Weapons & Guns

Kelsea Ballerini opened up the CMT Music Awards with a powerful speech ... a very personal tribute to the victims of the Nashville Covenant School shooting, and one that brought her to tears.

The country music star got emotional Sunday night as she opened the award show in Austin, Texas ... calling out the names of the 6 victims of Audrey Hale's rampage.

Kelsea started to break down when she added, "The community of sorrow over this and the 130 mass shootings in the U.S. this year alone stretches from coast to coast."

And, then she shared her own up close experience with gun violence in schools -- Kelsea recalled, "I wanted to personally stand up here and share this moment because on Aug. 21, 2008, I watched Ryan McDonald, my 15-year-old classmate at Central High School, lose his life to a gun in our cafeteria."

McDonald was fatally shot by a classmate at Kelsea's high school in Knoxville, TN -- it happened in a crowded cafeteria, in full view of several other students ... including Kelsea.

She hosted the CMTs with Kane Brown, and went on to dedicate the broadcast to the growing list of families, friends, survivors, witnesses and responders whose lives have been changed by such violence.

TMZ Hip Hop has obtained new video inside Yo Gotti's Memphis restaurant, and it shows the all-out brawl that prompted the deadly mass shooting that left 2 dead and 5 injured.

In the footage, a crowded corridor inside Prive restaurant sets the scene for Wednesday night's melee which seems to center around one man in a red jacket, and another in a blue one. There's a tense standoff between 5 to 8 people when the guy in red slams into the whole group, and someone tosses a drink ... and then it's total chaos.

The guy in the blue jacket was actually on crutches, but hands them to a woman and then joins the fight … repeatedly throwing punch after punch and dunking a chair on the man in red’s head after he'd been knocked to the floor.

It looks like security attempts to separate people, and the fight spills outside in the parking lot … where the video starts with one man already gunned down, and the guy in blue hopping on one foot yelling at onlookers. He then opens fire with what appears to be a semi-automatic weapon hitting a man in black several times.

The footage shows him hobbling away from the scene as 2 bodies lay on the pavement.

As we reported, 2 people were pronounced dead and law enforcement officials tell us they’re still looking for suspects. We know Yo Gotti was not at the restaurant ... in fact, we're told he wasn't even in Memphis at the time.

Conor McGregor believes the shooter in Tennessee could've been stopped before anyone was hurt IF the building was better protected ... and that's why the UFC superstar believes armed guards are necessary in American schools.

"I would like to see armed protection at each school," 34-year-old McGregor wrote on social media.

Of course, six people -- three children (9-year-olds) and three adults -- were shot and killed on Monday at The Covenant School when a 28-year-old entered the building and went on a murderous rampage before police heroically stopped the shooter, who died at the scene.

McGregor, a dad of three who spends a lot of time in the States and is currently in Orlando, says "I have had my children at school here while stateside and have had my own armed guard present at the school. This was prior to the most recent school shooting also."

Conor continued ... "If she shot her way in to that school from the outside, my guard, who is tucked away, armed and unseen, would have seen her and taken her down. Saving those children’s lives."

Many schools have Resource Officers -- typically retired cops -- stationed at schools, but not always. There have also been fatal shootings at schools where armed security was present.

The Covenant shooting is simply the latest in a long line of horrific attacks ... and has sparked debate among Americans -- how do we protect our kids?

There are a lot of different proposed solutions ... from banning guns to arming teachers. Conor believes the answer is armed guards.

Alabama Crimson Tide star Brandon Miller -- one of the best players in college basketball this season -- is foregoing the rest of his time in Tuscaloosa and entering the NBA Draft.

The 20-year-old freshman was a key part to Bama's success in 2022-23 ... averaging nearly 19 points, eight rebounds and two assists a game. The Tide had an early exit from the NCAA tournament, however ... with Miller scoring just nine points in the Sweet 16 loss to San Diego State.

Miller racked up several honors as a result of his performance in his lone college season ... including SEC Player of the Year and first-team All-American.

Miller's season was marred with controversy, however ... after cops stated he brought ex-teammate Darius Miles his gun the night it was allegedly used to kill Jamea Harris.

Miller was not charged with a crime, but Miles and his friend, 20-year-old Michael Davis -- the one actually accused of pulling the trigger -- are both facing capital murder charges.

The NBA prospect's attorney has adamantly denied any wrongdoing ... claiming Miller never touched the gun, was involved in giving it to Miles, nor did he know anything illegal was going to go down that night.

A friend of the Nashville school shooter called police as Audrey Hale unleashed a murderous attack at a Christian school ... pleading for someone to go check on Hale.

In 911 audio released Thursday, the shooter's friend, Averianna Patton, tells the dispatcher Hale sent her a string of ominous messages on social media before Monday's shooting.

Patton says she's called different departments and then tells the dispatcher ... "I'm just trying to see can anybody ... I just don't want it on my conscious ... if somebody can go check on her."

Before the call, Hale sent Patton several suicidal messages on Instagram, saying ... "I'm planning to die today" and "You'll probably hear about me on the news after I die."

Hale sent the messages at 9:57 AM ... and about 15 minutes later went on a deadly rampage at the Covenant School in Nashville, shooting and killing three 9-year-old students and three employees in their 60s.

Patton made the 911 call around 10:20 AM ... just as armed officers were arriving at the private school to take down Hale.

The Nashville mass shooter was reportedly torn up over the death of a close friend months before unleashing a murderous attack at a Christian school.

Audrey Hale was totally devastated after Sydney Shere Sims was killed in a car crash in August, former classmate Samira Hardcastle told NBC News.

Hale "definitely admired" Sims as they together attended Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts and the Nashville School of the Arts, Hardcastle said.

Maria Colomy, one of Hale's former teachers at another school, recalled that Sims' untimely death was an emotional wrecking ball for her former student.

Colomy paraphrased Hale's social media posts about the accident, stating something to the effect that Sims was "all that mattered" and "I'll miss you forever."

As we reported ... Hale went on a bloody rampage at Covenant School on Monday, fatally shooting three 9-year-old students and three employees in their 60s.

Two Nashville police officers shot and killed Hale on the second floor of the private elementary school.

Cops said Hale penned a manifesto detailing the school attack and identifying other potential targets.

Police Chief John Drake said Hale -- a 28-year-old biological female who identified as male -- was a former student at the school and resented having to attend classes there.

A Tennessee restaurant owned by hip hop star Yo Gotti is the site of a mass shooting that's killed 2 people, and left at least 5 others injured.

Law enforcement officials tell TMZ ... cops were called to Prive restaurant in Memphis around 11:30 PM Wednesday after a barrage of gunfire erupted in the parking lot, following a confrontation inside the restaurant that eventually spilled outside.

We're told one man was found dead in the parking lot, and the other passed away at a hospital.

Police say 4 other men and one woman were also sprayed with bullets. All of them were driven in private vehicles to hospitals for treatment. Their conditions were not released.

While Gotti does own Prive, a source tells us he was not in Memphis last night ... and none of his family members are among the victims.

The assailant or assailants fled and are still at large. Police have not said what triggered the initial altercation.

Images surfaced online showing officers investigating the scene with crime tape around the perimeter of the restaurant and patrol cars parked in front.

You might recall, Prive was temporarily closed in November 2021 for fear of retaliation violence after rapper Young Dolph was murdered about 10 miles away in Memphis. Police officers stood guard outside the establishment, but nothing happened.

Tory Lanez is not going down without a fight ... he has just asked a judge to throw out his conviction for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, claiming, among other things, prosecutors tried to dirty him up with irrelevant evidence.

Tory's lawyer, famed criminal defense attorney Jose Baez, claims in legal docs obtained by TMZ, prosecutors submitted a shirtless photo of Tory with a firearm tattoo on his chest. During trial, prosecutors said it was merely for identification purposes, but Baez is calling BS, saying prosecutors used the photo to underscore to the jury his client had a fondness for weapons.

There are numerous other grounds ... notably Baez says it was a reversible error for prosecutors to threaten to present Tory's rap lyrics to the jury.

And there's this ... Baez says the jury heard an 80-minute interview prosecutors had with Kelsey Harris -- Megan's friend who was in the car the night of the shooting. The audio was devastating to Tory's case, but Kelsey later recanted a lot of what she said in that interview.

Baez also says it was wrong to admit an Instagram post that included a comment from one of Megan's producers, claiming cops had matched bullets from Tory's gun to the fragments in Megan's foot.

Another claim ... it was wrong to allow statements Megan made to cops that Tory said to her immediately after the shooting, "Please don't say anything because I'm on probation."

Tory is facing 22 years in prison for three felony firearms violations. He's scheduled to be sentenced next month.

The Predators were joined by the Bruins in honoring the victims of the school shooting in Nashville before their game in Boston on Tuesday night ... and the tributes to the six who tragically died were very emotional.

Just before the puck dropped on the contest at TD Garden ... the two teams and their fans had a moment of silence. The arena's public address announcer told the crowd at the time, "The Boston Bruins stand alongside the Nashville Predators in solidarity against gun violence and in support of the Nashville community."

Players were visibly shaken as the venue went silent ... and the names of the six victims -- three of whom were just 9 years old -- were displayed on the stadium's jumbotron.

The two teams also wore stickers on their helmets to honor The Covenant School -- where a 28-year-old gunman shot the six on Monday morning. The Preds urged people to donate to support survivors as well.

The game was the Predators' first since the tragedy ... and they ended up winning despite all the pregame emotions -- beating the best team in the NHL, 2-1.

Before the contest began, Predators head coach John Hynes called all of Monday's events "a really sad situation."

Big celebrities are pitching in to help victims of the Nashville elementary school shooting ... by donating thousands of dollars.

GoFundMes have been set up for the families of the six people killed and others wounded in Monday's shooting ... including one for the Kinney family, whose 9-year-old son, William, was one of the three children murdered by 28-year-old Audrey Hale.

The Kinney family received a $2K donation from former Bears QB Jay Cutler, who lives in Nashville. Donations have been pouring in to benefit the Kinney family ... the fundraiser is already well past its $50K goal.

Former 'Bachelorette' star Kaitlyn Bristowe donated $1K to a campaign that goes to all six families as well as those wounded. Jena Sims, actress and wife of star golfer Brooks Koepka, also put $1K into the fund.

John Carter Cash, son of singer Johnny Cash, donated $2K.

A slew of stars have expressed their outrage over the massacre on social media ... demanding politicians strengthen gun safety laws.

The headmaster killed in the Nashville school mass shooting died a hero ... reportedly trying to stop the assailant in order to save her students.

Katherine Koonce was one of six people shot dead at Covenant School on Monday as Audrey Hale went on a bloody rampage with two assault rifles and a 9MM semi-automatic.

The head of school had previously prepared her students and staff for an active shooter situation and fearlessly sprang into action when the bullets started flying.

Nashville City Councilman Russ Pulley told FOX News that Koonce, 60, promptly ended a Zoom meeting after the first gunshot and didn't think twice about going after the 28-year-old Hale.

Pulley said, "She immediately ended the call, got up and headed straight for the shooter," indicating that Koonce may have clashed with Hale in a hallway.

Pulley added, "She did what principals and headmasters do; she protected her children."

Nashville Police Chief John Drake confirmed at a Tuesday press conference that Koonce was involved in a "confrontation, I’m sure – you can tell the way she was lying in the hallway," but Drake did not elaborate.

Koontz's local pastor, John Bourgeois, celebrated her selfless act in a message to his congregation at West End Community Church in Nashville. Bourgeois wrote, "She gave her life in defense of the children under her care."

Police say two of Koontz's colleagues, both 61, were also murdered: Cynthia Peak, a substitute teacher and Mike Hill, a custodian. In addition, three 9-year-old students were killed: Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney.

Two cops were seen on body cam footage fatally shooting Hale on the second floor of the private Christian elementary school.

Chief Drake said Hale had written a manifesto detailing the deadly attack and listing other potential targets. The contents of the manifesto were not disclosed.

Drake also said Hale -- who was a biological female but identified as male -- was a former student at the school and resented having to attend classes there, which was "why this incident occurred."

One entrepreneur/inventor has a creative and seemingly effective way teachers and students can protect themselves against school shootings ... a safe room embedded in classrooms.

We talked to Kevin Thomas Tuesday on "TMZ Live," and he broke down a product he sells through his company, KT Solutions. It's basically four foldable walls -- they look like dry erase whiteboards -- a teacher can quickly pull out to create a bulletproof shelter to hide kids in a nightmare like the one in Nashville.

Kevin calls it RASR, or ... Rapid Access Safe Rooms. They're available to the public, but are intended for classrooms -- as they offer educators/pupils a quick option to seek cover and protection in the event a mass shooter is roaming the halls ... and cops aren't there yet.

Check out the video to see how it works -- the "room" is flat at first and can function as just one wall or whiteboard for teachers and students ... so it has multipurpose utility for the school beyond just protection.

If there's an active shooter situation and a school wants something beyond locked doors to help, they can use RASR to open up a full-blown safe room good enough for the military and government agencies -- so says Thomas. In other words, it's impenetrable.

There's a demonstration here that shows you how to do it ... it's actually quite simple, and only takes seconds to lock into place. It's not the permanent fix to this ongoing issue -- as Thomas notes -- but this can certainly save lives in the interim.

We asked Thomas what sparked this innovative idea, and he said the Uvalde, TX school shooting forced his hand. As far as the price, it's $50k for delivery and installation -- and while one might presume this would come out of a school budget ... KT says that's not necessarily the case.

Nashville Police have released graphic body cam footage from the elementary school mass shooting ... and the video shows hero cops racing up the stairs and gunning the shooter down.

The intense clip was released Tuesday morning, showing multiple officers clearing classrooms and bathrooms on the first floor of The Covenant School before rushing upstairs where 28-year-old Audrey Hale was shooting at cops outside the building.

The police officers find Hale near a window, and officer Rex Engelbert, a 4-year veteran, fires multiple shots at Hale, putting the shooter on the ground. -- a second officer, Michael Collazo, a 9-year veteran shoots Hale again.

As we reported, Hale entered the building with 3 weapons -- a 9MM semiautomatic and 2 assault-type rifles. Hale fatally shot a total of 6 people, including 3 9-year-old children.

Video released by Nashville PD Monday showed Hale spraying the front glass door with bullets before entering ... then could be seen roaming the halls with one gun raised.

The Nashville shooter had an art page for their works, including one that's now giving people pause ... a rendition that highlights 'The Shining,' including one of its haunting refrains.

28-year-old Audrey Hale -- who identified as a man with he/him pronouns, and who apparently started using the name Aiden of late -- was a graphic artist and illustrator ... and Hale's AH Illustrations website is now being pored over in the wake of the massacre.

As you know ... authorities ID'd Hale as the person who killed six people Monday, including 3 kids and 3 adults with an AR-15-style gun. A motive is unknown, and Hale is dead now too.

Because of the inexplicable carnage ... folks are looking for answers anywhere they can -- including in Hale's artwork, which has gone under a microscope in the wake of the tragedy. One piece, in particular, has made some feel like Hale was telegraphing sinister intentions.

It's a digital drawing of Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance from Stanley Kubrick's famed 1980 horror flick ... the shot of him looking crazed as he stares out the window, specifically.

There's more to the disturbing creation, including the notorious phrase "REDRUM" ... which is "MURDER" spelled backward and which was heavily featured in the film. That phrase is prominently displayed in Hale's art, as are other quotes and phrases from 'The Shining.'

Aside from this, Hale's art is mostly innocuous and interesting. Hale's bio is also pretty mellow -- describing Hale as a freelance artist whose art attempts to bring a "whimsical and light-hearted feel."

Hale talks about enjoying video games, watching movies and playing sports ... going on to say this, "There is a child-like part about me that loves to go run to the playground. Animals are my second passion, so I also enjoy spending time with my two cats."

A self-portrait says Hale's on a "mission to change the world." Cops say Hale left a manifesto behind, although its contents haven't been revealed. Hale was armed with two rifles during the onslaught, and law enforcement has indicated more weapons were at Hale's home.

Dramatic new video captured the Nashville mass murderer blasting their way into an elementary school and roaming the halls with an assault weapon before fatally shooting 6 people, including 3 children.

Check out the security footage, released late Monday by the Metropolitan Nashville PD, showing Audrey Hale driving through a parking lot at Covenant Church/School with 2 assault-type rifles and a 9MM semiautomatic.

After parking a Honda Fit, Hale walked up to the school entrance and opened fire at the doors, shattering the glass windows. The shooter then crouched down to slip through one of the shot-out windows to enter the school.

Hale then maneuvered through the hallways with their rifle, wearing military fatigues and a red baseball cap turned backward. Hale opened several doors and entered rooms looking for prey. Throughout the video, you can see lights flashing from the school's alarm system.

Police say Hale fatally shot three 9-year-old students identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. Hale also shot and killed three adults in their 60's: Cynthia Peak, a substitute teacher; Mike Hill, a custodian; and Katherine Koonce, the head of school.

Cops responded to the scene after receiving 911 calls. When they arrived, the officers were met by Hale shooting at them from a second-floor window of the school. The police were not injured.

Officers quickly cleared the school of students and personnel and made their way up to the second-floor common area. That's where two cops shot and killed Hale.

Nashville Police Chief John Drake said Hale randomly gunned down people in the school after coming into contact with them.

Drake also said Hale was a former student and resented having to attend the school, which was "why this incident occurred."

The chief also said police recovered a manifesto written by Hale, who detailed preparations for the attack and listed other potential targets. He did not reveal the contents.

Sen. Rand Paul says a member of his staff was stabbed in broad daylight in Washington D.C. ... resulting in what police are calling "life-threatening" injuries.

Kentucky's U.S. Senator announced Monday the unnamed staffer was "brutally attacked" over the weekend and he and his wife are praying they make a speedy and complete recovery.

The Washington D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department says officers responded to a report of a stabbing just before 5:30 PM Saturday night less than 1.5 miles from the U.S. Capitol and found a person suffering from stab wounds.

Police say the victim, who Rand says works for him, was taken to the hospital in life-threatening condition.

MPD also says officers arrested a 42-year-old man named Glynn Neal in connection with the alleged attack, charging him with assault with intent to kill.