9:09 AM PT -- Tom Brady is now showing his support for Ahmaud Arbery -- signing a letter from the NFL Players Coalition to Attorney General William Barr, demanding a federal investigation into the shooting.
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Along with Brady, several other huge NFL stars have signed -- including Julian Edelman, Warrick Dunn, Cam Jordan, Mark Ingram, Stephon Gilmore, Shaun Alexander and more.
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Even NBA coach Steve Kerr signed the letter -- despite the fact he's not in the NFL.
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The letter reads ... "The local investigation into this case is marred by conflicts, inaction, [the second assigned prosecutor’s] very deliberate attempt to ensure that Mr. Arbery received no justice, and the current prosecutor’s total failure to act until social media forced his hand."
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"The local police force can never be independent, as the elder-McMichael used to work there. And [the second assigned prosecutor’s] statements about the case surely have tainted the local jury pool. If people are to have faith in the justice system, the Department of Justice must act with the FBI leading the investigation."
NFL star Malcolm Jenkinswants justice for murdered Georgia man Ahmaud Arbery -- who would have turned 26 today -- and he's doing his part by going on a jog to show support for Maud's family.
"Happy birthday to Ahmaud Arbery," Jenkins said while out on a 2.23-mile jog ... "Rest in peace, King."
Malcolm's workout is all part of the #RunWithMaud movement -- which is encouraging people to go on a jog to honor Maud -- while his family continues to push for justice.
The 2.23-mile run represents the date Arbery was shot and killed while jogging on Feb. 23.
Two men -- Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory -- have been arrested for the shooting and are facing murder charges.
"Doing my job for you," Jenkins added while encouraging others to follow his lead. "Even though they arrested those two men, we gotta make sure they don't forget his face and that he gets his justice in court."
"Y'all continue to support my brother, uplift his name, show his face, stay diligent. Love y'all."
Ex-NFL wideout Torrey Smith also participated in the run -- saying, "I hate distance running but I hate our justice system and racism more."
Other athletes, including LeBron James, Reggie Bush and more, have voiced their outrageover the incident ... with the Lakers superstar saying, "We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!"
The family of the Indianapolis man gunned down by cops during a live stream says they're distressed by the insensitive comment an officer was heard making on the scene.
Sean Reed's uncle, Tyrell Reed, tells TMZ ... the family's grief was made even worse when they heard someone, reportedly a detective, on the live video say, "it's gonna be a closed casket." The disgusting remark was made moments after Reed was shot, and as police stood over his body.
Sean's uncle says it was already terrible having seen a family member killed on camera, but he added ... laughing cops and the "closed casket" quip will be burned into their minds forever.
The police chief called the remark "unacceptable" and said the unidentified officer would be disciplined.
As we reported ... Sean was shot to death during a police pursuit Wednesday in Indianapolis, and it was all captured on his live stream.
While police say Reed exchanged gunfire with the officer, his father, Jamie, claims the video shows there is no way his son would have been able to shoot at cops.
As for the next step ... Sean's family says they want justice, and they are considering taking legal action against the police.
Comedian and Indy-native Mike Epps spoke out about the killing, and Sean's family says they've been overwhelmed by the groundswell of support both online and in the community.
They add that people who knew Sean will remember him as someone with a "bubbly personality ... an energetic and loving lifestyle."
Moments before Ahmaud Arbery was shot, someone called 911, claiming they'd seen the young man running down the street after allegedly looking into a house under construction.
It's unclear who the male caller is, but he said he was watching a black male in a white t-shirt looking into the home. The caller claimed, "He's been caught on camera a bunch before at night. It's kind of an ongoing thing out here."
There had allegedly been a series of break-ins in the Brunswick, GA neighborhood prior to the February 23 shooting. The caller said, "He's running right now. There he goes right now" ... and the 911 dispatcher said she was sending police to the scene.
A second call was made to 911, apparently by Gregory McMichael ... the father of Travis McMichael, the man who confronted Ahmaud with a shotgun. The elder McMichael was out of breath during the call, and told the operator there was a "black male running down the street."
Gregory then yelled, apparently to his son, "Stop that damn it, stop! Travis!!"
It's unclear if the second call was made before or after the fatal shots that took 25-year-old Ahmaud's life.
As we reported, video of the incident shows the McMichaels in a white pickup truck blocking the road down which Ahmaud was running. That's what led to the confrontation and a brief wrestling match between Travis and Ahmaud. Seconds later, at least 2 shots were fired and Ahmaud fell to the ground. He died from the gunshot wounds.
The Arbery family attorney, Lee Merritt, told us a third man was involved in chasing down Ahmaud -- he says the person recording the video was trailing the chase in his own vehicle ... allegedly to block Ahmaud from escaping.
Neither of the McMichaels have been arrested or charged in Ahmaud's death. The release of the video this week has sparked national outrage and demonstrations.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is taking over the case from local police. Merritt told us he wants the Glynn County D.A. to issue arrest warrants immediately ... rather than kicking it up for a grand jury to decide.
An ex-boyfriend of Anna Nicole Smith -- who went to prison for threatening her and assaulting her neighbor -- has been killed in a shooting ... TMZ has learned.
Mark Hatten died Sunday after an incident with another man in Greeleyville, South Carolina turned deadly. It's currently unclear what led up to the shooting.
Hatten, reportedly known as 'Hollywood' in Greeleyville, did have a Hollywood past with Anna Nicole ... but it didn't end well.
According to the famous late Playmate's testimony in 2002, she began dating Hatten in early 2000 and the 2 had a sexual relationship until June 2000, when he allegedly confronted her with a knife in the bedroom of her home.
She broke up with him, but Smith claimed he continued to stalk and threaten her for nearly 2 years afterward. In March 2002, he showed up at her home and assaulted her neighbor when the man asked Hatten to leave.
He stood trial and was found guilty of making criminal threats against Smith and attacking her neighbor. He was sentenced to nearly 7 years in prison.
8:20 AM PT -- Brian's son, Michael, tells TMZ, "I feel we are all put in this world for a reason. The passion for music was my father’s, and I am so happy that his legacy will live on.”
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We're told when paramedics first got to Howe, they had a brief conversation with him, but he slipped away soon after.
Brian Anthony Howe, the former lead vocalist for Bad Company, has died ... TMZ has learned.
Howe passed away Wednesday at his home in Florida. One of his relatives told TMZ ... Howe died from cardiac arrest ... possibly on his way to the hospital. He had heart issues ... the singer had a heart attack in 2017.
The 66-year-old singer's career launched when he worked on Ted Nugent's 1984 "Penetrator" album.
Howe replaced Paul Rodgers as the lead vocalist for Bad Company. Howe, who was also a songwriter, handled most of the writing for the album, "Holy Water," back in 1990 ... it made the top 40 and attained platinum status. It was the most successful album for the group, helped along by the hit song, "If You Needed Somebody."
The group's last album for Howe was in 1992 ... "Here Comes Trouble." The album went gold with a top 40 hit, "How About That." Howe left the group in 1994.
Howe went on to have a solo career, but it never reached the level of Bad Company.
Howe was 66.
He is survived by his sister Sandie and her husband, his son Michael and daughters Victoria & Ella, along with 3 grandchildren Kira, Alexandria, and Aurora.
One of the last reminders Dog the Bounty Hunter had of his late wife, Beth, is now gone too ... the African grey parrot she gifted him years ago has passed away.
We're told the parrot, a female dubbed Baby Bird, died Wednesday morning and just days after the bird started plucking its feathers ... a behavioral problem that can cause them physical harm like infections from open sores. We're told Dog believes the cold climate in Colorado may have possibly led to her death.
Our sources say Beth gave Dog Baby Bird a few years ago ... and in that short span Baby Bird, as most smart parrots often do, started mimicking how Beth said "hello" while also blurting out phrases like "Bail Bonds." Baby Bird also learned how to say "Francie" ... a nod to Dog's new fiancee.
We're told these are just some of the reasons why Dog -- an avid animal lover -- is devastated by Baby Bird's sudden passing. However, he feels comforted knowing Baby Bird is now by Beth's side.
The Georgia man who shot and killed Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed black man, is still walking free -- but the Arbery family attorney is trying to change that immediately.
The video of Ahmaud's killing -- released Tuesday -- is sparking national outrage and local protests near Brunswick, GA ... where he was gunned down in February. His family has hired Lee Merritt to get justice for Ahmaud by cutting through what he calls corruption in the Glynn County D.A.'s office.
Merritt joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to discuss the gut-wrenching video. Lee says the first version of the story cops told Ahmaud's family was that he was shot by a homeowner while committing a burglary.
That's obvious BS, as Ahmaud was jogging down a road when Greg and Travis McMichael, both armed, cut him off with their pickup truck ... leading to the physical altercation and the fatal shots.
As for why they were tracking Ahmaud -- Merritt tells us the men are hiding behind a pretty wild GA statute about citizen's arrests.
While Ahmaud's family says he was just out for a jog, the McMichaels claim he was casing an unoccupied home and matched the description of a potential suspect in neighborhood break-ins.
Merritt says it's time for the McMichaels to be taken into custody -- but the D.A. wants to get a grand jury to decide if they should be arrested and charged.
Merritt smells corruption because, Greg, the elder McMichael, used to work in the D.A.'s office -- but he says the video is all the evidence needed for the D.A. to issue an immediate arrest warrant.
Ashley Ross -- AKA Ms. Minnie from "Little Women: Atlanta" -- was all over the road before she struck another driver in the opposite lane, and ultimately suffered fatal injuries ... TMZ has learned.
We got a hold of the crash report, and it shows -- based on eyewitness testimony and the responding officer's observation ... Minnie lost control of her car while traveling southbound on one side of a highway, causing her to jerk the steering wheel right. Cops say she went off-road briefly before violently swinging back to the left and colliding with another vehicle in the opposite lane. Neither she nor the other driver were ejected.
The other driver was taken to a hospital with complaints of pain -- but the cops note, Minnie was unresponsive on the scene. She would later be pronounced dead.
The report also indicates that no drug or alcohol tests were administered to either driver. It does say, however, that Minnie was determined to be at fault in the crash.
As for cause of death ... the Fulton County Medical Examiner tells us there was no autopsy performed on Minnie, and no report is forthcoming either. We're told she'll likely be listed as having died from blunt force trauma from the accident.
Minnie's family is holding a memorial for her this weekend -- which only 10 of her closest loved ones will be able to attend in person due to quarantine guidelines. Everyone else can pay respect through a live stream, and the family is accepting flowers, cards and donations via different platforms.
We're also told her 'Little Women' costars plan to properly honor her on the show once they're up and shooting again.
Vanessa Bryant was able to open one last letter from Kobe on her birthday ... revealing she waited until her special day to read an unopened envelope from her late husband.
"Yesterday I found an envelope labeled To: The Love of my Life. From, Tu Papi," Vanessa said. I waited to open one more letter on my birthday."
"It gave me something to look forward to today.❤️"
It's Vanessa's first birthday without the Lakers legend and their daughter, Gigi ... whose 14th birthday would have been May 1.
Vanessa's friends were quick to comment messages of support, including Lala Anthony who said:
"That's beautiful V. Today is your day. We celebrate you. We love you. We got your back forever. Happy happy birthday."
Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child added, "Sending you love today!! Happy birthday Vanessa."
Just a few days ago, Bryant asked friends, family and fans to show support for her daughter's birthday last week by wearing Gigi's favorite color, red.
Kobe and Gigi -- along with John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan -- were killed in a helicopter crash on January 26.
In her IG caption, Vanessa added, "Missing the Love of my Life and my sweet little Mamacita- my fellow Taurus. Grateful to wake up to my 3 sweet girls today. Wish we were all together."
What appears to be an Asian "murder" hornet took a mouse's life within seconds in a wild struggle that was captured on video ... seemingly proving how deadly these things are.
This video just resurfaced this week and is spreading in light of the news that the deadly version of these insects from across the world has touched down in our own backyard here in North America in the past few months.
A new influx of hornets from Asia -- which have NOT been seen here in the States until recently -- pose a massive risk to our domestic bee population, not to mention humans. With them roaming the wild ... much of the natural order of the animal kingdom is in danger
It's unclear if this is, in fact, a murder hornet -- as we don't know exactly when the clip was shot, or where -- but it certainly seems to reflect what these giant bugs are said to do ... MURDER.
It's crazy to see the mouse fight for its life and try to squirm away -- but it's no use, 'cause the hornet is all over it and stinging/biting away until finally ... the mouse stops. The hornet then flies away and starts coming for the cameraman -- that's when the video cuts out.
Whether it's an Asian hornet or not -- it's pretty clear ... we should keep an eye out for them in general, 'cause it looks like they're big, vicious and, obviously, lethal. Take care 😬
4:08 PM PT -- Some of Shula's players from his historic coaching career shared their memories over the years ... including first impressions at practice, legendary speeches and life lessons.
UPDATE
The video interviews are powerful ... with Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Dick Anderson, John Offerdahl and more discussing Shula's impact on their lives.
Don Shula -- the NFL coaching legend who famously led the Miami Dolphins to a perfect season in 1972 -- has died at 90 years old.
"[Shula] passed away peacefully at his home this morning," the Dolphins said in a statement.
A cause of death was not immediately known.
"Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years," the team said.
"He brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of Miami in the national sports scene."
"Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Anne along with his children Dave, Donna, Sharon, Anne and Mike."
Shula is one of football's all-time greats ... after a playing career as a defensive back in the NFL in the 1950s -- he went on to become a Hall of Fame coach.
Shula, the head man in Baltimore from 1963 to 1969 and then in Miami from 1970 to 1995, owns the record for most wins by an NFL coach EVER ... piling up 347 in his 33-year career.
Shula also won two Super Bowls as the coach of the 'Fins ... and is still the only man to ever coach an undefeated NFL team.
Don was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
RIP
Shula had a major impact on a ton of famous people. Some of them are posting tributes on social media including:
NFL commish Roger Goodell -- "Don Shula will always be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of our game. He made an extraordinarily positive impact on so many lives."
"His iconic legacy will endure through his family and continue to inspire generations to come."
The Cleveland Browns -- who drafted Shula in 1951 -- shared the team's condolences ... saying, "We're proud of the fact that his football foundation was built in Ohio, starting at Harvey High School in Painesville, playing collegiately at John Carroll and then being drafted by the Browns."
"Coach Shula's contribution to our game are unmatched. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Shula Family."
Magic Johnson -- "RIP NFL Hall of Fame Coach and 2X Super Bowl champion Don Shula! My prayers go out to his family."
Andrea Kremer -- "My deepest condolences on the passing of Don Shula... As a professional I worked w/ him & got to know him well, even naming my dog Zonk, just like he did. RIP Coach."
Gov. Ron DeSantis -- "Coach Don Shula leaves behind an incomparable legacy as the NFL’s winningest coach and as the one who put Miami sports on the map."
Bill Cowher -- "We lost one of the most iconic men in the history of NFL coaching in Don Shula. His leadership and wisdom helped to guide me and many others who have made a life in coaching football. Thank you Coach Shula. May your spirit and legacy live on forever."
Stacey King -- who won 3 NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls -- says his older brother has died from COVID-19 ... and he's begging for people to take the pandemic seriously.
"I lost my older brother [Edward Lamoyne King] yesterday morning to this deadly coronavirus," Kings said on Sunday.
"This disease cares nothing about your race, your religion, if you're rich or if you're poor or your standing in your community! This disease effects us all! It's for real and until it takes a loved one or someone close to you we tend to not take it as seriously as we need too."
"So please wear mask, gloves, continue to practice social distancing and stay inside as much as you can because Covid 19 is REAL!"
Lamoyne was only 60. RIP.
53-year-old Stacey King was a 1st-round pick back in 1989 -- selected 6th overall by the Chicago Bulls.
He went on to win rings with the Michael Jordan and the Bulls in '91, '92 and '93 before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Luc Longley.
After his NBA playing career wrapped up, Stacey got into broadcasting and currently calls Bulls games for NBC Sports Chicago and WGN.
Former Oakland A's pitcher and "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Matt Keough has died.
His former team made the announcement that Matt passed on Saturday. The team did not reveal the cause of death.
Matt pitched for Oakland for 7 seasons. He received some notable awards ... 1978 All-Star rookie, 1980 American League Comeback Player of the Year. In addition to Oakland, Matt pitched for the Cardinals, Cubs, Astros and Yankees.
Matt was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in '81 with the other "Five Aces" ... 4 other members of the A's.
After baseball, Matt ventured into reality TV with his then-wife, Jeana ... they were cast members on "Real Housewives of Orange County." They married in 1984 and separated 20 years later. Despite the separation, they continued living together during the early seasons of "RHOC."
Matt had his share of legal trouble. He racked up 2 DUI's ... the second of which earned him a 1-year jail sentence. Interesting ... Jeana testified on Matt's behalf, even though their marriage was over, asking the judge to give him probation.
It's especially tragic for the family ... a few weeks back their daughter, Kara, had a son who died during childbirth from complications ... shoulder dystocias and a compressed umbilical cord.
Kara posted a tearful message ... "Daddy, please take care of my son. Teach him the circle changeup and how to find forever friends. You're on grandpa duty in heaven now. Xoxo, Hammerhead."
Sam Lloyd -- best known for playing kooky lawyer Ted Buckland on "Scrubs" -- has died.
Lloyd was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in January 2019 -- just weeks after he and his wife, Vanessa, welcomed their first child, Weston. After a year and a few months, he succumbed to the disease.
"Scrubs" creator Bill Lawrence paid tribute to the actor Friday, saying ... "Thinking a lot about Sam Lloyd today. (Ted). Truly such a kind, sweet guy. He will be missed by so many."
Along with playing Ted, Lloyd was known for his roles on "Desperate Housewives," "Happy Together," "Shameless," "The West Wing" and "Modern Family." He also had guest spots on "Spin City" and "Seinfeld," and notable credits in films like "Galaxy Quest" and "Flubber."
Sam reprised his Ted character on another Lawrence show, "Cougar Town," as well.
And, get this ... the quartet he belonged to -- The Blanks, which was featured on "Scrubs" -- gained popularity from the show and toured after it ended.
The actor was also working on his own musical for over a decade before his brain tumor diagnosis -- called "With Pam & Gil."
10:09 AM PT -- Vanessa is asking fans to honor Gianna today by wearing her favorite color ... red!
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"Gianna loved to wear a red bow in all of her school pictures. Red means love and life," Vanessa said.
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"To commemorate Gigi’s birthday today, please consider wearing red, caption an act of kindness or show how you will play Gigi’s way since she always gave everything she did her all and led with kindness."
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"Please use the hashtag #PlayGigisWay Thank you."
Vanessa Bryant is paying tribute to her daughter, Gianna -- who would have turned 14 years old today ... saying, "You are part of MY SOUL forever."
"Happy 14th Birthday to my sweet baby girl, Gianna," Vanessa posted on social media.
"Mommy loves you more than I can ever show you. You are part of MY SOUL forever. I miss you so much everyday."
"I wish I could wake up and have you here with me. I miss your smile, your hugs and your giggles. I miss EVERYTHING about YOU, Gigi."
"I LOVE YOU so much!!!!!!!"
Gianna passed away on January 26 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas -- along with her father, Kobe Bryant, and 7 others.
In the days after the crash, Vanessa said, "My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone."
Gigi was an unbelievable basketball player with dreams of playing in the WNBA along with her Mamba Academy teammates, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester.
In fact, all 3 of the girls were announced as the first three honorary picks of the 2020 WNBA Draft.
Vanessa said of the Draft ... "It would have been a dream come true for [Gianna]. She worked tirelessly every single day. She wanted to be one of the greatest athletes of all-time, just like her daddy. So thank you, thank you for honoring my little girl."
The 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' cast needs a fresh box of tissues ... because things got super emotional while paying their respects to the late James Avery, who played Uncle Phil.
The teary-eyed tribute was part of the finale to Will Smith's new Snapchat show, "Will From Home" ... and you can see how much James meant to the 'Fresh Prince' cast.
Uncle Phil's greatest moments roll on the screen while Will and some of the show's favorite cast members -- Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons,Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid and DJ Jazzy Jeff -- watch and tear up.
Ya gotta see the video ... it's a very powerful and moving tribute, full of some of Phil's most inspiring quotes.
TMZ broke the story ... James died on New Year's Eve in 2013 from complications following open-heart surgery.
As you know ... Will's Snapchat show is the first time the cast is reuniting on-screen since May 1996, when the incredibly popular sitcom ended its 6-season run.
Lots have changed since then, but one thing remains constant -- the cast's love for Uncle Phil.
