As Helen mentioned, Chris Brown and Rihanna both backed out of their Grammy performances at the last minute. Brown was charged and booked for making criminal threats last night, and according to multiple sources who talked to Us Weekly, the victim was indeed Rihanna.

Sources tell Usmagazine.com that Rihanna is the alleged victim in the felony battery investigation involving her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown. On Sunday, around 6:30 p.m., Brown, 19, turned himself in to Los Angeles police and was officially booked at 7:41 p.m. for making criminal threats.

Brown posted $50,000 bail and was released. The case is being presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office; additional charges may be filed. Brown is due in court March 5. The incident occurred early Sunday morning near Hancock Park in L.A.

Police confirmed late Sunday that an unidentified woman phoned 911 and claimed she got into a fight with the singer and he attacked her. Police say the woman had visible injuries. When officers arrived, they found the victim, but Brown had already left the scene, police say.

Both Brown and Rihanna pulled out of Sunday’s Grammy Awards at the last minute. When contacted by Us, Rihanna’s rep said, “Rihanna is well. Thank you for concern and support.”

[From Us Weekly]

TMZ originally reported that the allegation was assault with a deadly weapon. However now they say that’s untrue, and they point out that in certain circumstances, your own fists can be considered a deadly weapon, so that might be what that initial erroneous report was based on.

Law enforcement sources tell us even though the police report in the Chris Brown arrest refers to assault with a deadly weapon, there was no weapon involved in the alleged attack.

The police report cites Penal Code Section 245 — Assault with a Deadly Weapon. However, we’re told there was no weapon involved.

We had been hearing there was an umbrella in the car — which would have been the most ironic thing ever — but again… no weapon is alleged. By the way, a persons foot or other body part can be considered a deadly weapon depending on the circumstances.

One law enforcement source who has been dead-on so far claims Rihanna suffered contusions and bite marks.

[From TMZ]

Chris Brown’s stepfather was abusive towards his mother, and Brown admitted in an interview that he’d threatened to kill him with a baseball bat.

Like the day an 11-year-old Brown made a promise to his mother. He vowed that he would go to jail by age 15 for killing his abusive stepfather. “I just want you to know that I love you,” he told her. “But I’m gonna take a baseball bat one day while you at work, and I’m gonna kill him.” Brown’s parents had separated when he was seven. When his mother remarried, she moved her son and his new stepfather to a trailer park. Then his stepfather shot himself in the head. The shot went straight through the eyes. He survived the suicide attempt but was permanently blinded.

“When you’re blind, your senses are heightened, like your smell, hearing, your sense of touch,” Brown explains. “You can move and maneuver around your sight. But he used to hit my mom….He made me terrified all the time, terrified like I had to pee on myself. I remember one night he made her nose bleed. I was crying and thinking, ‘I’m just gonna go crazy on him one day…’ I hate him to this day.”

[From Giant]

Radar reports that Rihanna was seen crying and yelling at the hospital. She was brought in the back entrance and escorted by police officers. Whatever happened, she was clearly very upset and angry, according to the witness’s account. Which is good – she should be. She should be flaming mad at Chris Brown – who I hope is now her ex-boyfriend.

Domestic abuse is an incredibly complicated issue, and it’s hard to explain. Some victims return to their abusers – that’s probably the most confusing part of domestic abuse. Those are the ones we hear about the most, because things get worse and worse until they end in some terribly dramatic scene. But a lot of abuse victims leave the first time it happens, press charges, and put their abuser in jail instead of just taking it. We obviously don’t know the whole story yet, but let’s hope everyone follows through in a responsible way.

Here’s Rihanna and Chris Brown performing at Z100’s Annual Jingle Ball Concert at Madison Square Garden on December 12th. Images thanks to WENN.