In December, rumors of a Rick Ross death threat hit YouTube. Now, we have to wonder: Did someone try to make good on that threat this morning in Fort Lauderdale? Police are sorting through the scene as we type, but here’s what we know according to news reports : Around 5 a.m., a Rolls Royce with a driver and a passenger in it was approached by another vehicle along Las Olas Blvd. Witnesses confirm that the second vehicle fired multiple shots and the Rolls Royce slammed into a residential apartment building as it attempted to speed away. The car did, apparently, avoid the spray of bullets, which struck a few local shops along the street. No one was injured in the incident. Two nearby residents – a business owner and an employee who works in the vicinity of the shooting – say Ross was inside the Rolls Royce. Police are yet to release the names of the targets and are looking into the identities of the culprits. Ross is no stranger to incidents such as this. In addition to the aforementioned death threat, he was also involved in an altercation with Young Jeezy last year. We’ll have plenty more on this story as news develops.
Latinos vs. Blacks Latino Gang Members Arrested For Hate Crimes Three Latino men have been arrested in suspicion of a terrifying hate crime committed against an African-American family. The suspects allegedly brought 15 to 20 gang members to surround the house, telling the family that it couldn’t live in the predominantly Latino neighborhood. Via HuffPo reports : Jeffrey Aguilar, 19, Efren Marquez, 21, and a teenage juvenile were arrested on Jan. 24 for committing the alleged hate crime in Compton, Los Angeles, according to the LA Sheriff’s Department. Shortly after an African-American family moved onto 154th Street, one of the male family members, while walking home on Dec. 31, was approached by four Latino men in an SUV. As the police describe the horrific event: The men identified themselves as members of a local street gang and told the victim that he and his family were not allowed to live in the area because they are Black. The gang members continually shouted racial epithets and threats of violence towards the victim. Fearing for his life, the victim ran home but was chased by the gang members who exited the vehicle and began beating the victim with metal pipes. One of the suspects, 21-year-old Suspect Efren Marquez, allegedly pointed a gun at the victim and threatened to shoot him while he was allegedly being beaten with a metal pipe by 19-year-old Suspect Jeffrey Aguilar. After the attack, the gang members fled in the vehicle. Marquez and Aguilar returned 30 minutes later with a group of 15-20 gang members, who surrounded the front of the victims’ home shouting racial epithets and telling them that members of the African American race (using the ‘n-word’) were not allowed to live in the neighborhood. One unidentified member of the group threw a large beer bottle through the front living room window, shattering the window. Both Suspect Marquez and Aguilar were reportedly armed with handguns. And the suspects allegedly continued to drive by the home several times a day, shouting racial slurs while ordering the family to leave the neighborhood — until the family finally did. Compton is a neighborhood with a history of racial violence. Part of the current tension stems from the neighborhood demographics changing from predominantly African-American to heavily Latino. The gang allegedly involved in this hateful act is known to commit racially-motivated crimes. “This gang has always made it clear they have a racial hatred for black people,” Lt. Richard Westin told the Los Angeles Times. “They repeatedly used racial epithets, they use racial hatred graffiti and they tag up the black church a lot.” What the hell?? Brown is brown, we are all supposed to be on the same side! Well, damn…these amigos might as well join those hooded cowards down south!
In a recent interview, Taylor Swift said she may want to end up alone. But the singer’s fashion choice said something very different last night, as Swift posed on the red carpet of something called the Principales Music Awards in Madrid, rocking a very revealing dress in the process. See for yourself: Is Taylor sending Harry Styles some kind of come hither message via this outfit? Or perhaps trying to lure her next prey? What do you think of the fashion statement? Love it! Loathe it! View Poll »
Andre Barbosa is living the dream. The 23-year-old has been crashing at a vacant mansion in Boca Raton, Fla., for free – and it’s all legal. Say what now? Boca Raton Squatter Using an obscure Florida real estate law to stake his claim on the foreclosed waterside property, Barbosa is legit squatting. The police can’t move him. No one saw him breaking into the house, so it’s a civil matter. Representatives for the real owner, Bank of America, are “following a legal process.” Not surprisingly, the situation is driving his neighbors crazy . “This is a very upsetting thing,” said neighbor Lyn Houston. “Last week, I went to the Bank of America and asked to see the person in charge of mortgages.” “I told them, ‘I am prepared to buy this house.’ They haven’t even called back.” Barbosa, according to reports, is a Brazilian national who refers to himself as “Loki Boy,” presumably after the Norse god of mischief. He did not return calls. He has reportedly posted a notice in the front window naming him as a “living beneficiary to the Divine Estate being superior of commerce and usury.” A spokeswoman for Bank of America said her company has sent overnight a complaint and an eviction notice to a clerk in Palm Beach County. Still, it’s unclear how quickly (if at all) the matter will be resolved. Barbosa is invoking a state law called “adverse possession,” which allows someone to move in and claim a property’s title if they can stay there seven years. A signed copy of that note is also posted in the front window. Soon after Bank of America foreclosed on the property in July, Barbosa notified the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office that he was moving in. Police were called to the home, which was empty for 18 months, but did not remove him. He presented cops with the “adverse possession” paperwork. The law stems from the days when most people lived on farms; whomever moves in to occupy the property must do so in an “open and notorious manner.” The deed is currently valued at $2.5 million, according to county records. The county appraiser’s office lists the total market value at $2.1 million. Hey, you might as well squat in style.
Police raced to Chris Brown’s home Monday afternoon following a 911 call reporting a domestic incident at his address, but it turns out it was just a prank. The Hollywood “swatting” crew has struck again. The caller claimed a mother and father were in a fight at Brown’s address, and that the father had gone into another room in the house to get a gun. At that point the caller hung up, not mentioning it was Chris Brown ‘s house; police arrived and found no evidence of … anything. Chris was not even there. This is the latest in a string of celebrity “swatting” incidents – prank calls resulting in cops arriving at stars’ homes and causing mass hysteria – in recent weeks. Last Friday, someone falsely reported a gunman in the home of Kris and Bruce Jenner . The Jenners were actually there at the time of that stunt. Tom Cruise was another recent swatting victim, though the movie star was not present at the time officials were sent racing over to his address. Police are determined to catch whomever is doing this, for good reason.
A difficult sports loss turned violent last night outside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, as multiple sources confirm a 35-year old man was stabbed in the neck following his team’s 28-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. According to WSB-TV, the victim got into a verbal altercation with two San Francisco supporters. Toward the end of it, someone in the latter group pulled out a knife. Said a witness of the incident: “One of the falcons Fans just kept talking, telling him, “You ain’t going to come here and win and nothing,’ and he hit the man, and that’s what happened. The man went into his pocket and cut him.” Police quickly surrounded the scene and used pepper spray to calm the combatants down. The weapon was then recovered and the victim transported to Grady Hospital. He is listed in stable condition, but the attacker remains at large.
Guess he needed that reality show more than we thought… Shawty Lo Arrested In Atlanta Via News One reports: First Atlanta rapper, Shawty Lo, real name Carlos Walker, was told that his controversial ‘Oxygen’ show, ‘All My Babies Mamas,’ was being cancelled; then he begged fans to sign a petition on Change.org asking the network to reconsider airing the show and now, according to various reports, the rapper has been arrested for failure to pay child support. Shawty Lo even took it to twitter to brag about how quickly he was released from jail: Wat dey thought!!! Dey den get a chance 2do da paper work!!! #CashBond we fina go turn da city up stuntman instagr.am/p/UpwDzFTKa4/ — SHAWTY LO (@THATSSHAWTYLO) January 19, 2013 Most people opposed to the show questioned the rapper’s ability to take care of 11 children, but he continued to claim that he not only supports them financially, but emotionally, as well. Hopefully, it’s not a child support issue; but whatever it is most certainly isn’t a good example for his children. Not so fast! Looks like Shawty Lo was just pulling a PUBLICITY STUNT to gain attention for his failed reality show! UPDATE: Via HipHopEnquirer reports: After doing our own independent investigation into the matter and speaking with sources from Shawty Lo’s camp, we found out he was actually NOT ARRESTED due to failure of child support payment or anything for that matter.It all started when a picture surfaced on the internet Friday night of Shawty Lo being handcuffed by a City of Atlanta police officer. HHE spoke exclusively with Shawty Lo’s manger, Johnie Cabbell who stated that the picture is just a scene from the video shoot of an upcoming single.While speaking to his manager was only part of our investigation, we examined the actual photo of his purported arrest and determined that the cop wearing the uniform had an “Atlanta Police” emblem on the shoulder. All Atlanta police arrests falls in the County of Fulton. We contacted the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department and verified Carlos Walker alias Rico didn’t have any arrests since 2010 and it was not for child support. Do you think Shawty Lo’s show should still be on TV? Instagram
This ninja had the nerve to hire a lawyer who reps his police union , cause you know, he paid his dues and all!!! According to The Washington Post , Wendel Palmer abused a young girl from the youth choir he directed in his church from 2004-2006…his lawyer’s asking why the victim’s only reporting it now!?!?! The Metropolitan Police Department officer accused of sexually abusing a young girl in the youth choir he directed would send the rest of the group to the store and order his victim to stay behind, according to court documents. Wendel Palmer, 44, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of first-degree child sexual abuse in D.C. Superior Court. According to court documents, the abuse occurred while Palmer directed the youth choir at Bethuel Temple Church of Christ Apostolic in the 2400 block of Martin Luther King Avenue SE. During rehearsals, the court documents say, Palmer would tell the girl to stay with him in the pastor’s office while the rest of the choir members went to a store. The assaults began in August 2004 when the girl was 11, according to court documents. They allegedly ran through August 2006, when she was 13. She told investigators there were “too many incidents to count,” court documents say. Other incidents allegedly took place elsewhere in the D.C. area. Police learned of the alleged abuse when the mother of the alleged victim, who is now 19, called a hotline in March 2012 to report it, according to court documents; Detectives interviewed the woman days later. Palmer’s attorney, Harold Martin, argued Thursday that the allegations were “not specific” regarding the date and time of the offenses. Martin also asked why the alleged victim waited until 2012 to report the abuse. “That should raise some question about the level of proof,” said Martin, who also represents the D.C. police union. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah McClellan said her office has no reason to question the woman’s credibility. It was unclear whether Palmer was still associated with the church. Calls to the church were not answered, and a woman who answered a Pennsylvania number listed for the pastor, Winston R. Palmer, said he did not want to talk to a reporter. It could not be determined whether the pastor and Wendel Palmer are related. Bethuel Temple has churches in Southeast Washington and Harrisburg, Pa. The name on the church marquis is Bishop William Rutherford Palmer Jr., who died in 2010 at the age of 75. His wife declined to comment when asked about Wendel Palmer. Several other people listed in public records as relatives also declined to speak to a reporter. In an interview, Pennsylvania Magistrate Judge Robert Jennings III said he knows both Wendel Palmer and the pastor, though he declined to detail their relationship to each other. Jennings said he has attended the Harrisburg church for about five years and has been to the Anacostia church. Asked about the allegations, he said: “I find that hard to believe, I have to say that. I can’t fathom it. I think he is a fine, upstanding young man.” McClellan said Palmer tried to elude police when they tried to arrest him, a claim Martin denied. Court documents say that a sergeant who knew that Palmer was wanted on an arrest warrant discreetly called 911 when she saw him inside the police union office on Wednesday, but he drove away before he could be apprehended and sped away from the sergeant as she followed him in her personal car. Palmer later turned himself in, according to court documents. Palmer is a 22-year veteran of the department who had been assigned to the Sixth District. D.C. Police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump confirmed Palmer’s arrest but declined to answer further questions about the investigation. Palmer, who joined the police force in 1990, got into trouble in 2004 after a woman flagged him down while on patrol to tell him about a domestic dispute. City records show that Palmer allowed her into his marked cruiser, took her to a restaurant and brought her back to her apartment. The woman’s husband and aunt came home and found them, according to the records. They filed a complaint with police, who suspended him for 35 days for conduct unbecoming an officer, failure to obey orders and neglect of duty. In 2009, the D.C. Office of Employee Appeals reduced the suspension to 13, awarding Palmer back pay. Palmer, of Fort Washington, has six children through a previous marriage that ended in 2011, according to court records. The records show that his ex-wife took custody of the children — two are now adults — in June 2011. A woman who answered the phone at a number listed for his ex-wife, LaVera Palmer, declined to comment Thursday. Palmer was ordered held in jail ahead of a hearing scheduled for Tuesday. He has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal charges. Magistrate Judge Karen Howze granted Martin’s request to have Palmer isolated from other inmates while jailed, which is common when police are arrested. It’s sad that no one will speak out against this predator. Something shady is definitely going on here. Hopefully justice will be served! Images via shutterstock
A Taft, Calif., H.S. student was shot and wounded at a San Joaquin Valley high school Thursday and a suspect was taken into custody, officials said. The shooting reportedly occurred about 9 a.m. at Taft High School, an oil and agricultural community about 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The student who was shot and injured was flown to a hospital in Bakersfield, said Ray Pruitt, spokesman for the Kern County Sheriff’s Department. There was no immediate word on the victim’s condition. “We have a suspect in custody,” Pruitt said, adding that the person was believed to be a student; Pruitt said it’s believed a shotgun was used in the attack. KERO-TV Bakersfield reported that the police station received several phone calls from people inside the school who hid in closets during the attack. It was not immediately clear how many students are enrolled at the high school, which teaches grades 9-12, or if any other casualties were reported.
Rodney Alcala, a.k.a. the Dating Game Killer, was sentenced Monday in NY to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of two women in the 1970s. Already convicted in the 1970s murders of four women and a 12-year-old girl in Southern California, Alcala must now serve even more prison time. Not that it will matter, as he’ll never see the light of day. In fact, Alcala said he wanted to plead guilty to the two New York murder counts so he could get back to California, where he was sentenced to death. In California, where he was convicted of five other killings , he wants to pursue an appeal; he has tangled with authorities in the Golden State for years. After a series of trials and retrials, he eventually was found guilty in 2010 of killing four women and a 12-year-old girl in Southern California in the 1970s.
