Breaking News

Police say the suspect who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson can't hide forever in NYC ... 'cause security cameras recorded a person believed to be the shooter riding away from the murder scene.

Check out the new video, obtained by ABC News, showing a person -- who cops say is the suspect -- riding down a Manhattan street just minutes after Thompson was shot to death early Wednesday outside a hotel.

It appears the rider's wearing a mask, riding down the street very quickly ... but, cops say this is the person they're looking for -- blending in with the rest of the concrete jungle.

President Joe Biden is making a controversial decision with less than two months to go in his presidency ... announcing he's pardoned his son Hunter.

The 46th POTUS announced the news just minutes ago ... releasing a statement saying he's stood by while watching his son being "being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted."

Biden goes on to say other people convicted of the same crimes -- lying on federal forms and paying their taxes late because of addiction -- are typically given non-criminal resolutions ... but, Hunter was treated differently.

New York City Police made several arrests Thursday morning as a group of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, TMZ confirmed.

Police tell us ... several people have been arrested, but an exact number is unclear as the disturbance just happened. For the moment ... it appears to have been cleared.

The protesters did not make the televised program on NBC ... but social media was flooded with snaps and video of them making their attempt ... and the quick response from NYPD.

Diddy is staying behind bars ... after a judge just ruled his bail is denied because no conditions can assure the safety of the community.

In his decision, filed Wednesday the judge in the case wrote there is a serious risk of witness tampering and direct evidence of Combs' violence ... pointing to the infamous 2016 video of Diddy beating Cassie and subsequent text messages with her.

In the texts, included in the judge's decision, Cassie wrote to Diddy about her injuries ... adding he was "sick for thinking it's OK to do what you've done."

4:02 PM PT -- President-elect Donald Trump is wasting no time finding a new nominee for Attorney General after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration ... and Trump is going with Pam Bondi.

Trump only waited about 6 hours after Gaetz dropped out to announce his new pick. Bondi is the former Attorney General of Florida.

It's back to the drawing board for President-elect Donald Trump ... he's got to nominate someone else for U.S. Attorney General after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name today.

The former Congressman from Florida just announced on X he is pulling out of consideration to become Trump's AG.

Gaetz says ... "While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1."

10:05 AM PT -- Special Prosecutor Dan K. Webb has issued a statement, saying he's disappointed with the Illinois Supreme Court decision and respectfully disagrees with overturning Jussie Smollett's criminal conviction. Webb made it clear the court's decision has nothing to do with JS' guilt or innocence and he categorically believes Smollett is guilty of perpetrating a hate crime hoax against the city of Chicago.

He also pointed out the court's ruling had nothing to do with his 2 years of work on the case because he was appointed to his special prosecution role 5 months after Cook County D.A. Kim Foxx made a plea deal with Smollett. And Webb says it was that plea agreement that led to the "unprecedented" resolution initially in the case, which was the driving factor for the Supreme Court's decision today. In other words, Webb says he did nothing wrong.

9:10 AM PT -- Jussie's attorney, Nenye Uche, tells TMZ ... Jussie is "very pleasantly surprised," even "ecstatic." Uche emphasizes the court decision was unanimous.

He points out in the age of social media, courts need to push back and defend the rule of law and due process -- watch the video, he has some suggestions about how to address that.

A deal's a deal, and that means Jussie Smollett's conviction in the hate crime hoax case is now reversed, and he cannot be tried again ... according to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Illinois' high court ruled Thursday that Jussie's deal with Cook County prosecutors -- when they originally dropped the case against him -- had to be honored. State's Attorney Kim Foxx struck a plea deal with the actor, requiring him to forfeit his $10,000 bond, and do 15 hours of volunteer community service.

The court's ruling says because Jussie held up his end of the deal -- he actually did 18 hours of service -- he should not have been subject to a second prosecution. That's when he was convicted of felony disorderly conduct and sent to jail, briefly, until he appealed the decision.

10:44 AM PT -- Jose Ibarra, an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.

The judge in the case just issued the sentence ... Ibarra was found guilty on 10 charges, including malice murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault. Both the defense and the prosecution had opted for a bench trial, with a judge deciding Ibarra's fate, forgoing a jury trial.

The prosecution did not seek the death penalty in the case.

Jose Ibarra -- the man standing trial for nursing student Laken Riley's murder -- has been found guilty.

The verdict was announced minutes ago ... with a Georgia judge deciding Ibarra is guilty after the prosecution and defense agreed to a bench trial instead of a trial by jury.

Video and audio evidence played a key role in this trial ... with video of Ibarra unable to tell cops how he ended up with fresh scratches and marks on his arms just hours after Laken's death played in court earlier this week.

James Van Der Beek is battling colorectal cancer ... TMZ has confirmed.

The 47-year-old actor, best known for "Dawson's Creek," was recently diagnosed with the disease -- telling People he's receiving treatment to resolve it.

Van Der Beek says -- despite the scary diagnosis -- there's reason to be optimistic. He doesn't clarify exactly what he means here, but he adds he's feeling good.

1:27 PM PT -- Michael Jeffries, the ex-CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, has been released on bond following his indictment Tuesday ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of NY tells TMZ ... the controversial businessman has been released on a $10 million bond. Meanwhile, his boyfriend, Matthew Smith, who was also included in the indictment, was released on a $500K bond.

As for James Jacobson, who allegedly lured in men to participate in "sex events," was detained.

Jeffries and Jacobson are set to be arraigned Friday afternoon at a federal courthouse in Long Island.

The Ex-CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is mirroring the lifestyle Diddy allegedly lived ... at least according to the feds who've now secured an indictment against Michael Jeffries for very similar crimes.

A grand jury hit Jeffries -- who was Abercrombie's CEO from 1992 to 2014 -- with 15 counts of interstate prostitution and one count of sex trafficking. The indictment includes Jeffries' BF Matthew Smith and James Jacobson, who allegedly recruited men for "Sex Events" ... and made them have sex with him in "tryouts."

According to prosecutors for the Eastern District of NY, Jeffries and co. fully exploited his Abercrombie power, running "a business that was dedicated to fulfilling their sexual desires and ensuring that their international sex trafficking and prostitution business was kept secret."

4:28 PM PT -- The Beverly Hills Police Department, the investigating agency for the Menendez brothers case, tells TMZ ... cops presented facts and evidence to the L.A. County D.A.'s Office back in the day when prosecutors filed criminal charges, and BHDP has NOT been contacted by the D.A. regarding these new developments.

2:52 PM PT -- The L.A. County D.A. just said they are reviewing the claims of Erik and Lyle Menendez that they were molested by the father they killed, and he will decide if they should get a new trial or if the D.A. should go for a new sentence -- presumably manslaughter -- that could set them free.

George Gascón said his office is aware of the new claims by a former member of the band Menudo -- who says Jose Menendez molested him. That's highly relevant, because it goes to whether the judge in the second trial erred by not allowing evidence in that Jose allegedly molested his sons.

A hearing is scheduled for November 29.

MLB legend Pete Rose died from heart disease ... officials announced Tuesday.

According to the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner in Nevada ... the official cause of death for Rose was determined as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Rose had also been battling diabetes mellitus, officials added.

Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo -- one of the greatest defensive basketball players ever -- has died after a battle with brain cancer. He was 58 years old.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement announcing Mutombo's passing ... saying, "Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA."

"Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is now facing federal criminal charges, after a grand jury indictment ... TMZ has confirmed.

Adams, now the first NYC mayor to ever be charged while in office, is planning to surrender next week, according to the NY Post. The charges, which are currently sealed, are in connection with a federal probe, and the indictment is expected to be unsealed Thursday morning.

Adams told the NY Post, "I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target -- and a target I became. If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit."

Harvey Weinstein was just arraigned in the retrial of his New York sexual assault case ... and, federal prosecutors have finally revealed the new charge against him.

Weinstein was slapped with one count of criminal sexual act after his indictment was unsealed Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court. According to court documents, Weinstein allegedly forcibly performed oral sex on another person between April 29, 2006 and May 6, 2006.

The former movie producer pleaded not guilty, but otherwise sat quietly in a wheelchair at the defense table in the courtroom. Before his arraignment, Weinstein was photographed being wheeled out of Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan and given a police escort to the courthouse.

Donald Trump wasn't that far from being fired upon ... with officials saying he was about 300-500 yards away from the suspect when Secret Service engaged the would-be shooter.

The Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw just spoke publicly about the shots fired near Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach around 2 PM ET this afternoon.

Bradshaw says a Secret Service agent spotted an AK-47-style rifle barrel sticking through the fence, ready for the former president to arrive at one hole, and the suspect had a GoPro to film the whole thing.

1:51 PM PT -- The FBI has just released a statement to multiple news outlets, saying they are "investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump."

1:27 PM PT -- Donald Trump has just put out his own statement in a fundraising email ... telling people he's fine -- but, there are always people in this world who want to stop you, implying that he was fired upon.

1:26 PM PT -- A photo of the alleged SUV is circulating online ... showing the smashed up vehicle on the side of the road surrounded by police vehicles.

1:20 PM PT -- Sheriff William D. Snyder of Martin County has just confirmed his officers have apprehended the driver of the vehicle, and he is in custody. He says the investigation will now be handled by the FBI and Secret Service.

1:14 PM PT -- TMZ has confirmed U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, while the Republican presidential candidate was golfing Sunday. No injuries were reported. The person fled in an SUV and was later apprehended in a nearby county by local law enforcement, the officials said.

1:02 PM PT -- CNN is reporting one person has been detained after the shooting.

12:50 PM PT -- Fox News' Sean Hannity has just given a recap of events ... saying he's spoken with Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff -- one of the people golfing with Trump this morning.

Hannity says the two of them were on the fifth hole when shots rang out. He says Secret Service returned fire to where they heard the shots. He says Trump and Witkoff told him Secret Service found an AK-47 at the scene and a suspect was identified and chased by local law enforcement -- unclear if they arrested the suspect.

SH says it's still unclear if the shooter was firing on Trump or if the shooter simply fired his weapon near where Trump happened to be golfing.

12:44 PM PT -- Kamala Harris just tweeted about the shooting ... saying she's glad the former president is safe and adding gun violence has no place in the U.S.A.

12:37 PM PT -- Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been informed of the shooting, according to the Daily Mail which cites a White House statement.

Donald Trump's safe after his campaign says gunshots were fired near him ... marking this the second shooting scare of the summer for the Republican candidate.

The former POTUS' campaign team put out a statement just minutes ago ... assuring people 45 is safe after gunshots popped off "in his vicinity."

His communications director, Steven Cheung, adds the campaign has no further details at this time.