Update!

Kanye West Sued by Paparazzo for Alleged Airport Attack: "I Was Just Trying to Do My Job," Shutterbug Says

Photographer plaintiff charges that the rapper punched him "without provocation" at LAX

By Natalie Finn Apr 07, 2015 8:53 PMTags
 Kanye West Vasquez/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES

UPDATE: Today Gloria Allred announced that Kanye West and the plantiff have reached a settlement with the terms of their deal remaining confidential.

The statement read: "This case was set for trial next week on April 14, 2015.  However, today we filed a dismissal because the case was settled to the satisfaction of the parties.  We cannot discuss the details of the settlement, except to say that one important aspect of it was an apology by Kanye West to our client, Daniel Ramos."

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Maybe next time Mr. West should just run away as fast as he can.

The rapper was sued today by a paparazzo who maintains that he was attacked by West while trying to take photos of him at Los Angeles International Airport.

Plaintiff Daniel Ramos claims that he was just one of a group of shutterbugs gathered on the sidewalk outside LAX on July 19 at 2 p.m., just to see who might emerge from the terminal. When West appeared, Ramos claims in his lawsuit, he asked the new dad, "Can we talk to you?"

The suit alleges that West turned, spoke to Ramos and then, "without warning or provocation," he "suddenly attacked, punching [the plaintiff] and attempting to wrestle the camera from" Ramos' hands.

Ramos states that he managed to hang onto his camera, but fell to his knees on the ground "with enough force that he sustained injuries to his right hip, as well as accompanying pain and emotional distress." He was taken to the ER at Marina Del Rey Hospital by ambulance to get checked out, according to his attorney, Gloria Allred.

According to an evaluation worksheet released last Friday by the L.A. County District Attorney's Office, Ramos was discharged from the hospital with a contusion and muscle strain. While the DA opted not to file felony charges due to the lack of "significant injury," they referred the case to the L.A. City Attorney's Office to consider misdemeanor prosecution.

"I was just trying to do my job," Ramos told reporters Wednesday at a press conference, Allred by his side. "I am speaking out today because I don't want what happened to me to ever happen to anyone else."

He is seeking unspecified damages for allegations of battery, assault, negligence and interference with the exercise of civil rights.

Vasquez/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES

"Photographers should not be forced to suffer physical attacks simply because they speak to a celebrity," added Allred in her own statement. "Celebrities are not above the law and they have no right or special license to hurt others."

West's manager did not immediately return a request for comment.

—Reporting by Marcus Mulick and Claudia Rosenbaum