Crime

Boosie Badazz is getting some heat for showing up to support YNW Melly in his double homicide trial from one of the alleged victim's fathers ... accusing Boosie of being a cheerleader for murder.

Christopher Thomas Sr., the father of YNW Juvy, one of the two men Melly is accused of killing, lashed out at Boosie for supporting Melly, someone he doesn't even know!!!

Chris says Boosie should focus his attention on his ex-friend Marlo Mike, who was sentenced to life in Baton Rouge

The trial's getting deeper already. Christopher Sr. has a daughter who's the sister of both YNW Juvy and Melly's alleged co-conspirator ... YNW Bortlen.

Nicki Minaj is the victim of a swatting prank ... one the Sheriff's Dept. says involved a caller falsely claiming Nicki's child was being abused, but also -- that her house was up in flames.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the attempted swatting went down earlier this month when child services got an anonymous call alleging child abuse at Nicki's L.A.-area home.

We're told sheriff's deputies rolled up to Nicki's place around 6 PM Monday, but after speaking with her and her husband Kenneth Petty ... and looking at their almost 3-year-old child, determined there was no abuse and everything was kosher.

Our sources say deputies chalked it up to a swatting call, and officers want everyone to know these sorts of calls are a huge waste of time and resources.

BTW, that wasn't the only thing being falsely reported about Nicki on this particular night -- sources with direct knowledge tell us another call came in around 3 AM to report that her home was on fire ... something that was also found to be completely untrue. In other words, 2 bogus calls came in a span of about 24 hours -- which is pretty jarring on its face.

For the uninitiated, swatting is a form of prank call where the goal is to get a big police response at someone's home ... and it's a growing problem for cops around the country.

Nicki's not the only celeb dealing with swatting calls. As we first reported, it's recently happened to YouTuber Adin Ross and influencer Madison Beer.

We've seen thieves in action at stores across the country in some pretty wild clips -- but these two are taking it to another level -- using a stun gun to get away with a cart full of goods.

The wild video, shot Wednesday in the middle of the day at a Marshalls in Studio City shows a pair of women trying to leave with a cart full of stolen merch -- you see the building's security guard tried his best to stop them ... and that's when things escalate.

One woman pulls out a stun gun, and you hear the snapping and popping during the tug-o-war as she threatens the security guard with the weapon. During the melee, you hear a woman's voice yell at him to back up, and scream, "You can't touch us!"

Unclear if the guard actually gets zapped ... but it certainly appears like the weapon makes contact at one point. A witness tells us the guard also seemed to have been injured.

Finally, the guard gives up ... and the two women shuffle away with the stolen goods before loading them into their car and taking off.

Law enforcement sources tell us the two women were long gone by the time cops got to the scene, but the incident is being investigated as a robbery because the stun gun is a weapon.

"Good Times" star and "America's Dad" John Amos was left fighting for his life in the hospital after falling victim to elder abuse and possible financial crimes ... according to his daughter.

Shannon Amos just made the shocking announcement, saying she got a distressing call from her dad last month ... who informed her he was in the hospital in Memphis. Shannon says she was able to get John on a quick FaceTime -- as she was out of the country -- before his pain became unbearable.

Shannon says in the last few weeks, the Amos family has learned the 83-year-old, "Had fallen victim to elder abuse and financial exploitation."

She doesn't give details as to who is involved -- only saying a "caregiver" -- or what exactly happened to Amos, but does note, "His home had been violated, stripped of anything valuable." She also says the family is working with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations and cops to get justice.

In an attempt to help her dad's recovery and help bring those allegedly responsible to justice, Shannon's set up a GoFundMe with a $500k goal. Shannon says the money will be used for John's care, legal fees, and aftercare.

While many would say John's biggest role was James in "Good Times," he also starred in "Roots" and was on "The West Wing."

We've reached out to Shannon for additional details ... so far, no word back.

Adam DeVine has a horrifying story to tell about a poker party turning tragic in the Hollywood Hills -- a man was shot and killed, with Adam and his wife just across the street.

The "Pitch Perfect" star shared his experience during a live taping of the "This Is Important" podcast Wednesday night with his "Workaholics" costars Blake Anderson, Anders Holm, and Kyle Newacheck -- and it might not have been the best setting for such a serious tale.

Adam says he was chillin' on a balcony at home with his wife Chloe Bridges when the murder happened just across the way from him, leaving him in shock.

Adam says he called it, too -- believing some "dastardly s***" was happening at the boujee poker party. Of course, the podcast hosts and crowd still found the ordeal a little funny, with Blake punching up the story with sound effects. Actually, it seems like the crowd thought Adam was doing a bit.

He didn't get into specifics about the crime, but KTLA reported 39-year-old Emil Lahaziel was gunned down just after 2 AM Wednesday morning at a Hollywood Hills poker party.

It's unclear if Adam actually witnessed the shooting ... if he did, he left that part out.

Lauryn Hill shocked fans at the 2023 Roots Picnic by using her headlining performance to orchestrate a mini-reunion with the Fugees ... a complete and total surprise for Pras, who we've learned was shocked at the request to join his former bandmates.

A rep for Pras tells TMZ Hip Hop he was able to make the performance happen last minute, as he's currently awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of conspiracy and fraud in April.

Pras' admiration for his Fugees bandmates Lauryn and Wyclef Jean runs deep ... he considers them family and their longtime bond paid off for Sunday night's impromptu Roots Picnic performance.

We're told the invitation to perform was so sudden, there was no time for rehearsal ... but the legendary hip hop trio managed to belt out 6 songs from the classic multi-platinum album "The Score" for the crowd.

Due to Pras' looming sentencing, a lot of people think this was the Fugees' final performance for a long time, but not necessarily.

A massive group of parents broke out into an all-out brawl as a California school board met about the inclusion of LGBTQ+ topics in classes ... with folks on both sides of the argument getting into it as cops intervened in an effort to keep the peace.

The Glendale Unified School District was holding a meeting Tuesday when about 200 people -- some parents of students -- took to the streets, according to KTLA ... some voicing concerns, and others supporting the proposed curriculum.

You can see things get really intense, with the anti-LGBT+ protestors hurling a slew of insults at the other side as the physical attacks escalate.

You can also see a man dressed in mint green sucker-punch a woman in the crowd, while someone on a megaphone pleads for people to stop fighting. Cops eventually stopped the skirmish with the help of their batons, arresting at least 3 people after the incident.

Cops say a good chunk of the folks protesting the district were also at a North Hollywood elementary school last week when another violent exchange went down over a Pride event.

Glendale school officials told the local outlet the district's been including the Pride-inclusive studies since 2019, but it's a reconsideration meeting they hold every year for approval.

Chris Rock may have fallen victim to one of the oldest prowler plays in the book -- we're told the comedian called the cops to report a peeping Tom with a camera right outside his window.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Chris called 911 Sunday night from his NYC home -- in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan -- to say a guy was lurking just outside of his apartment ... on his freaking fire escape!!!

We're told NYPD raced over, but that when they got there ... the suspect was nowhere to be found, having fled after Chris spotted him. Our sources say the dude jumped down to the ground, only to hop into a white Mercedes ... making a clean getaway. Indeed, it sounds like something straight out of the movies.

The weirdest part -- our sources say Chris reported the man appeared to have a camera, and that he seemed to be attempting to either film or snap pics of CR. At least that's how it came across to Chris, anyway.

Our sources say cops took a report and that the case is under investigation.

While most of the trespassing stories we hear about when it comes to A-list celebs tend to happen in L.A. -- this is just a friendly reminder that these freaky incidents go down in the Big Apple as well. Taylor Swift, unfortunately, knows that phenomenon all too well.

Former XFL player Darez Diggs -- the brother of NFL stars Stefon and Trevon Diggs -- helped orchestrate the brutal attack of a man in an elevator earlier this week ... new video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows.

The incident happened on May 29 in an apartment building in downtown Los Angeles ... and in the footage, you can see the altercation starts in an elevator lobby.

The clip shows after one of the elevators stops ... a man gets out, exchanges words with Darez -- and then retreats back inside the lift quickly.

The man then can be seen frantically trying to close the elevator's doors ... but before they close, Darez -- who also goes by Mar'sean Diggs -- stops them with his hand.

Darez then gets into the elevator and trades more words with the man ... before two of Darez's apparent acquaintances run in with fists flying.

The footage shows the men pummel the guy to the ground, ripping off his jewelry in the process. At one point, you can see one of the men kicks the guy in the face -- before they drag him into the lobby.

The men all stand around talking further ... before they seem to rip another chain off the guy's neck.

Darez then seems to leave everyone in the lobby in a different elevator.

The LAPD tells TMZ Sports ... they were called to the scene, but the suspects had already fled when officers arrived.

Cops tell us a report for a robbery was taken -- saying the complainant told them three men had stolen an orange purse containing diamonds and other jewelry during the incident.

So far, no arrests have been made ... but police say an investigation remains ongoing.

Darez played college football at Morgan State before transferring to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He went on to play safety for one season for the XFL's Los Angeles Wildcats in 2020. He now works in the fashion industry -- running his own lifestyle brand called Blue Boii.

Instagram model Liziane Gutierrez and her 10-lb pooch fell victim to some nasty crooks who not only broke into her home but decided they also needed to mace the pup in the process.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ, showing 3 men break into Liziane's Vegas home Thursday night through a back door. You see her maltese, Duchess, approach the intruders in a friendly manner only to be blasted with pepper spray.

From there, the men rush upstairs and into Liziane's bedroom, ransacking her closet and making away with Gucci bags, a Rolex, a gold chain and designer sneakers.

Thankfully, Liziane was at the gym at the time of the incident ... but she tells us the men made away with over $50K in luxury goods. She called the cops as soon as she got home.

As for Duchess, she was taken to the vet -- given a bunch of baths and some medication for her lungs and eyes -- we're told she's still having a tough time recovering and isn't yet back to 100% ... though things are looking good.

Kim Zolciak allegedly assaulted her estranged husband Kroy Biermann and the cops responded to their Georgia home ... but she wasn't arrested.

Two officers arrived at the couple's house in Atlanta on May 4 after receiving a call of a domestic dispute ... this according to the NY Post, citing a police document.

Kroy told police Kim punched him in the head during a heated argument over their assets, but had no visible injuries and refused medical treatment.

Per the police report ... Kroy decided not to press charges against "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum despite having a recording of their encounter.

But that's not all ... the report states Kroy locked Kim's pricey pocketbooks and jewelry into a safe, claiming it was all joint marital property. He said he planned to sell the items to offset losses incurred by Kim's gambling addiction, noting she had recently suffered a heavy loss.

On the other hand, Kim told cops she owned all the goods -- totaling $175,000 -- having acquired them before she tied the knot with the ex-NFL linebacker.

The officers checked out the contents of the safe and found some valuables -- such as Kim's passport in a Louis Vuitton case -- but no fancy purses.

The woman who claims a man pulled her wig off for no apparent reason in the streets of NYC has now gone to the police for help, filing a report in a bid for justice.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ an official complaint was filed Sunday with the NYPD by a local artist named Lizzy Ashliegh, who's Black. We're told the crime alleged is misdemeanor assault ... and that Ashliegh is claiming to have suffered a minor injury to her neck.

Our sources tell us Ashliegh declined medical attention when she filed the report -- although, she claimed on social media she's seen a doctor -- and that her report triggered an investigation. We're told Lizzy identified a man named Anthony Orlich -- a lawyer whose law firm has since said he is no longer employed with the firm following the alleged incident.

Ashliegh posted a video that she claims showed the aftermath of the alleged incident, which went viral. You see her repeatedly ask the man why he snatched her wig off, this as she holds the blue-green wig in her hands.

Other guys in the clip -- who are reported to have been friends of Orlich --  were also trying to get him to apologize for it ... to no avail. The internet was up in arms about it too -- especially because he's white and Ashliegh's Black.

A brazen gunpoint robbery in broad daylight was captured on dramatic video -- kicking off another crime-filled day in the Windy City.

Check out footage, obtained by NBC Chicago, which shows the gun-wielding thieves in masks approaching several people outside a house at sunrise this past weekend.

The criminals ordered one guy to the ground and rifled his pockets for money. They also frisked two other men to steal whatever they had before fleeing. What's scary ... the suspects pointed their firearms directly at the victims throughout the whole ordeal.

CBS Chicago interviewed Vincent Galena Jr. whose dad was one of the victims. Galena said his father, Vincent Sr., blocked a doorway to protect family members who were sleeping inside their home.

Galena also said Vincent Sr. was ready to "fight back" if the gunmen tried to force their way inside the house.

Vincent Sr. was robbed of his money to buy construction tools and lost an entire day's pay, Galena added.

NBC Chicago said the theft was just the latest in a string allegedly committed by the same group of bandits.

Armie Hammer will not be charged with rape in L.A. County ... as the District Attorney's Office says it could not prove the allegation beyond a reasonable doubt.

As we've reported, this case has dragged on for more than 2 years as police said they were continuing to investigate -- but the D.A. says the case was just too murky, partially because of the "complexity of the relationship" between the accuser and Armie.

Prosecutors also say they couldn't "prove a non-consensual, forcible sexual encounter" had occurred between them.

This has been going on since February 2021 ... when the accuser, Effie Angelova, first reported her allegations to police.

She said they'd been romantically involved since 2017 ... but claimed things turned violent after Hammer forced sex on her during one of their encounters.

Armie, through his attorney Blair Berk, has always denied the allegations.

He's insisted it was a consensual sexual relationship, and they were role-playing in a rape fantasy.

In an interview earlier this year, Armie admitted that he'd, perhaps, been emotionally abusive to some past partners ... with whom he'd participated in BDSM sex.

The L.A. County D.A.'s Director of Communications Tiffiny Blacknell says, "Sexual assault cases are often difficult to prove, which is why we assign our most experienced prosecutors to review them. In this case, those prosecutors conducted an extremely thorough review, but determined at this time, there is insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Hammer with a crime."

She continues, "We know that it is hard for women to report sexual assault. Even when we cannot move forward with a prosecution, our victim service representatives will be available to those who seek our victim support services."

Joe Giudice is back in the 'Real Housewives' universe after his cameo in the New Jersey reunion ... where he was looking for a surgical consultation, of all things!

The 'RHONJ' alum called his ex-wife Teresa on the phone just as the first of the 3-part reunion kicked off with host Andy Cohen. Teresa and the other housewives -- Melissa Gorga, Margaret Josephs, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Aydin, Rachel Fuda and Danielle Cabral -- seemed surprised.

As Teresa answered the phone, she said, "Look who's calling me: Joe Giudice," who has been living in the Bahamas since 2021 after leaving Italy following his deportation from the States.

Joe had an important question for Jennifer's plastic surgeon husband, Bill, who was not present either, so he addressed it to Teresa. Joe said, "Tre, ask Jennifer's husband, Bill, if he does bags under your eyes," while everyone chuckled.

Andy then snatched the phone from Teresa and asked, "Giudice, are you looking to get your eyes done?"

Hell no!! Joe said he was just researching the procedure for his uncle and pointed out, "[Mine] aren't baggy yet."

Besides all that ... we learned Joe has a few girlfriends in the Bahamas, and he never watched 'RHONJ' -- not even while he was in prison.

After everyone said their goodbyes, Andy hung up and remarked, "Wow, unexpected." Not so sure about that, but anyway ... it was a moment.

As we reported, Joe was convicted in 2014 of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and served 41 months in federal prison. A judge ordered him to be deported to his native Italy, and he was eventually booted from the U.S. after losing several appeals.

The Dollar General cashier who took down an alleged shoplifter with her car says she's been fired after footage of the incident went viral.

The ex-Dollar General employee in the wild video is Jessie Sotto and she tells TMZ ... she's upset about her firing because she loved her job, and thought she was a good cashier who had her former employer's best interests at heart.

Jessie, who was a criminal justice major in college, says the alleged shoplifter had been a known problem at her Fresno, CA store ... ignoring prior warnings to stop stealing. She says she'd finally had enough, and decided to take matters into her own hands.

As we reported ... doorbell footage shows Jessie smashing her car into the alleged shoplifter while he was riding a bike down a residential street, with the crash scattering the alleged stolen items all over someone's front yard.

The incident went down earlier this month, and Jessie says once the video was on the internet she was canned.

Jessie claims the guy walked out with flowers, chips, donuts, bread, cheese, bologna and other items without paying ... and says she chased him down and asked him to give the stuff back. When he refused and called her a "bitch," Jessie says she tried to stop him with her car.

The guy in the video threatened to press charges against Jessie, but she says she hasn't seen or heard from him and police tell us they responded to the scene but the guy was nowhere to be found so no report was taken.

The frustration in her voice is clear ... and Jessie is now working for DoorDash.