Crime

Ahmaud Arbery's mother wants to do something special for her son to mark the 1-year anniversary of his death ... so she's organizing a public candlelight vigil.

Wanda Cooper-Jones tells TMZ ... Ahmaud's family will be gathering at his final resting place -- New Springfield Baptist Church in Waynesboro, GA -- on February 23 for the event.

Wanda says they're asking everyone to wear a blue ribbon in a show of solidarity and in remembrance of what happened. She says blue was Ahmaud's favorite color.

As we reported ... the 25-year-old was killed on Feb. 23, 2020 while jogging in Brunswick, GA, but it wasn't until graphic video of the incident surfaced in May that Ahmaud's death grabbed national headlines and ignited a demand for justice.

Nearly 3 months after the killing, Travis and Gregory McMichael were arrested and charged with murder in Ahmaud's killing ... along with alleged accomplice William "Roddy" Bryan.

As the anniversary approaches, Wanda says she's overcome with a sense of dread thinking about how her son died -- and it's a reminder her son is never coming back.

This past weekend, she remembered she and Ahmaud went to a barbershop together on Feb. 13, 2020 -- and, of course, it turned out to be the last time.

We're also told the family is working on launching a foundation in Ahmaud's honor -- something separate from the 2.23 Foundation ... which is not affiliated with the family.

Rapper Cyhi the Prynce claims someone tried to gun him down on the highway in Atlanta ... and he's lucky to be alive after flipping his vehicle and crashing into a tree.

The Atlanta PD tells TMZ ... it responded to a car accident on February 11 at 11:41 PM and found an empty Bentley SUV flipped on its side off the road. Cops say while they were on the scene, the driver -- Cyhi -- walked back to his vehicle.

The police say Cyhi told them a red Maserati started chasing him on the highway, followed him as he got on an exit ramp and began shooting at his SUV. That's when he says he lost control and crashed into a tree.

Cyhi told cops he immediately got out of his vehicle and fled on foot into the woods to get away from the shooter.

He believes this was an attempt on his life, but on IG he said he doesn't know if it was "a mistaken identity, a robbery, or associated with something that I did when I was younger but I haven’t been in the streets in over a decade."

The rapper says after he crashed the suspects returned and shot up his vehicle some more, adding that it's "By the grace of god and my lord and savior jesus christ I am still here."

Cyhi says he wants whoever tried to kill him to know he doesn't want revenge ... he just wants "understanding and closure."

A woman was arrested near the White House after reportedly telling cops she had a special delivery for President Biden -- a handwritten letter ... but much more ominous is that she had a loaded gun in her car.

The unidentified 66-year-old rolled toward a checkpoint in downtown D.C. Saturday evening ... close to the White House, which has a wide perimeter set for blocks on end. She was apparently with a man, and told cops they were there to meet Biden.

As for why ... cops say she told them she wanted to give him a letter. That prompted a search of the vehicle, where D.C. Metro says they discovered a loaded handgun. They claim the man she was with also had a BB gun -- but the woman was the only one arrested.

She was booked for possession of an unregistered firearm. The case has since been referred to the Secret Service.

The situation is eerily familiar ... there was another arrest like this back in January, when a Virginia man also drove up to a checkpoint, allegedly with fake inauguration credentials and a loaded firearm as well ... plus a ton of ammo, according to cops.

Just a day later, a woman was arrested under similar circumstances ... coming up to a checkpoint and trying to pass herself as a member of Biden's cabinet. She got busted too.

Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, has died after being struck in a hit-and-run accident ... TMZ has learned.

Nassau County Police in New York say he was walking on the road between Roslyn Road and Raff Avenue Friday evening around 6 PM ET, when he was hit by a vehicle heading northbound. Cops say the driver then fled the scene without a meaningful description from witnesses.

Robert was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, where he succumbed to his injuries and passed over the weekend. The Homicide Squad is investigating the case and asking for the public's help in identifying the responsible party. There was not a decent description of the suspect vehicle provided.

Nicki hasn't spoken on her dad's death yet. There are shots of them together embracing over the years, so they obviously had a decent relationship and saw each other from time to time. It's unclear what Nicki's relationship with her dad was currently.

A rep for Nicki confirmed her dad's death, but did not have further comment at this time.

Robert was just 64.

Adrian Broner is FINALLY getting back in the ring after a wild 2-year layoff -- and he's got a message for everyone who thinks he's washed up.

(Earmuffs, kids)

"Eat a d*** and put gravy on it."

Yep, after all sorts of personal, professional and legal drama ... 31-year-old Broner will return to action on Feb. 20th to fight undefeated Jovanie Santiago on Showtime.

The last time Broner saw action was January 2019 when he lost to Manny Pacquiao via unanimous decision.

In fact, Broner hasn't won a pro fight in 4 years -- but the former 4-division world champ tells TMZ Sports he's got his swag back and will return to greatness.

"Our goal is to be another -- a 5-time world champion soon -- so it's starting off February 20."

Broner has made a TON of headlines since his last fight -- but for all the wrong reasons. He's been accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, assaulting people in public and he's been sued multiple times for not paying jewelry debts.

In the past year alone he was ripped by a judge for failing to pay more than $800,000 to a woman he sexually assaulted in a nightclub back in 2018 and was arrested for DUI after passing out behind the wheel of his Rolls Royce.

But, Broner insists he's turning over a new leaf -- trying to clean up his life and get back to the top of the boxing world.

"I've matured a lot, I've been through a lot and ya know, it's just time to get to business and make my money and do what I do best and that's box."

A wild police pursuit in Kentucky ended in a most unique way ... when an officer hugged the distressed driver instead of slapping handcuffs on her.

Body cam footage captured the conclusion of a cop chase that reportedly spanned 2 counties Wednesday, after cops say Latrece Curry took off from a domestic dispute with her husband ... and fled when deputies tried to track her down.

It has all the makings of an intense confrontation -- several police vehicles surround Curry, sirens blare, cops approach with guns drawn -- but Hodgenville Police Chief James Richardson noticed something as he got closer and demanded she open her door ... she was completely terrified.

Chief Richardson says ... "The look on her face was of sheer terror. She was shaking and it was obvious she was scared. I talked to her to calm her down and then she hugged me. That has never happened to me after a pursuit." De-escalation at its finest.

The chief says Curry was shaking so badly she couldn't even get her seat belt off, so he helped her and she started crying and hugged him. He says he didn't perceive her to be a threat in any way.

As for why she fled police, Richardson told the New York Post, "She was just in the zone, she didn’t know what she was doing and she was extremely sorry." He says she simply made a bad choice.

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith and his family were reportedly robbed at gunpoint after arriving in Los Angeles earlier this week ... but thankfully, the team says everyone is now safe.

The 32-year-old former Super Bowl champ and his family arrived at LAX with his family Tuesday night ... and were followed to their hotel, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec.

Once the group arrived at the hotel, the report says they were robbed at gunpoint ... but no one was injured during the incident.

We're working on getting more information regarding the incident.

The Ravens released a statement Friday saying they've been in touch with the former first-round pick and have confirmed he and his family are doing okay.

"We are aware of the situation involving Jimmy Smith," the team said Friday. "We have spoken with Jimmy, and he and him family are safe."

Smith -- who grew up in Southern California -- has been with the Ravens for 10 seasons, signing a 1-year deal for $6 million last March.

Lori Loughlin's out of prison, and now she wants the right to leave U.S. soil, but there's a hitch.

The "Full House" star's legal team filed new docs, asking the court to order the return of her passport -- which her lawyers say is currently in the possession of the United States Pretrial Services Office.

Lori had to surrender her passport during her criminal case stemming from the college admissions scandal, but now that she's served her 2-month prison sentence she's looking to get that puppy back in her hands.

Remember ... Lori flew back home in a private jet after spending 2 months at California's FCI Dublin ... so she's definitely the jet-setting type.

The docs say Uncle Sam does not object to returning her passport -- so it's just a matter of time before she gets it back. Once she does, Lori will be in the same boat as a lot of us ... wondering where she can safely travel in the middle of the pandemic.

Lori won't be crossing any borders with her husband just yet, though ... Mossimo Giannulli's still behind bars. He's set to complete his 5-month sentence in April.

Bruce Springsteen was glassy-eyed, swaying and reeked of booze when he was arrested for DWI ... at least according to cops.

According to legal docs, an officer watched Bruce take a shot of Patron Tequila, hop on his motorcycle and start the engine back on November 14. The officer says he informed Bruce drinking was prohibited in that area of Sandy Hook, NJ ... and observed the 750 ml bottle of Patron was empty.

Springsteen allegedly told the cop he was about to ride out of the park -- Gateway National Recreation Area -- even though he'd admitted to having 2 shots of tequila in the last 20 minutes.

The officer says Bruce smelled strongly of alcohol and his eyes were glassy, so he put the Boss through a field sobriety test, during which he was swaying, and took 45 steps when he was only asked to take 18. Cops say he refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.

TMZ broke the story ... the rock icon was cited for DWI, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area. There have been reports claiming Springsteen's BAC was only .02, far below the legal limit, however, cops can bust you for DWI based on other factors ... such as field sobriety testing or observing erratic driving. As we said, Bruce refused a breathalyzer test and the documents do not indicate he was tested after being arrested.

The Buffalo police officers who violently shoved an elderly man to the ground during the George Floyd protests are off the hook ... they won't be indicted for felony assault.

Erie County D.A. John J. Flynn announced Thursday a Grand Jury decided not to hand up an indictment in the case against Buffalo PD officers Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe.

As we reported ... Martin Gugino was hospitalized after the push and shove caught on video last June, and his lawyer claimed he suffered a fractured skull and couldn't walk.

Torgalski and McCabe, meanwhile, were suspended, arrested ... and the D.A. charged them with 2nd-degree felony assault. However, the Grand Jury's "no bill" decision means the charges are now dismissed.

You'll recall ... former President Trump suggested -- without a shred of evidence -- Martin had ties to Antifa and went to the protest to cause dissent and chaos. Martin denied being part of Antifa at the time, and now the D.A. says any notion the elderly man is part of the group is "utter nonsense."

Andy Reid's son, Britt Reid, is no longer a member of the K.C. Chiefs coaching staff, this just days after he was involved in a car crash that critically injured a 5-year-old.

35-year-old Britt -- who was a linebacker coach with the Chiefs -- was initially placed on leave after Thursday's accident ... and now ESPN reports his contract has since expired and the team did not make an effort to renew it.

In other words, he's out.

As we previously reported, cops say Reid admitted to drinking alcohol and taking Adderall allegedly smashing into 2 parked cars that were pulled over on the side of a highway on-ramp. The crash occurred just minutes from Arrowhead Stadium in K.C.

Two children were injured in the wreck -- including a 4-year-old and a 5-year-old little girl, who suffered brain damage and has not regained consciousness since the accident.

Britt Reid did not travel with the Chiefs to Super Bowl LV in Tampa this past weekend ... though it was clear the incident took a toll on his father in those critical hours before the big game.

After the Chiefs lost to the Bucs, Andy Reid spoke about the accident ... saying, "My heart goes out to all those who were involved in the accident, particularly the family with the little girl who's fighting for her life."

Kevin Hart's personal shopper took that title way too literally, according to prosecutors ... who say the guy swindled Kev out of more than a million bucks.

Dylan Syer was in a NYC court Wednesday for his arraignment for grand larceny and 9 other counts ... after he allegedly used Kevin's credit card info to launder cash into his own account, and then burn through it.

Queens County D.A. Melinda Katz says Syer built trust with Kevin, when he was hired in 2015, by making legit, authorized purchases on behalf of Kevin. However, Katz claims Syer started siphoning off hundreds of thousands from Hart's credit cards, depositing the dough into his own bank account.

He wasn't saving for a rainy day, either -- Syer allegedly spent lavishly on himself. All in all, prosecutors say Kevin was defrauded out of nearly $1.2 mil over nearly 2 years. Much of that was allegedly used to buy pricey jewelry, watches, art, collectibles and luxury handbags.

The D.A. says Syer's haul included 5 Patek Philippe watches worth more than $400k, a Sam Friedman painting, at least 16 Bearbrick collectible dolls, 5 KAWS collectible dolls and 2 Louis Vuitton bags.

Bruce Springsteen is in the middle of a DWI case after he was busted in his home state ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the Boss was arrested on November 14 at Gateway National Recreation Area in Sandy Hook, NJ. Springsteen was cited for DWI, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area. He'll have a court appearance coming in the next few weeks.

We're told the rock icon was cooperative throughout the arrest. As far as we can tell, this is his first arrest for DWI.

The DWI news comes on the heels of a different first for Bruce -- he was featured in his first-ever commercial on Super Bowl Sunday for Jeep. The 2-minute ad featured Bruce in an unspecified middle America type town ... offering his patriotic vision and a message of hope.

We've reached out to Springsteen's camp for comment, but no word back yet.

Alleah Taylor is revealing the disturbing injury photos taken after she was brutally attacked by NFL lineman Chad Wheeler ... and she's explaining why he needs to be locked up in prison.

Taylor appeared on "CBS This Morning" and told reporter Jericka Duncan the injuries she suffered during the Jan. 22 incident at their Washington apartment will require treatment for the rest of her life.

"I still have to regularly get my concussion checked. I have bolts and a steel plate I'm gonna have forever in my arm. I'm gonna have to deal with this the rest of my life."

As we previously reported, Taylor claims Wheeler -- who played for the Seattle Seahawks at the time -- "snapped" and got violent with her in an apparent manic episode. They had been dating for roughly 6 months at the time.

She claims Wheeler had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder before the attack but had recently stopped taking his medicine.

During the attack, Taylor says the NFL player demanded she "bow down" to him -- and when she refused, he beat and choked her within an inch of her life.

Cops eventually arrived and subdued Wheeler after an intense physical struggle. He was arrested and hit with multiple domestic violence charges.

When asked if she thinks Wheeler's actions were triggered by a mental health episode, she told CBS, "To be honest, I don't know."

She continued, "He went and ate dinner after he did this to me. And he didn’t take the same approach with the cops as he did with me."

Wheeler is facing up to 12 years in prison if convicted on domestic violence charges.

Taylor was asked if she thinks Wheeler should do time and replied, "Yes, I definitely do think that he should."

Taylor says she's "beyond grateful" to be alive -- and feels god blessed her with a second chance at life.

"I want to try to use the time I've been blessed with to help other people and to get this story out and to make sure people don't feel alone and to make sure this doesn’t happen again."

Bruno Mars' "24K Magic" became a $100k nightmare for one Texas woman, who told cops she was hoodwinked into forking over a fortune to someone passing as the singer.

The alleged victim was 63 when she told cops in Houston she made an IG account in 2018, and connected with someone claiming to be Bruno. She says the person developed an online relationship with her and eventually asked for cash.

Of course, as is oftentimes the case with these stories, she says she cut a couple of checks and put 'em in the mail, as instructed -- one for $10k, and another $90k.

Police say the money found its way into the bank account of one Chinwendu Azuonwu -- a local man who was taken into custody on money laundering charges, along with an alleged accomplice, Basil Amadi, who's facing similar charges. Both men were in court this week.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, 2 cashier's checks were made out to "Chi Autos" at the behest of the fake Bruno, to cover “tour expenses” ... that's what he told the woman, anyway. She says he also told her he was leaving the tour to come be with her.

Cops told local news outlets they believe these men may be low-level crooks working for scammers overseas -- and are hoping they cooperate to help uncover a potentially bigger criminal ring.

Cleveland Browns stars Rashard "Hollywood" Higgins and Jedrick Wills, Jr. just caught a break in their drag racing incident ... with both players pleading guilty to lesser charges of speeding on Tuesday.

As we previously reported ... 26-year-old Higgins and 21-year-old Wills were cited for drag racing in Westlake, OH on Jan. 5 ... just days before the Browns' first playoff game in nearly 2 decades.

During the stop, police claim they found a marijuana joint in Higgins' pocket ... which the wide receiver was instructed to destroy on camera, as one cop claimed it would be "bad for press."

During Wills' stop, the lineman admitted he and Higgins were "just being d*ckheads."

While the players' attorney initially claimed they would both plead not guilty to the drag racing charges, TMZ Sports has confirmed Higgins and Wills both pleaded guilty to lesser charges of speeding.

Both players paid $250 fines to wrap things up -- which seems like a pretty good deal considering the more serious punishment they could have received if convicted on the drag racing charges.