When a 911 call came in, apparently from Kanye West’s doctor, about an incident involving the rapper at a Los Angeles home, the dispatcher advised: “Don’t let him get any weapons.”
The details of the 911 call made from a home in the 900 block of North Laurel Avenue, released Thursday to The Times in accordance with public records laws, provide new insight into what led to the rapper’s hospitalization for more than a week.
The phone call recording, which does not specifically identify West or include West’s voice, indicates a level of concern by those around him that he seek professional help.
A man who identified himself to a dispatcher as “one of his doctors” quickly requested police backup as well as paramedics.
“I think, he’s definitely going to need to be hospitalized,” the caller said. “I wouldn’t just do the police by itself.”
The original version of this 911 call provided to the Times by the L.A. Fire Department included redacted portions to prevent the release of confidential health information. This condenses audible portions of the publicly released recording to remov
A dispatcher later asks: “What is the medical condition he’s having, sir?” In the publicly released tape there is no response. Los Angeles fire officials said portions of the tape were redacted in order to prevent the disclosure of confidential health information.
The full tape runs more than five minutes but only a few snippets of dialogue — sometimes indistinguishable — are heard.
I think he’s definitely going to need to be hospitalized.
— Caller to 911
In a second portion of the call, the voice of a person identifying himself as a physician said, “No other weapons,” presumably in response to a dispatcher query.
It took two hours for authorities and friends to persuade West to go to a hospital after receiving a call that the rapper was acting erratically last week at the residence of his personal trainer, two sources involved in the case said.
Police and paramedics were called to the home around 1:20 p.m. Nov. 21 after a report of an unspecified disturbance involving West and someone else in the house. The source said it was a physical altercation but did not provide details.
Authorities talked with West for some time, hoping he would voluntarily seek medical attention. He eventually did and was taken by paramedics to UCLA Medical Center, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
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The call ends with the dispatcher asking the caller to “keep an eye on him,” adding: “Don’t let him get any … any weapons or anything like that. If anything changes, if he does become physically combative between now and when police and/or paramedics get there, call us back immediately at 911.”
“Will do, thank you so much,” the caller replies.
West was released from the hospital Wednesday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. It was unclear whether he was going to one of his homes or another location.
The incident comes amid a turbulent period for West, who walked off stage three songs into his Nov. 19 concert in Sacramento and canceled his Nov. 20 concert at the Los Angeles Forum three hours before showtime.
At the Nov. 19 show, West ranted about a few longtime friends and acquaintances, including Jay Z, Beyonc and Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg.
“I’ve been sent here to give y’all my truth, even at the risk of my own life,” West said. “At the risk of my own success. I’ll give y’all the truth. Jay Z, call me, you still ain’t called me .… Jay Z, I know you got killers. Please don’t send them at my head. Just call me. Talk to me like a man.”
During a concert the week before in San Jose, West editorialized about racism and the Black Lives Matter movement before praising President-elect Donald Trump.
West, who is married to Kim Kardashian West, has indicated that he may run for president in 2020.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.
matt.hamilton@latimes.com
Twitter: @MattHjourno.
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