Marshalls Stun Gun Thieves Nabbed After Wild Police Pursuit ... And More Shoplifting!!!

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The two females caught on video using a stun gun to jack a cart full of stuff from a Marshalls are finally in jail -- this after cops say they were led on a wild police pursuit.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the girls -- who were seen on video deploying a stun gun to rob a Studio City Marshalls last week -- were arrested Sunday and taken into custody ... but not before they led police on an insane chase through the South Bay.

We're told the young ladies have allegedly hit other Marshalls stores in L.A. County -- however, cops say it appears they only used the stun gun in that one instance Wednesday.

As for how they were eventually caught, welp ... it sounds like something out of a movie. Hawthorne PD says a call came in for a robbery yesterday at a clothing retail store ... and that witnesses saw the 3 women fleeing in a white Audi sedan.

HPD says a responding officer saw the vehicle on the road and attempted to initiate a stop -- but they say the car failed to yield and then turned into a dead-end alley ... only to turn around and drive straight forward toward the officer who was in hot pursuit.

Police say the Audi slammed into the cop car, and continued to drive away ... leaving the cruiser seriously damaged. As the Audi continued to drive, law enforcement claims it hit 2 other vehicles on the road before officers were finally able to get them in cuffs.

Cops say the suspects are all minors -- aged 13, 16 and 17 -- and that they were treated at a local hospital before being hauled off to jail. BTW, we're told three of these girls are the same ones involved in the Studio City incident, and that only 2 of them were seen in our video from last week.

For now, cops say the case remains under investigation.

Jennifer Coolidge Gettin' To Dinner With A Police Escort!!!

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Jennifer Coolidge has hit a brand new milestone in her career ... pullin' up to dinner down under with a little help from the Five-O.

"The White Lotus" star arrived in style at Aria Restaurant in Sydney Sunday night, getting a police escort from a couple of cops from New South Wales to the harborside spot.

The police officers even asked for a pic with Jennifer before she stepped inside to get some grub -- and we're sure she made hunks' night standin' next to her.

FYI, Jennifer's in town for Vivid Sydney, an annual festival of arts, music, and more ... she headlined a sit-down conversation with 'White Lotus' creator Mike White Saturday night.

While chatting about the highly-acclaimed series, Mike teased some plans to take the show to Australia -- telling folks his goal is to tackle every continent, adding there's a "huge wealth of talent" on the massive island.

Obviously, Jennifer's character, Tanya, won't make a return to the show -- unless it's a prequel -- after her death ... but it's clear Jennifer is just as treasured down under as stateside.

Nicki Minaj Swatting Call for Child Abuse, Fire Cops Say Claims Bogus

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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.

One last thing ... sources close to Nicki tell us she's not letting this little episode slide. We're told she's hired lawyers to make sure the people behind this swatting are exposed and held accountable -- which could mean criminal charges down the road.

UFO Sighting Vegas Family Claims to See Aliens ... Object Caught on Bodycam

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A Las Vegas-area family reported seeing aliens roaming their backyard after a supposed crash landing -- and the crazy part ... something strange was caught on police bodycam.

This happened in early May, but is just being reported now ... this after Vegas Metro released a bunch of footage related to the case. The family -- who haven't been ID'd -- called 911 on May 1 to report seeing 2 massive beings, standing at least 8-ft tall, roaming their property.

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WHAT IN THE WORLD?!

They say the ETs made their way into their backyard after what they described as a loud crash nearby ... part of which, it seems, might've actually been captured on bodycam footage taken by one of the responding officers that night. As you can see, it's a bright green glowing object that's descending from the sky ... and it was inadvertently recorded.

It appears another unit came out to further interview the family after the cop reported seeing the object -- giving credence, at least at first, to their story ... relayed via dispatch.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the only somewhat solid thing was filmed that night. Despite the family's claims -- they don't have any smoking gun picture or video of the "aliens" they described ... although there is 1 clip taken by them that's being picked apart.

The video shows the family reacting to something past their backyard gate and (possibly in their driveway). Some claim to see two aliens here, but it's eye of the beholder per usual.

In the end, Las Vegas Metro ended up closing the case as "unfounded" after not being able to find anything. Still, the interest it's generated has been huge -- with many believing this is one of the best accounts of an alien encounter possibly ever recorded in modern times.

Of course, it's interesting this is happening now ... on the heels of an alleged whistleblower going to the media to claim there's a secret UFO retrieval program that the US has been a part of for years -- with claims of research and attempted reverse engineering on our part.

Apparently, Congress is preparing a hearing on what this guy -- David Grusch -- has to say. He's supposedly already filed an official complaint, detailing what he says he knows.

Ted Kaczynski The Unabomber Dead at 81 ... Found in Prison Cell

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UPDATE

11:15 AM PT -- BOP says Kaczynski was found unresponsive at the facility he was being kept at, and that life-saving measures were undertaken, unsuccessfully. He was rushed to a hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead there. It's unclear what exactly happened to him.

Notorious domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, best known as the Unabomber, is dead ... according to prison officials.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons says Kaczynski was found dead Saturday morning in his cell at FMC Butner in North Carolina. So far, officials aren't saying anything about the cause of death.

Kaczynski had served most of his life sentence at Colorado supermax prison since his 1998 conviction. He was transferred to NC in 2021, so he could get better medical treatment.

ABC News first reported his death.

The Unabomber evaded law enforcement for almost 20 years, while pulling off a string of bombings, several of them deadly. For the longest time, the only image the public had of him was an FBI sketch.

Authorities finally figured out who he was when his infamous manifesto, "Industrial Society and Its Future" ... was published in 1995 in the Washington Post. Kaczynski's brother recognized the writing and went to cops.

The FBI tracked him down and arrested him the following year at a remote cabin in Montana.

Kaczynski eventually pleaded guilty to setting 16 explosions that killed 3 people and injured 23 others between 1978 and 1995.

He was 81.

Originally Published -- 10:28 AM PT

Body Cam Footage Colorado Cop Punches Cuffed Woman In Face ... Fired From The Department

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A Colorado cop socked an unruly woman in the face while she was in handcuffs ... and the assault was caught on video, leading to the officer's firing.

Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran released the body cam footage Friday, which showed Russell Maranto and his fellow officers escorting Angelia Hall into a hospital room on May 20. Hall was taken to the medical center for evaluation after she was placed in protective custody for wandering in traffic and mumbling to herself.

The clip begins with Hall parking herself in a chair with her hands cuffed behind her back and getting belligerent with the cops, shouting and cursing at them.

Maranto rips a piece of paper out of Hall's hand and walks away with it. As a result, Hall goes berserk, demanding her paper back as Maranto returns to try to calm her down.

But Hall can't contain her anger and hocks a loogie at Maranto, who then slams his fist into her face, causing minor injuries.

Three days later, Chief Doran terminated Maranto from his position and launched an investigation into the incident. Hall was charged with assault for her actions toward Maranto. The Larimer County D.A. is weighing whether to criminally charge Maranto.

Marshalls Thieves Attack Security Guard With Stun Gun ... Take Off With Loaded Cart

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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.

Discount stores, beware ... a couple of shocking ladies could be lookin' at you next -- and not for the low, low prices!

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Winner Tyra Sanchez Arrested Allegedly Assaulted, Threatened to Shoot Cop

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"RuPaul's Drag Race" winner Tyra Sanchez is sashaying her way into major legal trouble ... after allegedly threatening to gun down a police officer.

According to the arrest report, obtained by TMZ, Sanchez -- whose real name is James William Ross IV -- got into a minor car crash with another driver, but when officers arrived on the scene last month in Starke, FL ... they say she jumped out of the car and started yelling at the cop.

The officer tried to calm down Tyra, but they say she wasn't having it, and when the cop tried to slap on handcuffs, she allegedly threatened to shoot the officer.

What's more, police say Tyra tried to reach into her car, at which point the officer put her in a bear hug ... and eventually deployed a taser, but it did squat to stop her.

Cops say Tyra took off on foot, but was apprehended a short distance away, and arrested for assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting without violence.

Fans of the competition series remember Tyra winning the second season, walking away with $25K and a ton of stardom. She retired in 2020, but pulled a Tom Brady and returned to action in 2022 on OnlyFans under the name "King Tyra."

Ross was also busted back in 2020 for spray-painting graffiti in Atlanta, writing, "Don't Move Here Ever" on the side of an apartment building.

No T, no shade, but going from vandalism to allegedly assaulting a cop? Good God, girl!

UConn Several Students Expelled ... Over Wild National Title Celebrations

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The insane celebrations on UConn's campus following the school's basketball team's championship win in April have now cost several students dearly ... TMZ Sports has confirmed a few have been expelled over it all.

UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz says while some investigations into the postgame incidents in Storrs, Conn. remain ongoing ... some have closed -- and they've resulted in students being perma-banned from the university.

Others could suffer similar fates soon -- Reitz tells us there are further hearings still on the school's agenda.

"We'll likely have a better picture later in the summer of the totality of the outcomes," Reitz said ... adding, "since students have the opportunity for an appeals process if they disagree with the proposed outcome, and in those circumstances, the case remains open until that takes place and a final decision is made."

The school initially launched investigations into the partying on April 3 ... just hours after students were seen wildly celebrating the Huskies' 76-59 win over San Diego State.

Video shot by bystanders shows students smashed windows ... while others ripped down light poles and lit fires in the streets.

Some were even accused of flipping a car on its side.

At the time, 15 people were arrested and charged for the mess ... while 16 others were sent to the hospital with injuries.

John Amos Hospitalized, Daughter Claims Elder Abuse ... John, Rep Say She's Lying

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UPDATE

12:27 PM PT -- We spoke with John Amos, who tells us the details laid out by his daughter Shannon Amos are a lie ... no one is abusing him and he hasn't been fighting for his life. He says he's got no idea as to why Shannon may have started the GoFundMe.

UPDATE

As for the hospitalization, John's rep, Belinda Foster, tells us he's been in the hospital because his lower body was filling with fluid, all the way to his abdomen, and causing issues with his heart. Foster says doctors have been able to drain all of it, and John's recently started to feel 100%.

"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.

Originally Published -- 11:32 AM PT

Adam DeVine Murder at My Neighbor's Party ... Wife and I Were Nearby!!!

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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.

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THE SHOCKING STORY

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.

Investigators think Lahaziel was involved in an argument on the property's driveway when the suspect pulled out the gun and shot him ... but the suspect hasn't been found yet.

Chris Rock Calls Cops to NYC Home ... Some Guy's Filming on My Fire Escape!!!

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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.

Sounds like Chris might wanna get into a luxury high-rise after this, and ASAP. Lord knows there are no fire escapes there ... perhaps for the better.

Bam Margera Placed on 5150 Hold

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Bam Margera is a danger to himself and others, according to the police officers who located him in L.A., and promptly put him on a 5150 psychiatric hold ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... LAPD officers tracked down Bam Sunday afternoon by tracking his phone, and they eventually found him at Trejo's Tacos -- the L.A. hot spot owned by Danny Trejo.

We're told they made contact with Bam and found his erratic speech and behavior -- combined with recent suicidal threats he's made -- enough reason to call in a psychiatric evaluation team. Once they met with Bam, they determined he needed to be 5150'd.

Our sources say Bam was taken to a mental health facility, where, by law, he can be held for up to 72 hours. It's unclear if he's still getting treatment.

As we reported, Bam's latest spiral started last week when he threatened to smoke crack until he died if he doesn't get to see his son.

The former "Jackass" star is in the middle of a divorce from his estranged wife, Nikki ... and he says she won't let him see their boy.

On Sunday, Bam's brother, Jess Margera, fired off a desperate tweet, asking if anyone had information on Bam's whereabouts. Jess says Bam sent a text to family members that made them fear he was suicidal.

Darez Diggs Orchestrates Attack On Man In Elevator ... Video Shows

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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.

Our attempts to reach Darez through the clothing line was unsuccessful.

BLM Co-Founder's Cousin Died of Cocaine and Heart Issues ... Coroner Reports on LAPD Taser Incident

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Keenan Anderson, cousin of BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, died because of cocaine and an enlarged heart ... according to the coroner's office, which was investigating his death following a controversial LAPD arrest.

Body cam footage of Anderson's arrest sparked protests in L.A. earlier this year -- LAPD officers had used a taser on him for 42 seconds, according to Cullors. However, the L.A. County Coroner's autopsy report, released Friday, says Anderson's cause of death might have been the effects of cocaine use on his enlarged heart.

The report notes that a manner of death has not yet been determined.

The police video showed officers tasering Anderson -- who had been a high school English teach -- at least 6 times while he was on his stomach.

In response to Anderson's death, LAPD Chief Michael Moore said the department would be taking a closer look at taser deployment.

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THE DANGERS OF TASERS

Patrisse told us, on "TMZ Live," she was deeply concerned about taser use, and said there's some alarming data about the effects of such high voltage on the human body.

MLB Star Anthony Rendon Assault Probe Closed

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Anthony Rendon will not face charges over his altercation with an Athletics fan ... cops tell TMZ Sports they've closed their investigation into the Angels star after they say a victim never came forward.

The Oakland Police Department initially launched their probe into Rendon on March 31 -- one day after the L.A. third baseman was seen grabbing an A's fan's shirt on video following a loss at the Coliseum.

In police documents, cops say they investigated Rendon for misdemeanor assault as well as misdemeanor battery ... but on Thursday, they closed the matter.

A spokesperson for the OPD did say, however, the case would be reopened if an alleged victim were to come forward.

Even though Rendon is now in the clear criminally, he was still punished by the MLB over the incident ... the 32-year-old was slapped with a five-game ban and a fine in April.

Rendon declined to comment on the case in the days after the altercation ... though his bat certainly got hot despite the controversy -- as he was hitting .301 on the season before he went on the injured list in mid-May with a groin strain.