Actor Gene Hackman slaps man in Santa Fe

Gene Hackman

Police in New Mexico say Gene Hackman was acting in self-defense when he slapped a homeless man who had become aggressive toward the Oscar-winning actor and his wife. 

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the incident occurred Tuesday afternoon in downtown Santa Fe. Police didn't immediately provide any additional details. 

A message seeking comment was left for Hackman's publicists at Guttman Associates in Beverly Hills, Calif. 

Hackman and his wife have a home in Santa Fe. The 82-year-old actor has won two Academy Awards and been nominated for three others over a career that has spanned five decades.

Actor Gene Hackman slaps man in Santa Fe