NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, September 9, 2024

Episode Date: September 10, 2024

California wildfires threaten tens of thousands of homes; Idaho judge orders change of venue for trial of college killings suspect; Tyreek Hill speaks out after being handcuffed during traffic stop; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, extreme weather. The U.S. bracing for a potential hurricane and dangerous heat fueling wildfires in the West. First, the new tropical storm Francine expected to strengthen to a hurricane as soon as tonight before slamming the Gulf Coast. Al Roker is tracking it. And the raging inferno in California exploding, forcing thousands to evacuate, more than 30,000 homes and buildings under

threat. We're in the fire zone. Also tonight, the final countdown to the debate, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump inside their last-minute preps before tomorrow's high-stakes showdown, the manhunt in Kentucky for a suspected highway gunman. New tonight, the warning to 911 before the shooting started. Just in, new police body cam of the suspect in the deadly Georgia school shooting. More than a year before the massacre, what it reveals. The major ruling in the Idaho murders case, why the trial is being moved. Just breaking, the new body cam of Miami Dolphin star Tyreek Hill being detained by police. At our exclusive, Hill speaking out what he says really happened.

Apple unveiling the iPhone 16, the new features powered by AI. The good news on Princess Kate's health battle after her cancer diagnosis. And the Hollywood legend who voiced Darth Vader and starred in so many classics, remembering James Earl Jones. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. Breaking news as we come on the air tonight. Tropical storm Francine gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, where forecasters expect it to become a hurricane by the time it makes landfall

along the Louisiana Gulf Coast as soon as Wednesday. But storm surge and hurricane warnings are already in effect in some areas. A dangerous situation also unfolding tonight in the American West. Searing temperatures, strong gusty winds and bone dry humidity are fueling an outbreak of wildfires so intense that in some cases firefighters have been forced to retreat. Al Roker is tracking it all for us tonight, starting with the latest on Tropical Storm Francine. Al, good evening. What's the latest? Well, Lester, here's the deal.

We've got this system. It's 435 miles south-southwest of Cameron, Louisiana, 65 mile per hour winds. We expect that to intensify because the Gulf waters are at record warmth right now. It's moving northwest at seven miles per hour. So we now have hurricane warnings up from the border of Texas and Louisiana all the way to Florida. We're looking at right now tropical storm watches, hurricane watches as well. We expect this system to make landfall as possibly a category two sometime Wednesday afternoon into the evening, bringing anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of more rain or even higher amounts as it makes its way up into the Mississippi River Valley. We're going to be watching this. And of course, the most dangerous part of the storm, the storm surge from Cameron, Louisiana, to Grand Isle, 5 to 10 feet, Lester. And that can be deadly. All right, Al, thanks very much.

We want to get right to the wildfire emergency in Southern California, where thousands of people have been evacuated. Dana Griffin is near the largest wildfire. Dana, what are the conditions on the ground? Yeah, Lester, this fire has been so unpredictable. The California National Guard has deployed resources, and new evacuation orders were issued today. Just look behind me. This

ridge has seen so much fire activity, including flare-ups showing just how quickly the flames can spread. Tonight, chaos on the fire line. Extreme heat fueling dangerous and volatile conditions, forcing crews to fall back. More than a dozen wildfires are burning across the west, from Idaho to Nevada and Southern California. 60 miles east of Los Angeles, the line fire quadrupled in size over the weekend, forcing thousands to flee their homes. We did just get an order to leave, so we're packing up and leaving soon. The 20,000 acre inferno burning so hot, it created its own thunderstorms generating erratic and heavy winds sparking hundreds of lightning strikes. Three

firefighters have been injured and tens of thousands of homes are threatened as a record breaking heat wave continues to bake Southern California. Because of steep rugged terrain fire crews are having to battle this mostly from air. Take a look. You can see them dropping water to extinguish flames. The air attack critical across multiple states. In Northern California, the boils fire erupted with overwhelming speed, quickly destroying dozens of homes and vehicles, leaving these burnt out shells. Keep going guys in Reno Reno Saturday, horses make a run for it. Escaping the Davis fire that destroyed multiple homes and upended the presidential campaign season. Vice presidential nominee Tim Walz canceling tonight's rally. The brush is consistently exposed to triple digit temperatures. It just dries out. It's ready to burn. A changing climate causing record-breaking temperatures and drier conditions. Fuel for dangerous summer wildfires. Dana Griffin, NBC News.

And now to the crucial debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump. Their first and perhaps only showdown. Peter Alexander is in Philadelphia with new reporting on the 11th hour preparations. Tonight, Vice President Harris touching down in Philadelphia, her face to face with former President Trump just 24 hours away. Campaign sources tell NBC News Harris and her team are focusing on ways to needle Trump, to provoke him, and that she's studied past Trump debate clips. It's time to turn the page on the divisiveness. It's time to bring our country together.

But a key challenge for Harris trying to present herself as the change candidate when she's also the incumbent VP. A new poll shows more than 60% of likely voters want a major change from President Biden. More than half of those voters say Trump will bring that change, but only 25% say Harris will. Meanwhile, the former president at Mar-a-Lago doing what sources describe as informal debate prep. Among those advising him, former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. We're run by stupid people, and we found that out at the debate with Joe.

How did that work out? And we're going to find it out again on Tuesday night. A crucial challenge for Trump, winning back more women voters. But this warning today from Trump rival turned supporter Nikki Haley. Donald Trump and J.D. Vance need to change the way they speak about women. You don't need to go and talk about intelligence or looks or anything else. Just focus on the policies. This will be Trump's seventh general election debate. Harris is first, and it could be their only showdown. Notably, the two have never met. Trump left town before President Biden's

inauguration. Lester. Peter and Alexander, thank you. And a topic that could come up in tomorrow night's debate, the increasingly inflammatory rhetoric from former President Trump about his perceived enemies. Here's Vaughn Hilliard. Tonight, as he prepares for his critical debate showdown, former President Trump bowing to totally reshape the Justice Department and target political opponents. We will completely overhaul Kamala's corrupt Department of Injustice. He recently reposted doctored images of top Democrats, along with Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates in orange jumpsuits with the caption, how to actually fix the system. And in Trump's new book, alleging Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

will try to unlawfully influence the 2024 election, writing, if he does anything illegal, this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison. Just this weekend, Trump promising possible retribution against 2024 election administrators, writing, lawyers, political operatives, donors, illegal voters, and corrupt election officials, those involved in unscrupulous behavior, will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels unfortunately never seen before in our country. But illegal voting is rare, and tonight a Republican election official in Arizona told us he's worried. I'm concerned we will see potentially professionals who are more willing to

bend general rules of prosecutorial ethics or legal standards who will occupy these positions. This summer's consequential Supreme Court ruling also gave a president absolute immunity over anything he orders or says to his attorney general. Though Trump's GOP supporters argue that DOJ and Democratic prosecutors are going after him to hurt his campaign. My poll numbers, I believe are higher now because the public understands it's a hoax. The Harris campaign responding by saying that Trump will, quote, use his unchecked powers to prosecute his enemies. Lester.

All right, Vaughn Hilliard, thank you. Join us tomorrow night for coverage of the presidential debate. We get underway starting at 8 p.m. here on NBC. Tonight in Kentucky, an urgent search is underway after a gunman opened fire, injuring five people. Schools in the area have been closed and authorities are offering a $10,000 reward. Priya Shrader is there. Tonight, the manhunt continues for a suspected shooter in Laurel County, Kentucky.

Our goal is to apply steady pressure and wearing Mr. Couch down. According to newly released court documents obtained by NBC News, a woman called 911 30 minutes before the shooting to warn that 32-year-old Joseph Couch had texted her that he was, quote, going to kill a lot of people and then, quote, kill myself. Authorities say Couch bought an AR-15 and a thousand rounds of ammunition at this store before he drove eight miles away and allegedly began randomly shooting at cars on the interstate. Officials say Couch served in the Army Reserve. According to the documents, officers began tracking Couch's phone, which led them to his car.

Nearby, they found a green Army-style duffel bag with his name on it and several magazines of ammunition. Shana Lowry says her truck was struck in the gunfire. All I could think about was my children and my significant other. You know, the real reality that I couldn't be here. Now dozens of law enforcement agents are scouring the densely wooded area. We'll search until we can find them, until we exalt all resources. Priya Shrether, NBC News, London, Kentucky. Just in tonight, newly revealed body cam of the teen suspect in that deadly school shooting.

It shows an encounter a year earlier between police and the accused gunman and his father. Our Priscilla Thompson has the video. This is some serious stuff. Newly released body cam footage from the Jackson County Sheriff's Department shows the moment law enforcement questioned Colt Gray last year about threats made online to, quote, shoot up an elementary school. So you haven't used this cord in a few months and you're saying you didn't say anything like that? No, all we've got to have is TikTok, but I just go around there and watch what happens. The now 14-year-old is charged with four counts of felony murder

after allegedly killing students and teachers at his high school last week, a little over a year after officers left his doorstep deeming the threat unsubstantiated. I got no choice but to take you to work right now. But like I was telling your dad, if you find out otherwise, man, it's a different story. It's a really different story. The video release comes as we're learning that the shooter's mother made an urgent call warning school officials a half hour before shots rang out. The school district declined to comment on specific details of an active investigation. Schools here are set to reopen tomorrow, except for the high school, which will remain closed.

Meanwhile, investigators are still searching for a motive. Lester. All right, Priscilla Thompson, thank you. Now to that major development of the case of those four murdered Idaho college students. The judge granting a motion to move suspect Brian Koberger's trial. Our senior legal correspondent, Laura Jarrett, is here. Laura, what was the judge's thinking? Well, Lester, the judge cited the amount of media attention in a community that's so tight-knit and so small that simply they cannot handle this case. He's worried about the lack of resources. He's pointing to a defense survey where the majority of those residents say they already believe he's guilty.

He obviously has pled not guilty in this case. Those four college student being killed just two years ago. But the case has been slow moving and thus far really hasn't got off the ground. One family of the victims tonight, the Goncalves family, saying tonight they are incredibly disappointed in this result. All right, Laura, thank you. Hollywood has lost a legend tonight. James Earl Jones, the trailblazing actor who voiced Darth Vader and starred in countless classic films, has died at 93. Steve Patterson now on his life and legacy. I shall pray for you. For over 70 years, he graced stage and screen with a voice that commanded attention. Don't you try and go

through life worried if somebody like you or not. James Earl Jones was born in rural Mississippi in 1931. As a child, he developed a debilitating stutter. You never get over it, really. You simply learn how to work around it. Just want to block and then keeping them off me. His breakthrough Tony winning performance came as boxing champ Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope, which was later turned into a movie. But it was a two-and-a-half-hour voiceover session for George Lucas that changed his life. The role propelled him, or at least his voice, to worldwide fame as Darth Vader in Star Wars. For the next 40 years, he excelled on stage, winning a second Tony Award.

And on the big screen, a Navy Admiral in The Hunt for Red October. I was never here. In The Lion King. You are more than what you have become. And the voice of all baseball fans in Field of Dreams. People will come, Ray. People will most definitely come. May I have your attention, please?

On screen and in life, James Earl Jones was a king. The goal wasn't to be a billionaire or to be a Hollywood star, to be a part of good storytelling. The goal was about that. I found you! He found his voice, and we got a legend. Steve Patterson, NBC News, Los Angeles. What a life, what an actor.

In 60 seconds, our exclusive one-on-one with NFL star Tariq Hill. What he says about being pulled over, detained, and handcuffed by police as he was on his way to the Dolphins' home opener. Stay with us. We're back now with our exclusive interview with Tariq Hill, one day after the star Miami Dolphins wide receiver found himself detained and handcuffed by police during a traffic stop on his way to the home opener. It comes as law enforcement released body cam of the incident. Jesse Kirsch sat down with

him tonight. Get out. What part of Dallas do you understand? It went from zero to 60 immediately. Tonight, NFL star Tyreek Hill and his wife are speaking out exclusively to NBC News after he was forcefully detained and handcuffed by Miami-Dade police on Sunday. When we tell you to do something, you do it. You understand? You're in a f***ing fuse. I'm getting out. Newly released police body camera video shows the moment officers approach Hill's vehicle

down the block from the Dolphins' stadium just hours before the team's home opener. Why do you have your seatbelt on? down the block from the Dolphins Stadium, just hours before the team's home opener. Hill's seen handing something to police before rolling up his window and being ordered out of his car. Hey, Drew, I'm getting arrested, Drew. They felt like I was a threat, you know, and I don't see why they felt like I was a threat. The police union says Hill was pulled over for dangerous driving, but was never under arrest. He wasn't cooperative. Handcuffs were put on him after a short time. He was issued two citations. Everybody has their own size, their own version, you know,

and I feel like they do that, you know, to kind of protect, you know, the officer. Miami-Dade police launched an internal affairs investigation, saying one officer has been placed on administrative duties. After the incident, Hill played and scored a touchdown, celebrating like this. What message were you hoping to send with that celebration? Like I said, man, you got to learn how to laugh and have a good time. Thank you, man. I'm going to look every man in his eye and I'm going to shake his hand. I'm going to just say thank you. That's it. I mean, mutual respect. I did that with all the officers, even the officer that got

administrative leave. I did that with him too, though. Now Hill hopes he can work with police in the wake of this incident. If I wasn't Tyreek Hill, Lord knows I probably would have been, you would have been locked up. I don't like dividing people, man. I like, I like bringing people together. That's the way my parents always raised me. Jesse Kirsch, NBC News, Miami. More ahead, coming up, the newest iPhones and Apple's big bet on the future of AI. Will all the new features turn around Apple's slump? It's the day many Apple fans have been waiting for.

The tech giant unveiling its new line of phones, but it's not the hardware that's getting attention. It's what's inside. Brian Chung explains. Tonight, Apple CEO Tim Cook offering a grand vision for the future. The most advanced iPhone we've ever made. Which looks a lot like the present. The new iPhone 16, nearly identical in shape and size to the 15, just with a slightly larger screen on the Pro models. But behind that familiar face is Apple's Big Ben.

We are thrilled to introduce the first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple intelligence. Apple now promising a smarter, more personal Siri, as well as Genmojis, a way for users to create custom emojis like a cowboy frog. It's a big step for the iPhone, which introduced Siri with the iPhone 4S 13 years ago. More recent models have largely been the same in form, so beginning with last year's iPhone 15 Pros and today's new iPhone 16, Apple is leaning into AI features to give a new boost to sales. So if you want these AI capabilities,

Apple is asking you to shell out a good amount of money to get them. A challenge for Apple, balancing privacy concerns as it rolls the software out. Even though Apple has historically released software updates alongside the new phones, Apple execs say iPhone 16 buyers will have to wait. The first set of features will be available in beta next month, with more features rolling out in the months to come. The most disappointing thing about the iPhone 16 models is that these AI features do not come out of the box. Apple hoping it can convince shoppers to buy a smartphone on the promises of it getting smarter. Brian Chung,

NBC News. Up next, we'll hear from Princess Kate and the good news about her cancer fight. Finally, there's good news tonight about Princess Kate sharing a moving update about her battle with cancer. Here's Megan Fitzgerald. I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment. Tonight, a royal announcement nine months in the making. The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant. And we've had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.

The princess opening up in a way we've never seen before, sharing rare and intimate moments with her family. Is this filming? Hello! The princess also announcing she's looking forward to attending more public engagement. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long. And I must continue to take each day as it comes. I am, however, looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can. A major step in a frightening journey, of simply loving and being loved.

Megan Fitzgerald, NBC News, London. 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.