Weapons & Guns

Leslie Van Houten is likely to kill again after being released from prison -- so says Sharon Tate's sister ... who's deeply offended California cut loose the former Charles Manson follower.

Debra Tate tells TMZ that she's disappointed in the criminal justice system in the state, and especially the governor's office ... which she thinks really dropped the ball in not fighting harder against Van Houten's release.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom said he isn't happy with the decision handed down by the Court of Appeals -- siding with the parole board releasing Van Houten -- he also said he wasn't going to push back, arguing it was a losing effort.

Debra says Newsom could've taken it to a higher court, which is true, and she's taking his surrender as a huge slap in the face to the families of Manson's victims.

As far as how those loved ones feel about Van Houten being a free woman again ... well, she tells us they're absolutely terrified because there's a fear she could resort to her killing ways again in a heartbeat.

Clearly, Debra doesn't buy the parole board's belief Van Houten's rehabilitated. Her rationale boils down to the nature of the crime itself, and the mindset Van Houten was once under. She says once somebody goes down that dark path, in her eyes, it's easy to go back.

Now, while Van Houten wasn't involved in the Tate murders -- remember, it was the LaBiancas she helped butcher -- she's publicly said she really wanted to be present for the slayings of Sharon and 3 friends.

Debra finds that very troubling, and says that's why she has every right to weigh in here.

She adds ... the victims' families are outraged Van Houten gets to live out the rest of her life outside of prison -- despite a life sentence they assumed would be imposed forever more.

Debra's been leading a charge to keep all the Manson family members locked up, with an ongoing online petition she's maintained for a while now.

A man claiming to have a gun is barricaded in a hotel room at Caesars Palace, holding a woman against her will, and chucking large items through a window ... and now, SWAT's on the scene.

Cops say this started Tuesday morning with a call for possible domestic violence at the famed casino resort. When officers arrived, they say the man bolted into a room as they were trying to make contact -- he told them he wasn't coming out. Not just that, but he said he was armed.

BTW, Metro PD says he's not in there by himself ... the guy yanked a woman into the room with him before things went south -- and now, he's shattered windows as he throws items out of his room ... which is on a high floor. One reported object that's come down is a chair.

The authorities are telling people to clear the area or to take cover ... and there are videos and photos circulating online showing guests and passersby doing just that, hiding in fear.

Considering the man might have a weapon on him, and could start firing out the windows ... the police have called in SWAT officers who are getting into position throughout the area. A crisis negotiating team is also on site.

Police say no shots have been fired yet.

Of course, what comes to mind here is the 2017 Las Vegas massacre ... where Stephen Paddock opened fire from a hotel room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel during a music festival, killing dozens of people and injuring hundreds of others.

Eerie police body cam footage has emerged from the response to the home of NASCAR superstar Jimmie Johnson's in-laws ... revealing his mother-in-law shot herself just as officers arrived.

In the video, obtained by TMZ, officers approach the home of Dr. Jack Janway and his wife, Terry Janway. Cops observe Jack through a window, deceased from a gunshot wound and covered with a blanket. They open the front door, announce their presence and another gunshot is heard from inside the home.

Cops say that shot was from Terry, who died by suicide. Her body was discovered on the couch. Terry also shot and killed their grandson, Dalton, whose body was found under a blanket in one of the home's bedrooms.

TMZ broke the story ... officers from the Muskogee Police Department in Oklahoma raced to the home June 26 after a female called to report someone with a gun.

Jimmie and his wife, Chandra, have yet to make a public statement about the tragic incident ... but Jimmie was scheduled to race in a NASCAR Cup event in Chicago just days later. He withdrew from the event.

Leslie Van Houten -- a former member of the Manson family -- has been released from prison after more than 4 decades behind bars.

The convicted murderer walked out of a California facility Tuesday after successfully receiving parole earlier in the month ... this after Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would not challenge her release, despite doing so 3 different times throughout his tenure as Governor.

Van Houten was convicted of 2 counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder way back in 1971 for her involvement in the grisly 1969 LaBianca murders here in Los Angeles ... when Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were stabbed to death at their home. Van Houten said she held Rosemary down while someone else stabbed her, and later admitted she stabbed her as well after Rosemary was dead.

In the years since her conviction ... Van Houten's attorneys have said she was young and brainwashed by her cult leader, Charles Manson, at the time -- arguing she had been rehabilitated.

More importantly, Van Houten's lawyers have said she does not pose a threat to society anymore ... and it seems a handful of parole boards agreed with that, signing off on recommendations that she oughta be released, in spite of her life sentence.

Like we said, Newsom has shot her down time and again ... with his argument being, the nature of her crime should prevent her from ever enjoying a free life. But, after his last rejection ... she appealed his decision in court, and they ended up siding with her.

The governor's office said trying to fight it was a losing effort, so they were going to drop it.

Now, at age 73 ... Van Houten's back on the outside, and it'll be interesting to see what she does going forward. At first, she'll be sent to a halfway house where she'll learn basic skills and get up to date on all the new technology that's come out since she was imprisoned.

Van Houten is said to have been a constructive prisoner over the years, having found faith and showing an eagerness to teach/learn. She's also expressed remorse about her role in the murders.

Gunna appears to be having the last laugh at critics who thought his plea deal in the YSL trial killed his career.

The newest Billboard Hot 100 update showed Gunna's latest album single "Fukumean" planted at #8 -- his first Top 10 as a solo artist!!!

Gunna's been mostly mum on social media, but he did plenty of celebrating while shooting the "Fukumean" music video.

The visual features him doing it big on a yacht with friends, girls, and plenty of party favors ... y'know, all the finer things freedom has to offer.

Folks like Boosie Badazz might hate to see it, as some artists have been vocal about feeling like Gunna sold out Young Thug to save his own skin in the YSL RICO case.

Lady Gaga just won a legal case over her huge dog reward offer that a woman was trying to claim -- 'cause a judge just told her ... ya can't have your stolen cake and eat it too.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a judge tossed Jennifer McBride's lawsuit against the singer ... in which she was attempting to get a court to force Gaga to fork over a $500k reward that she promised to anyone who helped recover her stolen pets in 2021.

The judge said one major problem with McBride's lawsuit -- she was actually convicted in connection to that crime ... namely, pleading no contest to knowingly receiving stolen property.

Hizzoner makes it clear in the ruling -- saying allowing McBride to pursue the claims "would allow her to benefit from her admitted wrongdoing."  Lady Gaga has called it ridiculous ... now, a court agrees. AKA, uh ... duh!  The judge did say McBride would have 20 days to try to amend the complaint, but it's not clear how she could find a way around the ruling.

You'll recall ... Gaga's 2 Frenchies were jacked in plain sight out in Hollywood -- being taken at gunpoint, no less, and with some injury sustained by LG's dog walker, Ryan Fischer. He was shot at the time and hospitalized, but eventually (and thankfully) made a full recovery.

G Herbo has a new heaping of legal trouble after Chicago cops arrested him Sunday evening in connection with a gun bust ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Herbo was busted around 5:45 PM near North Wabash Avenue and East Ontario Street, where cops say they found a gun. Herbo's Chi town fans will recognize those streets as he frequently mentions them in his songs.

According to cops, Herbo was arrested and booked for misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon in a public place.

We're told Herbo has since bonded out and will have to appear in court at a later date, which could cause another setback in his rap career.

Herbo's latest arrest could potentially impact him deeply ... the drill rapper is still dealing with fraud charges he caught following a December 2020 arrest.

Shocking new video shows a gunman sticking up an Arizona toy store while kids are frozen in fear with their hands up.

The surveillance footage, recently obtained by AZFamily news, captures the masked thief brandishing his pistol as he barges into Teddy Bears El Paraiso in Mesa, AZ, on April 16.

He first points the gun at two customers and orders them to stand against a wall along with three children -- one of whom was playing on the floor.

The intruder then goes to the counter and demands money from the register as the scared customers raise their arms above their heads.

A shop manager starts handing over bills to the robber, who suddenly gets impatient, reaching over the counter and grabbing the cash drawer.

Meanwhile, another shopper unwittingly walks into the store and he, too, ends up against the wall with his hands up.

Manson family killer Leslie Van Houten's recent whiff of freedom will not be snuffed out by California Gov. Gavin Newsom ... he says he won't appeal her upcoming parole.

Newsom's office announced the decision in a Friday afternoon news dump, saying the governor would not challenge an earlier appeals court decision clearing the way for Van Houten's release.

73-year-old Van Houten has been in prison for decades ... after being convicted for the August 1969 stabbing murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.

Newsom's office says he's reversed her parole grant three times since taking office and he's disappointed the appeals court ruled for her to be granted parole. The governor claims he would be unlikely to succeed in challenging her release this time.

Remember ... Van Houten claimed she was immature and brainwashed by Manson as a 19-year-old when she stabbed the LaBiancas to death in their Los Feliz home.

A shindig Mozzy attended this weekend nearly turned deadly after a shooting went down -- which the authorities seem to think one of his crew members had something to do with.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the West Coast rapper was stopped by police in Wichita, KS Saturday night after gunfire erupted at a venue called City Nightz -- which we're told Mozzy hit up for an after-party following a performance he did at a neighboring club.

TMZ has obtained footage of Mozzy being placed in handcuffs and led away -- stemming from a traffic stop police initiated in the immediate aftermath of the incident, as our sources tell us cops were trying to vet as many people as possible in the area. While it looks like he's being hauled off to jail, we've been assured Mozzy was only briefly detained here.

We're told Mozzy was cut loose and isn't facing any charges in relation to the shooting.

The same can't be said for a buddy of his, however, who was rolling in the same vehicle. It's unclear which crew member of Mozzy's ended up getting taken to jail -- but we're told one of them was, in fact, arrested in connection to the shooting. Unclear what charge he was booked on ... but our sources say Wichita PD has reason to believe he may be a suspect.

Worth noting ... the investigation is in the preliminary stages. Other members in Mozzy's entourage were also detained, but nobody else was arrested besides this one guy.

Now, footage is circulating online showing not only the moment Mozzy and co. were stopped and ordered out of the car -- which our sources tell us happened after bullets started flying -- but of the actual shooting itself ... and it's quite a chaotic scene.

You can see a few people involved in some kind of scuffle, which starts to spill out even further and rope in more folks. Eventually, all hell breaks loose and loud bangs sound off.

There's even more video we've gotten our hands on ... and it shows the extent of the bloodshed, literally. You can see blood spilled on the floor as people rush for the exits.

In terms of injuries ... our law enforcement sources say a handful of people were hurt. We're told seven were shot -- ranging in age from 22 to 34 -- and their conditions are varied ... from minor bullet grazes to full-on gunshot wounds, and some are in critical condition.

France was roiled by riots for a fourth night Friday after police killed a 17-year-old as the country's leader, Emmanuel Macron, blasted the protesters.

Mobs of people went on an evening rampage through the streets of a Paris suburb, where the teen, identified as Nahel M, was fatally shot by cops during a traffic stop Tuesday.

The crowds expressed their fury over Nahel's death by smashing windows and setting cars and buildings ablaze. They also violently clashed with cops in riot gear as more than 1,300 demonstrators were arrested and detained overnight all across France.

France's Interior Ministry said 2,560 fires were reported on public roads, 1,350 cars were burned, and there were 234 incidents involving damaged or charred buildings.

In addition, police were attacked 58 times by militants and 79 officers suffered injuries. A total of 45,000 cops were dispatched Friday to quell the chaos in the Paris suburb and other towns and cities like Marseille.

President Macron condemned the combatants, accusing them of justifying their anarchy by "unacceptable exploitation of the adolescent's death."

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.