NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Friday, June 12, 2026

Episode Date: June 13, 2026

Tornado outbreak devastates Midwest; SpaceX makes history in largest ever initial public offering; Deadly mass shooting in Texas; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, we're live from the World Cup in Los Angeles. Team USA taking to the field right behind me for their kickoff tonight, but we're also tracking a tornado outbreak across the Midwest. Massive twisters like this one ripping through the heartland more than a dozen barreling across the region. Holmes torn to shreds, this man rescued from beneath the rubble how he's doing tonight. Elon Musk officially, the world's first trillionaire. His company, SpaceX, going public, making the biggest stock market debut of all time. And we'll introduce you to the everyday SpaceX employees who are now millionaires.

The mass shooting in Texas, police officers, firing at a suspect barricaded in a building, one person killed, 10 others heard. This just in, Gene Shalett, who reviewed movies for the Today Show for decades, has died. While a United Airlines flight was delayed over this massive swarm of being, And from here at the World Cup, our interviews with the U.S. players who hope to make history on their home turf, including with Captain America himself. Plus, we'll take you inside the operation to secure these games across the country. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News. Live from the World Cup, reporting tonight from Los Angeles.

Here is Tom Yomas. And good evening from Los Angeles. We're right behind me. The biggest sporting event in the world finally comes to America tonight. You can see the lines of people to get in. Fans literally jumping up and down with excitement. The American flag stretched out. 70,000 people packing in as the World Cup finally kicks off on American soil.

This is a historic moment for this city, this country. and the American team. We'll have more on all of that in a moment, but we need to begin tonight with a devastating tornado outbreak across the Midwest that we are tracking right now. These were the terrifying images, massive twisters.

Look at this, tearing through Illinois. Across the Midwest, there were more than a dozen of them. And we're getting our first look at just how widespread the damages. Look at this. This is a shot from above. Neighborhoods absolutely destroyed. And for people across the region,

the path to recovery is expected to be long, and as you know, uncertain. Our Maggie Vespa made her way to the storm zone tonight and starts us off. Oh, my God. Stunning video of a monster twister barreling through America's heartland. Amid a devastating outbreak with 21 reported tornadoes ravaging multiple states, including Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. I've never seen a tornado a person. In Indiana, where black clouds covered the sconces.

an EF3, clocking winds up to 165 miles per hour. In hard hit Strader, Illinois, drone video shows this entire cul-de-sac leveled. Sherry Bogan survived hiding in her bathtub. I mean, just seeing your home like this. It's so devastating. I mean, it's just heartbreaking. Nearby, a photojournalist finding this man buried in rubble. I think I got a broken lake.

First responders arriving minutes. later. Neighbors tell us this is the home where that man was rescued. You can see it's in pieces. I talked to him over the phone. He says he has a shattered ankle and other injuries, but he's grateful to be alive. At Chicago's Midway Airport, passengers and air traffic controllers taking cover. There's a tornado warning, so we're evacuating the tower. In Michigan, a six-year-old girl is injured after damaging winds toppled a tree onto this home, burying her underneath. Her dad frantically digging her out. Cinder block, rubble, tree,

iron, all on top of the bed. I wouldn't give up. Back in Illinois, as Sherry looks around, she still can't believe she made it out alive. How do you make sense of that? God was watching out for me. He's not finished with me yet. Incredible, she survived that, Maggie.

And we can see Sherry's house there behind you. She told you she almost didn't hear the warnings. Yeah, Tom, that's right. She was taking a nap on this bed poking out from under that wall behind me when her son, thankfully, called last minute, told her you have to get to safety now. She raced into this bathroom, barely made it in time. We're hearing about so many close calls like that. And miraculously, no fatalities were reported. Tom. Maggie Vespa and her team with that destruction as far as the eye can see.

The other major headline tonight, a historic one, SpaceX going public. IPO ever, and it's made its founder, Elon Musk, the world's first trillionaire, but many of his everyday employees are now millionaires as well. Here's Christine Romans. Liftoff came at 1147 a.m. shares of SpaceX began trading on the NASDAQ and immediately soared 11%. The stock's rise launched the net worth of founder Elon Musk, making him the world's first trillionaire. He addressed employees this morning. I gave SpaceX less than it 10% chance of succeeding at all. Originally priced at $135, SpaceX shares closed for the day at 161, making it one of the 10 most

valuable publicly traded companies, even though last year it lost billions of dollars. I started trading about the age of 18. 23-year-old Daniela Rodriguez works in advertising in Miami. She tried to buy five shares of SpaceX. in the IPO, but was allotted just one. She sold early in the trading day, pocketing an almost 20% profit. I love to be a part of something that's historical in the stock market, number one, and I love to say that I did that. And, you know, if you can cop a dollar while you're at it, why not? For a company that almost went bankrupt in its early days after its first three rocket

launches failed, today's SpaceX is a NASA partner, transporting both astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. It is Starlink, the low-earth satellite system for broadband internet. It is also social media in the platform X and artificial intelligence chatbot GROC. This is actually going to have a generational impact on my family. Robert, who asked to withhold his last name in order to discuss personal finances, was a SpaceX engineer for five years. The shares he earned, now worth millions. For somebody who, you know, basically lived paycheck to paycheck for most of the 2010s, I thought if I was lucky, they might be worth a million.

So the fact that it's worth more than that, you know, I'm kind of blown away. Christine Romans joins us now live outside the NASDAQ in Times Square. So, Christine, for those who may have missed out today, should they consider buying shares? Tom, a reminder, an IPO is a risky, volatile investment. Today's valuation of SpaceX hitting $2.1 trillion, but that's all based on hope for what the company can earn. in the future and a bet on Elon Musk. Now, as for a trillionaire, what does that mean? Elon Musk could spend a million dollars a day for the next about 3,000 years before he runs out of money, Tom. Three thousand years. All right, Christine Romans for us. Christine, thank you.

We want to move to Texas tonight because there is alarming video of a shootout between police and a gunman who went on a horrific rampage, killing one person and injuring at least 10 others in Midland. Here's Aaron McLaughlin. Harrowing video shows officers taking cover behind a vehicle. In the middle of a shootout with a suspect barricaded in a building in Midland, Texas. Those nearby, terrified and hiding. As the sound of gunfire rang throughout the city's industrial corridor. Amidst a massive SWAT response.

I saw one person, there was a person down. We got inside. We've been waiting to see what's going on ever since. The final moments of an hour's long onslaught span multiple locations, killing one person and wounding at least 10, according to the mayor. The suspect was found dead inside the building. We've received this information based on the confirmation of a robot and a drone footage. The gunman identified as 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal,

who'd been wanted for attempted capital murder after firing multiple shots at an officer during a police chase on Wednesday. The victims are being treated in two hospitals, with Midland Memorial reporting four needing surgery and five discharged. Tonight, the FBI and Texas Rangers are investigating the deadly rampage. Aaron McLaughlin, NBC News.

And some sad news tonight for our NBC family. Beloved Today's show icon and film critic, Jean Shalett, has passed away at the age of 100. Our Savannah Guthrie remembers his extraordinary life. You know what you're looking at now, folks, is a moving picture. With his trademark mustache, bushy hair, and famous turns of phrase. Don't forego, fargo. Dispastic, elastic, iconic, clastic.

Jean Shalett was as iconic as the stars he interviewed. For four decades, he was an integral part of the Today's Show team, starting as a contributor in 19, I'm Barbara Walters here at the NBC News Center in New York with Gene Shalett. Going on to become today's entertainment correspondent and movie critic. Good morning and welcome to the Critics Corner. His reviews never mincing words. Two words, Istar is terrible. Born in 1926, Gene grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, where his parents, immigrants from

Latvia, owned a drugstore. He started his career as a journalist early, writing a humor column for his high school paper. He was a massive. at interviews, sitting down with some of Hollywood's greatest stars, the big, bright, and even green. Do you think you might ever marry Miss Piggy? From the philosophical. Is that nice to be named after two presidents? It's never come up before.

To the playful. What's your favorite food, Mel? ketchup. His laughter was loud and contagious. Gene married his wife, Nancy, I said. Gene married his wife, Nancy, in 1950. and they had six children together. She passed away from cervical cancer in 1978.

He lost his daughter, Emily, to ovarian cancer in 2012. In 2010, Shalett retired from today, like any good movie, knowing when to wrap it up. But his friendship, laughter, and talent, we will forever treasure. Our Savannah Guthrie, remembering the great Jean Shalett tonight. Still ahead here on Nightly News, live from the World Cup, We'll introduce you to the Americans taking to the field tonight, including the team star, known as Captain America. Plus, what sparked this giant warehouse fire that filled the skies with smoke,

the new video showing the moment it started to spread, and we'll show it to you, and not quite ready for takeoff the stowaways on a United Jets wing, and how the crew finally got them to buzz off. We're back live from Los Angeles, sight of the World Cup in just a moment. You're looking at the crowds growing here tonight, just right behind me in Los Angeles. The first World Cup kickoff on American soil in decades. And for the American team, a chance to prove they belong on the world stage. More than 70,000 fans will pack this stadium in Southern California.

It's been a dream to go to a World Cup game period, but here in the U.S., that's going to be awesome. As the U.S. men's national team opens its World Cup bid against Paraguay, and the biggest sporting event in the world returns to U.S. soil. Algarados, Curlese. Yesterday, it was Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0 before an ecstatic home crowd in Mexico City. Tonight, the U.S. men's national team determined to prove they belong on the world stage.

Now having a World Cup on home soil, it really is something special for us. All eyes will be on star player Christian Polisic. The 27-year-old dubbed Captain America, widely considered the most talented American player of his generation. I feel we have a bit of an advantage just knowing each other so long. Defensive midfielder Tyler Adams plays professionally in England, but says when the U.S. team comes together, they have an edge.

I think our chemistry, our bond is what's going to carry us over other teams. Outside the stadium, there's another team playing high-stakes defense. We look over here, we see security, there's law enforcement officers everywhere you look, but you guys are really concerned about what's in the air drones. That's correct. Drones is one of our biggest concerns, but obviously we take all threats seriously. Law enforcement using the latest tech to keep aerial threats offside. How many miles are we talking that you guys are watching and make sure no drones come in? Yeah, we've got several square miles here. As you can tell, it's a giant area, and we've blanketed it with our counter-UAS and ground intercept teams.

There's a zero-tolerance policy. We will be citing and seizing your drone if you violate a temporary flight restriction. For the team tonight, it's all about the action on the festival. I think that's the main thing, knowing that we left everything that we had and we can be proud of our performance and that the country can be proud of us as well. Go Team USA. And for all the action, you can watch the games in Spanish on Telemundo and Peacock and in English on Fox. When we return tonight, the judge is ruling just in about the UFC fight at the White House this weekend. Stay with us. Look at this.

A swarm of bees taking over the wing of this United Flight, DeLexam. laying takeoff from Cancun to LA. A member of the ground coot even throwing on a beekeeper hat as the plane pushes back. How did they finally get them to take off? Just add wind speed. They hang on for a while before getting completely blown away one after another on a cent. Incredible. Okay.

And tonight a federal judge rejecting a lawsuit that tried to block this weekend's controversial UFC fight night at the White House for America's 250th anniversary. The temporary octagon will seat 4,000. spectators with up to 120,000 people expected possibly to watch from the ellipse. There's a potential for storms, though. Organizers say it will go on rain or shine. That's nightly news for this Friday. I'm Tom Yamas.

We thank you so much for watching. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.