The mother of Julian Brown said her son is “safe” in comments to DailyMail.com, after the 21-year-old inventor said he was “under attack” earlier this month.
Why It Matters
Brown invented “Plastoline,” which he says converts plastic into fuels like gasoline and diesel. The 21-year-old has 1.8 million followers on Instagram.
Stock image: Plastic bottles in a waste bag. Stock image: Plastic bottles in a waste bag. Bowonpat Sakaew/Getty Images
Brown’s most recent post on the platform was shared on July 9. “I can’t go into too much detail, but there is some very, very odd stuff going on,” Brown said in a video. “I’m certainly under attack right now.”
In the caption of the video, Brown wrote that “something is happening” and asked social media users to “keep me in your prayers please.”
What To Know
“I can confirm Julian is safe but in the best interest of his security I’m not able to provide any more information,” Nia Brown, Julian’s mother, told DailyMail.com.
Julian is from metro Atlanta, according to a Fox 5 Atlanta report. The Atlanta Police Department told Newsweek that it is not investigating any missing persons with the name Julian Brown.
Newsweek reached out to Nature Jab, a company founded by Julian, for comment.
He told Forbes that he built his first reactor utilizing skills learned in high school welding classes and his welding profession. “What motivated me was seeing the large plastic issue at hand throughout the world and not seeing any obvious solutions that were effective enough to make a difference,” Julian told the outlet.
What People Are Saying
Julian Brown, in a video posted to Instagram on July 9: “I just want everybody to know to just kind of have your eyes open, and I have my eyes open, but there’s a lot going on. So I’m still working, I’m still building. Nothing’s going to stop that, but I’m just telling you guys right now, be on the lookout because I’m under attack.”
Atlanta Police Department, in comments to Newsweek: “APD is not currently investigating any missing persons cases with that name.”
What Happens Next
Julian is raising money on GoFundMe for upgrades to his invention, collecting more than $30,000 so far.
He said he has taught himself how to turn plastic into fuel over the past five years. “Last year, I got into an explosion and was hospitalized and suffered 2nd degree burns requiring burn surgery,” Julian wrote on the fundraising page. “At the same time, I had to find a new safe plot of land to move my operations to. I currently drive 4 hours to and from every time I wish to work on or operate my machine. This shows my true commitment to the cause.”
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