Photographer: 'Bieber Physically Battered Me'

Pop sensation Justin Bieber is being investigated over claims he attacked a photgrapher.

The alleged incident is understood to have happened on Sunday at an outdoor shopping area in Calabasas, near Hollywood.

According to a complaint that has been filed, the photographer was taking pictures of Bieber and his actress girlfriend Selena Gomez , when the singer "physically battered" him.

A spokeswoman for the sheriff's department, Lillian Peck, declined to give further details about the nature of the alleged confrontation or any injuries suffered by the man.

Bieber , 18, had left the shopping centre with Gomez, 19, before officers arrived, according to photographer.

The singer, discovered in 2008 through homemade music videos he posted on YouTube, released his first album when he was 15 and rocketed to international fame on his way to logging 41 million fans on Facebook and 20 million on Twitter.

Bieber's latest hit single, Boyfriend, debuted at No2 last month on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US.