Weapons & Guns

Ja Morant won't be back on the court anytime soon -- the Memphis Grizzlies superstar just entered a counseling program and won't rejoin the team until further notice.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported the news on Monday ... saying Morant is seeking help in Florida and there's no set date for his return to the Grizzlies.

You'll recall ... Morant was suspended after he brandished a gun during his Instagram Live video while at a strip club in Colorado last weekend.

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins was asked Monday if Morant would be eligible to return for Friday's game against the Spurs ... and he said there are things that have to happen before Morant suits up for the Grizzlies again.

"There are a lot of internal dialogues going on and obviously there’s still things going on at the league level that we’re in communication with," Jenkins said. "Ja’s fully engaged in this process and ready for whatever comes next after these 2 games."

As Morant continues to work his way back, the 23-year-old did get some good news last week ... when the Glendale Police Department in Colorado announced that he won't face any charges over the gun incident.

YouTuber Adin Ross has been the victim of repeated swatting pranks ... and now L.A. cops are taking steps to change how they respond to calls involving his house.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... someone tried to swat Adin again earlier this month -- LAPD says they got a call about a shooting. It was all made up.

Cops say pranksters have phoned police numerous times when Adin was live streaming so cops would show up and interrupt his stream.

We're told LAPD will now take a different approach -- police will first contact Ross' security team to make sure it's not a prank before they send out patrol cars and helicopters.

Ja Morant was investigated by cops for assault after allegedly clashing with a high school student back in September ... TMZ Sports has learned -- but the NBA star was never charged over the incident.

According to a Germantown Police Dept. report, the interaction between the teenager and the Memphis Grizzlies point guard happened at Houston H.S. in Tennessee on Sept. 22 at around 7:10 PM.

In the docs, police say at an after-school volleyball game, Morant's sister -- who attends Houston H.S. -- got into a verbal argument with another student.

Witnesses on the scene, according to the docs, told officers both parties had called each other "bitch" -- prompting Ja's sister to contact Ja about it all.

A short time later, cops say Ja, Ja's mom and dad, Ja's baby daughter and "a group of" adult males all came into the gym together. According to the documents, most of the group -- excluding Ja's father -- went to confront the student in the stands at the game who had been quarreling with Ja's sister.

"Which one of ya'll called her a bitch?" Jamie Morant, Ja's mother, allegedly said.

Cops say in the docs they told Jamie she "can not come upstairs and confront the students and they did not need to make a scene at the school." But, officers say while they were talking, one of the men with Ja moved past police and walked toward students.

According to the report, witnesses on the scene said the man slapped a phone out of a student's hand who had been attempting to take a picture of Ja in the stands ... and then said, "I don't care about none of that, I will beat y'alls ass."

A witness later said that man "was about to pull a gun" -- though cops on the scene said in the documents they never observed a firearm during the incident.

Police say everyone eventually left the gym without further problems.

The next day, cops say the mother of the student who had been in the spat with Ja's sister wanted to press charges against all parties, including Ja, for intimidation and harassment. Cops say Jamie Morant also wanted to press charges against the student who had been in the tiff with her daughter for threats and intimidation.

Cops investigated Ja for simple assault, intimidation -- no physical contact, but no charges were ever filed.

The mother of the student, meanwhile, tells TMZ Sports her son was also investigated, but did not end up being charged either.

According to the police report, the Grizzlies' head of security -- ID'ed as Kevin Helms in the report -- came to the school to discuss the incident with authorities. Cops say Helms "was asked to give a verbal trespass warning to all parties per the request of the Principal."

We've reached out to the Grizzlies for comment on the situation, but so far, no word back yet.

The situation was one of at least three times in the last calendar year that Ja has been investigated by cops. In the summer, police probed into allegations that he roughed up a teenager during a pickup basketball game at his home. Earlier this week, cops looked into video he posted where he brandished a gun at a Denver-area nightclub. He was not charged in either incident.

Ja -- a 23-year-old, two-time All-Star who's considered one of the best young players in the NBA -- is currently away from the Grizzlies in wake of the gun video.

Robert Blake, the actor whose life was just as talked about off the screen as it was on, has died.

According to a statement released to the Associated Press on behalf of Blake's niece, Noreen Austin, Blake died Thursday from heart disease at home surrounded by loved ones.

Blake was infamously charged with the murder of his second wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, after she was found dead outside Vitello's restaurant in Los Angeles in 2001. Bakley had been shot in the head while sitting in Blake's vehicle.

Blake told investigators he had gone back inside the restaurant to retrieve a pistol when Bakley was shot and killed. It was later determined his pistol was not the murder weapon.

Blake's trial lasted about three months, but he was eventually found not guilty of murder and not guilty of one of the two counts of solicitation of murder ... the second solicitation of murder charge was also eventually dropped.

Blake's career in Hollywood spanned more than 50 years, starring in movies like "In Cold Blood," "Lost Highway" and "Treasure of the Sierra Madre." He also played Tony Baretta in "Baretta" ... a role that won him an Emmy in 1975.

Shawn Kemp's attorney just released a statement on the ex-NBA star's arrest ... saying his actions were "reasonable and legally justified" when he fired a gun in a shopping mall parking lot -- alleging thieves opened fire on him first.

W. Scott Boatman addressed the situation in a lengthy note on Thursday -- shortly after Kemp was released from jail -- saying the incident started after his client's property, including an iPhone, was stolen from his car Tuesday night.

Boatman says Kemp tracked his phone to an occupied car that was parked near a Tacoma, WA shopping center on Wednesday ... and when he approached the vehicle, the individuals inside shot at him.

The attorney says Kemp returned fire, but only out of self-defense ... and he remained at the scene and spoke with cops "in an attempt to assist in the matter."

No one was injured during the incident.

Kemp was arrested and booked for a drive-by shooting Wednesday night ... and spent the night behind bars before being released less than 24 hours later.

Kemp's attorney is also disputing that there was a "drive-by shooting" ... but according to Washington state legislature, a drive-by shooting is described as when someone "recklessly discharges a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010 in a manner which creates a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person and the discharge is either from a motor vehicle or from the immediate area of a motor vehicle that was used to transport the shooter or the firearm, or both, to the scene of the discharge."

As we previously reported, part of the incident was captured on video ... showing Kemp fire his gun, drive around the parking lot and drop an item in a bush before speaking with police.

Cops later retrieved a revolver from that same location.

Shalonda Mixon -- the sister of Joe Mixon -- has been named as a suspect along with one other in the shooting incident at the NFL star's home earlier this week ... this according to new police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports.

According to a Hamilton County Sheriff's Office incident report, several juveniles were playing a game called "dart wars" near Joe Mixon's house in Cincinnati on Monday at around 8:25 PM -- when the shooting occurred.

Police in the docs say two of the participants in the game told them one of the other players -- a 16-year-old boy -- had run alongside his house with a "Nerf" style toy gun when he suddenly came under fire.

Per the docs, "unknown suspect(s)" shot at the boy from Joe Mixon's backyard ... allegedly firing off a total of 11 rounds.

The teenager, according to the docs, was struck in the foot by a bullet as he attempted to run away.

Police say in the docs a black Honda Accord was spotted leaving Joe Mixon's home just after the shooting. An ensuing police stop, cops say, revealed 34-year-old Shalonda Mixon and a 34-year-old man named Lamonte Brewer were the occupants of the vehicle. Both were ID'ed as suspects in the shooting incident.

Cops say the boy, meanwhile, was transported to the hospital, where medical personnel discovered he had a bullet still lodged inside his foot.

The HCSO said no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed.

"We understand that there is very specific interest in this story due to the nature of the home being connected to Bengals player Joe Mixon," an HCSO spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. "We cannot confirm additional details outside of what is outlined in the Incident Report. Our investigative team continues to review the evidence and conduct interviews."

Shawn Kemp allegedly wasn't the only one pulling the trigger during his parking lot altercation on Wednesday ... police responded to "two subjects firing shots at each other," according to dispatch audio obtained by TMZ Sports.

53-year-old Kemp was arrested for drive-by shooting following a dispute with another driver outside a Tacoma, WA shopping mall on Wednesday ... after cops say an altercation broke out between two cars around 2 PM.

As we previously reported, witnesses claim they heard gunshots prior to recording part of the incident on their phones ... although it was unclear whether Kemp -- who is shown aiming and shooting his weapon in the video -- was the only one to open fire.

According to police dispatch, witnesses claim Kemp fired 5-10 shots at the other vehicle during the incident ... and a revolver was found outside a Firestone Complete Auto Care.

Our footage shows Kemp driving around the parking lot and dumping something near a bush outside the car shop ... and cops later found a weapon at the scene.

Sources tell Fox 13 Kemp was acting out of self-defense ... and he was attempting to retrieve stolen property when someone opened fire on him first.

Kemp was booked for felony drive-by shooting at 5:58 PM at the Pierce County Jail.

Cops say no one was injured ... and the incident is under investigation.

Alex Murdaugh is being held in the most secure area of a South Carolina prison ... and it's all because other inmates might wanna take him down a few notches due to his notoriety.

Murdaugh, who is serving two life sentences after being convicted of murdering his wife and 22-year-old son, is behind bars at Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia, SC, where he's been placed in a single cell.

The SC Department of Corrections tells TMZ ... Murdaugh's infamy could put him at risk -- so, for the most part, he's being kept away from other inmates.

Murdaugh's single cell is made of concrete with a steel bed, toilet and sink. It's a stark contrast to the privileged lifestyle the disgraced powerhouse attorney once led.

We're told Murdaugh is under constant surveillance and he's not even eating with the other inmates. His meals are brought directly to his cell, where he eats alone -- that's how in peril prison officials feel he'd be in general population.

Murdaugh's only going to be at Kirkland for 45 days ... there's an evaluation period before he's assigned to a specific custody level, and new prison. At that point, we're told he will get his meals in the cafeteria with his fellow inmates, unless a specific threat is made against him.

For now, though, we're told Murdaugh is being escorted by at least one corrections officer whenever he leaves his cell ... and that's when he gets closest to other inmates, albeit for an extremely limited window.

As far as creature comforts, he can have a few. We're told he can buy a TV for his cell and pay for phone calls to family and friends.

So far, he hasn't been attacked or even threatened ... but Kirkland officials aren't taking any chances he gets harmed on their watch.

Ex-NBA star Shawn Kemp fired a gun during a parking lot altercation prior to his felony arrest on Wednesday ... footage obtained by TMZ Sports shows.

53-year-old Kemp -- wearing a red vest -- approached a vehicle and pointed his firearm ... appearing to yell something before pulling the trigger at least once outside a Tacoma, Washington shopping mall around 2:00 PM.

Witnesses tell us they heard multiple gunshots before pulling their phones out to record the incident ... and claim they saw Kemp drive around the parking lot and ditched his gun in a bush before talking to police.

At one point, Kemp appears to attempt to flag down police to go after the other vehicle involved.

Footage also shows cops searching the parking lot landscaping before retrieving a handgun from a bush.

As we previously reported ... Kemp was booked for felony drive-by shooting at 5:58 PM at the Pierce County Jail.

Sources tell Fox 13 Kemp was attempting to retrieve items he claimed were stolen on Tuesday ... and once he tracked down the property Wednesday afternoon, someone opened fire on him first. Kemp claims he was purely acting out of self-defense.

Julia Fox's dad and brother were reportedly taken away in handcuffs ... with cops finding ghost guns and materials used to manufacture drugs in their apartment.

According to NY Post, police conducted a raid at Christopher and Thomas Fox's Manhattan pad Wednesday ... all in part of a larger investigation regarding ghost guns.

Not only did cops find the weapons without serial numbers, but also a slew of chemicals -- including fentanyl, chloroform, heroin, formaldehyde, and other materials often used to craft explosives ... things like pressure cookers and other chemicals. Thousands of dollars worth of wine bottles were also spotted inside.

On top of that, police reportedly recovered 3D printers and unidentified pills at their apartment ... both of the were taken into custody, with charges currently pending according to The Post's sources.

A spokesperson for the NYPD confirmed an arrest at Christopher and Thomas' apartment building, saying the department seized equipment for pressing narcotic pills as well as the guns.

Former NBA star Shawn Kemp was arrested following an alleged drive-by shooting Wednesday in Washington ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to Tacoma PD, an altercation between two cars broke out around 2 PM ... which resulted in shots being fired in a shopping mall parking lot.

Cops say one car fled the scene and a gun was recovered. No injuries were reported.

53-year-old Kemp -- a six-time All-Star -- was booked for felony drive-by shooting at 5:58 PM and is still in custody at the Pierce County Jail, according to records.

FYI -- drive-by shooting is a class B felony ... which carries up to a 10-year prison sentence.

Kemp -- AKA the "Reign Man" was the 17th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft ... and played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic over the course of his 14-year career, averaging 14 points and eight rebounds a game.

The former big man has been at the forefront of the push to bring an NBA franchise back to Seattle ... in hopes of reviving the Sonics.

Kemp was previously arrested on two drug-related incidents in 2005 and 2006. He has since ventured into the cannabis industry ... opening a dispensary in 2020.

Ja Morant is off the hook in his gun video case -- at least criminally -- cops just announced the NBA star will not face charges ... even though he recorded himself brandishing a firearm at a Denver-area club over the weekend.

The Glendale Police Dept. cleared the 23-year-old on Wednesday afternoon ... saying in a statement that despite the "concerning" images on Morant's Instagram Live stream Saturday morning -- "there was not enough available evidence to charge anyone with a crime."

Cops said the incident took place on March 4 just hours after the Grizzlies game against the Nuggets at Shotgun Willie's -- a Gentleman's club located five or so miles from Ball Arena.

"In this case," police said, "it should be noted that on the night in question the GPD did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type. Subsequently, no disturbances were reported, and no citizens or patrons of the club came forward to make a complaint."

"The investigation also concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with the firearm," they added, "and in fact no firearm was ever located."

While cleared legally ... Morant is still facing potential punishment from the NBA -- the league announced it launched its own investigation into the matter that has not yet concluded.

While the probe continues onward, Morant -- who apologized for the video and vowed to seek out help afterward -- has remained away from the Grizzlies.

A timetable for his return to the hardwood has not been set yet.

Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller is breaking his silence on the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris ... saying Wednesday the tragedy is "heartbreaking."

"I never lose sight of the fact that a family has lost one of their loved ones that night," Miller told reporters. "This whole situation is just really heartbreaking."

He added, "Respectfully, that's all I’m going to be able to say on that."

Miller's brief remarks come just two days after he was named SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.

As we previously reported, cops say Miller -- Alabama's best player this season -- brought the gun to his friend and former teammate, Darius Miles, on January 15 in Tuscaloosa.

Miles' friend, Michael Davis, allegedly fired the fatal shot.

Despite his connection to the murder case, Miller did not face trouble with Alabama or the law ... and has been performing at a high level on the court. He even dropped 41 points against South Carolina last month.

Miller's availability has been met with criticism -- the victim's parents expressed to USA Today they believe 'Bama is prioritizing Miller over the tragedy.

"They're worried about his career, but what about this 5-year-old boy (Harris' son, Kaine)," Harris' mother, DeCarla Cotton, told the outlet.

Joe Mixon's trainer called 911 on Monday night from the NFL star's home to report hearing gunshots outside of the residence ... this according to new police audio, obtained by TMZ Sports.

Sean Pena -- a famed personal trainer who's worked out with high-profile athletes like Antonio Brown in the past -- put in the call from Mixon's Cincinnati-area house at around 8:25 PM ... police records show.

In the call, you can hear Pena say several "kids" were playing near Mixon's home ... and had, at one point, blocked off the street with their cars.

"One kid was running around brandishing a weapon and he went back to his car and it looked like it was a fake weapon," Pena said. "But then I kept watching, watching, watching and then he was screaming something and he went back to his car and he pulled out another weapon. It looked like a Kel-Tec or something and ran up the back driveway of this house that he had been going up and down, and said, 'F*** yeah.'"

That's when Pena said he heard what sounded like five gunshots.

"Then all the sudden I heard him running, running down there, and you heard 'Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,'" Pena told dispatch.

Pena said three of the cars in the area then "sped off."

The trainer, who described the home he was in as "my athlete's house," went on to say he had been watching the group of individuals playing outside for 10-15 minutes.

Police documents show when officers arrived on the scene they found a juvenile suffering from a gunshot wound to his foot. They noted he did not want medical attention, saying his dad is a doctor. Later in the report, police noted the victim "believes he has a bullet fragment in his foot."

Police also said in the documents a shell casing had been found in the rear of Mixon's house.

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, meanwhile, has shed little details on the incident publicly. It said in a press release Tuesday officers responded to the area for a report of shots fired. It added that officials conducted a search warrant on a home in the area -- and did confirm a residence belonging to Mixon is "part of the crime scene."

"We hope to provide a more comprehensive update to the investigation later this week," an HCSO spokesperson said.

We've reached out to Pena for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Shaquille O'Neal is weighing in on Ja Morant's controversial gun-flashing Instagram Live session ... telling the Memphis Grizzlies star he has to be smarter moving forward -- saying, "You're not a rapper, you're an NBA player!"

Shaq conveyed his memo to the 2-time All-Star during NBA on TNT on Tuesday ... saying Morant put himself in his current position with the NBA, Grizzlies, and fans as he chose to push the IG Live button and brandish a gun.

"You don't go live, nobody knows he has a weapon, [then] we're not talking about this, but HE did that," the 51-year-old said.

"We have to stop putting ourselves in positions where they can take away the things that we worked hard for."

Shaq emphasizes the fact that Morant chose to share with the world that he was in a strip club, shirtless, with a gun ... and he should've known there would be repercussions for it.

"You got to have enough common sense to know that wasn't going to go how you wanted it to go," O'Neal said. "You're not a rapper. You're an NBA player."

Shaq proposed Morant thinks about his "higher powers" before making bad choices -- and he's talking about Ja's parents and 2-year-old daughter, Kaari.

Speaking of his parents, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe told TMZ Sports Morant's dad, who he had an altercation with in January, needs to be a father and not a friend in this situation.

"It's okay to be a friend," Sharpe said at LAX. "But you gotta be a father, too, and when you see your son doing something wrong, you gotta step to him and say it's wrong."

Multiple cops reportedly entered Joe Mixon's Cincinnati-area home on Monday night ... hours after they launched an investigation into an alleged shooting in the NFL star's neighborhood.

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said its officers headed out to the 7900 block of Ayers Road -- where Mixon lives in Ohio -- at around 8:25 PM after receiving a call of gunshots being fired.

A juvenile, according to cops, had been injured and transported to the hospital.

On-the-scene reporter Chancelor Winn said deputies cordoned off Mixon's home with caution tape after arriving -- and, at one point, knocked on his door while saying, "Sheriff’s Department. Come out."

Eventually, per Winn, they gained entry into the Bengals running back's home at around 1:30 AM. They left roughly two hours later. No arrests were made.

It's unclear if Mixon had any involvement in the investigation -- but WLWT News 5 reports his sister said the 26-year-old "was not involved in the shooting Monday night that injured a teenager."

Mixon has yet to publicly comment on the matter.

Story developing ...