Weapons & Guns

The Subway worker who got suspended for aggressively stopping an armed man from robbing the store and then posting the surveillance video says she's afraid to go home ... because the crook has her info.

Araceli Sotelo, the Subway worker who went viral for fending off her attacker, tells TMZ ... she's scared the robber could be waiting for her outside her house because he stole her purse and her ID, and the whole ordeal has taken a huge toll on her mental health.

Araceli says she feels like Subway doesn't have her back after she got indefinitely suspended from the store she works at in Rockford, IL ... and she's not sure when she'll be allowed back.

She tells us why she defended herself and the store instead of just letting the crook have his way. She's also considering legal action against Subway.

Jenn Harley won't be dragged into court over her domestic violence case from earlier this year -- because the charges have been dismissed.

According to the Clark County District Attorney's Office ... prosecutors are dropping the 2 criminal counts they'd filed against her this summer -- assault with a deadly weapon constituting domestic violence (a felony) and misdemeanor battery constituting domestic violence.

Unclear why they're letting it go -- we're trying to get clarity from the D.A. -- but in any case, Jenn is walking free from this one.

You'll recall, Harley -- who shares a daughter with "Jersey Shore" star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro -- was arrested and subsequently charged after her now ex-BF, Joseph Ambrosole, claimed she pointed a gun at him and threatened to pull the trigger during a nasty altercation while out on the town.

He also alleged she dropped the n-word repeatedly while doing so. This, of course, followed what we were told amounted to Jenn driving off with Joseph's car and leaving him behind following an argument they had at an establishment.

All the fighting was supposedly over Jenn's drinking -- something she'd addressed by checking into rehab. Her attorney, Michael Cristalli, had also told us the domestic violence charges against her wouldn't stick because they were "unsubstantiated."

A California man is in Capitol Police custody after cops found several weapons in his truck -- including a freakin' bayonet -- and Nazi swastikas all over on his ride ... as he camped out near the Democratic party's HQ.

44-year-old Donald Craighead was arrested early Monday morning in D.C. -- where cops say one of their officers noticed him lurking in his pickup outside the DNC headquarters. To the cop, he seemed suspicious ... having no visible license plate, and baring painted-on swastikas on the vehicle.

The cop approached to see what was up, and USCP says their guy saw a bayonet and a machete inside, plus a ton of other white supremacist symbols. Craighead -- who had come all the way from Oceanside, CA -- was booked for possession of prohibited weapons.

As for what the heck he was doing there in the first place, Capitol Police say Craighead told them he was on "patrol" ... and that he started spewing hate-filled rhetoric.

Cops posted pics of the weapons allegedly found during the bust, and it's a pretty eerie scene ... especially the swastikas.

A Subway worker bravely defended herself while getting robbed at gunpoint -- even successfully disarming the dude and getting him to leave ... and all she got was suspended.

The woman's name is Araceli Sotelo, and she was working at a Rockford, IL Subway location last weekend when a guy brazenly entered and flashed a gun at her, demanding she give him the money on hand in the store ... an encounter that was partially caught on video.

The surveillance cameras in the store were running, and somehow ... the footage got leaked to the local Rockford Scanner -- which watermarked the clips and threw them up on FB.

The footage is wild -- you see Sotelo yelling at the guy to leave and to stop, and then she starts to scuffle with him behind the counter ... and actually gets the upper hand during the confrontation. They spill out into the dining area, and Sotelo amazingly knocks the gun loose.

She rips the robber's sweater off too, and then gets a hold of the firearm ... knocking him upside his head! He flees with just her purse in hand. So, she fended for herself well.

Sotelo says that she was contacted by her manager after this entire ordeal, and was told she wouldn't be working or paid until this video was completely scrubbed from the internet ... something Sotelo says is virtually impossible now. She also denies sending it out in the first place -- although, she has since posted an unwatermarked portion of it on her own TikTok.

Still, the idea that she's being punished for protecting herself (and the store by extension) is being seen as BS by many. She's out of a phone (which got broken in the fight), and everything in her purse, including credit cards and her ID.

Police in our nation's capital are gearing for the upcoming rally at the Capitol ... with plans to send officers out in droves to protect DC and prevent anything like January 6 from happening again.

Sources within Capitol Police tell TMZ, there's an all-hands-on-deck policy, with all field officers expected to show up for the protest so they won't be outmanned and underprepared like they were back on that fateful day in January.

We're told officers will get an official briefing Friday on strategy for the September 18 rally ... and Capitol Police brass are expected to field questions from the rank and file.

As we've reported ... many CPD officers have been angry for a long time about leadership not having a set game plan for a potential repeat of January 6. We're told many of them see today's briefing as a good first step.

Our sources say officers will seek answers regarding use of lethal force, and whether to retreat or fight back if perimeter fences and barriers are breached?

D.C. Metro Police are also getting prepared for the Sept. 18 rally, activating the entire department of 3,300 officers ... something that did not happen on Jan. 6.

Jake Paul's time off after the Tyron Woodley fight started off with a bang -- literally -- 'cause the boxer/YouTuber says he's having some WILD fun ... from getting custom guns to private jet hookups with his girlfriend!!

The 4-0 fighter just posted an update on all the shenanigans he's been getting into after his split decision win over the ex-UFC champ ... and it sounds like nothing short of a movie.

"Finally back home after another major W in the books thinking about how this past week created enough memories and stories to last a lifetime."

Those memories include selling out Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with Dave Chappelle in the crowd, raging at his afterparty in Cleveland and at Miami clubs, getting an insane customized "PRBLM CHILD" AR-15 (which he says is worth $50k) and buying his GF Julia Rose "a Lamborghini's worth" of Cartier jewelry.

Oh yeah, and then he said he hooked up with her on the way home.

Yeah, serious baller moves.

While Jake is living it up, he's still getting called out by potential future opponents -- Tommy Fury told us he'd finish off the Paul Bro in 3 minutes!!

And then there's Woodley, who really wants a rematch ... but won't get his "I Love Jake Paul" tattoo until after the fight agreement is in writing.

Polo G is in trouble because of guns once again ... the rapper was arrested on another weapons charge.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the rapper was arrested on Monday afternoon in Downtown L.A. after cops say they found him carrying a concealed firearm, a felony.

We're told Polo G was a passenger in a car that was pulled over, though it's not clear exactly why. In any event ... cops say after searching the car they found the firearm. We're told a male juvenile was also arrested and booked on the same charge.

The arrest comes nearly 3 months after his album release party ... when he was arrested in Miami after allegedly attacking a cop. Cops there say they also found 2 handguns inside a bag after the Cadillac he had been riding in was pulled over for blackout-tinted windows.

Polo G was also a passenger during that stop. Cops said he became combative and they struggled to get handcuffs on him. The escalation left 1 cop injured.

Takeshi Kitano, the famed Japanese actor/director, was attacked with a pickaxe by a man who was angry Kitano wouldn't help him break into showbiz.

Kitano was leaving the TBS studio in Tokyo Saturday night when the attacker used the pickaxe to smash his car windows and demanded Kitano get out of the vehicle. Fortunately, the attacker was subdued and then arrested. Kitano was not injured.

Police say the suspect is in his 40s and was carrying a knife with a 4-inch blade.

As for why the man attacked ... he reportedly was angry the 74-year-old icon snubbed him back in June when he kneeled in front of Kitano's car ... begging to give him an entree into the entertainment industry.

Former wrestling star Daffney Unger died from an apparent gunshot wound to the chest ... according to a police report obtained by TMZ.

As we reported, Daffney was found dead Thursday after she appeared on her IG Live the night before in what appeared to be a suicidal state, stating ... "Do you guys not understand that I am all alone? Do you not understand that?" And then she said, "Remember, my brain goes to Boston"

Police went to Unger's home in Norcross, GA Thursday for a welfare check. According to the police report, they were met by Daffney's mom, Jean. They knocked at the door but there was no answer, so they left without trying to gain entry.

They came back a second time a few hours later, and this time they saw Daffney's car parked near the apartment. A maintenance man gave cops a key but it didn't unlock the deadbolt. So, the fire department was called and they broke open the door and found Daffney's body on her bed ... a gunshot wound to her chest and a gun within reach.

The medical examiner has yet to determine the official cause and manner of death.

Daffney was battling mental health issues for weeks before her death and had urged others who were in the same predicament to get help.

An hour before Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley took the ring Sunday night, a man contacted police and said he planted 17 bombs around the arena and was going to blow the place up, TMZ Sports has learned.

According to a police incident report, cops got a call from a person claiming to be from Afghanistan around 10:15 PM ... stating he placed pipe bombs underneath the stage, in the bathrooms and under seats at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, where the fight went down.

The man -- who said the bombs were going to go off in minutes -- told cops he was targeting non-believers, who he believed should be killed. He told police Paul was a non-believer.

The caller stated he planted the devices 1.5 hours before the event started.

At one point, the caller told authorities they should evacuate the arena ... as the bombs were about to detonate.

FYI, there were reportedly about 16,000 fans in the buiilding.

Police dispatched the bomb unit -- including a bomb sniffing K9 -- and swept the building.

Thankfully, it seems it was an empty threat or terrible prank ... 'cause no explosive devices were located.

A police spokesperson told us no arrests have been made ... and the investigation is ongoing.

The U.S. Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt during the January 6 riot has revealed himself publicly and strongly defends his actions ... saying it was a last resort, but necessary.

The 28-year veteran officer, Michael Byrd, told NBC News' Lester Holt ... his job that day was to protect scores of House members who were holed up in a room just yards away from the insurrectionists.

Byrd says he screamed a series of commands for the insurrectionists to retreat, but they kept pushing. He says had they got through the glass door ... "they’re into the House chamber and upon the members of Congress."

As you know, Babbitt climbed through a window that led into the Speaker's Lobby, and that's when Byrd opened fire ... striking her in the shoulder. He says squarely... she posed a threat to House members.

Byrd says, "I tried to wait as long as I could ... I hoped and prayed no one tried to enter through those doors. But, their failure to comply required me to take the appropriate action to save the lives of members of Congress and myself and my fellow officers."

The death of Babbitt, a QAnon supporter and Air Force veteran, has been used by right-wing groups to frame a false narrative about the incident, calling Byrd a murderer.

Tory Lanez has to fork over more bail money after prosecutors say he violated a court order to stay away from Megan Thee Stallion with his surprise appearance at Rolling Loud ... but at least he won't be behind bars.

Lanez was in an L.A. court Monday to learn his fate and he's gonna have to post a higher bail amount to stay out of jail while his criminal case is pending. The reason -- he violated a protective order requiring him to stay clear of Megan.

The judge also modified his bail conditions to specifically prohibit Tory from attending events where his alleged victim, Megan, will be present. The judge also said if this issue comes up again ... he will be remanded into custody. So, this was clearly his last warning.

Tory's bail was increased from $190k to $250k -- so he'll have to throw down a bit more dough to stay free.

TMZ broke the story ... prosecutors filed a motion earlier this month to hold TL in contempt for violating the restraining order. He made a guest appearance during DaBaby's Rolling Loud set, and he got within 100 yards of Megan, who also performed at the event

Jackboy has always insisted he's innocent in his gun possession case, and now prosecutors at least agree he shouldn't be charged ... because they don't have the goods to prove he's guilty.

Jonathan L. Adams, the Monroe County D.A., tells TMZ ... his office decided not to move forward with charges against the rapper "due to our concern regarding being able to prove [Jackboy] had actual knowledge of the location of the firearms."

Adams pointed to the same issue cops identified in their initial report ... that a passenger in the backseat claimed to be responsible for the 2 guns found in the glove box.

Jackboy's attorney, Drew Findling, says, "We told you early this year that Pierre Delince (Jackboy) was innocent of these charges." He added, "We are very much appreciative of them making that important decision."

TMZ broke the story ... Jackboy was busted in March after cops pulled over a vehicle in which he was a passenger, because the driver had trouble staying in his lane.

When cops searched the Lambo SUV they said they found 2 unregistered handguns in the glove box next to Jackboy's seat.

Cops say the rapper told cops he didn't know there were guns in the whip. He was ultimately arrested and booked for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. But, prosecutors now say they don't have evidence Jackboy knew the guns were there.

The Taliban is rubbing America's nose in the mess left behind in Afghanistan -- and they're doing so with a massive troll move ... recreating an iconic war photo, for their own purposes.

A Taliban military unit that calls themselves the Badri 313 Battalion put out a ton of propaganda footage this week -- showing a bunch of these guys rocking what appears to be American uniforms and gear left behind in the chaos from the past few weeks.

They're out there patrolling the streets in fatigues that are eerily similar to what U.S. soldiers have worn in the area ... only now, the Taliban seems to have gotten ahold of it. The B313B boys also have rifles in hand, and they're also using jeeps that seem to be American too.

That's not the worst of it though -- in what appears to be a total F-U to the USA, the battalion also posted a photo of them raising a Taliban flag ... in the same style as the shot of American troops raising the U.S. flag atop Mt. Suribachi in Iwo Jima during WWII.

There doesn't seem to be a caption attached, but the message couldn't be more clear ... they see this as them claiming victory in the region, which is exactly what this pic has gone on to represent in our history. It's a slap in the face, really ... an audacious one at that.

BTW, what you're seeing here as far as artillery and weaponry and whatnot being used by the Taliban is just a taste of what's said to be part of a total estimate of about $28 billion worth of gear we'd sent to Afghan army forces dating back to the early 2000s.

Jenn Harley's officially facing 2 charges following her June domestic violence arrest for allegedly threatening to pull the trigger on a gun she'd pointed at her boyfriend.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... the prosecutors in Nevada charged Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's ex with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon constituting domestic violence, and one misdemeanor count of battery constituting domestic violence.

As we told you ... Harley was arrested in Las Vegas on June 19 after a fight with her now ex-boyfriend, Joseph Ambrosole. He told cops she dropped the n-word while pointing a gun at him and threatening to kill him.

About a month after the incident, Jenn checked herself into a Las Vegas rehab facility to seek treatment for alcohol dependency.

Her rep told us she made the decision because she wants to be the best parent she can for Ariana, her 3-year-old daughter with Ronnie.

We're told Jenn recently completed her 28-day stint and is looking forward to a fresh start, but her legal issues aren't going away easily.

President Biden has no regrets over the U.S.'s chaotic exit from Afghanistan ... because he says they didn't make any mistakes.

The Prez told George Stephanopoulos he didn't think pulling out troops, U.S. citizens and allies from the war-torn country could have been handled any better.

When asked if any mistakes were made Biden said "no" before adding, "The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens."

Biden, who gained wide popularity because of his empathy, did not show it when asked how he felt when he saw video of more than 600 Afghans packed into a C-17 at the Kabul airport. He did not express sorrow for them ... and that's uncharacteristic.

George grilled Biden on whether U.S. troops might stay beyond the August 31 deadline. Biden hedged at first, saying it "depends on where we are," but Stephanopoulos wouldn't let it go, and Biden finally said he might keep troops past that deadline to get all Americans out. He did not, however, say he would keep our troops there to get the 10's of thousands of Afghan allies out who helped us in the war effort.