A fight erupted in front of “So You Think You Can Dance” star Joshua Allen’s open casket over the weekend, causing deep tension within his family.
A video circulating online shows a young woman leaning over Allen’s casket when an older woman suddenly pulls her back, triggering a chaotic scuffle in the middle of the service. The altercation happened Saturday, November 8, at his funeral in Texas.
Fort Worth police tell TMZ officers were called to the venue twice and remained there until the service concluded after their second visit. No arrests or citations were issued.
Allen’s father, Eddie Powell, told TMZ the woman seen leaning over the casket was Joshua’s girlfriend. He claims relatives on Allen’s mother Angela Tolbert’s side attacked her while she was trying “to place a note on his body and kiss him goodbye.”
Eddie said, “She was his heart. She was trying to help him get mental health treatment when the police got involved instead.” He added that she had hoped to marry Joshua.
He also said Allen’s mother had given the woman “direct permission” to attend the service, adding, “She came in peace. She showed nothing but grace, patience, and love.”
However, at least one attendee has claimed online that the woman who was beaten was actually Allen’s ex-girlfriend. TMZ has reached out to members of Allen’s mother’s family for clarification.
Allen, 36, died after being struck by a train on September 30. His father, who says he left the funeral following the altercation, told TMZ Joshua had struggled with mental health issues for years.
Allen rose to national fame after winning Season 4 of “So You Think You Can Dance,” where the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss finished as runner-up. He later appeared in “Step Up 3D” and the 2011 remake of “Footloose.”
