Police

At least one of Travis Scott's attorneys believes Houston police intentionally timed the release of their report on the Astroworld tragedy ... in order to hurt sales of his new "Utopia" album.

Kent Schaffer tells TMZ ... it's no coincidence Houston's PD's full investigation report came out Friday, the same day as Travis' latest album.

Travis' lawyers says cops were well aware "Utopia" was dropping Friday -- it was highly publicized as Travis made an official announcement early in the week. Schaffer believes their motive for precisely timing the 1,266-page release was to hurt Travis' sales, and take some heat off law enforcement for not charging Travis with a crime.

For the record, Houston PD has said it is simply a "coincidence."

While Schaffer isn't buying that, he thinks the report won't have much impact on Travis' fans ... or hurt his album sales, for that matter.

Travis' lawyer is also pushing back on some of the report's contents ... including a statement from a security guard who claims he tried to get Travis' team to stop the show during Drake's set, but was told Drake had to finish first.

Schaffer flat out denies that, claiming all the crowd injuries happened 30 minutes before Drake hit the stage, but no one brought it to Travis' attention ... and he says police could have stopped the concert sooner if they wanted.

Travis told police he was told in his earpiece to stop the show after Drake left the stage ... and his attorney says Travis followed all directions and that's one reason he was not charged with a crime.

Travis' attorney says he was in communication with HPD throughout the investigation, which lasted over 18 months, and the opinions expressed to him were that police did not see any criminal liability on Travis' part.

That's exactly what a grand jury decided last month, refusing to indict the rapper for the 10 deaths at Astroworld. However, he's still facing several lawsuits from victims and families of victims.

Schaffer says the size and scope of the released documents is unusual ... and he thinks police wanted to show the public and the victims' families that they conducted a very thorough investigation.

Meanwhile, an attorney for a family whose child died at the concert tells TMZ ... "The release of this report only reminds the family about the terror, the devastation and the horror which took away their child. The feelings are mixed between sadness, anger and determination to continue pursuing justice regardless of whether it’s in a criminal courthouse or a civil courthouse."

Things didn't work out as planned for a suspected bank burglar in Ohio ... he came crashing down from a ceiling as cops surrounded him with their guns drawn, and it was all caught on film.

Police body cam footage, obtained by NBC News, captured every dramatic moment outside Federal Credit Union in Huron, about 50 miles west of Cleveland, in the early morning hours Wednesday.

In the shocking video, Tristan Heidl is at first obscured from view as he tries to push open a door hatch from inside the roof in the bank's drive-thru area.

Little does Heidl know, officers already responded to an alarm that got tripped and were standing nearby waiting for him to make his appearance.

Pretty soon, the hatch flies open, and Heidl drops down into a garbage bin.

The cops rush up to him, aiming their guns at his head while screaming for him to get on the ground.

Travis Scott told police someone in his earpiece told him to end the Astroworld concert after Drake's set, but insists he had no clue there was an emergency unfolding in the crowd.

The rapper's account of what unfolded at the deadly November 2021 concert is documented in the 1,266-page report from Houston Police, who interviewed him at his home a few days after the concert.

Travis said the first time he noticed something was wrong was when he was on a lifted platform above the stage and he noticed someone down near the stage who was receiving medical attention.

Before this point, Travis said he recalled seeing lights in the crowd but could not tell what was going on ... so he asked folks in the crowd to put up a middle finger if they were fine and that was the overwhelming response ... so he thought everything was good.

Travis told police he was on the elevated platform for about two or three songs, when he saw someone waving their hands at him near the stage ... and that's when he told the crowd to back up and get medical attention to the area.

For the rest of his time on the elevated platform, Travis said he was in a "trance" going through his performance and getting into the music ... and that there wasn't a "high commotion" in the crowd.

When Drake was onstage, the report said a security guard tried to get two members of Travis' team to stop the show in the middle of the set, but was denied and told Drake needed to finish.

Travis told police he was told "Yo, this is gonna have to be like the last song," when Drake was performing ... but he says he was not told there was an emergency.

When Drake finished, Travis says he was told in his earpiece ... "Yo Trav, you got to wrap it up, it's getting kinda hectic out there." Travis says there was no mention of the situation's severity.

Travis told police he was first told something happened at the concert when he got back to his trailer, when a friend told him a concertgoer was getting CPR. Travis says he thought only one person was in trouble, but was later informed that two people needed CPR and that's when he started to question what was going on.

It was not until Travis got home, around 2 AM or 3 AM, that he says he learned about the number of people who died at Astroworld.

In total, 10 people died and dozens were injured ... and now Travis is facing civil lawsuits, though he will not face criminal charges.

Victims of Travis Scott's Astroworld tragedy were alarmed the concert continued as they were fighting for their lives, and one security guard even went backstage pleading with Travis' team to stop the concert ... but his team refused to alert Travis.

Police just released their 1,266-page report ... which includes interviews with hundreds of concert attendees, many of whom suffered injuries and were hospitalized. Some of them paint a grisly picture of what happened in November of 2021 ... as the crowd surge resulted in a stampede.

The report says the security guard, Marty, made it backstage to the audio area to try and stop the show while Drake was performing. Marty said he made it clear to two members of Travis' team who allegedly had the ability to communicate with Travis that the concert needed to end, but he was blocked.

The man says Travis' team did not want to shut the show down because Drake had three more songs left ... and he says he told them the situation was "much bigger than Drake" but says Travis' team "actively impeded the ability for anyone to stop the show."

Police interviewed Drake and asked if he noticed any problems going on in the crowd while he was on stage and he told cops it was difficult to see from his vantage point because there were a lot of lights and it was his first time ever on that stage and he wasn't able to rehearse.

Drake also told cops he didn't hear anyone in the crowd begging to stop the show, explaining that his earpiece drowns out a lot of outside noise.

The report also says Drake told police he met up with Travis after the show and at that point, they did not know about the tragic incident in the crowd. Drake said his manager later informed him of what happened.

Travis is still facing civil lawsuits over the deadly concert and if it turns out people on his team were blocking folks from stopping the show it could have legal consequences in those suits.

The police report is also filled with details from concertgoers ... including one named Ayden who said he felt like he was "losing oxygen and he began to yell for help as he fell to the ground." His friend, Brianna, was nearby and he heard her yelling, "I can't breathe" and he went into "survival mode."

Ayden says he got himself out of the pile, but "it did not help that the music continued on playing even though it was clear people were being trampled on." He says he got to the front of the stage and tried to get Travis' attention to stop the concert, but was unable to do so.

Aside from the obvious stamped issues that occurred during the chaos, another fan believed the lighting on the stage caused him to have a seizure. He told police he had no history of seizures and had not taken any drugs that night.

The report also includes interviews with first responders who describe the absolutely horrific scene. One Houston firefighter said they had worked on 11 cardiac arrest patients within 46 minutes, and observed one person with a crushed larynx, one overdose and several other injuries.

Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan are counting their blessings today ... 'cause the couple says they were at the scene of a terrifying officer-involved shooting Thursday evening.

The incident went down at around 5:30 PM in a popular shopping area in Miami ... after a man had allegedly taken two people hostage inside a Victoria's Secret and threatened to stab them with a knife.

According to police, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation ... an officer opened fire on the man and struck him.

Larsa said in an Instagram post following the shooting that she was just feet away from it all ... and it was "scary AF."

"So thankful for the Miami Beach Police Department," she said, "everyone was running and screaming."

In footage from the scene that Pippen shared, you can see people were panicked ... as officers tried to clear out the area.

A spokesperson for the Miami Beach Police Dept. says the suspect was taken to the hospital following the shooting ... though he was later pronounced dead there.

Video from Tyreek Hill's June run-in with a fishing boat employee has finally surfaced ... and it shows the NFL star did take a swipe at the man during their altercation.

The surveillance footage, obtained Wednesday by Andy Slater, was captured in a Miami marina at around 6:45 p.m. on June 18 ... and you can see Hill is clearly upset with the boat company worker.

The Miami Dolphins wideout -- wearing a light grey shirt, shorts, and white shoes -- is being held back from the man ... when he swats at the guy's head/neck area. The man then recoils as if he'd been hit -- before Hill is ushered away from the scene.

But, the video shows Hill then seemingly attempting to go after the guy again ... however, thankfully, some of the football player's friends hold him back.

Police did investigate it all ... but prosecutors said on Wednesday no charges would be filed -- saying in a statement to TMZ Sports, "The individual who would have been termed a victim if there had been a filed case, came into the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, met with Assistant State Attorney Robert Fiallo and signed a notarized Non-Prosecution Form indicating that he did not wish to press criminal charges."

"On the form, he also indicated that no threats, promises, or coercion played a part in his decision."

As for any civil matters, reps for Hill and the alleged victim told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday they'd reached a settlement.

For Hill's part, he spoke briefly about the situation with media members on Wednesday ... saying, "I just can't make bonehead mistakes like that."

Carlee Russell has majorly ticked off a key member of her inner circle after news surfaced Monday that her kidnapping story was BS.

Thomar Simmons posted a lengthy statement on Instagram, slamming Carlee for her lies and now referring to himself as her "ex" boyfriend. He also scrubbed all signs of Carlee from his social media accounts and stopped following her.

Simmons wrote, "Carlee's actions created hurt, confusion and dishonesty. I was made aware of the false narrative after coming to the defense of my ex Carlee Russell."

He explained that he and his family reacted with love and concern at first, but they are "disgusted" with the outcome of the case.

Simmons went on to say they were totally blindsided by Carlee's phony tale, noting they've gained some closure with her confession while acknowledging the police investigation is ongoing.

As you know, Russell's attorney, Emory Anthony, issued his own statement, which was read by Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis Monday night at a news conference.

Anthony said Carlee made up the whole abduction story, as well as her claim she saw a toddler walking along the highway. He also apologized on behalf of Carlee and asked everyone to pray for her as she works on her issues. But Anthony failed to address why Carlee did what she did.

Meanwhile, the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case to determine if Carlee should be criminally charged. Police spent many hours and tax dollars searching for Carlee after she called 911 to falsely report the child wandering on the interstate.

Quavo was on board a yacht in Miami when two men allegedly threatened the boat's captain ... and video shows the rapper being detained by police, although nobody ended up being arrested.

TMZ obtained footage from Sunday's incident on the Miami River, and you can see Quavo handcuffed with zip ties as he sits on the boat deck and appears to interact with at least three police officers.

Cops in Miami say they got a 911 call about an alleged strong armed robbery on a yacht, and police say folks on the boat told them two men got aggressive with the captain, who said the rental time was nearing its conclusion … allegedly prompting the men to demand a refund.

The incident report, obtained by TMZ, says one of the men threatened to kill the captain and throw him off the yacht if he turned the boat around.

One crew member told police he saw a man take the captain's wallet and cell phone, but cops say folks on the yacht gave conflicting statements on this allegation.

In the video, you also see a group of women sitting on the dock ... as police lights flash and Quavo sits near officers with his hands behind his back.

Police also say they found two firearms on the boat but add that the guns weren't used in any alleged threats.

Wiz Khalifa is on the road, touring with Snoop Dogg ... so, a group of would-be burglars thought it'd be a good idea to roll up on his L.A home while he was performing.

Key word being thought ... as they, oddly, didn't expect the security guards who sent them running during the attempted Sunday evening heist.

LAPD tells TMZ Hip Hop ... 3 guys tried to get onto the property through a side gate around 6:38 PM -- just as Wiz was in Michigan burning through live renditions of his classic songs for the High School Reunion Tour.

Wiz is, unfortunately, familiar with home intruders ... crooks broke into his house back in 2018, but this time he would not be a victim again.

We're told Wiz's security at the house sprung into action, running out to the gate ... where the 3 stooges spotted them and immediately turned to flee.

LAPD responded to the alarm, but the suspects had bolted by the time officers arrived. They filed an attempted burglary report, and opened the investigation.

Meanwhile, Wiz caught wind of the caper while at his concert venue, and noted the timing ... pointing out he was actually on stage while it was going down.

Carlee Russell's kidnapping story is a fictional one -- she's now fessing up to it all being a big fat lie, and she's also apologizing to the community that rallied to search for her.

Russell's attorney, Emory Anthony, released a statement to Hoover, PD -- and the police chief read it Monday during a news conference. In part, Anthony's letter says, "My client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf. There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13th, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road."

He continues, "My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client didn’t have any help, this was a single act. My client was not with anyone, or not at a hotel with anyone. My client apologizes for her actions. Ask for prayers for Carlee as she addresses her issues and attempts to move forward, ask for forgiveness."

Russell's attorney did not elaborate further in his remarks about a possible motive for her fabrication. He is, however, meeting with HPD alongside his client to discuss next steps.

Unclear if charges are going to be filed ... Hoover PD says it's deferring to the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office on that front. Presumably, she could face serious punishment for this -- a lot of money and resources went into the 48-hour long search.

As we reported ... this saga had been questioned from the get-go. Some felt the facts of the case weren't adding up as the information started to seep out ... especially when Carlee turned up out of nowhere on Saturday night, with her family insisting she'd been abducted.

The police also had its doubts, saying last week they were unable to confirm her kidnapping story, or that a toddler was spotted on the side of a highway. There were a lot of other clues they say they stumbled upon ... like suspicious searches for things like amber alerts and the movie "Taken."

Just when things seemed to be turning around for Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann, there's more drama at home ... and it's all because of what each said about the other in police body camera footage.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Kim and Kroy are fighting again, and this time it's over the newly released footage from their interactions with police during their nasty divorce, which they've since called off.

Specifically, we're told Kim and Kroy are upset about what each said about the other to the cops. In the video, Kroy tells police Kim has a gambling problem and she tells officers Kroy may be suffering from traumatic brain injury.

The footage is from May, when police responded to the couple's Georgia estate for a domestic dispute amid their nasty split.

TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Kroy called off the divorce two weeks ago, at a time when sources said things were good between them and they wanted to make the relationship work for the sake of their kids.

With the police body cam footage opening some wounds, people close to them say it wouldn't come as a shock if Kim and Kroy broke up again soon ... though this time our sources don't believe Kim and Kroy would rush to file for divorce a second time.

Thomar Lattrel Simmons was interviewed Saturday by the New York Post and made his desperate plea on behalf of Russell.

Simmons said, "The only thing I can say is, I want everyone to stop bullying her. I know what it seems like what she did. Just stop bullying on social media."

He continued, "Think about her mental health. She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t. Nobody deserves to be cyberbullied."

As we reported, Russell has come under intense scrutiny after she claimed she was abducted on the side of a highway while trying to help a child.

She called 911 on June 13 and told the dispatcher she saw the toddler wandering along the interstate as she was driving home from work.

Russell promised to wait with the child until the police arrived, but, when the cops got there, Carlee was nowhere to be found and neither was the kid.

Two days later, Russell returned home without so much as a scratch. Since then, police have investigated the incident and publicly stated they have not been able to verify Carlee's suspicious account.

Carlee Russell's bad week just got worse ... because she was just fired from her job in Alabama.

Russell got sacked Friday from the Woodhouse Spa in Birmingham after her claims of being kidnapped have come under major scrutiny since she resurfaced alive and well one week ago, according to the New York Post.

Her former boss, Stuart Rome, told the media outlet ... Russell's former co-workers are furious with her because they feel they might have been duped.

Rome said his employees have reason to be annoyed ... they were super busy at the spa the Saturday Russell disappeared, but still found time to hand out fliers over their concerns for her well-being.

What's more, the spa received an influx of negative social media posts from trolls, blasting management for employing Russell, which has resulted in many terrible reviews. Rome said business is now so bad he's "just trying to keep the doors open."

Rome also said his workers spent an entire day deleting the nastygrams and closing down the comments sections on the company's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Carlee Russell's "disappearance," which cops can't confirm actually happened, could have a negative impact on people of color who really do vanish ... but one organization wants to make sure that doesn't happen.

Natalie Wilson, co-founder of Black & Missing Foundation, tells TMZ ... the details police provided this week about Carlee's alleged disappearance were certainly disappointing to hear, but shouldn't set a precedent for similar cases.

She says her org has been working hard the past 15 years, lending a hand to families whose loved ones' cases don't make headlines -- and Natalie doesn't want Carlee's example to knock down all that progress.

Natalie feels something good did come out of the Carlee story, though ... telling us the country really came together to bring awareness to her case, and hopes that same energy can be put into finding others.

As we reported, police said they found searches for Amber Alerts, taking money from a register and the movie "Taken" on Carlee's phone -- and those were all in the days and hours before she went off the grid last week.

Plus, they added there's no evidence to support her claim of seeing a child get abducted.

New footage from a diverted Frontier Airlines shows several women involved not only verbally attacking flight attendants and travelers ... but getting physical with them, too.

The video, obtained by TMZ, shows a different angle of the altercation aboard the Frontier flight from Philly to Las Vegas. You see flight attendants trying to restrain two women from going after other passengers.

Folks on flight 2143 last week tell TMZ ... the women got into a dispute, and it spiraled out of control ... eventually leading to hands thrown.

Passengers tell us one of the women may have spilled a drink on a man sitting nearby, kicking off a verbal dispute between the women ... eventually, we're told, another man shouted at them to "shut the f*** up."

The witness tells us one of the women then turned her attention to that man ... before flight attendants stepped in to try to stop her.

Frontier tells us the flight was diverted to Denver, and the women were taken off the plane and met at the gate by officers from the Denver Police Department. The airline says the plane then took off for Vegas after 67 minutes on the ground in Denver.

Meanwhile, Denver PD tells us they did not arrest the women ... and we've reached out to the FBI, which usually handles crimes that occur on planes midflight.

Cops in Florida are on the hunt for a man who was caught on camera beating the daylights out of a 63-year-old man ... allegedly because he was asked to switch seats.

Broward County Sheriff's Office just released video of the brutal incident, which went down earlier this month in a Pompano Beach AMC movie theater. You see the suspect violently shove the elderly man up against a railing, then land several blows to his head.

According to cops, the victim said he bought VIP tickets, which means he picked assigned seats for his wife and himself -- but when he got inside, he saw the suspect and a woman in his seats, so he asked them to move.

Cops say the suspect quickly became angry and hostile, getting in the man's face -- which is where the video begins.

The man and woman in question fled the theater right after the attack ... but surveillance cameras captured pretty clear shots of their faces in the lobby.