'Rust' Armorer Hungover When Live Round Went In Gun ... Prosecutors Claim
Update
9:58 AM PT -- 6/16 -- Hannah just filed an official response, obtained by TMZ ... in which her attorney claims they've spoken to multiple others on set who all agree Hannah was reliable, competent and most definitely not hungover on the job.
They also state Hannah was not intoxicated the night before the fatal accident, and to claim she was "likely" hungover the day of the shooting is just recklessly false. Hannah's legal team says the allegations are clearly just an attempt to ruin Hannah's character.
9:52 AM PT -- 6/14 -- Hannah's attorney, Jason Bowles, tells TMZ, "The prosecution has so mishandled this case and the case is so weak that they are now resorting to character assassination tactics to further taint the jury pool. This investigation and prosecution has not been about seeking Justice; for them it’s been about finding a convenient scapegoat."
Prosecutors in the fatal "Rust" shooting case are now saying they've got witnesses who will testify the set's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was a bit of a party animal in New Mexico ... and they say she was likely hungover when the live bullet was loaded into the gun.
According to new docs, obtained by TMZ, the Santa Fe District Attorney says they've got witnesses that say Hannah "was drinking heavily and smoking marijuana in the evenings during the shooting of Rust."
They push harder -- saying despite being allegedly hungover, Hannah still put a live round "into a gun that she knew was going to be used at some point by an actor while filming a shooting scene with other actors and crew members."
As we reported, Hannah's attorney Jason Bowles sat down with us in February ... claiming his client tried her best to keep the set as safe as possible, but said she was just stretched too thin on the low-budget flick.
What's more, Jason pointed fingers at Assistant Director Dave Halls -- saying Hannah told him to let her know if Alec Baldwin would be handling the gun in question, but claims she was never given the heads up.
You'll recall, the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec were dropped in April ... but it's clear prosecutors are still going hard against Hannah.
Originally Published -- 6/14 8:43 AM PT
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Denver Mass Shooting Stemmed From Drug Deal Gone Wrong ... Cops Say
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The mass shooting after the Nuggets' championship win in Denver on Tuesday morning appeared to be sparked by a drug deal gone wrong ... this according to cops.
Denver chief of police Ron Thomas made the revelation on Tuesday afternoon ... explaining that they discovered cash, firearms and what appeared to be fentanyl at the scene -- all signs that point toward a botched drug deal.
Two people, Thomas said, are in police custody -- though their exact involvement remains unclear.
Of the 10 people that sustained gunshot wounds, authorities said they believe five or six were innocent bystanders. All 10, thankfully, are now in "fair condition," according to officials ... though five still remain in the hospital.
The gunshots initially broke out about a mile from Ball Arena at around 12:30 AM ... roughly three and a half hours after Denver beat Miami to win the NBA title in Game 5.
Officials praised the actions of responding officers -- releasing video from the scene that showed cops running toward the gunshots in an effort to keep people safe.
An investigation into it all, officials added, remains ongoing.
As for the championship parade that's planned for Thursday -- officials told reporters Tuesday they are confident they'll be able to keep peace and prevent similar incidents from happening at the celebration.
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Denver Nuggets Ten People Injured In Mass Shooting ... After NBA Title Win
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An NBA championship celebration in Denver quickly turned from jubilation to terror ... as 10 people were injured in a mass shooting in the city following the Nuggets' win.
According to the Denver Police Dept. ... the shooting took place about a mile from Ball Arena at around 12:30 AM on Tuesday morning.
Full details surrounding the incident are not yet clear -- cops described the scene as "a complex" situation -- though they did say 10 total people had sustained gunshot wounds.
Cops revealed one of the injured has been identified as a suspect. Three others, police said, are in critical condition. The rest "are believed to have non-life-threatening injuries."
"As far as what led up to this altercation that resulted in the shots being fired, that’s still under investigation at this time," a police spokesperson said. "It did occur in the area where we had largest gathering of folks celebrating during the night."
Photos from the scene show authorities have marked off the area with caution tape as an investigation continues.
Just prior to the shooting, it had been nothing but a good time for those in the city who were celebrating the Nuggets' 94-89 Game 5 victory over the Heat.
Update: Both of the young men dropped from their spots atop the traffic light into the crowd, which appears to have caught them. pic.twitter.com/W6wLv2EEBl
— Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton (@meganululani) June 13, 2023 @meganululani
Fans had climbed street poles to cheer on their NBA team with others -- before they hurled themselves into happy crowds below.
Others were seen shooting off fireworks to commemorate the team's first-ever title.
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Inside the arena, meanwhile, Nuggets players couldn't have been happier to finish off their championship run ... the guys doused each other in booze in the locker room -- and at one point, series MVP Nikola Jokic tossed Jamal Murray into a pool.
The city is expecting to host a championship parade for the team on Thursday.
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Tupac's Dad U.S. Gov't Killed My Boy!!! I Think Orlando Is Innocent!!!
Tupac's father Billy Garland is showing he's not above buying into a juicy conspiracy theory, and wholeheartedly believes the United States government killed his son.
In his latest interview bit with "The Art of Dialogue," Billy claims his son was tailed by the government for years including September 7, 1996, when Pac was shot in Vegas.
Rap fans have heard the stories a million times ... Pac and members of Death Row Records' entourage stomped out Los Angeles native Orlando Anderson following the Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon fight, only for him allegedly to return hours later, guns a blazing.
Billy condemned Pac's behavior that night, citing his need to prove himself to the Death Row team. He also scolded Suge Knight and the security team for not protecting the label's money maker and being too comfortable with him leading the charge.
Orlando's uncle Keefe D has implicated his nephew (and himself) in the Tupac shooting for years ... but Billy thinks his self-snitching has been a part of the government's master plan and doesn't think either of them had anything to do with the murder.
For what it's worth, Pac's murder remains unsolved.
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YNW Melly 'Murder' Charge Worked Wonders For Rap Career Went From 0 to 10 Platinum Plaques 💿
YNW Melly's career essentially came to an end in 2019 after he was arrested and charged with double homicide ... but his streaming has seen a resurgence as of late.
On Monday, Melly's trial kicked off in Florida's Broward County court, where it was uncovered the 24-year-old rapper had absolutely zero RIAA certifications on his wall at the time of his arrest on February 13, 2019 ... but now has 10 platinum plaques and 6 gold.
#YNWMellyTrial: Melly was arrested February 13, 2019 with 0 @RIAA certifications.
— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) June 12, 2023 @brysonboompaul
TODAY: He has 10 Platinum Certifications, 6 Gold Certifications. #ynwmelly #lawandcrime pic.twitter.com/aA3xZmyzBc
Fans have especially been running up the numbers for Melly's more sinister tracks ... "Suicidal" sits at 4x platinum while his signature hit "Murder on My Mind" is fairly close to Diamond status at 6x platinum.
Melly and Kanye West's 2020 collab "Mixed Personalities" is also double platinum.
The Florida rapper, born Jamell Demons, stands accused of gunning down his own friends YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser.
While it still remains to be determined what will happen with the criminal case, it appears his musical legacy will thrive.
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Cam'ron To Ja Morant Gangbangin' & Ballin' Don't Mix ... Rap Can't Be Your Backup Plan!!!
Cam'ron is telling Ja Morant he's seen hoop dreams deflate ... and doesn't want the embattled NBA superstar to flush his career for being too in love with the streets.
The Diplomats founder was once a top basketball prospect coming outta Harlem in the mid-1990s ... but didn't take his academics seriously and saw his career fizzle after tearing his hamstring at junior college in Texas.
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Cam'ron shared pics of his basketball playing days throwing up a gang sign to show Ja how unfocused he was at the time, where he says he got kicked outta college for pistol-whipping someone.
The "Oh Boy" rapper says he's not glorifying his past actions and doesn't want Ja, who's currently awaiting NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's judgment after his latest gun-toting video, to make the same mistake.
Camron SDE logo was fire tho. pic.twitter.com/YvSnC73EVg
— DJ CUTZ (@Djcutz) April 3, 2021 @Djcutz
Ja should probably listen to Cam, as he's had his own run-ins with NBA Commissioners in the past.
His 2000 album, "SDE," juxtaposed the NBA logo with a gun, raising the ire of the late David Stern. According to Cam's then-labelmate Dutch, the promo cost the company around $15 million dollars to settle with the league!!!
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Marshalls Stun Gun Thieves Nabbed After Wild Police Pursuit ... And More Shoplifting!!!
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The two females caught on video using a stun gun to jack a cart full of stuff from a Marshalls are finally in jail -- this after cops say they were led on a wild police pursuit.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the girls -- who were seen on video deploying a stun gun to rob a Studio City Marshalls last week -- were arrested Sunday and taken into custody ... but not before they led police on an insane chase through the South Bay.
We're told the young ladies have allegedly hit other Marshalls stores in L.A. County -- however, cops say it appears they only used the stun gun in that one instance Wednesday.
As for how they were eventually caught, welp ... it sounds like something out of a movie. Hawthorne PD says a call came in for a robbery yesterday at a clothing retail store ... and that witnesses saw the 3 women fleeing in a white Audi sedan.
HPD says a responding officer saw the vehicle on the road and attempted to initiate a stop -- but they say the car failed to yield and then turned into a dead-end alley ... only to turn around and drive straight forward toward the officer who was in hot pursuit.
Police say the Audi slammed into the cop car, and continued to drive away ... leaving the cruiser seriously damaged. As the Audi continued to drive, law enforcement claims it hit 2 other vehicles on the road before officers were finally able to get them in cuffs.
Cops say the suspects are all minors -- aged 13, 16 and 17 -- and that they were treated at a local hospital before being hauled off to jail. BTW, we're told three of these girls are the same ones involved in the Studio City incident, and that only 2 of them were seen in our video from last week.
For now, cops say the case remains under investigation.
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Earl Thomas, Ex-Wife New Police Video Shows ... Couple Armed With Gun, Knife During Heated Dispute
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The heated dispute between former NFL star Earl Thomas and his ex-wife three years ago did, indeed, involve a gun and a knife ... and the situation was terrifying -- new police video shows.
In the footage, obtained this week by TMZ Sports, you can see as cops responded to a disturbance at an Airbnb in Austin, Texas back on April 13, 2020 ... Thomas and his former partner, Nina Thomas, were arguing in a parking lot with weapons in their hand.
In Nina's grasp was a blade -- while in Earl's was a pistol ... and you can hear in the video, cops were desperate to get them to drop both when they arrived on the scene.
"Drop it now!" one officer said on the video while pointing his firearm at the couple. "Drop it!"
The footage shows both Thomases put their weapons down ... and then they both lay face-first on the asphalt.
Cops then slowly approached the two with their guns drawn -- imploring them to stay down.
"This is my wife," the former Baltimore Ravens safety can be heard saying in the clip. "She caught me cheating."
Added Nina, "I caught my husband cheating, officers."
"Whatever you do," one of the cops responded, "don't reach for that knife."
After a few tense moments, Nina was placed in cuffs without issue and taken to a different part of the parking lot for questioning. Earl, who was shirtless, was also put into custody without issue and moved away from Nina in the lot as well.
During ensuing questioning, Nina can be heard in the body camera video saying she and her sister-in-law had gone to the Airbnb earlier in the evening in order to confront Earl and his brother about cheating on them at the residence with other women.
"So," she said during the interview, "my husband has been leaving -- we've been having problems. He's been leaving off and on all weekend. And he said he was hanging with some buddies. And I didn't believe that, because we've had issues in the past. So I hacked his Snapchat and found his location here."
NFL's Earl Thomas Held At Gunpoint By Wife In Violent Standoff, Cops Say
"I was calling, I was texting," she continued. "And I didn't know which room it was, and then from pictures, I recognized the lights inside. And I just so happened to turn the handle and the door was open."
Nina -- who had a cut on her hand -- also told the officers that she had brought Earl's gun to the location in order to scare him. She insisted it was not loaded while adding that she had grabbed the knife from the Airbnb during the dispute.
She said she and Earl had been involved in pushing and shoving during the altercation -- and told the cop, "My brother-in-law did get physical with my sister-in-law."
"I don't know exactly what happened because I was dealing with my own husband."
According to police documents, Nina also told cops at the scene that after she and her sister-in-law found Earl and his brother "naked in bed with other women," she pointed the gun at Earl's head, stating "that she took out the magazine thinking that the gun could not fire." But, cops said in the docs Nina was "unaware that the gun had a round in the chamber."
In the docs, officers said Earl was able to wrestle the gun away from her ... and eventually, the argument spilled out into the parking lot -- where cops intercepted them.
Nina was ultimately arrested and booked for burglary of a residence with intent to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon -- family violence. Earl was not arrested.
The former Seattle Seahawks star -- a Super Bowl champion and three-time All-Pro -- downplayed everything in a video in the days following the incident, saying, "Stuff like this happens." The two -- who were married in 2016 -- then continued to work on their relationship for several months ... before Nina filed for divorce from him later in 2020.
As for her criminal case, Nina had several court hearings on the matter in the months following her arrest ... though it was all eventually dismissed in 2021.
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Ted Kaczynski The Unabomber Dead at 81 ... Found in Prison Cell
11:15 AM PT -- BOP says Kaczynski was found unresponsive at the facility he was being kept at, and that life-saving measures were undertaken, unsuccessfully. He was rushed to a hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead there. It's unclear what exactly happened to him.
Notorious domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, best known as the Unabomber, is dead ... according to prison officials.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons says Kaczynski was found dead Saturday morning in his cell at FMC Butner in North Carolina. So far, officials aren't saying anything about the cause of death.
Kaczynski had served most of his life sentence at Colorado supermax prison since his 1998 conviction. He was transferred to NC in 2021, so he could get better medical treatment.
ABC News first reported his death.
The Unabomber evaded law enforcement for almost 20 years, while pulling off a string of bombings, several of them deadly. For the longest time, the only image the public had of him was an FBI sketch.
Authorities finally figured out who he was when his infamous manifesto, "Industrial Society and Its Future" ... was published in 1995 in the Washington Post. Kaczynski's brother recognized the writing and went to cops.
The FBI tracked him down and arrested him the following year at a remote cabin in Montana.
Kaczynski eventually pleaded guilty to setting 16 explosions that killed 3 people and injured 23 others between 1978 and 1995.
He was 81.
Originally Published -- 10:28 AM PT
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YFN Lucci Hell No to Plea Deal, 20-Yr Sentence ... Let's Go to Trial!!
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YFN Lucci is rejecting a plea deal Georgia prosecutors offered him in his racketeering case ... we've learned Lucci's instead opting to go to trial to clear his name.
According to court docs, obtained by TMZ Hop Hop, Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis recommended a 20-year sentence, 17 of them in prison ... and in exchange, Lucci would have to plead guilty to multiple charges -- including felony murder, racketeering, aggravated assault and violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act.
Lucci, whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett, is not interested in the offer. His attorneys, Drew Findling and Gabe Banks, tell us the plea offer is "absurd," and they strongly hinted the D.A. is intentionally dragging her feet -- they point out Lucci is still waiting to go to trial after 2.5 years in custody.
The attorneys also slammed Willis for focusing instead on "newer, high-profile cases that have completely monopolized the Court’s resources" and pointed out her "utter inability to prosecute complex cases."
They went on to say ... "Despite the obstacles consistently placed in the way of Mr. Bennett’s constitutional right to a speedy and fair trial, we continue to be ready and prepared to defend these false allegations."
As we reported, Lucci got swept up in a massive 2021 indictment charging alleged gang members with a smorgasbord of crimes. Lucc was accused of being the driver in a fatal gang-related shooting, among other things. He has denied any wrongdoing.
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Drake 'Who Told You' I Wasn't Dancehall King?!? Drops New Vibe With J Hus
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Drake is back in his dancehall bag ... thanks to a new collab with British Afroswing trailblazer J Hus that sounds primed for summer spins!!!
Both artists have been teasing fans something was brewing all week and unleashed the official audio for "Who Told You" on Thursday ... where they both harmonize over a tropical-tinged riddim and croon for women they desire.
The song is destined for J Hus' upcoming album "Don’t Say Militancy," whose album promo has been flooding the London streets ahead of his release date sometime this summer.
J Hus’ album rollout has officially started
— UK Rap Daily (@UKRapDaily) May 23, 2023 @UKRapDaily
He has put up a billboard with a phone number on it and when you call it this happens… pic.twitter.com/OQEnjsdTyf
Drake and J Hus have a relationship even outside the studio ... Drizzy welcomed him onstage inside London's 02 Arena for the UK Assassination Vacation Tour back in 2019, following J Hus' release from prison for illegal knife possession.
And, real friends hop on one another's lead album singles!!!
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Adam Silver Addresses Ja Morant Toy Gun Claims ... 'Should It Matter?'
Adam Silver is fully aware of the rumors surrounding whether Ja Morant was actually waving a toy gun during his second Instagram Live scandal ... but ultimately, the NBA commissioner says it might not make a difference when determining his impending punishment.
Silver spoke at length about Ja's situation in an interview on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Thursday ... and he said the crux of the issue is how the Memphis Grizzlies star's actions disregarded the importance of gun safety.
"It's interesting," Commish said Thursday. "The very issue for Ja, certainly in the first incident, was treating a gun as a toy. That's what we're talking about and that's what I think the danger is to society."
"Taking a gun, live streaming it without getting into gun issues in terms of the propriety of owning guns and the use of guns, I think everyone agrees that gun safety is critically important and that guns aren't toys."
He added ... "It's something that I'm thinking a lot about because, again, I'm not going to get into specifics about the investigation, but in fact, if you're live streaming something to the world that looks exactly like a gun and in a frankly reckless manner, should it matter whether or not it's a real gun?"
The claim gained traction after Claudia Jordan said on "The Breakfast Club" earlier this week that she heard from Ja's camp that the weapon shown in the video was actually fake.
Silver says the league will look into "whatever is presented to us" before concluding the investigation ... and will take past conduct and the circumstances of the situation into account.
Silver explained what's most important is getting Ja right as a human being ... with basketball taking a backseat for the time being.
Ja Morant Doing 'Good' After 2nd Gun Incident, Says Teammate Jaren Jackson Jr.
Ja was suspended indefinitely from all Memphis Grizzlies activities shortly after the video went viral -- he later apologized for his actions, but did not say if the gun was real.
The league will announce Ja's punishment following the NBA Finals ... and Silver hopes his time away from playing will put the rising star back on a positive trajectory.
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Adam DeVine Murder at My Neighbor's Party ... Wife and I Were Nearby!!!
Adam DeVine has a horrifying story to tell about a poker party turning tragic in the Hollywood Hills -- a man was shot and killed, with Adam and his wife just across the street.
The "Pitch Perfect" star shared his experience during a live taping of the "This Is Important" podcast Wednesday night with his "Workaholics" costars Blake Anderson, Anders Holm, and Kyle Newacheck -- and it might not have been the best setting for such a serious tale.
Adam says he was chillin' on a balcony at home with his wife Chloe Bridges when the murder happened just across the way from him, leaving him in shock.
Adam says he called it, too -- believing some "dastardly s***" was happening at the boujee poker party. Of course, the podcast hosts and crowd still found the ordeal a little funny, with Blake punching up the story with sound effects. Actually, it seems like the crowd thought Adam was doing a bit.
He didn't get into specifics about the crime, but KTLA reported 39-year-old Emil Lahaziel was gunned down just after 2 AM Wednesday morning at a Hollywood Hills poker party.
It's unclear if Adam actually witnessed the shooting ... if he did, he left that part out.
Investigators think Lahaziel was involved in an argument on the property's driveway when the suspect pulled out the gun and shot him ... but the suspect hasn't been found yet.
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Ex-NFL WR Travis Rudolph Found Not Guilty In Murder Case
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Former NFL wideout Travis Rudolph is a free man once again ... a jury just found him not guilty on all counts in his murder case.
The scene inside the courtroom Wednesday as the jury read its verdict was emotional ... Rudolph was in tears -- as were his family members.
The 27-year-old, though, eventually cracked a huge smile and shared an embrace with his lawyer. Afterward, he and his attorney thanked the jurors, the judge, the court and all others involved in the case.
"It means everything, man," the former New York Giants receiver said to reporters. "I finally got my freedom back and I can get back to my life."
Added Rudolph's attorney added, "We knew he wasn't guilty. He's one of the nicest human beings you ever met whether he plays sports or not. This is an innocent man who did what he had to do."
Rudolph was initially hit with four charges -- including one count of first-degree murder with a firearm -- back in April 2021 ... after authorities alleged he opened fire on four people inside of a car in West Palm Beach, FL, killing one, following a dispute that Rudolph had had with a woman earlier.
Rudolph, however, had adamantly claimed he was only acting in self-defense.
"I knew all along," Rudolph said Wednesday outside of the courtroom, "I did what I had to do to protect me and my brother's life."
The case went to trial last week ... and the jurors reached their verdict Wednesday afternoon after only about four hours of deliberating.
Rudolph told reporters he now has plans to resume his football career ... saying he's open to competing in any league -- not just the NFL.
"I'm going to reach out to my agent," he said, "and if God's willing, I'll still be able to play football. Definitely planning on getting back to football."
Rudolph -- a former Florida State star -- went unpicked in the 2017 NFL Draft ... but signed on with the Giants a short time later and played in seven games in his rookie season. He later spent time with the Miami Dolphins and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers -- before his arrest in '21.
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Lil Tjay Arrested for Reckless Endangerment During Live Stream
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5:29 AM PT -- 6/7 -- According to the NYPD ... Lil Tjay was perched on the sunroof of a moving vehicle while waving an apparent firearm. Police took him into custody and recovered the "weapon," which turned out to be a fake gun. Tjay was charged with criminal possession of a weapon for the imitation pistol.
His attorney said he was also charged with reckless endangerment for displaying the prop gun and obstructing governmental administration for refusing police orders to put his hands behind his back during his arrest.
Lil Tjay is in police custody once again ... his lawyer says the rapper got arrested in NYC -- second time this year -- and this time it all went down live on Instagram.
Tjay's lawyer Dawn Florio tells TMZ ... the rapper was filming a short clip for a music video when cops arrived on the scene in Manhattan, and took him in for reckless endangerment.
He captured his arrest on video, too, as he happened to be live streaming Tuesday during the ordeal. Some folks in the crowd told him to stop resisting as his phone ended up in someone else's hand.
TMZ broke the story, the 22-year-old was arrested in January after a traffic stop in the Bronx while en route to shoot a video with Ice Spice. Law enforcement sources told us cops found a handgun in his vehicle, resulting in him getting booked for weapon possession.
Of course, the guy's also lucky to be alive after getting shot 7 times in a 2022 New Jersey robbery.
We've reached out to the NYPD's press office for comment ... so far, no word back.
Originally Published -- 6/6 4:46 PM PT
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Young Thug's Brother Unfoonk Gets 9-Year Sentence ... Violated RICO Probation
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Young Thug’s biological brother, and YSL artist, Unfoonk is behind bars for violating the terms of the probation put in place after his plea deal in the Georgia RICO case.
The judge in Fulton County officially revoked Unfoonk’s probation Monday, and sentenced him to 9 years and 6 months in prison after he was charged with firearm possession by a convicted felon ... among other offenses.
Judge Ural D. Glanville scolded Unfoonk during the sentencing ... reminding the Atlanta rapper of their conversation in May about the strict conditions of his probation, especially when it came to possessing a gun!!!
Back in December, Unfoonk (born Quantavious Grier) took a plea deal in the ongoing YSL RICO trial, in which he got credit for 2 years time served, and was placed on probation for the next 10 years.
Gunna also took a plea around the same time as Unfoonk ... but it seems he's been using his freedom to record in the studio, and dropped a comeback track last week.