BEVERLY HILLS—Singer Justin Bieber accidentally hit a paparazzo with his pickup truck outside the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, July 26, authorities reported.
The collision was reported at about 9:24 p.m., Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) officials indicated. Officers arrived at the scene on Hamilton Drive near Wilshire Boulevard, where the theatre is located.
Bieber reportedly left a City Church worship service at the theatre and was swarmed by paparazzi. Video obtained by TMZ showed the singer getting into his black pickup truck and starting the engine, before driving slowly through the crowd. As he accelerated, one of the photographers was struck by the right side of the vehicle.
Bieber reportedly got out of his car and stayed by the cameraman’s side for about 10 minutes, until paramedics arrived. According to the video, he asked the other photographers to give the injured man some space. He remained at the scene while officers investigated, according to reports.
“Mr. Bieber cooperated with the investigation and was subsequently released,” Lieutenant Elisabeth Albanese, Public Information Officer for the BHPD, indicated in a press release. “The paparazzo was transported to a local area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”
The 57-year-old photographer is expected to be okay. Bieber was released without a citation. Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian were reportedly at the church event, but were not involved in the collision. Their Aston Martin was parked by the accident scene, according to reports. The sisters were later seen arriving at Craig’s restaurant in West Hollywood.
The incident occurred days after the “Sorry” singer canceled the remaining dates of his Purpose Tour “due to unforeseen circumstances.” The tour, which began in Seattle in March 2016, was slated to continue in North America and end with stops in Asia.
“Justin loves his fans and hates to disappoint them. He thanks his fans for the incredible experience of the Purpose world tour over last 18 months,” a representative said in a statement, released on Monday, July 24. “He is grateful and honored to have shared that experience with his cast and crew for over 150 successful shows across six continents during this run.”
Bieber, 23, rose to fame in 2009, after a talent manager discovered YouTube videos of his song covers. He won the American Music Award for Artist of the Year in 2010 and 2012 and was nominated for several Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, for “Purpose,” which was released in November 2015. He was also listed by Forbes as one of the top 10 most powerful celebrities in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
In 2016, he won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for his single “Where Are U Now.” He was featured in several collaborations, including DJ Snake’s “Let Me Love You,” the remix of Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” and DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One.” Since his debut, he has sold approximately 100 million records.
Written By Joanne Yi
