Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was reportedly visited by law enforcement after a concerning TikTok Live video prompted multiple calls to the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office.
The livestream allegedly showed Hilton cutting himself and appearing covered in blood, with wounds visible on his face and body. During the video, he reportedly wielded a knife to inflict the injuries while making suicidal statements including "I want to be dead" and expressing a desire to provoke a lethal response from police.
According to Newsweek, the Sheriff's Office confirmed it received "multiple calls" about an individual livestreaming acts of self-harm, and deputies were dispatched to his Miami residence. On scene, they spoke with family members who were present but confirmed Hilton was alone inside the home.
Authorities opted against forcing entry. "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 told Newsweek. "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."
Deputies chose to "tactically disengage" while continuing to monitor the situation. Podcaster Zack Peter separately claimed a SWAT team was called and characterized the scene as an "active hostage situation," though that claim had not been verified by authorities at the time of publication.
TikTok pulled the video and suspended Hilton's account after the stream. The platform had previously issued Hilton a permanent ban in December 2020; he had since created multiple accounts, each of which was eventually removed, as he disclosed in an April YouTube video.
The incident follows a punishing stretch of health crises for the 48-year-old. In March, he spent 21 days hospitalized after a severe ulcer and perforation turned septic, requiring laparoscopic surgery, fluid drainage from his lungs, and removal of infected matter. He also developed a heart issue during that stay requiring medication. A subsequent hospitalization for deep vein thrombosis resulted in surgical removal of a blood clot in his leg.
Coming out of those ordeals, Hilton had publicly credited his faith with keeping him alive. "God did something that I can only describe as a miracle," he wrote in a post following his recovery. "I know that God is real and that God loves me." He is the single father of three children.
If you or someone you know is struggling, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
