Kanye West Allegedly Punched 18-Year-Old

Kanye West is being investigated by the Beverly Hills Police Department after an alleged assault yesterday, People reports. An 18-year-old man says West hit him, but a source insists the alleged victim actually sparked the incident. The details: Kim Kardashian was dogged by the paparazzi as she headed into a meeting at which West had already arrived. TMZ reports that the teen was actually trying to help Kardashian get inside the building but started yelling racial obscenities at the paparazzi as he did so, and Kardashian scolded him for his choice of words.

The man then started yelling at her—among other things, he reportedly called her an "[n-word] lover." Kardashian then called West, and the man allegedly used the n-word again, this time referring to West. "At this point Kim was seriously afraid for her life," People's source says. "[The alleged victim] was going nuts. Kanye came down to help her but then the guy ran into a chiropractic office so Kim and Kanye walked in after him." Then the man started yelling at Kanye, and the rapper ended up "barely" hitting him, the source says; TMZ reports West punched him. West is already facing assault charges for allegedly attacking a photographer at LAX in July. TMZ adds that Kardashian says the 18-year-old threatened her life, and that she plans on filing her own police report. (More Kanye West stories.)