Police

Paul Rodriguez is having some bad luck, because he keeps getting linked to fentanyl ... and things have already turned deadly.

TMZ has learned ... Paul's best friend who was found dead inside the comedian's home back in November died from a fentanyl overdose.

According to the Medical Examiner ... Paul's friend Donald Serrato died from the combined effects of fentanyl, PCP and methamphetamine.

Audrey Hale -- the Nashville school shooter who killed three children and three adults in 2023 -- committed the crime for fame and notoriety ... this according to police.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department released its final report on the shooting after two years of investigations ... and, they claim Hale was motivated by a desire for notoriety.

Investigators note Hale wanted to die in a way that would matter and be remembered ... even studying the notoriety of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold after Colorado's Columbine High School shooting back in 1999.

Paul Rodriguez is going to war with the Burbank Police Department ... bracing for an ugly legal battle over his recent arrest for drug possession, TMZ has learned.

The legendary actor-comedian and Burbank law enforcement sources traded accusations in separate statements to TMZ, turning Paul's misdemeanor drug possession case into a wild drama.

On Friday night, Paul was arrested with a female friend after cops pulled them over -- she was driving, he was in the passenger seat -- and conducted a search, eventually finding drugs in the woman's purse. Paul told TMZ the cop slapped him -- and Paul's attorney, Bobby Samini, later said the officer's actions constituted a civil rights violation.

An Illinois teacher accused of sexually assaulting one of her 15-year-old students was caught on video telling cops she was going to throw up while being arrested for the alleged crime.

Newly released police body cam footage shows Christina Formella weeping and hyper-ventilating in the backseat of a patrol car after she was cuffed by an officer in Downers Grove, Illinois, on March 16.

The officer secures Formella's seatbelt and asks her if she wants a tissue. Formella responds that she feels sick and the cop offers to get her a barf bag, calling in the request over the radio. Formella continues to cry in the back seat, turning hysterical right before our eyes.

2:47 PM PT -- Atlanta Police and the Fulton County Medical Examiner just released Young Scooter's autopsy results, listing his death as an "accident" ... putting to bed the narrative Young Thug pushed that his friend was shot.

Per the ME, Scooter suffered an injury to his right thigh from the wooden fence he jumped during the chase.

The woman who made the 911 call that led to the police altercation that eventually ended rapper Young Scooter's life is stepping forward with her side of the story ... and it's a completely different one than the one she told Atlanta Emergency Services!!!

Demi Blanco, a reality star contestant on the Zeus Network series "Baddies," went live on Instagram Tuesday and claimed she was being treated unfairly by social media users angry over Scooter's death because they didn't know the whole side of the story.

Demi claims she called 911 to "protect herself" ... a total contradiction of the call she made on March 28 when she urged cops to come stop a naked woman from being beaten outside an Atlanta home.

"American Idol" alum Antonella Barba found herself back in the slammer for a violation of her federal supervised release, TMZ has learned.

We're told the singer -- who gained fame on the 6th season of the hit series and previously served prison time on a drug charge -- was picked up by the Pt. Pleasant Beach Police Department in New Jersey Sunday night during a vehicle stop.

A rep for the U.S. Marshals tells us there was a warrant out for Antonella's arrest on a domestic violence charge from two weeks ago, and her federal probation from the old drug case was violated based on the new charge.

Cops are pressing on with their investigation into Andrew Tate after his ex-girlfriend Bri Stern accused him of sexual assault and filed a police report.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Andrew's attorney, Joseph McBride, spoke Tuesday with the Beverly Hills Police Department, which is handling the criminal probe.

Our sources say Tate's lawyer and cops discussed the ongoing investigation and police told McBride that at some point in the future, Andrew needs to give a statement on the alleged incident.

2:02 PM PT The legal docs also state the photos of the bodies will remain sealed, and the autopsy and toxicology report can only be released if there are no photos of the bodies included.

Everything else, like pics of the dog and inside the property, are allowed.

Gene Hackman's mother-in-law is fighting to block the public release of police body camera footage from the investigation into the late actor's death.

Gene and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their New Mexico estate last month and Betsy's mother, Yoshie Feaster, says the public spectacle and media coverage surrounding their death is traumatizing, and she wants to grieve in peace.

In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Betsy's mom says Gene and her daughter considered personal privacy of the utmost importance, and she doesn't want the media getting their hands on photos and videos showing Gene and Betsy's living space, and their corpses.

12:04 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Jayden Dandridge was found shot multiple times in an abandoned building on March 27. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Science ruled his death a homicide. Houston PD detectives have not made any arrests, nor have they disclosed a motive.

Memphis Police are no longer pursuing the suspect they ID'ed on video in the Sauce Walka shooting that also killed rapper Sayso P ... because the guy is no longer alive!!!

Monday morning, Memphis Police announced 21-year-old Jayden Dandridge had been found deceased in Houston, Texas. No further details were released.

We obtained footage last week of Dandridge inside the stolen 2021 Dodge Charger 392 Scat Pack that was used in the murder.

Two people have been arrested in Memphis after a repo man had his head run over in a shocking video that has since gone viral.

Nicholas Wray and Brandi Revels were arrested Friday -- both on suspicion of aggravated assault for the harrowing incident that took place Wednesday.

In the insane video ... a repo man is attempting to hook a red Ford Fusion and tow it away, but another man -- presumed to be Wray -- hopped into the car and started it.

4:05 PM PT -- Paul's attorney Bobby Samini is doubling down on his client's comments ... telling TMZ the charges against him are totally false.

Samini says, "Mr. Rodriguez was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over by the Burbank Police Department last night. He fully cooperated with law enforcement at all times. Law enforcement asserted that the driver of the vehicle was in possession of a controlled substance. Mr. Rodriguez did not have any controlled substance in his possession, nor was he under the influence of any controlled substance.

"Mr. Rodriguez’s arrest and treatment constituted a violation of his civil rights. We look forward to establishing Mr. Rodriguez’s innocence in a court of law."

Paul Rodriguez was recently arrested for alleged possession of narcotics in Burbank ... but the comedian tells TMZ the drugs weren't his -- and he's leveling some serious allegations against police.

We broke the story that Paul was arrested Friday when the car he was in was pulled over for a traffic violation, at which time cops allegedly found narcotics. Paul was arrested for misdemeanor possession.

But the comedian tells TMZ that not only were the drugs not his ... he feels one of the officers overstepped during the arrest -- and it may have been racially motivated.

From what he says ... the car was Paul's, but he was asleep in the passenger seat when it was pulled over -- which is when the "Caucasian" officer allegedly slapped Paul to wake him up ... 'cause he was on a "power trip."

Young Scooter was fleeing from police when he severely hurt his leg while jumping over fences ... and died of that injury, Atlanta police said late Friday.

The hip hop star was pronounced dead Friday at Grady Marcus Trauma Center in Atlanta after being brought to the hospital by Emergency Medical Services from a location on the southeast side of the city, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office.

Lt. Andrew Smith of Atlanta PD told reporters ... an unidentified man -- assumed to be Scooter -- suffered a severe leg injury while fleeing officers on foot. Smith did not give more detail to the exact nature of the injury -- but the femoral artery is in the leg.

Legendary comedian Paul Rodriguez had a bad night Friday -- and we're not talking about one the stage, but, rather, he got arrested by the police!

Here's what happened ... Paul was driving in a vehicle in Burbank, California, when a cop pulled him over for a traffic violation, according to law enforcement sources.

We don't know what the violation was, but that's beside the point ... because our sources say that when the officer searched Paul's car, and allegedly found some type of narcotics inside.

We're told Paul was promptly arrested and taken to the clink for misdemeanor possession of narcotics, although he's expected to be released from jail soon.

The Chainsmokers' Drew Taggart just can't seem to stop one particular uninvited guest from showing up at his L.A. home -- this time, she falsely claimed she was his WIFE ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Thursday morning, the woman popped up for the second time in two months at Drew's house.

We're told the woman then walked up to the gate and rang the bell, while Drew was chilling out inside the house.

Chilling body cam video shows the arrest of a mother who police say called 911 on herself after she allegedly stabbed her 11-year-old son to death during a stay at a Santa Ana, California motel for a trip to Disneyland.

Check out the clip ... Saritha Ramaraju, 48, calmly approaches officers -- who have their guns drawn -- while holding a phone to her ear. As she's cuffed, an officer can be heard announcing there's "blood on her hands."

She confirms to Santa Ana cops during the March 19 arrest, around 9 AM, that her son is the only one in their room at the La Quinta Inn ... and they go to check on him. Police say he was found dead with apparent stab wounds, reportedly surrounded by Disneyland souvenirs. A large kitchen knife purchased the day prior was reportedly also found at the scene.

Yella Beezy is back on the streets ... 'cause he made bail in the Texas murder case against him after his bond was reduced.

The rapper was released from custody Friday morning after posting a $750K bond ... about a week after he was arrested for allegedly intentionally and knowingly causing the death of Melvin Noble, AKA Mo3, who was shot to death in broad daylight on a Dallas highway in 2020.

While YB's bail was initially set at $2 million, a Texas judge lowered it Thursday at a bond reduction hearing.