Bed Bath & Beyond CFO Falls to Death from Jenga Tower Amid Mass Closures, Layoffs

The CFO of Bed Bath & Beyond has died after plunging from a famous skyscraper in New York City -- this as the company is taking a major financial hit that's affecting thousands.

Gustavo Arnal was confirmed to have been the man who fell from the 18th floor of the Jenga Tower in Manhattan Friday afternoon. Cops haven't released many details about the exact circumstances, but all signs point to a suicide ... with no foul play suspected.

BB&B noted Arnal had passed in a statement, but didn't elaborate. The chairman says, "I wish to extend our sincerest condolences to Gustavo's family. Gustavo will be remembered by all he worked with for his leadership, talent and stewardship of our Company."

They add, "I am proud to have been his colleague, and he will be truly missed by all of us at Bed Bath & Beyond and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Our focus is on supporting his family and his team and our thoughts are with them during this sad and difficult time. Please join us in respecting the family's privacy."

The Jenga Tower is 57 stories high, and reaches a height (notwithstanding the tip) of 796 feet. From the 18th floor, it would appear Arnal fell about 250 feet or so.

GA came to Beyond in 2020 after serving as an exec at a handful of companies, including Procter & Gamble, Avon and Walgreens Boots Alliance. Last week, the company announced it was slashing its workforce by 20% via layoffs -- plus closing 150 locations.

BB&B shares took a nosedive amid the news ... which was compounded by the fact that Arnal and others were recently named in a lawsuit that accused him of fraudulently inflating the stock price. It doesn't appear he'd responded to the claim prior to his death.

Arnal was 52. RIP

Ohio Father Guns Down Daughter's Ex ... Fatal Shooting On Video

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UNEXPECTED FIREPOWER

A father in Ohio shot and killed his daughter's ex-boyfriend during an alleged break-in at the family home ... and it's all on video.

The fatal shooting was captured on a Ring doorbell camera, and it shows the moment 22-year-old James Rayl is gunned down after forcing open the front door.

Three shots ring out and Rayl stumbles down the porch steps before collapsing in the driveway ... and police say Rayl was dead by the time officers arrived.

In the video, you hear people inside the home telling Rayl to get off the porch and leave ... and there's also a verbal warning about someone having a gun.

The girl's father, Mitch Duckro, told cops he fired the shots ... and police say an autopsy found Rayl suffered gunshot wounds to both shoulders and his back.

The fatal shooting went down in July but the video just surfaced ... and earlier this month a grand jury voted against indicting Duckro on charges relating to the incident.

Zion National Park Missing Hiker Found Dead ... Flash Floods in Narrows

A woman who went missing while hiking in Utah has been found dead -- this after flash floods besieged the area ... and her being swept away may have even been caught on video.

The body of 29-year-old Jetal Agnihotri was discovered Monday in Zion National Park where she'd been hiking with friends on Friday before going missing that evening. Park officials say she ended up near some sandstone cliffs, known as the Court of the Patriarchs along the Virgin River ... rather far from her last known whereabouts.

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FAMILY BELIEVES THIS IS JETAL

Agnihotri had stayed behind when a downpour hit Zion, wanting to explore the Narrows before meeting up with her group. The Narrows is a popular hike, where people are often knee-deep in water as they traverse the winding trail within the park's canyons.

When she didn't show at a rendezvous, her party notified staff ... and a multi-day search got underway with upwards of 170 professionals fanning out to look for her -- an effort that included search dogs. Now, an autopsy will be done to determine her cause of death.

Her family has told local media they believe her being carried away by an extremely powerful current was actually captured on camera by another group of hikers further down the trail in the Narrows.

The clip shows two people -- a man and a woman -- floating in debris-filled water that's at an incredibly high level. The woman is barely visible, almost slumbered entirely as people scream and look on.

Agnihotri was eventually found 6 miles from where she went missing ... so it would seem she was taken downstream quite a ways. That's how strong the water can get there, especially during monsoon season ... running from July through September at Zion.

The woman was a graduate student at the University of Arizona, and was expected to start school again in the fall.

RIP

Missing CA Teen Cops Confirm Kiely Rodni Found Dead

UPDATE

1:04 PM PT -- 8/23 -- The Placer County Sheriff's Office confirms that the body found inside a submerged vehicle is Kiely Rodni. Cops say they're in contact with her family and that the investigation is ongoing.

Authorities have broken their silence for the first time since a submerged vehicle with a body inside was discovered ... letting the public know they believe it to be Kiely Rodni.

The announcement was made Monday, almost 24 hours after a YouTube search and rescue team first claimed they had located Kiely's vehicle in Prosser Lake, upside down in about 14 feet of water.

Remember ... Dog the Bounty Hunter told us he was getting flooded with tips on Kiely's potential whereabouts, but he was reluctant to dive into the high-profile case as a result of all the backlash he got from the Gabby Petito case.

16-year-old Kiely was last seen alive Aug. 6 near Truckee, CA, where she and about 100 other teens were partying at a campground in the Lake Tahoe region ... and went missing late at night.

Police have not said how Kiely ended up in a car sunk in the lake, or if foul play is suspected.

Originally Published -- 8/22 11:12 AM PT

'Deadliest Catch' Russia Launches Missile After Fishing Dispute 'Did Russia Shoot A F---ing Missile?!!'

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DEADLIEST YET
Discovery

The "Deadliest Catch" fishing boat kinda got entangled in geopolitics, after Russia launched a missile almost immediately after a nearby ship had a run-in with a Russian fishing boat.

The video is crazy ... the crew on D.C.'s Time Bandit was cruising along off Alaska, when someone screamed to look up toward the sun. Sure enough, they saw a missile shooting into the skies just as plain as day.

Apparently, another ship called Wizard had a run-in with a Russian fishing boat, near the U.S.-Russia border. The crews on each boat exchanged words before the folks on the Wizard told the Russian crew to scram.

During the back and forth, the Time Bandit was called for back-up. The Russian ship ended up retreating ... when suddenly things took a scary turn.

You hear someone from Time Bandit's crew scream, "Did Russia shoot a missile, dude?"

Someone responds ... "It's coming right for us, captain!"

You can catch the full episode on Discovery tonight at 8 PM.

Fatal Plane Accident Pilot May Have Jumped After Botched Landing, NTSB Says

The pilot who fell out of an airplane to his death last month was upset after damaging the landing gear during an aborted, hard landing ... and there's a strong insinuation he may have jumped out ... according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Charlie Crooks was co-piloting the plane that was being used for skydiving runs back on July 29. Crooks was trying to land the plane when it "dropped" on final approach. Crooks struggled to get the plane back up but it hit the runway hard, damaging the right main landing gear.

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EMERGENCY CRASH LANDING
WRAL

The chief pilot told investigators Crooks became "visibly upset" about the hard landing, according to the NTSB. The pilot says Crooks opened his side window, complaining he "felt like he was going to be sick and needed air."

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911 AUDIO

The pilot says Crooks got out of his seat, apologized and went to the back of the aircraft and opened the ramp door. The NTSB describes it this way ... Crooks "apologized, and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door." The word "departed" is ominous. The NTSB says the pilot did not witness Crooks grab a safety bar 6 feet above the ramp -- to prevent someone from falling -- before exiting the aircraft.

As we reported, Crooks fell 3,500 feet to his death.

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DISCUSSING THE TRAGEDY

A good friend of Crooks told TMZ ... Crooks had told him the pilot had flown out from the company they worked for to certify him to become a chief pilot and Crooks was excited about the prospect. Making such a hard landing and damaging the gear would certainly have been upsetting if he was indeed trying to get certified.

Donald Trump I'm Being Persecuted, So ... I'm Taking the 5th in NY Attorney General Probe

Donald Trump exercised his right against self-incrimination Wednesday ... taking the 5th in a civil deposition ordered by the New York Attorney General, claiming she's corrupt.

Trump showed up at A.G. Letitia James' office Wednesday morning, fist raised and defiant. He issued a long statement, saying, "We cannot permit a renegade and out-of-control prosecutor to use this investigation as a means of advancing her political career."

James is investigating Trump's business empire for alleged illegal practices.

Trump went on to claim James has campaigned on the promise ... "Get and Destroy Trump."

As for taking the Fifth, Trump said, "I once asked, 'If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?' Now I know the answer to that question. When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you have no choice."

Trump added, "I did nothing wrong, which is why, after five years of looking, the Federal, State and local governments, together with the Fake News Media, have found nothing."

Trump has also blasted the feds for the Mar-a-Lago raid, claiming they ransacked Melania's wardrobe in their search for documents.

Plane Crash Catches Fire On CA Freeway ... Passengers Escape Flames

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THE HARROWING ESCAPE
TMZ.com

A plane crash on a busy California freeway certainly caused for some serious traffic delays, but video from the incredible scene shows just how lucky the pilot and passenger were to escape.

The footage, obtained by TMZ, shows billows of black smoke towering above the crash on the 91 freeway in Corona, CA Tuesday. Surrounding drivers were forced to slow down and pull over, after a witness says the plane "blew up" on impact.

You can see the plane's pilot and passenger escape the flaming wreckage, sprinting away as the whole vessel becomes engulfed. ... luckily, authorities say both people riding in the plane escaped uninjured.

The flames have also since been put out, but there's some serious cleanup still to do to clear everything out.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what caused the crash.

FBI Raid Trump Supporters Protest at Mar-a-Lago After FBI Raid's Ex-Prez's Home

The FBI raid on Donald Trump's home immediately turned political ... with pro-Trump protesters gathering in front of Mar-a-Lago ... claiming it was a witch hunt.

As we reported, the FBI descended on Trump's home Monday ... on the hunt for classified and unclassified materials that Trump allegedly took from The White House when he left ... materials that should have ended up at the National Archives.

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CLASHING AT MAR-A-LAGO
Newsflare

Trump improperly and allegedly illegally took a slew of materials that should have stayed in D.C., and months ago surrendered 15 boxes of stuff, but the feds believe he didn't turn over all of it.

A judge signed a warrant after determining there was probable cause the former President committed a crime by withholding the materials, which allowed the FBI to conduct the search. It's the first time in American history the feds raided the home of a former president.

This all didn't sit well with Trump supporters, who were weirdly celebratory as they encircled Mar-a-Lago. They played dance music ... not exactly the sign of angry protesters.

As for Trump ... he reportedly told his fans, "Another day in paradise."

Trump actually broke the news about the raid, complaining the feds broke into his safe.

China New, Potentially Fatal Langya Virus Detected ... Cause For Alarm Overseas

No, this isn't deja-vu ... China has discovered a new, potentially fatal virus within its borders, which experts say could trigger yet another pandemic.

The Langya Henipavirus, referred to as "Langya," has already infected 35 people, according to Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control ... it's in the same family as the Hendra virus and Nipah virus.

While none of the patients have died or suffered serious illness, it's a virus that hasn't infected human beings prior to this outbreak ... so there are a lot of unknowns.

Being under the Henipavirus umbrella, it has the potential to do some serious damage ... WHO data classifies Henipavirus with a 40-75% fatality rate.

The symptoms might look all too familiar -- fever, headache, cough, fatigue, etc.

A report by the New England Journal of Medicine says the infected patients had a history of being in contact with animals ... however, it's now possible the virus has already been transmitted from human to human.

Covid, Monkeypox, and Langya -- oh my!!!

Issa Rae Donates to Family of Pregnant Woman Killed in Fiery L.A. Crash

Issa Rae is showing her support, after a pregnant woman and 5 others died in a tragic car crash near her hometown ... donating money to help the woman's family in the wake of the devastating loss.

The family of 23-year-old Asherey Ryan set up a GoFundMe to raise $100K to help cover funeral expenses for the young mother. Not only was Asherey killed in the crash last week in Windsor Hills -- her 11-month-old son, Alonzo, and her unborn child also died -- the money raised will go toward their funeral expenses as well.

The family has received lots of support ... exceeding their goal by $50K. Issa Rae, who was raised in Inglewood, about 10 minutes from the crash site, is among those who have donated, chipping in $2,500.

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EXPLOSION ON IMPACT

Asherey was among 6 people who died in Thursday's fiery crash. Cops say 37-year-old Nicole Lorraine Linton was allegedly driving up to 100 mph, when she sped through a red light, slamming into several vehicles which ignited a massive blaze.

Surveillance video from a nearby business shows the horror of the accident.

Linton was arrested Friday, and has been charged with 6 counts of murder and 5 counts of gross vehicular manslaughter. If convicted, she faces 90 years to life behind bars.

Monkeypox U.S. Asleep at the Wheel in Responding ... Report

There is growing evidence U.S. health officials ignored obvious signs monkeypox would become a health emergency, especially when it came to stockpiling vaccines.

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services had significant stockpiles of the vaccine but simply didn't have the foresight to bottle it so it could be quickly distributed ... this according to New York Times sources.

And, there's more ... there's a small company in Denmark that manufactures the vaccine worldwide, and the U.S. was so slow in putting in orders to bottle the vaccines ... the company gave hundreds of thousands of does to European countries ... doses that had been initially earmarked for the U.S.

So now, with more than 7,000 reported cases in the U.S. and counting, the government is distributing just over a million doses, yet it will take a minimum of 3 1/2 mil minimum to fight the outbreak. And, it gets worse ... the U.S. has ordered 5.5 million additional doses, but only half a million will be delivered this year, and not until October. The rest won't be delivered until 2023.

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RIGHT ON TRACK
CNN

Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, was grilled on CNN Friday about the U.S. response, and he struggled to explain why the U.S. was slow in responding.

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RUNNING OUT OF TIME
TMZ.com

Dr. Anne Rimoin, a UCLA professor of epidemiology, said on "TMZ Live" Thursday she has been studying monkeypox in Africa for 2 decades and this was a slow-moving train that inevitably would make its way to the U.S., yet officials were asleep at the wheel.

Alex Jones $4.1M In Damages To Sandy Hook Parents ... Jury Decides

Alex Jones' lies are going to cost him $4.1M ... an amount to be paid out to parents who lost their kids during the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary.

The decision, made Thursday by a jury in Austin, TX was for plaintiffs Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, who first requested $150M in compensatory damages when the trial started. Punitive damages will be determined during another trial.

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LOST IN TRANSLATION

As we reported, Jones -- who essentially said the mass shooting was a hoax -- was grilled during the trial ... during one moment that's now gone viral, an attorney for the parents revealed Jones' own legal team accidentally distributed his text messages, catching Jones in an apparent lie.

Other standout moments included the judge chastising Jones for a number of things, like lying ... and even chewing gum.

In closing statements, the family attorneys said "Speech is free, but lies you have to pay for" -- something that apparently resonated with the jury.

Monkeypox Crisis Yes, It's in Gay Community Now But WHO Expert Says Brace for Spread

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RUNNING OUT OF TIME
TMZ.com

President Biden's just declared monkeypox a public health emergency, and while it's already having a huge impact on gay communities, it could quickly spread outside that bubble ... according to a doctor on the front lines.

Dr. Anne Rimoin, a UCLA professor of epidemiology, joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" and revealed there's already been a spill-over between communities in the U.S., and that won't stop unless we take appropriate action.

She explains "an infection anywhere can be an infection anywhere" -- meaning, it's time for ALL Americans to draw the line before the virus becomes more prevalent in society, in general.

The World Health Organization's put Dr. Rimoin on its Emergency Committee to tackle the monkeypox crisis, and she says this virus has been a simmering problem for years in Africa ... where she's been doing research since the early 2000s.

She recalls a 2017 outbreak in Nigeria and the symptoms were different from the ones she'd seen prior, showing how it can mutate over time.

In Dr. Rimoin's eyes, we've been making the mistake of not caring because it was outside our borders ... but now, as more than 6,000 people in the country have been diagnosed since mid-May, she's hoping all alarms are finally ringing.

Airplane Tragedy Pilot Who Died May Have Fallen ... Trying to Eyeball Damaged Landing Gear

The pilot who mysteriously died just before a plane made an emergency landing last week -- allegedly "jumping" out of the aircraft -- may have actually fallen after trying to examine the damaged landing gear.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... one of the operating theories is that co-pilot Charlie Crooks went to the back of the cargo plane and opened the back cargo door to inspect the landing gear that was damaged and accidentally fell out as the plane headed for the airport.

As reported first by WRAL, the pilot radioed air traffic control that Charlie had "jumped" out of the plane. A close friend of Charlie's who has flown with him tells TMZ, the notion of Charlie jumping is absurd. The friend tells us, Charlie was excited a few days before the fatal flight at the prospect of being promoted to captain. The friend says he was in a great head space.

The 23-year-old told his friend, the day before he died, the chief pilot from the company that owned the plane was coming out from Colorado Springs to fly with him for 2 days last week ... to evaluate Charlie with an eye toward making him a captain.

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EMERGENCY CRASH LANDING
WRAL

As for Charlie jumping out of panic, the close friend scoffs at that notion as well, saying Charlie was cool as a cucumber in the air, recalling that there was a mechanical mishap in one of the planes a while back and Charlie landed it so well -- although the landing was rough -- the company he was working for at the time actually gave him a piece of the plane as a thank you.

The photo (above) shows Charlie at the back of the plane ... sitting on the very door that is being looked at as the one he possibly opened to look underneath at the landing gear.

He posted the pic on social media with a joke "If there's anything we can do to make your journey more comfortable, there is an exit ramp at the rear of the airplane that we will gladly open for you."

The NTSB and other federal agencies are currently investigating the fall and the plane.

As we reported, Charlie fell to his death 30 miles from the airport, at an altitude of 3,500 feet.

SlamBall We're Back!! Sport Returning Next Year

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GET READY TO SLAM
TMZSports.com

"SlamBall is back, baby!"

That's Mason Gordon, founder of SlamBall -- basketball mixed with football and MMA on big trampolines -- announcing to TMZ Sports ... the sport is returning in 2023!

"There have been all kinds of people clamoring for SlamBall to come back. There has been #BringBackSlamBall media, viewed over 200 million times in the last 12 months. So, I'm ready to announce next summer, 2023, SlamBall is coming back, live!"

Slamball
ACTION PACKED
Mason Gordon

If you haven't seen a SlamBall game, it's pretty damn awesome. Huge air, big hits ... it's great. And, that's why so many people waited for this day, including Celtics star Jayson Tatum, a SlamBall fan.

Gordon says he's had endless opportunities over the years to bring the game back, but he didn't want to do it until all the conditions were perfect for making a return.

"We've gotten opportunities pretty much every couple of months, there will be an opportunity to bring SlamBall back in some form. My partners and I have always looked at it and said, 'we're not gonna come back until the market conditions are like really optimal,' and the alternate sports marketplace is on fire."

Gordon and his partners felt it was the perfect time to strike ... especially since kids are decreasingly watching entire 3-hour sporting events.

"SlamBall just kind of fits the bill. They're 20-minute games. Television half hours. People obviously have really gravitated to the action, and it's this incredible mash-up between basketball, football, hockey, little bit of gymnastics, little bit of video games, that's just SlamBall."

SlamBall was built for social media -- and when it comes to the TV side of things, Gordon has a secret weapon -- producer/director Mike Tollin is a partner on the project ... the man behind "The Last Dance" and "The Captain," amongst many others.

Just a few more months to wait!