Police rush to the home of celeb blogger Perez Hilton over reports he was 'self harming on livestream'
Emergency services were called to Hilton's Miami home amid reports the 48-year-old was harming himself
Police rushed to the home of American blogger Perez Hilton after receiving reports that the celebrity commentator was harming himself during a livestream on TikTok.
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Officers said they received multiple calls about the TikTok live video, prompting them to attend Hilton's Miami home where they chose to disengage while monitoring the situation.
Hilton - whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr - was rushed to hospital to receive medical attention.
Speaking on Tuesday, Miami-Dade sheriff’s office did not mention Hilton but said they were responding to reports from the public about a man “livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media.”
Officers spoke with family members who were on the scene.
They confirmed that Hilton was alone at the time and they chose to "tactically disengage' while they monitored the situation.
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His TikTok account has since been suspended.
“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 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.”
A man, believed to be Hilton, was seen taken away in an ambulance, according to local news reports.
Later on Tuesday the sheriff's office confirmed he had been “safely recovered and transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a local hospital, where he is receiving medical attention”.
Hilton, a father of three, rose to fame in the mid-2000s after founding a celebrity gossip blog bearing his name.
The site covered a mixture of gossip and breaking entertainment news, becoming famous for Hilton's unfiltered tone at a time when social media was in its infancy.
It is not clear who was at home at the time of the incident. Hilton's oldest son was born in 2013 and his daughters were born in 2015 and 2017.
His managers, Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan, told TMZ that they were "aware of the concerning content circulating online involving our client, Perez Hilton”.
"At this time, we have not been able to make direct contact with him, despite our ongoing efforts to reach him. Our primary concern is Perez's health and well-being, as well as the well-being of his family.
"Until we have confirmed information, we will not speculate or comment further.
"We appreciate everyone's concern and ask that his privacy be respected during this time.'
The blogger has suffered a number of health scares in recent months.
He was hospitalised in March after developing sepsis from taking flu medication without food.
He was rushed to hospital again for deep vein thrombosis in his leg and had a blood clot removed.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org. Or call Samaritans on 116 123 for free in the UK.