NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, October 5, 2026

Episode Date: October 6, 2026

Cornell students protest handling of 2024 rape allegations; Deadly school bus crash in Florida; Mystery death in Russian lab; 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, tensions boiling over on Cornell's campus, outraged students protesting across the university tonight. Thousands marching on the Ivy League school over the handling of rape allegations. Plus, the glass door shattered and graffiti sprayed across a building. And the encounter caught on camera. A woman confronting one of the fraternity members accused of assault, as NBC News learns more about the punishments handed down to those allegedly involved. Horrifying school bus crash in Florida, a 10th grader killed, video of the mangled bus flipped onto its roof, a Jeep on fire, dozens of kids on board injured what set off this crash.

Plague outbreak fears, the mystery death at a Russian medical lab that studied the deadly disease. Officials in that town now in hazmat suits? How U.S. officials are tracking it? The former American Idol contestant sentenced in his wife's murder, breaking down in tears as he claimed his innocence and the letters from his daughters read out loud. New details about the fly Dubai attacker, his alleged plot to fly the plane into Tel Aviv's airport, how he used an emergency axe to attack the other pilot who fought for his life. President Trump's stunning admission, the threat he says, forced U.S. bombers to rush out of a U.K.

air base, are new reporting on the possible drone attack. Body cam video of an officer throwing a college student to the ground, then tackling her, why the city is now pressing charges against her. Mid-air emergency of British Airways, Chicago-bound flight suddenly rapidly descending 28,000 feet. Oxygen masks deployed what happened next. Incredible catch, a man rushing in to save a child who fell from a balcony. And there's good news tonight, the unexpected homecoming, how this Navy sailor surprised his brother on the feet. Nightly News starts right now.

This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yomas. Good evening, and we thank you for being with us on this Monday night. We want to begin with that anger erupting at Cornell University over the rape allegations rocking the Ivy League campus. Protesters across school grounds tonight, thousands of students marching, chanting, and demanding action. Earlier today, a building was vandalized. You see it here. The glass door shattered with this message left in front. read at Cornell rapists are protected. We also have video tonight of one of the men at the

center of this scandal confronted on campus. Protesters demanding the university to revoke the degree of all seven fraternity members implicated in this incident. This says we learn new details about the punishment, the so-called Cornell seven faced in the immediate aftermath, ranging from suspension to writing an essay. Maggie Vespas starts us off from Cornell's campus in upstate New York. Tonight, outrage on on Cornell's campus as students protest the university's handling of 2024 sexual assault allegations. Easily a thousand students here on Cornell's campus, the anger here is palpable. There's no way that students on Cornell campus can continue to trust them to protect us when they keep failing to do so.

Overnight, this university building vandalized, a glass door broken, and graffiti splashed across the front. Reading at Cornell, rapists are protected and protesters are expelled. Are you not, like, embarrassed to be here? It comes as new video shows a woman confronting Jillio Lopes on campus, one of the seven Kai-Fi fraternity members accused of sexual assault by Jane Doe, who is now suing the university. I'm not going to talk about all this right now. You never will because you're a disgusting person.

In the civil suit, Jane Doe accuses Lopes of having sex with her without her consent. Lopes, through his attorney, maintaining it was consensual. And tonight, Jane Doe's attorney telling us, she's receiving death threats on Instagram, including this one saying one more dead, leftist, white expletive wouldn't hurt the world. NBC News also learning more about the punishments Cornell handed down to the seven men, some of whom were accused of rape, some of lesser offenses. A source who's seen the written decision telling NBC News two of the accused men were expelled. Two more suspended. One who had already graduated was barred from campus for three years,

with the last two given lighter punishments, including studying sexual harassment, and writing reflection papers. Lopes's attorney now challenging the special prosecutor investigating the case. New York Attorney General Leticia James, who had posted on social media before she was appointed, what this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I will not comment on a Facebook post. You are calling now on the attorney general to step aside from her role as special prosecutor in this case. Absolutely. The concern is not political.

The concern is about the integrity of the process. Maggie Vespa joins us now live. Maggie, you were right in the middle of those protests earlier tonight. What are the protesters demanding? Well, Tom, they actually have a slew of demands. People here told us they want the university to expel or revoke the degrees of the seven accused Kai-Fi members. Son told me they want administrators to resign, and all of them say they just want to feel safe on campus. Tom.

Maggie, Vespa for us tonight. Maggie, thank you. Not a central Florida and a community grieving after a horrific school bus crash this morning killed including a high school student. More than 30 other students were on board as well. Aaron Gilchrist is there tonight. Horrifying scenes on a Florida road, a school bus flipped on its top,

a Jeep it collided with, on fire right next to it. The vehicle versus a school bus. School bus has flipped over at this time. This bus overturned on this two-lane road in Winterhaven before sunrise this morning. An oncoming sedan crossed the center line and struck a rear tire of the bus, sending it into a tailspin,

according to authorities. What we see on the video is clearly this white car, for unknown reasons, drifted over this center light. The sheriff says the bus then hit a Jeep head on before it flipped and landed upside down in this ditch. Video shows the Jeep on fire as people stand on the side of the road. On that bus, the driver, her nine-year-old daughter, and 37 high school students headed to school. It was really hard for them to, you know, be there and watch their friends like that. The crash killing a high school sophomore and an occupant from the Jeep. It was a terrible tragic morning.

We had a beautiful 10th grade girl lose her life. The victims were rushed to several hospitals. The school district today decided to continue with classes and is asking for prayers as the school community deals with this sudden tragic loss. Aaron joins us now from outside a hospital in Lakeland, Florida. Aaron, one person still in critical condition tonight where you are. And in the hospital behind us here, Tom, we're told that most of the other people who were injured in this crash have been treated and released at this point. And the driver who initially hit that school bus is cooperating with the investigation and at this point has not been charged with anything.

Tom? Aaron, thank you. In an Ohio courtroom today, a former American Idol contestant sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife, breaking down in tears as his daughter's devastating words against him were read aloud. Shaquille Brewster. Tonight, former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn sobbing in court. Your actions, Mr. Flynn, were born. An Ohio judge handing down the maximum sentence, life in prison without parole, for murdering his wife Ashley in February while he was having an affair, then staging a home invasion

to mislead investigators. Dear Caleb, this is your daughter, Alyssa. Flynn breaking down, as Ashley's family read the victim impact statements written by his 10 and 12-year-old daughters. How could you do such a thing? I looked up to you. I loved you with all my heart. The least you could do is tell everyone you did it.

But in his most extensive public remarks since his February arrest, I take goodly accountability and responsibility for my words and my decisions. And again, I'm so sorry. The former music pastor still maintaining his innocence. I am not why. when I say I did not show my wife. Last week a jury spent just over two hours deliberating, convicting Flynn of aggravated murder and eight other counts.

Tonight, Caleb Flynn leaving the courtroom in an orange jumpsuit in handcuffs, the family of the wife he murdered, turning their backs with one final message from his daughter. And by the way, I don't plan on coming to see you. Shaquille Brewster, NBC News. All right, we want to head overseas now to Russia. And the fears tonight after a mysterious death at a lab that studies the plague. Officials in the town, they're now in hazmat suits and the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation. Ann Thompson has a story.

Tonight, workers in hazmat suits in the town where the lab employee died. Russian officials say the cause of death for the 28-year-old woman last week was pneumonia of unknown origin. She worked at the Anti-Plaug Institute of Siberia, which deals. with the deadly bacteria. The U.S. State Department now saying they're aware of reports of a fatal case of suspected pneumonic plague in the area. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking earlier. I don't think it's cause for alarm, but it is cost for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it, and we're doing that. At least one hospital is under quarantine and nearly 200 people under medical observation, according to Russian officials. The lack of reliable information tonight concerns some

medical experts, including Dr. Ashish Jha. What kind of information are you looking for? Well, we know Russia's had a longstanding biological weapons program. We know that they've been expanding that program. I am first and foremost interested in was this lab part of that bio-weapons program. Pneumonic plague is caused by the same bacteria as bubonic plague. It's spread by respiratory droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing. You can develop symptoms as soon as 24.

hours. All right, Ann Thompson joins us now live in studio. So, Anne, it's called pneumonic plague. And we know it's treatable if caught early, but how contagious is it? Well, because it's a bacteria, Tom, it's not as contagious as, let's say, COVID or the flu or measles. Those are all viruses. So this bacteria does not spread easily from person to person. And it's why tonight medical experts do not think we're on the brink of a global pandemic. Okay, Ann Thompson for us, Ann, Anne, thank you for that. We have new details tonight on that cockpit attack on board a fly-du-by flight and what the co-pilot's real target may have been. Keir Simmisons in Israel with new reporting.

Tonight, disturbing new details of the terror attack foiled by heroic passengers and a brave flight captain. A Middle East official telling NBC news the co-pilot who tried to down a fly-du-by flight full of Israeli passengers was planning a 9-11-style attack. The official says the co-pilot identified by multiple sources as Hamas. Imam al-Hamami has told investigators he wanted to evade Israel's defenses, then crash into the airport or another building in Tel Aviv. Captain Schmidt-Mashar says the terror began when the co-pilot started stabbing him, speaking to Israel's prime minister from his hospital bed.

Captain Machar says his colleague told him he was going to pray and step behind him. All of a sudden, he started to get hit with an axe. My vision was almost like nothing. He tried to open the door once, but the attacker closed it, and he somehow managed to twist the knob open again. I came and just went for the door and opened the door. People familiar with the matter telling the Wall Street Journal, al-Hamami had been banned from flying in his home country,

Oman, over his radical views. And an Israeli official tells NBC news, he had posted on social media about killing Jews. That person should not have been flying an airline. Here in Israel, questions are swirling over how he was allowed to fly here, while multiple officials tell NBC News they do believe he planned the attack alone. Tom? Keir Simmons for us tonight, Keir, we thank you for that.

President Trump late today revealing there were threats behind the U.S.'s military decision to pull its bombers out of a key British air base. Courtney Cuby joins us now live and Courtney you have new reporting on what that threat could have been. Yeah, that's right, Tom. The president confirming the U.S. pulled all of its bombers

from a military base in England in response to, quote, some threats. Now, when asked who made the threat, he replied they would be linked to Iran. And just moments ago, two U.S. officials telling us that the bombers were moved in part because of reports of a threat

of a possible Iranian drone attack against the base and the aircraft. Now it comes just days after British authorities arrested six people in connection with a potential terror plot to target the British air base, they've all been released on bail. Iran has denied any involvement. Meanwhile, questions continue to mount over whether President Trump will launch new strikes against Iran. Tom? Courtney, Cuby for us. Courtney, thank you. We turn to politics now because tonight a Republican Senate candidate in Texas in a very tough race is making some headlines over

what appears to be criticism aimed at the Trump White House over midterm strategy. Here's nobles. Tonight, with Republicans under pressure before the midterms, new campaign criticism, apparently aimed at the White House from a Trump-endorsed Republican candidate in the key state of Texas. Politico, citing two people at the event, reporting Ken Paxton privately told donors last month his campaign is being run from D.C. instead of the Lone Star State. I don't control message or what we're doing, he said. His campaign telling Politico, Paxton was referring to outside Super PACs.

And Paxton recently blasted the president's midterm convention. When we did that from the convention, we're trapped our members. Where the president went after his looks. And I don't like the way, Ken, dresses. I don't really like the way he looks. But you know what I do like? He was the greatest attorney general in the history of Texas. It comes as some Republicans criticized President Trump's message on the economy.

The top issue in the midterms just weeks away. Telling them not to believe their own line checkbooks, is not going to work. Louisiana Senator John Kennedy says he thinks the midterms will be close. While tonight mixed messages from President Trump on mail-in ballots. Mail-in ballots are inherently

corrupt. Now urging Republicans to send them in, but still slamming them as corrupt, though they've not been linked to widespread fraud. Vote by mail or vote in person. I'd rather have a vote in person, but they can vote by mail if they want. And tonight, a growing challenge

for Republicans. Latino voters who were key to President Trump's 2024 victory. 74% in our poll saying they disapprove of his economic policies, including here in South Texas. Two words, buyer's remorse. But in Nebraska, some Latino voters

backing Republicans. This voter's message to President Trump, keep doing what you're doing, and don't let them stop you. Ryan Noble's NBC News, McCall in Texas. All right, when we return in 60 seconds, violent confrontation caught on camera, an Arizona state student thrown to the ground

by police why she was arrested. And mid-air scare oxygen masks deployed as a British airways flight bound for Chicago quickly descended 28,000 feet. What happened next? We're back down with a violent police encounter going viral, a college student thrown to the ground and struck by a police officer, now facing charges for her role in the clash. Andres Gutierrez has a story and the video. Video shows the moment an officer shubs 21-year-old Aaron Bonner after police.

say she interfered during a tense scene outside a bar in Tempe, Arizona this July. The now viral videos, some of which were blurred by police showing Bonner and an officer appearing to struggle after she's taken to the ground. Moments later, the officer strikes her. Instead of de-escalated the situation, he escalated by pushing her to the ground, jumping on top of her and punching her in the face. Take a seat. Officers initially booked Bonner on felony aggravated assault and resisting arrest charges,

but the Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to prosecute, saying there was, quote, no reasonable likelihood of conviction. Now, more than two months later, the City of Tempe prosecutor's office has charged Bonner with two misdemeanors. What's going to be critical here is what the officer reasonably perceived as a threat to him or his fellow officers to justify that level of force. The Tempe Police Department says it's investigating the incident. The police union says Bonder ignored commands to get back,

then hit and scratch the officer as he tried to restrain her. In Bonner's mugshot right after the altercation, she appears to have one black eye. Her attorney says these photos show two black eyes that were taken two days later, pointing to delayed bruising. Andres, NBC News. All right, we're back in a moment. with mid-air emergency oxygen masks dropping on a British Airways flight,

heading to Chicago after quickly descending thousands of feet. Plus, split-second save. Look at this, a little boy caught just in time after falling off a balcony. That's next. We're back down with the British Airways passenger jet making an emergency descent, rapidly coming down thousands of feet. Oxygen masks deployed for passengers and crew. Flight aware tracking data showing the plane traveling from London to Chicago descended

28,000 feet in just seven minutes. The airline saying the plane experienced a technical issue and that it landed safely back in London. And take a look at this incredible save in Egypt caught on camera. You see it here. This man rushing to catch a little boy as he drops towards the ground. He fell from the second floor of a building before that man caught him safely. Nice catch.

All right. When we come back, Game Day GIF, the special reunion for a high school linebacker and his military brother, months in the make. That's next. Finally, there's good news tonight. It was a homecoming of a different kind on a football field in Tucson, Arizona, when two brothers shared an emotional reunion after months apart. High school football player Esteban Ortiz has no idea what was waiting for him on the other side of this banner. That's him right there, number 50. The junior offensive lineman running out for his team's big rivalry game.

And there, waiting to surprise him, one of his biggest fans. his older brother, Isaiah. Isaiah's is in the Navy and has been stationed on the other side of the country for months. So this hug felt especially meaningful. I was just feeling like unexpected joy, like tears of happiness. And when I saw him, I kind of just broke down. Isaiah's leave was brief. He's already traveling back to where he's stationed,

but he knew he wanted to spend that time home with his younger brother. It was very special, very meaningful. Once I saw him and he saw me, we both had that physical reaction. And just being able to hug him and hold him after being away for so long, it meant everything. He has my back 24-7 and I have his back no matter what. That's my brother right there. Great moment. And little brother's a big guy.

All right, 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.