( CNN ) -- Woody Harrelson defended his clash with a photographer at a New York airport Wednesday night as a case of mistaken identity -- he says he mistook the cameraman for a zombie . Woody Harrelson says he got into a clash with a photographer because he mistook him for a zombie . The TMZ photographer filed a complaint with police claiming the actor damaged his camera and pushed him in the face at La Guardia Airport , according to an airport spokesman . `` We 're looking into this allegation and if it 's warranted , we 'll turn it over to the proper authorities , '' said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Ron Marsico . The photographer , who was not identified , captured the encounter on a small camera after his larger one was broken . Harrelson , who is being sued by another TMZ photographer for an alleged assault in 2006 , did not deny his involvement . `` I wrapped a movie called 'Zombieland , ' in which I was constantly under assault by zombies , then flew to New York , still very much in character , '' Harrelson said in a statement issued Friday by his publicist . `` With my daughter at the airport I was startled by a paparazzo , who I quite understandably mistook for a zombie , '' he said . TMZ.com posted two videos of the incident , including one recorded by the larger camera before it was damaged . The first video shows the photographer following Harrelson and his daughter down an escalator and out of the terminal . It ends with Harrelson apparently reaching for the lens . The second video begins with the photographer accusing Harrelson of breaking his camera . After Harrelson returns the camera to him , a scuffle appears to ensue . `` Woody , this is assault . Woody , this is assault , '' the photographer is heard saying . `` Woody , chill out . Would you please chill out ? '' The photographer continues to follow Harrelson for another four minutes as the actor and his daughter walk to the airport parking lot . At one point , Harrelson again turns toward the cameraman . `` I 'm being chased by Woody Harrelson while I 'm talking to you , '' the photographer says as he talks to an unidentified person on a cell phone . `` He hit me in my face , he broke my friggin ' camera , he broke the camera in pieces , '' he said . Harrelson , his daughter and a driver get inside an SUV and the encounter ends . In the movie `` Zombieland , '' Harrelson plays `` the most frightened person on Earth '' looking for refuge from zombies , according to the Internet Movie Database . Filming on the movie wrapped in Atlanta , Georgia , on Wednesday , according to director Ruben Fleischer 's Web site . TMZ photographer Josh Levine filed a lawsuit against Harrelson last year for an alleged attack outside a Hollywood nightclub in 2006 . Video of that incident , which is also posted on TMZ.com , also appeared to show Harrelson grabbing a camera and clashing with the photographer . Los Angeles prosecutors declined to press charges against the actor , but Levine filed a suit last summer asking for $ 2.5 million in damages . `` Woody Harrelson has a history of anger management issues with people and we intend to put a stop to this , '' Cyrus Nownejad , Levine 's lawyer , said Friday . TMZ is partly owned by AOL , part of CNN 's parent company , Time Warner . CNN 's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report .
Woody Harrelson defends his clash with a photographer at a New York airport . Statement through publicist says he was still in character from zombie movie . Score: 7 Harrelson is being sued by another TMZ photographer for an alleged assault .