Weapons & Guns

College basketball player Phil Urban -- a freshman forward at Post University -- was tragically shot and killed at a nature preserve in New Jersey on Saturday, officials said.

He was just 20 years old.

According to the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office, police responded to the Hopewell Valley Nature Preserve in Hopewell Township at 7 PM on Saturday ... and found Urban "slumped over" in the driver's seat of a Mercedes on a trail.

Officials say Urban was taken to a local medical facility -- but was pronounced dead there from a gunshot wound.

Authorities say a preliminary investigation showed Urban appeared to have been attempting to meet someone at the preserve ... and "was shot at some point during the encounter."

No arrests have been made ... and a probe is ongoing.

Post Univ. president John Hopkins said in a statement that Urban "modeled the attributes of leadership, commitment and hard work on the court and in the classroom."

Hopkins added the school and its community are "heartbroken" over Urban's death.

Urban committed to play hoops at Post Univ. back in April. The school welcomed him at the time with a tweet ... writing, "We are excited about what Phil will add to our team both as a player and person. Welcome to the nest, Phil!"

The man charged with the fatal mass shooting at a Colorado gay bar last month was locked behind bars for a 2021 kidnapping ... but a judge later tossed out the case and released him, possibly leading to the massacre, according to new court documents.

First some background ... in June 2021, Anderson Aldrich allegedly held his grandparents at gunpoint inside their Colorado Springs home after he became irate upon learning they were moving to Florida because he was making a bomb in the basement. But, his grandparents managed to flee and call 911.

A SWAT team arrested Aldrich after a brief standoff. Investigators recovered Aldrich's homemade bombs and firearms for a planned terrorist attack. He was charged with menacing, kidnapping and crime of violence.

Two months later, Judge Robin Chittum expressed concerns over Aldrich stockpiling weapons and explosives during a court proceeding, according to legal docs obtained Friday by the AP. At the hearing, Chittum also referenced Aldrich's struggles with mental illness, saying he needed treatment or “it’s going to be so bad."

Fast forward to July 2022 ... during another hearing, there was no mention of Aldrich’s violent tendencies or his mental health status. Then Chittum granted a defense counsel’s motion to dismiss the case and drop all charges against Aldrich just before trial. The reason? Aldrich's grandparents stopped cooperating, although other relatives warned the judge in a letter that Aldrich would kill someone if released.

Megan Thee Stallion's ex-friend Kelsey Harris says she absolutely saw Tory Lanez firing a gun at Meg -- that's what she told police back in September, and today the jury heard that whole exchange.

As you know, Kelsey has been hesitant, to say the least, to give up many details while testifying this week, but on Friday prosecutors played audio of the entire interview she did with cops earlier this year ... when she spilled every detail from that July 2020 night.

Kelsey says while they were in the SUV -- after the party at Kylie Jenner's house -- she and Tory first got into an argument when he made fun of Megan. When Kelsey came to her friend's defense, she claims Tory said, "My n****, I'm gonna shoot you." Kelsey says Tory reached toward the center console, but didn't do anything more than that.

However, the vehicle was pulled over at that point. Then she says Meg and Tory started insulting each other's careers, and things got so heated, both Meg and Kelsey got out of the SUV.

Almost immediately Kelsey says she started hearing gunshots, and after the 2nd or 3rd shot she turned around and says she saw Tory in the front seat firing the gun forward, over the open right front door in Meg's direction.

Kelsey was outside of the vehicle, but behind Tory and could only see Meg from the chest up. She ran toward Megan "in defense mode," and saw her bleeding ... and Tory was still sitting in the front seat, apparently in shock.

She claims Tory walked toward them, and that's when Kelsey and Tory started fighting. She describes it as Tory assaulting her, and adds she did not see a gun at that point.

Once they all got back in the SUV, Kelsey says she texted Megan's security, "911. Tory shot Meg."

Once the police arrived, Kelsey claims Tory told them not to say anything to officers because he was about to sign a big deal, and he offered both women $1 million each.

That's all that's been played of Kelsey's interview so far, but there's more to come after the lunch break.

Obviously, the audio reveals just about everything Kelsey skirted talking about on the stand -- with a lot of I don't recalls -- but her memory sounded pretty solid a few months ago.

Tory Lanez raised a lot of eyebrows when he brought his young son to court for the Megan Thee Stallion shooting trial ... so it might not be a total surprise he was without him today.

Tory pulled up to a DTLA courthouse Friday in a white Range Rover -- Tory looked dapper in a black and white suit, earring and sunglasses. However, he was silent, not speaking with cameras as he walked inside.

As we reported, Tory walked hand in hand with 5-year-old Kai'Lon into the courthouse earlier this week -- adjusting his son's suit and then carrying him out on his back on the exit.

We were inside the courtroom for the hearing, and while Kai'Lon wasn't there the whole time, he made at least one appearance ... and hung with his dad during breaks.

Tory told cameras earlier this week Kai'Lon was his biggest support system and that's why he decided he wanted to bring him to the hearing.

Ex-NFL star Aqib Talib has just been sued ... after he allegedly helped incite an altercation that led to a fatal shooting at a youth football game back in August.

Michael Hickmon's family filed the lawsuit in Dallas County on Tuesday ... claiming the actions of Talib and his brother, Yaqub Talib, at a Big XII Youth Sports League event ultimately led to Hickmon's tragic death on Aug. 13.

According to the suit, Hickmon was coaching the Dragons Elite Academy 9-and-under youth football team against the Talibs' North Dallas United Bobcats.

Hickmon's family says the game was contentious -- claiming several calls had tensions running "high" throughout the contest.

At one point, according to Hickmon's family, the Dragons scored a touchdown following a Bobcats' taunting penalty -- and the Talibs were so upset about it, they ended the game.

The plaintiffs claim in the suit that Hickmon then went to retrieve the game ball -- but was "confronted" by Aqib, who allegedly threw a punch.

"Surprised and outnumbered," the Hickmon family said in the suit, "Hickmon defensively backpedaled."

The family went on to say in the lawsuit that Yaqub then pulled out a handgun and fired five shots -- striking Hickmon with several bullets.

Hickmon later died at a local hospital.

The Hickmon family is suing the Talibs and others for wrongful death ... asking for unspecified damages.

As we previously reported, Yaqub was arrested and later charged with murder. 36-year-old Aqib, meanwhile, has not been charged with any crimes.

Aqib's attorney released a statement following it all in August ... saying, "Aqib was present when this unfortunate incident occurred and is very distraught and devastated over this terrible loss of life. He would like to convey his condolences to the family of the victim and to everyone who witnessed this unfortunate tragedy."

UVA running back Mike Hollins says he isn't sure why a gunman opened fire on him and three other football players last month ... explaining this week the shooter was silent during his killing spree -- and had looked "normal" earlier in the day.

Hollins sat down with Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" ... and gave some insight into the shooter's mindset -- while walking the ex-NFL star through how he was able to survive the terrifying Nov. 13 tragedy.

Hollins said he initially heard the gunshots ring out on the bus as it made its return to UVA's campus following a class field trip ... and he got off in a hurry -- unharmed.

But, he told Strahan that when he realized others weren't following him, he ran back in ... and that's when he said he locked eyes with suspected shooter Christopher Darnell Jones Jr.

"It was just a cold look," Hollins said, adding that the man said "nothing at all" to him. "It was, I don't know, it was just like a numb look."

Hollins said he turned to run again, and was shot in the back.

The football player said he didn't know Jones Jr. -- a former walk-on on the UVA football team -- "at all" ... and added that the guy had given him no indication that was upset earlier in the day.

"I had saw him that morning before we got on the bus," Hollins said. "He was looking normal to me."

Hollins suffered serious injuries in the shooting -- and required multiple surgeries to fix the damage. He told Strahan it wasn't until he came out of his initial surgery two days after the incident that he learned of the deaths of his teammates, D'Sean Perry, Lavel Davis and Devin Chandler.

"I've never cried like that before," he said.

Hollins is expected to make a full recovery.

Megan Thee Stallion's ex-best friend is the key witness who, all of a sudden, doesn't seem to remember much about the night in question ... which amounted to a wild day in court.

Kelsey Nicole Harris -- who was the other woman in the car with Tory Lanez and MTS during the 2020 shooting -- caused fireworks Wednesday when she was called to the stand by the prosecution ... almost immediately asking for immunity in the case, and receiving it for her testimony.

Despite this, Kelsey proved to be an incredibly difficult witness during direct examination ... attempting to invoke her 5th Amendment rights constantly, and often asking the judge if she had to answer certain questions -- hesitantly doing so when she did actually talk.

What she definitively testified to Wednesday, under oath, was that she did NOT shoot Megan Thee Stallion -- contradicting the defense's theory that she could've pulled the trigger.

Now, as for who she says did the shooting ... unclear. At one point, Kelsey did testify that Tory threatened to shoot her (Kelsey) -- but later on the stand, Kelsey seemed to backtrack ... saying sworn statements she'd given investigators in the lead-up to this trial weren't entirely truthful, despite being played back recordings of her saying just that back in September.

Prosecutors clearly wanted her to point the finger at Tory -- but so far, Kelsey has not done that ... and it could have a disastrous impact on the prosecution’s case.

Of course, another way to look at this ... by process of elimination, if Kelsey is denying doing the shooting -- and with the driver never having been accused whatsoever -- one could surmise there's only one person left who could have fired the shots -- Tory Lanez.

Gunna has ended his months-long incarceration by pleading guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge in the YSL RICO case.

The Grammy-nominated rapper entered a pre-negotiated plea known as an Alford plea Wednesday and was sentenced to 5 years -- with one year commuted for the time he's already served. The remaining 4 will be suspended, pending community service and other special conditions.

In a statement, Gunna says he didn’t think of YSL as a gang circa 2016 when his rap career began to pop off, and only focused only on the entertainment aspects … even if it meant an exaggeration of the “Black urban” lifestyle.

He also laid emphasis that his guilty plea didn’t mean any cooperation against any other YSL members … and his Alford plea acknowledges his own association with YSL.

Gunna says he’s looking forward to giving back to his community and wants to youth to know that gangs and violence are gateways to their destruction.

Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love -- one of the NBA's most outspoken proponents of mental health -- is mourning the loss of Stephen "tWitch" Boss on Wednesday ... and is urging people to reach out to their loved ones and to spread kindness to prevent future tragedies.

Love took to Instagram to send his condolences to the famed Ellen DeGeneres talk show DJ ... sharing a photo of Boss with an emotional message.

"Everyone is going through something that you can't see," Love wrote on the social media post. "Be kind. Reach out. Spread LOVE."

TMZ broke the story ... tWitch was found dead on Tuesday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 40 years old.

Others in the sports world were rocked by the news ... former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho shared a recent video of the two laughing and dancing on his Twitter page Wednesday morning.

"You’ll be missed by brother," Acho said. "You’ll be missed. Thanks for always laughing and smiling with me."

"Stephen 'tWitch' gone way too soon. RIP tWitch."

Added ex-NFL star Robert Griffin III, "Praying for Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' family and love ones today. Gone too soon."

Former Saints receiver Lance Moore, NFL reporter Michele Tafoya, and pro wrestler Red Velvet also shared their thoughts and prayers after learning of the news Wednesday.

Megan Thee Stallion is in court for the second day of Tory Lanez's shooting trial ... letting cameras know how she's feeling as fans cheer her on outside the building.

Megan stepped into a DTLA courthouse Tuesday ... giving a thumbs up when asked how she was doing. The rapper was also asked if she's nervous about the trial, but shakes her head at that one.

Meg had a bunch of fans in her corner, too ... with a group of her supporters holding up banners and signs -- and even wearing shirts that all say "We stand with Megan."

Not everyone is backing the Megan train, though -- as she walked into court, one person shouted out, "Why you lying on that boy?" No reaction from Meg and co., though.

As we reported, Tory's trial kicked off Monday, with both sides laying out what they say happened the night Meg was allegedly shot in the foot. Prosecutors clearly say Tory pulled the trigger, while Tory's attorneys have laid out alternative theories, including pointing out some possible fighting between Kelsey and Meg that night.

Megan will reportedly testify at some point during the trial -- but it's unclear when she'll take the stand.

Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr. -- the lead star in 50 Cent's hit 'BMF' series -- learned the hard way it's a bad idea to stash a gun in your carry-on luggage.

Lil Meech landed in a bit of hot water at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Tuesday ... after we're told authorities found him with a gun.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Hip Hop Lil Meech was at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Tuesday when security discovered a firearm in his luggage. We're told deputies from the Broward Co. Sheriff's Office were called to the scene and arrested the actor.

As for the weapon, our sources say it was a Glock 19 9mm ... it wasn't loaded, but cops also found a 15-round magazine. Lil Meech did not have a carry permit.

Meech was transported and booked for introducing a firearm into the sterile area of the airport ... a felony. Apparently, the actor isn't alone in his mistake ... as we're told this was the 130th gun found at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood this year.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's getting 86'd from a boujee apartment complex ... and we're told it's because one of his armed guards allegedly got careless with a high-powered firearm.

Sources familiar tell TMZ ... when 6ix9ine heads to Miami, he usually crashes with Nelk Boys member SteveWillDoIt. We're told Steve's place -- part of SLS Lux Property -- put the hammer down on the rapper, banning him from their spaces.

According to a letter sent to Steve from attorneys for the condo association, obtained by TMZ, Tekashi's bodyguards showed up at the end of October, openly carrying assault weapons.

The letter says one of Tekashi's guards also "casually left his assault weapon unattended on his bag" and walked away from it briefly to talk with others.

The docs say the property association is "aware of the bounty placed on 6ix9ine's life" ... after getting out of prison "in exchange for information regarding others and the provocative antics of 6ix9ine," which the condo association thinks creates a dangerous situation for its residents, guests, employees and staff members.

It's unclear if there have been potentially dangerous incidents going down during his stays, but this clip obtained by TMZ shows someone with a gun waiting for him outside.

Sources tell us he's now on a banned list that includes a photo of Tekashi for apartment security to see. The attached message says, "If seen on property, do not check-in, do not approach and contact security immediately. "

Ben Simmons has found himself in the middle of Tory Lanez's high-profile assault case -- and now, the Nets superstar is defending himself after he was accused of messing around with Megan Thee Stallion.

On Monday, the defense gave their opening statement in Lanez's trial -- where he's accused of shooting Meg in L.A. in 2020 following an argument. While addressing the jurors, Tory's attorney suggested it could've been Meg's friend, Kelsey Harris, who fired the shots, after the women were feuding.

Enter Simmons.

The defense claims Meg had a history of hooking up with men Kelsey's been with ... and accused her of doing just that with the NBA star, which they say caused a huge argument between the women.

But 26-year-old Simmons was quick to shut it down ... posting a viral video on his Instagram story of Rick Ross yelling, "Accusations. These are false accusations," during a segment with Swerve in Our Glory when the Florida rapper visited AEW Dynamite.

Ben didn't name Meg, Tory, or Kelsey in the post, but, c'mon.

It's only day 1 of the trial, but it's evident the defense's strategy is to convince the jurors that it was Kelsey who fired the gun, not Tory.

Even though the trial just started, it's a critical piece of information. If the defense can create reasonable doubt that Kelsey, and not Tory, fired the shots ... he'll be found not guilty.

The court is finally hearing opening arguments in the Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion case  ... and both sides are laying out what happened the night Meg was allegedly shot in the foot by Tory.

Prosecutors kicked things off on Monday -- claiming that Tory fired 5 shots on the evening of July 12, 2020, striking Megan in both feet -- claiming Tory was set off after Megan insulted his skills by sarcastically calling him a "beautiful artist."

According to the prosecution, Tory's text messages after the fact admitting to being too drunk and apologizing profusely are pretty damning evidence.

You'll recall ... after leaving Kylie Jenner's pool party, Megan, Tory and Kelsey were said to have gotten into a black SUV with a man named Jauquan Smith, who prosecutors say drove Tory to the party and brought a 9mm handgun.

According to prosecutors, following Megan's alleged diss, Jauquan pulled the truck over and Megan and Kelsey got out of the car ... when Tory is said to have fired the gun at Megan, instructing her to "dance bitch."

As for Tory's side ... they claim the pair was at Kylie's home for a pool party when things went south and Meg was asked to leave. It appears the defense is trying to make the jury believe Tory was not the trigger man.

Tory's attorney, George Mgdesyan, also argued Tory's DNA wasn't on the gun and that he was wearing a swimsuit during the alleged incident, asking the jury, "Where did he pull the gun from?"

Video showing a deadly shoot-out between New Mexico State basketball player Mike Peake and a student from a rival school has been released ... and it's terrifying.

The surveillance footage, put out by New Mexico State Police on Tuesday, was captured on Nov. 19 on the University of New Mexico's main campus at around 3 AM.

According to cops, Peake -- a 21-year-old Aggies forward who was in town for NMSU's basketball game against UNM -- was "lured" to the area by a 17-year-old girl and several other male UNM students ... who were allegedly trying to beat him up over an incident that had happened at the UNM-NMSU football game in October.

The video, obtained by KOB 4, shows Peake initially had a gun pointed at him ... while another man ran in and hit him in the leg with a baseball bat.

As Peake turned to sprint away from his attackers, the clip shows he pulled out a firearm -- and began shooting. Cops say he and 19-year-old Brandon Travis traded gunfire ... before Travis was eventually struck and killed.

According to police, Peake was also hit by gunfire during the altercation. He's since undergone multiple surgeries, but is expected to recover.

NMSU announced earlier this week Peake -- who had started two Aggies games this season -- has been suspended from the school's basketball team indefinitely over the altercation.

Big break for Israel Adesanya ... TMZ Sports has learned the UFC star's brass knuckles case will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for the foreseeable future.

According to a spokesperson for the Queens District Attorney's Office, Adesanya's case was called on Tuesday -- and he was issued an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal (ACD).

Per the spokesperson, that means if Adesanya keeps his nose clean for the next six months, he will no longer be facing criminal charges.

We broke the story, Adesanya was initially arrested back on Nov. 16 -- just four days after his loss to Alex Pereira -- after authorities say he went through security at JFK airport with metal knuckles.

He was ultimately issued a desk appearance ticket -- a written notice from a police officer -- and ordered to appear in court on Tuesday.

Adesanya's manager, Tim Simpson, told us at the time of the arrest that "Israel was handed a gift by a fan, which he put in his luggage. When flagged at the airport, Israel quickly disposed of the item, and cooperated with authorities."