RIP

4/1 6:30 AM PT -- A memorial has been set up right next to the place Nipsey was murdered, with fans coming out in droves to mourn and pay their respects.

7:15 PM PT -- John Legend also just sent his condolences to Nipsey's family, but also revealed that he'd just finished filming a music video with the rapper a few short days ago -- Thursday to be exact. John says it's a song they collab'd with DJ Khaled for, and they filmed in Inglewood ... near Nipsey's stomping grounds.

The tributes have not slowed down at all either. Folks like J. Cole, Meek Mill, Pusha T, Issa Rae, Vince Staples, Jalen Ramsey, Marcus Stroman, Michael B. Jordan and more have commented on his death with remorse and shock.

Nipsey Hussle's murder has Hollywood in utter shock ... and tributes are pouring in from all over the hip-hop world and beyond.

TMZ broke the story ... Nipsey was gunned down Sunday outside of his Marathon clothing store near the Crenshaw area of LA. We're told a lone gunman walked up on Nipsey and his crew and fired multiple rounds before fleeing in what appeared to be a waiting vehicle.

Nipsey was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after.

Drake was one of the first major artists to respond to the news that Nipsey was shot and killed Sunday outside of his clothing store in L.A. The Toronto rapper posted a photo of Nipsey on Instagram and added the caption, "F*ck. My whole energy is just at a low right now hearing this. We just linked for the first time in years and said we were gonna do a new song this summer cause it had been too long."

Drizzy added, "You were having the best run and I was so happy watching from distance fam nobody ever talks down on your name you were a real one to your people and to the rest of us. I’m only doing this here cause I want the world to know I saw you as a man of respect and a don. Rest easy my g."

Offset also posted his own IG tribute, saying ... "BLACK MAN ON A JOURNEY OF POSITIVITY KILLED THIS A SHAME TO OUR CULTURE REST UP HOMIE."

Chance the Rapper tweeted his condolences as well, saying, "RIP Nipsey man. This is tragic."

The tributes are still rolling in, but among the most notable so far is LeBron James, who was apparently a big Nipsey Hussle fan.

Bron wrote on Twitter, "So so SAD man!! DAMN man this hurt."

Snoop Dogg also paid tribute to Nipsey, posting a video an old video of the two of them rapping together. Snoop added a caption, saying ... "Gone 2 soon @nipseyhussle I’m so sad right now I’ll just reflect on the good times we had."

Rihanna responded as well, writing ... "This doesn’t make any sense! My spirit is shaken by this! Dear God may His spirit Rest In Peace and May You grant divine comfort to all his loved ones! I’m so sorry this happened to you @nipseyhussle."

Nipsey was 33. RIP

Luke Perry's getting a proper sendoff from Hollywood ... with a celebration of his extraordinary life.

TMZ's obtained the invitation that's been sent to those who worked with Luke during his Hollywood career ... a list boasting hundreds of names. We're told the invitation's gone out to those who worked with him on "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Riverdale" and various other projects.

Our sources say the invite's not limited to stars and execs who run Tinseltown. We're told crew members -- from camera guys and makeup artists to hairstylists and wardrobe folks -- are included on the guest list. The private event is set for April 13 at the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.

As we first reported ... Luke's ashes were spread around the place he most cherished ... the Tennessee farm where he lived on and off over the last 20-plus years. TMZ broke the story ... Luke died suddenly this month after suffering a massive stroke.

His death sent shock waves across the world. Luke was an adoring father and was revered just as much in Hollywood, which is why it wants to unite one last time in his honor.

Von Miller will NOT be punished for illegally catching a hammerhead shark on a 2018 fishing expedition ... but not everyone involved got so lucky.

We broke the story ... the NFL star was investigated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission after Von posted footage showing off a 9-and-a-half foot shark he caught off the coast of Miami.

The incident was escalated when PETA -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- publicly vowed to hold Miller and his crew accountable for what they believed was an illegal catch and kill.

For Miller's part, he insisted the shark was thrown back into the water alive.

Now, we've learned the case was transferred from the FFWCC to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- a federal organization which reports to the Department of Commerce.

A rep for NOAA tells us the investigation is over and "Miller was not charged."

However, the owner and operator of the fishing vessel WERE charged for fishing for sharks without the proper permit AND failure to release a shark in the manner that will ensure maximum probability of survival.

NOAA issued a $2,000 fine as punishment.

Fishing ... it ain't a joke.

The family of the puppy that died aboard an Air France-KLM jetliner marched into LAX demanding the airline return the animal's body, but ended up getting a total runaround ... all on camera.

The father of the family of four, Andranik Avetisian, and his attorney, Evan Oshan, walked right up to a KLM official Tuesday and demanded to know the dog's whereabouts. The official all but stonewalled Oshan, saying he would have to contact KLM's attorney.

Problem is ... it's been 9 days since Bear -- a Central Asian Shepherd -- was found dead in the cargo hold of the KLM flight from Amsterdam, and the family's gotten zero answers. Oshan says KLM isn't returning his phone calls.

We were with Andranik when he and Oshan went to LAX police, asking them to get KLM on the horn. You can see in the video ... all they got was more frustration.

As we first reported ... the family says Bear was healthy and heading to his new home in California. They're fighting to get the body, because they want an independent vet to perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death.

KLM tells us it's doing its own investigation. A rep for the airline says, "In cooperation with the local health authority in the US, the Center for Disease Control, the dog was initially examined to ensure there was no immediately obvious public health threat. The dog was loaded correctly according KLM's pet policy. We have to wait for the results of the necropsy to determine the cause of death."

Logic's got a powerful message to those struggling with survivor's guilt ... KEEP FIGHTING.

We got the rapper, and famous suicide prevention advocate, leaving 'The Daily Show' studio Tuesday night in NYC where he got serious with our photog for a hot minute. We wondered what Logic had to say on the heels of 2 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors taking their lives.

The suicides happened just days apart ... and there was also a Sandy Hook victim's father who took his own life earlier this week.

As you know ... Logic performed his song "1-800-273-8255" at the Grammys in 2018. The track's title is the number to the suicide prevention hotline. After performing it, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline told us it may have saved many lives. So, clearly Logic's invested in this serious matter.

Purdue University is honoring one of its most amazing and inspirational fans by naming a gate to the football stadium after Tyler Trent, whose battle with bone cancer inspired millions.

Trent passed away in January after he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. He was only 20 years old.

But, his attitude during the fight was incredible. He camped out at the stadium before games to get a good seat and appeared on ESPN to root on all Boilermaker teams.

The football program loved Tyler so much, they made him an honorary team captain before he passed.

Now, in a posthumous tribute to Trent ... the school has renamed the student entry gate after him -- unveiling, "Tyler Trent Student Gate" at Ross-Ade Stadium.

There's also a tribute at the gate with a plaque that reads, "Forever Our Captain" ... along with the #TylerStrong hashtag.

After his death, the school had put out a statement summarizing their feeling for Trent:

Ranking Roger, the co-founder of General Public and English Beat singer, died Tuesday after battling cancer.

English Beat announced Roger Charley's death ... telling fans he had "sadly passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side earlier today. Roger's family would like to thank everyone for their constant support during this tough time. Roger was a fighter."

Roger reportedly suffered a stroke last summer and was diagnosed with two brain tumors and lung cancer -- but no cause of death has been released yet.

The late singer was born in Birmingham, England, and fell in love with punk rock as a teenager. He went on to play drums with a group called the Dum Dum Boys ... before joining The English Beat in the late 1970s.

After The English Beat broke up in 1983, Roger and fellow Beat alum, Dave Wakeling started their new group, General Public ... which also included former members of The Clash and Dexys Midnight Runners.

GP recorded 3 albums, and their biggest hit in the U.S. was 1984's "Tenderness."

A second student survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre has died by suicide -- this just days after another survivor took her own life.

The Coral Springs Police Department responded to a neighboring home Saturday night where a dead juvenile had been found, according to a spokesperson, who kept the victim's ID anonymous. Cop say they're investigating the death as an apparent suicide.

According to reports, the student was a 17-year-old male sophomore at MSDHS, who was enrolled at the school at the time of 2018 shooting, which claimed 17 lives.

This marks the second suicide death in just a matter of days, as 19-year-old Sydney Aiello -- who also survived the massacre and recently graduated from MSDHS -- killed herself last week and had a funeral held for her this past week.

Aiello's mother told local media that her daughter had been dealing with survivor's guilt after the shooting and was recently diagnosed with PTSD.

Brandon Adams -- one of Georgia Tech's rising football stars -- has died suddenly, according to his own football team.

Georgia Tech's Sports Department announced the sad news Sunday, saying their hearts were broken over the sudden passing of their defensive lineman. The school sent their condolences to his friends and family. No cause of death has been revealed yet.

Adams appeared in 33 games over the course of his GT career between 2016 and 2018. He was having a tremendous year in terms of stats too this past season ... 24 tackles, five tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles in the 13 games played.

Tons of tributes were pouring in Sunday, with many people describing Adams as a "gentle giant" off the field.

The dog that died on an Air France-KLM jetliner bound for L.A. this week was a healthy, happy puppy heading for his new home ... according to the devastated family now demanding answers.

The family's attorney, Evan Oshan, tells TMZ ... the dog, a Central Asian Shepherd less than a year old named Bear, was recently purchased by the California family from Europe, and was en route to become their pet.

We're told Bear was chosen specifically because the breed is known for being strong and protective but gentle, and the family has 6 and 7-year-old children.

Oshan says the dog had no known health problems and was fine when he boarded the plane, and also doesn't have breathing issues like the French Bulldog that died on a United Airlines flight last year.

The family's now seeking more info from Air France, including surveillance footage of Bear and personnel files of anyone who handled him, incident reports connected to the flight, a flight manifest, cockpit recordings and KLM's protocol for stowing away animals.

In a letter to the airline, Oshan adds ... "We take the death of Bear very seriously and expect the protocol which you will follow will be consistent with the death of any passenger. Furthermore any attempt to veer from our requests will be viewed as obstruction of justice and dealt with as prescribed under the law."

We broke the story ... Bear was found dead Tuesday afternoon in L.A. in KLM's cargo hold after a long flight from Amsterdam. We're told the dog's body is still in the custody of the airline's investigator, and the family's efforts to have him returned to them have been ignored so far.

We're told the family wants the dog's necropsy done by an independent vet facility and to conduct its own investigation into the death.

A speaking event with Rep. Ilhan Omar is already attracting lots of attention, but the shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand has increased the focus ... for safety and security reasons.

TMZ has learned LAPD officers will be out in full force when the controversial new representative from Minnesota speaks Saturday at the Hilton in Woodland Hills, CA, at a fundraising banquet meant to empower Muslims living in the San Fernando Valley.

Protests are planned due to Omar's recent comments, which many view as anti-Semitic -- so, security was already going to be tight -- but law enforcement sources tell us the New Zealand mosque attack that killed 50 people required some adjustments to the overall protection plan for the event.

We're told LAPD will be adding plainclothes officers, police dogs and video surveillance to accompany uniformed cops on the scene. Every attendee will be required to go through a metal detector.

Our sources say the California Highway Patrol and L.A. Fire Dept. will also be lending support, and federal law enforcement will work with LAPD to monitor intelligence.

The Hilton also decided to beef up its security staff in the wake of the mosque shooting ... according to sources close to the Council on American-Islamic Relations event.

Chester Bennington can still attract a massive amount of people in the wake of his death -- just take a look at how many heads showed up to a pop-up gallery on his birthday.

Professional concert photographer Jim Louvau hosted a photo exhibit Wednesday night in the San Fernando Valley featuring shots he'd taken of the late Linkin Park frontman from over the years. It was aptly called Celebrating the Life of Chester Bennington.

The pop-up's date was no coincident either -- it fell on what would've been Chester's 43rd birthday ... March 20.

As you can tell, a lot of folks still care very deeply about Chester, as the event's first showing completely sold out ... forcing Jim to host a second showing, which also sold out. All proceeds are being donated to Chester's wife, Talinda Bennington’s suicide prevention organization ... 320 Change Direction.

TMZ broke the story ... Chester died by suicide in the summer of 2017. He hanged himself at his Palos Verdes Estates home, just outside Los Angeles.

3:11 PM PT -- Erica is continuing to post about his death, saying, "Please love me while I'm still here. Nothing is promised. Appreciate life."

1:23 PM PT -- Erica just posted a message about Dixon's murder, saying, "We all deal with so much. You dealt with a lot. I'm so sorry this happened, you didn't deserve this. Rest in forever peace. Watch over your blood sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and your mommy. I know they are so broken right now."

9:04 AM PT -- Cops now say Dixon had just arrived at the location and was standing in the parking lot when he was shot multiple times. Cops still haven't said where Dixon was hit. The death is being investigated as a homicide.

Cliff Dixon, ex-boyfriend of 'Love & Hip Hop' star Erica Mena, is dead after getting shot in Atlanta ... while out celebrating his birthday.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Cliff, a close friend of NBA superstar Kevin Durant, was partying at SL Lounge when an apparent lone gunman opened fire in front of the club around 1 AM Thursday. Cops are investigating but it's unclear if Dixon was targeted.

He was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

According to an incident report, obtained by TMZ, an officer says he was in his patrol unit outside the club when he saw a black male wearing all black with a black skull cap fire at the victim.

The cop says he saw the suspect take off as others gave chase but lost him. It's unclear how many times Dixon -- who earlier Wednesday posted video of himself singing in his car -- was shot.

Dixon's friends have taken to social media to offer condolences. One wrote, "Rest in heavenly peace bro. U ain't deserve what happen to u."

Erica and Cliff dated for about 10 months, but their relationship was undoubtedly rocky. You'll recall they both got arrested last October after getting into a huge fight. Erica ultimately moved on ... getting engaged to Safaree a few months later.

Cliff had been childhood friends with KD and was reportedly part of the hoops star's inner circle.

He was 32. RIP.

Boeing is getting sued for wrongful death over the Lion Air crash of a 737 Max 8 in Indonesia ... a disaster that killed everyone on board -- and signaled the start of Boeing's troubles with the model.

The federal lawsuit was filed by the estate of Rohmanir Pandi Sagala, one of the 189 souls lost when the flight went down last October. According to docs, obtained by TMZ, the 737 Max 8's problems stem from a system called MCAS -- Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System -- which is supposed to stabilize the plane during flight.

However, in the suit, Sagala's attorneys say the MCAS on Lion Air's Flight 610 tilted the nose into a dive without any input from the pilot ... due to a faulty sensor. Sagala's estate claims the pilots fought to pull the nose back up, causing the plane to seesaw more than 2 dozen times before crashing into the Java Sea.

The lawsuit says Boeing failed to warn the public and pilots about the "dangerous and defective design" of the 737 Max 8. It also references the March 10 Ethiopian Airlines disaster -- another 737 Max 8 -- which killed 157 people, and led the worldwide grounding of the model.

For the record, investigators blamed the crash on the pilot overcorrecting the nose when a sensor indicated the danger of a stalled engine.

Sagala's lawsuit happens to come the day after Bloomberg published new details about the doomed Lion Air flight.

3/21 5:30 AM PT -- A spokesperson for KLM tells us ... "The dog's owner has been notified and we express our condolences. In cooperation with the local health authority in the US, the CDC, the dog was initially examined to ensure there was no immediately obvious public health threat. The dog was loaded correctly according to KLM's pet policy."

They concluded by saying they'll need to wait for the necropsy results to determine the cause of death.

2:14 PM PT -- A rep for PETA tells us, "Tragedies like this one are exactly why airlines must require that animals travel in the main cabin only. PETA urges Air France-KLM to join airlines such as JetBlue and Southwest in prohibiting companion animals from being flown in the cargo hold, where they endure noise, extreme temperatures and sometimes inadequate pressurization, before yet another sensitive animal suffers and dies, terrified and alone."

A dog that made a trip aboard an Air France-KLM jetliner that took off in Amsterdam ended up dead in L.A.

Airline sources tell TMZ ... the dog, which looks like a husky, was found dead Tuesday afternoon in the cargo hold.

One Air France employee with knowledge of the incident claims ... the dog was incorrectly loaded in the cargo hold and lost oxygen during the transatlantic flight. According to flight trackers, the flight time was 10 hours, 45 minutes.

We're told the dog's owner picked up her dead pet at Air France's LAX warehouse ... and as you can imagine, she was devastated.

We've seen pictures of the dead dog ... but the images are too disturbing to share.

As we've reported ... dead dogs on commercial flights are becoming all too common, and some deaths end up triggering criminal investigations.

Air France and KLM merged in 2004 to create Air France-KLM.

We've reached out to Air France for comment ... so far, no word back.

Clinton Portis ain't just shutting the door on Landon Collins' wishes to wear Sean Taylor's old No. 21 jersey with the Redskins ... he's BOLTING it down, saying, "f**k no" he can't wear it!!

"F**k no," the ex-Washington running back says ... "I don’t ever want to see nobody else in it."

Of course, Landon just inked a MONSTER 6-year, $84 MILLION contract with the 'Skins ... and since he grew up idolizing Taylor -- some suggested he should wear the late safety's jersey number.

But, that would rub at least one of Sean's old best friends the wrong way ... 'cause Portis says he's FIRMLY against that idea.

"21, that’s sacred. Why even play with people? Why even spark people’s memories? Retire that jersey," Portis told The Athletic.

"For an organization that don’t retire jerseys or don’t officially retire jerseys, you put that motherf**ker in the rafters, you retire it, and you make sure everybody knows, this is irreplaceable."

Portis and Taylor used to be best friends ... playing together both in college at Miami and in Washington.

In fact, when Sean tragically died in 2007 ... Portis says the Redskins asked him to wear the No. 21 jersey to honor the DB -- but he didn't even feel comfortable doing that back then.

"There was no way in hell I would put that pressure on myself or play with fans to believe that we have a chance of seeing 21 in this jersey again."

Good news for Collins? Sean also wore No. 36 with the 'Skins early in his career ... and seems Portis would be fine with LC honoring Sean by going that route.

But, 21? Portis says that's sacred.