Weapons & Guns

Lil Wayne's just been hit with a federal weapons charge and could face serious prison time if convicted.

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida has charged the rapper with 1 count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Weezy -- who was convicted of a felony gun charge in NY back in 2009 -- faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

The charge is for a December 2019 incident where federal agents searched Wayne's plane at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. He was a passenger on that plane, which made a stop in Florida on its way to California.

At the time ... Wayne's attorney, Howard Srebnick, had said his client was "cleared" to leave even though guns and drugs were reportedly found on the plane. It appears now the feds believe Wayne was wrongfully in possession of a weapon and ammunition.

Srebnick tells TMZ ... Carter was charged for possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage back in December. The lawyer says, "There is no allegation that he ever fired it, brandished it, used it or threatened to use it. There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person."

He added, "The charge is that because he was convicted of a felony in the past, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm."

Ex-NY Giants CB DeAndre Baker is officially off the hook in his armed robbery case -- after some alleged funny business with the witnesses who initially said they saw him commit a crime at a cookout back in May.

As we previously reported, Baker -- along with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar -- was arrested for allegedly robbing several people at gunpoint during a cookout in Miramar, FL.

Baker was initially charged with 4 counts of robbery with a firearm over the May 13 incident and was facing up to life in prison.

But Monday morning, prosecutors announced all charges against Baker have been dropped because of serious issues with the alleged victims and witnesses.

Prosecutors say three alleged victims had initially filed sworn statements "in which they asserted that three men committed a robbery with a firearm upon them and that Mr. Baker was one of the assailants."

Then, something changed ...

Prosecutors say, "the alleged victims and the known witnesses have become uncooperative and their credibility is inalterably tarnished."

In fact, prosecutors say they tried to have one witness held in contempt of court for refusing to answer questions.

And get this, prosecutors also say an attorney representing three of the alleged victims was arrested Monday morning for extortion "related to soliciting a cash payout on behalf of the three men in exchange for altered testimony."

In other words, officials believe the lawyer was helping his clients get money in exchange for changing their stories.

Prosecutors say the alleged victims ultimately recanted their initial claims -- that Baker was involved in the crime -- and most recently said that he was "present" at the cookout but did not rob or assault anyone.

Because of all the alleged shenanigans involving the victims and witnesses ... prosecutors have just decided to drop the case against Baker altogether -- seemingly because they realized they would not be able to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Baker -- who was drafted by NY in the 1st round of the 2019 NFL Draft -- was cut by the Giants back in September over his alleged role in the incident.

At the time, cops said witnesses told them Baker pulled out a semi-automatic firearm after a dispute at the cookout and directed Dunbar to start taking watches, cash and other valuables from partygoers.

Baker had denied the allegations through his attorney.

The 23-year-old has remained an NFL free agent while his case played out in the courts. It's unclear if he'll still face league discipline even with the charges being dropped Monday.

Tory Lanez offered Megan Thee Stallion money in return for her silence after allegedly shooting her twice in the foot ... so she claims in a new interview.

The rapper says Tory begged her to stay quiet and tried to pay both her and her friend off shortly after the July incident ... for which Lanez has been charged with felony assault.

Megan tells GQ she was really scared because what happened with Tory went down during the middle of the national unrest and protests over police brutality and systemic racism. She says her response to Tory's offer was ... "I can't believe you even think I want to take some money. Like, you just shot me."

MTS goes on to call the incident and the weeks that followed the worst experience of her life, which as we reported ... included her first coming out publicly to address rumors and speculation, and then flat out accusing Tory of pulling the trigger.

Though Lanez has been charged with felony assault for allegedly inflicting great bodily injury on Megan -- and ordered to stay away from her -- he's defended himself by saying a charge is not a conviction ... and went even further on his new album.

Several of the tracks on the album seemingly profess his innocence ... and suggest Megan is a liar.

Benny the Butcher is the latest rapper to suffer a gunshot wound below the belt this week -- this time, it happened out in Houston during what sounds like an attempted robbery.

Houston PD tells TMZ ... the New York rapper was in town Saturday and visiting a local Walmart with a couple friends in tow. While they were in their car in the lot, we're told a car with 5 guys inside pulled up next to them and whipped out guns ... demanding their chains.

Apparently, Benny and co. were moving too slow for the alleged robbers' liking ... and cops say one of the 5 fired a round into Benny's leg, which caused the crooks to flee. We're told Benny and his friends booked it too, but eventually pulled over and called the police.

Benny was taken to a hospital for treatment -- his condition is unknown at this time. Cops say the men who attempted to rob him are also still at large, and an investigation is underway.

You'll recall ... Boosie was also shot in the leg in the Lone Star state just a few hours away that same day. Somewhat different circumstances there, but same result ... he was left with a bullet hole in his leg as well. We've heard Boosie's gonna be alright, however.

We've reached out to Benny's rep for further comment ... so far, no word back.

Rapper Mo3 was desperate to get away from his killers before he was gunned down on a Dallas freeway ... a chase that allegedly started the minute he'd left a friend's house.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the Dallas-based rapper left a female companion's house Wednesday morning and noticed he was being watched. It's unclear who the person tailing him was, but we're told they followed him in their vehicle from the home to a gas station.

Our sources say that's when Mo3 knew something was up, and jumped on I-35 in an attempt to lose the other vehicle. We're told he tried to get around traffic but ended up crashing on the side of the road.

That's when Mo3 got out of his car and ran for his life, before the trigger man gave chase and shot him in the back of the head. No one's been arrested for the deadly shooting, and police haven't identified a suspect yet.

TMZ broke the story ... Mo3 was shot and killed in his hometown where an innocent bystander was also shot and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Mo3 died at a hospital.

Boosie Badazz has a bullet hole in his leg after coming under gunfire during a trip to Dallas ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Boosie was shot at in Dallas Saturday, after rolling through town in what we're told was a sprinter van near a strip mall called Big T's Plaza. Yesterday evening, he stopped by another venue to pay his respects to recently murdered Dallas rapper Mo3 -- who was a friend and collaborator of his.

At some point, somebody opened fire on the vehicle and one of the bullets struck Boosie in the leg. We're told the shooters booked it, and Boosie and co. made their way to a hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound below the knee.

Our Boosie sources say he is doing okay ... his injury seems to be non-life-threatening.

Someone posted video of the Big T parking lot where the action supposedly went down, claiming Boosie was NOT shot -- but we've been told otherwise ... Boosie is, in fact, a patient being treated for his wounds. According to this purported witness though, there were multiple vehicles involved -- at least three of them.

Dallas PD tells us ... officers responded to reports of an armed encounter Saturday, where the callers stated someone had been shot but then fled in a private vehicle. We're told when the cops showed up at the scene, there was nobody around and no signs of a crime being committed.

We should note, the shooting comes just days after rapper Mo3 was shot dead in the same city on a freeway. Word is Mo3 had been feuding with a fellow rapper, but it's unclear if there's any connection between that and his slaying.

Cops haven't arrested a suspect yet in Mo's death case quite yet. It's unclear if there is any connection between his fatal shooting and Boosie's incident.

Earl Thomas' wife is clearly done trying to make things work with the NFL star after the two were involved in that wild April incident ... TMZ Sports has learned she just filed for divorce.

According to court records, Nina Thomas put in the paperwork on Nov. 3 ... citing adultery as the grounds for ending the marriage.

Nina added in the docs that the couple has such a strained relationship ... there's zero "reasonable expectation of reconciliation."

It's interesting ... because Earl has seemed to put in a ton of effort to make things work since Nina was arrested for allegedly pointing a loaded gun at him back on April 13.

We broke the story, cops say Nina SNAPPED after she allegedly caught the former Baltimore Ravens safety cheating on her at a rented home in Austin, Texas.

Police say Nina busted in the home angrily ... and eventually held Earl at gunpoint.

Nina was ultimately arrested ... but shortly after the incident, Earl announced the two were trying to work through things.

And, it all seemed to be going smoothly ... he posted on social media several times the past few months praising her -- and even celebrated her birthday last month with a photo and a mushy "I love you" note.

But, Nina -- who married Earl in a well-publicized, extravagant wedding in April 2016 -- makes it clear in the docs ... she wants out.

The couple has three kids together ... and in the court filing, Nina is asking for Earl to only have limited access to the children until "he takes a parenting course and can show evidence that he is able to care for the children for an extended period of time."

Quando Rondo didn't come looking for trouble when his crew got into a violent altercation with King Von that ended in a fatal shooting ... at least according to Quando's camp.

Sources close to Quando Rondo tell TMZ ... the rapper wasn't seeking out a fight with King Von the night Von was shot dead outside an Atlanta hookah lounge, and they say Von was acting as the aggressor in the brawl that preceded gunfire.

Our sources say Quando was napping in a car outside the club and when he woke up, Von's crew was there, and things suddenly got tense. We're told Von approached Quando and his crew with anger, which led to the brawl.

New footage from outside the club appears to show King Von throwing punches at Quando Rondo's crew, and our sources claim Quando's camp was just defending itself. We're told Quando didn't know what was going on and believed his life was in danger.

As we reported ... police also opened fire while confronting the gunmen, but cops say King Von was shot during the initial shootout with Quando Rondo's group.

One of Quando Rondo's crew members was arrested for felony murder, and our law enforcement sources tell us QR is NOT under investigation and cops consider the case closed.

Rapper Mo3 is dead after being gunned down on a Texas interstate ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Mo3 was shot just before noon Wednesday on I-35 in Dallas and was transported to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Our sources say the fatal shooting went down like this ... the gunman and Mo3 were both traveling northbound on I-35 when the trigger man got out of his car and approached Mo3's. The rapper got out of his car and started running, with the gunman giving chase, firing multiple rounds and hitting Mo3 in the back of the head.

We're told the gunman also shot an innocent bystander who was sitting in his vehicle, and the second gunshot victim was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Dallas-based rapper claimed he'd survived a shooting last year. He was also arrested back in 2017 in connection with a Dallas-Fort Worth nightclub shooting that left one person dead.

Mo3 is most famous for his 2019 collab with Boosie Badazz, "Errybody (Remix)." He released a couple new songs earlier this year and has recorded 3 albums.

He was 28 years old.

Shots rang out in Vegas Saturday night in the middle of a massive brawl ... and 3 people ended up with bullet wounds.

It went down at 7:30 PM at the Adventure Dome in the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino.

The video begins with a fight. You hear screaming, people falling to the ground and running. Then, at the end of the video, you hear gunshots. It appears the fight started with 2 juveniles but then grew.

It's unclear what started the fight and, so far, cops haven't ID'd a shooter. Police do, however, say they have a person of interest in custody.

A police spokesperson said, "We do believe this is an isolated incident involving a fight between two different groups of individuals inside the Adventure Dome. This is not an active shooter, and we do believe that there is no further threat at this time to anyone else in the public."

Scary moment for ex-NFL running back Trent Richardson -- when a gun was pulled on him during a dispute at a furniture store, and the incident was captured on video.

... but the store owner claims Trent was the aggressor -- and they only pulled out the gun to defend the shop.

Here's what we know ... the former Alabama star hit up the Furniture Plug store in Birmingham on Oct. 28 to deal with a complaint about a problem with a recent order. During the visit, the owner's wife whipped out a firearm.

Surveillance video shows Trent and his manager leaving in a hurry -- clearly concerned for their safety.

We spoke to the store manager who claims Trent was the aggressor -- but the football player says that's just not true.

Here's Trent's side as told by his manager ...

Brandon Bowers tells TMZ Sports ... Trent had ordered thousands of dollars worth of new furniture earlier in the year to be delivered to his home.

But, when it arrived, he says most of the items had significant damage -- from tears in a couch, to a cracked bed frame ... even a dresser that was missing handles and mirrors.

So, Bowers says Trent gave the store owner an ultimatum -- either refund the money or replace the furniture with acceptable pieces.

We're told Trent felt the store owners were giving him the runaround -- so he went to the store on Oct. 28 with his manager to talk things out in person.

Bowers says the store owner got aggressive and at one point challenged the former #3 overall NFL Draft pick to a fight.

Trent declined -- saying he wasn't going to brawl with the man in front of his wife ... and that's when Bowers says the wife pulled out a pistol and began waving it around.

Bowers says he immediately grabbed Trent and bolted for the door -- fearing for their lives. Now, Richardson is taking action -- he intends to file a report with local police.

We also spoke with Furniture Plug owner Clint Catlin -- who tells us, "We were protecting our store. Trent came in aggressive. My wife being her, she was protecting her space."

"Trent's a big guy, came in aggressive. He made her pull out the pistol. This is a family business. We were protecting our brand."

We also spoke with Clint's wife, Mariah, who says "I felt Clint's life, my life and our 7-year-old's life were threatened."

As the furniture in question, Clint says the items were sent to Trent's home in good condition and the photos are not a true reflection of what really happened.

If Joe Biden wins the Presidency, a man in L.A. says he'll take out Democrats in a mass shooting -- but federal agents reacted swiftly to get the man in custody ... TMZ has learned.

The threat was made in a short video posted Friday on social media -- the man says, "at this point, like if Biden gets in, I'm just gonna do like a school shooter; just take out these Democrats and a few pedophiles on the way out. If I go to hell, I'm taking these motherf**kers with me."

Law enforcement sources tell us a federal task force was aware of the posting and immediately contacted the man in the video. We're told he was taken into custody and placed on a psychiatric hold ... also known as a 5150.

Agents reportedly searched the man's home to see if he had any weapons to follow through on the threat. We're told he has not yet been charged with any crime.

There is a demonstration planned in downtown L.A. Friday ... so, obviously, there was concern he was targeting that event.

King Von's death is hitting the sports world hard -- with NBA stars like Montrezl Harrell, Stephen Jackson, Evan Turner and more mourning the loss of a rising star gone too soon.

The rapper was shot and killed after a violent altercation outside a nightclub in Atlanta on Friday. He was only 26 years old.

Harrell shared his condolences to Von's family shortly after the news broke ... saying, "Damn it’s sad we lost another young brother to soon ... What is going on in the world."

"This the true sad part, three young blessings won’t see their dad come home again."

Jackson posted a video on Instagram ... calling for an end to senseless violence.

"Your brothers are not the enemy," Jackson said. "The ones got u thinking that are the real enemy. Wake up. Love for all who have love for all."

Turner also reacted on social media, saying, "This killing each other s**t gotta stop... Rest In Peace, King Von"

Other tributes came from athletes like Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenjon Barner, who said, "Damn I really just started listening to King Von and became a fan and he gone smh wow 2020 you got it we understand! RIPKingVon."

2016 NCAA champ Kris Jenkins spoke out in shock ... tweeting, "That king Von s**t wild smh RIP."

Ex-NFL first-round pick George Foster also recently came across Von's music, adding, "Man, I just really heard the King Von fella for the first time like last week, and thought 'jit ain’t bad.'"

"Now lil buddy gone smh."

The New England Patriots also honored the late rapper at practice on Friday ... playing his breakout hit, "Crazy Story," over the speakers.

RIP

The person suspected of shooting and killing "Surface" actor Eddie Hassell has been arrested in Texas ... TMZ has learned.

The Grand Prairie Police Department tells TMZ ... its department and the U.S. Marshal Service North Texas Fugitive Task Force arrested D'Jon Antone on Wednesday for capital murder. The 18-year-old suspect is currently being held in the Grand Prairie Detention Center with bond set at $500k.

Cops say Antone allegedly shot and killed the actor in a random robbery. The case is now being handed off to the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office.

TMZ broke the story ... Eddie was killed last Sunday morning after he was shot in the stomach while outside his girlfriend's apartment. Cops say they got a call about a shooting at 1:50 AM and when they arrived they saw Eddie had suffered from apparent gunshot wounds.

Cops rendered first aid and he was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was best known for playing Phil Nance in the NBC show "Surface." He also starred as Eddie Suarez in "Devious Maids" for a bit.

Troy Aikman is demanding justice for an SMU student who was shot and killed on Halloween ... with the Hall of Famer pleading with the public to come forward if they have any information on the case.

Dallas police in Texas say at around 3 AM on Saturday ... 19-year-old Robert “Jaden” Urrea was pronounced dead with a gunshot wound near bars in downtown.

Cops say in surveillance video of the incident ... they could see Urrea interacted with a white, 4-door car -- when suddenly the vehicle sped off and Urrea crumpled to the ground.

Urrea's family members said in a statement Jaden was "maliciously shot in the chest at close range" ... and they claim the violent act was completely unprovoked.

"We strongly believe this was a drive-by shooting, unprovoked, committed by complete strangers," Urrea's family said.

Now, Aikman is urging anyone with information on the case to contact the Dallas Police Department ... posting a flier to his social media page Thursday and adding the hashtag "#JusticeforJaden."

A $25,000 reward has been set up for the capture of the suspects ... with Urrea's family saying, "Our family is working with Crime Stoppers to offer a substantial reward for information that leads to the indictment of the responsible individuals."

Cops say they're knee-deep in an investigation into the incident ... and add the car they're seeking information on is "possibly a Ford with a sunroof and custom wheels."

The Beverly Hills Police Dept. is mobilizing its entire force, and a lot more, and they've been out showing what they got every day since Saturday ... much to the dismay of surrounding law enforcement agencies ... that think Beverly Hills is essentially inviting violence this week.

The Beverly Hills City Council voted to pour $4.8 million into security around the election. They have hired SWAT members from Santa Paula, armed private security companies, and additional equipment to protect the city and its 35,000 residence from violence.

There is lots of equipment too, including armored SWAT vehicles, guns and plenty of them.

The City Council authorized the police to initiate "the full deployment of sworn and non-sworn staff to work rotating 12-hour shifts" beginning last Saturday and the Police Chief and the Mayor have said the show of force will continue through this week. The idea, presumably, is to make sure everyone sees Bev Hills means business, so people gunning for violence should stay clear of the City. As TMZ reported, there was a massive presence on the streets this weekend, with armored vehicles and armed cops everywhere.

The scene was repeated Monday with a similar show of force.

Here's the problem. High up sources from LAPD and other law enforcement agencies tell TMZ they are shocked BHPD is out on the streets with a show of force ahead of the election. As one very high up law enforcement source told us, "This is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. The City is essentially challenging people to come to the City to confront authority." That source said the City Council may have had good intentions, but the show of force will actually make the City unsafe if looting or rioting occurs.

There were big, dueling anti-fascist and pro-Trump rallies in Bev Hills over the weekend, and it got so tense cops declared the protests unlawful assembly. Police came out in riot gear to break things up.

There have been a number of demonstrations in Beverly Hills over the last 5 months, so there's reason for the BHPD to be on high alert, but law enforcement officials from other agencies say it's one thing to be ready, and another to show the world the scope of police presence with armored vehicles and cops in riot gear.

A Beverly Hills spokesperson tells TMZ, "The City of Beverly Hills has been a specific target for demonstrations and protests. The City is taking steps to ensure it remains safe."