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A storage locker treasure hunter hit the JACKPOT -- finding an abandoned unit packed with Kobe Bryant treasures ... and now one of the stars of "Storage Wars" is involved.

Here's the deal ... just like on the show, storage units are auctioned off if the owner stops paying the bills.

In this case, the locker was in the L.A. area -- bidders only got a brief glimpse as to what was inside -- and then the auction began. The person who scored the unit won with a bid of $375.

Here's the breakdown of the score -- 35 pairs of shoes, jerseys, Lakers practice gear, a Lakers all-access badge that says, "Mamba," tax paperwork, and the pièce de résistance ... a mink coat (we're told there are pics of Kobe wearing the coat!).

The stuff -- once properly authenticated -- is likely worth a fortune!

The buyer immediately called "Storage Wars" star Rene Nezhoda -- who has experience finding buyers for high-end storage treasures -- and Rene bought all of the contents for a cool $13,000.

Rene tells us ... the items will NOT end up on "Storage Wars" because they're not filming the show due to the pandemic. Instead, Rene plans on selling the items through a reputable auction house.

It's a timely score for Rene too ... Kobe's birthday was Sunday, and today is Mamba Day -- 8/24.

BTW, there are rumblings the unit belonged to Kobe’s former stylist. But, a rep for the stylist says, "that’s just not the case.”

Protests that erupted over the police shooting of Jacob Blake -- the unarmed Black man who was shot 7 times in the back by a white police officer -- have triggered even more violence.

A Kenosha, WI police officer was struck in the temple with some sort of projectile ... which people on scene say was a brick. In the 40-second clip, you see the cop with a few of his fellow officers surrounded by protesters near their police cruiser, which appears to be under siege and near a fire.

The cops chase off some of the crowd, but eventually, someone breaks one of the car windows ... and as the officer in question runs to check it out, something strikes him hard in the head that was hurled off-camera ... knocking him out cold.

You hear someone say he got "bricked" and then more people scurry over to condemn the cops as the officers pull the man aside and try tending to him. It's a tense scene.

The protests are reactions to what certainly appears to be an outrageous use of excessive force/police brutality when a cop shot Jacob 7 times in the back when he was not threatening and was unarmed.

The unrest is a microcosm of what's been going on over the past 24 hours in Kenosha and surrounding areas -- reports of cops in riot gear facing off with civilians were aplenty, as were accounts of vehicles set ablaze and storefronts and other buildings vandalized.

Paris Hilton's opening up about a traumatic chapter of her life before her 'Simple Life' stardom ... in an upcoming documentary that's pretty shocking.

The famous heiress describes how her rebellious youth living with her family in NYC's Waldorf Astoria hotel resulted in her parents sending her to several boarding schools ... the last of which was Utah's Provo Canyon School.

Paris stayed there for 11 months before turning 18, but says it was less of a school and more of an obedience boot camp where it was "all day screaming in my face, yelling at me, continuous torture."

She alleges the abuse was verbal, mental and emotional -- claiming the staff would say terrible things to her, try to make her feel bad and bully her -- but also claims there was physical abuse ... hitting and strangling the kids.

Paris says students could end up in solitary confinement for up to 20 hours a day, and she was having frequent panic attacks and crying daily due to the fear and misery. She says ... "I felt like a prisoner and I hated life."

Three of her classmates also appear in the upcoming documentary, "This is Paris," adding more allegations of abuse ... including being force-fed medication.

Paris was freed from the boarding school when she turned 18 in 1999, and says she just wanted to put it behind her so badly she never really talked about it ... even to her parents.

She says she was ashamed of the time there and adds ... "I buried my truth for so long."

The documentary premieres September, 14 on YouTube.

A white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin opened fire on an unarmed Black man who was simply walking away from him -- shooting him point-blank seven times ... and it's all on video.

The officer-involved shooting went down Sunday near 40th and 28th Avenue -- where witnesses say the victim was simply breaking up a fight when cops were called to the scene. It's unclear what unfolded from there, but this video captures the crucial 20 seconds.

You see the man walking away from a few officers ... who appear to be telling him to stop, with guns drawn. He makes his away around a car in a nonthreatening manner, he opens the door and attempts to get inside. One of the cops grabs hold of his shirt, and for some inexplicable reason, he unloads seven rounds at arm's length. The victim was flown to a hospital and has been listed as being in serious condition.

Protests are now growing by the minute. Many are demanding the swift arrest of the officer who fired the shots.

While the situation is still very fluid, it seems an outright inexcusable act of police brutality. Even if the man was disobeying orders, he was nonviolent, nonthreatening, unarmed and there was no attempt to subdue him in the vehicle.

According to reports on the ground, the state Department of Justice is already taking over the investigation. Kenosha PD, for its part, says officers on the scene provided immediate aid -- but also note that they instantly transferred the case to outside agencies.

The second season of "The Hills: New Beginnings" might look more like "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" or even "Big Brother" ... with the cast all under one roof.

Production sources tell TMZ ... MTV and Evolution Media have been seriously considering moving Brody Jenner, Audrina Patridge, Heidi and Spencer Pratt and all the other 'Hills' stars into one home -- or at least the same complex -- for a month or 2 to finish filming season 2.

The show had already shot 3 episodes before the pandemic shutdowns in March, and we're told the entire cast is eager to get back to work ... but there are mixed feelings about the bubble atmosphere.

Our sources say some think having the cast all together all the time would create contrived and unnecessary drama -- even more than usual -- but others think the 'Jersey Shore'-style setup would be great.

Another pro is that this bubble approach has already been proven to work for Tyler Perry's series, "Sistas," and "Big Brother: All-Stars" ... not to mention the NBA and NHL.

Our sources say producers don't have to make a final decision until October, when filming is set to resume.

Here's Kevin Dillon trying to snap a photo with his smoking hot date -- but it was far from easy, and really exactly the sorta thing you'd expect from Johnny Drama!!!

Yeah, Kevin seemed to be slipping back into his "Entourage" character when he hit up Paradise Cove in Malibu the day after his 55th birthday. He spent A LOT of time and effort trying to get everything just right for some IG-worthy snaps with sexy singer Amy May.

As you can see ... Kevin and Amy tried a bunch of different poses on the beach, and he was definitely steering the selfie ship -- searching for just the right lighting, smile and angles.

This sort of display is usually reserved for IG models and influencers ... but then again, we're dealing with Johnny freakin' Drama here!!!

One you thing you probably won't see if these selfies ever get to Kevin's social media stamp of approval -- Amy standing on her tiptoes. You know Drama would love her calves!!!

No word if Kevin shouted "VICTORY" once he nailed the shot -- but he should have.

New York musician Brendan B. Brown shot to stardom as the lead singer and guitarist of his band, Wheatus ... after they released the hit single, "Teenage Dirtbag," back in 2000 ... and was even featured in the 2000 teen movie, "Loser," featuring Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari.

Wheatus went on to release more music over the next two decades with albums like "Hand Over Your Loved Ones," "Too Soon Monsoon," "Pop, Songs And Death" and "The Valentine" ... but never reached the same success that the band experienced with "Teenage Dirtbag."

Wheatus -- with Brendan B. Brown as the only remaining OG band member -- is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album and are streaming performances on their patreon page.

Justin and Hailey Bieber seem to be test driving their sister's newborn to see if it might be a good fit for them ... 'cause they sure do look like a couple of parenting naturals.

The Biebers visited Alaia Baldwin this weekend to check in on her after giving birth to a baby girl, Iris, whom JB and HB were all too happy to pose with and cuddle. Check out Justin cradling the kid with his shirt off ... dude seems ready to be a papa!

Also of note ... he and his wife were both wearing masks while getting their turn with the child, so good on them for being responsible. We must say, a baby looks good with them.

Alaia -- Hailey's older sis -- announced the birth of her and Andrew Aronow's kid Thursday, writing ... "💞IRIS ELLE ARONOW!💞Born on 8/17/2020, 6lbs 11oz. She is absolutely perfect, we are all happy and healthy. Thank you so much @drthaisaliabadi for making our experience go as smoothly and as beautifully as I ever could have imagined. We love you! 💕"

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is once again on his death bed ... that is, if you buy what some South Korean officials are saying about his mysterious health status.

Chang Song-min -- a former aide to the late S. Korean President Kim Dae-jung -- recently told South Korean media that, based on intel he'd received, he assessed ol' Kim to be in a coma, but not entirely deceased quite yet.

He went on to say, "A complete succession structure has not been formed, so Kim Yo-jong is being brought to the fore as the vacuum cannot be maintained for a prolonged period."

There might be something to this, because N. Korea's own National Intelligence Service said that although Kim would still "exert absolute power," he would gradually begin to transfer authority to his younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, to "ease stress." So ... something's up.

Frankly, we don't know what to believe when it comes to reports about KJU, 'cause one minute the guy's said to be six feet under after a botched heart surgery, and the next ... he's walking around in the flesh, making limited public appearances and looking sorta healthy.

Of course, there's been tons of theories -- including debunked body double takes -- but one that seems to be sticking now is that Kim might very well be on his way out the door. What's bizarre about this latest development is that Kim was reported to have been in a meeting, in-person, just as recently as this past week, and we saw photos of him in late July.

Also, he supposedly ordered the execution of some N. Korean officials pretty recently too. So ... what the hell does he have that could've knocked him on his ass (again?) so quickly???

Stay tuned ...

John Oliver took a bit of shot at a small town in Connecticut, and they just took one of their own in cheeky fashion ... naming a sewer plant after the talk show host.

Mayor Mark Boughton of Danbury, CT posted a video on his Facebook page this weekend responding to John's scathing rebuke of his city ... which the 'Last Week Tonight' host took aim at ... seemingly to poke fun at how kitschy and quaint it is.

John was talking about how different cities and states in the U.S. botch jury selection processes by virtually guaranteeing all-white jurors ... often screwing over people of color. He noted two racially diverse Connecticut jurisdictions often get skipped over for jury selection ... and then randomly launched into this hate bit on Danbury.

It was all in good fun, and it doesn't seem John has any real animosity against the town or its people. In our eyes, the Danbury tangent just served to lighten the mood.

Well, it appears the Mayor took it personally ... and literally went out of his way to respond, saying he would officially rename the city's sewer plant after JO himself. In his own words, Mayor Boughton says of the move, "Why??? Because it's full of s***. Just like you, John."

The Oscar-winning writer behind "12 Years a Slave" is coming back with a new project that'll see Batman's cowl donned by a Black man ... and fans already think they know who it is.

John Ridley is heading up a 4-issue, limited series comic for DC, in which the Dark Knight will NOT be Bruce Wayne, but a different character entirely ... one who will likely be African-American. The news was announced this weekend during the online Fandome event.

Ridley teased the fact Batman wouldn't be white, saying, "I think it's a pretty safe bet that if I'm writing Batman, it's probably a little better than a 47 percent chance he's going to be a person of color." Batman being Black, though, was confirmed when John said the story would likely focus on the character Lucius Fox and his family ... whom folks know all too well.

Lucius is the head of Wayne Enterprises in the comics, and was played by Morgan Freeman in Christopher Nolan's 'Dark Knight' trilogy. He's a bit too old to rock the cape himself -- but his son, Luke, is known in some iterations at Batwing ... one of Batsy's sidekicks.

Kobe Bryant would have turned 42 Sunday ... and there's literally a worldwide celebration of his life on TV, online and on walls across the world.

Murals honoring Kobe have popped up all over the globe, especially in the hometown of the Lakers ... in downtown L.A. near the Convention Center, as well as the Shoe Palace in the Fairfax District, a super-large mural in the San Fernando Valley ... and on and on.

The way it breaks down ... 331 murals around the world. There are 208 in SoCal, 267 in the U.S. and 64 internationally.

One mural in mid-City pays homage to Kobe, his daughter Gianna and the 7 others who perished in the helicopter crash last January.

Vanessa Bryant posted a loving and sad message about how much she misses Kobe and Gigi and how she wishes she could celebrate his big day.

Natalia, Kobe and Vanessa's 17-year-old daughter, took to Instagram to share a loving message about her favorite memories with her father.

On Saturday Vanessa posted images showing how various people are honoring Kobe on his birthday. She posted photos of flowers, comfort food and messages written in the sand.

Nike has created its own tribute on video, narrated by Kendrick Lamar, and it's both emotional and inspiring. It speaks to the legacy Kobe left behind.

Nike is dubbing this week "Mamba Week," and today is "Mamba Day." Nike is donating $1 million to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, along with a promise to support the Mamba League.

As for the Lakers, well they have a playoff game Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers, and they'll wear their "Black Mamba" uniforms.

Diddy has done it again ... bringing powerhouse Black musicians and artists together in a stunning display of talent and solidarity, only this time -- he did it on a shoreline!!!

The Bad Boys honcho was leading the pack Saturday out in Malibu with some pretty famous faces in the biz following close behind. We're talking Nas, Travis Scott, Quavo, Swizz Beatz and a gaggle of people in their entourage in tow too. Quite the showing of musical force.

Unclear what exactly these fellas were out there doing -- besides posing for pics and looking fly in their getups -- but something tells us they might have something cooking.

We already know Diddy's tight with Nas -- he recently plugged his new album on IG -- but it's clear the music mogul is cool with multiple generations in the game, and truly seeks to bring people together.

He's showcased his Black Excellence movement before with other heavy hitters, but that was a much more formal atmosphere. Here, this looks a pretty caj get-together, but it could also signal collabs to come.

Meet Rocco -- a 4-year-old budding golfer who can really drive it and even sink a ball in one shot. Take notice, all you Green Jackets ... this little guy is on the come-up.

Rocco's dad, Mario Figaretti, recorded his boy hitting a hole in one on a par-3 course in Wheeling, West Virginia. That type of course is super kid-friendly ... each hole is basically designed to be a 3-hit deal. One to get it on the green, and a couple puts afterward.

Welp, this little tyke didn't even need those additional strokes ... he hit it off the tee and watched it sail to down below, where it eventually landed and rolled right into the flag and sank. His pops took notice of the amazing trick shot before Rocco did with an awesome freak-out.

Just to confirm he had in fact gotten a hole in one, Rocco ran down to the green himself to confirm ... and sure enough, he pulled it out and showed to the camera from afar.

Of the wild moment, Mario writes ... "HOLE IN ONE!!!! Hole #1 at Oglebay’s Par three course. Rocco = 4yrs old." Mario adds, "He practices all the time In the yard. To say I’m proud would be an understatement!"

13 people died in a wild stampede early Sunday in Peru, after cops tried to shut down a nightclub that was operating illegally in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The video shows the chaotic scene as cops make their move. The 120 partygoers panicked and tried escaping through a single exit. A stampede followed and the victims were trampled.  A number of the victims were crushed in the stairwell area.

The aftermath is horrific, as bodies were being loaded onto pickup trucks.

The club was not supposed to be operating ... the Peruvian government re-instituted a 10 PM  curfew because COVID is out of control. Peru has been hit harder than most Latin American countries, with 576,000 cases and more than 27,000 deaths.

OK ... we're in the grip of a pandemic, there are tropical storms swirling around the country, police shootings seem like an everyday occurrence, Trump is making rumblings he won't leave office even if he loses ... and now, an asteroid may hit the U.S. hours before the election.

NASA broke the news ... an asteroid is on a trajectory to hit the United States of America on November 2, 2020.

The good news ... it's 6.5 feet in diameter and there's only a 1% chance it will hit somewhere in the country. With our luck in 2020, who's betting that it will miss?

The space agency is saying there are 3 possible points of impact, but they weren't specific.