US blogger Perez Hilton is recovering in hospital after members of the public reported that he had appeared to self-harm during a TikTok livestream.
Emergency services were called to his home in Miami on Tuesday after concerned viewers reported a man “livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media”.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office told US media that an individual had been “safely recovered” and taken to “a local hospital, where he is receiving medical attention”.
Police added that their crisis response unit and licensed mental health professionals were also “on scene providing support and resources to the individual’s family”.
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Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, was home alone during the time of the live stream, police confirmed, and had his TikTok account suspended soon after.
In a statement issued to outlets including the LA Times, Newsweek and Rolling Stone, the Miami sheriff’s office did not name Hilton but confirmed they had attended to reports of a man harming himself.
After confirming speaking with family members at the scene, deputies decided to “tactically disengage while continuing to monitor the situation”, police said.
“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritise de-escalation by creating time, distance and opportunities for communication,” their statement said.
“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 minimise the risk of injury to the individual, deputies and the public.”
Suicide by cop is a US term for when individuals try to end their lives by behaving in a way that will provoke police into killing them.
In a later update, the Sheriff’s Office said the man had been transported to a hospital, adding that mental health professionals were at the scene “providing support and resources to the individual’s family”.
BBC News has asked representatives for Hilton for comment, and also contacted TikTok and Miami police.
