Weapons & Guns

Pop Smoke, an up-and-coming rapper, was shot and killed Wednesday morning in what appears to be a home invasion robbery ... TMZ has learned.

The rapper was at a home in the Hollywood Hills at around 4:30 AM when 2 men wearing hoodies and masks broke into a house ... this according to law enforcement sources. We're told the 2 men fired multiple shots, striking and critically wounding Pop Smoke. The men were seen fleeing on foot.

Pop Smoke was rushed by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood where he was pronounced dead.

The suspects have not been caught and as far as we know they have not been identified.  It's unclear if Pop Smoke knew the shooters. One man was placed in handcuffs but cops determined he was not involved and was released.

Pop Smoke released an album back in July and one of the songs, "Welcome to the Party," blew up ... it was considered by many the song of the summer. Nicki Minaj did a remix of the song a few months later. He also did a song, "Gatti," with Travis Scott.

We got Pop Smoke out at LAX back in July, and he told us about a hoop dream that came true.

Pop Smoke was 20.

RIP

Rapper Obie Trice is going 1 for 2 in his Michigan gun case -- avoiding a more serious charge for shooting a guy, but the D.A.'s Office isn't letting him off the hook completely.

The former Shady Records MC will NOT be charged with felony aggravated assault after a gun went off and struck his girlfriend's 18-year-old son during a brouhaha they all got into back in December.

Oakland County Chief Assistant D.A. Paul T. Walton tells TMZ there wasn't enough evidence to bring that specific charge against Obie -- who insists the gun went off by accident, and he only had it out while acting in self-defense.

He is, however, going to be charged with misdemeanor possession of an unregistered firearm -- which could land him in jail for 90 days, if convicted.

TMZ broke the story ... Obie -- forever remembered for his opening line to Eminem's "Without Me" -- was arrested after getting into a physical altercation with his girlfriend, which allegedly turned into a tussle with her son.

At some point, cops say Obie went to his car to retrieve a pistol, and while the kid tried to get it away from him -- a bullet was fired and went through the kid's groin. Sounds like he's gonna be okay ... he drove himself to the hospital that night.

You'd think NOT carrying a loaded gun at an airport checkpoint would be a no-brainer ... but it's a lesson rapper Gorilla Zoe has learned the hard way, at least according to cops.

A spokesperson for Miami-Dade Police tells TMZ ... cops responded to a checkpoint at Miami International Airport around 11 PM Monday night where a TSA supervisor told them the rapper tried entering a checkpoint with a loaded .380 caliber pistol in his carry-on.

We're told it didn't take long for cops to secure the firearm and arrest Zoe for carrying a concealed weapon. Now, he does have a concealed carry permit, but cops say it's suspended.

He was booked at Miami-Dade jail, and released around 5 AM after posting $500 bond.

A celeb nutritionist who once appeared on "The Dr. Oz Show" and "The View" to hawk a weight loss product shot and killed his ex-wife and her husband ... according to the 911 call.

Robert Lindsey Duncan can be heard on the call -- obtained by TMZ -- telling the dispatcher 2 people tried to shoot him and his wife as they pulled into their driveway in Yellow Springs, Ohio ... but he shot them instead.

Duncan says ... "I shot them. They came up to our window and had a gun pointed at my wife’s head. The other one got out of the car, went over to the car -- they tried to shoot my wife."

He then says he shot both of them and "both are down." Duncan's wife reveals one of the victims is her husband's ex-wife and claims she's been "trying to kill us for years now."

Duncan tells the dispatcher he believes the man he shot is still alive, but the woman is dead.

According to law enforcement, who were heavy on the scene ... the alleged attack by Duncan's ex-wife, Cheryl Sanders, and her husband, Robert R. Sanders, may have been planned because the 2 arrived in separate vehicles and one of them had a counterfeit Ohio temporary tag.

Cops say Duncan and his wife were confronted by Robert with a gun as they arrived at their home and a shootout ensued ... because Duncan has a concealed carry permit and was also armed.

Duncan allegedly fired at Robert in self-defense and hit him, and around the same time ... Cheryl pulled up and pointed a gun at his wife, who was still sitting in the car. Duncan says he then shot and killed his ex.

Another wild note ... the Sheriff's office says Duncan reached out to them about 5 years ago claiming his ex-wife was trying to hire someone to murder him.

Duncan is known for his appearances on both "The Dr. Oz Show" and "The View" years ago to sell a product he claimed resulted in unbelievable weight loss. However, the FTC and Texas attorney general went after him ... claiming he was simply a marketer who couldn't make such medical claims.

Former 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Dina Manzo's husband is getting called out over his claim he was bludgeoned during a home invasion -- a medical expert thinks he's full of it.

The 'RHONJ' alum and her hubby, David Cantin, told cops they were the victims of the attack back in May 2017. Cops arrested James Mainello, a 51-year-old New Jersey man, last year for the alleged crime.

However, Mainello's lawyer, Marco Laracca, says he has a doctor ready to testify Cantin's allegation he was beaten with a baseball just doesn't add up.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... Laracca plans to call Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Peter DiPaolo to testify it's "highly unlikely" the baseball bat portion of the attack is accurate.

The doctor says baseball bat injuries are "very well-described in the trauma literature" and typically result in skull and orbital fractures when someone's struck in the head or face ... as Cantin claims he was.

DiPaolo says Cantin sustained no such injuries ... according to photos and medical records he says he reviewed. For the record, Cantin claims he was repeatedly hit by the bat "in the leg, knee, arm, back and face."

We reached out to Dina and David. Their attorney, Andrew Brettler, tells us ... "This doctor did not even examine Mr. Cantin. He was hired by the defendant. For him to opine on Mr. Cantin's injuries is ludicrous. My clients were the victims of a violent attack."

Sean Kingston was detained Saturday night after cops suspected he might be illegally packing heat, but he wasn't.

It went down at 8:15 PM at Dino's Chicken & Burgers. LAPD tells us ... officers got a call a male was brandishing a gun, and that's all it took to light up the squad cars and look for the perp.

Once they arrived, police ordered at least one man down on the ground and put Sean in cuffs as they led him toward a police car.

In the end, Sean at several others were questioned and released, because no gun was found.

Boosie Badazz can stop sweating it out in GA -- he's avoiding any jail time in his drug case.

The Louisiana rapper pled guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana. In exchange, prosecutors dropped charges of possession of a controlled substance and failure to maintain lane ... this according to docs from the Coweta County D.A.'s Office.

It's a sweet deal for Boosie, who gets 6 months probation and a $1,000 fine ... but no time behind bars. The judge has already signed off on the deal.

It could have been a lot more serious. As we reported. Boosie was busted last April after cops pulled him over in his Dodge Charger for swerving lanes and almost hitting another car. During the stop, cops found weed, a gun and more than $20k in cash.

Boosie was never booked for the gun -- it's likely he was licensed to have it.

He'd previously served 5 years in Louisiana for drug charges, and could have been hit with a year in a Georgia jail if convicted on all charges.

Gunshots rang out at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when an SUV led authorities on a wild car chase after breaching 2 security checkpoints.

It all went down Friday morning in Palm Beach, when a black SUV heading toward the main entrance breached both checkpoints, leading Florida Highway Patrol on a pursuit that ended with officials firing shots.

The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office says the car chase is over and 2 people are now in custody. The Sheriff says they're still figuring out which agency pulled the trigger. A police helicopter was also involved in the pursuit.

It's pretty crazy ... President Trump and Melania are scheduled to depart the White House for Mar-a-Lago later this afternoon, but it's unclear if the shooting will affect their travel schedule.

The FBI says it's aware of the incident and agents are responding.

Offset has been detained by cops after a report of a person with a gun at an L.A. shopping center.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ a call came in just before 8 PM of a person with a gun inside the parking structure at The Grove shopping center. We're told the person who had the weapon allegedly fled the scene, and Offset and members of his entourage have been detained.

It is NOT clear if Offset or anyone he was with actually had a weapon, and police are currently investigating the situation.

In video -- obtained by TMZ -- Offset can be seen in a yellow hoodie asking officers why he's been cuffed ... the officer pushes the Migos rapper up against a wall.

We are told Offset is currently being held near the security station of The Grove.

Andy Dick was inconsolable, and understandably so, after a man walked into his art studio and shot himself in the head.

The tragic incident went down Monday around midnight inside Andy's downtown L.A. art gallery ... which opened late last year. Witnesses say the man had been waving a gun around before heading inside, where Andy and someone else was working.

Once inside, the man fired the shot. Witnesses say it appeared to be an accident.

It's unclear if Andy witnessed the shooting, but he was visibly shaken as LAPD and paramedics responded to the scene. The victim was transported to a hospital, and according to one source, he's currently on life support.

The video shows a traumatized Andy explaining to police what he'd seen.

The parents of Botham Jean -- the Dallas man murdered by an off-duty police officer -- are opening up about his life to save others, and to drive home a point ... that police shouldn't assume "our black boys" are threats.

Botham's mother, father and sister spoke out for this PSA -- produced by Roc Nation and the NFL -- explaining why the world "lost a great man" the night Amber Guyger walked into his apartment and shot him.

In the video, Bertram and Allison Jean say their son was "destined for greatness," and was everything to them -- but his father adds, "Life is not sweet anymore."

Their heartwrenching story is the latest project from the "Responsibility Program" -- launched by Jay-Z's Roc Nation. It's produced multiple PSAs, highlighting victims of police brutality -- but this is the first one sponsored by the NFL.

As for why Botham's folks are speaking out for the PSA -- his mom says, "What I hope to see happening is that our black boys are not seen as a threat." His sister, Allisa Findley, adds, "The color of my skin can be perceived as a weapon, and it's not."

You'll recall the tearful courtroom scene last October when Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Botham's brother shockingly said he forgave Guyger, before hugging her.

Botham's parents reference that extraordinary moment, saying there is no need for hatred.

Similarly, Michelle Kenney -- whose son, Antwon Rose Jr., was shot by a Pittsburgh police officer -- told TMZ ... she hoped the PSAs would "open eyes and bring them into our world," so America can have "more compassion" when these tragedies happen.

And, Angella and Danroy Henry told us their PSA effectively showed the world who their son, DJ Henry, REALLY was ... beyond the news headlines about the Pace University student-athlete killed in 2010 by a police officer.

We're told the NFL will run a social justice themed PSA -- about ex-WR star Anquan Boldin's murdered cousin -- during halftime of the Super Bowl.

That spot is part of the league's non-profit initiative, Inspire Change.

2 people were killed and 15 wounded in a shooting Sunday night during a Chiefs-themed party at a Kansas City bar owned by a former NFL player.

Hundreds of people were at 9ine Ultra Lounge -- owned by former Chiefs 5th-round draft pick Alphonso Hodge -- when a 29-year-old gunman opened fire ... killing a 25-year-old woman.

15 others were injured before a security guard shot and killed the alleged shooter, Jahron Swift ... police said at a news conference on Monday.

“Last night was a night a lot of people were dreaming of for 50 years,” Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas said.

“While we won't necessarily say that folks aren't still happy, but this a very disappointing for us.”

We're told no Chiefs players were present at the bar at the time of the shooting.

Kansas City police chief Richard Smith said Hodge was at the club at the time of the shooting and is cooperating with law enforcement.

Hodge spent parts of two seasons with the Chiefs, although he did not appear in any regular-season games.

He also spent time with the New York Jets.

Hodge's club issued a statement on the shooting, saying ... "The 9ine ultra lounge family and organization is deeply saddened by the unsavory tragic act of one individual last night."

"Our deepest sympathies go out to the injured, the deceased and their loved ones. This shameless and senseless act of violence claimed the life of one of our patrons and injured many others and quite frankly, we have little in the way of answers."

As for the shooter, police said they found multiple firearms in his possession.

Vic Mensa's learning a tough lesson about Cali life -- a little weed is legal, but a little piece of metal could land you in prison ... at least if you're talking brass knuckles. And, we are.

The rapper/punk rocker was riding a motorcycle in Glendale, CA earlier this month when police saw him make an unsafe turn ... according to law enforcement sources.

An officer pulled over Vic, and at some point during the stop, patted him down. We're told the officer found the brass knuckles in Vic's pants pocket.

Here's the thing -- while the "fist-load weapon" is considered legal in most states for self-defense purposes ... they're banned in California. Bad news for Vic.

Cops booked him for felony possession of brass knuckles, and he was later released after posting $20,000 bond.

Eminem has violence on his mind -- as in America's mass shootings, and the Ariana Grande-concert bombing -- and poured his thoughts into a surprise album filled with dark images.

He unexpectedly dropped "Music to Be Murdered By" at midnight, and if the title doesn't say it all ... the lead single, "Darkness" and its music video will. The video recreates the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting and imagines the thoughts of the shooter.

Em seems to be sitting in a room at the Mandalay Bay -- just as the mass murderer did that night -- as he loads up on booze and then opens fire.

Another track on the record called "Unaccommodating" references the violence at Ariana's Manchester show, also from 2017. Em raps, "I'm contemplating yelling 'bombs away' on the game like I'm outside an Ariana Grande concert."

The 'Captain America' actress who killed her mother just days before Christmas is claiming self-defense ... even though authorities say she was the aggressor.

According to the criminal affidavit ... Mollie Fitzgerald repeatedly told cops in Johnson County, Kansas she had to kill her mom in self-defense last month because her mother, Patricia, came at her with a knife.

In docs, cops say Mollie -- who had a small role in "Captain America: The First Avenger" -- told them she had to disarm 68-year-old Patricia, and during the struggle ... stabbed her 4 times in the back. When cops arrived, they found Patricia in a pool of blood with a knife lodged in her back.

Meanwhile, medics said Mollie had a series of small cuts on the palms of her hands and a bite mark on the inside of her left bicep. She was treated on scene with a tetanus shot and bandages.

But, according to the affidavit, an autopsy revealed it was Mollie's mother who was defending herself from a knife attack -- she had wounds on both of her hands described as "defensive injuries." One of the wounds nearly severed her thumb from her hand. She also had bruising on her face, lip and neck.

The Medical Examiner "did not find any injuries consistent with Patricia having delivered any strikes or having been in control of the involved knife." Based on that info, cops determined Mollie was the aggressor and booked her for murder.

Cops on Miami's South Beach say they shot and killed a man ... after he stabbed one of their own -- and this video shows the entire deadly drama unfold.

TMZ obtained the video showing 5 officers slowly surrounding the man on Ocean Drive near the famous Clevelander South Beach Hotel. Cops say they were responding to a call for service, around 9 PM, related to the man. In the video, it appears one officer behind the man was first to open fire with a taser.

Once the suspect was down, the other 4 officers rushed in to apprehend him -- and it appears that's when he stabbed one of them.

Seconds after the 4 officers surrounded him ... they suddenly jumped back and 2 of them fired their handguns dozens of times. You can also see them dragging one officer back from the scene.

Police say the officer was stabbed multiple times and had to have surgery. The suspect was also transported to a hospital but died from his injuries early Sunday morning.