Police

A crazed gunman on an alleged crime spree in L.A. ended his trail of terror by taking a woman hostage -- only to be killed by cops who stormed in ... all of which is on video.

LAPD says this guy was on a criminal tear before fleeing into the Santa Fe Loft & Apartments high-rise building in downtown Friday ... running into a lady in the halls as police were hot on his trail, and forcing her into her unit at gunpoint -- barricading himself inside.

From there, a tense standoff unfolded -- but even prior to what you see on video here -- captured by another DTLA resident from across the way -- cops say the gunman was running amok on the streets ... allegedly shooting folks in a business, trying to carjack someone and even attempting to shoot someone in the head, with the gun failing to go off.

Like we said, this was his final stop -- and as you can see ... it was truly life or death, as the guy clearly appears to have had his own gun at her head while she was on her knees.

Helicopters were zooming ... and within minutes, a SWAT team was at the door, trying to negotiate with the man -- but ultimately decided to bust in and take control of the sitch, which they did. Luckily, the victim was unharmed as they unloaded their weapons on him.

She'd been moved to another area of the apartment, and was taken to a hospital afterward for an evaluation. Considering the violence this man is alleged to have inflicted before this ... it's a miracle the woman was left relatively unscathed, and walked away with her life intact.

The cops explained their actions on Twitter ... saying that based on what they'd been told the man had already done and the dire nature of the moment -- in addition to what they themselves were seeing via surveillance -- SWAT decided to take action ... and an officer-involved shooting occurred, killing the suspect on the scene.

There's been a very public back and forth between private investigators and cops investigating the Zodiac killer case over the testing of DNA found at the scene of a potential victim, but an email exchange obtained by TMZ appears to swing things in favor of the private investigators.

We've obtained emails from April, in which a member of The Case Breakers sent a message to The Riverside Police Department asking about hairs found clenched in the hand of victim Cheri Jo Bates. CB stated their investigators had identified a "viable suspect for a potential comparison."

From there, The Case Breakers tell us they were met with silence on the testing, and RPD refused to do a comparison between the DNA evidence found at the scene and the potential Zodiac Killer.

The email exchange seemingly goes against the RPD claim from earlier this week when they denied they'd ever received any sort of DNA testing or comparison request from CB.

What's more, in another email exchange obtained by TMZ between CB and RPD regarding the Bates case, RPD flat out said, "we can say without a doubt this case is not related to the Zodiac Killer case."

That statement is quite the opposite of what Riverside Police Chief Kinkead said back in 1969 when he said he felt the killer in the Bates case had many similarities to The Zodiac, including a military boot print at the scene of the crime.

As we reported, The Case Breakers announced Wednesday they had identified The Zodiac Killer as Gary Poste, a man who was living in Northern Cal and died in 2018.

Poste's family has not yet commented on the findings.

The Kenosha PD officer who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times -- and who's avoided state prosecution -- will also not face federal charges.

The U.S. Justice Department said Friday it will not pursue federal criminal charges against Rusten Sheskey. The feds say "the evidence obtained is insufficient to prove that the KPD officer willfully used excessive force."

Remember, Blake was unarmed, back in August 2020, when Sheskey opened fire at point-blank range. Video of the shooting sparked racial justice protests across the country, and led to the Kyle Rittenhouse shooting.

According to the feds ... a team of experienced federal prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office reviewed the evidence to determine whether the police officer violated any federal laws.

The feds added that "a detailed and lengthy analysis of numerous materials, including police reports, law enforcement accounts, witness statements, affidavits of witnesses, dispatch logs, physical evidence reports, photographs and videos of some portions of the incident."

In essence ... prosecutors say they couldn't establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer "willfully" deprived Jacob of his constitutional rights. The feds say "neither accident, mistake, fear, negligence, nor bad judgment is sufficient to establish a willful federal criminal civil rights violation."

As we reported ... Kenosha County District Attorney Michael D. Graveley also announced back in January that Sheskey would not be charged for the shooting. Graveley said Sheskey acted in self-defense, and it was necessary for the officer to use lethal force to stop Jacob from potentially harming him or others.

The shooting left Jacob paralyzed. The Justice Dept. says it's already informed his family about the decision not to charge Sheskey.

A man who says he spent 2 decades backpacking with Gary Poste -- the alleged Zodiac killer -- claims Poste definitely had a violent side ... and it showed when he killed animals.

The man goes by the name Will, and he spoke with a member of Case Breakers -- the team of more than 40 various investigators who believe Poste is responsible for the notorious murders in the late '60s -- about his relationship with Gary ... which he says started with Poste helping him with a legal issue.

We're told after that, in 1987, Poste invited Will -- who was just 18 at the time -- to come up to a wooded area in Northern California and hunt with him ... and he regularly did exactly that for the next 20 years.

Will claims during this time, he witnessed Poste kill animals "indiscriminately" and says Gary enjoyed "getting dirty" and bloody. He says Poste killed all sorts of animals and describes his behavior with their carcasses as "chilling."

It's interesting ... police profilers say an obsession with killing animals is a marker of a serial killer. The Zodiac killed his victims in the '70s and then stopped. If Case Breakers is right ... the killer may have turned to animals instead of humans beginning in the '80s.

We're told Will began to have suspicions about Poste being the Zodiac killer after watching a true-crime documentary about serial killers, and in 2014 he fled the woods and his life with Poste. He also felt the sketch of the Zodiac matched Poste.

Will then tried to talk to police and the media about Poste but says nobody would listen to him ... until he got in touch with Case Breakers about a year ago. BTW, Poste died in 2018.

As we told you ... despite what Case Breakers and Will believe, the official authorities -- the Riverside PD and a former San Francisco cop -- don't believe Poste is the infamous killer.

Whether that's true or not ... Will's account of hanging in the woods with a man who didn't have a conscience and slaughtered animals for joy is still incredibly disturbing.

We discussed Poste in this week's episode of The TMZ Podcast.

The Brian Laundrie manhunt has a new team member ... Brian's dad.

Christopher Laundrie joined the search Thursday morning in Florida where he was met by police. Park rangers were there waiting for Christopher and the cops as they opened the gate to let them in.

As for how all of this transpired -- law enforcement requested Christopher help officers with the search at a Florida preserve, according to his attorney ... who added that since the preserve had been closed to the public, "Chris had not been able to look for Brian in the only place Brian's parents believe he may be."

As we reported, Dog the Bounty Hunter and his team are convinced Laundrie has been hiding in the Florida Everglades where he's been searching. It's worth noting ... Dog says Laundrie may have hightailed it out of there in the last few days but he's adamant Laundrie's been there.

Laundrie's sister, Cassie, recently went on 'GMA' and detailed the last time she saw her brother ... which was during a camping trip after he'd returned to Florida without Gabby Petito.

She said she last spoke to Brian in person on Sept. 6 ... while she and their parents went camping at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, FL. She said the family dropped in for a quick minute and then left. She's denied knowing his current whereabouts.

Minneapolis police officers were pumped up to fire non-lethal bullets at protestors during the unrest after George Floyd's murder, and boldly talked on camera about "hunting" people out past curfew.

The new body cam footage, from late May 2020, provides a shocking look at the cops' forceful response to the protests and riots in the city on the evening of May 30 into May 31. A cop is heard saying how it's a "nice change of tempo" for officers to be out actively hunting people instead of just chasing them around.

Another officer replies, "F*** these people."

In another clip, Minneapolis cops are enthusiastically ordered to shoot non-lethal rounds on "the first f***ers we see."

According to CNN, these videos from multiple police body cams were released by Eric Rice, the lawyer for a man who was recently acquitted on charges of firing a gun at officers on May 30 after they fired nonlethal bullets at him.

There's also a clip of an officer expressing his disdain for the media, then going off on proving the mayor wrong about the race of protestors. He then makes a racist comment, suggesting only Black people are responsible for looting and fires.

The Zodiac Killer has NOT been ID'd as The Case Breakers would have you believe -- at least according to cops who looked for the guy back in the day, but Case Breakers says the cops have refused to even investigate a possible connection.

Riverside PD tells TMZ ... the investigative body that came out Wednesday with its big get is probably wrong in its assumption Gary Francis Poste is the elusive serial killer.

RPD's PIO, Ryan Railsback, says the Case Breakers cite the 1966 murder of Cheri Jo Bates and evidence the group says it gleaned from studying the file as the basis of their conclusion.

Railsback says their initial suspicion the Zodiac was responsible -- based on letters they received at the time -- was nothing but a red herring. Railsback says if there was any evidence suggesting Poste was their man ... the force would've happily come forward with such info. But they haven't, 'cause he isn't.

That leads us to Frank Falzon, a former SFPD homicide inspector, who was once partners with the famed Dave Toschi -- in charge of the Zodiac case in the early days -- and who took over the file once Toschi left the picture. He, too, tells us ... he believes Poste ain't the guy.

His rationale -- Poste's name, from what he can recall, never came up as a strong possible suspect among the hundreds of names they had on file. It doesn't ring a bell to him.

But, here's the thing ... Case Breakers tells TMZ they contacted the Riverside PD and asked them to do a DNA test on the victim's hair and compare it with the DNA of Gary Francis Poste, and the PD refused. Case Breakers tells TMZ, the PD told them they believed the murderer was local to Riverside County and would not consider anyone outside the county. Case Breakers says the PD told them they were "100% sure" the murderer was not the Zodiac Killer and the police repeatedly refused to investigate a possible connection.

A source at Riverside PD tells us they do not have knowledge of CB reaching out regarding the evidence.

Falzon points to what he considers lots of circumstantial evidence the Case Breakers used in pinpointing Poste as the Zodiac -- which, in FF's view, isn't enough to draw that big of a deduction. In his eyes ... ID'ing the Zodiac would always come down to fingerprints and handwriting -- and based on what he saw in the CB's analysis, those factors were absent.

TMZ now knows what killed possibly one of the most infamous serial killers in United States history ... and it certainly didn't sound peaceful.

Gary Francis Poste, the alleged Zodiac Killer, died from sepsis, septic shock, dysphagia and vascular dementia ... according to his death certificate.

Sepsis is the body's toxic response to an infection and septic shock is when blood pressure drops to dangerous levels. For those who aren't doctors, dysphagia means difficulty swallowing.

The certificate, obtained by TMZ, also says Poste suffered from hypertension, osteoporosis, hypothyroidism and atrial fibrillation ... and he died at age 80 on Aug. 23, 2018, with his remains scattered in the Sierra Mountains.

According to the doc, Poste was married, served in the armed forces and worked as a house painter ... when he wasn't allegedly murdering folks.

At long last the Zodiac Killer -- perhaps Northern California's most infamous serial killer -- has been identified, but he's already dead ... according to an independent team of investigators.

The investigators say the man who terrorized the San Francisco area in the late 1960s was Gary Francis Poste. However, police never caught him, and turns out he died in 2018. Poste successfully eluded authorities not just in the Bay Area, but also committed murder hundreds of miles away -- a killing that was not previously linked to him.

According to Fox News ... a team of more than 40 detectives, journalists and military intelligence officers made up the so-called Case Breakers, who believe Poste is the one responsible for a 1966 murder in the SoCal city of Riverside.

The Zodiac Killer, of course, is connected to 5 murders in 1968 and 1969. He thumbed his nose at authorities by sending riddles and codes in letters to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Zodiac Killer's rampage gave birth to a slew of movies ... most notably "Zodiac," starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo.

As for how The Case Breakers broke the case ... the team reportedly spent years digging through new forensic evidence and photos from Poste's darkroom. The team apparently found a photo that featured scars on Poste's forehead that matched scars on a sketch of the Zodiac.

There were also other clues ... the team deciphered letters sent by the Zodiac that revealed Poste as the killer. According to the team, there was one note where the letters of Poste's full name were removed to reveal an alternate message.

The Gabby Petito case could be more complicated than it may appear on the surface -- and part of the reason is figuring out where exactly she was killed.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... investigators are currently trying to figure out if Gabby was, in fact, slain where her body was found a couple weeks ago -- which was in the vicinity of Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest Service in Wyoming.

That's all federal land ... and, at the moment, the FBI is running point. However, we're told if it's determined Gabby wasn't actually killed on federal land, then the case would be kicked over to the state authorities in charge. The big question: If it's uncertain, who has jurisdiction to prosecute the killer?

Sources connected with the investigation tell TMZ, if there's no way to determine where Gabby was killed, the default will be where she was found, and since it's on federal land the U.S. Attorney would prosecute the accused killer. If, however, there's ambiguity and state authorities believe her body was moved there, the state and the feds could be at odds.

The cop who allegedly had too good of a time at Universal Studios Hollywood is now looking for work -- turns out, being accused of banging while on the clock will do that for ya.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the deputy who got caught on a hot mic apparently doing the dirty late last year -- near the Bates Motel, no less -- has been given his walking papers. After the brass at L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. looked into the incident, we're told they found he'd violated policy.

We're told the guy can appeal the firing if he wants -- but for now, he ain't gonna be reporting back to work anytime soon.

We broke the story ... cops say the deputy was ignoring calls from dispatchers, who were trying to tell him they could hear him having sex in or around his squad car -- with what sounds like a woman's moans audibly coming through loud and clear.

The Sheriff's Dept. says, "The administrative investigation has concluded regarding this incident. The administrative process is still unfolding and we are unable to share further detail at this time, but what we can say is Sheriff Alex Villanueva takes allegations of misconduct very seriously and expects peace officers to hold themselves to the highest moral and ethical standards."

The Supreme Court Justices just returned to work -- beginning work on cases related to Roe v. Wade -- and the court is on lockdown, surrounded by cops investigating a security threat.

U.S Capitol Police say a suspicious vehicle is parked near the Supreme Court Building, and they have officers all over neighboring blocks ... shutting off all traffic in the area. Tensions are running high -- Monday was the Court's first day back in session, and with Roe v. Wade on the Justices' front burner for the current term, there are immense security concerns.

There are reports the vehicle is an SUV parked at the front of the building, and that the driver refused to move when cops told him to do so.

The Justices are scheduled to hear arguments regarding Mississippi's abortion law later during this term ... and it could ultimately lead to Roe v. Wade being overturned.

It's unclear if the Justices were already in the building when police locked down the building.

Story developing ...

The man who threw paint onto a bust of George Floyd in NYC is now in the crosshairs of a hate crime unit ... and can be seen clear as day on camera doing the deed.

The NYPD's Crime Stoppers division released surveillance video they say depicts the suspect -- a guy with a light complexion, medium build ... and who was wearing a green jacket, shorts and a hat of some sort, and who cruised by nonchalantly before vandalizing the statue.

Just as we told you before ... he's seen clear as day hanging out near the John Lewis statue in Union Square, shuffling about and looking around -- before he busts out what seems to be a small paint can, hopping on his skateboard and heading for the bronze Floyd effigy.

Sure enough, there are some people around who get a good look at him doing it ... but no one really springs into action. It all happens so fast -- the man is gone in a flash.

We're told the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating this ... for obvious reasons. So far, the alleged perp hasn't been captured -- but cops are asking for tips or any help.

This weekend's paint job actually served as the second act of vandalism since the statue was first unveiled earlier this summer in Brooklyn ... where it was also defaced, with none other than white supremacy logos and signage. And now, at its new, home ... something similar.

Bam Margera says he was photographed with a drink in his hand at a Florida casino, and it was part of a domino effect that ended with cops giving him a ride to a rehab facility.

The "Jackass" star tells TMZ ... he had spent 140 days in a facility in Arizona for his manic bipolar disorder before being transferred to an outpatient facility in Florida.

Bam says he was taking daily outpatient classes in Florida, where he was staying with a friend and relative, and his wife and son were coming to visit him ... but when their flight was delayed, he started killing time at a casino.

BM says fans posted pictures of him with what appeared to be a drink in his hand, and he believes a panicked loved one saw the images and alerted law enforcement. That person also claimed Bam threatened to jump off a bridge ... something Bam says was a misunderstanding.

TMZ broke the story ... deputies responding to a call about an emotionally distressed person at the Don CeSar Resort Hotel in St. Pete Beach encountered Bam and gave him a ride to rehab in the back of a cop car. He was NOT arrested.

Dog the Bounty Hunter is searching high and low for Brian Laundrie in Florida ... and over the weekend, he was knee-deep in water, taking to the swamps and getting dirty.

The reality TV star posted a video of himself Sunday, where he's immersed in a marshy swamp somewhere in Florida. He doesn't reveal his exact location, though -- and probably for good reason.

Dog arrived by boat with the help of some local tour guides, he heads into the thick brush and floating vegetation for a harder look for his man.

Just goes to show ... the dude is, indeed, pounding the pavement in trying to find Laundrie -- just like he said he would about a couple weeks ago when he announced he was getting involved in the manhunt, and so far coming up with what sounds like promising leads.

So far, Dog has apparently tracked Laundrie's movement to a campsite he believes the guy might've recently visited ... and now, it seems he has reason to believe Brian may still be in the area.

TMZ broke the story ... Laundrie was spotted at a North Port, FL AT&T store to buy a phone just before his disappearance.

Of course, that flies in the face of what one would-be eyewitness claims they saw just this weekend ... namely, they allegedly encountered Laundrie along a road near North Carolina.

A statue of George Floyd in Union Square has been vandalized with paint not even 48 hours after it was unveiled to the public in an emotional ceremony.

The statue, which is one of 3 -- including Breonna Taylor and John Lewis -- was smeared with what appears to be grey paint ... it's currently unclear who carried out the attack on the art, but it seems to have happened Saturday night into Sunday morning.

A photo posted by reporter Shannan Ferry shows the extent of the damage.

Floyd's brother, Terrence, was part of a ceremony on Friday to premiere the statue ... the Union Square installation is called "#SeeInjustice" and the three pieces each stand at 6 feet tall. They're made from layers of African mahogany plywood and then finished with bronze paint.

It was of course Floyd's killing at the hands of Minneapolis cop, Derek Chauvin, that catapulted the civil justice movement across the United States. Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder.

At the time of this post, there have not yet been any arrests made in connection to the vandalism.