Weapons & Guns

Now that Lil Tjay's turned a corner in his recovery, Bobby Shmurda sees an opportunity for the tragic incident to become a teachable moment for other artists coming up in the game.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the news ... the "FN" rapper's doing considerably better after suffering multiple gunshot wounds in an NJ shooting. We shared that info with Bobby when we spotted him at LAX, and he had a pretty insightful reaction.

Of course, he wished Tjay well, but he also addressed the reality of the situation: growing up in the "trenches" as Lil Tjay did makes it near impossible to have a "normal" existence.

Being a fellow New York rapper, Bobby can relate to the dangerous situations Lil Tjay faces. After blowing up with his own hit "Hot N****" single in 2014, he would go on to serve 7 years in prison for conspiracy charges.

As we reported ... Lil Tjay and 2 others were victims in a botched robbery that left one of the accused assailants also hospitalized with gunshot injuries.

Bobby says younger rappers should focus on positivity and smiling whenever they can, because you never know who you're gonna run into on the streets.

DDG's celebrating a big legal victory -- he's no longer facing charges for illegal gun possession -- and it's perfect timing, as the platinum-selling rapper has a big summer tour.

We spoke to DDG's manager, Dimitri Hurt ... who tells TMZ Hip Hop the new California gun laws allowing for more concealed weapons also played into the District Attorney's decision to reject the case and not pursue charges.

An excited DDG took to Instagram to celebrate the news, thanking Dimitri and jokingly calling vlogger Charleston White his "lawyer" in Akademiks comment section ... but it's actually Dimitri.

TMZ Hip Hop broke open the story ... LAPD pulled over DDG on June 7 for allegedly speeding and swerving in his Lambo, and he admitted having a loaded firearm in the whip.

Dimitri says DDG did make the honest mistake of speeding to a video shoot with the firearm, but with the charges dropped, he's now clear to travel for work.

This week, it's onward to Europe for the U.K.'s 2022 Wireless Fest, a Rolling Loud Portugal ... followed by shows in Amsterdam, Germany, Denmark and Poland as they make their way back to the U.S.

Ludacris' manager, Chaka Zulu, was scared for his life, and actually fired back, allegedly in self-defense, during the Atlanta shooting that's left the music honcho in critical condition.

We've spoken with multiple sources who have viewed surveillance footage recorded Sunday outside the APT 4B restaurant. We're told Chaka, his assistant and another friend were leaving an event, walking through the parking lot when Chaka was approached by another man.

Our sources say, in the video, Chaka and the other man start exchanging words, but things escalate, and the conversation becomes visually more intense ... all while the other man allegedly keeps his hand on and around his waistband.

We're told at one point, a female bystander pushed the other man away from Chaka, but he didn't back down ... and then things really got intense when Chaka approaches the man again, who seemingly bumps Chaka with his chest, and Chaka grabs the man by the collar.

From there, our sources say, a group of about 3 or 4 other men -- who'd been standing in the parking lot with the man confronting Chaka -- get involved, rushing in, and knocking Chaka to the ground with a punch followed by kicks and stomps.

We're told one guy in the group makes his way between 2 vehicles, produces a gun, and fires at least 2 shots. Our sources say Chaka, who was also armed, can then be seen getting back on his feet and firing at least one shot in return.

TMZ obtained the dramatic 911 call from the scene, where a man claiming to be restaurant security works to help Chaka ... who had suffered a gunshot wound in the exchange.

A source close to Chaka tells us he was shot at least once -- the bullet came close to his heart -- and he's currently in critical condition.

As for what started the verbal altercation ... we're told it's unclear, though it might have been some sort of dispute about the man not being allowed entry to a party.

Ludacris’ longtime manager Chaka Zulu is one of 3 victims shot outside an Atlanta restaurant, and now we have audio from the horrific scene ... where some calm, quick thinking saved lives.

In 911 audio from Sunday’s shooting, obtained by TMZ, a man who describes himself as Restaurant 4B’s head of security can be heard calmly describing the extent of Chaka’s injuries ... even as he applied pressure to Chaka's wounds to stop the bleeding.

His calmness is in stark contrast to the noise in the background, which was absolute pandemonium.

The caller says Chaka was shot in the upper torso and, at one point, he can be heard raising his voice in an effort to keep Chaka conscious until medics can arrive.

He may very well have saved Chaka’s life. The musician’s family released a statement on Monday saying Chaka had successful surgery and is now in stable condition.

A man who has already been arrested for stalking Ariana Grande has been arrested again ... this time after breaking into her Montecito home on her 29th birthday.

Aharon Brown has a history of dogging Ariana. He was arrested last September at her L.A. home after showing up with a large hunting knife, allegedly screaming at her security, "I'll f***ing kill you and her!" He was arrested for making criminal threats and a judge issued a restraining order prohibiting him from coming near Ariana.

That did not stop him. He violated the restraining order recently by trying to find Ariana and apparently got close. He was supposed to turn himself in Tuesday for violating the restraining order, but Sunday he traveled to Montecito and broke into her house.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... on Sunday, Brown somehow got into Ariana's Montecito home. She was NOT home at the time, but the security alarm went off and cops showed up and arrested Brown.

Donald Trump was not only in on the January 6th insurrection, he wanted to lead the insurrectionists to the Capitol, and when the Secret Service refused to drive him there, Trump tried to grab the wheel of the Presidential car ... this according to Mark Meadows' right hand aide, Cassidy Hutchinson.

Her testimony is shocking ... the January 6th House Committee called a special session so she could appear and tell her story about the events leading up to the riot.

Hutchinson testified ... Trump became aware on January 6th people in the crowd had weapons and were approaching the Capitol without going through security. She says she overhead Trump respond, "I don't f***ing care if they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me."

She went on to say Trump ordered the Secret Service to remove the metal detector from the area around his speech, presumably so armed protesters would be unfettered to approach the Capitol.

After Trump spoke to the crowd, he got back into The Beast (the presidential limo) and ordered the driver to take him up to the Capitol. The head of the security detail refused to take him, saying it was unsafe. She says Trump responded, "I'm the f***ing President! Take me up to the Capitol now."

When the head of security refused, she says Trump reached forward and grabbed the steering wheel and had to be physically restrained.

She says he then lunged at the head of security and allegedly attempted to go for his throat. Trump was again restrained and the limo proceeded back to The White House.

Hutchinson also testified Trump would often become enraged, throwing plates, pushing over chairs when things didn't go his way.

Trump has taken to his Truth Social platform in an attempt to discredit Hutchinson's testimony ... saying he didn't even know who she was -- and assuming she was only angry with him after being denied permission to travel with staff on a trip to Florida.

John Hinckley -- the man who tried assassinating Ronald Reagan once upon a time -- is feeling remorse for what he did, and is and is now asking for forgiveness.

Hinckley shared his feelings Tuesday on 'CBS Mornings,' offering up condolences to the families that suffered for what he did. He struggles to recall what happened outside the Hilton hotel in D.C. back in 1981, when he shot then-President Reagan, Press Secretary James Brady, Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy and D.C. cop Thomas Delahanty.

Reagan came within a hair's breadth from dying, and Brady was shot in the head and was confined to a wheelchair with multiple health issues for the rest of his life.

Hinckley says he's glad he failed in his attempt to kill the President.

He says mental illness was behind the act, and a jury agreed ... Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity. As for his mental state these days, Hinckley says he's been one of the most scrutinized people in the mental health system.

Hinckley says he'd like forgiveness from all the folks he hurt, including Jodie Foster, with whom he had an obsession and fired the shots to get her attention.

Hinckley was confined to a mental institution until 2016 and won unconditional release just this month. He says he did the interview with CBS so people could see he's not a monster.

Vladimir Putin is showing no mercy ... disgustingly firing missiles into a Ukraine shopping mall, and video following the attack shows the building -- with nearly 1,000 civilians inside -- up in flames.

Two Russian missiles were reportedly fired Monday into the shopping center, in the central city of Kremenchuk. According to officials, at least 3 are dead and 40 others are wounded. But, President Zelensky says, "It is impossible to even imagine the number of victims."

As you can see, the harrowing attack sparked a huge fire and caused a huge cloud of smoke to fill up the sky ... as soldiers and firefighters sifted through the rubble to search for survivors.

Zelensky confirmed the obvious ... that the mall held no military importance, and was not even near any other military target. Quite frankly, as Ukrainian officials put it ... the attack was a downright "act of terrorism against civilians".

Zelensky called it an effort by Russia to stop “people’s attempts to live a normal life, which make the occupiers so angry.”

Russia, on the other hand, has denied attacking innocent civilians since first launching the war on Ukraine, back in February.

Here's video of an armed robbery going down in broad daylight in an affluent Southern California beach town ... with thieves pulling off a smash-and-grab in front of shocked bystanders.

As you can see, nearly a dozen people in ski masks are cleaning out a jewelry store ... then they dash across the street and speed off in three different cars, which were waiting in an alley.

The brazen robbery went down Friday in downtown Manhattan Beach ... with the target Pasha Fine Jewelry, located in the heart of the typically quiet beach community.

The Manhattan Beach Police Department says the suspects used hammers to smash display cases before stuffing merchandise in their bags ... and cops say at least 3 suspects were armed with what appeared to be handguns, though no shots were fired.

Manhattan Beach Mayor Steve Napolitano called it a crime against his entire community ... and he says the police force is going to do everything possible to track down the suspects, prosecute them and throw them in jail. He also says the town will beef up security outside businesses and MB's expensive neighborhoods.

Another mass shooting, this time in Oslo, Norway, where 2 people were shot to death and 19 were injured outside of 2 bars in an area of the city that is the hub of gay nightlife.

It was a horrendous scene ... you hear the gunshots in the video as 40 witnesses looked and ran in horror. Police captured a suspect just minutes after the attack. A police spokesman would not identify the alleged shooter or motive. Cops believe there was only one gunman.

One witness told a Norwegian media outlet, "I saw a man arrive at the scene with a bag. He took up a gun and started shooting."

Norway is celebrating gay pride this month, and Saturday -- literally just hours after the attack -- a parade was supposed to start as the highlight of the 10-day festival.

Norway is considered a progressive country ... gay couples have had the right to marry since 2009.

Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Store, called the shooting a "cruel and deeply shocking attack on innocent people."

Shaq's generosity knows no limits -- the NBA legend is donating the $50,000 he was set to make from a DJ'ing gig in Buffalo to the family of one of the shooting victims.

"DJ Diesel" has been making his rounds on tour ... and was naturally reticent about continuing on with his scheduled show in Buffalo in the aftermath of the mass shooting that took place last month, sources tell TMZ Sports.

But, the Hall of Famer and 4X-NBA champ decided to still do the show ... knowing how much the event meant to those who attended.

Before Shaq got busy on the ones-and-twos ... he met with the widow and son of Aaron Salter Jr., the retired police officer who was shot and killed while heroically trying to stop the gunman inside Tops supermarket in Buffalo from killing more innocent people.

We're told ... not only did The Big Aristotle have some one-on-one time with members of the Salter family, but he also agreed to give the money he was going to make to them in wake of the heinous tragedy.

The lives of many in the Buffalo community were altered and affected ... when an armed gunman senselessly executed at least 10 people in a vile hate crime.

We've seen countless people step up -- like the Buffalo Bills org. led by star quarterback Josh Allen -- in the city's time of need ... and Shaq, who's no stranger to charitable deeds, is the latest example.

Back in December, O'Neal raised $2 million in charity for his "Shaquille O'Neal Foundation" -- which provides resources and opportunities to the youth in this country without access to either -- by selling unique NFTs of himself.

NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen says the United States just lost decades of progress in women's rights ... going scorched earth on the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday.

The sharp-shooter echoed the statement former First Lady Michelle Obama released shortly after the decision was announced ... saying he, too, is heartbroken over the reversal.

"I just don't understand why a group of people will say that they don't want bigger government, but then want a law passed that gives the government the ability to tell a woman what she can do with her own body," Allen said minutes ago.

"That very same group fought against healthcare for everyone. So, you care about the fetus in the womb but once it's born-no f***s are given!🖕🏾"

"We have now crossed a threshold in this country where guns are more protected than a woman’s rights are. 😥😤."

Allen's comment comes on the heels of two mass shootings -- in Buffalo and Uvalde -- which have led to many throughout the country calling for stricter gun laws.

Allen says the solution is easy -- if you want to get an abortion, get one ... and if you're against it, don't get one.

Instead, the 46-year-old says the country is moving backward ... and the fight for women's rights must go on.

Some more positive news from hoops star Aaliyah Gayles ... the USC recruit is starting to walk again just two months after being shot 10 times at a house party.

The 18-year-old guard shared the amazing feat on Thursday via Instagram -- showing a video of her getting out of her wheelchair and taking a few steps.

"They told me I couldn't do it," Gayles said in the caption. "I told them watch me do it."

"I got the whole world watching. I gotta prove it."

The progress is both inspiring and exciting for the 5-star basketball recruit who was shot in both arms and legs during a house party in Las Vegas on April 16.

Over the last few weeks, Gayles has hit a few monuments during her road to recovery ... the #8 overall girls basketball player in ESPN's 2022 class also graduated from Spring Valley High School earlier this month.

Her father, Dwight, tells us he's as confident as ever that Aaliyah -- who is still committed to playing basketball for the USC Trojans -- will make a full recovery.

"She's going to be just fine," he said, "this kid is built different."

NFL linebacker Matt Adams' time in Chicago is off to a bad start -- the 26-year-old was arrested for gun possession on Thursday, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told Adams -- who signed a 1-year deal with the Bears in April -- was questioned by cops around 6:45 PM after he was spotted near a Jeep that was reported stolen.

Adams allegedly claimed to have bought the car ... but when cops searched the vehicle, they found a loaded handgun in the center console and an extended mag in the trunk.

Adams was arrested and booked on misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon -- carrying/possessing a firearm ... and was cited for having a high capacity magazine and metal piercing bullets.

We're told Adams had a permit for the gun ... but it was NOT issued by the state of Illinois.

Adams -- who is still in custody at the time of this post -- is due in court in August.

As for the car, we're told the owner did not want to press charges ... chalking the whole thing up as a misunderstanding.

J.K. Rowling fell victim to a Russian-made prank while talking to who she thought was Ukrainian President Zelensky ... but ended up being one big troll.

The author jumped on a zoom call with -- not the president -- but Russian-based comedy duo Vovan and Lexus ... the two have been known for prank-calling high-profile names, like VP Kamala Harris and Prince Harry.

The person on the other end of the Zoom call obviously kept their camera off for the interview -- major red flag. She was planning on talking to Zelensky about her charity work for Ukraine, but the guys had other plans.

In the video, the impersonator tells J.K. they've been writing "Avada Kedavra" on their missiles -- referring to the most deadly spell in her wizarding world, often called the "killing curse." She tells them it's a brilliant idea.

They also ask about Dumbledore's sexual preference, someone she's previously said was gay. "Zelensky" says they're hoping Dumbledore hasn't slept with a transgender -- poking at Rowling's strong beliefs on trans people.

Lil Tjay still has a lot of bumps in his road to recovery after Wednesday’s shooting ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

The platinum-selling rapper still remains unconscious in the hospital ... according to sources close to the situation. We're told he's scheduled for a CAT Scan and outside of moving his legs yesterday, he's made no other bodily movements.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story -- NJ police say Tjay was shot multiple times by a man named Mohamed Konate, who was arrested -- but also admitted to a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.

Prosecutors say hospital video shows someone leaving Konate on the ground outside a hospital.

The 2 men who were with Tjay at the time of the shooting were later arrested for second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon -- while Konate has been charged with 3 counts of first-degree attempted murder.

Tjay was gearing up to release his "Strictly4MyFans" EP this summer led by his "Lavish" freestyle -- but now his primary goal has to be making a full recovery.