James Kennedy has broken his silence following his Dec. 10 arrest.
The Vanderpump Rules star, 32, posted a statement on his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Dec. 17 as he addressed his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence for the first time.
“I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life. I am taking time to focus on my sobriety, personal growth and being present for my loved ones,” Kennedy wrote.
“Navigating challenging moments is not easy, but I am determined to learn, grow, and move forward with the incredible support system around me,” he added.
He signed the statement “James.”
Kennedy was arrested on Dec. 10, a spokesperson for the Burbank Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE. A call came in around 11:30 p.m. stating that Kennedy and an unnamed woman were arguing at the home Kennedy shares with girlfriend Ally Lewber and things had turned physical.
When authorities arrived on the scene, they told PEOPLE there were no visible signs of injury on the woman but Kennedy was still taken into custody.
In the arrest log documenting the incident and viewed by PEOPLE, an officer reported that the woman inside of the residence stated “her boyfriend lifted her up and threw her to the ground.” It was not clear whether that woman was Lewber.
Kennedy was then arrested and charged with domestic battery upon a spouse or cohabitant, the records showed. He was booked into jail in the early hours of Dec. 11 and was later released on $20,000 bail.
Kennedy’s attorneys later addressed the arrest on the star’s behalf in a statement released on Dec. 13, stating, “We are in the process of conducting our own investigation into the allegations levied by the Burbank Police Department against James.”
“We understand that there were no injuries,” the statement continued, “and we are hoping that, after careful review, the city’s attorneys will decide not to file formal charges.”
Earlier that night, Kennedy and Lewber attended Kathy Hilton’s annual holiday party together, although a source told PEOPLE they spent the majority of the night apart.
Another insider told PEOPLE: “James was acting super aggressive all night long.”
“He was acting so erratic, running back and forth to the bar and body-checking people along the way,” the insider claimed. “He appeared inebriated. Spent the evening mostly alone but when he did speak to people, he appeared irritated and rude.”
Kennedy’s rep did not respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment on his alleged behavior at the party.
Kennedy has struggled with alcohol for several years, documenting much of his journey on VPR. In 2021, he celebrated two years of sobriety, which he shared on Instagram at the time.
“IM 2 YEARS SOBER TODAY💜,” he captioned the post. “Thank you everyone that has supported me and my journey so far. Here’s to many more years alcohol free #forlife (to anyone struggling trust me the light at the end is brighter then anything I could of imagined. and if I can do it you can too).”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
That same year, he explained that he was “California sober,” meaning he didn’t consume alcohol but still used certain substances, like marijuana, in moderation. His then-costar Lala Kent (who is sober from alcohol and all substances) criticized Kennedy’s choice at the time, but he defended his stance.
“It helped me quit the alcohol for good, you know what I mean?” he said. “I will quit weed also when the time comes. … I don’t feel like I should quit right now, you know? There’s no point.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Read the full article here
