NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, November 18, 2024

Episode Date: November 19, 2024

Knife-wielding man kills two, critically injures a third person in Manhattan, police say; House Ethics Committee will meet on Wednesday to discuss Gaetz case, according to source; Trump says he'll make good on using the military to curb illegal immigration; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the random and deadly stabbing spree across New York City. Police saying this man seen on surveillance video pulling out a large knife went on an unprovoked rampage at multiple locations over more than two hours. Two victims dead, a third critically injured, the suspect now in custody. The NYPD says as he stabbed the victims, he never said a word. Also tonight, the potential battles looming for some of President-elect Trump's top cabinet choices. The House Ethics Committee preparing to meet this week to discuss its probe into Matt Gaetz. What an attorney for two women says about Gaetz allegedly paying for sex.

And Mr. Trump confirming he plans to declare a national emergency over immigration and use the military to conduct mass deportations. How it could work? President Biden for the first time allowing Ukraine to use long-range U.S. missiles to strike inside Russia. But why now? Another deadly E. coli outbreak, this time linked to organic carrots sold at major supermarket chains.

What you need to know. NBC News investigates the rise in sexual assaults in hospitals. The victims speaking out after they say hospitals didn't do enough to protect them and refuse to believe them. And a wildfire took nearly everything from them, but then in the rubble, the miracle discovered. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. New York City tonight remains shaken by a series of seemingly random

daylight knife attacks at multiple locations across the heart of Manhattan, leaving two men dead, a woman badly injured, and a city trying to find some sense of it all. Surveillance video captured the man identified as the suspect on the street handling a kitchen knife that police say he used to stab his victims. Tonight, the 51-year-old suspected killer is in police custody after a two-and-a-half-hour reign of terror, walking considerable distances between locations where he attacked without provocation. Correspondent Antonia Hilton joins us now at the scene of one of the attacks. Antonia, is there any known connection between the attacker and the victims?

Lester, authorities say these attacks were completely unprovoked and that no words were exchanged between the victims and the suspect. This corner right here is where the third and final victim was attacked, and she's still fighting for her life in a hospital tonight. Tonight, chilling video of a suspect police say was preparing for a stabbing spree in New York, donning a hoodie, putting on gloves and pulling a knife from his bag. The senseless violence should never happen. Officials say 51-year-old Ramon Rivera used these knives to stab three people unprovoked. This is our subject for all the stabbing. Leaving two men dead and one woman in critical condition. Well, I'm very nervous walking the

streets of New York anyway, so to hear this is really upsetting. The random attacks began at 8.20 a.m. this morning on Manhattan's West Side, where Rivera stabbed his first victim, a 36-year-old construction worker, according to police. Police say Rivera then moved by foot across the city. About two hours later, he stabbed another 68-year-old man out fishing by the East River. And just before 11 a.m., police say he stabbed a 36-year-old woman near the United Nations headquarters, the woman still fighting for her life in a local hospital. A cab driver followed the suspect and tipped off the NYPD. I just heard a commotion from where I was, stepped outside, heard what people were saying,

and reacted. This witness says he saw the arrest. That's when he put his hands up. He went on the ground, no struggle, no anything. He didn't fight. Rivera has an extensive criminal record with eight arrests in the last year. City officials say he has a documented history of mental health concerns. It is a clear, clear example of a criminal justice system and mental health system that continues to fail New Yorkers. Antonia Hilton, NBC News, New York. We turn now to the growing scrutiny over President-elect Trump's pick for Attorney General, former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. Republican senators are demanding to see a House Ethics Committee report about Gates. And today, Hallie Jackson spoke to the attorney for a witness who testified before that committee. President-elect Trump's pick to run the Justice Department facing an intensifying spotlight.

As NBC News has learned, the House Ethics Committee will meet Wednesday, according to a source familiar, to discuss its investigation into now former Florida Congressman Matt Gates. The committee investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, which Gaetz denies, including that he had sex with a then 17-year-old at a Florida party in 2017. That accuser's attorney, John Klune, wants the House report to be released in a statement saying she was a high school student and there were witnesses. Joel Leppard represents one of those alleged witnesses, whom NBC News is not naming. What did your client witness at this party? She was walking outside to the pool and she observed to her right her friend,

who was 17 at the time, having sex with Representative Gates. They were leaned up to what she described to as a game table of some type. Leppard says his clients testified to the House Ethics Committee this spring. Did your client believe that Gates at the time knew that her friend was underage? Yeah, so the House was curious about that. She testified that her belief was that Representative Gates had no knowledge that she was under 18, that she was 17 years old at the time he was having sex with her. She also testified that when Representative Gates found out that she was underage, that they stopped their sexual relationship and did not resume it until after she turned 18. Leppard says his clients, both the alleged witness and another

woman, testified Gates paid them repeatedly for sex and drugs. Leppard says the FBI asked his client in 2020 to record a phone conversation with Mr. Gates as part of a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. But prosecutors ultimately declined to bring charges. The Department of Justice declined to prosecute Matt Gates for these allegations. So how should people square that decision with everything that you've laid out here today. Whether or not a federal prosecutor takes a case and decides to move forward on a trial or move forward on an allegation, is that particular prosecutor's decision. It doesn't mean they didn't do it. Gates has long denied the allegations against him. And in a response to the House Ethics Committee

in September, said your correspondence of September 4th asks whether I have engaged in sexual activity with any individual under 18. The answer to this question is unequivocally no, adding he has not used drugs that are illegal and writing the lawful, consensual sexual activities of adults are not the business of Congress, suggesting investigators have a sinister motive to harm him. Leppard says the women he represents want the Ethics Committee to share what it knows publicly so Americans can judge for themselves. They did testify, both of them,

that they consented to their activities. They were also asked whether or not they were victims, and she broke down in tears, and she said it's a very complicated question. Did your clients make any assessments in their testimony about Mr. Gates' fitness or judgment to serve in office? They're very careful about what they might express publicly, but one did say, I do not think a man like him should have that much power. And Halleck, joining me here in the studio right now, we should be clear,

Speaker Johnson is opposed to releasing this report. Yeah, that's right, Lester. He thinks it could open a Pandora's box since Gates is no longer in Congress. But tonight we're learning that some senators on the Judiciary Committee are not ruling out witness testimony. The FBI is declining to comment. A representative for Gates declined to address specific questions about our interview, but earlier had described the allegations as baseless and intended to derail the second Trump administration. Lester. All right, Hallie Jackson, thank you. It all comes as the president-elect vows to make good on his campaign promise to use the military to deport undocumented migrants. Gabe Gutierrez reports. Tonight, President-elect Trump's campaign promise to carry out a mass

deportation of migrants is taking shape. He responded true to a post saying he will declare a national emergency and use military assets to deport undocumented immigrants. He's pledged to start with convicted criminals. On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program of criminals in American history. Trump's new borders are set today. He's heading to Mar-a-Lago this week to put final touches on the plan. We will prioritize public safety threats and national security threats. Second thing is secure that border. Lock that border down. Two sources familiar with the

planning tell NBC News the incoming Trump administration is already talking to private prison companies about drastically expanding immigrant detention centers to use for a short period of time between arrest and deportation. The administration also considering restarting family detention. Democrats are blasting the deportation plan. The idea that soldiers are going to be carrying out these types of deportations, I think, number one, it's just not something that we in the United States are used to seeing. It all comes as some of Trump's cabinet picks face mounting scrutiny. An attorney for defense secretary selection, Pete Hegseth, confirms to NBC News

that the combat veteran and former Fox News host paid a settlement to a woman last year after she previously accused him of sexual assault in 2017. A California police department says it investigated a sexual assault allegation against Hegseth in 2017 and filed no charges. The attorney says Hegssteth maintains his innocence and that the encounter was consensual, though one Senate Republican says it could sink his confirmation. We'll figure out if he can get confirmed or not. And I do think that Pete's a good pick for this position. And late today, President-elect Trump announced his pick for

Transportation Secretary, former Congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy. Lester. All right, Gabe Gutierrez, thanks. At the G20 meeting in Brazil today, President Biden making a strong appeal for continued support of Ukraine, sending that message to world leaders with Russia's foreign minister in the room. It comes after a Russian aerial attack and after President Biden suddenly approved Ukraine's use of long-range U.S. missiles to hit targets inside Russia, according to two U.S. officials. Tonight, the first lawsuit has been filed after the latest deadly E. coli outbreak, this one linked to organic carrots sold at major retailers nationwide.

Anne Thompson has more. Oh my God, another freaking E. coli outbreak. Warning spreading on social media about some organic carrots. You guys should check your refrigerator. Possibly tainted with E. coli. The outbreak linked to the death of a Los Angeles County adult over 65 with medical conditions. 39 cases in 18 states are under investigation. 15 people hospitalized. The company recall involves bagged whole and baby organic carrots produced by Grimway Farms and sold at some of America's most popular stores, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Wegmans, to name a few. No longer thought to be in stores, the fear is they could be in your refrigerator or freezer.

If so, the CDC says throw them out. Food safety expert Ben Chapman. Unfortunately, washing produce doesn't eliminate the issue. It might reduce the risk a little bit, but that is really the issue that we have with fresh produce is that we can't wash it off. This follows the E. coli outbreak at McDonald's, linked to slivered onions on quarter pounders. The company says it is spending $100 million on a recovery plan. With these two outbreaks, should we be worried about our nation's vegetable supply? I wouldn't say that we should be worried about our nation's vegetable supply. I will say that fresh produce always provides us with complications.

Complications that can't be washed away. Ann Thompson, NBC News. In 60 seconds, the new safeguards and the popular gaming platform Roblox. But does it do enough to protect kids? And Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy what it means for flyers. Spirit Airlines has filed for bankruptcy after losing more than $2 billion over nearly five years. The low-cost carrier says it will continue to operate as it restructures its debt, and customers can still use their tickets, credits, and loyalty points. Also tonight, major changes coming to the online gaming platform Roblox

that is super popular with children. But do new parental controls do enough? Gotti Shorts joins me. And Gotti, how will these restrictions work? Hey, Lester. Yeah, this is an extremely popular game for kids in late elementary through middle school and beyond. The latest numbers show over 60 to 80 million users of all ages. And that app allows kids to create avatars and play in virtual games with other users, even adults. And it's one of the closest games out there right now to an actual metaverse. Roblox says parents will soon be able to monitor their kids' online

activity remotely. And most notably, this takes away the current ability to let kids under 13 years old get private direct messages from strangers. Now, these changes are welcomed by many parents. A report released last month says the app exposed children to grooming and pornographic and violent content, a claim Roblox denies. And Gotti, how can parents know what to look for? That's tough because it's not just one game. There are thousands of games within the Roblox universe, which can make it very hard for parents to monitor. According to the company, going forward, they are going to start introducing content labels to help parents know what is age appropriate.

But the best advice, if you allow your kids to play, either play with them or watch long enough to understand how the interactions with adult players can work. Lester. Gotti Schwartz, thank you. Coming up, sexual assaults and other attacks are on the rise in hospitals. We investigate if enough is being done to protect patients next. We're back now with our NBC News investigation into the rise in sexual assaults at hospitals. Tonight, victims are speaking out after they say that hospitals operated by a major corporation didn't do enough to protect them. Here's Stephanie Gosk. Paxton Greer was at her most vulnerable when she was admitted to Trident Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.

I had no control over my mind, my body. I was completely helpless. Completely. The mother of two had tried to take her own life. She gained consciousness in the ER. That's kind of when I first remember being there, having this man standing over me telling me I'm very good at what I do. According to a lawsuit Greer later filed, the man was patient tech Tyler Eote. Over the next several hours, he repeatedly sexually assaulted her, including trapping her in a bathroom. There was no doubt he could overpower you if he wanted to in that moment. Yeah. Very shaky. Couldn't fight back.

71-year-old Lena Ray felt similarly helpless in Tampa's Citrus Hospital, admitted with a heart condition, when nurse Hiram Bonilla started assaulting her, even blocking the window by taping up a bed pad. Security footage obtained by Ray's attorney shows Bonilla going in and out of her room more than two dozen times in four and a half hours. At one point, it shows Bonilla was in her room for 20 minutes. Did it occur to you in that moment, I'm being assaulted by this man? Absolutely. But I didn't want to make him hurt me because he kept medicating me. Bonilla is serving a 20-year prison sentence for multiple charges in Ray's case, including molesting an elderly person. In Greer's case, Yod pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and is being held on bond.

His attorney has not responded to NBC's request for comment. But these women are speaking out, they say, because the hospitals did not do enough to protect them and didn't believe them when they reported the assaults. I was a psych patient who overdosed on medicine that could make you hallucinate. So no one took me seriously. How does it feel to have something that traumatic happen to you and not have people listen to you or take you seriously?

Incredibly angry. Furious. Ray says she repeated her story multiple times to hospital staff. I begged people to call the police. Please, please. Court records show it took six hours for the hospital to call the police. According to court documents, hospital policy lists protocols if there's an allegation of sexual assault. Notify police is number 19 out of

26 after things like notify marketing and pull surveillance footage. The hospital says the list is not prioritized. Attorney Stefan Turkheimer from the anti-sexual violence organization RAINN says some hospitals don't report allegations at all. We don't know the entirety of the problem. Aren't hospitals required to report what happens in them? Yes, they are required to report what happens, but that isn't necessarily what they're going to do. Still, the Joint Commission says assaults reported in hospital settings are on the rise, increasing 77 percent over two years.

Is there something about a hospital setting that makes people particularly vulnerable to sexual assault? I think there is. And the reason why is because all your normal protections are being eroded. What's needed is better vetting of employees, he says, and greater supervision with some patients. And it's up to the hospitals to provide greater protections in those situations, knowing how vulnerable those people are because they put them in that position. They created that vulnerability. According to HCA Healthcare,

the company that runs both Trident and Citrus Medical Centers, its employees are given mandatory code of conduct and other training, and there is zero tolerance for any type of sexual misconduct. Adding that there is an expectation that incidents be investigated thoroughly, but did not specify when law enforcement should be contacted. The man who allegedly assaulted Paxton was not arrested until two months later, after he allegedly assaulted another patient. I want justice for what was done to me. I want every hospital to know that these actions are not okay. You need to stick with your policies and procedures

and assaults in your hospitals and take them seriously. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News, Somerville, South Carolina. And we'll take a break right here. Coming up, after a wildfire destroyed their home, the one thing they were able to find that was priceless. We've got the good news next. Finally, they lost nearly everything to a wildfire, but in the rubble, something priceless was found.

Liz Kreutz now with the good news tonight. Yeah. Al and Phyllis Norquist have lived right here for 53 years. We've gone down this driveway many times. Since 1971, this home is where they grew their family, became empty nesters, grandparents, and then great-grandparents. We had so many wonderful mementos of our memories. But all of it gone within minutes when the mountain fire recently ignited. We were just doing our normal routine in the morning. Yeah, I was curling my hair. A neighbor telling them to get out.

You could see the flames encroaching. They were grabbing me and just pushing me into the car. And I said, well, let me get my Volvo out. He says, no, he says now. The fire destroying their home, their lifelong belongings now ashes. This was our porch and entry. And so when they returned, they were shocked to discover one thing left untouched amidst the rubble, a single bookshelf containing one of their most important possessions. This is your album? Yes. The Flames sparing Alan Phyllis' wedding album.

Irreplaceable photos from the day they married in 1961. What do you remember about that day, Al? That day? Oh, wow. Best day of my life. We were young and in love and the rest of it just didn't matter to me. The album, a symbol of the life they started together 63 years ago, and now in their late 80s, a symbol yet again as they rebuild.

That was our beginning, and now we're experiencing a new beginning. They say their faith and their love, as it always has, Love you. will get them through. Liz Kreutz, NBC News, Camarillo, California. And that is nightly news for this Monday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt.

Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.