Current Events

Nolan Wells' death has sparked a flood of theories online ... but the Mississippi sheriff overseeing the case tells TMZ detectives haven't found evidence of a crime at this point.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter tells TMZ ... investigators have interviewed several of Nolan's friends and other witnesses as detectives work to piece together the 18-year-old's final hours.

Ledbetter says everything investigators have gathered so far indicates no crime has taken place. That said, he cautions the investigation remains active ... and tells us that assessment could change if new evidence comes to light.

Nolan Wells' family wants answers after he was found dead ... and they're bringing in the big guns to try and get them.

Nolan's family hired prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump and is calling for a "thorough and transparent investigation" into the teen's death, according to a press release.

Crump said in a statement ... "Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never came home. His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth."

Another child allegedly got out of a log on Disneyland's Tiana's Bayou Adventure over the weekend, marking the second reported incident on the waterfall ride in about a month ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the incident happened Saturday night, when a cast member monitoring the attraction on CCTV saw the child leave the log and immediately initiated an emergency ride stop.

We're told the ride was temporarily shut down following the incident.

Our sources say the employee's quick response allowed the ride to be halted before the situation could escalate further.

Nolan Wells' friends are grieving his devastating loss ... flooding social media with touching tributes to the teen.

As you know, the 18-year-old's body was found in the water near Mississippi's Horn Island Monday ... he'd been missing since Saturday, when he and some pals took a boat out to the island.

And now, his friends are mourning his tragic death online, sharing sweet snaps and meaningful messages about what Nolan meant to them.

2:27 PM PT -- Nolan's family hired prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump and is calling for a "thorough and transparent investigation" into the teen's death, according to a press release.

The mystery surrounding the death of Mississippi teen Nolan Wells has taken another twist ... law enforcement is investigating a viral video that allegedly shows a heated Fourth of July confrontation on Horn Island, near where his body was found.

Check out the clip ... it appears to show a tense argument involving several people gathered near the shoreline as boats line the beach.

The video has sparked widespread speculation online that it could be connected to Nolan's disappearance -- but, so far, there's no confirmation that's actually the case.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter tells TMZ his office is aware of the circulating video, and investigators are actively looking into it as part of the ongoing investigation.

Support is flooding in as Nolan Wells' family mourns his tragic death ... a GoFundMe is fast approaching six figures worth of donations.

Family friend Allayah Denis started the crowdfunding page less than 24 hours ago ... and it's already raised $100,000 in Nolan's memory.

Allayah wrote on GoFundMe ... "Nolan Xavier Wells was a beloved son, grandson, brother, friend and teammate whose life touched so many people. His smile, kind heart, and love for others left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him."

Missing 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells' body has been found off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, according to local authorities.

Officials tell local outlets the body was discovered Monday morning around 8:45 AM in the water near the northwest end of Horn Island after a park ranger made the grim find.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said the remains matched the description of Wells, who had been the subject of a search effort.

11:13 AM PT -- The Unites Cajun Navy posted a message on Facebook saying they have called off the search for Nolan Wells.

8:32 AM PT -- A body has been found on Horn island according to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter ... the identity of the body is still unknown at this time.

A massive search is underway for a Mississippi teenager who vanished during a Fourth of July trip to a popular island ... and authorities are asking anyone who spent the holiday on the water to help bring him home.

Eighteen-year-old Nolan Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday on Horn Island -- off the Mississippi coast, Ocean Springs -- according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department. He was wearing black shorts and sunglasses when he disappeared.

Authorities say Nolan had traveled to the island by boat with friends ... but it's unclear whether he ever made it back to the mainland.

What started as a flight over New York City ended in the East River ... after a seaplane carrying eight passengers crashed Sunday afternoon, triggering a massive emergency response.

The aircraft made a hard landing in the River just after noon ... sending emergency crews racing to the scene, where witnesses watched as it partially capsized into the choppy water.

Check out the dramatic video ... rescue boats quickly surrounded the plane as first responders rushed to pull everyone to safety. Officials say all 8 people aboard -- six passengers, a pilot and a crew member -- made it out alive, with no serious injuries.

The United States turned 250 on Saturday ... and a group of white supremacists celebrated by flooding the streets of the nation's capital -- much to the chagrin of their fellow Americans.

The Patriot Front -- a white supremacy group which was founded in the aftermath of the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia back in 2017 -- showed up in full force in Washington, D.C. ... gathering outside a public transit station.

Video captured the group -- which is reportedly 400 strong -- in their matching ensembles ... blue shirts, khaki pants and white masks covering most of their faces.

Victims in the California State Parks hidden-camera scandal are speaking out for the first time ... describing the gut punch they say came with learning they may have been secretly recorded while changing at work.

Two employees appeared Thursday alongside attorneys Gloria Allred and John West, who announced they filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of four current parks employees alleging former supervisor Kevin Pearsall secretly recorded workers inside the men's locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach.

Former lifeguard and current park aide Matthew Dawson told reporters he "couldn't believe it" after learning about the allegations, while Richard Corey -- a senior park aide manager -- called the allegations "the ultimate betrayal of trust."

A shocking explosion devastated an apartment complex in Tacoma, Washington on Sunday ... and Firefighters were still inside when it happened.

Check out the crazy video ... Firefighters were investigating the first level of an apartment complex ... and when they finally got the door open, they were hit with a wall of smoke before a sudden explosion shattered the windows in the building's facade ... all with the firefighters just barely inside.

Miraculously, none of the firefighters were injured, and no one inside the complex got hurt either.

A baby found dead in a porta-potty at Electric Forest music festival in Michigan underwent an autopsy ... but the investigation is hitting roadblocks ... TMZ has learned.

Lieutenant Patrick Agema of the Michigan State Police tells TMZ ... police have not yet received a final autopsy report, so they're unable to determine whether the baby was born alive.

Agema says more information on the tragic death will come out, but it has to be made "by the forensic pathologist following a complete review of the autopsy findings" ... and until that report gets submitted, police don't want to speculate on the cause or manner of death.

A bull rider got violently trampled during a rodeo in NYC, turning him into a bloody mess and sending him straight to the emergency room, according to police.

The terrifying incident occurred Sunday night in the Bronx, where the 25-year-old man was riding the bull at the Rodeo Tierra Caliente before he was suddenly tossed like a rag doll to the ground.

NBC New York obtained a video showing the exact moment the rider fell from the bull and was stomped by its hooves. Several handlers rushed in to drag the rider away to safety.

The search for 19-year-old Marly Kinney has come to a heartbreaking end as her body was discovered Sunday afternoon, TMZ has learned.

Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources confirmed Sunday that Kinney's body was recovered near Grayson Lake, roughly five days after she was reported missing.

According to the KDFWR, multiple agencies located the teen's body in the Grayson area at approximately 3:45 p.m. Sunday.

Authorities say the family has been notified and the Carter County Coroner was notified and responded to the scene. The cause of death will be determined by the State Medical Examiner's Office in Frankfort.

23-year-old Cameron Conley has been arrested and charged with Boating Under the Influence after 19-year-old Marly Kinney went missing during a boating outing on a Kentucky lake -- with authorities now conducting an active search for the teen.

Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife say Marly was last seen on June 24 at Grayson Lake. According to local outlets, authorities were called to a boat ramp on the lake after 23-year-old Cameron Conley reportedly told marina staff he could not locate a woman who had been on his boat.

According to the reports, responding state troopers said Conley showed signs of impairment, including the smell of alcohol and bloodshot eyes ... officers had then questioned him about possible drinking while operating the boat.