The man who allegedly threw a phone at singer Bebe Rexha during a performance in New York City on Sunday said he did it because he thought “it would be funny,” according to a criminal complaint.
Nicolas Malvagna, 27, was arraigned Monday in New York City on misdemeanor charges of harassment and assault after allegedly throwing a phone at the 33-year-old singer during a concert the night before at Pier 17, a venue at South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan.
Video shared on social media by a concertgoer shows the phone striking Rexha near her eye. She then covers her face and collapses to the ground as crew members rush on stage.
According to the criminal complaint, an unnamed witness told police that he asked “who threw the phone,” and that Malvagna allegedly raised his hand and said, “I did.”
Malvagna then allegedly said: “I was trying to see if I could hit her with the phone at the end of the show because it would be funny,” according to the witness, the complaint states.
He entered a not-guilty plea, according to his attorney, Todd Spodek.
In a statement provided to NBC News, Spodek said: “As a fan, Mr. Malvagna’s sole intention was to have Ms. Rexha take photos with his phone, and return it as a keepsake. It was never his intention to injure Ms. Rehxa.”
The criminal complaint says the incident caused Rexha “redness, swelling, bruising, and a laceration to her eye and substantial pain.”
Rexha was taken to a hospital after the incident, police said.
In a photo thesinger posted to Instagram after the incident, she appears with a bruise on her eyelid and a cut and bandages near her eyebrow.
“Im good,” the caption says.
Malvagna was released on his own recognizance and issued a full temporary order of protection ordering him to stay away from Rexha until at least his next court date on July 31, the complaint said.
It was not immediately clear whether Malvagna entered a plea on Monday. He could face up to a year in jail if convicted, according to Douglas Cohen, press secretary for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Brittany Kubicko contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
