14 DAY TRIAL // The man behind the biggest viral video of recent times and the most talked about (and slightly controversial) campaign Kony 2012, Jason Russell, is now in custody, on psychiatric, involuntary hold.
TMZ reports that Russell was arrested for lewd behavior in public. Initial reports said that he started roaming a street in San Diego in “various stages of undress,” while thrashing cars and allegedly making indecent gestures.
He seemed to be under the influence of some substance, but not even that could explain his erratic behavior.
Russell, the co-founder of Invisible Children, was taken into custody and placed on involuntary hold, while a psychiatric evaluation is being performed.
“Officers detained [Russell] and transferred him to a local medical facility for further evaluation and treatment,” San Diego police say about the arrest.
TMZ has video of the incident that led to Russell's arrest – and it shows him sans clothes, screaming maniacally and pounding the ground in anger.
No one knows what prompted the outburst, or whether Russell had consumed alcohol or drugs before it.
The CEO of Invisible Children, Ben Keesey, has issued a statement to TMZ to confirm news of the arrest and blame the meltdown on “exhaustion.”
This has generated comparisons in the blogosphere to the cases of many celebrities, who also use exhaustion as an excuse for their problems, no matter how varied in nature and severity.
“Jason Russell was unfortunately hospitalized yesterday suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition,” Keesey says.
“He is now receiving medical care and is focused on getting better. The past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday,” the CEO adds.
The statement concludes with the usual request for privacy from the media.
“Jason’s passion and his work have done so much to help so many, and we are devastated to see him dealing with this personal health issue. We will always love and support Jason, and we ask that you give his entire family privacy during this difficult time,” Keesey says.
Further details on Russell's condition are not available at this point in time.