Selena Gomez obtains restraining order against man

Selena Gomez has obtained a temporary restraining order against a 46 year-old man who her attorney claims has a history of mental illness and spoke about thoughts of killing the entertainer.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved the order on Thursday requiring Thomas Brodnicki to stay at least 100 yards away from the 19 year-old singer and actress who also is the girlfriend of teenage pop star Justin Bieber.

I am in extreme fear of Mr. Brodnicki, due to his direct threat on my life, his obsessive, harassing and threatening behavior to me, as well as his criminal history of stalking, Gomez said in a statement filed with the court.

Brodnicki was placed on a 72-hour mental health hold last month after he threatened to harm passers-by on the street by scratching their eyes out, according to court papers filed by Gomez's attorney and posted to celebrity website E! Online.

During that mental health hold, Brodnicki told a doctor he had traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles with the intention of meeting Gomez, and that he thought about harming or killing her, according to the court statement. Brodnicki has a history of mental illness, the statement said.

The Los Angeles Police Department's threat management unit is handling the case and working to protect Gomez from Brodnicki, court papers state.

Gomez's temporary restraining order against Brodnicki could be extended for three years at a hearing on November 4.

Best known for her role in the Disney television show Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez also starred this year in the film Monte Carlo. As a singer, her top songs include Shake It Up and Tell Me Something I Don't Know.