NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, August 31, 2026

Episode Date: September 1, 2026

Suspect and female victim dead after Times Square stabbing spree; At least two dead as rescuers search for missing in Grand Canyon; Justices give Trump major legal victory on ballroom project; 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.

Breaking news tonight, the stabbing attack in New York's Times Square, tourists running for their lives. Video of a woman wielding a knife, she allegedly stabbed multiple people. Police rushing in, she's then tased and shot by officers. Times Square put on lockdown. Also breaking the death toll rising from those flash floods that swept through the Grand Canyon, the desperate race to find more than a dozen people still missing. Dozens evacuated, new downports today slowing those rescue efforts.

This just in, tropical storm warnings expanded for the Texas and Louisiana coasts. We're timing it out. Ballroom breakthrough, the Supreme Court allowing the president to move forward with the White House construction. But Chief Justice John Roberts blast the project. Deadly ferry disaster, the sinking caught on camera off Cyprus, passengers desperate to escape, as their ship went under. A Palestinian woman and our own NBC crew attacked by Israeli settlers in the West Bank,

the alarming increase in violence in the region. Petting Zoo Wabies scare, baby goats testing positive for the extremely deadly disease, and now families have to put their children through painful vaccinations to keep them safe. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. We thank you for joining us on this Monday night.

We begin with that knife attack in New York's Times Square that ended in a police shootout. With details still coming in, at least two people were slashed by the attacker. You can see right here a woman advancing towards police officers holding what appears to be a knife as a crowd watches on, cops tasing her and then opening fire. And another angle shows the woman charging towards police before shots ring out. In the aftermath, video showed a different woman being rushed from the scene on a stretcher, and cameras captured this moment, an officer recovering two knives that may have been used in the attack. Sam Brock joins us live from Times Square tonight, and Sam, I know you have a major update that just came in.

Tom, police officers and investigators are still blanketing the block where this happened behind me. As for that major update, the woman at the center of this, as well as a stabbing victim who was also a woman, they have both died as activity here in this dense, vibrant part of New York City. has now come all but to a standstill. Tonight, this chilling scene unfolding in New York's Times Square, following an apparent stabbing spring and an officer involved shooting. Oh, fuck it!

A large crowd screaming, as this woman in a pink shirt appears to approach officers with her arms raised. Then the sounds of more gunfire and witnesses scattering. Multiple New York City officials telling NBC News police are investigating her mental health history. As a woman armed with at least one, One knife, according to those officials, slashed at least two people near the heart of Times Square, then was shot by police.

The cops are showing up. Another victim over here. The NYPD confirming that emergency responders transported three civilians to area hospitals. This video showing a person being wheeled away on a stretcher. As investigators stood next to what appeared to be a long knife on a nearby sidewalk, witnesses to the shocking violence report seeing a woman with multiple knives. I see the lady with a knife. When they have the knife, the knife in your hand, so police say, drop her. Tonight, the NYPD confirming it's conducting a police investigation and cautioning to avoid the area.

Sam Brock, NBC News, New York. Also tonight, the urgent search for survivors at the Grand Canyon. Devastating flash floods rushing through the popular tourist destination, killing at least two people, and at least a dozen are still missing tonight. Dana Griffin is there. Tonight, the urgent search for missing hikers at the Grand Canyon intensifying, as officials say a second body is being recovered. More than a dozen people are still unaccounted for after catastrophic flash flooding ripped through the canyon Saturday.

Watch as this torrent comes roaring through, wiping out foot bridges and this floating bunkhouse barely recognizable. Campers in the area who made it out alive say they had little warning before the wall of water came rushing down. Rangers screaming for them to run. It was like the whole trail was being washed out. We were just trying to run. Dozens of people airlifted to safety. They just started pouring. I was completely drenched.

We were completely drenched from the head to toe. Conditions today worsening. Crews are searching for those they believe are still in the canyon, but as you can see throughout the day, they've been met with white out conditions hampering the search operation. The families of three friends, Texas chiropractor John Juusty, confirming he died. while Brent Rosecrans and Timothy Allen Smith remain missing.

Juisty's sister telling the New York Times, he was documenting his journey online. The family last heard from him just hours before the flooding began. The catastrophic floods also destroying a critical water pipeline to the park, forcing hotels and lodges to clear out overnight guests. And tonight, a flood watch remains in effect until midnight, as the race to find the missing becomes more and more dire. Dana Griffin joins us now live.

Dana, good to see the skies have cleared there behind you. But the big question tonight, were there any warnings that this flooding was going to hit? Tom, while weather warnings did go out earlier in the day for surrounding areas, it appears the first flash flood alerts did not go out until the flooding was already underway, probably catching a lot of the hikers down below off guard. Tom? Dana Griffin for us tonight, Dana, thank you. This is also breaking tonight a major legal victory for President Trump and is in back.

battled White House ballroom project. Gabe Gutierrez joins us now live and Gabe the justices are allowing construction crews to keep working. Yes, Tom, it is a big win for President Trump. The Supreme Court now allowing him to move forward indefinitely with the project. The president had ordered the White House's east wing torn down to make way for the ballroom in a secure facility underground. But a historical preservation group had sued arguing the president needed congressional approval. Well, tonight, the court ruling that group did not have legal standing to bring the lawsuit, writing mere offense, disagreement, or distaste does not qualify. Still, in a 5-4 ruling, was narrow.

Chief Justice John Roberts joining the court's three liberal justices in dissent. Roberts writing, that construction is likely unlawful. But President Trump tonight is praising the ruling, saying the project will be finished by the summer of 2028. Tom? Gabe, thank you. We are also tracking new storm warnings across the Gulf Coast. Tropical storm Edward, likely to form and hit Louisiana and Texas. By this time tomorrow, Bill Cairns is here in studio with us.

And Bill, track this one out and time it out for us, please. Yeah, we're watching our friends from Houston to Lake Charles. This is a small storm. It's not a big one. But these little small storms can sometimes fire up pretty quickly. So right now, 35 mile per hour winds. You can see it's located due south of the Louisiana coast. As we go throughout the overnight tonight,

that's when we think it's going to become tropical storm, Edward. It should make it up to maybe 60 mile per hour wind. So maybe right at landfill near Port Arthur, and the Beaumont area, maybe some minor wind damage. But the real issue is going to be the rainfall with this. We're not thinking the winds are going to cause too many problems throughout this region. But the rainfall could be as high as 5 to 7 inches in a short period of time. And if that happens over flood prone Houston, Tom, you know we could see some problems.

Yeah, we'll stay watching Houston. Bill, thank you. We're going to head overseas now to that urgent search for survivors after the deadly flooding disaster along the Nepal-China border. And now an American couple who made it out alive showing us video of how they escaped. Janice Mackeyfreyer reports from the flood zone. Tonight, the search for survivors from these devastating floods growing more desperate. Rescuers combing through tunnels at this hydropower project where at least a hundred workers are still missing.

So many communities are still totally buried. There are towns like this that have been left in ruins all along the river, miles and miles of mud and destruction. Here in Devigat, the layer of mud is so thick, houses just disappeared. The ground around the river is still unstable. They are knee-deep in mud. This is solid ground, though, because it's the roof of their house that got swallowed by the flood. Families scrambling to salvage what they can. Poor money is this house? Gold and money. Your life savings are in this house. The number of missing now in the thousands, including 8.000.

American, according to the State Department. And now new images of the raging floods shot by an American couple who were able to make it out. Anjanaraja and her partner, among the only American witnesses to the massive wall of water the moment it struck. We kind of relive the moment every day. They were on a tour bus near the border with China when she saw something huge in the sky.

So like how cobra has that head when it sticks out, the only thing I could think of at that point is, I told him we need to run right now. A sprint to higher ground saving their lives. The Chinese border point was flattened by the flood. While we are happy, we are safe. Our heart just goes out to the people that we are not heard from. Janice is at a hospital in Nepal tonight.

Janice, we can see the pictures of those missing there just behind you. The number of missing doubled again today to more than 4,000? It speaks to the scale of the scale of, what's underway here, Tom, the search and rescue mission, trying to find some of these people. It comes at a time when Americans are starting to arrive here to do their own searches for their loved ones, to find some information, be it good or bad, to end the uncertainty. Tom. Janice, Mackie Freyer, staying on that one for us. Janice, we thank you.

We're going to stay overseas off the coast of Cyprus and the Mediterranean. Videos capturing the moments of ferry capsized with hundreds on board, passengers. desperately clinging to it as it sunk. Kier Simmons picks it up from there. Tonight, a massive search underway as terrifying video emerges of passengers panicking, scrambling to put on life vests and get to an exit as their ferry capsizes.

Dozens clinging to the side of the sinking vessel, video taken from the water, showing the ship completely on its side. Many still crammed inside, desperate to make it out. The water filled with debris. One mother describing clinging to her daughter, then losing her grip. She was saying, don't let go, and I didn't let go of my daughter. I swear, I didn't let go.

But Aitin Byser says through tears, a suitcase fell on top of her, and she slipped out of my hand. Tonight, her children, 6-year-old Bermet and 12-year-old Salihar are both missing. The ferry carrying 267 people capsized in the Mediterranean off the coast of northern Cyprus Sunday. Rescue teams scrambled by air and sea, pulling 239 people safely to shore. So far, eight are confirmed dead and 20 more are still missing as time and hope are running out. Kier Simmons, NBC News. Out of the growing violence in the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians,

and now our own NBC News team has been caught up in the violence. Matt Bradley on those scary moments. The disturbing attack happening in the middle of our interview. That's Aida Ahmed Abdullah, a Palestinian woman, telling us how Israeli settlers forced her family out of their home in the West Bank. Now she can only watch her home on, security cameras, showing the settlers strolling through her yard. She says she dies a hundred times a day watching this scene.

But as Aida carefully walked us toward her home, a gray car full of masked young men pulls up. Armed with sticks and stones, they smashed our car's windshield, pummeled our team with sticks, and beat 51-year-old Aida unconscious. Are you okay? Are you... Israeli Jewish settlers, some of whom want to intimidate Palestinians into leaving their land,

attacked Palestinian homes throughout the West Bank Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemning criminal acts of settler violence, including the attack on NBC News. And this criticism from the U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee. We're appalled at some of the things that have happened to families who are the victims of just criminal activity that is, inexcusable and repugnant. We were able to get Ida to an ambulance.

They beat us, and our team was treated for minor injuries. The next day, we checked in with Ida. She's left the hospital, but she won't be convalescing at home. That's still occupied by those settlers. The Israeli military and police tell us they've opened an investigation into the attacks on us and Ida and another incident nearby. But so far, no arrests have been made. Tom? Matt Bradley and this team bringing back that story despite those circumstances.

All right, when we return in 60 seconds, the petting zoo goats carrying rabies, now the race to find children who may have been infected. We're backed out with some alarming news out of North Carolina, the race to find children and even seniors who may have been exposed to rabies by goats from a petting zoo. Ann Thompson has our story. This summer, four baby goats brought joy across North Carolina. Tonight, it is fear. I don't want to bury my child.

Rebecca Lannin's four-year-old son is one of hundreds of children and adults exposed to rabies, all because, like so many, he fed these infected baby goats at a festival earlier this month. Did you ever think your child could be exposed to rabies by farm animals? Absolutely not. Anyone who came in contact with the goats now has to decide whether to get a series of painful shots. The risk, rabies is almost always fatal in people once symptoms appear. Symptoms which can take months to develop include fever and flu-like illness. Rabies can be transmitted by a bite, scratch, or even infected saliva that gets into the body.

Too young to be vaccinated, the goats had been brought to assisted living facilities, public parks, and private events across the state. Mobile petting zoo farm adventures, which own the goats, says the animals became infected after they were bitten by a skunk in their pen. But the owners say they didn't know it until last week. Lannin acted immediately, getting her son the shots needed to protect his life. Are you going to let your son go to petting zoos? We will probably skip petting zoos and just go to the zoo where you can look from afar. And be safe. Anne Thompson, NBC News. That's nightly news for this Monday. I'm Tom Yamis. We thank you so much for watching.

Tonight, and always, we're here for you. Good night.