Tarek El Moussa Denies He Was Suicidal During Gun Incident

Tarek El Moussa is speaking out.

The Flip or Flop star appeared on the Today show Tuesday morning where he denied that he was suicidal during a gun incident last year at the home he shared with wife Christina El Moussa and their two children.

In May 2016, deputies were called to the couple’s Orange County home for a “possible suicidal male” with a gun. Authorities say Tarek took the gun from his home and ran outside to a hiking trail.

Read on for Tarek’s view on the scary moment.

​

“There’s mountain lions, bobcats and rattlesnakes and big wildlife back there… I went out for a hike to scout some trails, it wasn’t even a big deal. I didn’t understand,” the Flip or Flop star said. “It got really blown out of proportion.”

Tarek, who had a permit to carry his gun, was adamant he was not suicidal, saying, he wasn’t suicidal, saying, “Never. Never. Absolutely never.”

Tarek and Christina reportedly separated after the incident, although they didn’t announce it until months later.

​

The couple announced their split in December, with Tarek filing to legally separate from Christina in January. Despite their separation, the pair continue to work together and made their first joint appearance since announcing their divorce at the 2017 Investor Summit in Las Vegas on Feb. 10. They are currently filming Flip or Flop‘s seventh season.

​

Tarek and Christina share 1-year-old son Brayden and 6-year-old daughter Taylor, and Tarek made sure to note that the kids are his and Christina’s number-one priority.

“The number one goal is to co-parent our children,” he said. “We have to make sure we remain friendly because we know how important it is for them to have good parents.”

​

Tarek had previously battled thyroid cancer after a viewer noticed a lump oh his neck, but he revealed Tuesday that he had also battled testicular cancer around the same time.

“I literally thought I was going to die,” he said.

The HGTV star shared that he is now in remission, but wanted to share his story to raise awareness about the disease.

See his full interview above.