Criminal Minds

The writer Thomas Gibson kicked on the set of "Criminal Minds" had his own issues with violence on the set of "ER" -- and Gibson might use it to fight back against his firing ... TMZ has learned.

Virgil Williams wrote for "ER" back in 2006 and was also a player/manager for the show's softball team. Our sources say Virgil went ballistic when he got wind a female production assistant was going to take his spot on the team.

Multiple "ER" sources tell us Williams called the woman into his office, closed the door and went off -- threatening her life, and promising to ruin her career. We're told it never got physical, but still, the 22-year-old PA was left in tears.

The show suspended Williams and ordered him to take anger management classes. Sources close to the writer tell us he learned his lesson, and hasn't had any issues in the workplace since then.

Thomas is aware of Virgil's past, and we've learned he's prepared to use it. We're told he feels he was wrongfully fired from "Criminal Minds" -- he insists the kick was in self-defense and Virgil rushed him and got in his face -- and is strongly considering legal action.

Sources at ABC, the producers of 'Criminal,' reiterate their investigation showed Thomas was the aggressor, and Virgil's keeping his job.

Most people thought Shemar Moore's cryptic words on karma were all about his ex co-star -- and nemesis -- Thomas Gibson, but Shemar's hinting it WAS aimed at a different "Criminal Minds" actor.

Shemar was out in L.A. when a photog asked if he was reacting to Thomas getting fired from "Criminal Minds" ... since they famously had beef on set. Check out the clip ... Shemar says people got it twisted -- denying he was throwing shade at Gibson.

The other prime suspect is Keith Tisdell -- a former friend and co-star who was recently convicted for stealing $60k from Shemar's charity. He definitely did NOT deny it was Tisdell.

As for his current feelings about Gibson? Shemar was polite, for sure, but still seems kinda icy.

Karma, bro.

Thomas Gibson may have nothing but time on his hands, because we're told show execs are thinking of axing him from the show.

Production sources tell TMZ, the honchos have had it with Gibson and his antics. TMZ broke the story he's been suspended for 2 weeks after kicking a writer in the shin.

Now our sources say writers for the show are crafting a story line for next season that eliminates Gibson's character altogether.

We're guessing writer/co-exec producer Virgil Williams -- the guy who was kicked -- is participating with glee.

Our sources say if Gibson does return he will never work as a director again ... his duties will be limited to acting.

The writer Thomas Gibson kicked on the "Criminal Minds" set is anything but a nerd ... he's a boxer/martial artist with a super aggressive attitude -- sources connected to Gibson tell TMZ.

Virgil Williams is the writer/co-executive producer who got into it with Gibson when the argument escalated to the point the actor kicked him. But our Gibson sources say Williams escalated the verbal argument by "making a move" toward Gibson in a highly aggressive manner. They say Gibson's kick was more a reaction to the perceived threat than an aggressive move.

Our sources say Williams lets everyone on the set know ... he's trained as a boxer and does martial arts.

Thomas Gibson's angry outburst at a "Criminal Minds" writer wasn't the first time he's been violent on set -- connecting with a director's chin -- TMZ has learned.

Our production sources tell us in 2010 Gibson pushed an assistant director in front of cast and crew while filming a scene. At the time, he blamed it on the AD moving too slowly. He wasn't suspended, but it was enough for network honchos to send him to anger management classes.

And that's just one in a string of incidents. We've learned Gibson's been aggressive and verbally abusive for years on set, but no one's said anything about it since he's the show's star.

We broke the story ... the writer Gibson kicked had enough and put in a call to his agent, who then called the network to do something about it.

Thomas Gibson has been suspended from the hit television series "Criminal Minds" after going ham on a writer, kicking him in the leg.

Production sources tell TMZ ... the actor was directing and acting in a scene a few weeks back when he got in a creative dispute with one of the writers. We're told the argument escalated and Thomas exploded in anger, kicking the writer in the leg.

We're told the writer was not about to let it go ... he called his agent, who then called network honchos. At that point the network had to take action and suspended Thomas ... it's unclear for how long, but he's been gone for 2 weeks.

Thomas claims he kicked the writer "in retaliation" after the writer became "aggressive."

Gibson tells TMZ, "There were creative differences on the set and a disagreement. I regret that it occurred. We all want to work together as a team to make the best show possible. We always have and always will."

Sometimes "Criminal Minds" don't think alike.

Shemar Moore's 11 seasons worth of tardiness finally paid off for his "Criminal Minds" co-workers ... who just got laced up with some pricey and ironic gifts from the actor.

Shemar left the show last year, but sources on set tell us he surprised his old cast and crew by showing up this week with 379 Swiss made Fortis watches. Each one has his initials and "always on time" stamped on the face -- a clear nod to Shemar NEVER being on time.

They ain't cheap -- a regular Fortis costs anywhere between $600 to $1500, but maybe he got a deal for buying in bulk.

"Criminal Minds" star Thomas Gibson wasn't pulling a fast one on his wife by conducting an online relationship with a shameless catfisher -- sources tell TMZ, the actor and his wife have been separated for years.

Sources close to the couple tell us, Gibson and his estranged wife Christine Gibson still live together for the sake of their children, but they've been separated for 2-and-a-half years ... six months before Thomas started messing around with one of his Twitter fans.

As we reported, Gibson and the woman -- who catfished him by posing as a porn star -- carried on a heated relationship for two years before Gibson discovered the entire thing was a sham ... he even sent her a sexy hot tub video (it's hilarious).

Bottom line: Gibson might be a sucker ... but he's no cheater.

Brace yourselves, this might be the most hilariously embarrassing video we've ever seen -- sent by "Criminal Minds" star Thomas Gibson to a random stranger on the Internet ... after he got catfished hook, line, and sinker.

Here's the full story: a woman contacted Gibson on Twitter roughly two years ago, using a photo of a scantily clad woman, and told Gibson she was a huge fan. Gibson took the bait.

The woman -- who refused to tell us her age or name -- is from North Dakota. She says she carried on a 2-year relationship with Gibson (who's married) exchanging multiple explicit photos and video with him, using images she stole from various pornographic websites (including LoveGisele.com).

The result ... Gibson was smitten. Seriously, you have to watch the video, which he shot around Christmas last year in Utah. It's like the hot tub scene from "Austin Powers."

The woman says she actually developed feelings for Gibson too, and everything was going well until a few months ago, when she got a letter from Gibson's lawyers demanding she cut off contact ... because Gibson had discovered her pics were fake.

Shocker ... she says she hasn't heard from Gibson since. Too bad because the hot tub looked fantastic.