Update: Thursday, February 15, at 9 p.m. ET.
North released a statement following his arrest.
“I am deeply upset by the events that took place in Las Vegas this past week,” he wrote via his Instagram Story. “My friend drove me to the hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack. Several tests were taken, including blood, which came back negative for any drugs or alcohol in my system. I was having a severe anxiety attack.”
He continued, “I have ever little memory of the events that day at the hospital. I have the utmost respect for healthcare workers and hospital staff. I have battled anxiety on and off for years and this was the most extreme panic attack I’ve ever had. Going forward, I hope to shed light on this debilitating disorder and send hope to those who have also struggled.”
Original story below:
Outer Banks actor Austin North was arrested in Las Vegas after he allegedly assaulted several emergency room staff members.
The actor, 27, was taken into custody on Tuesday, February 13, and booked for gross misdemeanor battery, according to a police report obtained by TMZ. North appeared wide-eyed in his mugshot with blood and scratches around his eyebrows. He is reportedly out of the facility on bond.
Law enforcement was dispatched to UMC Hospital for reports of assault and battery that had occurred in the ER.
It’s unclear why North was at the hospital, and he was reportedly restrained by security when police arrived on the scene. According to interviews included in the report, North allegedly “punched a nurse in the head, shoved the face of another nurse and pushed the phlebotomist into a table” in addition to attacking one additional staff member, per the outlet.
North is best known for his role as Topper on Outer Banks, which also stars Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes. Although he’s been around in Hollywood for a few years, including having a high-profile fling with Sadie Robertson in 2018, his star rose quickly as one of the main characters on the hit Netflix series.
He described his Kook character as “rich” and “cocky” during a 2021 interview with Nerds in Color, explaining, “You would think everything is just kind of handed to him and life is set up, but I think he goes through a lot of different emotions, which is the pressure from his mom and expectations. Even though he has all these materialistic things, he’s still human and has emotions at the end of the day.”
At the time, North hoped others could “relate” to his character’s dynamic with his other friends.
“There’s so many different personalities, especially with the Pogues, and the fact that they’re all able to come together, have that true friendship, and just the small moments, especially in the first season. There’s just so many moments between them when they’re just living life at the Chateau, having that bond. I think overall, it’s such a great message, the different characters,” he said. “There’s so many different personalities, races, ethnicities, and so many different types of people coming together and helping each other. I think it’s a beautiful thing and a beautiful message.”
