NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, October 12, 2026

Episode Date: October 13, 2026

One dead at Six Flags park in Georgia; Omar’s home searched as part of federal criminal investigation; Selma Blair in custody after allegedly assaulting flight attendants; 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, a rider dying on a roller coaster at Six Flags just outside of Atlanta. The horrific scene at the popular theme park, riders evacuating from high above what we're learning about the amusement park death. The Goliath has Six Flags just launched a man out of his seat. Also breaking, actress Selma Blair arrested after a violent mid-flight assault, the cruel intention star allegedly attacking two flight attendants, then a nurse at the hospital, how her team is responding. Federal agents searching Minnesota Congresswoman Elon Omar's D.C. home, the prominent Trump critic blasting the move as an attempt to target political enemies.

Violent storms coast to coast, roofs ripped off homes, twisters snapping treason, knocking out power. A husband speaking out after his wife was killed in the hurricane. Russia's new wave of attacks on Ukraine, as some Republicans blast President Trump's energy deal with Russia. New video appearing to show ICE officers running over a man with a truck after he took off on foot, protests now erupting. Just in, President Trump says he's considering firing Kimberly Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece after embarrassing reports came out and critics now describing her as the ambassador

of grift. Pope Leo scheduled for surgery tomorrow what we're learning about the nodule discovered on his lung. A man caught on camera poisoning his co-worker's water bottle why he only spent a day behind bars. Close encounter at sea of whale slamming into this fisherman's boat. And there's good news tonight, the emotional reunion after a life-saving donation. The moment these two families took flight, nightly news starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas.

And good evening. We thank you for joining us on this Monday night. Start with that breaking news, a deadly accident at a Six Flags theme park in Georgia. Witness is describing a rider being launched from a roller coaster. You can see the aerial shots here of the park and you see the car on this coaster stop midway down the ride as people are helped one by one down this extremely steep slope trying to get to safety. On the ground, a big response from emergency officials as they try to figure out what exactly

went wrong here. It's just the latest safety incident for Six Flags and we've been covered. covering it on this show. A Six Flags ride in California, you're seeing it here facing allegations. It caused catastrophic brain injuries and even two deaths. Brian Chandler is following this story. He starts us off tonight. Tonight, a tragic scene over the Six Flags Park just outside Atlanta. Cobb County officials confirming one person dead, an emergency taking place on the Goliath roller coaster. Video shows passengers on the 200-foot-high ride, climbing down the stairs of what Six Flags bills as a hypercoaster that is an intense 70-mile-per-hour thrill ride that challenges even the bravest of the brave.

Someone stuck on the ride, bro. The client has Six Flags just launched a man out of his seat three times on our car. NBC affiliate 11 Alive in Atlanta reports that witnesses say a man fell and hit the ride several times. In a statement, Six Flags said, we are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guests' family, friends, and loved ones. It was just two weeks ago that Six Flags Magic Mountain in California announced the permanent closure of its roller coaster X2.

That announcement coming after the filing of several lawsuits, claiming the ride caused park guests severe brain injuries. In Georgia, Six Flags advertised its Goliath ride with the saying, Take your screams to the extreme. ride tonight. Now the scene of thrill-seeking turned fatal. Ryan Chandler joins us now live from Atlanta and Ryan, we are in the early stages of the investigation here. Is there any sense yet of what went wrong? Well, Tom, Six Flag says out of respect for the family's privacy, they are not releasing any more details at this time,

including the identity of the rival who died. They do add first responders responded immediately and they are cooperating with authorities. Tom. Ryan, Chandler, leading us off tonight. Ryan, thank you. We're also following a string of violent assaults on board of flight. The Hollywood actress Selma Blair accused of attacking flight attendants. Sam Brock is at New York's JFK Airport with the latest. Tonight, Hollywood actress Selma Blair facing potential assault charges after an alleged violent attack on a Delta flight, that according to two law enforcement sources.

One flight attendant and one passenger that sustained some minor injuries of bloody news as well as some light marks as well. That call from the cockpit on a flight from LAX to New York's JFK Airport Sunday night, the Port Authority Police Department confirming to NBC News the passenger with Selma Blair. That sounds like the disruptive passenger also bashed her head on the bulkhead or something like that. Law enforcement sources telling NBC New York that Blair assaulted two flight attendants leading to a bite mark for one and a laceration for another. They say she was traveling with a support dog.

According to those same sources, she was wrong. restrained and kicked a responding Port Authority police officer repeatedly in the head on the way to the hospital. Adding Blair also assaulted a nurse at Jamaica Hospital. Blair's representatives did not comment on those specific allegations, but told NBC News, Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition. Blair has starred in huge hits like cruel intentions and legally blonde and has spoken regularly about her diagnosis. and journey with multiple sclerosis.

I am really, really well. I'm relapse free. Late today, the actress out of the hospital and in a New York courtroom, putting up $20,000 in cash bail, as now a future legal fight awaits the Hollywood star. Sam Brock joins us now live from JFK Airport. And Sam, this isn't the first time Blair has been involved

in a mid-flight disturbance. Tom, in 2016, on a family trip from Cancun to Los Angeles, player was physically removed from a flight after disruptive behavior. At the time, Tom, she apologized in a statement to Vanity Fair and said that she had mixed a combination of medication and alcohol that caused her to blackout and that she deeply regretted her behavior. Tom. Sam, thank you.

We want to head to D.C. now because of the early morning search of the Washington home of Democratic Congresswoman Elon Omar. Part of what we're told is a federal criminal investigation into immigration fraud. And tonight, Omar is firing back. Here's Kelly O'Donnell. A surprise federal search at the Washington, D.C. home of Minnesota Progressive Democrat, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Homeland Security agents carried out a court-approved warrant early today. President Trump reacting.

I understand they're looking at it very carefully. I've always found it to be totally crooked personally, but that has nothing to do with me. The Department of Justice said today's search warrant is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. A source familiar with that probe tells NBC News it includes alleged immigration fraud and involves whistleblowers, documents, and witness testimony in a years-long investigation. Omar is a Somali-born Muslim who became a U.S. citizen at 17. Omar responded, I'm okay. Make no mistake.

This is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. Specifics in the search warrant remain under seal. about Elon Omar? She comes from Somalia. Campaining in Tennessee Saturday, the president suggested action could be coming. J.D. Vance and our people are looking at it very strongly. In March, Vance made this accusation. We actually think that Ilan Omar had definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America.

Omar's office said today, the Congresswoman has done nothing wrong. Kelly joins us now from the scene of that search. Kelly, do we know if Congresswoman Omar was there this morning during that investigation? Tom, House members are back in their home districts to campaign with three weeks to go before the election. Typically, the Department of Justice does not take overt investigative action against a candidate within 60 days of an election. An official noted a judge signed this warrant. Tom? Kelly, thank you. Now to the intense storms, coast-to-coast devastating parts of the South. Battering California, 100,000 people still without power are Jesse Kirsch is in the storm zone.

Tonight, our up-close look at those devastating storms coast to coast. Homes destroyed. Hundreds of thousands losing power. First, Hurricane Isayas made landfall Friday night near Destin, Florida. The Category 2 storm ripping off roofs and snapping trees. I heard a crack and I wake up. Joseph Williams says he woke up pinned under a tree. Then a devastating realization. His wife, Jennifer, had died.

What are you going to miss the most? Probably I'm morning coffee. We built a life together. I mean, there's so many things. So many things. At least four people have died from Florida to Alabama, according to officials. It can be challenging for crews to even get around. You've got dangling and down power lines.

Then there are these walls of debris pushing into the street. And this is just from one front yard. Big tornado on the ground. Issa'es' remnants also spinning up at least 22 reported tornadoes, including this confirmed South Carolina twister. Meanwhile, out west, Tropical Storm Rachel's remnants flooding Las Vegas. You can see the sphere not far away. The storm also battering Southern California's coastline. Meanwhile, around Florida's panhandle, crews racing to restore power.

So much to rebuild and to grieve. Jesse joins us now live from Pensacola. We can see some of that damage. They're just behind you. And still so many families still without power tonight. That's right, Tom. Around 100,000 power outages is still reported in Florida alone, though crews are making real progress. Meanwhile, here is another look at the devastation caused by East IES.

Take a look at this massive tree. Now it's just snapped right over. Tom. Jesse Kerr's for us tonight, Jesse. We thank you for that. And we're following a new violent confrontation with ICE officers caught on camera. This time officers appearing to hit a man in Houston with their. vehicle as he was running away. NBC's Priscilla Thompson is in Houston tonight with that video of

the incident. This video shows the moment ICE officers appear to run over a man fleeing on foot. It happened in Houston Saturday morning. You see two men get out of this white truck and start running. Then Miguel Para Hernandez is struck by a dark SUV. Moments later, he's seen on the ground. Today, his lawyer calling it a crime and saying that ICE's actual tar. target wasn't even in the truck. You can call it mistaken identity. I call it racial profiling. The Department of Homeland Security says ICE was conducting a targeted enforcement operation,

attempting to arrest a Mexican national with a criminal record and that Pada Hernandez, who was not the initial target, ran in front of an ICE vehicle and was struck. In the video, however, Pada Hernandez does not appear to run in front of the vehicle. Rather, the SUV veers into him. He got ran over. DHS says Pada Hernandez was. taken to a hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. His lawyer says his leg is now broken and that the 48-year-old has been in the U.S. since he was 14. The incident sparking protests in

Houston over the weekend with family members speaking out. Miguel, he was not a criminal. And we asked justice to clear his name. He was not a criminal. The Harris County Sheriff's Office is now investigating this ICE confrontation. and Padda Hernandez's family says that when he was struck down in this spot on Saturday morning, he was simply on his way to work. Tom. Priscilla Thompson for us tonight. Priscilla, thank you. President Trump tonight accusing both Russia and Ukraine of violating an energy ceasefire

as the president faces bipartisan backlash for his deal to get diesel fuel from Russia to try and bring down prices at the pump. Gabe Gutierrez has the late details. The explosion came without war. part of the latest wave of Russian attacks in Ukraine. Even as President Trump posted there be a, quote, energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Well, I'd have to look at it and see, because there's been violations on both sides. Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky slamming President Trump's announcement of a deal to temporarily suspend U.S. sanctions in order to purchase Russian diesel fuel.

That has met bipartisan backlash. There's a legitimate case for saying the president's not following the law. Trump posting that the president's not following the law. Trump posting that the president. Russians would immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the American and global marketplace aimed at bringing down the price at the pump for Americans. The average price of diesel now $6.27 a gallon, with the Iran-backed Houthi strikes on civilian targets like Saudi airports also threatening to raise energy prices. He's misbehaving very badly.

President Trump tonight rallying supporters here in Youngstown, Ohio, where Nelson Linger owns a tree removal service telling us President Trump did the right thing to stop the Iranian nuclear threat. Do you blame President Trump for the rise in diesel prices? No, I don't. I think he's trying to protect our country. I own a small business and I put diesel in all my trucks and absolutely we need to get that price down and I believe he's doing what he can to do that. The president won Ohio by 11 points. But the Republican incumbent, Senator John Houston, is now facing a tight re-election battle. Social worker Lauren Matthews supports Democrat Sherrod Brown and criticizes President Trump for striking a deal with Putin over diesel. We don't actually work with dictators to trade for our energy costs

while they are trying to invade other nations. Gabe joins us now from President Trump's Ohio rally and Gabe a lot of headlines tonight that you're juggling. The president now suggesting he may fire his ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Gilfoyle? Yeah, that's right, Tom. The president lady today telling reporters that he's considering firing her saying that he's, quote, not happy. Gilfell, of course, is the ex-fiance of the president's son, and she's been under scrutiny over those allegations that she asked a top Trump donor for $100,000 to help pay off her American Express bill in exchange for access to senior administration officials. Tom. Gabe Gutierrez first, Gabe, thank you to the Vatican where Pope Leo is set to head to the hospital.

tomorrow for surgery. The Pope surprised the faithful on Sunday, announcing he would need to remove a nodule on his lung. Once his doctors get it out, they can determine if it is benign or cancerous. 95% are benign. When we return in 60 seconds, the man caught on hitting camera pouring toxic chemicals in a co-worker's drink. So why did he only get one day in jail? Plus, the video just in the deadly standoff with a suspect inside of a courthouse. We're back now with the California man, on camera poisoning his co-worker. Today, the woman he poisoned couldn't believe what happened in court. A judge dismissing that conviction.

Our Andres Gutierrez picks it up from there. Watch as a man pour something from a small container into his co-worker's water bottle. Moments later, he returns and turns the bottle. Ron Yuan says she set up the hidden camera in 2019 after nearly two years of getting sick when she worked at a California engineering firm. I was so sick. like my colleagues thought I had some terminal cancer. She says she suffered from violent vomiting hair loss and ended up in the ER several times.

Yuan gave the video to police who brought attempted murder charges. Police found toxic amounts of cadmium, which severely irritates the stomach and extended exposure can also lead to kidney damage. David Schu was given a plea deal and only one day in jail plus two years probation. The DA at the time later recalled for being sought. on crime. And today, Xu's conviction was dismissed after he met all conditions of his probation under California law. Yuan outraged decided to release the video today to media seeking some form of justice. Why this system keeps feeling us? Why the system protects the criminals, more than

victims. Yuan says she got so sick, her parents came from China to help. Just seeing that moment when he does that to your water bottle, what went through your mind? Shock. I couldn't believe it happened to me. Yuan says she still suffers health problems because of the poisoning and still can't work full-time. Tom? Andres Gutierrez tonight for us. Andres, thank you. We're back in a moment with a stunning moment a whale slams into these boaters. What happened here? The video next. Welcome back. We start in Nashville. Surveillance video there revealing a deadly standoff with a suspect and security. Look close.

here, Jack Henson went into the federal courthouse Thursday, brandishing a gun and a knife. When he approaches security, he shot. He would later die. Officials still aren't clear about the link between the suspect from North Carolina and that Tennessee courthouse. And a stunning moment for boaters off Long Island, a whale slamming into the back of their boat. The whale was reportedly hundreds of yards away eating baitfish before the big surprise. Luckily, no one was injured. When we come back tonight, the spectacular meeting after a life-saving gift, gift lifting all of our spirits. Stay with us. Finally, there's good news tonight. An organ donor saved a woman's life, but she never got to

meet him. Tonight, you're going to see the moment she got to meet his wife and daughters to say thank you on a date. None of them will ever forget in the skies over New Mexico. This is the family that gave Victoria Yocum a second chance at life. But the road to this moment wasn't easy. I couldn't see a future for myself. I really thought I was just going to die. Victoria was diagnosed with a rare liver disease when she was just five years old. Four years ago, doctors found a match for a liver transplant.

But Victoria knew her second chance came at a cost. I knew that somebody had to pass an order for me to live. That someone was 63-year-old Manuel Barra, a husband and father of four from California. He loved to sing and make his family laugh. Four years later, Victoria, finally meeting the people who knew him best. Never in a minute here that we think that losing him was going to end up this. Then two of Manuel's daughters, joining Victoria for one of Albuquerque's most magical days, the balloon fiesta, a morning filled with color as hundreds of balloons lift into the sky.

Oh my gosh, I've never done this before. An extraordinary gift, now taking all of them to new heights. This is the best day of my life, it really is. An incredible reunion. And a big thanks to our NBC affiliate there in New Mexico, K-O-B, for their help with that great story. That's nightly news for this Monday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching tonight and always.

We're here for you. Good night.