Local police were dispatched to the Miami home of Hollywood gossip journalist Perez Hilton after receiving reports about a disturbing livestream during which Hilton, covered in blood, appeared to be cutting himself, Variety has confirmed.
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls about Hilton’s livestream on Tuesday night and sent deputies to respond. Once on scene, officers spoke with several of Hilton’s family members. Authorities confirmed that Hilton was alone in his home during the time of the live stream. Deputies have since been ordered to “tactically disengage,” but continue to keep an eye on the situation.
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed that Hilton was safely transported from his home to a local hospital, where he is receiving medical attention.
“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize de-escalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication,” the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilizing crisis intervention techniques can reduce the likelihood of a suicide-by-cop encounter and minimize the risk of injury to the individual, deputies, and the public.”
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and reps for Hilton did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.
Hilton launched his career in the early 2000s, operating a popular celebrity gossip blog that offered a biting, unfiltered look at some of Hollywood’s most unsavory moments. In a 2012 sit-down with The New York Times, Hilton said that he was no longer aligned with his provocative reporting.
“What’s important for me is not being liked, but it is that people think I am no longer toxic to the world,” he said. Hilton later added, “I’m aware of the fact there are going to be a lot of people with lingering resentment and a lot of skeptics.”
Read more Inside Google’s Efforts to Get Creatives Hooked on AI