Independent journalist Alex Rosen attempted to turn himself in to police after confronting scientist Dr. Peter Hotez outside his house on Sunday.
The exchange was documented in a video shared to Twitter featuring Rosen shaking hands with Hotez outside his house before asking if he would debate Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on The Joe Rogan Experience.
Viewers of Rosen's video criticized him for his decision to confront Hotez outside his Houston, Texas house.
Rosen responded to the criticism by attempting to turn himself in to local police.
"After my heinous crimes I committed today, such as talking to a public figure," Rosen said recording himself outside a police station. "The inevitable is coming."
"I'm turning myself in to Houston PD," Rosen says as he enters the police station.
Rosen approaches the front desk of Houston police department saying he committed a "terrible" crime.
"I freakin' asked a few questions to a sacred figure," he said of Hotez. "I committed a hate crime, I think."
Rosen asked the front desk officer if asking someone questions on their property, though parting ways after after a party declines to engage, was illegal.
The officer informs Rosen the act was not illegal.
Rosen detailed the interaction by jokingly saying "there were shots involved" — referring to Hotez's stance on COVID-19 vaccination for children.
The officer responds confused about Rosen's claim of committing a "hate crime," to which Rosen says people online said he should kill himself for approaching Hotez on his property.
"I didn't really say anything bad to him," Rosen told the officer. "I just kind of shook his hand and left."
"If you both engaged in the handshake you should be fine," the officer responds. informing Rosen he had not committed a crime.
"I'm just letting the internet get to my head I guess," Rosen says before apologizing to the officer for the confusion before leaving.
Hotez, who has previously appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, initially commented on Rogan’s Thursday episode of the podcast with RFK Jr. in which the comedian and Democratic presidential candidate discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent push for vaccines.
“From all the online attacks I’m receiving after this absurd podcast, it’s clear many actually believe this nonsense,” the scientist said of the episode in a Saturday post. Along with the tweet, Hotez shared a Vice article discussing RFK Jr.’s episode with Rogan titled, “Spotify Has Stopped Even Sort of Trying to Stem Joe Rogan’s Vaccine Misinformation.”
Rogan and Hotez engaged in a back-and-forth Twitter conversation as the comedian offered the scientist $100,000 to the charity of his choice to debate the Democratic presidential candidate on his show.
The scientist appeared to turn down Rogan’s offer in a now-deleted tweet suggesting the comedian, along with streaming platform Spotify which exclusively hosts Rogan’s show, could afford upwards of $50 million.
A number of public figures have pledged money to Rogan’s initial $100,000 offer for Hotez to debate RFK Jr. on the comedian’s podcast. The current debate pot from influencers is over $1.5 million.
