Alec Baldwin Didn't Know Gun Was 'Hot' ... Retweets Shooting Story

Alec Baldwin is seemingly declaring his innocence in the accident that killed Halyna Hutchins by pointing out he was told it was a "cold" gun ... when it was actually loaded with a live round.

Baldwin retweeted an article Wednesday night about the most recent search warrant filed in the death investigation. The NYT story -- headlined, "Gun Handed to Alec Baldwin Was Not Thoroughly Checked" -- focused on the documents TMZ first told you about, which highlight several safety failures.

In the affidavit filed Wednesday, Assistant Director Dave Halls admitted to cops he had not thoroughly checked the weapon for live rounds before handing it to Baldwin.

While Alec hasn't said anything publicly since his first tweet the day after Hutchins was killed, his actions on social media speak volumes, retweeting multiple articles saying he was told the weapon was safe.

Head armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, told authorities prior to the scene, and during the movie's lunch break, the gun was locked in a safe and very few people had access to it.

The question that remains ... how did live ammo not only get on set, but into the gun's chamber? We spoke with several people from the set who told us outside of filming, the gun was sometimes used for recreational use and target practice.

102721_rust_presser_v3_1291744
GATHERING EVIDENCE

Both the Santa Fe Co. Sheriff's Office and District Attorney held a press conference Wednesday where they said charges are technically still on the table for everyone involved.

They also said they'll be looking into the history of Halls and Gutierrez-Reed in determining if any negligence took place.

Sarah Paulson Among Many in Hollywood Donating $$$ for Halyna Hutchins

Halyna Hutchins is being honored in more ways than one by her Hollywood peers -- including financial help for her family, with a major A-list actress and a ton of fellow cinematographers donating.

Sarah Paulson is among the many high-profile people who've donated to a GoFundMe page set up on behalf of Hutchins' loved ones ... which is well on its way to hitting a quarter of a million dollars at this point, with a mere $10k goal to begin with.

The 'American Horror Story'/'Crime Story' star plunked down $1,000 of her own cash toward the cause a few days ago, but she's far from the only notable figure chipping in for the director of photography.

Big-name DPs have also contributed to the GFM account -- including Larry Fong ("Super 8," "Sucker Punch"), Niels Alpert ("Sleepy Hollow," "Iron Fist") and Reed Morano ("The Handmaid's Tale," "I Think We're Alone Now") ... just to name a few.

They donated $2,500, $2,500 and $1,500, respectively.

There's more these folks are doing behind the scenes too, BTW, including Sarah ... who signed and shared a Change.org petition that seeks to ban the use of real firearms on sets -- not to mention demanding better working conditions for crew members.

Part of the description for the petition reads, "There is no excuse for something like this to happen in the 21st century. Real guns are no longer needed on film production sets. This isn't the early 90's, when Brandon Lee was killed in the same manner. Change needs to happen before additional talented lives are lost."

Gene Simmons Check Out My Spectacular Modern Mansion ... Plunks Down $10.5 Million

Gene Simmons is out with the old, and in with the VERY new after plunking down $10.5 million on a stunning modern mansion in the Hills of Beverly.

We've learned the KISS star actually got something of a deal for the 4-bed, 5-bath crib with close to 8,000 square feet of living space. The deal closed today, so Gene's personal belongings probably haven't even made it through the front door yet.

As for the home ... it's about as modern-looking as they come, with a pool complete with LED lighting, a home theater, built-in art installation and wine cellar fit to hold enough booze to get a small village wasted.

Simmons has been quite the real estate aficionado as of late ... he recently sold his long-time Beverly Hills home for $16 million and just listed his Vegas crib for $15 million.

Gene scored big on his most recent purchase, the home was first listed at $11.5 million ... so the $10.5 million Simmons paid to the former owner -- a billionaire Swiss steel magnate -- ain't too bad.

Celeb real estate agent Tomer Fridman -- who reps the Kardashians on almost every real estate transaction they make -- repped the seller. He's with Compass. Gene was represented by Lisa Young ... also at Compass.

MICHIGAN 6-YR-OLD SHOT FAMILY SUES NEIGHBORS FOR $4 MIL

060921_young_child_shot_kal
CRIES FOR HELP

The family of the 6-year-old boy in Michigan who was shot outside their neighbors' home while retrieving his bicycle has lawyered up ... and they're dragging the neighbors to court.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Coby Daniel's father says his son is struggling to recover from the shooting, and the fam is anticipating some hefty medical bills in the future.

In his suit, Arnold Daniel claims his son is still in pain and shock from the incident, and will need to get professional help in the form of trauma counseling ... as well as psychiatric and psychological counseling.

Coby's dad says the neighbors, Ryan Le-Nguyen and Michael Inhmathong, should be liable for the damage because they knew children in the neighborhood played near their yard and had a duty to keep it safe for them ... and further claims Le-Nguyen had shown "aggressive behavior" toward the kids numerous times in the past.

061121-cody-daniel-kal
DETAILING THE INCIDENT
Fox 2

As we reported ... Le-Nguyen allegedly shot young Coby in the arm after chasing him around with a sledgehammer. The neighbor was reportedly pissed Coby and a buddy left their bicycles on the sidewalk in front of his home.

Coby's dad is going after the neighbors for at least $4 million in damages.

We suspect Le-Nguyen's house won't be a popular stop this weekend for trick or treating.

Celeb Costumes Who'd You Rather?!

Hollywood has never had a shortage of celebs in wild Halloween costumes ... but with thousands of looks hitting the holiday each year there is bound to be some copy/paste costumes.

Vanessa Morgan and Lele Pons have both melted eyeballs with their Maleficent attire, Cardi B and Tessa Thompson turned the world to stone as Medusa, the cast of 'Riverdale' and Tana Mongeau's friends took on 'The Powerpuff Girls' ... and we need you to settle the age-old question.

Scroll through this gallery of celebrities in costumes and vote for who you are serving up treats ... and who is left with tricks.

Boo'd you rather?!

Colby Covington Trump Family Attending UFC 268 Don Jr., Eric, Lara Expected

102621_colby_covington_kal
TAKING BACK THE TITLE
TMZSports.com

Colby Covington says he'll have some pretty powerful and famous guests in the building when he rematches Kamaru Usman at UFC 268 ... telling TMZ Sports he's expecting Donald Trump's kids, Don Jr., Eric and Lara Trump Octagon-side.

We talked to the 33-year-old, #1 ranked UFC welterweight ... and asked him if former President Trump or his fam would be at Madison Square Garden on November 6.

"Yes, there will be some members of the Trump family there. You know, I was just talking to Donald Trump yesterday. He was at the golf course, giving me his well wishes," Colby says.

"I know he has a big rally that day so I’m not sure if he’s gonna be able to make it, but I’m sure that I’ll have my average phone call with him after my every fight. So, I’ll be talking to him."

Of course, Colby and Donald -- a big MMA fan who's also tight with Dana White -- have been friends for a while. Covington even visited DT at the White House a few years back.

So, likely no 45 ... but Covington expects 3 of the prez's children to be there for the stacked fight card, that also features Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler and Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili.

Great fights ... but, the biggest draw is Covington vs. Usman 2, the main event.

The first fight was electric (Kamaru won via 5th round TKO) ... and fight promotion aside, these guys still HATE each other.

And, Covington has revenge on his mind ... saying he intends to take back the belt (CC was interim champ),

"It’s amazing having [the Trump family's] support. I have this energy that I get from [Donald]. I call it 'dragon energy' and I’m gonna unleash that dragon energy next weekend," Colby says.

"And, I'm gonna take that UFC undisputed title back, and then I know Donald Trump is gonna take back the White House!"

Guess Who This Witchy Girl Turned Into!

Before this pint-sized sorceress was enchanting audiences with her powerful performances in film, she was just another costumed kid trying to give you a scare in Brooklyn, New York.

This spooky sweetie is usually not the villain of her storylines ... she's best known for playing many royal characters, one princess part even launched her career. She dreamed a dream and it led to her beautiful singing voice winning her numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Now, she's gone back to her runt roots and just recently starred in an HBO movie casting devious spells.

Can you guess who she is?

Nikita Dragun Hey Chappelle, Let Me Educate You On Transgender Community

102721-nikita-dragun-kal
EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING
TMZ.com

Nikita Dragun wants to take Dave Chappelle to school ... extending an olive branch of sorts, and offering him a chance to get an education on the transgender community.

We got the transgender influencer Wednesday at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills and asked her about Dave's controversial LGBTQ+ jokes.

100421_dave_chappelle_kal
DEFENDING DABABY
Netflix

Nikita says both sides need more understanding and communication ... and she says one way to achieve that is through education.

She wants to help school Dave, sitting down with the comedian and coming at him in a non-threatening way.

As you know ... Dave's jokes are rubbing lots of folks the wrong way, including trans employees at Netflix, where his controversial special, "The Closer," streams.

There was even a walkout protest at Netflix HQ ... but as we've told you, Dave's saying he is down to meet with members of the transgender community to hear them out, with a few conditions.

Unclear if Nikita will be part of the conversation ... but she wants a shot.

Kevin Hart Ex-Pal's Final Charge Dropped In Sex Tape Scandal

102721_kevin_hart_kal_1
MOVING ON!!!
@kevinhart4real / Instagram

Kevin Hart's finally putting his old sex tape scandal totally in his rearview mirror ... now that his former friend, J.T. Jackson, has been cleared of all criminal wrongdoing in the case.

Kevin posted a video announcing the good news for Jackson, saying he couldn't speak about the case previously because the legal process was still playing out. He admits, "I'm happy that that chapter in my life is over. I'm happy that we're able to put a period on that sentence."

It's a big win for Jackson, who Kevin once believed had tried to extort him over the 2017 video recorded in a Las Vegas hotel room. Jackson had been hit with 4 charges -- attempted extortion, attempted concealing and selling stolen property, unauthorized use of personal ID and identity theft.

The first 3 had been dropped, due to insufficient evidence, back in 2019 ... and now the final charge for identity theft has gone the same way.

Kevin says he's putting the whole mess behind him and moving on, and we're sure Jackson's happy to be able to do the same.

Bike Race Violent Crash Video ... Spectator Walks In Front Of Cyclist

A spectator blindly walked right in front of a cyclist during a bike race ... causing a brutal collision at the finish line, leaving them both injured.

The scary accident happened last weekend on the Canary Islands at the Cicloturista Condaca Salmor Bike event where 270 cyclists were racing.

The collision happened just feet before the finish line ... when a woman, phone in hand, nonchalantly walked right in front of a cyclist in a blue uniform and yellow helmet

The biker -- going full speed -- had zero chance of stopping or swerving to avoid the accident, slamming right into the woman, sending both crashing to the asphalt.

Both received medical attention on-scene.

The biker, who was transported to a local hospital, reportedly suffered head injuries and memory loss. The woman's condition after receiving treatment is unknown.

The racecourse was blocked off with barriers ... but unfortunately, some fans decided to get a closer look.

In fact, seconds before the collision you can see another spectator walk across the course. Thankfully, they weren't also hit.

It's not the first time we've seen a nasty spill at a race. Back in June during the first stage of the Tour de France, an overeager fan took out a rider with a sign, causing a chain reaction that took out multiple cyclists.

The female fan was arrested.

Be safe, everyone!

Ariana Grande One Year Later ... I'm Moving Up Out of the Hills!!!

Ariana Grande buy-eth, and Ariana Grande sell-eth just as fast -- she's unloading her L.A. fortress after a little more than a year of living there ... and turned a small profit.

AG just sold her mansion up in the Hollywood Hills, with a birds-eye view of La La Land below -- scooping a nice and neat $14 million in the sale. No word on where she may be heading next ... but wherever she lands, she'll have more than just one person to think about.

Since snapping the place up back in the summer of 2020 ... Ari's gone through a lot of changes, including her marriage to Dalton Gomez.

Presumably, their next property might become their love nest and permanent home base ... as the possibility of kids and everything else that usually comes after nuptials starts to work its way into the picture.

As for the pad she's leaving behind ... it probably would've worked just fine for a future fam too, as it was NOT lacking in space or luxury. It was a 4-bed, 7-bath modern-day palace -- with a private fitness studio, a 300-bottle wine cellar, a pool and gorgeous views of the city.

Still, maybe they're thinking of a new area ... and perhaps want even more room to spread out than this. Remember ... Ari bought it for a cool $13.7 mil at the time -- so she made about $300k from the sale, and probably broke even after fees and closing costs.

Aaron Kirman of the Aaron Kirman Group at Compass repped Ariana in the sale. Josh Altman and Jacob Greene represented the buyer.

Small Dong March End Small Penis Shame!!!

There's a movement to end the shame cast down upon those with small penises ... and it's getting bigger.

Los Angeles played host to the "Small Dong March" ... with throngs of folks taking to the streets to try and end the stigma around tiny members.

As you can see, people busted out a bunch of funny signs to make their point ... so click through the gallery to see some of the more creative cracks.

The Small Dong March is the brainchild of YouTube stars Chad and JT ... the surfer bros famous for pitching the San Clemente City Council on a 12-foot-tall Paul Walker statue.

Not everyone in the march was there because they had a small dong ... despite some of the chants you can hear on video echoing down the streets.

We're told attendees did not have to pack a small penis themselves, they could just be an ally.

102721-small-dong-shame-protest-kal
NO LAUGHING MATTER
@beach_pub_siesta / Instagram

The Small Dong March is the latest step in the crusade to end small penis shaming ... the organizers previously hosted a small dong art show.

No word what's next, and it might take a big effort to change hearts and minds ... but ya gotta start small.

Donald Trump Set To Attend World Series ... Game 4 in ATL

UPDATE

3:29 PM PT -- A source familiar with the situation says Trump will, in fact, be in Atlanta for the big game ... though it's unclear if any of his family members will be with him.

UPDATE

2:50 PM PT -- Our sources tell us if Trump is attending on Saturday, he was NOT a guest of Manfred's or the MLB's ... and they will not be sitting together.

#45 will be in the building for Game 4 of the World Series this weekend ... with Donald Trump reportedly slated to catch the Fall Classic between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves.

Of course, the former president is a huge baseball fan -- he's thrown numerous ceremonial first pitches over the years ... and more recently, played catch with Yankees legend Mariano Rivera on the White House lawn when he was still in office.

On top of that, Trump was set to throw the first pitch at a Nationals/Astros World Series game back in 2019 ... but he later declined to allow easier fan entry into the stadium.

Trump -- who got paid millions to call the Evander Holyfield/Vitor Belfort fight earlier this year -- appears to be attending as a fan this time around ... so the headset gets a rest on Saturday night.

It'll be interesting to hear how the crowd reacts -- the Donald is known to get a mixture of cheers and boos wherever he goes.

Commish Rob Manfred will also be in attendance on Saturday night ... after pulling the 2021 All-Star Game out of ATL due to discriminatory voter laws.

Worth noting -- Donald Trump had a huge issue with Manfred's decision ... so, safe to safe DT and the commish aren't exactly on the best of terms right now.

If the Braves end up winning Games 2 and 3, there's a chance Trump will watch the home team bring home the Commissioner's Trophy in Game 4 ... so it'll be a good game to catch.

Originally Published -- 2:08 PM PT

Church Brawl Maskless Guy Rushes at Priest ... Fists Fly on the Altar!!!

102721_church_brawl_kal
HOLY MOLY!
KIRO7

Instead of catching the Holy Ghost, one man caught these hands -- he defied the priest by storming the altar without wearing a face mask ... and the other churchgoers gave him a beatdown.

The video -- shot Sunday inside a church in Lakewood, WA -- shows the man approach the altar, and the priest immediately identifies him as a problem, saying he was trespassing and needed to leave immediately. Words didn't stop him, but when he got up on the altar ... several church members rushed out of their pews to manhandle him.

Fists were flying, and several guys fell to the ground ... eventually, someone calls 911 and the man was arrested for trespassing.

As for what led up to the incident, local station KIRO obtained a letter from Father Paul Brunet to worshippers explaining the history. Brunet says problems started with the man last month after he threatened the safety of church staff and other parishioners.

Brunet claims he had a meeting with the man to help fix things, but they only got worse ... and the church had no option but to ban him from the property. The guy still showed up ... and that's what you see playing out in the video.

According to KIRO, the church is now working with cops and a security company to make sure everyone stays safe moving forward.

Big Freedia Boosie Isn't Homophobic ... He Just Has Beef with Lil Nas X!!!

102721_big_freedia_kal
ISOLATED HATE
TMZ.com

Boosie Badazz doesn't hate gay people, in general -- he just hates Lil Nas X, which is why he went on a disgusting tirade against the guy ... so says Big Freedia, who's defending the former.

We got the NOLA-based rapper at LAX, who gave her take on the whole controversy over Boosie calling LNX the homophobic f-slur, while also telling Nas to off himself. This is interesting ... not only does Freedia back Boosie, but she explains away his behavior.

Freedia's definitely not as up in arms over Boosie's language as others in the LGBT community. She seems to think he's only directing those words at Lil Nas, despite the fact they're offensive to all.

From her POV ... Boosie and Nas X are in an endless back-and-forth of online trolling, and have been for a while. That's actually how this whole thing started -- LNX jokingly said he had a song coming out with Boosie, and Boosie went into outrage mode and fired away.

However, despite his clearly homophobic words ... Freedia simply doesn't think Boosie actually has malice in his heart toward the gay community, and her evidence of that has to do with his feature film, "My Struggle."

Boosie stars as himself in the biopic, and Big Freedia says the movie has prison scenes where gays are portrayed and represented in a positive light.

That might suffice for Freedia ... but, clearly, others have differing opinions. Some feel Boosie straight up crossed the line with his tweet, which Twitter has since removed.

The ultimate remedy might be an actual collab -- Nas X joked about one happening, but Freedia says for these 2 to truly bury the hatchet ... maybe they should really link.

We won't hold our breath.