250th Mass Shooting 9 Dead in Dayton ... 29 Dead This Weekend
10:46 AM PT -- The suspected Dayton shooter has been identified as 24-year-old Connor Betts of Bellbrook, OH. He was a Chipotle employee, and the food chain sent a letter to its staff Sunday confirming as much ... saying they're working with law enforcement on the investigation, and offering full support to employees who knew or worked with Betts.
Shots rang out in Dayton, Ohio early Sunday Morning leaving 9 people dead and dozens injured, just hours after another mass shooting that slaughtered 20 ... all at the hands of 2 crazy people with assault rifles.
A lone gunman used what appears to be an AR-15 assault rifle and opened fire at around 1 AM in the City's crowded nightclub district, and in less than a minute 9 people lay dead on the street, and at least 26 injured.
Police responded quickly and shot and killed the shooter, who wore body armor.
This follows Saturday's massacre at a Walmart store in El Paso, TX, where a gunman used an assault rifle, opening fire and killing 20 and critically wounding many others.
President Trump sent prayers via twitter, but what he did NOT do is call for a ban of assault rifles, which is the weapon of choice for mass shooters. BTW ... assault rifles have a singular purpose ... to kill people. Don't be fooled otherwise, despite the BS you hear from the NRA. They try to tell you the 2nd Amendment gives Americans an absolute right to bear arms, but that's just false. Even the First Amendment -- which says there shall be no law restricting freedom of speech -- is not absolute.
The problem ... the NRA has bought off enough politicians to the point they won't do the right and sane thing ... ban assault rifles. People have a right to own guns, but not every weapon is legal and assault rifles have no place in this society.
This year alone, 293 people have been massacred in mass shootings ... 1072 have been injured.
Originally Published -- 7:23 AM PT
related articles
Joe Jonas, Sophie Turner Dog Day Afternoon ... New Puppy in the Pack
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are getting over the death of their dog with the help of a new furry friend ... they got a new pup in their company just over a week later.
The couple was out Saturday in Miami, settling into what appears to be a vacation home with Joe's bro, Kevin, his sister-in-law, Priyanka Chopra, as well as some friends in tow. No word on whether Nick and Danielle tagged along -- they might be joining later.
The biggest addition to the crew though was a puppy golden retriever, who Sophie brought out of the van on a leash and what looks like a harness of some sort. Later, she gave this little lady a bath in the pool, and she didn't even seem to mind. Good girl (we think)!!!
There was another pooch there with them too, but Joe and Sophie's other dog, Porky, didn't show up in these photos. He's the brother of their Alaskan Klee Kai, Waldo -- who was tragically hit and killed by a car in New York last week, after breaking free from his leash.
As you'll recall, the pet owners were devastated in the following days ... and definitely didn't hide their emotions in grieving the loss of their canine family member.
Looks like they've found a new way to cope now -- whether the puppy here is a rental or permanently part of the pack, it sure is lifting their spirits.
related articles
Cameron Boyce's BFF China Anne McClain Gets Emotional ... 'No Idea' He Had Epilepsy
-
Exclusive
- 3.7K shares
"Descendants 3" star China Anne McClain grew up with her costar and BFF Cameron Boyce, and says his death hit her like a ton of bricks, because almost no one knew he was suffering from epilepsy.
China was on "TMZ Live" Friday to talk about Cameron and Friday's Disney Channel debut of his final movie, 'D3.' She says the premiere comes with mixed emotions on the heels of her dear friend passing. It was obvious she's still processing the loss.
She says only Cameron's family knew about his condition, and despite the fact she knew him for 10 years -- and starred in 4 movies with him -- she had "no idea."
She broke down as she explained how the simplest things remind her of Cam and sometimes send her on a roller coaster of emotions. China says she's even caught herself picking up the phone to text Cameron.
She says she still hasn't seen "Descendants 3," and confesses she's not sure she'll be able to make it through the whole thing when she finally does watch.
As we reported ... Disney canceled a red carpet event in Cameron's honor after he died last month in his sleep. The studio also made a donation to the Thirst Project ... a nonprofit close to Cameron.
China reminded us his family's launched the Cameron Boyce Foundation.
related articles
YouTube's 'King of Random' Filmed His Own Death ... Parachute Snafu to Blame
-
Exclusive
- 2.3K shares
The fatal crash that killed Grant Thompson -- creator of YouTube's popular "King of Random" series -- was all caught on camera ... and though we're told it'll never see the light of day, it's helped investigators determine exactly what went wrong.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... authorities have reviewed footage from a camera mounted on Grant's paramotor, and it appears a change in the updraft caused the parachute to malfunction. It's unclear if the parachute twisted ... but we're told Grant died on impact, less than 4 seconds after the problem surfaced.
The video makes it apparent ... Thompson immediately knew something was wrong but couldn't recover because he lost altitude in rapid fashion. By the time he deployed his reserve parachute, it was just too late. We're told the reserve chute did in fact deploy, but not in time.
We're told authorities are adamant the video will never be released to the public ... it would be gratuitous, gruesome and painful for his family.
TMZ broke the story ... Grant died after a paramotoring accident in Utah. The Washington County Sheriff's Office had said a report came in Monday of an overdue paraglider who had gone off the radar near the Sand Hollow State Park. His coordinates were pulled from GPS data and a helicopter located his body.
As we first reported ... Grant had taken up the sport only 5 months ago and called it his new obsession. He was only 38.
related articles
Saoirse Kennedy Hill RFK Granddaughter Dead at 22 ... Apparent OD at Kennedy Compound
10:02 AM PT -- An autopsy was performed on Hill Friday and revealed there was no trauma inconsistent with the lifesaving measures taken by paramedics. According to the Cape and Islands D.A.'s Office ... the cause and manner of death are pending a toxicology report, and the matter remains under investigation.
Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy's granddaughter is dead after suffering an apparent drug overdose while staying at the family's famous Hyannis Port estate.
Saoirse Kennedy Hill was already in cardiac arrest Thursday by the time paramedics arrived at the Kennedy compound ... around 2:30 PM. She was rushed to a hospital, but doctors could not resuscitate her, and she was pronounced dead there.
Multiple reports said the cause of death appears to be an overdose, but there's no official word from police or the family.
Saiorse's death is the latest in a decades-long string of tragedies for the Kennedys. The family released a statement saying, "“Her life was filled with hope, promise and love. She lit up our lives with her love, her peals of laughter and her generous spirit. We will love her and will miss her forever."
Her grandmother, Ethel, added, "The world is a little less beautiful today."
Saiorse studied communications at Boston College, and before that attended the Deerfield Academy private boarding school in Massachusetts. While she was there, she wrote an article for the school paper about battling depression and attempting suicide.
Her parents are Courtney Kennedy -- Ethel and RFK's 5th child (out of 11) -- and Paul Michael Hill.
Saiorse was 22.
RIP
Originally Published -- 8/1 10:08 PM PT
related articles
YouTube's 'King of Random' Vid Shows Grant Paramotoring with Ease ... Months Before Death
-
Exclusive
- 213 shares
Grant Thompson, creator of YouTube's popular "King of Random" series, died doing an extreme sport he loved and mastered -- based on this video -- even though he'd just picked it up a few months ago.
TMZ's learned Grant Thompson was paramotoring -- it's also called powered paragliding -- when he died Monday night in Utah. In this video shot in March ... Thompson's seen handily operating a paramotor to fly all around and high above an open field.
At one point he pulled off a maneuver his friend calls "so risky" as he recorded the flight.
Law enforcement confirmed a paramotor was involved in Grant's accident.
His brother, Mark, tells us Grant took up the sport about 5 months ago and says it was his new obsession. We're told the footage seen here was taken at the same spot near his home where he was supposed to land ... had he made it back from the flight that killed him.
We broke the story ... authorities found Grant's body Tuesday. The Washington County Sheriff's Office got a call about an overdue paraglider who'd gone off radar near a state park, and they quickly launched a massive search.
Along with Grant's paramotoring gear, a video recording device was found at the crash site and is being reviewed to determine the cause of the accident.
Grant started his YouTube channel in 2010 and amassed more than 11 millions subscribers while documenting experiments, life hacks and random weekend projects.
He was 38.
related articles
Nick Buoniconti NFL Legend Dead at 78
-
Breaking News
- 3.6K shares
Pro Football Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti -- who famously launched a charity to cure paralysis -- has died after a struggle with dementia. He was 78.
Buoniconti was a stud linebacker at Notre Dame who was drafted by the Boston Patriots of the AFL in 1962 ... but went on to become a superstar for the Miami Dolphins from 1969 to 1976.
During his career, Buoniconti racked up 2 Super Bowl rings, made 2 Pro Bowls and was a 6-time AFL All Star. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Buoniconti believed he suffered from CTE due to his football career and in 2017 he announced that he would donate his brain for research purposes after his death.
During an interview, Buoniconti once said of his condition, "I’m positive that football caused this ... I always loved [the game]. I still do. But I’m paying the price."
Nick famously launched The Buoniconti Fund after his son, Marc, became paralyzed during a college football game in 1985. The Fund helped launch the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, which has become one of the global leaders in neurological research.
Nick and Marc were famously featured on an episode of HBO's "Real Sports."
Nick also hosted "Inside the NFL" from 1980 until 2001.
And get this, while playing for the Patriots, Nick earned his law degree and became a sports agent who represented a bunch of MLB players ... including Andre Dawson.
Yankees legendary owner George Steinbrenner once said Nick was the toughest negotiator he ever faced.
Long story short, Nick lived a pretty amazing life and will be missed.
RIP
related articles
Cameron Boyce Cause of Death Officially Ruled Epilepsy
-
Exclusive
- 21.8K shares
Cameron Boyce suffered a sudden, unexpected death due to epilepsy ... according to the Medical Examiner, confirming what we already knew about the young Disney superstar.
The L.A. County M.E.'s report also says Cameron did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system ... except for Keppra -- which is an epilepsy medication.
We broke the story ... Cameron's offical cause of death was deferred on his death certificate until the medical examiner's office could complete its investigation. The report says the 20-year-old developed non-traumatic epilepsy about 3 years ago ... and had "several major seizures" over the years.
As we told you, despite suffering epileptic seizures for a long time ... Cameron was able to achieve great acting success in both TV and in movies. The M.E.'s report says his seizures typically occurred months apart.
Boyce suffered the fatal seizure on July 6 and died in his sleep. Our sources told us his roommate found him unresponsive, and when paramedics arrived they could not revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cameron's death led to heartfelt tributes from many celebrities, including Michelle Obama, who said, "not only did he have incredible talent, but also an incredible heart."
His family says his spirit will live on through "the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him." It's already evident -- the actor's favorite charity has raised thousands since his death in his honor ... with some help from his movie dad, Adam Sandler.
related articles
YouTube's 'King of Random' Grant Thompson Dead at 38 ... Paragliding Accident
-
Exclusive
- 16.8K shares
Grant Thompson -- the creator and star of the viral YouTube series "King of Random" -- died this week after a paragliding accident in Utah ... according to his family.
Grant's brother, Mark, tells TMZ ... the YouTuber went paragliding Monday evening, but never returned home. Mark says Grant's body was discovered by authorities Tuesday, and that the family is still being briefed on what exactly happened.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office says a report came in Monday of an overdue paraglider, who'd gone off the radar near the Sand Hollow State Park. They say the caller reported the paraglider should have returned an hour earlier, and he couldn't be reached on his cellphone. The call triggered a massive search.
Grant's coordinates were pulled from GPS data, and a helicopter located his body that night. WCSO says detectives found paragliding equipment at the crash site, as well as a video recording device ... which they're reviewing to determine cause.
Mark tells us that Grant got into paragliding around 5 months ago. He had an affinity for skydiving, flying and other airborne activities.
Grant started his YouTube channel in 2010, documenting experiments, life hacks and random weekend projects. King of Random amassed more than 11 million subscribers and nearly 2.5 billion views total. His was the 321st most subscribed to channel on YouTube.
It appears Grant took something of a backseat on his series as of late. Two new hosts have been fronting the video experiments for a while.
YouTube commented on Grant's death as well, saying ... "We're deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Grant Thompson, a gifted, passionate and endlessly curious creator. We send our deepest condolences to his loving family, The King of Random team and fans."
He was 38. RIP
related articles
Eli Manning On Jared Lorenzen's Funeral 'It Was Tough'
-
Breaking News
- 40 shares
Eli Manning says the death of his former New York Giants teammate, Jared Lorenzen, hit him pretty hard ... saying, "I went to the funeral and I saw his parents, to see his kids, it’s just sad."
Lorenzen was Manning's backup during the 2006 NFL season, when the Giants beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Before that, they had been friends for years.
Lorenzen -- aka the Hefty Lefty -- passed away on July 3 ... and Manning (along with NY Giants co-owner John Mara) flew to Kentucky to pay his respects to his friend at a small burial service.
"We came in at the same time, competed against him in college, we were friends here for four seasons, won a Super Bowl, had so many good memories," Manning told the New York Post.
Lorenzen's father, Joe, praised Eli for coming out to the funeral -- and for being a good friend to Jared over the years.
"I wish nothing but the best for Eli," Joe told The Post ... adding, "He is a good man. I want to say a good kid, but he is a good man. I hope he has a great year this year."
related articles
Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner Memorialize Waldo in Ink ... 'R.I.P. My Little Angel'
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner have memorialized their dog, Waldo, with a tattoo tribute just days after the Alaskan Klee Kai was struck and killed by a car.
Joe just revealed his fresh ink, with the message, "R.I.P. my little angel." As for Sophie, she got a matching portrait and posted, "I miss you, Waldo. Rest In Peace my little baby." The tattoos are matching portraits of Waldo. It's the first time Joe or Sophie Turner have publicly addressed Waldo's death.
We saw the two of them over the weekend looking emotional on the set of Joe's music video in NYC, while Sophie clutched the couple's other pooch, Porky.
TMZ broke the story ... Waldo was out on a walk with a dog walker in New York last week when he got loose and ran into the street. He was struck and killed by a car. Joe and Sophie went and filed a police report ... but not before getting therapy.
Law enforcement sources tell us the driver of the vehicle that killed Waldo will not be charged.
related articles
Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux Say Farewell to Their Dog, Dolly
Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux appear to have reunited over the weekend but under very sad circumstances ... saying goodbye to their dog.
The former couple's white shepherd rescue, Dolly A, was laid to rest Sunday at sunset after what Justin called "a heroic struggle." It's unclear if Dolly died from old age or if she was suffering from some sort of ailment. Nevertheless, Dolly had a touching send-off ... as she was covered in flower petals while wrapped in a blanket.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Justin posted on Instagram, "Our most loyal family member and protector Dolly A. laid down her sword and shield. She was surrounded by her entire family." The words "her entire family" is leading to speculation Jennifer was there ... especially because of a closeup shot of a man and woman's hands gripped over Dolly.
Jen reportedly named the dog after Dolly Parton when she and Justin were dating.
The post also included a George Vest quote that read, "The one that never deserts, the one that never proves ungrateful...is the dog -- faithful and true, even in deaths." Justin ended the post with #adoptdontshop and #rescuedog.
related articles
Nipsey Hussle Police on High Alert for Birthday Celebration
-
Exclusive
- 4.8K shares
Nipsey Hussle's birthday is still a couple weeks away ... but cops are already gearing up and bracing for a huge turnout at his Marathon Clothing store in his honor.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... LAPD has August 15 marked on its calendar, planning a heavy presence at the location where the rapper was shot and killed earlier this year.
The police force is fully aware Nipsey was a beloved member of the community, so its anticipating thousands of fans showing up to pay their respects on his bday.
We're told the LAPD is not taking any chances.
Our sources say more than 100 officers will be in the area -- but many will be in plain clothes because they don't want to come off as threatening.
Interestingly, Hussle's camp hasn't even released any official plans about how it will celebrate his bday ... but cops are making an educated guess it will revolve around Marathon.
Nipsey's memorial service and funeral procession were attended by thousands in April. We're told just like that gathering, cops don't foresee violence ... but they'll be ready if things get out of control.
As we reported ... Nipsey and his business partners were being investigated at the time of his death for alleged gang activity around his clothing store, despite the LAPD praising him at the very same time for taking a stand against gang violence.
The LAPD later said it wasn't specifically targeting Hussle ... just looking to curb the long-standing gang problem in the area surrounding Marathon.
related articles
Adrien Broner Nothing Has To Change After Boxing Deaths ... 'Hell Nah'
-
Exclusive
- 292 shares
Adrien Broner thinks Maxim Dadashev's death from in-ring injuries was tragic ... but the star boxer tells TMZ Sports nothing about the sport has to change going forward.
"Hell nah," Broner says ... "Ain't nothing got to change."
Dadashev -- a 28-year-old Russian junior welterweight contender -- took repeated punches to the face and head during his fight last Friday night with Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias.
After his trainer threw in the towel to stop the bout ... Dadashev collapsed and was rushed to the hospital -- where he later died Tuesday from brain injuries suffered during the fight.
Broner tells us the tragedy was eye-opening ... and says people need to start appreciating him more now because "it only take one shot and we can die."
But, as far as putting in measures to prevent that from happening in the future, Broner says that's unnecessary for boxing.
"It's a part about growing up," Broner says ... "Who your teacher is. What he taught you. 'Cause when I grew up, my coach, Mike Stafford, the first thing he taught me was defense."
"And that's why my career is still lasting as long as it is."
As for whether Dadashev's corner let him down by not stopping the fight sooner ... Broner says their actions were fine by him.
"As a fighter, it's like, 'Nah, don't stop this fight.'"
related articles
Voice of Minnie Mouse Actor Russi Taylor Dead at 75
-
Breaking News
- 85.1K shares
Russi Taylor -- the woman who voiced Minnie Mouse for more than three decades -- has died.
Taylor passed away Friday at her Glendale home in Southern California, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger. He says, "Minnie Mouse lost her voice with the passing of Russi Taylor."
Iger went on to say, "We’re so grateful for Russi’s talent as well as the tremendous spirit and great joy she brought to everything she did. It was a privilege to have known her and an honor to have worked with her, and we take comfort in the knowledge that her work will continue to entertain and inspire for generations to come."
He added, "Russi will be sorely missed and our hearts go out to her family and friends, along with our deepest condolences." The circumstances around her death are unclear.
Russi voiced the iconic Disney character consistently since the '80s -- 1987 to be exact, which is when she's first credited for playing Minnie in a TV movie called "DTV 'Doggone' Valentine." She auditioned and landed the coveted role. Hers is the Minnie voice most millennials and kids are familiar with.
She's continued to voice Minnie as recently as 2019, and has a little over 80 Minnie credits to her name over the a variety of Disney projects. Some of the most notable contributions to the Disney canon as Minnie ... "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" "Runaway Brain," "Goofy and the Three Musketeers," "Mickey Mouse Works," "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and lots of others.
Russi's voice talents went well beyond Disney though ... she's voice other iconic characters too, like Pebbles on "The Flinstones," the Mackleberry Twins and Martin Prince on "The Simpsons" and other characters on "The Jetsons," "Scooby Doo," "The Muppets" ... plus plenty of other Disney favorites.
She was once married to longtime Mickey Mouse voice actor Wayne Allwine, who died of diabetes in 2009. They didn't have any children together, but she's got a whole country of kids who love her.
Russi was 75. RIP.
related articles
Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas Emotional During Video Shoot Days After Their Dog Waldo Was Killed
-
Exclusive
- 1.4K shares
Sophie Turner was understandably emotional Friday night as she cradled her dog, Porky, and watched her husband Joe Jonas shoot a music video.
TMZ broke the story ... Joe and Sophie's other Alaskan Klee Kai, Waldo, was struck and killed by a car Wednesday as he was walking in Lower Manhattan with his dog walker. Waldo got spooked by a pedestrian, broke free and ran into the street where he was hit by a vehicle.
Joe Jonas and Sophie were torn up by the tragedy. They filed a police report and told cops they were so distraught they had to see a therapist.
Before the video shoot, Joe and Sophie comforted each other as they walked in a New York City park with Porky.
As we reported, Waldo and Porky were brothers. Joe originally got Porky as a surprise for Sophie, and later adopted Waldo after they decided they wanted another dog.