Rapper Polo G Arrested for Attacking Miami Cop Cops Say 2 Guns Found

UPDATE

9:15 AM PT -- 6/14 -- Polo G has hired Bradford Cohen as his attorney, who has filed a motion to get the rapper's property returned. Some of it includes $15k in cash and over $100k in jewelry Cohen says has not been returned.

UPDATE

What's more ... Cohen says "we already have independent witnesses that are contradicting some of the statements of the police officers." He added, "We look forward to a full and complete hearing on all the facts and circumstances."

UPDATE

7:25 AM PT -- 6/14 -- According to the arrest affidavit, obtained by TMZ, cops say they initially pulled over the rapper's car because the Cadillac had blackout tinted windows. Cops say the driver became combative when he was asked to lower his windows.

UPDATE

Things got tense after cops say they heard someone in the vehicle say it was bulletproof. Cops say they then asked if there were any firearms in the vehicle but claim the occupants inside the car did not respond and started to look nervously at each other.

UPDATE

Cops say they told everyone to get out of the car but Polo G allegedly shouted, "F*** you, what the f*** do I have to get out of the vehicle for?" According to cops, they tried to forcefully remove Polo from the Cadi and a struggle ensued ... with the rapper and an officer ending up on the ground. Cops say that while an officer struggled placing handcuffs on the rapper, he felt multiple punches and elbows strike him in multiple areas of his head like the chin, forehead and cheek. Another officer says he witnessed rapper on top of the cop swinging his elbows striking the cop.

UPDATE

According to the docs, the cop in question suffered an abrasion to the right upper forehead area, right chin area and a swollen and slightly bruised right cheek.

UPDATE

Cops say Polo made multiple threats like, “I will kill you, I swear I’ll use these fists to beat the s*** out of you and knock your ass out.”

UPDATE

When cops were finally able to slap handcuffs on Polo G ... cops say he violently kicked the rear interior door and window of the patrol car. Cops say they also found 2 handguns inside a black bag inside the vehicle.

Polo G was arrested in Miami for what cops claim was a brutal beatdown of an officer -- but his mom/manager is calling BS ... saying he was profiled and arrested for no reason.

The Chicago-based rapper got busted early Saturday morning following what his team says was an album release party in town -- after which the vehicle he was riding in got stopped for some reason ... which allegedly escalated into a full-blown fight between him and a cop.

The guy got booked for several different charges, including battery on a police officer, resisting with and without violence, criminal mischief and making threats. His bond had been set at over $15,000 -- and he posed for this mugshot once inside.

Law enforcement sources tell us that the police report directly linked to Polo's arrest cites the alleged victim, one of the Miami cops on the scene, as having been pummeled by Polo with his elbows ... and allegedly suffering lacerations to his face from the struggle.

The one thing that we can't seem to figure out from the police at this point, though, is why Polo was pulled over in the first place, and what led up to the alleged altercation. Welp, his mom, Stacia Mac, has been pretty vocal on that front ... claiming Polo (and his younger brother, who's apparently just 16 years old) got hauled away for something their driver did.

She alleges that the driver of their ride, whom we're told was white, swerved in the road and cut off a police cruiser ... which then initiated a stop. For whatever reason, Stacia says Polo and others were yanked from the backseat and got dealt with, instead of the actual driver.

Stacia claims the only explanation she can think of is racial profiling -- and not only that, but she says the cops wouldn't do her the courtesy of letting her speak to her boys.

One thing that's clear ... the cavalry got called out for this run-in -- different video has surfaced online showing Stacia on the scene demanding to see her kids, and there's at least five squad cars and even more officers standing guard. Miami PD says it's aware of the situation and will release details accordingly.

Originally Published -- 6/12 10:50 AM PT

Delta Detainment Passengers Asked to Help Wrangle Man Who Tried Opening Door

061221_delta_flight_kal
SKY-HIGH SCARE

Normies riding passenger aboard a Delta flight from L.A. to Atlanta received a Bat-signal of sorts from the crew while up in the air ... help us detain this idiot up front, please.

This wild encounter went down Friday on a plane that left LAX and was on its way to ATL ... which had to reroute for an emergency landing in OKC because some guy -- reportedly an off-duty flight attendant, no less -- tried opening some of the emergency exit doors.

Unclear what set him off ... but suddenly, other attendants and crew members were scuffling with him up near the cockpit area -- and they needed backup to get him under control.

Different passengers claim someone came over the loudspeaker and asked for any able-bodied men to come to the front for immediate assistance ... and it looks like at least two fellas answered the call for help, as they were seen pulling the man down in regular clothes.

Eventually, once they were on the ground, the authorities got involved ... and the suspect, ID'd as Stephon Duncan, was arrested for making terroristic threats, among other charges.

The crazy thing about this -- besides the nature of what happened in general -- is that this is at LEAST the second such attempted takedown encounter that's happened on a Delta flight in recent weeks ... another one occurred sometime last week, also leaving from LAX.

One of the flight attendants -- who was decked out in a dapper uniform -- did most of the heavy lifting in that case ... where some dumbass tried rushing the cockpit doors. They got him in zip-ties and hauled him to the back until they could land safely. Freaky stuff, really.

The one question that must be asked -- where the hell are those air marshals we know and love (and apparently desperately need in 2021)???

Buff Bagwell I'm Doing Great Following Arrest ... Rips Off Shirt To Prove it

060121_buff_bagwell_kal_1
NINE MONTHS TOO LATE
TMZSports.com

Buff Bagwell has a message for all his fans that are worried about the former wrestling superstar following his recent arrest ... thank you for the concern, but I’m doing fantastic!!

... and Buff proved it by showing off his jacked body.

TMZ Sports talked to 51-year-old Bagwell -- only days after the ex-WCW star was booked for hit & run, open container, providing false info to police and other charges in Georgia -- and we straight up asked ... are you OK??

"Dude, I'm 245. I look absolutely incredible. I'm in the best shape of my life. I feel better than I've ever felt in my entire left," Bagwell says.

Buff later continued ... "As you can see, if I'm in shape, Buff Bagwell is not hurting."

If you weren't a '90s pro wrestling fan and aren't familiar with Bagwell ... he was one of World Wrestling Championships (WCW) biggest stars for a decade.

"I just don't understand why everybody's worrying. I just think, honest to God brother, I really, really am thankful for them reaching out with their prayers and I thank everybody for that," Buff says.

"I just want to say I'm fine, thank you for your prayers. Without the wrestling fans, there is no Buff."

060121_buff_bagwell_kal_2
"YOU JUST GOT ME PUT IN JAIL"
TMZSports.com

We also talked to 5x WCW Tag Team champ about the May 22 arrest and Bagwell makes it clear ... he did NOT hit and definitely did NOT run ... and BB says he plans to fight the charges in court.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Star Widow's Alleged Victim ... Brutal Injury Photos

Widow Von'Du's alleged beatdown of a man claiming to be her romantic partner appears to have been fierce and brutal ... at least based on these photos showing the injuries police say he sustained.

TMZ has obtained pictures Von'Du's partner took of the alleged injuries he suffered after the 'Drag Race' star allegedly pummeled him and left him bloodied -- and, frankly, from what we can see here ... yeah, it certainly does look like there was damage done in whatever the hell went down.

As you can see ... there are multiple stitches, from the side of his face to the top of his scalp, which is consistent with what he told cops when he reported the alleged attack.

TMZ broke the story ... Widow Von'Du is accused of punching this guy 4 to 5 times, strangling him, dragging him across the floor and pushing him down to the ground, which he says propelled him into a bed frame that knocked him unconscious.

All of this is supposedly over this guy crashing at Von'Du's pad ... and it doesn't seem like they were on the same page as to whether he was supposed to be there or not. The so-called romantic partner insists he'd given her a heads up -- but Von'Du said differently, on camera.

060221_widow_von_du_kal
LED AWAY BY COPS

Remember, we got video of Von'Du being arrested over this ... and she claimed she was simply defending herself against someone who she says was "violating" her and crossing boundaries.

She was booked for 2 domestic assault charges. We've reached out to her for further comment ... so far, no word back.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Star Vapes, Cries Racism During Wild Arrest ... They're Busting Me for 'Defending Myself!!!'

060221_widow_von_du_kal
LED AWAY BY COPS

The "RuPaul's Drag Race" star arrested for allegedly pummeling a romantic partner is claiming self-defense, and she let cops know it as she was arrested -- while also blasting white "privilege," and taking a vape.

TMZ obtained this must-see video of Widow Von'Du in handcuffs, shouting that she's getting busted for defending herself in her own Kansas City, MO apartment -- and she clearly thinks it's because the alleged victim is a white man.

According to Von'Du ... she had asked him 5 times to leave her pad. As she put it, "someone else would not understand his privilege does not extend to my apartment." She quickly added, "And, just because his ass got beat up because he would not leave ... I'm being arrested."

You can also see a friend of Von'Du's holding a mic, and she made it clear she wanted all her fans to know about what she sees as a gross injustice. That being said, when someone offered her a vape ... Widow took a break from raging out to inhale deeply.

Things got deadly serious, though as police were loading Widow into their van. She demanded cops strap her down because she didn't want there to be any doubts about her possibly resisting police. She declared for the camera, "I'm not about to be the next one that we march for" ... alluding to Black people who've died in police custody.

As we first reported, Von'Du allegedly punched and KO'd her partner, leaving him with injuries so severe ... he needed 14 stitches in his face and head. Von'Du was booked for 1st and 2nd-degree domestic assault.

Va. Tech Football Player Isi Etute Charged With Murder ... Suspended From Team

Isi Etute -- a freshman linebacker on the Virginia Tech football team -- has been charged with murder ... and the school says it's now suspended him from the program immediately.

The Blacksburg Police Department said Wednesday that Etute was involved in the killing of a 40-year-old man on Tuesday.

Details surrounding the alleged incident are unclear ... but cops say they found a man dead after they responded to a call in Blacksburg, Va. at around 10:30 PM Tuesday.

Cops say they zeroed in on Etute, who they say was an "acquaintance" of the victim, after conducting their investigation.

Etute has since been charged with 2nd-degree murder, court records show ... and cops say he's currently being held without bond in jail.

Cops added the investigation is both "complex" and "ongoing."

Etute -- a 6-foot-2, 200-pound outside LB -- signed with Va. Tech after committing to the school in July 2020 ... and had participated in the team's 2021 spring practices.

Tech officials say in addition to him being suspended immediately from the football team, he's also been placed on suspension from the university.

Etute was majoring in human development, school officials say.

Story developing ...

Tony La Russa DUI Arrest Video 'This Guy's Like The Michael Jordan Of Baseball'

New police video shows cops had a conversation about Tony La Russa's MLB resume during his 2020 DUI arrest ... with one officer even saying on camera, "This guy's like the Michael Jordan of baseball."

The footage of the Feb. 24, 2020 incident was released Tuesday to WGN News ... and it's pretty wild.

In the clip, you can see officers in the Phoenix, AZ area had approached La Russa on the side of the road after his car had apparently suffered some major tire damage.

La Russa can be heard on the video having a talk with one cop about his ride ... which eventually led to questions about whether the 76-year-old had been drinking before getting behind the wheel.

La Russa initially said he hadn't had anything to drink ... but after cops told him he blew a .09 (the legal limit is .08), Tony then admitted he DID have a glass of wine before driving.

Tony was eventually placed in cuffs and thrown in the back of a squad car ... and that's when you can see in the footage, he became unhappy.

He griped about his cuffs, and then said, "I'm legitimate. I'm with the Angels. I'm a Hall of Famer."

In video, though, you can see at least one cop had no idea who La Russa was ... because an officer had to explain to the other La Russa's resume.

"He's a f***ing Hall of Famer," one officer said ... before adding, "This guy's like the Michael Jordan of baseball ... like World Series manager, like Manager of the Year."

La Russa -- who was hired as the Chicago White Sox manager just months after the arrest -- was ultimately hit with two misdemeanor DUI charges, though he struck a deal with prosecutors back in Dec. 2020 to close out the case.

Court records show La Russa agreed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving ... and, in exchange, officials agreed to drop the other DUI charge.

La Russa was ordered to spend one day in jail -- though his attorney said the MLB manager was allowed to serve it via home confinement.

Kazan also said La Russa was ordered to pay a $1,300 fine and complete 20 hours of community service as part of his sentencing.

La Russa eventually opened up about the arrest in Feb. 2021, explaining, "It was an inexcusable mistake."

La Russa has the White Sox in World Series contention this year -- despite the rocky start AND a public feud with star player Yermin Mercedes -- leading Chicago to a 33-20 record.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Star Widow Von'Du Arrested for DV ... Allegedly Punched, KO'd BF

A drag queen from RuPaul's TV show got busted this weekend for allegedly pummeling her boyfriend -- who identifies as a man -- in what sounds like a bloody ordeal.

Widow Von'Du -- whose real name is Ray Fry -- was arrested and booked Monday for domestic violence on a warrant out in Jackson County, MO.

According to the probable cause affidavit, obtained by TMZ, Von'Du came home early Friday morning in what her boyfriend described to cops as an intoxicated state ... and was apparently upset when she found her BF sleeping there, even though the boyfriend says he'd notified her he was gonna crash.

The BF went on to tell police that what happened next was nothing short of a vicious beatdown -- claiming Von'Du proceeded to punch his face 4 to 5 times, strangle him, drag him across the floor and eventually push him into a bed frame ... which the BF says knocked him unconscious after he hit his head, making him bleed profusely.

Eventually, Von'Du's boyfriend said he was able to escape, found help and was hospitalized ... where the report notes he needed 14 stitches in his face and head. The cops say they saw the BF's injuries and, after a preliminary investigation, found probable cause to get an arrest warrant for Von'Du.

The cops say they tracked Von'Du down on Monday and took her into custody ... where she posed for this mug. We're told she was kept on a 24-hour hold, and that her bond was set at $50k. She's facing 1st and 2nd-degree domestic assault charges.

Another thing of note -- the police say Fry partially denied some of the assault claims, but did fess up to an IG Live video in which she said ... "Some White boy tried me and got his ass beat."

Von'Du was part of season 12 for 'Drag Race' ... ultimately placing 7th during that cycle.

COVID in India Body Dumped in River, 2 Arrested ... Post-Virus Death

A body was dumped over a bridge into the water below in northern India -- an unthinkable act that 2 people have been arrested for ... but also, a testament to the siege the country is under during a second wave of COVID-19.

This wild video surfaced over the weekend, which purportedly shows two guys chucking a cadaver into the Rapti River somewhere in Balrampur ... which sits in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Local reports say police have identified the men and arrested them.

In the clip, you see the two people here struggling with what appears to be someone in a body bag ... hoisting them up onto the ledge, and then opening whatever enclosure they're in to unleash what's inside. One of the guys doing the deed is covered in full PPE.

According to India Today, a chief medical officer ID'd the body ... reportedly saying they'd been admitted to a hospital on May 25 after testing positive for COVID, only to die a few days later. The hospital released the body to the man's family for cremation, whom officials now claim are the ones behind him being disposed of in morbid fashion.

Bodies along river banks are sadly becoming a regular thing throughout India lately -- as they continue to battle rising COVID cases and deaths during a crippling second wave that has devastated citizens there. Mass burial sites have been formed in and around the Ganga River of late, with scores of dead people being lined up ... and in some cases, burned at a pyre.

While we seem to be turning a corner here in the States, this is a good reminder that many around the world are not faring well against the virus, even at this point.

North Vegas PD Cops Make Deaf Woman's Kids Interpret ... During Detainment

052221_deaf_driver_kal
MISHANDLING THE SITUATION
Caroline Blaike/Facebook

Two Vegas-area police officers used a deaf woman's own children to help interpret while detaining their mother ... which is now being called a blatant violation of the ADA.

The lady's name is Andrea Hollingsworth, and she recorded the encounter last month after running into a North Las Vegas PD cop ... who was responding to a call alleging Hollingsworth was stalking/harassing someone outside of their home.

Hollingsworth makes clear during the incident that she's deaf and can't hear the officer as he tried figuring out what was going on ... but lost his patience constantly. Another officer arrives on the scene not too long after and also expresses frustration with Hollingsworth.

Eventually, the officers get one of her kids -- who was riding with her when they got approached -- to try and be in the intermediary ... this as they put Hollingsworth in cuffs and sat her down on the curb. It's a distressing situation -- you can hear the children crying and Hollingsworth desperately tries to both reassure them and talk to the cops at the same time.

Once everything is calm (relatively speaking), the officers get some context from what sounds like one of Hollingsworth's daughters ... who says they're simply trying to get some money back from a friend who'd recently moved out of an apartment they were sharing.

The officer chastises the mom to the kid ... explaining police procedure and why it's important for people to cooperate, which he says Hollingsworth was not doing, making it all the more difficult to get to the bottom of what had happened. In the end, no charges were filed.

Now, more than a month later ... Nevada's ACLU chapter, as well as some deaf orgs, are crying foul over Hollingsworth's treatment, saying the cops violated the Americans with Disabilities Act -- not to mention police protocol, which says ASL interpreters must be dispatched in these types of run-ins, as they're on call and available 24/7.

It doesn't appear the officers were reprimanded -- but it seems Hollingsworth might be ramping up for legal action, as a GoFundMe for legal fees has been started on her behalf.

rick ross Man Who Cops Chased to Mogul's Home ... Dies in Custody

The guy who led cops on a wild chase that landed on Rick Ross' front door has died while in custody.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation tells TMZ ... 40-year-old Chaka Stewart was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday at the Clayton County Jail in Georgia. We're told a guard and a medic who were making the evening rounds noticed Stewart lying there, and they attempted life-saving measures when they realized something was seriously wrong.

We're told he was pronounced dead at the jail. Our law enforcement sources say Stewart was alone in his cell, and no foul play is suspected. An autopsy is underway to figure out what happened.

Stewart's mother, Jacqueline Gordon, confirmed her son is the man who was arrested outside Rick's Georgia estate last week -- where cops say he crashed his truck and was carrying a firearm ... only to finally be apprehended at gunpoint following what was described as a crazy pursuit through the streets.

She says she last spoke to her son Friday, and claims he told her he was being mistreated behind bars. Gordon alleges Stewart said he was being beaten -- unclear if he was blaming officials or other folks behind bars -- wasn't allowed to shower and was confined to his cell for 23 hours a day.

Gordon also claims one of the deputies told Stewart he'd never be getting out of there ... while also asserting Georgia authorities have been ducking her and her inquiries.

We've reached out to the Clayton County Sheriff's Office for comment ... so far, no word back.

Jack Harlow Breaks Silence on KY Club Shooting ... 'My Heart Breaks'

Jack Harlow is finally speaking out about the fatal Louisville nightclub shooting for which his DJ's been indicted for murder -- and his first words are ones of sorrow and regret for the victim.

The rapper shared his thoughts Wednesday about the chaos he was smack in the middle of 2 weeks ago on the eve of the Kentucky Derby ... violence that led to a grand jury indicting his DJ, Ronnie Luciano.

Jack says, "My heart is broken by the events that occurred over Derby weekend. My heart breaks for Kasmira, her children, and everyone else touched by this tragic death."

050121_jack_harlow_swipe 5/1/21
WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME
TMZ.com

He goes on to explain that he's been in touch with Kasmira's family, who've apparently been pretty receptive to talking. Jack adds, "Nothing can reverse what happened. Too many lives have been changed forever. My life will remain committed to making Louisville a better place."

As we reported, Ronnie turned himself in Tuesday after the grand jury indictment for his alleged role in the shooting.

It appears that Kasmira -- the 37-year-old woman who was killed -- was the one shown in our video ... which captured the moment a gunshot went off and sent everyone scrambling, including Jack, who was close to the action.

Ronnie's been part of Jack's inner circle for years -- well before he blew up, having served as his DJ since the guy first started touring back in 2018.

Josh Duggar Hit with Child Pornography Charges

Josh Duggar's just been hit with charges of receiving and possessing child pornography following his arrest by federal agents in Arkansas.

According to the legal docs, the "19 Kids and Counting" star knowingly received child porn in mid-May 2019. He's accused of knowingly possessing images of child pornography, including images of minors below the age of 12.

Duggar's been charged by indictment with receiving and possessing child pornography -- one count each. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and fines up to $250,000.00 on each count.

He's been ordered to forfeit any material related to the case to authorities, including turning over any and all computer equipment.

Duggar appeared before the judge at the Western District of Arkansas Federal Court from jail via Zoom, where he entered a plea of not guilty on all counts.

A court hearing's set for next week to determine if Duggar will be granted bond release, but he's to remain in custody until then. The judge ruled if bond is granted ... Duggar will be required to stay with a third-party custodian, and that person can't have unsupervised minors in the home.

His trial is scheduled for July.

We broke the story ... Duggar was arrested Thursday by the feds in Washington County, and was being held in a detention center without bail.

The reality star's mug shot, obtained by TMZ, showed him posing with a strange smirk on his face.

As we reported ... Homeland Security agents visited the Arkansas car dealership where he worked back in November 2019, raiding his office in connection to a federal probe.

Duggar's legal counsel Justin Gelfand, Travis W. Story and Greg Payne, tell us, "Josh Duggar has been charged in a two-count indictment. He has pled not guilty to both charges and we intend to defend this case aggressively and thoroughly."

They continue, "In this country, no one can stop prosecutors from charging a crime. But when you’re accused, you can fight back in the courtroom—and that is exactly what Josh intends to do."

Famous Dex Sued You Stole My Luxury Watch!!!

Famous Dex stole an expensive timepiece, and then made up a story about getting robbed to cover his tracks ... at least that's the alleged watch owner's story.

The rapper is being sued by a man who claims Dex agreed to advertise the guy's luxury watch on social media -- but in a lawsuit he's filed, the guy says his first meeting with the rapper went south quickly.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, he handed over the timepiece so Dex could check it out and take pictures for social media posts. He says it was all good until Dex drove off with it and went radio silent.

In the suit, he claims Famous Dex contacted him later, and claimed 4 men robbed him and took the watch. He's not buying that, and claims the robbery is BS -- he believes Dex still has the timepiece. According to the suit, he says he saw it on Dex's Instagram, and that Dex tried to sell it to a jeweler.

TMZ broke the story ... Dex even reported the alleged robbery to cops last month, telling them the crooks jacked a $50,000 watch and cash at gunpoint.

But, the plaintiff claims he was there when Dex talked to police, and somehow HE actually got handcuffed and detained for a while. He wasn't charged, but now he's suing Dex for at least $90,000 in damages.

We reached out to Famous Dex, but so far ... no word back.

Andrew Brown Jr. Police Shooting Vids Can Be Seen ... But Only by His Family!!!

042721_andrew_brown_jr_hearing_kal
LIMITED RELEASE
WAVY TV 10
UPDATE

10:37 AM PT -- The family's legal team is "deeply disappointed" by the judge's decision to keep the police footage from the public, saying ... "In this modern civil rights crisis where we see Black people killed by the police everywhere we look, video evidence is the key to discerning the truth and getting well-deserved justice for victims of senseless murders."

UPDATE

It adds ... "Just look at the murder of George Floyd – if the world had not seen that clear and disturbing footage, there might not have even been an ounce of accountability for those officers."

UPDATE

Brown's family lawyers vow to keep the pressure on until the body cam videos are made public and they "get to the truth."

All police body cam videos of Andrew Brown Jr.'s fatal encounter with cops in North Carolina will be viewed, but only by his family and not the media ... a judge just ruled.

The Pasquotank County judge just made the highly-anticipated and controversial decision after hearing arguments for the release of police video in the case of Brown's killing ... in which an autopsy revealed he was shot 5 times.

The judge ruled the footage should be available to the family within 10 days, but also ordered that the faces of any deputies and other identifying information in the video be blurred. The judge will reevaluate making it available to more eyes in 30-45 days.

As we reported ... Brown's family says it was one bullet to the back of his head that killed him, and the findings of the private autopsy released Tuesday show he also suffered 4 gunshot wounds to his right arm.

Brown's family and their legal team have been calling for the release of the full police body cam footage from last week's fatal shooting, claiming he was gunned down in an "execution" while cops were trying to execute a search warrant.

042621_andrew_brown_jr_presser_1072953 4/26/21
"THIS WAS AN EXECUTION"
WAVY TV 10

So far, the family says they've only seen a "snippet" of police body cam ... just 20 seconds of one deputy's body cam with the faces blurred of other deputies on the scene.

The family claims what they did see only confirms their belief Brown was murdered by cops. Since his killing, peaceful protests and demonstrations in Elizabeth City have continued daily ... with the mayor there declaring a state of emergency.

Originally Published -- 10:06 AM PT

Oscars 2021 L.A. Train Station Location Turns into high-crime nightmare for crew

The Academy Awards are being held at a famous L.A. train station this year -- and while that might satisfy COVID needs ... it's also become a dangerous place for the Oscars crew.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man was arrested Sunday morning at Union Station, where the Oscars are set to take place later this evening. We're told the guy tried running past security and breaking into a secured area ... and even pushed past a guard.

Our sources say the dude was detained by security ... and was eventually booked for battery by the LAPD. It might sound like an isolated incident and just a one-off ... but we're hearing that's far from the reality ... there was at least one other violent run-in this week.

We've heard that as crew members were setting up for the big award show over the past several days ... one of those people was actually mugged by somebody in the area. Sources close to the production tell us the guy ended up getting jacked ... and the suspect fled.

It's unclear if that person was caught or not -- but it's just another example of why it might've not have been the greatest idea to host the Oscars at Union Station this year.

Our law enforcement sources tell us this is, indeed, a high-crime area -- Union Station's right in the heart of DTLA -- and sketchy stuff like this goes down often. With more foot traffic than usual ... we're told that could naturally lead to more targets, which is exactly what appears to have happened.

We're being told by law enforcement that folks need to be wary ahead of the big show ... which obviously applies to the stars who are gonna be in attendance. This ain't the Hilton or the Dolby Theater -- so keeping an eye out for trouble would be in everyone's best interest.

Old news is old news!
Be First!

Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser!