Weapons & Guns

Robert Nelson Jr. -- a former Arizona State Sun Devils football star who spent three seasons in the NFL -- was arrested in Los Angeles last month for allegedly illegally possessing a gun ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement tells us the arrest happened in Burbank back on Dec. 22.

We're told Burbank Police officers were patrolling a local mall parking lot at around 9 PM when they observed Nelson's vehicle in a handicap spot without a placard.

Cops say when officers looked into the car, they noticed a loaded handgun sitting in plain view on the floorboard. They later located Nelson and threw him behind bars.

Court records show Nelson was charged with one count of carrying a loaded firearm on/in person vehicle ... and was arraigned on Dec. 26. He's now due back in court in late February for another hearing on the matter.

Nelson Jr., a defensive back, played for ASU from 2011 to 2013 and became a star for the Sun Devils in his senior year, recording First-Team Pac-12 honors after logging six interceptions.

He went unpicked in the 2014 NFL Draft ... but still managed to latch on with several NFL teams -- earning playing time with the Browns, Texans and Jets from 2014 to 2017.

Oscar Pistorius just caught a break, getting paroled from a South African lockup after serving more than half of his 13-year sentence for murdering his girlfriend.

The former Olympian -- who competed with his lower legs amputated -- returned home Friday after being whisked out of Atteridgeville Prison in the South African capital of Pretoria, according to a statement by the country's Department of Correctional Services.

Following his 9 years of incarceration, Pistorius will now be on parole for 5 years, staying most likely at his uncle's mansion with armed security and guard dogs. The conditions of his parole were not disclosed, except he is not allowed to speak with the media.

As you may recall, Pistorius fatally shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in his Pretoria home on February 14, 2013, pumping four bullets into her through a locked bathroom door.

Pistorius claimed self-defense, believing she was a burglar who broke into his house.

Prosecutors didn't buy it, accusing Pistorius of killing Steenkamp in anger during a Valentine's Day fight and charging him with murder and a firearms offense.

At his 2014 trial, a judge convicted Pistorius of the lesser charge of manslaughter, sentencing him to 5 years in prison.

But, prosecutors won their appeal to a higher court, which tossed Pistorius' original conviction, upgrading the charge to murder with a six-year prison term.

Even that was not enough for prosecutors, who appealed again, arguing the sentence was too lenient. South Africa's Court of Appeal agreed, handing Pistorius a 13-year sentence.

In March 2023, Pistorius became eligible for parole under a South African law that affords prisoners the opportunity to serve half their sentences if they have shown good behavior and fulfilled other requirements behind bars.

Oscar Pistorius acaba de salir en libertad condicional de una cárcel en Sudáfrica después de cumplir más de la mitad de su condena de 13 años por el asesinato de su novia.

El ex atleta olímpico, que compitió con parte de sus piernas amputadas, regresó a casa el viernes después de ser liberado de la prisión de Atteridgeville en la capital sudafricana de Pretoria, según un comunicado del Departamento de Servicios Correccionales del país.

Tras 9 años de encarcelamiento, Pistorius estará en libertad condicional durante 5 años, probablemente en la lujosa mansión de su tío, con seguridad armada y perros guardianes. No se han revelado las condiciones de su libertad condicional, excepto que no se le permite hablar con los medios de comunicación.

Como recordarán, Pistorius le disparó cuatro balas a su novia, Reeva Steenkamp, en su casa en Pretoria el 14 de febrero de 2013, a través de la puerta cerrada del baño.

Pistorius alegó defensa propia, tras creer que era una ladrona que había entrado a su casa.

La fiscalía no se lo creyó, acusó a Pistorius de matar a Steenkamp por ira durante una pelea el día de San Valentín y lo acusó de asesinato y de un delito con arma de fuego.

En su juicio de 2014, un juez condenó a Pistorius por el cargo menor de homicidio involuntario, sentenciándolo a 5 años de prisión.

Sin embargo, los fiscales ganaron su apelación ante un tribunal superior, que anuló la condena original de Pistorius, elevando el cargo a asesinato con una pena de seis años.

Ni siquiera eso fue suficiente para los fiscales, que apelaron de nuevo, argumentando que la sentencia era demasiado indulgente. El Tribunal de Apelación de Sudáfrica les dio la razón y condenó a Pistorius a 13 años de prisión.

En marzo de 2023, Pistorius podrá optar a la libertad condicional en virtud de una ley del país que ofrece a los presos la oportunidad de cumplir la mitad de sus condenas si han mostrado buena conducta y cumplido otros requisitos entre rejas.

Polo G is feeling optimistic about 2024, especially if this leap year can boost the 2 things he cares about most -- making money and finally getting his delayed album off the ground!!!

We recently caught up with Polo in Bev Hills while he was doing some shopping with his sister Leia, and he made a vow to pad his discography by dropping more music.

Fans were eager for Polo G to drop last September, and he had told us he was just as excited, but legal issues put his "Hood Poet" album release on ice ... the kind that's slow to melt.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... Polo and his brother Trench Baby were arrested in August 2023 following a police raid where Polo was charged with gun possession, and his bro is being accused of a drive-by murder.

Polo tells us he's still sticking with the "Hood Poet" title -- the single "Barely Holdin' On" was used as a charitable vessel for the music video's actors.

Polo G se siente optimista con respecto a 2024... sobre todo si el año bisiesto actual puede impulsar todas las cosas que le importan: ¡el dinero y sacar adelante su retrasado álbum!

Nos encontramos con Polo en Bev. Hills, cuando estaba haciendo algunas compras con su hermana Leia, y nos dijo que próximamente va a haber más música.

Los fans estaban ansiosos el pasado mes de septiembre. El rapero dijo estar emocionado, pero que tuvo que detener el lanzamiento de "Hood Poet" por problemas legales.

TMZ Hip Hop publicó la historia, Polo y su hermano Trench Baby fueron detenidos en agosto de 2023 después de una redada policial donde Polo fue acusado de posesión de armas, y su hermano está siendo acusado de asesinato.

Polo nos dice que sigue manteniendo el título de "Hood Poet": el single "Barely Holdin' On" se utilizó como recipiente benéfico para los actores del video musical.

Hip hop radio legend Big Boy is revisiting a time being overweight came in real handy -- he says all that extra cushion helped him duck gun charges that might've ended his career before it got started!!!

BB made the eye-popping revelation on "All the Smoke" after Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson asked him about the urban legend that he hid a gun from the police in his body fat.

BB once weighed over 500 lbs -- back before Will Smith convinced him to get surgery -- and he confirmed the legend as fact, but explained there was a perfectly good reason for his actions.

Before earning his stripes on radio, BB bodyguarded for The Pharcyde. and recalled the day of June 17, 1994 -- the same day O.J. Simpson famously led LAPD on the low-speed chase.

The iconic moment caused BB to be separated from the group as they stayed in the Bay Area and he flew back to L.A. -- but left them his gun to drive back to the city.

After BB retrieved his gun the next day, he got pulled over while he also had another gun on him ... so, really bad timing.

Luckily, the officer failed to pat him down properly, and he was able to skate any charges. God knows a strip search at county jail would've gotten interesting!!!

As fate would have it, he got a call from Power 106 the very next day, starting his on-air gig ... and eventually got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame presented to him by Dr. Dre!!!

Former NFL star Muhammad Wilkerson was arrested again last week ... after cops say he drove drunk with a loaded gun tucked beneath his car seat.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, Wilkerson was initially pulled over by police in Morris County, New Jersey back on Dec. 22 at 6:41 AM.

During the stop, cops suspected he was under the influence ... saying a strong odor of alcohol was emanating from the former New York Jets pass rusher's ride.

In the docs, cops say at one point during questioning, Wilkerson told them he was coming from a New York City club ... and a short time later, they say he failed field sobriety tests.

Wilkerson was placed under arrest -- and afterward, cops said during a search of his vehicle they not only found an open bottle of Don Julio tequila ... but also an FN 509 Tactical Handgun with 11 hollow point bullets inside of it.

Police said Wilkerson told them the firearm was purchased in Florida -- but he did not provide them proper documentation.

Court records show Wilkerson has since been tagged with a bevy of charges in the case -- including operating a vehicle while under the influence and unlawful possession of a handgun.

He's due in court for hearings on the matter next month.

This, of course, is not the first time Wilkerson has been accused of drinking and driving ... he was arrested for DWI in 2020 and 2019 as well.

Big Hit is downplaying the notion he's actively gangbanging after his viral freestyle said quite the opposite ... but he still wants fans to tackle life with the same tough-nosed approach!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Hit-Boy's father outside L.A. Fitness in Hollywood on Wednesday where he elaborated on his recent bangfest on wax.

Remember ... BH recently went nutty over Mobb Deep's "Get Away" instrumental, rhyming "bang" with every other word -- and he tells us the term is simply a macho expression that no longer motivates beef between Crips or Bloods ... at least in his eyes.

Bang on your job, bang on the schoolbooks, bang bang like Pops from "Boomerang" ... whatever you choose, do it to standard is Big Hit's motto here.

BH wasted no time dropping his debut "The Truth Is In My Eyes" -- where he managed to snag a Snoop Dogg feature -- and some friendly advice on how to stay jail-free.

The OG was released from prison this summer after serving a 9-year bid for gun possession, but he's scoffing at the folks who are telling him he's too old for this behavior.

John Salley says the Ja Morant critics need to pipe down ... telling TMZ Sports he truly believes the NBA superstar didn't have bad intentions when he appeared to do a gun celebration on Tuesday night.

Salley told us the firearm-themed gestures -- which Morant seemed to hit following a thunderous alley-oop dunk in the Grizzlies' overtime win over the Pelicans -- were merely "a part of hip hop culture" ... and nothing more than that.

"He's not saying, 'Forget ya'll -- I got my gun!'" the four-time NBA champion said on Wednesday. "He probably didn't even realize it."

"It's nothing meaning anything," he added.

Of course, basketball fans all over social media have disagreed with that stance -- with many on X calling it a "tone-deaf" situation ... considering the 24-year-old had just served a 25-game suspension for a string of incidents involving gun-related social media videos.

Salley, however, was just sure there was no ill will involved in the post-dunk celly.

"I don't think he's trying to mock anybody," Salley said. "I don't think he's trying to be mean about it."

"Leave Ja Morant alone ... Leave him alone."

Salley also shared with us his opinion on his former Detroit Pistons squad -- which just lost its 27th game in a row on Tuesday night.

Kevin Connolly had a visitor on XMAS Eve, and it wasn't Santa ... the "Entourage" star’s L.A.-area home was burglarized just before midnight ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a burglar forced open a backdoor and entered Kevin's home. The actor was not there. The thief stole an antique gun and some other minor items before beating it.

Kevin was notified of the break-in and met the cops at his home, where they took a report.

Cops reviewed surveillance footage from the area and determined the suspect appeared to be a homeless man and not a member of the burglary rings that have been targeting high-dollar homes around L.A. in recent months.

TMZ broke the story ... thieves smashed a window at Keanu Reeves' home this month and stole his Glock.

Kanye West has been keeping his group of "Vultures" collaborators close, which especially includes Bump J ... because Ye is spearheading a big album release for him in 2024.

Sources close to Ye's camp tell TMZ Hip Hop ... he considers Bump J a fellow Chicagoan and hip hop legend and wants to help get his career back on track.

The bar is being set high ... we're told Swizz Beatz was the first producer to send Bump some beats, as did Metro Boomin, Wheezy and John "Juice" Harris ... all intending to help Bump create a second first impression in the industry.

Kanye produced Bump’s first single “Move Around” back in 2005, but an armed bank robbery charge forced him out of the picture while he served a 7-year prison sentence.

Bump and Kanye reconnected at the top of 2022 where he assisted Ye in co-writing on his unfinished "Donda 2" album, and later for The Game and Hit-Boy's "Drillmatic."

We're told the lead single, "Vultures" originally belonged to Bump as a solo record, and once Ye heard it, he immediately summoned Bump to join him and the rest of the gang in Tokyo to help finish his joint album with Ty Dolla $ign.

Unfortunately for Bump, Japan denied him access to the country -- due to his record -- so he returned home and later joined Ye in Italy, where they completed the project.

Bump was also part of the "Vultures" live premieres in Dubai and Miami where he rubbed shoulders with Lil Durk, Freddie Gibbs, Offset and others.

Una escena increíble ocurrió en Praga cuando un grupo de estudiantes encontró refugio en la cornisa de un edificio, luego de que un hombre armado abriera fuego dentro de un edificio de la universidad dejando a varias personas muertas según los informes.

El aterrador momento se desarrolló el jueves en la Universidad Charles, en la Plaza Jan Palach, la universidad más antigua y más grande de la República Checa. Por el momento no está claro cómo empezaron las cosas, pero las imágenes de la escena muestran a un grupo de estudiantes colgando del edificio para tratar de salir del rango de visión del tirador.

Parece que por un momento el pistolero se acercó a los estudiantes, porque fue visto en el techo con su rifle apuntando hacia abajo.

La policía checa dice que 10 personas han muerto y hay docenas de heridos, los policías también dicen que el tirador ha sido "eliminado" y todavía no ha sido identificado.

12:08 PM PT -- The killer has reportedly been revealed as 24-year-old David Kozak. Kozak allegedly killed his father in the day before making his way to the city and shooting people from a balcony at Charles University Arts facility.

9:17 AM PT -- Reports now state the gunman has left at least 15 dead ... including his father, who was found dead earlier in the day.

An unbelievable scene in Prague, as students find safety on the ledge of a building, after a gunman opened fire inside a university building ... with multiple people reportedly dead.

The terrifying moment unfolded Thursday at Charles University in Jan Palach Square, the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. It's currently unclear how things started, but images from the scene show a group of students hanging off the building, trying to get out of the shooter's line of sight.

It appears at one point the gunman did get close to the students, because he was spotted on the roof, too ... with his rifle pointing down at the ground below.

Czech police say 10 people are dead, with dozens of others injured -- cops also say the shooter has been "eliminated." He has yet to be identified.

In the midst of the attack, the school's philosophy department was evacuated ... with several people spotted fleeing the scene. An email sent to staff told faculty, "Don’t go anywhere, if you’re in the offices, lock them and place furniture in front of the door, turn off the lights."

After 235 days away from the NBA hardwood, Ja Morant apparently still knows his way around the hoop -- scoring the winning shot in his first game back!!

The Grizzlies superstar had been barred from the court to start this season while serving a 25-game suspension for a string of incidents involving gun-related social media videos ... but in his return against the Pelicans on Tuesday night, his presence was felt right away.

He logged 34 points and 8 assists on the road game in New Orleans -- but, most importantly, he nailed a floater in the lane with no time left in regulation to win the game for Memphis, 115-113.

And, afterward, he had a big-time message for his haters ... saying simply as he ran into the locker room, "I kept receipts!"

Morant, of course, had developed a bevy of critics after he was seen on social media waving around a gun not once, but twice. He had also been accused last year of attacking a teenager during a pickup game at his home. It all eventually led to NBA commish Adam Silver sidelining him.

But, Morant took all the steps the NBA and the Grizzlies required for him to rejoin the team ... and after his big night against the Pels, he said there were certainly some low points while he was away from his teammates.

"I haven't played a game in eight months," he said. "I had a lot of time to learn myself, a lot of hard days where I went through it. But, you know, basketball is my life, what I love. It’s therapeutic for me and I'm just excited to be back."

An Israel Defense Forces soldier nearly took a tank shell to the face ... and now the super close call is under investigation.

New footage out of the Middle East shows an IDF member standing just a few feet away from a tank right as it opens fire.

The force of the blast knocks the soldier back several feet and the missile appears to whizz right over her head. It appears the soldier notices the tank opening fire at the last second ... and she starts to react as the missile fires.

The video is making the rounds on social media and now the IDF says an "in-depth investigation" into the incident is underway and "penalties will be imposed."

In a statement, Israel's army says the incident is "serious and completely deviates from the IDF's safety instructions."

Una soldado de las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel casi recibió un proyectil de tanque en la cara y el hecho está bajo investigación.

Nuevas imágenes de Oriente Medio muestran a una miembro de las FDI de pie a pocos metros de un tanque justo cuando abre fuego.

La fuerza de la explosión hace retroceder a la soldado varios metros y el misil parece pasar muy cerca de su cabeza. Parece que la soldado se da cuenta de que el tanque abre fuego en el último segundo y reacciona mientras el misil se dispara.

El video está rondando en redes sociales y ahora las FDI dicen que una "investigación en profundidad" sobre el incidente está en marcha y "se impondrán sanciones".

En un comunicado, el ejército de Israel dice que el incidente es "grave y se desvía completamente de las instrucciones de seguridad de las FDI".