Weapons & Guns

The LAPD does not believe ex-NFL player Jonathan Martin's gun photo on Instagram was a harmless social media prank -- they're treating it as a "serious threat" ... this according to sources directly involved in the investigation.

Multiple sources tell TMZ Sports ... Martin recently purchased 2 firearms -- and the gun pictured appears to match up with one of the guns he recently bought.

We're told police are working with all 4 individuals tagged in Martin's post to make sure they're safe.

As we previously reported ... Martin was detained by police Friday after word spread of his threatening post. Harvard-Westlake School in L.A. -- which Martin also mentioned in his IG pic -- cancelled classes Friday out of an abundance of caution.

Melania Trump's all bark and no bite, according to a Florida school shooting survivor who says the First Lady whiffed on a chance to denounce cyberbullying from her own own family member ... Donald Trump Jr.

Lauren Hogg tells TMZ ... Melania's failed to step up after Trump Jr. hit the "like" button on a pair of tweets bashing Lauren's brother, David ... who also survived the shooting. The tweets accused David -- who's been very vocal about the need for new gun laws -- of running damage control for the FBI, and being a tool for mainstream media.

Lauren's adamant ... the First Family owes the Hogg family an apology "because (Donald Jr.) in a way kicked a wound that hasn't healed yet." She also finds Melania's silence odd, considering she tours the country talking about the need to stop bullies.

She adds, "I absolutely think it is cowardly for the first family to not condemn the accusations and trolls who are cyber bullying us.”

Ex-NFL player Jonathan Martin -- who was at the center of the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal -- has been detained by police ... after he allegedly posted a disturbing photo of a gun, ammo and the names of ex-NFL teammates.

The post first appeared on Martin's Instagram account -- showing an image of a shotgun surrounded by ammunition with the caption, "When you're a bully victim & a coward your options are suicide, or revenge."

He also listed social media handles for ex-Dolphins teammates Richie Incognito and Mike Pouncey.

Martin also posted the name of his former high school -- Harvard Westlake -- one of the most exclusive private schools in the country.

Harvard Westlake closed the school in the wake of the threats -- telling students to stay off-campus in an abundance of caution.

Law enforcement tells TMZ Sports ... "The individual we believe to be responsible for the social media post has been detained and the investigation is ongoing."

Martin famously accused Incognito and Pouncey of physically and emotionally abusing him during his stint on the Miami Dolphins in 2013.

The players claimed they were just harmlessly hazing Martin.

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele actually likes one of President Trump's ideas, but that doesn't mean they're on the same page ... at all.

We got the popular Republican pundit at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center near D.C. Thursday and asked him about Trump's pitch to pay teachers a bonus to carry guns in schools ... he likes exactly half of that plan.

Steele tells us there should be absolutely no guns in the classroom, and sounds pretty miffed it's even being considered. As he puts it ... it's bad policy and "opens up a Pandora's box of problems this country just does not need."

Lauren Hogg, a survivor of the Florida shooting, has a strong message for President Trump and lawmakers ... change, or else.

Lauren lost 4 of her friends in the attack last week and is laser-focused on putting an end to the violence. She believes her generation will be the one to step up and do what adults have blocked ... impose strict gun laws ... especially on assault rifles.

The 14-year-old makes one thing very clear -- she believes the majority of the nation is behind her cause, and if politicians don't listen up, their jobs are at stake.

Lauren's brother, David Hogg, has also been extremely vocal since Wednesday's massacre, appearing on numerous shows and squaring off with the NRA in promoting change.

Tekashi69 -- aka 6ix9ine -- isn't letting a little thing like gang threats or that huge LAX brawl, stop him from taking the stage in San Antonio ... TMZ has learned.

6ix9ine is still scheduled to perform at Bar 23 Thursday night ... according to a manager there, he is upping security due to a threat from San Antonio's Tango Orejon gang.

Purported members of the gang posted a Facebook video Sunday, telling 6ix9ine he's banned from their city and would get "f***** up" if he shows his mug.

The gang threat refers to the charges 6ix9ine pled guilty to in 2015, involving a minor. Prosecutors say he was recorded groping a nude 13-year-old girl. As the gang members put it, "Penitentiary rules are in effect."

We're told the club's main goal is to keep everyone at the venue safe, and to get 6ix9ine in and out without incident. The manager also tells us they've notified local police about the threat.

As for 6ix9ine ... he seems to be going forward with his tour, full steam. He was just in Dallas Wednesday night, and teased his performance in San Antonio.

David Hogg's mother worries her son is going 1,000 MPH in his quest for gun control, but she also knows his time to act is NOW.

Hogg's mother, Rebecca, tells us David hasn't stopped making the media rounds advocating for new gun legislation after Nikolas Cruz brutally murdered 17 people from his high school last week in Parkland, Florida.

But, while the grieving process is imperative, Rebecca also understands David and every other student-turned-activist is doing right by their late classmates to keep the issue relevant in the news in order to see real change.

T.I. says it's time for the U.S.A. to reexamine its gun laws in the wake of the Florida shooting ... but he doesn't wanna lose his right to bear arms.

We got Tip Wednesday leaving The Palm in Bev Hills, where he weighed in on the gun control debate raging in the country right now. Somewhat surprisingly, he says he's for reform.

The rapper tells us it absolutely should be more difficult for unstable people to get their hands on a firearm, and that "not being a felon isn't enough" anymore. At the same time ... he fears messing with the 2nd Amendment could lead to "enslavement" by Uncle Sam.

Dallas' Mayor Pro Tem is telling the NRA to kick rocks ... and now his life is in danger.

Dwaine Caraway tells us he's been getting some frightening messages ... just days after telling the NRA to find a new home for its annual convention. It's slated to go down on May 4 in Dallas Convention Center, but Caraway says it's a bad idea.

He's certain the convention would draw massive protests, and fears an outbreak of violence around the event.

Tekashi69 -- also known as 6ix9ine -- was dishing on some burning issues like gun control and projections of violence in rap ... just minutes before he and his crew threw down at LAX.

We got the Brooklyn MC Wednesday at LAX prior to his epic fight -- and he had some insights into guns and how they play into hip-hop.

It's interesting -- he explains why rappers flashing pieces isn't necessarily an endorsement of violence. Speaking of which ... he got caught up in some violence soon afterward.

MLB prospect Bubba Derby -- who heroically used his body as a human shield during the Las Vegas massacre -- has reported to Brewers spring training with a "58 Strong" glove to honor the people who were killed in the shooting.

The 23-year-old pitcher was in the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Oct. 1 when a deranged man opened fire on the crowd from the Mandalay Bay hotel.

Derby threw his body over two women in the crowd to shield them from the bullets -- and then stayed with the girls until they were reunited with their friends.

We reached out to Derby who tells us he's dedicating the 2018 season -- and every season -- to the 58 people who lost their lives in the shooting ... "They will never be forgotten."

Derby says he plans to use the "58 Strong" glove for the entire 2018 season.

President Trump seems to think the way to solve the problems with school shootings is more guns ... specifically, arming teachers.

Trump fielded suggestions Wednesday at the White House during a "listening session" he hosted with survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. He came prepared with a cheat sheet that included questions, and even a comment ... "I hear you." That was number 5 on his list.

A father of a Stoneman Douglas High survivor suggested allowing certain school personnel to be secretly armed so they can immediately respond before cops arrive. Trump was receptive, and said it was something he'd consider, among other things.

Trump said "maniacs" would be deterred from even attempting a school shooting if they knew bullets could be coming in their direction. The room was torn on the issue.

Interesting ... almost no one squarely addressed the biggest issue ... banning assault weapons. Also interesting ... Trump has taken a position on this before, and appeared to be against guns in the classroom.

Derek Jeter is vowing to use his experience playing after the 9/11 attacks to help Florida fans cope with the massacre that left 17 people dead in the Parkland school shooting.

Jeter was in Ft. Lauderdale at a Chamber of Commerce meeting when Evan Golden -- a TV producer who graduated from Stoneman Douglas in '99 -- asked for advice on handling the tragedy.

Jeter and the Yankees -- and the sport of baseball -- are credited with playing a big part in returning a sense of normalcy to life following the 2001 attack.

"Sports has that great ability to bring people together. The fan base in New York really rallied around us on September 11th," Jeter says.

"Those horrific events that happened last week, nothing will change that. We can learn from it. Hopefully over time we find something to cheer for."

When an audience member yelled out, "Hopefully the Marlins will do it here" ... Jeter's response?

Nikolas Cruz is getting a second look by a judge to determine if he's eligible for a lawyer paid for by the State of Florida.

The Broward County Public Defender's Office has just filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, noting that a probate case has just been opened in his mother's death. The Public Defender's Office notes, although Cruz has already been found indigent by the court clerk and therefore eligible for a free lawyer, there may be funds from his mother's estate or a possible life insurance policy that would disqualify him.

The Public Defender wants the judge to review the various financials to determine if he's still eligible for a court-appointed lawyer.

President Trump's doing something about gun control -- he says he's signed paperwork directing Jeff Sessions to get the ball rolling on banning "all devices that turn legal weapons into machine guns."

Trump says this process actually started after the Las Vegas massacre in October, when he told the Attorney General to look into whether the bump stocks used by Stephen Paddock were illegal under current law.

The Prez must have been encouraged by what Sessions reported back, because now -- in the wake of the Florida school shooting by Nikolas Cruz that left 17 people dead -- he's made a big move to propose regulations almost all gun control advocates support.

It's unclear what Sessions will do from here, but steps are clearly being taken to address the gun crisis.

However, don't count on the Florida State House to follow suit. Around the same time Trump made his announcement, state legislators voted down a measure to hear a bill banning assault rifles 71-36.

Judd Apatow is just one of thousands of people who've donated to a child who was shot and critically injured during the Florida high school shooting ... TMZ has learned.

Judd's rep confirmed to us that the comedian had, in fact, contributed $1,000 to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student Anthony Borges, who was shot multiple times while attempting to save others last week in the mass shooting.

According to the official GoFundMe page, Anthony took bullets to both legs and his back while trying to close and lock a door to a classroom full of classmates. He's alive and stable, but has "a long road of recovery ahead." The fund has raised over $400k so far.

There are 2 other donors who might be famous -- a Kevin Smith donated $1,000 and Eric McCormack donated $500. We haven't heard back from reps to confirm it's the filmmaker and the "Will and Grace" star.