Wild West Shoot-Out Dallas Resident Exchanges Gunfire With Intruders ... Caught On Video

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BURGLARY FOILED

Two suspected burglars tried to break into a Texas apartment ... but the gun-wielding resident got all trigger-happy, spraying bullets through the front door and causing them to flee for their lives.

Saturday's Wild West-style shoot-out was captured by a doorbell camera recording the hallway outside a Dallas apartment. Fox News obtained the video showing all the madness.

In the clip, one of the suspects, Aaron Contreras, knocks on the door, posing as a maintenance worker and asking if he could come in to check an air-conditioner filter.

The resident, Ethan Rodriguez, was in his bathroom and used his phone connected to his home security camera to respond, rejecting Contreras, who walks away.

The video then jumps to Contreras -- now gripping a pistol -- and his masked cohort trying to kick in the door to Rodriguez's home.

Suddenly, Rodriguez -- armed with his own gun -- starts shooting from inside the apartment as bullets crash through the door, piercing the walls in the hallway. Contreras returns fire before bolting down a flight of stairs with his accomplice. Both, miraculously, escape without a scratch ... Rodriguez was also uninjured.

Dallas police officers soon arrive, assessing the damage outside Rodriguez's apartment and conducting a search inside. Rodriguez was not arrested because he was protecting his home.

Contreras, on the other hand, was eventually apprehended and booked into the county jail for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of habitation and deadly conduct discharge of a firearm. He's being held on $150,000 bond.

The other suspect is still at large.

Dallas Cowboys' Sam Williams Arrested For Possession Of Drugs, Weapon

Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Sam Williams has found himself in trouble with the law yet again ... the 24-year-old was arrested in Texas over the weekend -- the second time cops have accused him of wrongdoing in the last year.

According to a Frisco Police Dept. spokesperson, Williams was taken into custody on Sunday  ... and booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Further details surrounding the arrest were not made immediately available.

The 24-year-old had just played in the Cowboys' preseason game on Saturday night against the Seahawks in Seattle ... and he shined, recording a sack and two tackles. He was also seen participating in Dallas' training camp practice on Tuesday -- a day after their off-day Monday.

The Cowboys, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, were aware of the arrest.

Williams has been previously accused of wrongdoing in December 2022, when authorities alleged he drove recklessly before crashing his Corvette in Plano.

Williams -- Dallas' second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft -- has been expected to have a big role for the Cowboys this season.

Gunplay Arrested For Battery, Child Abuse ... Wife Divorcing Him!!!

MMG rapper Gunplay landed in jail after his wife told cops he pressed a rifle against her chest and threatened her.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, cops in Miami arrested the longtime Rick Ross associate on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and child abuse. His wife, Vonshae Taylor-Morales, claims he pointed an AK-47 at her while she was carrying their 6-month-old daughter.

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Vonshae told officers she and Gunplay went out to dinner and when they came home, he was "highly intoxicated and playing a game on his Xbox" extremely loudly.

She told officers when she asked him to keep the noise down, Gunplay became violent and began throwing glass liquor bottles and cups in her direction ... forcing her to cover the baby with a blanket to prevent glass from injuring her.

Afterward, she claims Gunplay then picked up an AK-47 rifle and pressed it against her chest while she held the baby, allegedly threatening ... "I will blow your shit back." Vonshae says she tried to escape, but Gunplay blocked her exit and attempted to grab the baby by her head and neck.

Vonshae stated she began screaming for help, which she says prompted Gunplay to exit the apartment and also yell for help. She says she picked up the rifle, and stashed it in her luggage for everyone's safety and then fled.

She call out Gunplay Sunday on IG, and announced she was filing for divorce after one year of marriage.

When officers arrived on the scene, they say Gunplay denied all the allegations, but was still arrested and booked on the charges.

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TOTAL MELTDOWN

The Florida rapper recently celebrated his 44th birthday last month ... where he displayed extreme fits of rage after the club DJ spun a couple of 50 Cent songs, causing him to flip out and throw trash cans.

Gunplay has since deleted all his social media handles.

CA Shop Owner Killed Pride Flag Ripped Off Storefront ... Before Fatal Shooting

More details surrounding the senseless killing of a shop owner and mother of 9 ... as her close friend says a man ripped down the shop's pride flag before shooting and killing the woman.

Director Paul Feig, known for projects like "Bridesmaids," "The Office," and 2016's "Ghostbusters," expressed his pain online for the loss of his pal, Lauri Carleton -- owner of Lake Arrowhead's Mag,Pi, where she was killed Friday night.

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Paul writes about the man who cops say shot her over the flag she had hanging outside her store ... adding, "He ripped it down and when she confronted him about it he shot and killed her."

He goes on to sing her praises as a fashion designer and a friend, saying she was a true ally of the LGBTQ+ community and asking folks to "keep moving forward with tolerance and love."

As we reported, The San Bernardino County Sheriff said cops arrived at her shop to find her suffering from a gunshot wound, with paramedics later pronouncing her dead at the scene. The flag is visibly hanging off the pole after Friday's shooting.

The man who allegedly killed Carleton was shot dead by police after the fateful incident, and it's unclear if it'll be investigated as a hate crime, but San Bernardino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe called what went down a "senseless act of hate and violence."

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

Gilgo Beach Serial Murders Killer Likely Murdered Many Others

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PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR
TMZ.com

The person who buried the bodies of sex workers on Gilgo Beach in Long Island did not stop killing during the 12 years the case was mishandled ... this according to numerous experts.

TMZ's latest documentary --- "TMZ Investigates: Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Missed Warning Signs" -- puts the spotlight on a former police chief who went to great lengths to derail the investigation, in no small part because he himself was hiring prostitutes and didn't want a spotlight put on him.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

Numerous law enforcement people, criminologists, and psychologists appear in the doc, and they say during the 12 years the case lay dormant, despite clues that would have led them to Rex Heuermann's doorstep, more women were probably murdered.

These people say serial killers don't stop killing ... maybe some do for a while, but they ultimately give in to their impulses.

Authorities are now looking at Las Vegas and South Carolina, where Heuermann owned properties, to determine if there are other victims. Some authorities believe there are other burial grounds out there.

In fact, cops arrested Heuermann earlier than they planned because he was allegedly getting close with another sex worker.

He's currently charged with murdering 3 women whose bodies were found on Gilgo Beach, and he's the prime suspect in a 4th. Police found 11 bodies on Gilgo Beach, at least 8 of which were sex workers.

"TMZ Investigates: Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Missed Warning Signs" airs Sunday on FOX at 9 PM ET, 8 Central.

Pride CA Shop Owner Shot Over Rainbow Flag Hanging Outside Store

A woman who owns two clothing stores in California was shot and killed by a man who made derogatory comments about the pride flag hanging outside her business.

The fatal shooting happened Friday night in Lake Arrowhead, CA ... with law enforcement saying the suspect shot the shop owner, Lauri Carleton, because he didn't like the rainbow flag outside her clothing store.

Lauri owns the Mag.Pi store in Lake Arrowhead and another in Studio City ... and she's been a top fashion designer in Los Angeles for decades.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff says deputies arrived at the scene of Friday's shooting to find Lauri suffering from a gunshot wound ... and paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

The sheriff says the killer, armed with a handgun, fled on foot and he was tracked down about a mile away from the store ... with deputies shooting and killing him.

It's unclear if the fatal shooting will be investigated as a possible hate crime, though San Bernardino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe called the incident a "senseless act of hate and violence."

Rowe said in a statement ... "Everyone deserves to live free of hate and discrimination and practice their constitutional right of freedom of speech. Lauri was a remarkable member of the community and I send my deepest condolences to her family in this time of grief."

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

Lauri is survived by her husband of 28 years and their 9 children.

She was 66.

RIP

Cash Wheeler AEW Star Arrested ... Allegedly Pointed Gun At Man In Road Rage Incident

UPDATE

1:05 PM PT -- According to police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, Cash Wheeler's arrest Friday stemmed from an alleged road rage incident that took place on July 27 on Interstate 4 in Orange County, Fla.

UPDATE

Cops say a man told them he had been driving ... when he noticed a Jeep Gladiator "weaving in and out of traffic" while "honking its horn" behind him. They say the man told them he moved into the far right lane to avoid the car -- but the driver of the Jeep then pulled to the shoulder beside him, whipped out a black semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at him with "a strong stare."

UPDATE

In the docs, police say the man slowed down to get out of the way of the gun ... before they both hit an exit ramp together. While there, cops say the man told them he photographed the Jeep as well as its license plate number. They say he later ID'ed Wheeler as the driver by picking him out of a photo line-up.

UPDATE

9:56 AM PT -- Cash Wheeler just appeared in court ... where his attorney explained to the judge that the wrestler turned himself in late Thursday night on a warrant by the Orlando Police Dept.

UPDATE
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TURNED IN
UPDATE

Prosecutors at the proceedings told the courtroom the arrest appeared to be related to "a road rage-type incident."

UPDATE

"He allegedly flashed a handgun at the alleged victim," prosecutors said.

Wrestling star Cash Wheeler -- one-half of the AEW World Tag Team Champions -- was arrested on Friday and charged with a felony, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to online records, the 36-year-old was booked into an Orange County, Fla. jail at around midnight ... on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm.

Further details of the allegations against Wheeler were not made immediately available ... though court records indicate the arrest stemmed from a July incident.

Wheeler joined the AEW in 2020 after a notable WWE career ... and has since become a fan favorite in the org. -- wrestling alongside his tag team partner, Dax Harwood.

The two won the tag team title together in April ... and had been slated to co-main event at AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium in two weeks.

It's unclear if Friday's arrest will alter those plans ... the AEW said in a statement that it "has been made aware of the charge, and we are closely monitoring the situation."

The org. added Wheeler "is fully cooperating with local authorities."

Originally Published -- 8:29 AM PT

United Airlines Pilot Major Turbulence In Parking Lot ... Chops Parking Gate With Ax!

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HERE'S JOHNNY!
CBS

A United Airlines pilot must've been feeling a whole lotta cabin pressure ... because he was caught on camera chopping down a parking gate with a freaking ax.

63-year-old Kenneth Jones went full-on lumberjack earlier this month at the exit of an employee parking lot at Denver International Airport, according to CBS News Colorado -- whacking the thing nearly 2 dozen times before it finally falls off.

Not long after, Jones was confronted by other airport employees, and he put up a bit of a struggle over the ax before eventually giving up.

The pilot's reportedly been charged with a misdemeanor for his parking lot remodel, which allegedly caused $700 in damages, and he's been removed from United's work schedule as the company continues an internal investigation.

As far as a reason for the ax outburst, Jones reportedly told cops he just hit his breaking point -- the outlet says he's due to appear in court at the end of September.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

It's unclear where the ax came from, and there's no word on why the parking gate was the victim here ... but it's possible he might've been stuck in a long line to get out of that lot -- gotta say, we've been there.

Gilgo Beach Serial Murders Alleged Killer ID'd by Witness in 2010 ... Cops Ignored Critical Information

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MISSED WARNING SIGN
TMZ.com

The alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, Rex Heuermann, could have been nabbed in 2010 -- 13 years before his arrest -- if only cops had taken a guy named Dave Schaller seriously.

Schaller, who appears in our latest documentary -- "TMZ Investigates: Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Missed Warning Signs" -- was roommates with Amber Costello, one of the "Gilgo 4."

In 2010, Amber, a sex worker, had an encounter with a man at her home ... he was paying for a lap dance. Shortly after he arrived, Amber called Dave, telling him the man was trying to rape her.

Dave quickly returned home, walked in the door, and says he saw a giant of a man -- around 6'5" -- standing ominously in the living room. Dave told him to leave, and the guy refused. Dave ended up grabbing the guy, trying to get him out, and a fight ensued.

Eventually, the guy left in what Dave says was either a green or black Chevy Avalanche.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

A month later, Amber had an appointment with a man and never returned home. The second she went missing, Dave knew it was the same man who was there a month earlier. Dave says Amber needed the money so she took a fatal chance.

After Amber's body was found, Dave was interviewed by police and told them the story, describing the man in great detail, "right down to his beady-ass eyes." He followed up 2 more times with cops, but they never chased down the lead.

Had cops run registrations for anyone in Long Island who had a green or black Avalanche, they could have then looked at the driver's licenses of the registered owners and they would have found a 6'5" man who fit Dave's description to a tee. That man was Rex Heuermann, and the Avalance was routinely parked in his driveway.

Authorities and others we spoke with say ... it's likely the serial killer killed other women after his encounter with Amber Costello.

"TMZ Investigates: Gilgo Beach Murders: Missed Warning Signs," airs Sunday on Fox at 9 PM ET, 8 Central.

Willie McGinest Pleads Not Guilty To Felony Charges ... In Restaurant Attack Case

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WILD WILLIE
TMZSports.com

Willie McGinest is fighting back in his restaurant attack case ... pleading not guilty to all charges, TMZ Sports has learned.

According to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office ... the New England Patriots legend entered the pleas at a hearing on Tuesday.

McGinest had been first hit with the charges -- one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, and one felony count of assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury -- in March ... after he had been accused of beating the hell out of a man during a December 2022 attack at Delilah in West Hollywood.

A lawsuit filed by the alleged victim in the case claimed McGinest snapped on him after he had made a comment about USC -- Willie's alma mater -- and its Pac-12 title game loss to Utah.

Video of the alleged incident we obtained shows McGinest and several others punching the man repeatedly ... before the ex-NFL star grabs a nearby bottle and hits man in the head with it.

McGinest did publicly apologize over it all days after the allegations surfaced ... saying in a statement, "To my family, community, friends, and youth I mentor, please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility."

He's due back in court for another hearing on the matter in October.

WWE Legend Tammy Sytch Facing Up To 25 Years In Prison ... After Pleading No Contest To DUI Causing Death

WWE legend Tammy Sytch just pleaded no contest to a felony charge of DUI causing death ... and she's now facing a prison sentence of up to a quarter of a century, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 50-year-old wrestling Hall of Famer was first hit with the count -- and seven others -- back in May 2022 ... after officials alleged she killed a 75-year-old man during a drunken car crash just two months prior.

Sytch had initially pleaded not guilty to all of the charges ... but changed her pleas in a Volusia County courtroom on Wednesday afternoon -- days before the case was slated to go to trial.

According to court documents, in addition to the plea to felony DUI causing death, she also pleaded no contest to one felony charge of driving with license suspended causing death, four misdemeanor counts of DUI with damage to a person, and two misdemeanor charges of DUI with damage to property.

A sentencing hearing for Sytch has not yet been put on the docket ... though, according to court docs, she's facing a maximum sentence of 25 years behind bars whenever it comes up.

Sytch has been in jail since May 2022 in the case ... after prosecutors claimed she crashed her car into the back of another vehicle on a Florida road in March 2022 while it was stopped at a traffic light. The officials alleged at the time of the accident she had a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.

Sytch had at first received bond in the case, but days later, she was thrown back in jail after prosecutors called her a danger to the community.

The case was not the first time Sytch had been accused of drinking and driving -- she had also been arrested at least six times for impaired driving before, including back in 2019 in New Jersey.

The former wrestling personality was also jailed last year for allegedly threatening to kill a man with scissors.

Tory Lanez Inside His Life In L.A. County Jail

Here's what life is like right now for Tory Lanez inside Los Angeles County Jail ... he's being held away from general population and only gets a few hours a day outside his cell.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... Tory is being held in what's called the administrative segregation unit, which is for inmates who cannot be safely housed with the rest of the folks behind bars.

With that, Tory is only allowed out of his cell for 2 hours a day ... and for those 120 minutes, he's by himself.

We're told he is allowed to get some fresh air during recreation time, but that's only for 3 hours each week.

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EXITING THE VEHICLE
TMZ.com

This is the status quo for Tory as he waits to get shipped out of county jail for prison ... remember, the judge just sentenced him to a decade behind bars after being found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

We're told Tory will be on the move within the next month, when he will be transferred to an intake center ... and that's when California will reveal which prison he'll be calling home for the duration of his sentence.

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EXTREME EXAMPLE
TMZ.com

In the meantime, we're told jail staff is checking on Tory every 30 minutes ... as they do with all the inmates in administrative segregation, and he's able to load up on goodies at the commissary.

We're told whatever Tory buys from the commissary -- snacks, soap, etc. -- goes with him to the big house, as well as any money he has on the books.

Tory's vowed to appeal, and said he won't apologize to Meg ... but this is his life for the time being.

Lil Durk False Report of Active Shooter Creates Chaos

UPDATE

11:48 AM PT -- The United Center tells TMZ ... "We are working closely with authorities to investigate all incidents from last evening at the WGCI Summer Jam show. It became apparent for all involved that ending the show early was in everyone's best interest as the safety of our guests and employees is a priority.

UPDATE

"We are thankful that initial incident reports were false and that guests exited the facility safely."

Lil Durk did not finish his show Saturday night, because cops descended on the venue after receiving reports of an active shooter.

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RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES

Durk was nearing the end of the concert at the United Center in Chicago Saturday night, when pandemonium erupted as the crowd ran for the exits.

Cops showed up with rifles, on the hunt for a shooter, but Chicago PD said it turned out to be a false alarm. Chicago is on high alert these days, where shootings have become tragically commonplace.

As the some of the concertgoers left the arena, they helped themselves to some merch ... whoever was working the merch stand apparently ran with the rest of the crowd.

Lil Durk posted about the show after and shouted out the fans who stole the merch.

There were no injuries reported and no arrests were made. We reached out to the United Center ... so far no word back.

Originally Published -- 6:21 AM PT

Bosnian Bodybuilder Rampage Kills 3 People, Injures 3 Others ... Live Streams Violent Rampage

A bodybuilder went on a killing rampage in Bosnia, fatally shooting 3 people, including his ex-wife ... even worse, he live streamed the entire violent escapade.

Nermin Sulejmanovic had his phone camera turned on as he streamed 3 separate videos to Instagram, capturing his demented murder spree Friday in the northeastern Bosnian city of Gradacac.

In his first video, Sulejmanovic boasted he was about to carry out a live execution before showing his badly beaten former wife on a porch.

He said, “Look, when you’re dealing with a whore who reports you to the police,” trailing off before using a gun to shoot her in the head.

He then told his IG followers he was the dad of the woman's kid, who was crying in the background, and she was preventing him from seeing the child for close to a week.

Sulejmanovic filmed two additional live feeds while he was being chased by the police and bragged that he killed two other people off camera. Prosecutors later confirmed Sulejmanovic shot a man and his son to death on the street.

In the end, Sulejmanovic also shot and wounded a police officer, another man and a woman before taking his own life.

Police said at least 12,000 people watched Sulejmanovic's terrifying live streams. Investigators have not established a clear motive for the violence.

Trinidad James to Tory Lanez Shoot Someone, You Go to Jail ... But Iggy Should Be Quiet!!!

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COMPLICATED ISSUE
TMZ.com

Tory Lanez still insists the system screwed him with a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion -- but, that's just the consequence of the crime if you ask Trinidad James.

We caught up with Trinidad at LAX and his stance is clear: jail time should always follow the act of shooting someone in a criminal fashion, and since Tory was convicted ... Trinidad has no issue with the sentence.

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D.A.'S REMARKS

The "All Gold Everything" rapper used Kendrick Lamar's "Money Trees" lyrics ... "Everybody gon' respect the shooter/But the one in front of the gun lives forever" ... to summarize his POV.

Trinidad also tells us Iggy Azalea should've kept quiet, after her public support for Tory became a hot-button issue following the sentencing.

Iggy grew close to Tory while they worked on music prior to his trial, and wrote a letter to the judge asking for leniency -- a bad move according to Trinidad, but he still respects her right to have an opinion.

Jose Baez, Tory's lawyer, told us Tory's in the dumps after getting sentenced, and Tory himself remains defiant -- insisting he didn't shoot Meg.

Trinidad feels there's a silver lining for Tory ... more time to work on new music!!!

Alabama Riverboat Brawl Chair Wielding Guy Arrested, Charged

The guy caught on video smashing people over the head with a folding chair in that riverfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama has just been arrested.

The Montgomery Police Department announced Friday that Reggie Ray turned himself in ... and he's been charged with disorderly conduct and is being held in the Municipal Jail.

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MONTGOMERY MADNESS

TMZ obtained the 42-year-old's mug shot ... and he doesn't look happy about the consequences of his actions in the epic melee.

Ray is the fifth person arrested for the brawl ... remember, Chief of Police Darryl Albert previously identified Reggie as the Black man who infamously wielded the chair on the dock, bonking several people on the head.

Ray got in on the action late, after men from a pontoon boat that was blocking a passenger ferry from docking ganged up on the ferry's co-captain ... sparking a huge brawl along racial lines.

The other 4 arrested include Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, who turned themselves in Wednesday and are each charged with one count of 3rd degree assault.

Richard Roberts, 48, was the first arrested ... he's accused of punching a 16-year-old dockhand.

Then there's Mary Todd, 21, who turned herself in Thursday ... she's charged with assault 3rd degree, which we're told stems from attacking the ferry co-captain.