Shad Gaspard Wrestling, UFC Stars Hold Tribute

Kofi Kingston, Chavo Guerrero, Chuck Liddell -- just some of the stars who gathered in Venice, CA on Thursday to remember their friend, Shad Gaspard.

Pro wrestlers like Shelton Benjamin, Lilian Garcia, Chris Masters, Mickie James, John Morrison and Montel Vontavious Porter (aka MVP) stood side by side with MMA stars like Chuck and Josh Barnett.

The event appeared to be a celebration of Shad's life -- the attendees were smiling and flexing afterward.

Of course, Shad passed away on March 17 when he was caught in a riptide while swimming with his 10-year-old son.

Lifeguards rushed out to help them -- but Shad directed them to rescue his son first. Moments later, a giant wave crashed on Gaspard, pulling him under.

Shad has been praised as a hero by superstars like The Rock and Arnold Schwarzenegger ... and a makeshift memorial was erected at the Gold's Gym in Venice where Shad often worked out.

RIP.

George Floyd Killing Rioters Set Police Station on Fire

5/28/20
SET ABLAZE
CNN

The George Floyd demonstrations are at a flashpoint -- some of the people protesting his death, at the hands of a police officer, have set fire to a Minneapolis police station

A massive fire broke out Thursday night at Minneapolis PD's 3rd Precinct ... about 3 miles away from where Floyd was killed. Rioters were seen cheering and setting off fireworks as the building was engulfed in flames.

The police station fire is just one of many that have broken out across the city during the third straight night of protests, looting and riots.

Reports say protestors forcibly entered the building and lit several fires inside. The Minnesota National Guard has been activated and 500 soldiers are on their way to the city. The police department appears to have evacuated the building, and the fire department has not responded.

Again, there are hundreds -- if not thousands -- of people clogging the surrounding streets.

Many people across the city expressed their anger after a news conference held by federal and Hennepin County prosecutors, where they did not announce any charges against the police officers involved in Floyd's death.

On Wednesday, several stores, including a Target and grocery story were hit by rioters and looters.

Story developing ...

'Guardian' Dog Finds Forever Home!!!

UPDATE

8:14 AM PT -- Here's some good news we can all use right about now ... the pup's been adopted!!! We're told Guardian was adopted by the third person in line at the shelter, and is going to a loving family. Awesome!

UPDATE

The adorable, loyal dog that was found standing guard by his dead sister is heading for a much happier ending, hopefully ... a family's coming to adopt him.

As we reported ... the Catahoula mix was found in Texas last week by Kingsville-Kleberg Health Department Animal Control & Care Center officials when they responded to a call of a dog carcass along a stretch of highway.

The little guy refused to leave the side of the deceased pup, believed to be his sister, seemingly to protect her, before being rescued himself. He was appropriately named Guardian.

Since then, Guardian -- who's just 6-12 months old -- has been in the care of the Kingsville-Kleberg animal control workers, who tell TMZ they've received more than 100 inquiries from people and rescue groups about wanting to adopt the viral pooch.

We're told the first person who called expressing interest in giving Guardian a loving home was a woman who said she's had dogs her whole life and can provide him all he needs ... including other pet dogs so Guardian can have some lifelong pals.

The animal control staff says the woman has an appointment to come meet Guardian Friday at 8 AM, and fully intends to pay for his shots and the adoption fee ... and take him home with her.

If it doesn't work out for some reason, we're told there's another potential adopter who can also meet him Friday morning, and clearly ... a lot more dog lovers who'd love to have him in their home, as well.

Here's wishing Guardian -- and his new family -- the very best.

Originally Published -- 12:40 AM PT

Kylie Jenner Old Starter Crib's for Sale at $3.6M!!!

It seems like a long time ago when Kylie Jenner bought and sold her starter home ... but my how time flies cause her old crib's back on the market.

The home that once belonged to the soon-to-be youngest self-made billionaire is on the market again for a cool $3,599,000. Kylie bought the Tuscan villa back in 2015 when she was just 17 years old. The house got a complete makeover and it's a beaut.

The 5-bedroom, 6.5-bathroom house is inside the exclusive gated community of The Oaks in Calabasas. You may recall ... Kylie paid $2.7M in 2015 and sold it 2 years later for $3.15M. It's got all the bells and whistles a future billionaire would want and need.

It's got a media room and detached casita ... plus a white stone fireplace and French doors that open up to the sprawling pool grounds. There's also a gourmet chef's kitchen with Viking appliances that would make any celeb chef go wild. And, if you're into Kylie Cosmetics ... enjoy the optional ensuite bedroom, which was transformed into an ultra-luxe glam room with lighted vanity, mirrored walls and custom drawers.

April Lopez and Jay Ravnikar of The Agency rep the seller.

For Kylie ... buying cribs in the single-digit millions is kind of in her past. As we've reported ... her latest acquisition is a huge lot for a record $15 million in Hidden Hills. There's also the whopping $36.5 million Holmby Hills estate she scooped up earlier this year. Not to mention the other properties in Hidden Hills.

To be young, wild and rich!!!

'Vampire Diaries' Star Arrested for DUI ... Allegedly Peed In Jail Cell!!!

"The Vampire Diaries" star Zach Roerig was allegedly a mess in more ways than one over Memorial Day weekend -- when he got busted for DUI, cops say he urinated in his jail cell.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Zach was busted Sunday around 2:30 AM in Montpelier, Ohio. Police tell us, officers noticed Zach's pickup truck did not have a front license plate, so they pulled him over.

Our sources say when the officer went up to the driver's side window, cops noticed Zach's slurred speech and bloodshot eyes and say he reeked of booze.

We're told police conducted several field sobriety tests during which Zach told the officer, "This is very hard, I can't do this when I'm f***ing ..." and his voice trailed off. The cop asked what he meant, and we're told Zach replied, "When I can't have a beer."

Cops arrested Zach for misdemeanor DUI. When they took him to the station, our sources say he was placed in a holding cell, where he ended up peeing. Long night.

He was eventually released on his own recognizance, and his arraignment is set for June 4. We've reached out to Zach's camp for comment ... so far, no word back.

UFC's MacKenzie Dern On Fighting 4 Months After Childbirth ... 'I Don't Regret It'

HAPPY TO BE BACK
TMZSports.com

Mackenzie Dern refuses to blame her first UFC loss on the fact she fought just 4 MONTHS after giving birth ... telling TMZ Sports, "I don't regret coming back."

Dern gave birth to her daughter, Moa, on June 9, 2019 -- and somehow managed to get back into fighting shape to take on Amanda Ribas on October 12.

27-year-old Dern (7-1) ultimately lost the fight via unanimous decision -- but now that she's had time to reflect, we asked if she thinks she came back too soon.

"No, definitely not," Dern says ... "I felt good for the fight. I was prepared."

"I lost but ya know I don't think it was because it was too soon. I think Amanda was just better than me that night and she came out with the win and I came out with the loss and that's it."

"I don't regret coming back at that time ... I wish it was a win because then I could of maybe fought sooner again but I'm just happy to be able to be fighting now."

Now, Dern is focusing her energy on Hannah Cifers (10-4) -- they face off Saturday in Las Vegas at UFC Fight Night.

Dern -- one of the top-ranked Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world -- says her goal is to take the fight to the ground and submit Cifers quickly, "and get home to go see my daughter with no cuts or bruises!"

Good luck!

Guess Who This Splashin' Kid Turned Into!

Before this cute kid with a drenched hairdo was making waves in the music industry with her pop song and smooth voice she was just another sweet, little lady with wet hair growing up in London, England.

This curly little kid traded in her blonde swirly hairstyle once she shot to stardom ... and now famously only rocks jet black hair with bob cuts and blunt bangs.

Although her name was super catchy as a kid (real name Jessica Ellen Cornish) she's chosen a much more abbreviated version of her beautiful birth name as a celebrity.

Can you guess who she is?

George Floyd Family Outraged ... What Else Does D.A. Need???

WE'VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE
TMZ.com

The family of George Floyd is outraged and crestfallen over what they believe is the same old story -- cops kill a black man, authorities drag their feet and everything gets swept under the rug.

Ben Crump, the attorney who represents the family, tells TMZ they all were optimistic federal and state prosecutors would announce the filing of criminal charges against the 4 officers, but after 2 hours of waiting, authorities announced absolutely nothing.

CIVIL INVESTIGATION
Fox 9 KMSP

Crump speaks for lots of people who were incredulous when authorities at the news conference said they needed eyewitnesses and other videos. Crump asks the obvious -- what new videos do they need? They see the cop slowly torture and kill George Floyd, who was in cuffs, on the ground and not resisting ... as his fellow officers did absolutely nothing.

The family is not condoning the violence that erupted in Minneapolis, but Crump says they're not condemning the protesters either, and he made a point of telling us the mother of Eric Garner called the family and said she wished protesters would have been more disruptive in her son's case, because maybe then she would have gotten a measure of justice she was seeking.

George Floyd Killing 911 Caller Claimed He Was Drunk And Paid with 'Fake Bills'

The 911 caller who reported George Floyd to police claimed he was drunk when he entered their store, and allegedly tried to pay with counterfeit money.

Police released the transcript of the call made Monday night around 8 PM by an employee at the Cup Foods ... across the street from where George was initially put in handcuffs. The caller said, "Someone comes our store and give us fake bills and we realize it before he left the store, and we ran back outside, they was sitting on their car."

The caller said they, along with a coworker, asked George to return some cigarettes, but, "he doesn't want to do that, and he's sitting on his car cause he is awfully drunk and he's not in control of himself."

MOMENTS BEFORE HIS DEATH
Dragon Wok

The interaction between the employees and George was visible in the surveillance footage from the restaurant across the street from Cup Foods.

The operator then got a description of George and the blue van where police found him when they arrived on the scene. Before hanging up, the operator asked again if George was under the influence, and the caller said, "Something like that, yes. He is not acting right."

As we reported, when police arrived ... George was in the blue van, but appeared to peacefully allow an officer to put him in handcuffs. He showed no signs of resisting arrest ... for more than 6 minutes. So, even if he was under the influence, it had no visible impact on his demeanor with cops.

The fatal incident didn't happen until officers walked George across the street. We still have not seen any video -- police bodycam or otherwise -- of the initial moment when officer Derek Chauvin placed his knee on George Floyd's neck ... eventually killing him.

MLB's Felipe Vazquez New Child Porn Charge Allegedly Sent Nudes To Minor

Suspended MLB pitcher Felipe Vazquez -- who's already behind bars and facing more than 20 felonies in a child sex case -- has been hit with a new child porn charge in St. Louis, according to reports.

Remember, 28-year-old Vazquez was arrested back in September for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2017 ... and was also charged with sending nude pictures and videos of himself to the victim.

In docs, obtained by the Trib, Vazquez was charged with a count of "furnishing pornographic materials to a juvenile" in February ... a Class A misdemeanor.

According to the docs, the act allegedly went down from Vazquez's hotel room on July 16 ... when he sent nudes and a video of himself masturbating to a 15-year-old girl.

Worth noting ... the Pirates beat the Cardinals 3-1 that same day, and Vazquez recorded the save for Pittsburgh.

The Westmoreland County, PA Assistant DA told the Trib he believes the minor is the same girl at the center of Vazquez's other charges.

Vazquez has been behind bars since September without bond ... and his next hearing is slated for June 23.

George Floyd Killing No Charges for Cops Yet ... Feds, D.A. Ask for Patience & Calm

CIVIL INVESTIGATION
Fox 9 KMSP
UPDATE

3:35 PM PT -- Authorities are not yet ready to charge any of the officers involved in Floyd's death. The point of the news conference was to let the public know they're working on the case, and to plead for patience and an end to violent protests.

UPDATE

Erica MacDonald, the U.S. Attorney of the District of Minnesota, opened by saying a “robust and meticulous investigation” into the horrible incident and the actions of the police officers involved is underway. She says they are working around the clock to determine whether one or more of the cops committed a criminal civil rights violation.

UPDATE

MacDonald described Floyd’s death as a "disturbing loss of life," and says the case is a top priority for the Department of Justice, and President Trump and Attorney General William Barr are actively monitoring the situation.

UPDATE

She also said it “breaks my heart” to see what’s happening in Minneapolis — the riots, looting and violence — and pleaded with the public to remain calm ... and let them conduct their investigation. MacDonald and others encouraged peaceful protests.

UPDATE

Rainer Drolshagen, the FBI special agent in charge, also called for anyone who has information related to Floyd’s case to come forward, saying, “no tip is too small.”

UPDATE

Finally -- when asked how it's possible the police officer in the video seen pressing his knee on Floyd's neck hasn't been charged yet -- Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said he will not be quick to rush to justice.

UPDATE

He stated there is certainly evidence that suggests a criminal charge could be coming, but also said, "There is other evidence that does not warrant a criminal charge." Freeman strongly implied he wants to get this right, and only bring charges when he knows they will stick.

UPDATE

1:29 PM PT -- Sources connected to George Floyd's family tell TMZ ... the FBI contacted the family ahead of the news conference and said "justice will be done." It sounds like they may announce charges.

The FBI and local prosecutors in Minneapolis are about to hold a news conference to announce developments -- and possible charges -- in the George Floyd killing.

We're told the announcements will be significant, and possibly accelerated by the unrest in the City following the shocking and unjustified death of Floyd.

In fact, ahead of the news conference, Hennepin County Sheriff's deputies were lined up outside the D.A.'s Office.

The 4 officers involved have been fired, but there are cries for them to be prosecuted for murder.

5/25/20
EXCESSIVE FORCE
Facebook/ Darnella Frazier

The City has been gripped by 2 straight nights of protests, fires, tear gas ... and showdowns with police in riot gear.

Floyd's brother and cousin, along with the family lawyer, Ben Crump, appeared on "TMZ Live" and said there can be no justice unless criminal charges are filed. Congresswoman Maxine Waters said it's particularly appalling because she feels the officer who had his knee on George's neck for more than 5 minutes seemed to be enjoying it.

Originally published -- 1:13 PM PT

Shameik Moore Sorry for Controversial George Floyd Rant ... Here's What I Meant

CLEARIN' THINGS UP

Shameik Moore is trying to clarify his controversial remarks about the George Floyd killing and police brutality ... after his rant sparked backlash and outrage.

The actor -- best known for his work as the voice of Miles Morales in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" -- says he's sorry for offending folks Thursday in the black community with several heated tweets.

Shameik weighed in on the Floyd killing by saying the black community needs to learn how to deal with police better, and stop blaming everything on racism.

He also called out the community for black-on-black violence, suggesting that's the bigger problem African-Americans need to tackle.

Shameik didn't call for an end to police violence, instead asked if the black community could find ways to avoid being killed or hunted. Saying, he wants to see how they can help stop these recurring incidents.

He does say "power-hungry policemen" should be reprimanded and punished for their behavior and treatment of blacks, but adds folks have been hoping for better treatment since before he was born, and not much has changed.

Shameik says he gave his take on the situation after seeing a video of a young black man "barking" at a cop, and simply wanted to start a conversation on how to de-escalate interactions with police.

In the end, Shameik apologizes to anyone who was offended by his rant ... but his explanation for it is also not going over that well online.

WWE's Becky Lynch Shares First Baby Ultrasound ... In Birthday Tribute To Seth Rollins

Here's the first EVER look at the newest addition to Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins' family!!

The Man posted an ultrasound of The Baby (nickname pending) in honor of her fiance's birthday on Thursday ... saying "I love you and can’t wait to start this next crazy chapter with you."

Still no word on gender, name or exact due date -- but hey, at least we got a pic!

Of course, the wrestling community went wild earlier this month when Lynch announced she was relinquishing her Raw Championship belt to start a family with the fellow WWE Superstar.

The couple found out a little one was on the way back in April ... and Lynch has recently said she's always wanted kids.

Lynch posted an emotional message to the papa-to-be on his 34th cake day ... saying, "This person right here is my favorite person in the world."

"I thought I was doing fairly well in life before, but then you came along and made me feel like the luckiest (and happiest) human in the world."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Lynch and Rollins have been dating since early 2019 ... and got engaged in August during a romantic beachfront proposal.

Can we just take a second to appreciate how attractive this couple is??

Congrats, baby ... you hit the genetic lotto!

Boston Marathon In-Person Race Canceled We're Going Virtual!!!

Thousands of runners will NOT be flooding the streets of Beantown in September ... as the 124th Boston Marathon has been officially scrapped in exchange for a virtual race.

The Boston Athletic Association made the call to go virtual on Thursday ... after Mayor Martin Walsh canceled the in-person race (which was rescheduled to Sept. 14) due to COVID-19.

The decision marks the FIRST time the race has ever been canceled. Thanks, coronavirus.

Here's how it's gonna work -- runners can get in their 26.2 miles between September 7-14 and still get their medal ... IF they provide proof they completed the race within 6 hours.

The BAA will still offer virtual Marathon Week perks like champions interviews and panel discussions ... but no in-person events will take place.

On top of that, all runners who signed up for the original April 20 race will be offered a full refund.

FYI -- Usually, more than 30,000 people participate in the Boston Marathon.

Unclear how many people will run "virtually" -- but props to everyone who gives it a shot!

#BostonStrong

Colin Kaepernick It's Time for a Revolution ... Supports Violent Protests

Colin Kaepernick's not here for peaceful protesting in the wake of George Floyd being killed by a cop, because he says civility led to his death ... so it's time to revolt.

The former NFL star is addressing critics of the unrest this week in Minneapolis ... and he says they just don't get it, because all the rational discussions have not stopped the horrendous killings of black men, so it's time to ramp up the protests and not worry about keeping the peace.

Kaepernick says in a tweet ... "When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction."

He adds ... "The cries for peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears, because your violence has brought this resistance."

The "your" here is obviously the police, and Colin suggests it's due time to respond to the violence with violence, saying ... "We have the right to fight back!"

As you know, Kaepernick's been outspoken about police brutality for years, and began silently protesting by taking a knee during The National Anthem while playing for the 49ers in 2016.

The move made him a lightning rod in the discussion of police brutality and the treatment of black people in America, and many believe it resulted in him being blackballed from the NFL.

Of course, the disturbing parallel of a cop kneeling on George Floyd's carotid artery with Kaepernick peacefully kneeling to protest such violence has not been lost on people.

So, he's making his message clear -- he's done with peace ... and he's encouraging others to follow his lead.

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