Weapons & Guns

French Prez Emmanuel Macron got his groove on Thursday night in Paris, as rioters hit the streets protesting a police shooting that killed a 17-year-old.

Macron and his wife hit up Elton John's Farewell Tour in Paris, seeming at least on the surface unbothered by the explosion of violence in his country.

The riots were triggered by a confrontation Tuesday in the city of Nanterre, who French police fatally shot a driver in the chest ... after the 17-year-old tried to leave the scene.

Rioters hit the streets in several cities. So far more than 600 hundred people have been arrested for starting fires, looting and other crimes.

Macron has said the riots are just an excuse to commit crimes, calling it "an unacceptable exploitation of the adolescent's death."

Some rioters have compared the police shooting to the George Floyd murder.

The first police officer on the scene of the Allen, TX mass shooting last month wasted no time in grabbing his weapon and engaging the gunman ... all captured in dramatic body cam footage.

The footage, released Wednesday, starts with the unnamed Allen PD officer talking to a family in the parking lot of the Allen Premium Outlets in a friendly exchange about the importance of wearing seatbelts ... when all of a sudden, gunshots ring out.

The officer immediately goes from nice guy to action hero -- immediately grabbing his rifle and running toward the gunshots -- all while radioing to his supervisors for assistance.

As the officer gets closer, he sees bodies on the ground, letting his dispatcher know it appears to be a mass-shooter event. Finally, the officer gets eyes on the gunman, and opens fire -- taking him down with multiple shots.

The hero cop is eventually joined by another officer, and they approach the body of the shooter, Mauricio Garcia, sprawled out and bloody.

It's absolutely stunning and admirable how quickly this officer sprung into action ... and he very likely saved numerous lives that day.

As we've reported ... Garcia shot and killed 8 people -- including several minors -- and injured 7 others in his rampage. No motive has been identified for his actions ... but he spewed hate online and even sported swastika tattoos.

Casanova was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison ... but the Brooklyn rapper's girlfriend says their fort is secured.

In a series of IG posts, Cas' partner Swaggy Jazzy disputed reports from earlier this month that Cas had his face damaged after being attacked in prison.

Jazzy scoffed at haters who predicted Cas would be slapped with the 60-year sentence he was facing and placed her focus on her fashion brand Dope Emporium.

Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, released a statement about the sentence sending a strong message, saying “Caswell Senior is not just a notorious recording artist, but he is also a high-profile leader of a vicious street gang and a magnet for gang violence. At a crowded Miami house party, Senior personally fired a gun that seriously injured and could have killed a victim, inciting a shootout."

He continues, "Further, Senior’s stature in the community was central to Gorilla Stone’s successful recruitment and nationwide expansion. Today’s sentencing — along with the other significant sentences that have been imposed in this case — shows once again that gang life is not worth it and will lead to many years in prison.”

Cas was hoping for leniency in the sentencing after renouncing his gang ties in a letter to the judge ahead of sentencing.

Boosie Badazz is a free man after posting a $100K bond in his federal gun case Friday night ... and we caught him happy as a clam as he left a California lockup.

The rapper was photographed seated in the backseat of an SUV following his Friday night release from Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego -- and BB was clearly elated, smiling from ear to ear.

Check out the snapshot we obtained ... Boosie's just beaming as he rides away with his chauffer.

And he has every reason to celebrate after winning several court battles against prosecutors, who wanted to keep him behind bars for the duration of his gun case.  Prosecutors filed motions to deny his bond -- but two federal judges ruled in favor of Boosie, paving the way for his release from jail.

TMZ broke the story ... Boosie was arrested by Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents and charged in an indictment with being a felon in possession of a gun. Police initially arrested Boosie in early May after a traffic stop revealed he allegedly had two guns inside the SUV he was riding in.

State prosecutors dropped their case the same day ATF busted Boosie at a San Diego courthouse and charged him with essentially the same offense but on a federal level.

Gilbert Arenas says Ja Morant's NBA punishment does not fit the crime ... insisting the 25-game ban that Adam Silver hit him with earlier this month is complete BS.

The former Wizards star took aim at the Association in a passionate conversation with TMZ Sports earlier this week ... explaining he believes Ja's suspension for wielding yet another firearm on video should have been significantly less than what it ultimately ended up being.

"It's too harsh," Arenas said bluntly.

As for why ... he said he thinks it was all based on subjectivity -- not precedence.

Arenas told us ... most guys that he's seen get popped by the league in the past for gun-related offenses have only received 1 to 7-game bans -- making Morant's lengthy suspension super unfair.

"It's public perception," Arenas said. "The public wants him to be stopped. So, now the NBA comes in and says, 'All right, we have to make it look reasonable.'"

Arenas said Morant already suffered greatly off the court -- something he believes Silver should've factored into his punishment.

"He's already taken Ls," Arenas said, noting the small breaks that Nike and Powerade took from Morant. "He's taken Ls on his public image."

Arenas told us he thinks it's all so unfair, he expects Ja to appeal ... and win.

Of course, Gilbert has plenty of experience in this field -- you'll recall, he ultimately lost 50 games of his career following his infamous 2009 gun incident.

He said he's actually down to help Ja learn everything that he gained from that big ban ... telling us if Morant reached out, he'd definitely answer.

For the Memphis star's part, he apologized for his actions that led to Silver's decision ... saying to his fans, "I hope you'll give me the chance to prove to you over time I'm a better man than what I've been showing you."

We also talked to the former NBA star about the incoming rookies. Arenas offers advice to the young hoopers ... and gives his scouting report on Victor Wembanyama.

Carson Wentz may be panned for his accuracy on the field, but not so much off it ... the NFL free agent QB took down a black bear with a bow and arrow, before posing with the animal.

As you might expect, reaction was ... umm, mixed.

The former Super Bowl champ showed off his kill on Friday with a photo of a black bear and his Hoyt Archery bow on a grassy field in the Last Frontier.

"Got the opportunity to spot and stalk black bear in one of our new favorite places on earth— Alaska!" Wentz wrote in the caption.

"Incredible trip and an incredible animal!"

Despite the hunt being totally legal in Alaska, the photo didn't sit well with a lot of people, who expressed their frustrations in the IG comments.

"Bro come on man. How can you take a living animal’s life like that? Ridiculous," one fan wrote while others said they were going to unfollow the former Eagles and Colts quarterback on Instagram.

Fans of Wentz will know this isn't his first kill. Carson grew up hunting in North Dakota. In fact, the 30-year-old hunted a deer in Indiana a few months ago and shared the footage on his YouTube page.

Wentz isn't the only NFL pro who enjoys hunting ... Jay Cutler, DeAngelo Williams and Derek Wolfe, who took down a mountain lion that was a threat to a local community earlier this year, are also avid hunters.

Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman says he feels Ja Morant's 25-game suspension was "appropriate" ... telling reporters the face of the franchise needs to make some major changes during his time away from the team.

Kleiman answered several questions about the All-Star guard's punishment following Thursday's NBA Draft ... and while he claimed the two sides maintain a solid relationship, he made it clear the organization is "disappointed" in his recent actions.

"I think the discipline from the NBA was appropriate," Kleiman said.

"I think the thing to focus on at this point is ... what's Ja going to commit to moving forward? What are the steps that he's prepared to take for the NBA to grant the ability to rejoin the team after serving the suspension?"

The 23-year-old was hit with the ban after he flashed what appeared to be a gun for the second time in two months ... which, according to video obtained by TMZ Sports, he claimed was actually a lighter.

The National Basketball Players' Association ripped the suspension shortly after it was announced last week ... calling it "excessive and inappropriate."

But, Kleiman believes the league made the right call ... and the team has had good conversations with its star player about what he needs to do in order to get back on the court.

"I think there's a lot of healthy dialogue there," he added. "I think everyone did acknowledge early on that this was going to be ongoing and Ja wasn't just going to become the best version of himself overnight. I think there's many really serious steps that he needs to continue to take."

Ja apologized for the second gun video after the NBA's decision was handed down ... and he vowed to be a better role model to his fans.

2:38 PM PT -- Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's attorney, Jason Bowles, tells us, "Something is rotten in Denmark. It is shocking that after 20 months of investigation, the special prosecutor now throws in a completely new charge against Ms. Gutierrez Reed, with no prior notice or any witness statements, lab reports, or evidence to support it."

He continues, "This comes on the heels of the state letting its lead investigator go, and the investigator raising serious concerns about the investigation in an email. This stinks to high heaven and is retaliatory and vindictive."

"Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has found herself in the crosshairs of prosecutors once again, this time for allegedly transferring narcotics the day Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on set.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Reed's been charged with tampering with evidence after prosecutors claim she, "did transfer narcotics to another person with the intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of herself."

The documents do not state what type of narcotic Gutierrez-Reed allegedly had in her possession, but the development is significant in light of other allegations prosecutors have made about the disgraced armorer.

In another filing last week, prosecutors accused Reed of drinking and using marijuana after working on the set ... explaining she may have shown up on the job hungover and lacking proper alertness and awareness to perform her duties efficiently.

At the time of the allegations, Hannah's attorney, Jason Bowles, told us, "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."

Hannah's also been charged with involuntary manslaughter for Hutchins' death.

Killer Mike believes any new gun control laws in America will hurt Black people before any other group -- but the rapper's telling us a few other ways he thinks the spike in gun violence can be flattened.

Mike joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to discuss potential curfews for minors in Atlanta -- something he's all for as a measure to mitigate violence ... and, he says he had curfew when he was growing up in the area.

However, he remains firmly against the passage of new legislation as a means to reduce gun-related crime. Mike says he's a Second Amendment guy, first and foremost, but adds he has another problem with tighter gun laws.

He explains why he believes those laws would impact Black Americans "worst and first."

Mike tells us he'd rather see Black families armed, and better educated on the safer use and storage of weapons.

As you know, there have already been more than 300 mass shootings in the U.S. this year ... putting the nation on track for the deadliest year ever.

Mike thinks another solution is more funding for community facilities -- such as YMCAs -- to give kids safe havens to avoid trouble.

Boosie Badazz should be headed home shortly ... the judge set his bond at $50,000 in the federal gun case that got him nabbed by ATF agents in San Diego.

According to Boosie's lawyers, Meghan Blanco and Damon Alimouri ... the bond was set Tuesday during a hearing, but it was unclear if/when Boosie would be released from custody.

We're told prosecutors wanted to keep Boosie in custody until trial, but the judge ended up denying that request and setting the bond amount.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... the feds popped Boosie last week after they say the firearm found in his vehicle back in May, matched the one seen in his waistband on Instagram Live.

Some A-list performers will not play on for the Beyond Wonderland EDM festival's final day as police investigate a mass shooting that killed 2 people and injured several others.

The bullets started flying Saturday night around 8:30 PM at a campground near Gorge Amphitheater, where the festival was being held in Central Washington state. Police say the suspect was firing randomly into the crowd as he fled the area.

Cops were able to track down the suspect and arrest him, and they say he also suffered a gunshot wound. They've yet to release any other info about the suspect.

National data shows we've now reached 307 mass shootings in 2023.

Ja Morant filmed himself holding a toy gun back on May 14 in an effort to show his family and friends that he did not have a real firearm during his now-infamous Instagram Live sesh ... and TMZ Sports has just obtained the footage.

In the video, you can see Morant -- easily identified by his unique tattoos -- attempting to show the weapon was nothing more than a lighter.

Morant used the flames that came out of the phony gun to ignite some candles ... before he appeared to say in the clip, "You hold it, and everything comes out."

We're told Ja sent the video around to those close to him after they had questioned why he was seen brandishing a firearm in a social media video yet again.

You'll recall, Ja was initially suspended for the act in March ... though on May 13, he was filmed doing it once more while listening to NBA YoungBoy's album with a pal in a car.

Ja never publicly stated the gun was not a real one ... though Claudia Jordan said on "The Breakfast Club" earlier this month that some inside of the Grizzlies guard's camp had informed her it was fake.

Either way, Adam Silver punished Morant over it all regardless ... hitting him with a 25-game suspension on Friday morning.

Following news of the ban, Morant apologized ... and vowed to be "a better man than what I've been showing you."

Unabomber Ted Kaczynski was more than a domestic terrorist mailing package bombs around America -- he was also a staunch proponent of the First Amendment to the Constitution, at least according to the madman himself.

TMZ has obtained a never-before-seen letter he wrote while sitting in federal prison, furious the US government had seized his infamous trove of personal items from his cabin and planned to auction them off to pay restitution to his victims.

In the letter, dated April 3, 2009, the terrorist railed against the system he claimed had wronged him in his multi-year legal battle with the feds over his possessions.

He complained the government had confiscated "every copy of everything I've ever written," and, worse, the court of appeals had already greenlit the auction ... prompting him to reluctantly admit, "I've lost."

But Kaczynski also warned his case should be of "grave concern" to all Americans because it showed the federal courts totally ignored the First Amendment ... in other words, "freedom of expression," as he put it in his letter.

He went on to say something about the court's decision being politically motivated ... but didn't further explain that theory.

The convicted terrorist wrote and sent the letter to a journalist with whom he was contemplating doing an interview -- about his belongings and the First Amendment -- but he ultimately decided against discussing it any further.

Two years later, the auction took place and, when it was all over, Kaczynski's personal property sold for $190,000, which went to his victims and their family members. Among the items sold were his personal journals, his handwritten "manifesto" and his hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, as seen in his iconic police sketch.

As you know ... Kaczynski died by suicide inside his prison cell at FMC Butner in North Carolina last Saturday. TMZ broke the story ... 911 audio revealed first responders were unable to resuscitate him after he hanged himself.

Before his death, Kaczynski was serving 4 life sentences after pleading guilty in 1998 to killing 3 people and maiming 28 others during his nearly 20-year mail bomb campaign.

Boosie Badazz went full out of the frying pan and into the fire over his gun case in San Diego, because while local prosecutors dropped charges ... they really just made way for the feds to go after him.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... federal agents nabbed Boosie Wednesday outside the San Diego courthouse where he thought he'd just gotten great news about the gun case. According to new docs we've obtained, ATF hauled him for possession of a weapon by a felon -- essentially, the same charge San Diego dropped.

In the federal docs, they say Boosie was seen on an Instagram live feed, back on May 6, with a gun tucked into the the waistband of his red jeans. The feds say San Diego PD was watching that IG feed and mobilized officers to pull over a vehicle that had Boosie riding in the back seat.

According to the feds, right before the Mercedes SUV pulled over, the SD officer noticed movement in the back seat they believe looked like someone "attempting to conceal firearms or illegal contraband" ... in their experience.

Once the vehicle was pulled over, Boosie told the officer he didn't have any weapons, but his security did. During the search, the cop found a loaded Hellcat 9mm in the guard's bag, and also a loaded Glock 9mm on the rear passenger seat.

All 3 people ... Boosie, his guard and driver were taken into custody, and cops say they heard Boosie yell at the guard, "You told me they were in the bag."

Once cops reviewed the IG footage, they matched up the Glock with the weapon in Boosie's waistband ... and that's why they busted him. Boosie was released from Louisiana State Prison in 2014 after serving more than 4 years for drug charges.

A second gun video and yet another suspension won't cost Ja Morant his deal with Nike after all ... the Swoosh just announced it's still backing the NBA superstar.

In a statement released just minutes after Adam Silver banned Morant 25 games for waving a firearm on Instagram Live for the second time this year ... Nike announced it will not be severing its ties with the Grizzlies hooper.

"We are pleased that Ja is taking accountability and prioritizing his well-being," the shoe giant said. "We will continue to support him on and off the court."

For a while following the second gun video, it appeared the relationship was in jeopardy ... as the co. had wiped all of his signature athletic shoes from its app and website. But now, it's clear -- the two are moving forward in lockstep.

Of course, Ja has had a relationship with Nike dating back to 2019 ... and he's become one of the faces of the company -- releasing his first-ever Ja 1 shoe a few months back.

It all clearly makes a ton of dollars and sense for both sides regardless ... as even with all of the controversy surrounding him, Morant's Ja 1 "Hunger" colorway drop sold out in a matter of minutes back in late May.

Ja Morant will miss more than a quarter of the 2023-24 NBA season as a result of his second gun-flashing incident -- the league just slapped the Memphis Grizzlies star with a 25-game suspension.

Adam Silver announced the punishment just minutes ago ... saying, "Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games."

"The potential for other young people to emulate Ja's conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated."

Morant was initially suspended without pay after showing a gun while at a Colorado strip club in March ... which he later apologized for and vowed to seek help.

Just two months later, the All-Star was spotted holding a weapon during an Instagram Live session with his friend.

The suspension begins immediately ... and Ja is forbidden from attending any team events, including preseason games prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign in October.

The punishment will also hurt Morant's pockets -- he will lose approximately $12 million in salary during his time away from the court.

"For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time," Silver added. "Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior."

There were rumors Morant's team was claiming the gun shown in the video was actually fake ... but the Association said Friday it concluded the firearm was real.

As part of the punishment, Morant will be required to meet certain conditions before he will get the green light to return to the court.

If he hits the criteria, Morant will be available to play in December.