Police

The Capitol Police may have come up way short in preventing the riots, but it seems they're trying to make up for it ... by attempting to nab suspected rioters before they get out of town.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Capitol Police headed up an operation Friday at Reagan National Airport in D.C., staking the place out in search of would-be travelers believed to have been involved in Wednesday's insurrection.

These photos show cops detaining one man who we're told was surrounded by cops, taken into a room and questioned.

We're told airport police and the Dept. of Homeland Security provided an assist. We don't know how many people were detained or arrested.

The FBI is on the hunt for everyone who participated in the Capitol riots, and several suspects have already been identified and arrested.

The FBI has reasons to believe the mob of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol not only premeditated the assault, but might have been aided by police and staffers in the building ... TMZ has learned.

High ranking sources inside the Capitol Police Dept. tell TMZ the FBI is looking at several facts that stink of an inside job. For starters, the Bureau is puzzled by the ease with which the mob found its way to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

It's not off any main hallway or next to other Congressional offices ... in fact, the path to get to the entrance is maze-like and not open to the public like other parts of the Capitol. The rioters who took it over -- vandalizing it and stealing a laptop -- got there within 10 minutes of entering the Capitol.

We're told the FBI feels someone must have provided a roadmap for them to find it that quickly. Remember, the Capitol has been closed to the public since March due to the pandemic so it's not like these guys could have been casing it to plot their path.

As for suspects -- we're told the FBI is looking at Capitol Police officers and many other Capitol staffers, such as engineers, plumbers and janitors.

We're told another image raising eyebrows at the Bureau are those videos of a few police officers opening gates and removing barricades to give the hoard easy access to the Capitol.

Our sources say some officers could be charged with cowardice -- legally defined as failure to take proper police action. Additionally, we're told the rioters -- and anyone who aided them -- could also be charged for threats and menacing against Congress ... because the House and Senate were in session when the mob breached the building.

We're told the feds are also extremely motivated to find the people responsible for attacking Capitol PD officer Brian Sicknick ... who later died from his injuries.

We're told the FBI and the National Security Agency are using cell phone tower data, and state-of-the-art digital imaging systems to help ID people who were in the Capitol during the insurrection -- that includes rioters, Capitol staffers.

Here's an up-close and graphic view of the kind of violence police were facing as the mob stormed the Capitol -- an injured officer screaming for help as the rioters crushed him between a riot shield and a door.

The intense video captures the moment insurrectionists tried to bully their way inside the halls of Congress, clashing with the Capitol Police Department and leaving one officer on the front lines fighting for his life.

The cop was bleeding from his mouth as he was pinned against a door guarding the entrance to the west side of the Capitol. You could hear the mob yelling "heave ho" as they attempted to push through the police line -- and officers were swinging batons and deploying pepper spray to keep them back.

Race is a big factor in the way cops handled Wednesday's coup, especially when juxtaposed against the way law enforcement dealt with the BLM protests after George Floyd's death .. so says, Sheriff Chris Swanson.

Sheriff Swanson, who famously put down his baton and helmet to join BLM protesters in solidarity this summer in Michigan's Flint Township, joins us on "TMZ Live" Friday to give his perspective on the Capitol riots from the eyes of law enforcement.

He says there's no denying -- as Michelle Obama pointed out -- police handled the situation with pro-Trump protesters much differently than they did last summer with BLM demonstrators.

Sherriff Swanson says the way Capitol Police lines were breached so easily is evidence of personal biases among officers ... and he says if that happened on his watch, he would be handing out pink slips left and right, with an eye toward criminal prosecution.

He also thinks police should be better prepared for protests, and not by loading up on riot gear ... he says it's not about responding to chaos, but getting to know the community. Remember, he did this back in Michigan and was widely praised for it.

Michelle Obama sees 2 Americas when she looks at the attempted coup -- one with the police response to pro-Trump rioters, and the other a much different response to BLM protesters.

The former First Lady just shared her thoughts on Wednesday's chaos at the Capitol ... and she says one of the things that strikes her most is the massive gulf between how police handled that situation ... compared to last summer's demonstrations.

Michelle says the folks rioting Wednesday would not have been allowed to walk free after laying siege to the Capitol, setting up gallows, waving Confederate flags and "desecrating the center of American government" if they looked like the folks who go to Martin Luther King Jr.'s church.

Driving her point home, Michelle points out BLM demonstrators were greeted with cracked skulls, mass arrests and pepper spray during peaceful protests.

Michelle says there's a lot of work to be done in this country, as some Americans are allowed to "denigrate the flag and symbols of our nation" ... while others are labeled "unpatriotic for taking a knee in silent protest."

Barack Obama also spoke out against the riots ... but his response strikes a much different tone than his wife's.

The U.S. Capitol Police Dept. may have been able to thwart Wednesday's attempted coup if it had all hands on deck, but we've learned they had less than ONE-QUARTER of the force working ... despite multiple, clear warnings the protest could turn violent.

Capitol Police sources tell TMZ ... 500 officers were working Wednesday as President Trump revved up the huge crowd of his supporters upset over the election results -- giving them their marching orders with the Capitol as the final destination. Trump has been dog-whistling for weeks now, promising something big would happen on January 6.

With that backdrop, the Capitol Police are 2,200 strong, yet only 500 were on duty. The way it works in most police departments around the country ... when there's the possibility of social unrest it's all hands on deck. That did not happen here.

Our source says the police believed they had enough staff to contain any unrest ... by setting up barricades and locking up the 3 House office buildings -- the Cannon, Longworth and Rayburn Buildings. The sad fact ... they were grossly understaffed.

Even worse, we're told when the cops on duty were instructed to start deploying tear gas to clear the rioters ... they were not given masks or proper protective equipment. This resulted in many officers becoming debilitated themselves ... meaning even fewer police were at the ready to contain the insurrection.

We're told when it became obvious things were completely out of control, several Capitol Police officers who work the night crew made their way to the Hill to help out ... but by then, according to one Capitol Police source, it already felt like "Olympus Has Fallen."

Rep. Karen Bass of California -- who was in the Capitol Building at the time of the invasion -- is shocked and appalled at the security breach ... and not necessarily buying Capitol Police excuses.

She suggests -- like many others -- the insurrection was made possible by the lax treatment of Trump's supporters, and she believes if a similar situation arose with BLM protesters ... they would have dealt with it in a vastly different, more violent way.

White House Correspondent for TheGrio April Ryan has a slightly different take, but it still doesn't reflect kindly on the Capitol Police. She tells us they acted like keystone cops during the failed coup attempt, but feels it's par for the course.

She says the grotesque images will be long remembered around the country and the world, and there needs to be a drastic revamp of the Capitol Police Dept. to protect the building and its occupants from terrorists ... both domestic and foreign.

We were even told cops were not allowed to take time off from January 5-7 and a plan was being implemented to have a heavy police presence in the area -- both uniformed and in street clothes. It makes it even more puzzling why the full complement of cops wasn't there.

On the bright side -- the FBI is on the hunt for the rioters ... as Rep. Bass says they should be.

Nothing was spared in or around the Capitol in the chaos and destruction triggered by President Trump ... including the Inauguration stage which suffered significant damage.

TMZ got these pics showing the stage's siding torn to shreds ... as it appears the insurrectionists were gung-ho to do maximum damage. The stage itself is still standing, but it's gonna need a lot of repairs.

In a move that's clearly coming one day too late ... security's erecting 8-foot high fencing.

There are also guards now standing watch over the construction that had been going on for at least 5 months.

As we reported ... work had been ramping up on the West Front of the Capitol. At the time, it was hard to tell what the setup would look like ... whether it would be a scaled-down version of past inaugurations ... due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It remains to be seen how Wednesday's deadly violence at the Capitol will change final plans for Inauguration Day.

Ashli Babbitt, the woman who was shot in the Capitol as she and other Trump supporters stormed into the building, was pumped up after the President's speech ... and posted one last video as she entered the mayhem.

Ashli went live on Facebook Wednesday in the moments leading up to the coup attempt in D.C., boasting that she was part of the mob marching to the Capitol.

The 35-year-old California native and Air Force veteran claimed there were more than 3 million pro-Trump protesters in D.C. along with her ... and she appeared zealous about what they were doing.

As we reported ... Babbitt was draped in a Trump flag as she jumped up on a window pane and tried to charge through.

Tragically, she was hit by a gunshot -- fired by Capital Police -- during the chaos and was seen falling backward onto the marble floor with blood pouring out of her upper body area.

Babbitt was transferred to the hospital in critical condition, where she later died of her injuries.

Steven A. Sund, Chief of Police for the US Capitol Police, says the employee who fired on Babbitt has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

The pro-Trump protesters who stormed the U.S. Capitol building, incited violence and in some cases stole or damaged property are wanted by the FBI -- so take a closer look.

The FBI's on the hunt for the insurrectionists involved in the failed coup in Washington D.C. Wednesday -- which resulted in one woman being fatally shot -- asking the public for "tips and digital media depicting rioting and violence in the U.S. Capitol Building and surrounding area."

The feds want all the photos and video they can get of the lawlessness and violent acts that occurred in hope of identifying those responsible. So, they want the public to check out this (alleged) rogue gallery.

Anyone with pics or vids is asked to submit them at fbi.gov/USCapitol, or simply go to tips.fbi.gov to submit useful information.

The FBI says the goal is "to preserve the public’s constitutional right to protest by protecting everyone from violence and other criminal activity."

Some of the lowlights include the guy sitting at Nancy Pelosi's desk, and the dude in the Trump beanie grinning as he walked away with a Congressional lectern. Those 2 clowns have been ID'd already.

Richard Barnett from Arkansas was the one getting cozy in Pelosi's office. He's reportedly claiming he got shoved into the Capitol by accident and was merely looking for a bathroom. Doesn't really explain the notes he left on her desk, including one calling her a bitch. Save it for the judge, pal.

As for the lectern ... the FBI will be talking to Adam Johnson from Parrish, FL about that stolen item.

As we reported ... President Trump incited the march to the Capitol when he vowed to his protesters to never concede the election and demanded they "show strength."

He also failed to condemn the failed coup attempt and instead said he loved the people involved -- which led to a Twitter ban and a secret meeting among some members of Congress to remove him from office immediately via the 25th amendment.

Johnny Depp's crib was hit by a would-be burglar ... but fortunately for him and his neighbors, cops nabbed a suspect before she could get away.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a woman -- possibly homeless -- broke into Depp's Hollywood Hills home over the weekend. We're told the break-in triggered the home's security system and cops were called.

Our sources say the woman may have been spooked by the alarm system because she took off before cops arrived. But, get this ... cops say they found her nearby and also connected her to another recent burglary.

It's unclear if the woman took anything from Depp's home. The investigation's ongoing.

Pro-Trump protesters are breaking through layers of fencing guarding the U.S. Capitol Building ... where Congress is voting to certify the 2020 Election results -- and are coming to blows with cops guarding the entrance.

TMZ Sports has obtained dashcam footage of Rashard "Hollywood" Higgins' recent traffic stop ... which shows cops ordering the Cleveland Browns receiver to destroy an alleged marijuana joint on camera.

As we previously reported, Higgins and teammate Jedrick Wills were cited for drag racing in Ohio at around 9:30 AM on Tuesday.

In video of Higgins' traffic stop ... you can see a Westlake PD responding officer ask the 26-year-old about his car smelling like weed.

The player told the officers he had smoked in the car the day before ... but in video, you can see one of the cops says he found a joint in Higgins' pocket.

What happens next is crazy ... one of the cops mentions getting busted for weed could be "bad for press" -- so he ordered the player to crush the joint with his foot and kick it into the sewer.

"You guys are celebrities around here, so you don't want that hittin' the news, OK?" the officer said ... adding he'd only hit Higgins with a ticket for drag racing.

Higgins compiled throughout the stop ... and even admitted to cops he's "better than that."

As for Wills, his interaction with officers was much less eventful.

A cop scolded the 21-year-old for the alleged racing ... and Wills admitted he and Higgins were "just being d*ckheads."

Both Higgins and Wills are due in court later this month.

Just a week after Louisville Metro PD Chief Yvette Gentry announced she would fire 2 cops for their roles in the deadly Breonna Taylor raid ... the ax has dropped.

The LMPD fired detectives Joshua Jaynes and Myles Cosgrove on Tuesday -- citing "extreme violations of our policies." Cosgrove, of course, was one of the cops present during the raid. He also fired shots.

Jaynes was not at the raid but he did file the paperwork with the judge to get the warrant. He's the officer who had info from a postal inspector that a drug suspect -- Breonna's ex-boyfriend -- was receiving packages at her home. Jaynes later admitted he never verified that info with the post office.

As we reported ... the LMPD had already fired Brett Hankison after determining he "violated obedience to rules and regulations” while serving the warrant. Remember, Hankison is also the only officer the grand jury indicted on a wanton endangerment charge, but the charge stemmed from shooting into a neighboring apartment and not for the shooting of Breonna.

Taylor and her BF, Kenneth Walker, were asleep when LMPD raided her apartment in the early hours of March 13.

Ryan Ayers -- a former Notre Dame college basketball player and later an assistant coach with the team -- has been charged with voyeurism after allegedly shooting multiple naked women without their consent.

Ayers -- who graduated in 2009 -- joined the Notre Dame coaching staff following the 2015-16 season ... but was let go in September without explanation.

Now, prosecutors are going after Ayers -- essentially claiming he's a predator who illegally recorded two different women in compromising positions without their knowledge.

Officials say the images were shot over a 4-year span. Investigator claim they recovered damning evidence from Ayers phone including "various images of naked women where they seem to be unaware that a photo was being taken of them."

"These images include the women in the shower, sleeping on a bed, or in a sexual position."

One of the women told investigators Ayers had shared images of her in a group chat with "the guys," according to documents obtained by the South Bend Tribune.

The woman also told investigators that she learned images of her, taken by Ayers in his South Bend home, had been shared by Ayers in a group chat with “the guys,” documents say.

Ayers was also charged with 1 count of domestic battery stemming from an alleged July 2020 altercation with one of the alleged voyeurism victims. The woman told authorities Ayers hit her in the face during an argument in a car.

For his part, Ayers has denied the allegations in a statement issued by his lawyer.

The family of the Southern California man who died after being arrested at a grocery store is following through with a lawsuit that describes the incident in eerily similar detail to George Floyd's death.

Ernie Serrano's mother, Maria Lowrie, has filed a wrongful death suit against the County of Riverside and its Sheriff's Dept -- along with the Stater Bros. Market where the incident occurred -- claiming they killed her son.

According to the legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Lowrie claims Serrano was shopping on December 15 when store security began to pester him and then physically confronted him.

Serrano's mom says the security contacted the sheriff's office and falsely accused him of assault with a deadly weapon -- she claims he was unarmed. The store claims he had reached for the security guard's weapon.

According to the suit ... when deputies showed up they immediately were hostile toward Serrano and "escalated a very minor situation, into a fatal situation."

Lowrie claims her son was not aggressive toward the officers, but they responded with unreasonable brute force -- including beating him and using a Taser.

According to the suit ... the deputies were not satisfied with tasing and beating Serrano with a baton, so they took him down and pummeled him with their fists. Lowrie claims they continued to torture him for nearly 7 minutes, including slamming him on his stomach on a checkout stand and cutting off his air supply.

Lowrie says while her son was pinned down, he screamed out "I can't breathe man" and pleaded for help. Instead, a spit mask was placed on him, which allegedly restricted his breathing even more ... and Serrano's mom claims he was spitting blood into it as he begged them to take it off.

According to the suit ... after 6 minutes and 40 seconds of being pinned down forcefully, a deputy realized he wasn't breathing and had lost consciousness. Lowrie believes he was likely already dead by the time of this discovery.

Serrano's mom's accusing the deputies of ignoring all of the factors that can lead to death by asphyxia, denying him proper medical care, and assault and battery leading to his death. She wants the Stater Bros. held accountable for negligence as well.

Josh Jacobs -- the star running back for the Las Vegas Raiders -- was arrested for DUI on Monday after officials say he drunkenly wrecked his car at 4:42 AM.

The Las Vegas Metro Police Dept. says officers responded to a single-vehicle crash near the Vegas airport on Monday morning ... and found the 22-year-old, who appeared to be impaired.

"He was transported to a local hospital due to minor injuries resulting from the collision," cops say.

"After treatment, he was transported to the Clark County Detention Center where he was booked for DUI."

Jacobs played for the Raiders on Sunday against the Denver Broncos -- posting big numbers, 89 rushing yards and 2 TDs on 15 carries, helping the Silver & Black to a 32-31 victory.

Clearly, Jacobs returned to Vegas after the game and that's where he got into trouble.

In the hours before his arrest, Jacobs posted video on Instagram showing him at a karaoke party with some friends. Everyone looked like they were having a good time.

Jacobs was a 1st-round pick out of Alabama in the 2019 NFL Draft and has flashed some serious superstar potential.

Jacobs has 2,215 career rushing yards since joining the Raiders -- with 19 rushing TDs in just 28 starts.