Tamar Braxton 911 Calls Claim Suicide Attempt in L.A. Hotel

Tamar Braxton may have attempted to take her own life.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a 911 call was placed at around 10 PM Thursday. The caller said someone at the Ritz Carlton hotel in downtown L.A. attempted suicide.

When EMTs arrived we're told they found Tamar unconscious inside her room. Her boyfriend, David Adefeso, told cops she may have overdosed on pills and alcohol.

Our sources say the boyfriend also told police Tamar had been upset earlier in the day and had threatened suicide. Our law enforcement sources say Tamar did not leave a note.

Tamar was rushed to the hospital. We do not know her condition.

Tamar and David do a YouTube show called, "Coupled & Quarantined," and the latest episode was supposed to run Thursday night, but earlier in the day they said it was being postponed. They did not say why.

They also have an upcoming show on WE tv called, "Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life." The first trailer for the show was released Thursday, and in it, Tamar is seen arguing with producers about being portrayed as the "angry black woman."

Tamar, whose latest album was "Bluebird of Happiness" back in 2017, may be even better known for her reality series, "Braxton Family Values."

She also won the U.S. version of "Celebrity Big Brother" last year.

We attempted but were unable to reach Tamar's rep.

Naya Rivera Underwater Robots Used to Recover Body

MECHANICAL EYES

The search for Naya Rivera continues as authorities are now using a mechanical robot to locate her body.

Ventura County Sheriff's deputies employed the ROV -- remotely operated vehicle -- after spotting a dark shape in the water, which they thought might be a body. After lowering the ROV, deputies discovered the object was a tree branch.

It's apparent how difficult the search is from the images ... divers can only see inches in front of them. Making matters even more difficult ... they don't know where Naya was when she disappeared.

The recovery effort was called off Friday night but will resume at first light Saturday.

As we reported, Naya and her 4-year-old son were swimming in Lake Piru Wednesday when she disappeared. Her son climbed back in the boat and told authorities he was swimming with his mom but she never got back on the boat.

In addition to the ROV, authorities are using side-scan sonar, dogs and divers to locate Naya's body.

MOMENTS BEFORE
Ventura County Sheriff's Office

The Ventura County Sheriff released security camera footage Thursday from the boat launch where Naya and her son rented a pontoon boat on the lake.

As we reported, more than 20,000 people have now signed a petition demanding that the dangers of Lake Piru -- with all the debris in the water -- be made clear to anyone who wants to boat or swim in the lake. Naya would be the 9th drowning victim at the Lake since the mid-'90s.

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Naya Rivera Angry Locals Demand Protection for Swimmers After Presumed Drowning

Naya Rivera's presumed death has angered locals who know the hidden perils of Lake Piru, and now they're demanding more protection for swimmers whose lives are at risk.

More than TWELVE THOUSAND PEOPLE and counting have signed a petition ... demanding more effective warnings for swimmers who are clueless that the waters below are perilous.

The locals have reason for concern ... Naya would mark the 9th drowning death at Lake Piru since 1994.

As we reported ... when Naya jumped in the water, the visibility was 5 to 9 inches. Piru is not a natural lake, and its bottom is covered by trees and other debris, in which a swimmer can easily get entangled. The lake also has strong currents, making swimming difficult.

SEARCHING FOR NAYA
RMG News

The petition reads, " ... people have been asking for years for the city to put up warning signs for swimmers. Locals of Ventura County don’t go to Lake Piru for this reason! Tourists have no idea what they’re getting into. Lake Piru needs signs. We’re tired of waiting. We need justice for all those who got lost at Lake Piru. Put up the signs."

There are some marked swimming areas for those who jump in from the shore, but people on boats don't seem to get the proper warnings. It's perilous because just about anyone on a boat in the middle of a hot summer day is going to want to jump in the water to cool off.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... they don't know where Naya and her 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, were when they both jumped in the water. Josey got back in the boat and fell asleep. When authorities arrived, he told them Naya never returned.

Lake Piru does not have many lifeguards, and swimmers "are engaging in a hazardous recreational activity and do so at their own risk" ... according to its policy. Locals want to make it less risky ... thus the petition.

Melania Trump Statue Set on Fire in Her Home Country

A statue of Melania Trump near her hometown in Slovenia was torched over the weekend ... and the charred aftermath has now been removed.

The life-size wooden statue near Sevnica was set on fire on July 4, as the First Family celebrated Independence Day in the U.S. ... according to the American artist who commissioned the statue, Brad Downey.

Downey, who's based in Berlin, told reporters the statue was severely damaged and blackened by the flames ... so he had it taken down.

The artist says he wants to know why people did this, and police say they are investigating.

The Melania sculpture -- which features her in a blue coat similar to what she wore during President Trump's 2017 inauguration -- was carved with a chainsaw by local artist Ales "Maxi" Zupevc and unveiled last year.

It had been widely roasted, verbally that is, for not looking anything like the First Lady ... but Downey maintained it was "absolutely beautiful."

Melania's statue being set ablaze is surprising, though. As you'll recall ... her hometown was excited about her new status in America back in January 2017, and Sevnica's tourism industry boomed because of it.

So far, no word from Donald about THIS statue going down.

AOC Want REAL Police, Education Reform?!? Here Are the Keys to the Castle!!!

GO VOTE
TMZ.com

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is offering a road map to those looking for meaningful change when it comes to real police and education reform ... and it starts with local elections.

We got the Congresswoman on Capitol Hill, and she was clear -- there is only so much that can be done at the federal level. She says people should be laser focused on 2 elections -- the election for their mayor, and for their city councilperson.

AOC's message ... vote local. She says, "Look at what your city council and mayor are saying. They're the ones that hold the key to the castle when it comes to police reform." She's right ... and she offers a prime example going down in her own backyard.

Ocasio-Cortez points to NYC's fiscal budget ... which includes Mayor Bill De Blasio proposing to shift $1 billion from the NYPD's $6 billion budget and earmark it for Summer Youth programs as well as family and social services. A huge chunk will also be diverted to the New York Housing Authority and Parks youth recreation centers.

AOC says there were rumors the City's education budget could face up to $3 billion in cuts ... the number's actually closer to $400 million. Still ... she says it begs the question -- why's it controversial to defund the police but NOT when education gets defunded?

Fair question.

Hugh Downs Broadcast Legend Dead at 99

Hugh Downs -- a broadcasting legend with 60 years experience on "Today," "20/20" and 'The Tonight Show' -- has died.

Hugh died Wednesday at his home in Scottsdale, AZ ... according to his family, who released a statement Friday, saying his passing is not related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hugh was one of TV's most familiar faces during his incredibly long and successful run as a broadcaster ... he co-anchored NBC's "Today" show from 1962 to 1971 and is most remembered for his 21 years as Barbara Walters' co-host on ABC's "20/20."

Downs was also known for his signature sign-off during his time at "20/20" ... ending the nightly program with this gem, "We're in touch, so you be in touch."

Hugh was on the tube for so long, at one point he held the record for most hours spent in front of a TV camera with a whopping 15,188 ... a long-standing record eventually topped by Regis Philbin.

While Hugh officially retired from "20/20" way back in 1999, he lent his smooth voice to a number of TV specials and documentary films during the 2000s.

Hugh was born in Akron, Ohio and he got his broadcasting start on radio in Detroit and Chicago before moving to TV in 1949 as an announcer on a classic children's puppet show called, "Kukla, Fran and Ollie."

Downs also served as the announcer for one of the earliest versions of NBC's "Tonight Show," working alongside Jack Paar in the late 1950s and early '60s.

He even launched one of the most popular daytime shows in the 1960s, "Concentration," a memory-matching game he hosted for over a decade.

Downs worked for PBS too, for much of the 1990s he was the host of the network's "Live From Lincoln Center" broadcasts.

Hugh was 99.

RIP

L.A. City Councilman Take LAPD Off Non-Violent Calls ... Proposes Police Reform

A SAFER ALTERNATIVE
TMZ.com

L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson says it's time to have the right people responding to situations where force is not needed -- and his plan could be a model for the future of policing in America.

Wesson came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to discuss a new city-wide measure he and his fellow council members voted on and passed this week, which aims to pull cops off on non-violent calls for service, and instead ... send specially-trained, and unarmed, community members.

The Council's intent is clear ... reduce the possibility of police using excessive force, and have social workers and mental health pros on the scene to deescalate and help citizens in need.

6/27/20
SEPARATION ANXIETY
@jzapata23 / Twitter

For example, the incident that went down in Tampa this past weekend -- where officers responded to a call for a mother in mental distress. Cops ended up ripping away her children in a heartbreaking scene.

Wesson wants to put a stop to unnecessary roughness like that, by deploying specialists who can calm situations and talk down subjects.

The measure will require defunding the police -- or more accurately, reallocating the city's budget. The City Councilman thinks the change would free up LAPD to better police violent cases. Win-win.

It also sounds like this is a plan that could be adopted nationwide -- if it's effective in the city of Angels.

Sky News Reporter Son Interrupts Live Broadcast ... Ma, I Want Some Biscuits!!!

BISCUIT BREAK-IN
Sky News

A British journalist reporting live from home got yanked back into the field of family life during her broadcast -- and it's freakin' adorable ... even if the anchor didn't think so.

Sky News' foreign affairs editor, Deborah Haynes, was live on the air Wednesday with presenter Mark Austin -- and they were talking shop about a new law across the pond that'll allow millions of people in Hong Kong to -- y'know what, let's just get to Deborah's cute kid.

Her young son -- who can't be more than 5 -- storms into the room she's doing her live shot from ... and saunters over to bring something of the utmost importance to her attention -- biscuits. Highest priority!!!

Deborah handled the situation as gracefully as she could, excusing herself from the chat for a moment to address her boy's pressing concerns ... namely, if he could have 3 biscuits.

She haggled and gave him the okay for 2 -- but by then, the camera had cut back to Mark in the studio and he was already moving on, seemingly irritated by the interruption. He kept it relatively chill too though, saying that's what happens when reporting amid a lockdown.

Of course, that phenomenon isn't specific to coronavirus or WFH, per se -- and the Brits oughta know that first-hand. This reminds us of another very famous/very funny kid-trusion a few years back that happened live on the BBC, before COVID-19 was running rampant.

American professor Robert Kelly was doing a live shot from home to dish on South Korean policy, when his own two young children sashayed into the room ... only to have his wife fly in after them and yank them out.

Deb's sitter must've been busy with the tea downstairs or something here.

John Wayne Family Says He 'Was Not A Racist' ... Would've Saved George Floyd!!!

John Wayne was NOT a racist ... at least according to his son, who just weighed in on the controversial debate about renaming the Orange County airport that bears his name.

John's son, Ethan Wayne, says he's trying to set the record straight on the famous cowboy actor, who some say is a racist and bigot and doesn't deserve to have his name on the SoCal airport.

Ethan says of his father ... "John Wayne was not a racist. I know that term is casually tossed around these days, but I take it very seriously. I also understand how we got to this point."

Remember, John told Playboy back in 1971 ... "I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don't believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people."

The infamous quote is one of the reasons the Orange County Democratic Party recently passed a resolution, calling out John's "racist and bigoted statements" and demanding the O.C. Board of Supervisors rename the airport.

Ethan says in a family statement ... "There is no question that the words spoken by John Wayne in an interview 50 years ago have caused pain and anger. They pained him as well, as he realized his true feelings were wrongly conveyed."

He does not say his father was misquoted, and despite the words he spoke to Playboy ... Ethan goes on to say his dad "did not support 'white supremacy' in any way and believed that responsible people should gain power without the use of violence."

John's son is also invoking George Floyd's name to defend his father, saying ... "He would have pulled those officers off of George Floyd, because that was the right thing to do. He would stand for everyone’s right to protest and work toward change."

Ethan says his it would be an "injustice" to judge John based on a single interview and says the big picture paints a much different picture of dad, who he says "called out bigotry when he saw it."

John's son also points to his lasting legacy, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, and says his name will always embody courage, strength and grit.

Golden State Killer Pleading Guilty to 13 Murders ... Crimes 'Terrified' California

The man known as the Golden State Killer will finally admit to the horrific crimes he committed in the '70s and '80s ... including 13 first-degree murder charges he's facing.

Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. is appearing in a makeshift courtroom Monday -- onstage in a ballroom at Cal State Sacramento -- where he will plead guilty to the 13 counts of murder and 13 counts of kidnapping for purposes of robbery.

DeAngelo's also expected to admit guilt to 62 other rapes and abductions during the plea hearing ... crimes for which the statute of limitations expired long ago.

Sacramento County Deputy D.A. Amy Holliday says prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty and expect DeAngelo to be sentenced to life without parole.

The 74-year-old former police officer's guilty plea comes after decades of mystery over the rapes and killings at his hands, which took place between 1973 and 1986.

DeAngelo's trail of terror led to monikers like the "Visalia Ransacker," "East Area Rapist," "Original Night Stalker" and finally, the "Golden State Killer," and left "communities terrified for years" ... according to prosecutor Thien Ho at Monday's hearing.

After more than a 40-year hunt, DeAngelo was arrested on April 24, 2018 after being ID'd by crime-scene DNA.

The Golden State Killer's crimes and investigation are the subject of the new HBO documentary, "I'll Be Gone in the Dark," which highlights the late Michelle McNamara's mission to crack the case and find him

Tesla's Cybertruck Displayed at L.A. Auto Museum ... The Public Gets a Gander

Elon Musk's newest sweet ride has gone from the Tesla stage to the public stage -- 'cause his Cybertruck made what appears to be its public debut for the first time this weekend.

The Cybertruck was rolled out (literally) this weekend in L.A. and put on display for public viewing at the Petersen Automotive Museum -- where tons of cool and historic whips are featured for an up-close-and-personal viewing. And for now, the Cybertruck is one of them.

Sounds like this would be one of the few times anyone besides a Tesla employee has gotten to inspect this beast of a vehicle in detail and with their own eyes. Of course, Elon and co. did an up-and-down unveiling in November, but since then ... the car's been mostly MIA.

Welp, the good folks over at Electrek did the hard work of going to check it out for themselves ... and they did a proper write-up on what they found upon seeing it in person.

Long story short, they say it's about as cool as it looked the first time it was shown off -- and it's actually not all that intimating when you get a closer look. Electrek breaks down all the features that Tesla revealed in the fall -- and got some sweet close-up shots of the exterior.

They note it's pretty freaking big, but not all that imposing when you're right up next to this thing. Despite its out-of-this-world design, Electrek notes a lot of the car parts are very much so of our time and are quite practical. The steering wheel and side mirrors are bit different (or non-existent) which leads to questions about how it'll actually drive on the road.

Time will tell, we suppose. In the meantime ... LOOK 👀

Rep. Al Green Juneteenth Holiday Would Be Great But We Need to Do More!!!

ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THIS YEAR
TMZ.com

Rep. Al Green says there are more reasons than ever for all Americans to celebrate Juneteenth, and a national holiday is just the start of what D.C. can do to honor the spirit of the day.

The Congressman from Texas gave us a brief history lesson on June 19 -- which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. -- and explained why the Black Lives Matter movement is making it more special this year.

Green's all for making Juneteenth a national holiday -- it already is in Texas -- but he has his sights set on a bigger mission ... creating a Department of Reconciliation.

The congressman says despite the atrocities in our nation's history, we've never reconciled them. He says it will take a new federal agency -- working directly with the Prez -- to make it happen. Green believes it's crucial if we're serious about stamping out racism and discrimination.

Green points to Germany as a template for doing this and makes a strong case for why Confederate statues gotta go too.

As for President Trump bragging that HE made Juneteenth "very famous" -- well let's just say school's in session ... and Congressman Green is the teacher.

Breonna Taylor Mom Demands 'Cover Up' End Now ... Give Us Documents, Body Cams, Justice!!!

DEMANDING ANSWERS
TMZ.com

Breonna Taylor's mother can't wrap her head around why her daughter's killing at the hands of cops seems to be getting swept under the rug, and she says it's past time for answers.

Tamika Palmer and her attorneys, Lonita Baker and Ben Crump, joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and dug right into what they see as the city of Louisville stonewalling them on Breonna's case.

Breonna's mom says there are a number of factors behind the case's snail-like pace ... but she doesn't understand the reason for the holdup, or why her legal team's demands and deadlines are not being met by the police and Mayor.

Baker says their request for crucial docs pertaining to the investigation -- an official autopsy, the Mayor's internal communications and personnel files for the cops involved -- are not unreasonable, and the Kentucky Attorney General is on their side.

It's interesting ... Baker tells us officials might be thinking they can cover up Breonna's death because the plainclothes officers who served the fatal "no-knock" warrant were not wearing body cams.

But, Baker explained why there's good reason to believe the cops DO have footage they've refused to turn over, or release to the public.

The lack of body cam footage so far, Baker says, is why Americans should consider pushing for all police to not only wear body cams but to be forced to keep them rolling during all contact with the public.

The investigation into Breonna's death stands in stark contrast to the legal responses following the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd ... and Crump says it's high time the people who killed her are criminally charged too, and he has a strong message for the Mayor and AG.

Common & Tiffany Haddish Take Relationship to the Streets ... Join 'All Black Lives Matter' Protest

Tiffany Haddish and Common are way past virtual dating -- they're out and about together now ... protesting in the real world.

The comedian and the rapper joined tens of thousands of people Sunday in L.A. for the All Black Lives Matter march, which started in front of Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theater and ended in WeHo.

Tiffany was seen with a white "Fed Up" shirt, while Common wore a black t-shirt with Rosa Parks' face. Both had face coverings too ... keeping things COVID-safe.

The socially conscious date came 2 days after Tiff made an emotional speech at another rally ... talking about the fear she's felt when getting pulled over, and worrying that family members might not make it home if they have run-ins with police.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Common and Tiff have been rumored to be in a relationship since the early days of stay-at-home orders when they were using Bumble to go on virtual dates. Later, Haddish reportedly revealed they'd taken another step and were self-isolating together.

Whether they're official or not ... the 2 were officially on board with joining the BLM cause Sunday, which was in solidarity with the black LGBTQ+ community.

Megan Thee Stallion and several other celebs also attended the event.

Green Turtles We're Hatchin' a Plan for More of Us!!!

SWIM, DAMNIT!!!
Queensland Department of Environment and Science / Great Barrier Reef Foundation

This is pretty spectacular ... a video capturing tens of thousands of green turtles that are making their way to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia -- 'cause it's nesting season!!!

Australian scientists shot the vid, showing what they say are approximately 64,000 turtles migrating to the Reef, and the drone footage shows just how many of them are present.

The Queensland Government's Dept. of Environment and Science had been monitoring the turtles, but the numbers they had predicted for the turtle army were off by 50% -- meaning there were twice as many than scientists had originally thought.

In any event ... just a cool video to watch.

George Floyd Protests Spark Statues Getting Toppled ... All Over the World

George Floyd protesters are taking their anger and frustration out on historical statues deemed to undermine the movement ... and it's happening all over the world.

A statue of Belgian King Leopold II was defaced following an anti-racism protest in Brussels. You can see the BLM letters are tagged on the statue itself. Over in Bristol, England ... you can see a statue of Edward Colston being pushed into the river.

So, who's Colston? He was a slave trader in the late 17th century who played a major role in the development of the city of Bristol. In London ... a BLM placard was placed on the Winston Churchill statue at Parliament Square.

Check out the pics ... you can see the Christopher Columbus statue painted with red during recent protests. As we reported ... Columbus statues all over the US of A have also gotten their fair share of vandalism.

In Boston ... a Columbus statue at Waterfront Park was beheaded. It's now been scheduled to be removed by the city of Boston. As we've reported ... protesters have taken to the streets in South Africa, Poland and Italy, to name a few, to honor George Floyd.

Old news is old news!
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