NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Nightly News Full Broadcast (February 10th)

Episode Date: February 11, 2024

NTSB investigates deadly plane crash on Florida highway; Renewed focus on candidates’ ages as South Carolina GOP primary approaches; Manhunt underway in Tennessee for suspect in shooting of 2 sheriff’s deputies; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, a deadly helicopter crash on the way to Las Vegas this Super Bowl weekend, as we get stunning new details from that plane crash on a Florida highway. New video of the plane moments after impact, bursting into flames, three survivors fleeing for their lives. Is there anybody else in there? The two pilots killed. The investigation into what went wrong. New attacks on the campaign trail. President Biden and Donald Trump ripping into the other's mental fitness. As Nikki Haley goes one step further, handing out mental competency tests at her rally.

We're going to put two 80-year-olds up as president. We can do better. Israel says they are going to invade Rafah in southern Gaza, where a million people have fled to, many already facing starvation in tent cities. Warnings today that it would be a humanitarian catastrophe. The manhunt intensifies in Tennessee for the man accused of killing a sheriff's deputy. Police say he is armed and dangerous, while his girlfriend is now in custody. This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz-Balart. Good evening. We are tracking a pair of deadly aviation disasters tonight. As hundreds of thousands head to Las Vegas this weekend for the Super Bowl, we are getting late details of a Vegas-bound helicopter crashing all six on board

believed killed. It happened shortly after takeoff from Palm Springs, California. Investigators are just getting to the scene. And this is the scene immediately after a private plane crashed on Friday, slamming into a Florida highway. In this new video, you can see three survivors fleeing for their lives. The pilots did not make it out alive. That highway still shut down today as investigators tried to determine what went wrong. We begin tonight with George Solis with the very latest. Tonight, dramatic new video from that fiery crash along a southwest Florida interstate. Is there anybody else in there?

Kyle Cavalier running towards the flaming wreckage as what looks to be three survivors run away. The trio, frantic and shaken. Knowing what you know now, would you do it again? Absolutely. Cavalier, whose young son was in the car, made the difficult choice to see if he could help. Just relax, buddy. Pulling up even as a plume of thick black smoke and flames erupted from the jet. Anytime you've seen anything on movies, it doesn't hold a candle to what you actually feel and see at that moment.

This afternoon, the Collier County Sheriff's Office saying pilot Edward Murphy and first officer Ian Hoffman died in the crash. Crew members Sidney Bozeman and passengers Aaron Baker and Audra Green survived. According to authorities, the private jet took off from the Ohio State University Airport en route to Naples. The jet, not affiliated with the university, was just minutes away from landing at the Naples Airport, according to the FAA. The pilot of the Bombardier Challenger 600 radio traffic control before the fiery crash. We're cleared to land, but we're not going to make the runway. We've lost both engines. How unusual is it for a jet to lose both engines when fuel isn't a factor? The last time that I can remember a dual engine loss like this was Sullenberger putting the airbus into the Hudson River due to birds. Tonight, the NTSB investigating this crash

and also a deadly crash in California. The chopper was headed to Las Vegas, where the Super Bowl is taking place, according to a post on social media from a World Trade Organization official. The CEO of a major bank in Nigeria, his wife and son were among the six people killed. George Solis, NBC News. And to politics now, and the campaign battle has become an issue of age. Today, both President Biden and former President Trump hitting the other on the issue, while Nikki Haley is attacking them both by questioning their mental fitness.

Dasha Burns is on the campaign trail in South Carolina. Nikki Haley tonight on the attack and not being subtle. The party that dismisses their 80-year-old candidates is the party that will win president, without a doubt. The former South Carolina governor badly trailing former President Trump in her home state with two weeks until the GOP primary, and looking to exploit the renewed focus on age in the presidential campaign. They are grumpy old men, but I'll tell you, we can do better. Haley is trying to tie the former president to the current one, lumping their age and mental acuity together in the wake of the

special counsel's report on President Biden's handling of classified documents that alleges he struggles with his memory, something Mr. Biden has denied. My memory is fine. Today, Haley's campaign going so far as to pass out mental competency tests as the candidate made stops on her latest bus tour. Haley even trolling Trump at his rally in South Carolina today with this billboard. Trump, for his part today, taking aim at Haley, whose husband is on a deployment in Africa with the National Guard. What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone.

Haley firing back. If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don't deserve a driver's license, let alone being president of the United States. Trump also jabbing Biden today over the special counsel's report. They said he was a mental basket case. OK, so is this guy going to make it to the starting gate seriously? The Biden campaign pushing back on the criticism, pointing the finger back at Trump, saying, quote,

every single time Donald Trump opens his mouth, he's confused, deranged, lying, or worse. In South Carolina, for some, Haley's call for new generational leadership is striking a chord. That's one thing I do like about what Nikki Haley's been saying about, you know, younger folks. And Dasha Burns joins us now from Conway, South Carolina, where former President Trump was campaigning today. Dasha, what do the voters there tell you about this question of age?

Well, look, Jose, as President Biden's age comes under more scrutiny, including from Democrats, even though former President Trump is only four years younger, supporters we've met say for them, Trump's age simply isn't an issue. Jose. Dasha Burns, thank you. And tune in tomorrow for a busy morning on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, including an exclusive interview with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. A manhunt for a suspected murder is underway right now in Tennessee after two sheriff's deputies were shot, one of them killed outside Knoxville. Officials now with a statewide warning that the suspect is armed and dangerous.

Priya Shrether has the very latest. A Tennessee community on edge while 42-year kenneth dehart suspected of shooting two blunt county sheriff's deputies remains at large police now searching the area where his car was found abandoned asking neighbors to check their doorbell and security cameras for sightings of dehart i think they're gonna find him soon he can He can't run. Tonight, DeHart's girlfriend, 32-year-old Carrie Matthews, and brother, 41-year-old Marcus DeHart, both arrested for allegedly helping him defy capture. According to court records, Matthews answered a call from DeHart and said they're here while deputies were at her home. Law enforcement is following every lead and they will bring this individual into custody.

Authorities say DeHart, who's been convicted of a weapons charge from another police stop and standoff in 2004, is now armed and dangerous and likely on foot. He's been on the run since he allegedly shot and killed 43-year-old Deputy Greg McCowan and injured his partner, 22-year-old Deputy Shelby Eggers. Authorities say DeHart was stopped by the deputies Thursday night and refused to get out of his car. The deputies attempted to use a taser on him before DeHart allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at both of them. The Blount County Sheriff's Department now struggling to come to terms with the loss of

one of their own. Police now urgently working around the clock to track down a suspected killer on the run. Priya Shrether, NBC News. And overseas now to the war in the Middle East and growing international alarm over the latest planned incursion into Gaza by Israel. Matt Bradley has our report tonight from Tel Aviv. Tonight, a refuge waits for war. Israel has said it's about to turn its guns on Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, where previously many in Gaza had been told to flee for safety. You said this is going to be a safe place. How many times did you lie to us about these places being safe and then turning back and bombing us? Now among more than a million here, fear is spreading, along with starvation and disease.

We've been hearing that they want to come to Rafah, just like every city in Gaza. And we're so scared, we don't know where to go. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to prepare a plan to evacuate civilians here and destroy what's left of Hamas, calling Rafah a last bastion for the terrorist group. Rafah is just two streets. If they bombed one of them, thousands of people will die, and we might be one of them.

These satellite images show how a sprawling tent city has expanded on Gaza's border with Egypt. Israel's bombardment of Rafah began two weeks ago, a preview of the horrors that might await the displaced people here. Dozens have already been killed. The U.N. sounding the alarm. We are extremely worried about the fate of civilians in Rafah. It is nearly impossible for us to protect them from tank fire, from artillery shells. This week, President Biden voiced rare disagreement over Israel's attacks on Gaza. The conduct of the response in the Gaza Strip has been over the top. And Matt joins us now from Tel Aviv. Matt, as the assault on Rafah looms,

are Israel's attacks in Gaza continuing? Yeah, Jose, the Israeli army is continuing its attacks on the Gaza Strip. And now the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza is saying the death toll stands at more than 28,000. Jose? Matt Bradley in Tel Aviv, thank you. A Columbus, Ohio, police sergeant is lucky to be alive tonight following a harrowing attempt to stop a stolen car this week, and it was all caught on camera. The officer stands in front of the blue car and orders the driver to stop.

Stop the car! Stop the car! She appears to speed up and plows into him, driving away with him on the hood. As he fires into the windshield until he's thrown off. The suspect was caught and charged. She remains hospitalized with injuries from the gunshot. There's good news tonight.

So often the good news doesn't get as much attention as the bad. So every Saturday we highlight the many people who spread joy and love. These are just some of those stories this week. First time, Mr. and Mrs. Kevin and Katie Swire. Talk about lessons in love. This couple pulled off a major surprise at Good Shepherd School in Minnesota. Teacher Katie Corgan and her fiancé Kevin got married at the campus church in the middle of the day, inviting all her students.

Afterwards, the kids and staff lined the halls to help them celebrate. And this is U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Jeremy Tedford leaving his family on the day he was deployed. A snapshot of one family's military sacrifice for our country. His little girl bursting into tears of sadness as he leaves. But look at this, when he finally returns, those tears, now tears of joy, want safely back in the power of friendship during a tough time.

Listen to this pep talk one gave the other. Don't listen to a guy that calls you dumb. Listen to yourself. Ignore this guy, whoever he is. Just stop talking to people that call you dad. Tell her what she is. She's your sport. Your sport. You're such a nice girl.

An example for all of us. Go, Lennon! And at Whitney Point High School near Syracuse, New York. That's 10-year-old Lennon Saddlemyre shooting hoops with a varsity squad. Lennon and his brother Rego are super fans with special needs who cheer the team on at every home game. So, when it was Lennon's birthday, Happy birthday to you! the team surprised him at home with presents.

Dear Lennon! And even a signed basketball. Happy birthday! For dad Sean and mom Jillian, the celebration for Lennon meant the world. He looks up to those kids and they love having them come into the games. What was his reaction? He was a little nervous, but just really excited. Our kids have a genetic disorder, so they've got a lot of disabilities.

And these students, they don't give a hoot about that. As parents, how does that make you all feel? Happy birthday! To see other humans in the world accept them for who they are, that is literally my dreams come true. And that's NBC Nightly News for this Saturday. I'm Jose Diaz-Balart. Thank you for the privilege of your time.

Good night.