Perez Hilton Hospitalised After Self-Harm Livestream on TikTok

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office confirmed their attendance after public reports of a man livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue safely recovered the man and transported him to a local hospital.

Perez Hilton, a father of three children, rose to fame in the early 2000s with his celebrity gossip website. He has since apologised for past cruel comments; in 2020, he expressed regret for outing celebrities on his blog.

Hilton's managers, Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan, issued a statement acknowledging awareness of the online content. They stated: "We are aware of the concerning content circulating online involving our client, Perez Hilton" and added: "At this time, we have not been able to make direct contact with him, despite our ongoing efforts to reach him."

Perez's spokesperson also stated: "We appreciate everyone's concern and ask that his privacy be respected during this time." Hilton has experienced several serious health issues in recent months, including severe sepsis and deep vein thrombosis.

His three children were born via surrogacy in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Hilton previously stated he was moving to Miami after living in Las Vegas, claiming: "God told me to move to Miami."

He also spoke of "Manifesting abundance, manifesting just family, peace, good times. Manifesting health, good health - that's what's most important." Miami police issued a statement outlining their approach to de-escalation in mental health crisis situations.

A Miami-Dade Sheriff's office spokesperson stated: "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." The spokesperson added: "Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilising 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."

Officers tactically withdrew from the scene while continuing to monitor. Local police confirmed Perez was alone in the property before they "tactically disengage[d]".

Police's crisis response unit and licensed mental health professionals were sent to the scene, providing support for Hilton's family. The video of the livestream was later taken down.

Some TikTok users claimed the platform should be held liable for allowing the stream to continue for 30 minutes. One user suggested a class action lawsuit is needed for allowing the video to remain online for over 30 minutes, with children potentially watching.

Another claimed the TikTok moderation system is just AI because Perez Hilton was not banned the moment he went live.