NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Episode Date: May 23, 2024

Widespread destruction in parts of Iowa after wave of tornadoes; Nikki Haley says she'll vote for Trump; Mass shooting in Pennsylvania leaves two people dead, three injured; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the severe storms moving east after a deadly tornado outbreak. The new images revealing the scope of the destruction in Iowa. Entire streets of homes destroyed. Vehicles demolished. Wind turbines toppled. One town leveled by at least an EF3 tornado. Winds up to 165 miles per hour. And now the storm is on the move, some 44 million at risk tonight.

Also this evening, the surprise from Nikki Haley. She was one of Donald Trump's most intense critics in the primaries. Why she now says she's voting for him. The deadly workplace shooting near Philadelphia, gunman killing two people, the suspect in custody. Nearly two years after the Uvalde school shooting, the victims' families filing a lawsuit against 92 Texas DPS officers over the failed response and the $2 million settlement. The chilling video of Hamas taking female Israeli soldiers hostage.

It comes as Israel is slamming three European countries for saying they'll recognize a Palestinian state. The second human case of bird flu linked to dairy cows confirmed in the U.S. what health officials are saying. And after 20 years on stage with the Boston Ballet, the company's boundary-breaking principal dancer takes a final bow. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome.

The scenes out of Greenfield, Iowa tonight, broken homes and broken spirits. People literally claiming the fragments of their lives following a powerful and deadly tornado. Officials say there have been multiple deaths after a tornado outbreak sent several twisters rolling across the region yesterday afternoon. The aftermath image is painfully familiar to so many people living across the Midwest, the Plains and South, whose lives have been upended these last several weeks from an exceptionally active and destructive tornado season. More than 860 tornado reports so far this year, 82 in Iowa alone. In the month of May, we have gone only two days with zero tornado reports. And more dangerous weather lies ahead.

Tonight, 44 million people from Texas to western New York are at risk for severe thunderstorms. Maggie Vespa leads our storm coverage. And Maggie, a difficult scene tonight. Yeah, Lester, a difficult scene and a chaotic one. I mean, amid all of this destruction, you can see cleanup crews, you can see power crews and officials here tell us they're still in search and recovery mode despite this latest line of storms having caused multiple deaths. Tonight in Iowa, a sprawling landscape of destruction after the latest deadly tornado outbreak. That's a tornado, guys.

More than two dozen reported twisters sliced through the Midwest, mostly Iowa, yesterday. One leveling the city of Greenfield. Initial surveys dubbing it at least an EF3 tornado, packing winds up to 165 miles per hour. Everything was on top of me. Joan Newell was trapped under the rubble of her home for 45 minutes before her Apple Watch alerted rescuers. At one time, they didn't think I was down there, and I kept hollering, I am here. This entire neighborhood is just obliterated. I mean, pieces of homes are scattered everywhere.

And one woman who tells us her house was on a lot down the block says the cars that are now sitting on her front lawn, she has no clue where they came from. Iowa authorities only saying multiple people were injured and killed, adding they're still in search and rescue mode. The state's governor declaring an emergency in 15 counties. What would you say to people who feel like they're seeing an increase in the frequency and the severity of these storms? No, it's cyclical, but I think right now we're

going to take it pretty seriously. When they say you need to take cover, it means take cover. A warning amid a ruthless spring with jaw-dropping twisters from Oklahoma to Michigan to Tennessee. So far this month, we've only seen two days without a tornado reported. Total, 2024 has seen more than 860 tornadoes reported across 37 states, marking the third most active start to the year ever recorded. I've never seen a tornado like that. Back in Iowa, Donna Pruitt's house used to sit across the street. It was a matter of 30 seconds and it was gone. They said, Donna, if you would have been

here, I wouldn't be here today. Maggie Vespa, NBC News, Greenfield, Iowa. All right, Bill Cairns is here and Bill, this threat of severe weather continues even tonight. Lester, we've had two tornadoes reported today in West Texas, no damage reported with those. We still have a tornado watch that'll be with us for the next couple hours, especially in Dallas, all the way to San Angelo. And we're tracking a few strong storms at this hour. As we go into the forecast into tomorrow, we're still watching a chance of some flash flooding, too. And that continues through tonight. Numerous areas of flash flood warnings in Texas at this time.

The severe threat tomorrow is going to be in the center portion of the country, from South Dakota all the way down to Dallas. Isolated tornadoes are possible in Leicester. A heads-up for the weekend on Sunday, a severe weather outbreak is possible. All right, Bill, thank you for that. Late today, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley announcing she'll vote for former President Trump despite her criticism of him before she dropped out of the race. Here's Peter Alexander. Tonight in a surprise move, Nikki Haley, one of former President Trump's most vocal critics throughout the Republican primary, now says she will vote for him this November, despite her reservations about his foreign policy and handling of the border. Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I've made that clear many, many times.

But Biden has been a catastrophe. So I will be voting for Trump. Haley, Mr. Trump's former U.N. ambassador, was the last candidate to drop out after repeatedly slamming her former boss. Donald Trump was totally unhinged. Unhinged. He's not qualified to be the president of the United States. Mr. Trump fired back in January, questioning why Haley was still in the race. Who the hell was the imposter that went up on the stage before and like claimed a victory?

Haley's announcement comes as the presumptive Republican nominee is considering a vice presidential pick. This month, Mr. Trump posting that Nikki Haley is not under consideration. Even after exiting the race, Haley was still getting double digit support among Republican primary voters. Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me. The question tonight is whether Haley voters will follow her lead and vote for Mr. Trump,

or will they back President Biden in a close race, what they do could determine the outcome. Lester. All right, Peter, thank you. Near Philadelphia, police are trying to determine why a gunman opened fire at the company where authorities say he worked, killing two employees and injuring three others. Erin McLaughlin is there. In Pennsylvania, a community shaken by gun violence. It's pretty bad. Tragedy unfolded this morning at a local linen company west of Philadelphia in the city of Chester. This is a workplace shooting incident. Employee came to work today with a firearm, took out his anger. And opened fire, killing two and injuring three employees who were transported to a nearby hospital.

Adelina Orozco was there at the time of the shooting. She says workers ran for their lives. Resident James Pierce heard the shots and called 911. Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. Went to the door and I looked out. I seen people running out of the building. Authorities later arrested the alleged gunman in a nearby city. They've yet to name him, but he's believed to be an employee of the linen company. The possible motive is the subject of an ongoing investigation. The information I have right now is the employee had had some issues with fellow employees,

but nothing that would lead to what happened today. I mean, this is just everyone's worst nightmare. Today's shooting now counted by the Gun Violence Archive as the 169th mass shooting so far this year. It speaks to guns in America. It's heartbreaking. It's tragic. It has to stop. Tonight, yet another American community in shock and an all-too-familiar call for change. Lester. Erin McLaughlin, thank you. And on Friday, it will be two years since the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Today, victims' families announced new legal action against the city and many of the officers involved. Tom Yamas is here.

Tom, what are they asking for? Lester, good evening. Tonight, the families who lost so much in Uvalde now ready to fight back, announcing a $500 million federal lawsuit against more than 90 officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Uvalde School District. Their call for justice coming nearly two years after a gunman killed two teachers and 19 students inside Robb Elementary School. Body cam footage inside the school shows officers fumbling with keys, hesitating to move in and waiting in the hallways as children were killed inside of those classrooms. The school district acknowledges the lawsuit and says it's open to

exploring a resolution. The Texas Department of Public Safety tells NBC News it does not comment on pending litigation. And Lester, the families today also announcing a settlement with the city of Uvalde for $2 million total. The reason that's the max for the insurance fund. They don't want to bankrupt their own city. All right, Tom, thanks very much. In Israel, chilling newly released video of seven female Israeli soldiers as they were abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. The women appearing bloodied and beaten. Raf Sanchez has more and a warning. The images are disturbing. Tonight, the disturbing footage from October 7th showing Hamas terrorists

inside an Israeli military base. Seven female soldiers covered in blood and bruises are up against a wall. They're handcuffed and terrified. Where from? No, no, no. 18-year-old Liri Al-Bagh trying to speak while the women are receiving death threats. That's what you mean? What? I don't know. What?

So what? The gunman leering at the women, telling them they're beautiful. The U.N. has said Hamas committed rape and sexual violence against its victims. It's unclear if that happened in this case. On the video, you can hear gunfire as the women are abducted into Gaza. Of the seven, one was rescued and another found dead. The remaining five still in captivity 229 days later, including 19-year-old Karina Ariev. We spoke to her sister, Sasha. What's it like to see your little sister there in her Snoopy pajamas surrounded by these men with guns?

I think it's a scene, you know, from a movie. I'm at this point that I am begging for people to do something, you know, just get them out of there. A group representing hostage families releasing the footage, which they say was edited to take out the most gruesome scenes, trying to create pressure for a ceasefire deal. But with negotiations at a stalemate, Ireland, Norway and Spain saying they'll recognize an independent Palestinian state.

The White House says that's the wrong approach to get to peace. The only way that you are going to achieve a two-state solution that delivers for both Israelis and Palestinians is through direct negotiations between the parties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also slamming the move, calling it a reward for terrorism and saying it won't stop Israel's war against Hamas. Lester. Raf Sanchez, thank you. In 60 seconds, the growing political fight over birth control, plus the state now on its way to becoming the first to make possession of abortion pills

without a prescription, a crime right after this. A second human case of bird flu linked to dairy cows has been confirmed in the U.S. Health officials in Michigan say a dairy worker who contracted the virus experienced mild eye symptoms and has since recovered. The first case was found in Texas in March. Also tonight, reproductive rights and 2024. Donald Trump walking back his comments about potential restrictions on birth control while Louisiana lawmakers are set to criminalize abortion pills. Here's Hallie Jackson.

A new front in the battle over reproductive rights tonight, birth control. Women are not going to let the Republican Party turn back the clock on their rights. Democrats today revealing plans to try to protect access to contraception under federal law, aiming to put Senate Republicans on the spot and highlight divisions on reproductive rights, with some in the GOP dismissing the push as a political stunt. It doesn't seem necessary to me. I think Republicans do support that. The focus on it coming after this from former President Trump. Do you support any restrictions on a person's right to contraception?

Well, we're looking at that and I'm going to have a policy on that very shortly. Mr. Trump backtracking just hours later, posting he will never advocate imposing restrictions on birth control. The Biden campaign's looking to tie Mr. Trump to controversial reproductive rights proposals, like in Louisiana, now poised to become the first state to reclassify two drugs used for abortions as controlled dangerous substances on the same level as depressants like Xanax, criminalizing the possession of mifepristone and misoprostol without a prescription. Most abortions are already outlawed in the state.

The bill's author describing how his sister was slipped abortion drugs without her consent while pregnant. Her husband sentenced to prison after a plea deal in the case. It is to simply say that when you're a bad actor in possession of these pills, that you should be held accountable. But 280 doctors in the state in a letter argue the bill's not scientifically based and creates confusion and misinformation for patients, since the drugs are also used for other reasons, like inducing labor and managing miscarriages. This is not about abortion. This is about using these drugs routinely for other many, many other things. And the Supreme Court is set to issue key rulings on abortion access later this spring for the first time since overturning Roe v. Wade two years ago, with justices considering cases including whether to put limits on Mifepristone. Lester. OK, Hallie, thank you. Up next, how one big city is reducing dangers

to mothers giving birth with a program that could become a model for the nation. The U.S. has an alarmingly high rate of pregnancy-related deaths, but in San Antonio, a program is taking action to get new mothers the life-saving blood so many need after childbirth. Cynthia McFadden reports. We have three cases to review. The medical staff gathered around this conference table at University Hospital here in San Antonio, Texas, meet once a week at dawn with just one purpose in mind, saving lives. A patient that has been ruled out to have an accreta.

Dr. Caitlin Martin is one of them. The lives she and the others are determined to save are pregnant women with a little-discussed but increasingly diagnosed condition called placenta accreta. It occurs in one in 500 pregnancies. Basically, the placenta won't detach from the uterus and it causes massive hemorrhage in many cases. The pregnancy was fine until it wasn't. Women like Bianca Chavarria, who at 20 was pregnant with her second baby. The first had been delivered by C-section, which is the most common precursor to the condition. It didn't feel like my first pregnancy at all. And they were telling me it's normal. So she went online to see what she could

find. That's what I found out about placenta accreta. And I looked at the rates of survival for that, and it's terrifying. Seven out of every hundred women with placenta accreta die. Many more spend months in the hospital recovering from massive hemorrhage. Bianca's original doctor told her if it was placenta accreta, their hospital didn't have enough blood to treat her. How scared were you? I was in a state of shock. So at eight months pregnant, Bianca was sent here to University Hospital. And that is where Dr. Martin, who

co-directs the placenta accreta program, comes in. Dr. Martin called me right away and she was like, we need to get you in because if it is what we think it is, you're in great danger. And it was on a Saturday. Bianca's suspicion was right. She did have placenta accreta. Doctors like to plan these complicated and life-threatening deliveries months in advance. But because of the protocols they've developed here, two days later, Dr. Martin helped her deliver a healthy baby boy. Though in the process, Bianca lost 10 units of blood. Most women only have 9 to 10 units in their whole body. A lot of hospitals don't even carry that much blood in the entire hospital. That's right. One of the reasons doctors say this life-saving maternal program can exist here

is because of San Antonio's whole blood program, which is considered a model for the nation. Everyone's got a stake in this. Dr. Donald Jenkins, a former Air Force trauma surgeon, has been a driving force behind creating the coordinated whole blood system in San Antonio. He says key to making it work, a steady supply of whole blood from blood banks who are willing and able to provide it. Whole blood is just the blood that the donor gives before it's broken down into plasma platelets and red cells. How many lives do you feel conservatively have been saved by this program? Easily 2,000. Bianca says they saved her life. I think someone came to say hello. Bianca, what does it feel like to be sitting next to this incredible doctor?

I feel like I'm sitting next to a superhero right now. Bianca wanted Dr. Martin to see her kids. This is Dr. Martin. Hi. Say hi. It's nice to see you again. Hi, doctor. Hi.

How are you? Too young to know, they're meeting the woman who saved their mother's life. Thank you so much. Of course. And the program is working. Doctors tell us that 40 to 50 percent of women with this condition used to be admitted to the ICU. Now it's down to 20 percent. Lester?

All right. And Cynthia, I'm sad to say after 10 years, this is your last report for NBC. Well, Lester, it has been an honor to work with you on this broadcast, which has nurtured and celebrated original investigative reporting. I've had an incredible run and no small part thanks to you and the really high standards you set. Well, you are certainly kind. Thank you. We will miss you. I'll miss you. Finally, after 20 years with the Boston Ballet, the company's trailblazing principal dancer has come to the last dance. Here's Vicki Wynn.

Before there was this, there was this. John Lamb was just four when teachers in California offered him free ballet lessons. I would go to dance and, yes, I would be made fun of at school, but I knew there was something bigger. His hard work propelled him to the Boston Ballet, where he made history as the first Vietnamese-American male principal dancer, now retiring after 20 years with starring roles. What is it like to be the first, to be a trailblazer in this way? Oh gosh, you know, I keep thinking back and I think I'm no different than anyone else. And I say, gosh, that four-year-old kid

coming from poverty somehow made it into an industry that may be deemed elitist. But somehow I faced it all. His parents, Mai and Hao, came to America in the 80s as part of a wave of Vietnamese boat refugees. His father still works seven days a week. This was his parents' first time seeing John perform in Boston. I really appreciate everybody. They helped my boy. It's been my home for 20 years.

Lamb says he still has more to accomplish with a memoir and his non-profit Lamb Danceworks. What advice would you offer to the next generation? To keep that fire burning bright and bright. To not let go of what you believe in. A final bow, but not the last dance for this trailblazer. Vicki Nguyen, NBC News, Boston.

And that is nightly news for this Wednesday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.