The co-founder of Invisible Children, Jason Russell, was detained by police and then transported to a medical facility for an evaluation last week. The reason for Russell being detained and then sent to a mental facility was the fact that Russell was outside in his underwear yelling and messing with traffic in a neighborhood in San Diego. According to police, no charges have yet to be filed against Russell.
The San Diego Police Department’s Lt. Andra Brown said that a white male, aged 33, was not arrested but was “transported to a local medical facility for evaluation and treatment.” Brown refused to release the identity of the person detained by police involved in the incident but multiple media companies reported that it in fact was Russell.
The San Diego Police Department said that it responded to calls regarding a man pounding his fists on the sidewalk and incoherently screaming while in his underwear. The man was seen in the Pacific Beach neighborhood in San Diego. Police officials also said that one of the callers claimed the man might have been masturbating was actually nude but police responding to the scene did not confirm any of those rumors. Russell was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and police say that he was vandalizing vehicles in the neighborhood.
Russell was responsible for the creation of the Kony 2012 video, which runs for 30 minutes, that features himself and his son Gavin. Also in the video is a former child soldier named Jacob. The video acquired millions (closing in on 100 million views) of hits last week, pushing Joseph Kony to the top of the world’s most-talked about list. The video has received major criticisms since its release and the organization’s finances have also been questioned.
The CEO of Invisible Children, Ben Keesey, released the following statement regarding the incident with Russell:
“Jason Russell was unfortunately hospitalized yesterday suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition. 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 unfortunateincident yesterday. 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.”
