye is a celebrity..........he can't just pick & choose when he is being photographed. the airport was publc domain, the photogragher had a pass, Weste was the aggressor as videotape will attest. If celebrities of his ilk weren't so arrogant & egocentric, viscious attacks on their part, would not occur.

Posted at 12:20AM on Sep 18th 2008 by Mike

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