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Pandemonium erupted Wednesday afternoon when a gunman in Philadelphia opened fire on police officers ... striking at least 6.

The gun battle's still active in the North Philly neighborhood of Nicetown-Tioga ... where dozens of cops can be seen taking cover while surrounding a home with at least 1 barricaded suspect. The attack was reportedly triggered after cops tried serving a warrant there.

A deputy commissioner with Philadelphia PD said the 6 cops wounded by gunfire suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The deputy commissioner also said a 7th officer was hurt in a crash while responding to the scene. According to the report ... the gunman fired repeatedly, reloaded and continued to fire.

Temple University's nearby Health Sciences Center is under lockdown and cops are asking residents to avoid the area. SWAT and ATF agents are on the scene assisting police.

The shooting comes just one day after a California Highway Patrol officer was shot dead after a routine traffic stop in Southern California ... and 10 days after the Dayton shooting.

Story developing ... 

The group of bikers who triggered massive panic in Times Square will NOT face criminal charges ... because cops decided there was no crime.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... authorities reviewed surveillance footage from last week's chaotic scene. They determined the group of bikers obeyed all traffic laws and didn't intentionally try to make it sound like there was an active shooter ... so, no reckless endangerment charges for causing the mass panic.

We're told surveillance video showed the bikers riding on 42nd Street when the group stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, they throttled up, and that's when a couple bikes backfired.

We're told footage shows only a handful of people initially ran for cover, before full-on panic set in. Understandable, given the uneasiness following the recent mass shootings.

Billie Eilish has a vision of what hell is really like ... tarring and feathering herself on the set of her upcoming music video ... and the images will stick with you!!!

The 17-year-old alt-pop singer got down and dirty filming the video for her track, "all the good girls go to hell" ... throwing on a huge set of feathery wings and completely covering herself in heavy black makeup that looks just like sludge.

The imagery is pretty powerful ... you see Billie slowly rising up from the ground, bogged down by the tar and feathers, as she sings for the cameras. At one point, she switches into a pure white look with some perfectly clean feathers for some serious angel vibes.

If you paid attention in history class, you might recall learning about tarring and feathering ... an old form of public humiliation used in feudal Europe, and even here in America.

But, history lessons are boring, so Billie's music video also has FIRE ... massive flickering FLAMES and a HUGE EXPLOSION!!!

Tony Cox -- who starred alongside Billy Bob Thornton as his elf sidekick in the 'Bad Santa' films -- just delivered a terrible gift to an unlucky kid ... a foot injury and a busted up bike.

The veteran actor struck the boy on his bike Thursday in L.A. as he was turning right onto a street, while the kid was cruising through the crosswalk. As you can see ... the collision resulted in the bicycle's front tire getting pinned under Tony's ride.

We're told the kid suffered an injury to his foot as he was knocked off his Schwinn ... but was alert and conscious after the accident. EMTs arrived shortly afterward and he was taken to the hospital ... thank God he was wearing a helmet.

We've placed a call in with the LAPD who says they're still investigating the incident.

Cox started his career in 1980s in films like "Spaceballs" and "Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype." He's also been in "My, Myself & Irene" with Jim Carrey.

Steven Slater -- the ex-JetBlue flight attendant who went on a profanity-laced tirade in 2010 and deployed the emergency slide -- has gone missing in Mexico ... TMZ has learned.

The Chula Vista Police Department tells TMZ ... Slater was reported missing Tuesday in Tijuana after friends pled with the public just days prior to help find him. Cops say friends told them they had not been able to get in touch with Slater since Sunday.

On that day, Slater -- who moved to Tijuana about a week ago -- posted on Facebook he was visiting a monument in the city but has not been seen or heard from ever since.

We're told cops have notified Mexican authorities about Slater's disappearance.

Slater made headlines 9 years ago after a heated argument with a passenger aboard a flight from Pittsburgh to NYC. His viral moment came after swinging open the jet's side door, deploying the emergency chute and sliding down with beers in hand.

The f-bomb meltdown was triggered after a passenger wanted to get her luggage from the overhead compartment as the jet was taxiing. He pled with her to sit but she smacked him. He asked for an apology. She refused and that's when he lost it.

According to witnesses at the time, Slater got on the intercom and cursed the entire plane before signing off with, "I've been in this business for 28 years. I've had it. That's it." After sliding down the chute, he hopped on the AirTrain shuttle and drove home, where he was ultimately arrested.

P!nk's manager and crew are lucky to be alive after their private jet crash landed and burst into flames in Denmark hours after leaving her show in Norway.

The scary incident went down in the early hours Tuesday at the Aarhus Airport, when the plane apparently missed the runway and crashed into the turf beside it.

P!nk's manager and other members of her tour team were among the 10 aboard the Cessna 560XL. They were coming from her concert in Oslo Monday night, on their way to Denmark to prepare for her next tour stop.

Thankfully, everyone on the jet escaped without injuries. They were taken to a nearby hotel for the night. P!nk was not on the flight.

It's not yet known what caused the crash landing, but the plane reportedly caught fire as it was making its final descent at 12:38 AM. Danish air crash authorities are investigating.

Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison is dead ... according to her publisher.

The critically acclaimed American writer -- perhaps best known for her 1987 best-seller, "Beloved" -- passed away Monday night surrounded by loved ones. Her publicist and publisher both confirmed the news, but didn't say anything about a cause of death.

Toni was a renowned figure in literature, with multiple novels under her belt that spoke to the African-American experience. "Beloved," "Jazz" and "Paradise" made up a loose trilogy -- with the first book being adapted into the 1998 film starring Oprah and Danny Glover.

Other notable works include "Song of Solomon," "The Bluest Eye" and "Sula."

Toni wrote 11 novels in her life, many non-fiction books, 5 children's books, two plays, two short fiction stories and one libretto. She also wrote several essays and university papers.

She won a Nobel Prize in literature in 1993 -- becoming the first African American woman to achieve the honor. President Obama also awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. On politics, she wrote an essay shortly after the election of Donald Trump for the New Yorker titled "Mourning for Whiteness," calling out white supremacy.

A documentary about Toni's life was made this year called "Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am." She had two children -- her sons, Slade and Harold.

Toni was 88. RIP

Travis Barker's weekend was an emotional roller coaster in El Paso -- it started with plans to visit a friend in prison and then rock out with his band ... but his band ended up in lockdown across the street from the slaughter as he was miles away visiting a friend in prison.

As you know, a gunman with an assault rifle opened fire Saturday morning at a Walmart in El Paso, TX ... killing 22 and injuring many others.

Blink-182 was in town for a show, and Mark Hoppus tweeted they were about to head to the mall where the massacre took place when they got word their hotel was on lockdown.

Barker wasn't with the band ... he had traveled 250 miles to visit rapper 03 Greedo at the Fort Stockton prison.

We're told Travis promised his friend he'd visit him whenever he was in Texas and made plans in advance to see him before the Blink concert. We're told he was at the prison visiting Greedo at the time of the shooting ... but didn't get word of it until after he left.

Travis was horrified at the news, but thankful his bandmates and the crew were okay. Blink-182 postponed its show out of respect and to show solidarity with the community.

As for Greedo -- we're told he's doing well behind bars and is staying positive and healthy. He's currently serving a 20-year sentence on drug and gun charges.

Beto O'Rourke is sick and tired of being asked if President Trump is racist ... and now he's ripping into the media for asking about something he feels is blatantly obvious to everyone.

The former Congressman from Texas, Presidential candidate and El Paso native was on MSNBC Monday morning, and blew a gasket while conveying his frustration following 2 mass shootings that left at least 29 dead.

Beto didn't hold back, saying, "Anyone who is surprised is part of this problem right now, including members of the media who ask, 'Hey Beto, do you think the president is racist?' Well, Jesus Christ, of course he's racist! He's been racist from before Day 1 when he was questioning whether Barack Obama was born in the United States."

The ex-Congressman had also lashed out at the media on Sunday ... using even more colorful language.

Beto's rant comes just 2 days after the majority-Hispanic city he used to represent came under fire from the 21-year-old gunman who stormed into a crowded Walmart and killed at least 20 people. The suspect wrote an anti-immigrant manifesto that echoes Trump's language and views about immigrants.

For what it's worth ... Trump partly blamed the shooting on video games.

Beto, clearly, isn't trying to hear that.

Hostages huddled inside an Arizona convenience store banded together to subdue a man police say fatally shot a customer moments before ... bum-rushing the suspect and tackling him to the ground in a wild incident that was caught on video!!!

Footage from the intense standoff is insane ... you see the gunman pacing around an aisle when one of the hostages suddenly engages him, wrestling him to the ground. As the struggle continues, an employee rushes over and starts smashing the alleged killer over the head with a crate.

With the gunman subdued, more hostages got in on the action ... stomping, kicking and absolutely pummeling the man as he squirms on the floor.

The unreal scene went down May 9 at a Circle K gas station in Phoenix ... and the surveillance video was just entered into evidence in the alleged killer's murder trial.

Cops shot the alleged killer, 53-year-old Joel McClain Carson, who police say walked into the store and killed a customer with a gunshot to the back of their head.

In the video ... you see the gunman barking at an employee to lock the doors, then he barricades the entrance with a donut display ... all while holding a handgun.

Once the hostages overpowered the gunman, they ran to the exit, broke down the barricade, unlocked the door and got the hell outta Dodge.

Roughly an hour later, a SWAT team makes its move ... entering the store before shooting and injuring the alleged killer.

Cardi B did not take the stage in Indianapolis Tuesday because of a security issue that threatened the rapper's safety as well as the venue she was supposed to perform at ... TMZ has learned.

Cardi was supposed to perform at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indy, but less than an hour before the sold-out show was scheduled to begin, the concert was postponed ... leaving tons of fans angry, upset and wondering what the hell was going on.

Cops put out a release saying, "This evening, there was a scheduled concert at Bankers Life. We were notified of an unverified threat to the artist and the artist canceled this evening’s concert - there is no immediate threat to public safety, this not an active incident. Ongoing investigation."

The venue says Cardi's show has been rescheduled for Sept. 11.

Cardi was inside the venue for soundcheck prior to the show, and posted a message to her fans after the announcement, issuing a heartfelt apology.

Cardi had another show postponed earlier this year in Baltimore ... but that was because she couldn't perform due to health issues from her recent plastic surgeries.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting might've been a whole lot worse had officers not responded so quickly and bravely -- according to one musician who was there as it all went down.

Tommy Huxley played Sunday at the festival with his band, Tommy Huxley's Blues Avenue, and when the first shots were fired, they were breaking down their equipment. Huxley tells us Gilroy cops were on the scene seconds later and searching for the shooter.

He gives a recap of how the terrifying incident unfolded, saying at first ... he thought he was hearing fireworks, but soon realized what was happening as people scrambled.

It sounds like a complete 180 from the good vibes being shared right before all this -- you can see Tommy and his band jamming out and people having a great time.

The moment people started running from nearby stages was also captured when the shooting first started, and it gives you a sense of just how scary it was. Another band was in the middle of performing when shots were heard, and people ran for their lives.

As you know, 3 people were killed and 12 others injured.

Listen to how Huxley describes Gilroy PD's response though -- sounds like 4 officers were frantically trying to get to the gunman and end the threat, which they ultimately did. The suspected  19-year-old shooter was shot dead in a standoff with police.

Authorities say the shooter used an AK-47-style rifle, which he purchased legally in Nevada earlier this month. Witnesses have said he was wearing fatigues, and that he was shooting at random. Two children -- aged 6 and 13 -- were among the fatalities.

The earthquakes that have rocked Southern California over the past few days have left one apocalyptically-inclined actor thinkin' the end is near ... so here are his ground rules.

We got 'Walking Dead' star Lawrence Gilliard Jr. out Saturday in L.A. -- just a day after Friday's scary 7.1 magnitude quake -- and asked him if he saw any similarities between the panicked vibes of the city and what he and others experienced on the show.

Unfortunately (for all of us, perhaps), he suggests ... uh, hell yeah. The fact folks are stocking up on supplies and planning for the worst ain't a good sign, but like he says ... "You gotta be prepared." BTW, Lawrence believes that all the preparation in the world won't do any good if/when the big one hits ... 'cause Cali would be well underwater. 

Not to worry though, LGJ's got a short-term plan to deal, for himself anyway. 

ICYMI ... California, and even parts of Nevada, felt the rumblings of the initial earthquakes and their aftershocks throughout Fourth of July weekend, and in some areas ... it caused some serious damage and freaky imagery ... like this here, where the ground starts to split.

Ridgecrest -- about 100 miles east of Bakersfield -- was reportedly hit the hardest, and it sent people scrambling for cover. Here's the scene from inside a restaurant around that area.

The Fourth of July got off to a terrifying start for folks in Southern California after a preliminary magnitude 6.6 earthquake shook for what seemed like an eternity.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake was centered in the Mojave Desert but people all over SoCal -- from Beverly Hills and Marina del Rey to Universal Studios, downtown L.A. and beyond -- felt the rolling tremor. Some folks in Vegas said on social media they felt it too.

At the epicenter in Ridgecrest, CA ... items toppled off shelves and mirrors came crashing down. The National Weather Service said no tsunami warnings are expected in California, Oregon or Washington. There are no reports of any structural damage to buildings or roads ... at least not yet.

The TMZ offices were certainly not spared, because the studio lights above our desks were swaying like there was no tomorrow.

So far, no reports of injury ... at least not yet. We're guessing some of the folks who work at 7-Eleven are picking up cans from the aisles. 

Capitol Hill is buzzing -- almost literally -- for the first Congressional hearing on slavery reparations in a decade ... because a huge crowd is waiting to see Danny Glover and Sen. Cory Booker testify.

The loud scene unfolded Wednesday morning in the halls of Congress, where a seemingly endless throng assembled to show support for an issue that's gained a huge amount of traction this year.

Ya gotta see the video ... wannabe spectators packed into a tiny hallway outside the hearing -- an obvious illustration of just how monumental the hearing is for millions of Americans.

Booker, one of several Democratic presidential hopefuls expressing support for some form of reparations, testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties ... and Glover was among the other speakers.

H.R. 40 calls for a commission to study and develop reparation proposals for African-Americans, plus a formal apology from the U.S. government for human rights violations and "crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants."

President Trump doesn't like having his train of thought interrupted, which he made very clear Sunday by demanding a redo when somebody coughed in the middle of his interview.

45 was chatting it up with ABC's George Stephanopoulos in The White House, discussing everything from the Mueller report to his still-unreleased tax records -- and as he was explaining the latter ... someone off-camera let out a heavy cough that threw DT off.

He stopped mid-sentence and asked George if they could run his answer back, 'cause he didn't appreciate the interruption. Trump said quite bluntly, "Let's do that over, he's coughing in the middle of my answer," going on to add, "I don't like that, you know?"

George seemed to indicate that the culprit was Trump's Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, but it's unclear if it was in fact him. Whoever it was ... Trump definitely wasn't very nice in telling them to shut the hell up. In fact, he instructed them to leave the room.

"You just can't, you just can't cough," Trump told the cougher.

George and the ABC team reset and the Prez finished his tangent about his "fantastic financial statement." What's funny is that the gaffe made it to air during Sunday's broadcast.