NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Saturday, August 2, 2025

Episode Date: August 2, 2025

Massive wildfires prompt evacuations across western U.S.; Authorities search for Montana bar shooting suspect; Federal officials launch investigation into former Trump prosecutor; and more on tonight���s broadcast.

Tonight, dangerous wildfires burning out of control out west. The largest in Arizona spreading to more than 100,000 acres, smoke billowing from the Grand Canyon. A Utah fire prompting a state of emergency. And this one in California exploding in size, forcing evacuations. Down south, flooding and millions under extreme heat alerts and a severe storm threat on the way tonight. The urgent police search underway in Montana.

He is believed to be armed and extremely dangerous. Authorities warning people to be on the lookout if they leave their homes while they try to track down this man wanted in a deadly mass shooting. A suspect accused of threatening lawmakers. Police make a shocking discovery as they move in to make an arrest. Inside the home, 14 explosive devices. Nationwide protests against the Trump administration as federal officials open a new investigation into the special counsel who charged President Trump.

The event that has a million young people turning out to hear Pope Leo, we're live from Rome. Caught on camera, burglars making a bold daytime robbery. What police are learning from this video and the new warning for homeowners tonight. Katie Ledecky making history once again in the pool. They look like humans and they could be the workers of the future. Why humanoid robots are on the rise across the country. And there's good news tonight about a hero who came to the rescue and the bond these moms will share forever. Good evening. We begin tonight with a dangerous situation unfolding out west.

This was the scene in central California today. Firefighters trying to contain the Gifford fire. In Utah, the Monroe fire is prompting the governor there to declare a state of emergency. But it's not just the fires. We're also seeing really bad air quality in Chicago, just as thousands turn out for the Lollapalooza Music Festival. And down south, even more flooding.

And now millions under a heat alert. Our Dana Griffin is tracking it all for us tonight. Tonight, remote wildfires out west, forcing new evacuation orders overnight as the Gifford fire burns in central California, but there's good news burn scars from a previous fire helping firefighters can be a per hand. In Utah, the Monroe Canyon fire growing rapidly the governor declaring a state of emergency.

The odds of us putting it out anytime soon are pretty low, just to be honest. And in Arizona, that mega fire dubbed Dragon Bravo burning for nearly a month at the Grand Canyon has grown to more than 100,000 acres. This is fire behavior that many of us have never seen before. This is the driest it has ever been in this area and we've been keeping those records since 1960. This fire burning so hot, it's creating its own erratic weather system. The wildfire threat comes as 13 million across the southwest Texas and southern Florida are under heat alerts Timson

Phoenix could climb as high as 115 degrees. The upper Midwest still dealing with wildfire smoke from Canada, Chicago's iconic skyline barely recognizable. It's weird to see downtown all has you like that. Lollapalooza festival goers feeling the impacts to fireworks on top of their quality it was kind of like this is a lot and my lungs started to hurt. It comes as the South saw flooding late Friday in Alabama

this driver pulling an escape maneuver. The half-submerged car appears to be stuck in a flooded parking lot, but the driver behind the wheel manages to drive away. Dana, what are the other threats tonight? Well, Jose, there's a slight risk for severe storms in the plains, reducing wind gusts up to 80 miles per hour, damaging hail and possible tornadoes. As we head into Sunday, flood watches will be in effect for about 2 million people in

the southeast and air quality alerts from those Canadian wildfires spreading to some in the northeast tomorrow. Jose? Dena Griffin, thank you. An urgent search is underway at this hour in a small Montana town where people are being asked to remain very alert while they try to find the suspect in a deadly mass shooting. Kathy Park has the latest. Tonight, a newly released photo of the man suspected of a deadly mass shooting in western

Montana. Authorities say 45-year-old Michael Brown is seen here, shirtless and barefoot, fleeing the scene after opening fire at the Owl Bar Friday morning, located next door to his home. State officials say he killed a bartender and three patrons and took off in a white pickup truck. He is believed to be armed and extremely dangerous. The manhunt intensifying after law enforcement recovered Brown's truck, but there was no sign of him. Now officials urging residents to be on high alert as a search expands into the mountains. We're doing everything we can to find and bring this perpetrator

to justice. It's okay to go by your business in town, but please use caution. Brown's background now coming into sharper focus. sh army spokesperson telling from 2000 and one to 2005 to Iraq and later spent t Montana National Guard. T event that happened to a Charles owns a sports bar the shooting took place a

Michael Brown since they great kids. Mike was a great guy when he was on his meds. He did have some mental health problems and I do have to say that the mental health program has let him and our community down. There's been more than one person that has tried to help Mike in our community, more than one person that has tried to help Mike in our community, but mental health program has let him down. The FBI now joining local law enforcement to find Brown as tensions are running high. There's no one out. Nobody's walking. A lot of businesses are closed.

Of course, people are on edge. Shane Charles hoping the community can heal. If you have had an opportunity to say something to Mike, what would you tell him right now? I personally would say, Mike, come on in and turn yourself in. To help bring peace to a shaken Montana town. Kathy Park, NBC News.

Police in Tennessee say a man tried to detonate an explosive while he was being arrested. The Polk County Sheriff's Office saying this man, 54-year-old Kevin Wade O'Neill, was wanted for threatening to kill public officials and law enforcement. Investigators say they found 14 improvised explosive devices in his home, including one that was smoldering in the suspect's bedroom. O'Neill will be charged with attempted first degree murder, along with weapons charges.

Demonstrators took to the streets in multiple cities around the country today to protest moves made by President Trump in his first six months in office. Von Hilliard has the latest. Tonight, another round of demonstrations against the Trump administration's fast and forceful actions. As federal officials launched this weekend an investigation into Jack Smith, the former special counsel who brought two criminal indictments against then-candidate

Trump, Smith a frequent target of the president's anger. He's a deranged prosecutor, he's sick, they suck him on me. Republican Senator Tom Cotton initiating the independent agency's inquiry, alleging Smith violated the law by using his investigations to hurt Trump's 2024 campaign, though not publicly presenting any specific evidence of impropriety by Smith. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel can refer potential violations to the Department of Justice. This is the president in a new interview defended his decision to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics just hours after Friday's jobs report was released.

We fired because we didn't believe the numbers today. The monthly jobs numbers for July showed a weaker than expected 73,000 jobs added. The fired Labor Statistics Commissioner posting late Friday night, measuring the vast and dynamic economy is vital and important work. In that same interview defending the firing, President Trump once again refusing to rule out the possibility that he would pardon convicted Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, after the Bureau of Prisons confirmed this week that it had moved her to a minimum security prison camp in Texas.

I have the right to give pardons. I've given pardons to people before, but nobody's even asked me to do it. And when asked about a potential pardon for Sean Diddy Combs, the president said it was unlikely because Combs was, quote, very hostile toward him when he entered politics. Jose? Von Hillier, traveling with the president tonight in New Jersey, thank you. In the Middle East tonight, President Trump's envoy, Steve Whitkoff, meeting with families of Israeli hostages still being held inside Gaza.

Whitkoff telling them that the war is close to ending and that the Trump administration is committed to bringing those hostages home. It comes after he made a rare visit inside Gaza on Friday. And now to Texas, where a major battle is unfolding that could impact the balance of power in Washington and make it a lot harder for Democrats as they try to take back the House next year. Ryan Chandler reports. Tonight in Texas, a power move that could reshape politics nationwide.

State Republicans answering President Trump's call for rare mid-decade redistricting, redrawing the map to make congressional districts more red. This map was politically based, and that's totally legal, totally allowed, and totally fair. This gerrymandered map is designed to create five more Republican seats in the House, which could expand the GOP's thin control of Congress. This is not normal. This is not democracy. Texas Democrats call it a presidential power grab. You've got these Texas Republicans that are just rolling over and giving Trump what he wants

because he's asked for it. It's an affront to every citizen, not only in Texas, but the nation. California Governor Gavin Newsom says he's considering asking for a special election this year to change his state's redistricting process. It's a big deal. I don't think it gets much bigger. But I'm not going to sit back any longer in a position, the fetal position, in a position of weakness when in fact California could demonstrably advance strength. Illinois and New York also say they're exploring

ways to counter Texas's move. Experts warn this could kick off a national redistricting race. This really ushers in an age where you can redistrict constantly and so every time in one of the parties in control loses a district, you might see them go back in and change the district so they can win it back. And I think that's really troubling because it means elections mean less, voters have less control. All eyes on Texas with control of the country at stake. And Ryan joins me now from Austin.

And Ryan, the fight in Texas isn't over yet. No, Jose, we expect the full Texas House to try and put this up for a vote early next week. Meanwhile, state Democrats tell me all options are on the table to try to block this, including a potential quorum break. They would have to flee the state under possible risk of arrest to try and stop business here at the Capitol. Jose?

Ryan Chandler in Austin, Texas, thank you. And to Rome now. And Pope Leo XIV taking center stage at a massive event, up to a million young Catholics turning out. Claudio Lavanga is there for us tonight. Claudio, good evening. Well, Jose, this is Leo's biggest audience so far. The Vatican estimates that around one million young people from 146 countries turned out here. And tonight they were joined by Pope Leo XIV, who told them to beware of social media,

to build real relationships, to become witnesses of hope, justice and peace. And as you can see around me, a lot of people here will be camping out overnight because the Pope will be back here tomorrow morning to preside over his biggest mass since his election in May. Jose? Claudio Lavanga near Rome thank you so much. Still ahead tonight wild video of a home burglary and the new warning from police that homeowners need to watch out for. That's next. Back now with dramatic video of a burglary caught on camera

and the warning by police to homeowners. Sam Brock reports. New surveillance video from a California home outside Los Angeles shows three masked men fleeing with duffel bags full of stolen goods neighbors say their yard was used in this latest heist this is where they jump through NBC la obtained exclusive video inside the home of yet another brash break in the homeowner not

wanting to appear on camera but showing his ransacked house I don't open the door for nobody no more. The businessman says the thieves took jewelry valuables and nearly a $100,000 of cash he had in a safe. They ran off through here people from the home next door in Downey California said the robbers appeared disguised it looked like that's like they had on they look like Amazon workers.

The victim telling NBC la it all occurred just moments after he left his home leading him to believe he was being watched. Drop of my wife. Yeah, long calls me Friday's invasion just the latest burglary gripping the region shaped by a similar hallmark thieves often using hidden surveillance cameras seeming to know exactly what homeowners are and aren't around what is really standing out to you the most.

What's standing out the most in the recent increase in burglaries at residents is the information that the suspects have prior to entering these homes. They know when you're at home when you're leaving your residence. In the last few weeks sports stars Hollywood execs and everyday residents alike have been victimized law enforcement is warning residents to protect themselves with cameras of their own saying any visuals make a huge difference in

finding those responsible. Sam Brock, NBC News. We're back in a moment with the rise of robots and how they could be the key for the future of one city. Plus, Katie Ledecky once again making history today. We're back with another historic victory from Katie Ledecky, the Olympic superstar just won won an 800 meter freestyle today. That makes her the first swimmer to capture a seventh world title on one event.

For Ledecky, this was her 23rd world title and her 30th world medal. Now to a closer look at humanoid robots on the rise in the tech world. Our Maggie Vespa went to see one man's mission that could turn the Motor City into a hub for the future. It's a robot. Shot along a busy Detroit street, a mind blowing viral video racking up millions of views. Look at his waving at him. The star, Zion, a Chinese built high tech humanoid robot

purchased and controlled by entrepreneur Art Cartwright. Yeah, he's mapping right now. It learns its surroundings with AI. Want to shake my hand? While regularly drawing crowds, shaking hands with police, and cozying up to firefighters. Did you know this was in Detroit? No, we didn't.

Have you ever seen something like that before? No, it's my first time. Child's play compared to Cartwright's warehouse. Woo! Welcome to the Interactive Combat League. Live streamed cage matches drawing fighters in nine foot tall robot suits from around the country. These spectacles key to Cartwright's mission,

getting Motor City invested in the booming robotics industry. Detroit has always been the innovative city in America. I do see it being this hub in America for spearheading this robotic industry. That vision has merit. Research shows more than half of robotics orders typically come from the auto industry, a point that for some sparks concerns about the future of factory jobs. But this year Detroit tried something new, hosting the global Automate 2025 conference. And as more industries, including hotels and hospitals, explore using robots, multiple experts tell NBC News Motor City is poised to attract major employers developing them. Move that leg up. That

future in mind, Cartwrights training local teens to use the technology. Come over here with us every time I come here, I get a little smarter. Detroit gets such a bad rap. So I like that there's like finally something positive to see on the news. A grassroots push to transform Motor City into a hub of the future Maggie Vespa NBC News Detroit When we come back there's good news tonight about a special bond connecting these moms forever There's good news tonight. So often the good news doesn't get as much attention as the bad. So every Saturday we highlight the many people who spread joy and love.

And these are just some of those stories this week. This is a sound of friendship. How do you do? Beautiful. You all did an amazing job. That's Elisa Marquesky-Hickey in her class for moms and their babies in Las Vegas, thanking her fellow moms after they surprised her by learning their class song in sign language. Hello to Hank. Hello to Hank. Oh my God. Hello to you. At first, when Elisa learned her son Hank was born deaf, she felt lonely navigating his needs as a new mom.

But then. They began to sign to us the hello song. And it had been a long time since I had felt so included and cared for. What a joy to share that with my son and what a joy to share that when we needed it most. How do you feel? For 16 year old Alessandra, a life-changing moment.

Close your eyes. She was diagnosed with alopecia as a baby and had never seen herself with hair before. You never try to live with them? So you just own yourself? Yeah. He just told me so. Her parents told her they were traveling to New Orleans for a work trip. But they really went to weeks by Tiffany.

That was where Tiffany cowlicks was holding an event to give kids with medical hair loss free weeks and a photo shoot. It's not something I'll ever get used to because it is such a life changing moment when I saw her at such a young age get so emotional, it made me feel like wow like I'm really making an impact in her life. And for these moms bond they will share forever. When 18-year-old Hayden Ireland was riding home on his motorcycle in Vermillion, Ohio,

he crashed into a deer and went over the handlebars. He took a pretty hard fall. I probably sat there and bounced and tumbled up and down the road 20 times before I landed in the ditch. With his phone knocked out of his pocket, he couldn't call for help until he saw headlights in the ditch. With his phone knocked out of his pocket, he couldn't call for help until he saw headlights in the distance. I took everything in me to climb out of the ditch with my broken foot and run into the road and I'm like they're not gonna see me. If they see me, are they even gonna

stop? But the driver became Hayden's hero. Emily Stark not only stopped, she jumped into action even with her baby in the car. There's a mother cycle I think he hit a year. An ambulance after that night he's mom Mary Muscatello was determined to track Emily down to thank you are an amazing person. And what was that reunion like. It was amazing.

Just to be able to look her in the eye and say thank you for saving my baby. I'm so glad you're okay. And now with her son about to start college, Mary is cherishing every minute with him. And it's all thanks to Emily. Mary, what's the bigger message here? Always be willing to help because you don't know what somebody's going through, and you can be that big change in someone's life that they really need. That's NBC Nightly News for this Saturday. Hallie Jackson will be here tomorrow night.

I'm Jose Diaz-Ballart. Thank you for the privilege of your time and good night.