Drake NYPD Denies Spying at Apollo Show ... Vid Just for Social Media

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SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

Angry Drake fans are calling out the NYPD for what felt like electronic surveillance at his sold-out Apollo Theater show -- and after a clip of officers recording ticketholders went viral, the cops say it's not what it seems.

NYPD law enforcement sources tell TMZ Hip Hop the video shows officers outside the Apollo recording concertgoers as they exited the theater. We're told that video was shot for a social media post to show how police work with venue security to keep concerts safe for fans.

For angry fans, it felt like blatant profiling and surveillance intended to capture and save images of Drake's fans -- but NYPD's scoffing at that notion. Our sources say the community affairs officers seen with the video cameras are not affiliated with the detective bureau, and do not investigate serious crimes.

There are also dozens of city surveillance cameras around the Apollo ... and the whole city, for that matter. The reality of life in the 21st century is we're all being recorded throughout the day without ever knowing it.

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OVER THE LEDGE
TMZ.com

Drake was uptown for 2 nights, and inside the venue, a brief but tense moment occurred during the second show when a fan fell over the mezzanine balcony ... onto the crowd below.

The show was briefly paused for about 15 minutes when a spokesperson announced the fan wasn't terribly injured, and that the show would go on.

Hometown heroes Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana of Dipset were brought out and a tour with his "Her Loss" costar 21 Savage was teased.

Aside from the balcony diver, everyone left the venue safely -- which cops say was their goal all along.

Peyton Hillis Ocean Accident 1st Responders Raced To Help Ex-NFL Star ... Police Video Shows

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LIFE SAVING RESCUE

Multiple first responders rushed to Pensacola Beach earlier this month to tend to Peyton Hillis after the former NFL star nearly drowned while trying to save his children ... new police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows.

In the footage, captured on an Escambia County Sheriff's deputy's body camera, you can see Hillis was in bad shape on the Florida sand after he was pulled from the water on Jan. 4.

The ex-Cleveland Browns running back, who did not have a shirt on, appeared to be breathing heavily ... and seemed to be in a great deal of pain.

But, at least four medics on the scene provided him aid ... administering an IV while checking his vitals.

At one point, they even helped him roll over on his side to make him more comfortable -- while providing a beach towel as a pillow. They also urged him to keep talking in an effort to make sure his condition wasn't worsening.

They eventually got the 36-year-old off the beach and into a helicopter ... which flew him to a nearby medical facility for treatment.

Hillis' initial prognosis wasn't good -- his uncle said in a Facebook post he suffered damage to his lungs and kidneys in the swimming accident -- but, thankfully, his longtime girlfriend said last week he had a breakthrough and was "on the road to recovery."

Hillis now seems to be in far better condition -- he was just seen smiling in his hospital bed on Thursday after Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith popped by his room for a visit.

Smith called Hillis "a recovering hero" -- adding, "Stay strong Peyton! Praying for you, your family and wishing you a speedy recovery."

Lil Tjay Gotta 'Clutch My Strap' No Matter What!!! Uses Arrest Footage For New Vid

Lil Tjay is turning his recent run-in with NYPD into artistic content ... splicing footage of the arrest into the music video for his new single, "Clutchin My Strap."

The new track finds Tjay detailing his PTSD from being shot last summer, and how he and his crew will mob with guns going forward!!!

In addition to clips of the arrest, director JLShotThat mixes clips of concert performances with scenes of Tjay making gun hand signals to drive home his point!!!

The Trench Kid relives the June 2022 shooting with cinematic flair, rapping on the track, "Whаt уоu dіd tо mе І tооk ѕеvеn, уоu tооk thrее/Вut thеѕе flеѕh wоundѕ bеttеr thаn а bullеt tо thе ѕkі/Аllеgеdlу, ’саuѕе І dоn’t еvеn rеаllу knоw whаt hарреnеd І’m јuѕt rарріn’, but І bеt І’m ’bоut thаt асtіоn."

That notion to arm oneself illegally is allegedly what derailed Tjay's attempt at a video collab with Ice Spice earlier this week.

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TAKEN AWAY
TikTok / @hijoshotit

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... Tjay's attorney Dawn Florio thinks the rapper was subjected to an illegal search on January 15 when he and several others were arrested for gun possession ahead of the video shoot with Ice Spice.

He's since posted bond and is back to updating streaming services with more music about blickies and being loaded on drugs.

Following Tjay's arrest, Ice Spice was forced to flip the script and film her "In Ha Mood" video -- but she released the official "Gangsta Boo" audio on Friday as part of her debut EP, giving Tjay a 2-for-1 special on New Music Friday!!!

'Tiger King' Joe Exotic Claims Prison Guards Tied, Beat Him Unconscious ... New Podcast Recording

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BEATEN BEHIND BARS
Lauren Interviews

Joe Exotic is speaking out about his alleged 2020 beatdown at the hands of 8 correction officers in an Oklahoma jail.

The "Tiger King" star released a new audio clip on Twitter, explaining what allegedly happened to him -- in grisly detail -- during an apparent phone convo from behind bars. The clip is from the "Lauren Interviews" podcast.

Waiting for your permission to load Spotify episode.

Joe angrily says, "They beat the f*** out of me, 8 guards, tied me to a chair butt naked, put me in a shower so long that I blacked out and I woke up with skin off my arms from the straps."

As we reported, Joe claimed in court docs that he was sexually assaulted while tied to a chair and beaten by jail guards with his arm flesh removed. Joe was petitioning-then President Donald Trump to pardon him in 2020 after he was convicted and sentenced to 21 years in prison.

The alleged assault occurred at the Grady County Jail in Oklahoma, where Joe was being held during his federal murder-for-hire trial. At the time, a rep for the jail declined to comment, but a law enforcement source told us Joe made the whole thing up ... correction officials found no proof of an attack on any of the facility's recorded cameras.

We contacted Joe's attorney, John M. Phillips, who would only say the audio referred to an "old incident."

Kevin Nash Cops Check On WWE Legend No Plans To Harm Himself

Local law enforcement made contact with Kevin Nash after he hinted at having suicidal thoughts earlier this week ... and thankfully, the WWE legend stated he has no plans to harm himself.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Florida tells TMZ Sports ... deputies reached out to 63-year-old Nash following the comments he made about his son's death on the 'Kliq This' podcast.

We're told Kevin explained to the VCSO that he has no intention to act on what he said ... and he was seemingly doing okay when they checked on him in person.

As we previously reported, Kevin spoke about 26-year-old Tristen's passing on Monday ... and his remarks were troubling.

"Today is week 12 that I lost my boy," Nash said. "Time flies when you got a gun in your mouth. I mean -- time flies when you're having fun."

Sean Oliver, Nash's cohost on the show, warned the WWE Hall of Famer not to joke around like that, especially since he owns guns.

However, Nash defiantly told Sean, "I can do whatever the f*** I wanna do. Long as I leave a note."

The conversation then switched to how Kevin has been coping with Tristen's loss ... and how it's been an uphill battle for the pro wrestling legend.

Nash's comments sparked concern throughout the wrestling community ... with fans flooding social media with support for him.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Carole Baskin No Evidence 1st Husband Still Alive Despite Resurfaced Report

The feds finding Carole Baskin's first husband alive is all the buzz on the internet -- but that would be news to local authorities, who tell TMZ they haven't heard from the feds, and still consider Don Lewis missing.

Here's the deal ... Twitter users started chirping Wednesday when a lot of them discovered -- for the first time, apparently -- a 2021 interview with Carole about an alleged report the Dept. of Homeland Security found Lewis living in Costa Rica. The purported DHS report came to light during the second season of "Tiger King."

Like we said, Carole already spoke about it, and we reported on it too ... but for some reason, everyone seems to think the mystery was solved 2 years ago. It really wasn't.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office -- which is in charge of Don's missing person's case -- tells TMZ its had no communication with federal officials to suggest they've located Don Lewis. Obviously, the FBI would've shared that info, so as far as the Sheriff's Office is concerned, nothing's changed -- Lewis is still a missing person, and the case remains a priority for HCSO.

It's also worth noting .... as a legal matter, Don's been presumed dead since 2002. And of course, Joe Exotic sees it that way too.

Joe's attorney, John Phillips says the 'TK2' doc and Carole's ITV interview don't make a difference in their minds about her alleged involvement in DL's disappearance ... adding the doc was floated as having veracity, when it doesn't at all. He also insists Joe will be vindicated in due time.

As for Carole, she reiterates what she told us back in 2021 ... which is that she does not know if the alleged DHS doc 'TK2' producers showed her is real. She's always maintained she had nothing to do with his disappearance, or possible death.

We've reached out to DHS for comment ... so far, no word back.

Actor Julian Sands Missing After Hiking CA. Mountain ... Following Winter Storm

Julian Sands, a British actor with dozens of movie and TV credits over four decades in Hollywood, is missing ... and he was last seen hiking a mountain outside Los Angeles.

Law enforcement identified Julian as the missing hiker who vanished after going for a hike in the Mt. Baldy area, which is currently blanketed in snow and ice.

Search efforts are underway to find Julian, but severe winter weather on the mountain is making it difficult for rescue teams.

Julian's family reported him missing Friday, but he wasn't publicly identified as the missing hiker until Wednesday -- several inches of snow fell on the mountain since he disappeared.

The 65-year-old was born in England but now calls North Hollywood home ... and his acting career dates back to the 1980s, with appearances in movies like "A Room With a View," "Arachnophobia," "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Warlock."

Julian was also on episodes of "Dexter" and "Smallville" ... and he had a role in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."

In addition to Julian, L.A. authorities are also searching for another missing hiker who was last seen in the nearby San Gabriel Mountains.

Idaho Murders Case Possible Animal Hair at Kohberger's Apartment ... Dog Lived at Murder House

Police investigating the Idaho quadruple murder say they found a "possible animal hair strand" inside alleged killer Bryan Kohberger's home, and cops think it could be a direct connect to the site of the slayings.

A search warrant for Kohberger's home, obtained by TMZ, says police seized several other notable items from the raid ... including items with dark red and brown stains.

The search warrant notes there was a significant amount of blood spilled in the murder house, with investigators saying they believe the killer would have blood evidence on their body or clothing.

Police were looking for trace evidence of blood stains in Kohberger's apartment, and the docs say there was a pillow with a "reddish/brown stain" and an item with a "collection of dark red" spotting.

The hair strand could be huge -- there was a dog in the students' home at the time of the murders, and the killer spared the pooch. According to the docs, cops went looking for hair at Kohberger's apartment, and found the possible animal hair ... as well as strands from humans.

The docs say a dog was heard barking at 4:17 AM the night of the murders ... the dog, Murphy, belonged to victim Kaylee Goncalves, and was found unharmed in her room.

Other items seized from Kohberger's place ... a computer tower, a disposable glove, mattress covers, receipts and a vacuum cleaner's dust container.

The docs say cops also searched Kohberger's office at Washington State University, where he was a graduate student studying criminology, but police didn't seize anything.

While cops say they found Kohberger's DNA on a knife sheath found inside the murder house ... the actual knife was not found in the search of Kohberger's home, or anywhere else for that matter.

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FACING THE JUDGE

Kohberger, who was arrested Dec. 30 in Pennsylvania, is set to stand trial in June, and he's denying any wrongdoing.

Ohio Woman Punched By Cop On Camera ... After Not Getting Extra Cheese On Big Mac

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UNNECESSARY FORCE
Mario Robinson

Police are investigating a pretty horrifying clip of cops pummeling a woman ... and we're told it all started after a complaint about lack of cheese on a Big Mac.

In the vid, you can see 2 officers attempting to detain Latinka Hancock Monday in Butler Township, Ohio. After some arguing, you can see one of the cops punch her in the head multiple times before getting the cuffs on her.

Police now say they're looking into the incident caught on camera.

Hancock's attorney Michael Wright of Wright & Schulte tells TMZ ... it all went down after Hancock ordered and paid for a Big Mac at McDonald's with extra cheese -- but she claims the order didn't come with the extra cheese.

Wright says employees ended up calling the cops on Hancock after things got heated ... and insists she was confronted by Butler Township PD after trying to leave.

He tells us she was punched repeatedly in the head, and was sent to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a head injury. We're told Hancock and her attorney will address the media late Wednesday.

Oklahoma H.S. Basketball Gunshots Go Off At Game ... Horrifying Video

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RUNNING FOR COVER
Millwood Falcons Sports

Multiple gunshots rang out at the end of a high school basketball game in Oklahoma on Tuesday ... sending fans scrambling for their lives -- and the horrifying incident was all captured on video.

It happened at Del City H.S. after the school's boy's basketball team beat Millwood High, 62-58.

In a broadcast of the game, you can see as fans were leaving John Smith Fieldhouse ... two shots went off, causing chaos in the gym.

Spectators immediately bolted for cover ... as the broadcasters of the game threw their stream to commercial break, and then ducked underneath the scorer's table to cover themselves.

DCHS Principal Steve Gilliland said in a statement following the contest that a gun was fired after a fight had occurred at the conclusion of the game.

"The Del City Police Department is onsite and investigating the incident," Gilliland said.

One adult male was shot, police told KOCO ABC 5 News, and taken to the hospital. His condition is currently unknown.

Cops told TMZ Sports on Wednesday they hadn't received any reports of students who were injured in the incident. No arrests have been made ... and an investigation remains ongoing.

Gilliland said the school will go to online, virtual classes on Wednesday in wake of the shooting.

NFL's A.J. Green Georgia Home Burglarized ... Cops Investigating

Arizona Cardinals WR A.J. Green's Georgia home was burglarized Friday night, TMZ Sports has learned ... and now cops are attempting to hunt down the alleged thief.

Law enforcement sources tell us Green's house was empty -- thankfully neither A.J. nor his family was home -- when the perpetrator somehow gained entry inside the Roswell, GA estate.

It's unclear exactly what was taken before they fled the scene. Thankfully, it wasn't exactly a clean getaway. The suspect tripped a house alarm, which notified the local police department, who responded around 8 PM.

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COPS ON THE SCENE
TMZSports.com

We obtained video showing multiple police vehicles with lights flashing parked outside Green's home. Officers are seen standing outside an exterior gate.

Investigators say there are surveillance cameras on the property ... which they plan to review in the hopes it captured images of the perpetrator during the alleged crime.

Green's 5,100-square-foot house, which sits on 2.7 acres, was built in 2018 ... and has 4 bedrooms and 4 baths.

Cops are also taking an inventory of what was stolen from the 7x Pro Bowler's home.

A.J., who just finished his 12th NFL season, previously starred at the University of Georgia from 2008 to 2010. Roswell is about 90 minutes from the UGA campus.

We've reached out to Green for comment ... so far, no word back.

ANDY DICK Arrested On Two Charges ... Public Intoxication, Failure To Register As Sex Offender

More legal trouble for Andy Dick ... and it all started with alcohol.

Andy was arrested early Friday morning in Lake Elsinore, CA after sheriff's deputies say they got a call about an intoxicated person.

Law enforcement says when deputies arrived, Andy was showing signs of being drunk ... and he was arrested without incident.

Sheriffs say they checked Andy's records during the arrest and determined he was a registered sex offender who was not up to date on his registration ... so he got dinged for that too.

Andy was ultimately booked into a detention center on two charges ... being under the influence of alcohol in public and failing to register as a sex offender.

The sheriff's department says they are still investigating.

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REMOVED AND SEARCHED
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It's the second arrest in 8 months for Andy ... as we first reported, Andy was busted in Santa Barbara, CA back in October for allegedly stealing power tools from someone's garage. Andy was also arrested last May, when he was accused of sexual battery, and the arrest was live streamed.

Idaho Murders Victim Xana Kernodle Talks to Cops Outside House Months Before Killings

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THE LAST STRAW

New body cam video from the Idaho murder house, months before the brutal killings, shows victim Xana Kernodle talking with cops about a noise complaint -- and eerily she's talking to the officer who eventually wrote the affidavit for murder suspect Bryan Kohberger.

The early September clip, obtained Thursday by Law & Crime Network, shows police order 2 people at the house to shut off the loud music, before having a conversation with Xana outside. The officer said this was his second time at the house that night -- mentioning a similar incident hours before with one of the other victims, Maddie Mogen.

Xana, who explained she was inside just trying to sleep, was speaking to officer Brett Payne ... the same cop who ended up responding to the murder scene in November, and later filed documents for police to get an arrest warrant for Kohberger.

Worth noting it's really dark around the building, with seemingly no floodlights set up -- possibly one of the reasons why the alleged murderer could get in and out of the house undetected.

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NOISY NEIGHBORS

As we reported, Kaylee Goncalves also came face-to-face with a police officer in August when police again responded for a party at the house.

Motown Legend Marvin Gaye's Son Allegedly Points Gun At Cousin ... Flees In Corvette, Police Investigating

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HOUSE SURROUNDED
BACKGRID

The son of Motown legend Marvin Gaye is under investigation for assault after he allegedly pointed a gun at his cousin in his L.A. home and then took off in his Corvette before police arrived, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... sheriff deputies received a call around 8:05 PM Thursday for a "family dispute" and responded to the Calabasas home of Marvin Gaye III.

We're told Gaye got into an argument with his wife and cousin -- something about a previous assault, but details were sketchy.

The dispute escalated and Marvin allegedly pulled a gun on his cousin. Marvin then jumped behind the wheel of his sports car and sped off, our sources say.

When deputies first arrived on scene, they thought Marvin was still inside the house so they asked him to come outside, but neighbors told them Gaye had already left in his Corvette.

Deputies met with Marvin's relatives and took an "assault" report ... Marvin is identified as a suspect in the report. It's unclear if anyone was injured.

No arrests yet ... but the investigation is ongoing.

Gaye is perhaps best known for winning a $7.4 million lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copyright infringement over their 2013 song, "Blurred Lines." In the suit, Gaye and his family accused the artists of using their legendary father's 1977 hit song, "Got to Give It Up," without permission.

The judge ordered Thicke and Williams to pay the more than $7 million judgment, but the amount was later reduced to $5.3 million.

Air Jordans Teen's Sneakers Allegedly Taken After Beatdown Cops Hunting For Suspects

A teenage boy allegedly had the Air Jordan sneakers snatched off his feet following a brutal beatdown in New York ... and now, cops say they're on the hunt for the suspected attackers.

According to the NYPD, the alleged incident happened at around 9:15 PM on Jan. 7 in front of a McDonald's in Hamilton Heights.

Cops say a group of men jumped the 16-year-old ... and punched and kicked him until he was knocked out. Afterward, police say the men stole his Jordans.

Thankfully, cops say the boy is now in stable condition.

The NYPD released surveillance photos of the alleged assailants on their social media page on Wednesday -- and are asking for the public's help to identify them.

Cops are urging people to call 800-577-TIPS ... adding that there's a reward of up to $3,500 for any tips or information that help lead to arrests in the case.

Univ. Of Idaho Murders Kaylee Goncalves Talks to Cops, New Video ... 3 Months Before Massacre

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NOISY NEIGHBORS

Kaylee Goncalves came face-to-face with a police officer three months before she and her college roommates were murdered in Idaho -- and the whole encounter was caught on video.

The University of Idaho student was captured on police body cam video walking out of the house in Moscow, ID, August 16, approaching cops. As you know, Kaylee, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were fatally stabbed inside that home on November 13.

In the video, released Wednesday by Law & Crime Network, Kaylee was straightforward and compliant with the officer, who informed her that neighbors called 911 to complain about noise at her house party.

The officer said he had nothing against "overage" people drinking at a party, but once neighbors "start calling the cops, then we have an issue." Kaylee responded, "Fair."

After some more back-and-forth, the cop told Kaylee he would let her off with a warning, but if it happened again, he would write her a $300 to $400 noise ticket.

The officer ended by telling Kaylee "don't do it again" ... "I'd hate to come back in a few hours and have to issue that." Kaylee thanked the cop and wished him a nice day.

Fast forward to Dec. 30 ... Bryan Kohberger was arrested and later charged with the murders of Kaylee and the other three victims after allegedly stalking them. Kohberger, a Washington State University grad student, has denied any wrongdoing and says he'll fight the charges.

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HEARING THE CHARGES

He will be in court today.