Weapons & Guns

Former Playboy Playmate Ashley Mattingly -- a domestic violence survivor at the hands of Lane Garrison -- took her own life with a gunshot to the head ... according to her autopsy.

The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office says Ashley put a handgun in her mouth when she pulled the trigger. The rest of the report reveals graphic, and quite frankly, obvious details we don't need to get into here.

The ME's report, obtained by TMZ, also includes toxicology results that show Ashley had opiates and benzos in her system when she died.

TMZ broke the story ... Ashley died back in April at her home in Austin, Texas, leaving a suicide note. Her family told us Ashley was struggling with substance abuse and alcohol abuse.

While they acknowledge she had many demons, they also say she was trying to get her life back on track.

Ashley was 33.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's son was arrested Wednesday after cops say he stabbed his Orange County neighbor multiple times, TMZ Sports has learned.

28-year-old Adam Abdul-Jabbar -- who appeared on "Celebrity Family Feud" with his famous father back in 2017 -- has been booked on 1 count of assault with a deadly weapon, records show.

Cops tell us ... officers responded to call about a stabbing on June 9 around 10 PM in San Clemente, CA.

"The suspect, who is the neighbor of the victim, was arrested without incident," a police spokesperson tells us.

Cops say the victim transported himself to the hospital "with multiple non-life-threatening injuries."

According to his booking sheet, Abdul-Jabbar stands 6'7" and weighs 180 lbs. He has since been released from custody, cops say.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing, officials tell us.

A journalist covering the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis is suing the city and its police chief, claiming cops left her permanently blind in one eye ... courtesy of rubber bullets.

In the lawsuit, journalist Linda Tirado claims cops ignored her press credential and targeted her with a ballistic tracking round ... before firing foam bullets at her face.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Tirado says she was covering the protests on May 29 -- the first night the city implemented a curfew -- and was left with blood dripping down her face as she repeatedly cried "I'm press." She claims officers ignored her and it was protesters who got her to a medic who transported her to the hospital.

Tirado claims by the time she got to the hospital her left eye was permanently destroyed. She says doctors told her "in connection with her injury, she now has a flat aspect and no depth perception.”

The mother of 2 also says the injury will have long-term effects on her children. She says her oldest is 9 years old and is autistic and "will need therapy to work through her trauma associated with her mother’s injury." Tirado also says her youngest, 7, may also need therapy.

Cops have a Seattle gunman in custody after he drove his car down a crowded street of peaceful protesters and shot a person who tried to stop him.

It was a terrifying scene Sunday evening as the black car came barreling down a street ... forcing people to run and jump out of the suspect's path.

He slowed down as he approached a barricade, and a few people reached into his car ... trying to stop him before he reached a much more crowded street. That's when he opened fire, shooting one male victim ... then stopped his car and got out brandishing the handgun.

Onlookers from surrounding buildings screamed in horror, and the gunman started running through a packed street of people protesting the killing of George Floyd.

Seattle PD was able to track down the gunman before anyone else was injured and they now have him in custody.

Elmer Fudd is losing one of his signature items for the rebooted 'Looney Tunes' on HBO Max -- the guy's going gun-less moving forward ... but has other lethal weapons at his disposal.

The news was confirmed this weekend as people noticed the new animated series doesn't feature any firearms -- with one of the EPs telling the NYT, "We're not doing guns." Obviously, Elmer Fudd -- a hunter -- uses a rifle/shotgun in the OG cartoon show. Ditto for  Yosemite Sam -- he uses pistols -- who will also be without his usual weaponry from now on.

Funny enough, Elmer and Sam still get to use incredibly dangerous artillery in their never-ending pursuit of Bugs Bunny ... Elmer gets a scythe, and Sam is reportedly going with a grass hook. Of course, they still have access to dynamite and other ACME-certified products.

Lo and behold, a lot of people are "outraged" over this, accusing WB and HBO of going soft to appease to this generation's PC sensibilities ... especially as it pertains to gun violence.

It does seem a bit hypocritical to ban guns, but not other explosives that are depicted with as much verve and explicit violence as Elmer's rifle and Sam's pistols used to be in the old days.

Reche Caldwell -- a former NFL wide receiver who played with Tom Brady -- was shot and killed in Tampa on Saturday, his mother confirms to TMZ Sports.

He was only 41.

Caldwell's mother tells us ... Reche -- real name Donald Caldwell -- was getting ready to take his girlfriend out on a date when he went back inside his home to grab a jacket.

Reche's GF says the former player was "ambushed" by a "couple of people" who jumped out of bushes trying to rob him.

We're told Reche was shot in the leg and chest -- and someone called 911.

Unfortunately, the injuries were so severe, Caldwell's mother tells us Reche died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

"He was a good person who smiled all of the time," Deborah Caldwell tells us.

"He tried to help everyone he could. He was the type of guy who would take his shirt off his back and give it to you."

Caldwell was a 2nd round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft after a stellar career at the University of Florida.

He played 6 years in the NFL for the Chargers, Patriots and Redskins -- and was a part of the New England team that lost to the Colts in the 2006 AFC Championship.

We've reached out to authorities to find out of any arrests have been made. So far, no word back.

The New England Patriots have issued a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of former Patriot Reche Caldwell."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."

A Chicago PD officer charged at a protester, shoved him to the ground and started attempting to pummel him ... and it was all caught on video.

The attack went down Thursday night as demonstrators took to the streets again to protest the killing of George Floyd and police brutality ... the latter of which was on full display.

Take a look -- as cops appear to be trying to clear protesters from the area, one of them snaps and bum-rushes a guy and throws him down ... then starts delivering violent left hooks to his head.

The officer's so unhinged, he even strikes his own guy as he turns around to go at more protesters, before seeking out his original target for more action.

Chicago PD tells us they've opened an investigation into the incident. CPD adds it "strives to treat all individuals our officers encounter with respect. We do not tolerate misconduct of any kind and if any wrongdoing is discovered, officers will be held accountable."

This incident came just hours after one in Buffalo, where cops pushed an elderly man to the ground, causing him to hit his head and bleed -- and the day after NYPD officers assaulted a man they said was violating curfew.

Some cops in Buffalo shoved an elderly man, who lost his balance and hit his head on the concrete ... laying motionless and bleeding from his ear.

Protesters filled Niagara Square Thursday night to protest the death of George Floyd and injustices in our legal system. Officers, dressed in heavy gear, started to move in on the crowd while the elderly man approached and started a non-physical confrontation with some of the cops.

An officer from the group shouts "Move!" at the man and then proceeded to push him, causing him to stumble back and fall over.

In the video, captured by WBFO's Mike Desmond, you can see blood surround the man's head almost immediately as he lay motionless ... and officers call for a medic.

A rep for the Buffalo Police Department allegedly told a local reporter the man was injured when he "tripped and fell." His condition is currently unknown.

The protests of the last week have remained mostly peaceful until intervention. As we reported, President Trump fired rubber bullets and tear gas into peaceful protestors so he could make his way for a photo-op at a local church that had been damaged the night before.

The NYPD is under fire after video surfaced showing several cops beating a bicyclist to a pulp with batons as the man tried crossing the street.

The clip was shot Wednesday night after a full day of peaceful protests in the Big Apple. You can see a man, walking his bike and being violently struck by a police officer's baton before two other officers join in.

As for the "justification" of force? An NYPD source tells us, the man was out after curfew, and officers were trying to "clear the streets." We're told the video was shot after 10 PM and curfew was at 8.

The person who posted the video said the incident went down at the intersection of 50th Street and Third Avenue. The tweet was captioned, "People stuck in traffic are witnessing NYPD beat up folks on their way home.”

The brutal assault caught the attention of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who said, "Horrifying. You start with the tiny possibility that two officers may be walking over to deescalate the abusive one. Instead, they join in beating a man trying to get out of traffic."

We've reached out to the NYPD for comment, and we're told "we are aware of the video and it is under internal review."

A couple of Chicago PD officers allegedly chose to let a gang shootout play out amid the unrest over George Floyd's death ... at least that's what it sounds like on the citywide police scanner.

As violence and riots continued Monday night in Chicago, word came over the scanner at 9:27 PM of a shooting at Cermak and Spaulding. Cops were told ... "There's gangbangers vs. gangbangers. They're shooting across at each other."

The response ... one officer says, "Let 'em do it," and another follows up with "Let it be!"

Another call over the scanner immediately follows, confirming the gang members were shooting at each other at the same location. It's unclear if cops ever responded to the shooting.

We reached out to Chicago PD ... they tell us they're looking into the audio and its authenticity.

However, we've confirmed the audio went over the police scanner ... it's just a matter of who made the comments.

As we reported ... law enforcement sources have told us police radios have gone missing during the recent civil unrest and chaos, so it's possible the voices heard over the scanner are not cops.

In a similar case, an NYPD scanner broadcast a call to shoot and run over protesters ... which sounds like it came from officers but could have been someone else. NYPD is looking into it, as well.

Cops pulled a drive-by on some black kids in Los Angeles. Seriously, and it's all on video.

To be fair to cops, the video doesn't show how this interaction started, but the conclusion is suspicious. The group of about 5 to 6 apparent teens -- many with backpacks and skateboards -- were walking on a sidewalk, and not in the middle of a protest.

Suddenly, an L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. cruiser pulled up on the street corner and unleashed a hail of rubber bullets on the group of kids ... who were already running away from the cops.

Again, we don't yet know what sparked this confrontation, but here's what's clear from the video -- at the moment the shooting started, the kids were calmly walking together down the street. The video caught the attention of Lil Nas X who tweeted, "This is why we need to push as hard as ever this time."

To Lil Nas' point ... this appears to be exactly the kind of police behavior against which millions are protesting right now.

We've reached out to the Sheriff's Dept for more information.

The riots and lootings triggered by George Floyd's brutal killing have many citizens in L.A. panicking and rushing to stock up on protection for themselves and their businesses.

Gun and ammo stores had lines wrapped around the block at several locations in the area ... and we're told many shops are even getting close to selling out of product.

David Schwartz, owner of Burbank Ammo & Guns, tells TMZ ... foot traffic at his shop was nonstop over the weekend and Monday. He says the majority of customers own homes or private businesses and were looking for something to use to protect their property and products.

Schwartz says glocks and 12-gauge home-defense shotguns were the hot sellers, and he's hoping to get more soon from distributors so he can continue to provide for customers.

Schwartz also hired his own security -- armed guards to stand outside the store -- to make sure everyone stays safe ... and to ward off potential looters.

Interestingly, Burbank Ammo wasn't the only business to hire outside muscle for extra security ... far from it. A rep from a large security company in Southern Cal tells us ... it supplied armed guards to various companies and homes throughout L.A. for protection.

The rep says ... "I would tell you all security organizations in the region are seeing an influx of requests for emergency or additional security resources."

Martin Luther King III says the rioters burning buildings over George Floyd's death have real reason to be upset with cops -- but he's still stopping short of condoning the violence.

MLK3 tells TMZ ... folks across the country, and particularly in Minneapolis, have a right to be frustrated and tired of police killing black people, and he's ripping President Trump for fanning the flames with that tweet seemingly calling for protesters to be shot.

King III says he understands why rioters resorted to setting fire to a Minneapolis police station and several other buildings the night before ex-cop Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with Floyd's murder. Still, you can hear his father when he says the years of pent up frustration don't justify violence.

At the same time, King notes torched buildings can be rebuilt ... but George can't be given new life.

While King III says he simply can't condone violent acts of rebellion, he says it's hard for people to think about peace in today's environment ... and tells us why it's difficult to get people on board with non-violent protests these days.

MLK3 also drops some timeless knowledge from Martin Luther King Jr. ... and explains how Americans can prevail in the fight against evil.

Powerful statement from Jalen Rose.

The ex-NBA star -- now a regular on ESPN -- went off on "Get Up!" on Friday about the civil unrest following the killing of George Floyd.

Just watch. Here's the transcript.

"I wish America loved black people just as much as they love black culture."

"There's so many times that it gets cherry-picked and it gets piggybacked but only when it's convenient and sometimes it happens in entertainment and athletics."

We're not here designed only to entertain."

"We're actually living and breathing human beings that have a multitude of intelligence, work ethic, discipline and talent. We've overcome a lot just like so many other races."

"This didn't just start happening. You can Google. We've been sprayed with water hoses, we've been attacked by dogs. We've overcome it. I'm old enough to remember 'I Have a Dream,' 'Fight the Power,' 'Screw the Police.' Now it's 'I Can't Breathe.'"

"This is not new and it's not going to come from just us. We need people who aren't black. We need people who aren't brown. When you know these things are happening in your society to have a voice, a legitimate one. Lock and step with us. Protest with us. Post with us. Not just when it's convenient. When it can be uncomfortable."

"The image of Colin Kaepernick taking a knee before a football game during the national anthem is the exact same one that we see in Minnesota ... when a guy was laying on the ground for over 8 minutes handcuffed with a knee to his neck and was murdered."

Amid the chaos, confusion and division being stoked by the current occupant in the White House, Barack Obama's voice of calm and reason is chiming in ... calling George Floyd's death tragic and painful.

The 44th President of the United States says what happened to Floyd "shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America" ... while also invoking the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and what recently went down at Central Park. Obama also shared parts of conversations he says he's had with friends over the last couple of days following Floyd's death.

Check it out ... he shared a friend's email from a middle-aged African-American businessman who wrote to him, "I cried when I saw the video." Obama also said a friend used the powerful song that went viral after 12-year-old Keedron Bryant posted his video on Instagram earlier this week.

Keedron, BTW, captioned it simply saying, "Just singing what's on my heart...hope this blesses someone." Some of the lyrics include, "I'm a young black man, doing all that I can to stand. Oh, but when I look around and I see what's being done to my kind every day, I'm being hunted as prey."

Obama said it's normal for everyone wishing for everything to "just get back to normal" as a pandemic and economic crisis ravages this country. He added, "But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal' — whether it’s while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park."

The former Prez went on to say what went down in Minneapolis is something officials there will have to handle to ensure justice is done, "but it falls on all of us regardless of our race or nation ... to work together to create a 'new normal' in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts."

Obama's statement is a stark difference to what President Trump tweeted earlier Friday ... calling for looters to be shot.

Attorneys representing the families of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery will be holding a virtual press conference ... and TMZ's streaming it live.

Civil rights attorneys, Ben Crump and Lee Merritt, will be speaking Friday morning -- along with the news commentator and criminal justice reform advocate, Van Jones -- as part of a Team Roc Facebook presser called "Next Steps in Pursuit of Justice."

Crump is currently representing Floyd's family, and following the developments Thursday -- in which federal and state prosecutors announced they are not yet charging the 4 officers involved in Floyd's arrest and death -- he told us the family is outraged and crestfallen.

Crump, speaking on behalf of the family and millions of others who saw the video of Floyd being suffocated by cop Derek Chauvin's knee to his neck, doesn't understand how the video doesn't provide enough evidence for charges in George's killing.

Merritt is the lawyer for Arbery's family. As you know, 3 men have now been charged for murder in that case -- father/son Gregory and Travis McMichael, who ambushed Ahmaud as he was driving, and William "Roddie" Bryan, the man who recorded video of the incident.

The virtual press conference begins at 8 AM PT and is being put on by Team Roc.