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Gossip blogger Perez Hilton appeared to harm himself on a livestream. His audience called the police

(CNN) — Police responded Tuesday night to the Florida home of Perez Hilton after receiving reports the celebrity gossip blogger appeared to be harming himself on a TikTok livestream.

In response to a question about Hilton’s livestream, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said they had “received multiple calls regarding an individual who was livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media.”

“Deputies quickly located the individual’s residence, where they spoke with family members on scene, and confirmed he was alone inside,” the sheriff’s office said, adding they worked to de-escalate the situation.

In the livestream, which was later taken down, Hilton appeared to be engaging in self-harm. Multiple social media users commented, urging him to stop.

The sheriff’s office told CNN that the individual was “safely recovered” and transported to a local hospital, where he is receiving medical attention.

On Wednesday, a statement went up on Perez Hilton’s website confirming that Hilton was receiving medical care. “Many of you have reached out with concern for Perez, and we are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and prayers,” the statement read. “We can confirm that Perez is receiving medical care, and our family’s focus right now is on his well-being.” They went on to ask for privacy at the time.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Crisis Response Unit and licensed mental health professionals provided support and resources to the individual’s family, the sheriff’s office said.

“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. “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.”

Hilton rose to prominence after launching his gossip blog, as well as a fashion blog, a musical series, and has since become well known as a TV personality.

The Cuban-American, legally known as Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr., made a name for himself by writing about celebrities. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from New York University, where he studied acting, before starting his blog in a coffee shop on Sunset Boulevard back in 2004.

Earlier this year, Hilton said he’d suffered a medical scare that left him hospitalized for several weeks. He told his audience in May that he was besieged by hospital bills, despite being insured. In June, he shared that he had recently relocated to Miami from Las Vegas with his children.

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Baltimore bookstore owner takes literacy mission on the road with ‘Black Star Line’ Summer Tour

Click here for updates on this story    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WMAR) -- A Baltimore bookstore owner is taking her mission to inspire young readers directly into neighborhoods across the city with a bus full of free books.The Black Star Line Literacy Bus, created by Tia Hamilton, is making stops throughout Baltimore this summer with one goal: put books into the hands of children and help close the city's literacy gap."It's free," Hamilton said. "And just to be able to say that means everything."Hamilton says too many neighborhoods are what she calls "book deserts," where families have limited access to books and literacy resources."There are children who aren't getting the necessary literacy tools that's needed," she said. "It's time to get to the literacy. It's time to educate."Wrapped in vibrant Pan-African colors, the Black Star Line bus is impossible to miss. Inspired by Marcus Garvey's historic Black Star Line ship, the mobile library also features images of influential Black leaders, including Malcolm X.As a person who was formerly incarcerated, she draws inspiration from the civil rights leader because a pivotal part of his story included turning his life around from behind bars.Hamilton says education transformed her own life, and now she's determined to help children avoid the barriers she once faced."If 54% of America's adults can't read above the sixth-grade reading level, that's why I exist," Hamilton said. "That's why my mission exists. That's why my foundation exists."At every stop, children are encouraged to choose books to take home and build their own personal libraries. Hamilton hopes those books become the foundation for lifelong learning."If children are reading 20 minutes a day, they will expose themselves to 1.8 million words a year," she said.Hamilton believes investing in literacy today can help prevent much bigger problems tomorrow."It takes $54,000 for one child to take care of them inside a prison," she said. "So instead of investing in that, invest in this cause and invest in me and let me go out here and do the work to make our children literate."The work isn't easy. Hamilton loads, unloads and distributes hundreds of books herself at each stop, bringing plenty of enthusiasm along the way."I don't know," she laughed. "I wake up like this."Still, she says community support is essential to keeping the bus rolling."Donate your time and donate gently used books," Hamilton said. "This is why I'm asking for books and donations because it's not about me. It's about our children, our youth, our legacy."Hamilton's goal is to give away 100 books at every stop this summer, totaling 5,000 books across Baltimore. She also hopes to expand the program next summer by adding two more literacy buses to reach even more communities."They are going to change the world," Hamilton said. "We give them an opportunity."People interested in donating books, volunteering or supporting the Black Star Line Literacy Bus can find more information through Hamilton's organization here. Hamilton has also launched a "Bookmark It" program to help families, kids and adults, where you can join a reading club and get a discount on books.Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
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