Exclusive

Halle Berry's Fiancé, Olivier Martinez, Gets Into Scuffle With Photographer at Airport

French actor allegedly assaults photographer by kicking him in the leg and wrist while leaving terminal after arriving with his family

By Alexis L. Loinaz Apr 02, 2013 11:12 AMTags
Helle Berry, Olivier MartinezXPOSUREPHOTOS.COM

It was a rough landing in Los Angeles for Olivier Martinez.

Halle Berry's fiancé got into a physical altercation with a paparazzo after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport Monday night from Hawaii with Berry and her daughter, Nahla, at approximately 9:45 p.m., E! News has confirmed.

"Los Angeles Airport Police responded to take a report of an alleged battery that occurred at Terminal 5 prior to Airport Police arriving on scene," LAX said in a statement. "The victim (photographer), alleged he was battered but the suspect fled the location before Airport Police were notified. A battery report was taken and filed by Airport Police and is currently under investigation."

According to eyewitnesses, the trio were making their way out of the terminal when they were swarmed by photographers as they came down an escalator. During the ensuing mayhem, Martinez allegedly assaulted the shutterbug by kicking him in the leg and wrist.

Reportedly, the photographer later grabbed Martinez by the arm to ask to why the 47-year-old actor kicked him, a move that seemed to incense Martinez further. After the actor put Nahla in a waiting SUV, he purportedly stormed back to the photographer and kicked him again.

Berry, who had earlier told the barrage of paparazzi, "Get away, there's a child," then grabbed her fiancé and asked him to get in the vehicle.

Airport police and an ambulance subsequently arrived at the scene. 

Watch: Olivier Martinez's LAX Paparazzo Scuffle

The incident is a double-take of sorts for Martinez: Last Thanksgiving, he got into fisticuffs with Berry's estranged baby daddy, Gabriel Aubry, who claimed that Martinez threatened to kill him if Aubry didn't consent to allowing Berry move to France with Nahla.

Aubry eventually secured a restraining order against Martinez, but not before the dustup left him with a gnarly black eye and a broken rib.

—Reporting by Daniel Ramos