LOS ANGELES, CA — Actor Mickey Rourke — who is facing eviction due to unpaid rent at his Los Angeles home — has surrendered a shotgun to sheriff’s deputies. He told authorities he would soon be leaving the area and no longer wanted the firearm, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies on Wednesday were dispatched following a call from one of Rourke’s team members, who said the actor wanted to turn in the shotgun.
They met Rourke and took possession of the shotgun for what’s called safekeeping: If he doesn’t retrieve the gun after a year, it will be destroyed, according to the station.
Rourke received a three-day notice to pay rent or vacate his Los Angeles home on Dec. 18. At that time, he owed $59,100. By the end of the month, he failed to comply with the notice, prompting his landlord to file to evict him, the Los Angeles Times reported.
A GoFundMe for Rourke launched last week; since then it has surpassed its $100,000 goal. That prompted Rourke to sound off on social media, where he said he would reject the money.
“If I needed money, I wouldn’t ask for no f—ing charity,” he said in an Instagram video, adding he’d rather die than ask for charity.
Later that week, the GoFundMe indicated that donations have been paused. His manager Kimberly Hines — who was behind the fundraiser — provided an update on the site on Jan. 8:
“We remain committed to finding a resolution and are working with Mickey to determine the next steps,” she wrote.
Rourke said in his Instagram video that he’s “done a really terrible job in managing my career.” He said he’s had to borrow money from a friend during the entertainment industry downturns amid the pandemic and writers strike.