NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Saturday, August 9, 2025

Episode Date: August 9, 2025

Officer killed, suspect dead after shooting near CDC in Atlanta; Zelenskyy rejects Trump land swap proposal for Ukraine; Israel faces growing international backlash for Gaza takeover plan; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz Ballard. Good evening. I'm Gotti Schwartz in for Jose tonight, and we start with new questions from that deadly shooting in Atlanta. This was the scene near the CDC and Emory University, a massive law enforcement response to that rampage, which caused damage like this. Look at those bullet holes in the CDC's windows. And here at the pharmacy across the street, one officer struck in that attack. De Cobb County police officer David Rose, just 33 years old, leaving behind a wife. and two kids with another on the way. Police also identifying the suspect 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White. Now the investigation is focusing on the motive, a neighbor telling our team today

that White repeatedly expressed anti-vaccine views. Priya Shrether has the latest from Atlanta. Tonight, officials in Georgia releasing new information about that deadly shooting near the CDC and Emory University in Atlanta. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identifying, 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White as the suspected shooter. I'll run. I have to shoot a response. White lived at this home about 30 miles away from where the shooting took place. A neighbor who says she knew him well, but didn't want to be identified, telling NBC News,

White had expressed anti-vaccine sentiments to her on multiple occasions and that he told her he believed the COVID vaccine made him sick. Other neighbors say they're completely shocked. I didn't think that it would be someone down the street. It's very unnerving. The shooting broke out around 5 p.m. Friday, sending both the CDC and Emory University into lockdown for several hours. Officials say police heard gunfire inside a CVS pharmacy and that several rounds went into the CDC nearby. Authorities later finding White on the second floor of the CVS building with a gunshot wound. It's unclear if it was self-inflicted or from police.

He died at the scene and authorities still don't know the motive for the shooting. Late Friday, authorities announcing the death of 33-year-old DeKalb County police officer David Rose, who was shot while responding to calls of an active shooter. Rose was a father of two children with a third on the way and had only graduated from the police academy in March. by this officer responded to the call as he did as he was trained to do and he lost his life and pria shrethirth joins us from outside the CDC pria what are we hearing from the director of the cdc well goddie the cdc director is calling this an attack in an email to staff she says they'll all be working remotely on monday while they conduct a security assessment here before

everyone can return to the office goddi pria shrether in atlanta thank you overseas Ukrainian President Zelensky is rejecting President Trump's proposal for a land swap with Russia. This comes just days before a planned meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Von Hilliard reports. President Trump tonight facing headwinds ahead of his planned historic meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, announcing the meeting will take place in Alaska next Friday and suggesting that Ukraine may have to cede some of its land as part of a peace agreement. There'll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both, but we'll be talking about that either later or tomorrow or whatever.

But today, Ukrainian President Volodomir Zelenskyy vehemently rejecting the premise, saying we will not reward Russia for what it has done. Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier. A senior U.S. official telling NBC news that top Ukrainian officials met today with Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Wurbanian. White House special envoys Steve Whitkoff and Keith Kellogg, ahead of the Trump-Pooten meeting, to engage on principles of a potential proposal for a ceasefire, including possible security guarantees. NBC News now learning, according to a senior U.S. official and three people briefed on discussions,

the White House is considering inviting Zelensky to Alaska, the Ukrainian president, asserting that any deal between Trump and Putin will achieve nothing without Ukraine at the table and will be dead decisions that will never work. The president, for a second time this year, had set a deadline for Russia to enter into a ceasefire and effectively bring its war to an end. Ten days from today. But last night, that deadline came and went without a mention of any consequence. Instead, the president now set to welcome Putin to the American homeland in what will be Putin's first time on U.S. soil in 10 years,

despite his Russian military continuing to kill Ukrainians. Overnight, Russia launching dozens of drone attacks in its continued bombardment. And Vaughn Hillier joins us live from the White House. Vaughn, if Zelensky were invited to Alaska, could that mean all three presidents are going to appear together? Gotti, it would be a staggering surprise to see all three presidents in the same room. Just two days ago, let's be clear. Putin said that Ukraine would have to meet certain conditions for him to have a direct meeting with Zelensky. But in his words, Ukraine was far from having met those demands.

Gotti. Von Hilliard, thank you. And to the Middle East now, where new images. show signs of the Israeli military building up along the Gaza border as Israel faces growing backlash from the international community for its plan to take over Gaza and insufficient food aid in the strip. Molly Hunter has the latest. As parachutes of aid plunged to the ground in Gaza,

a crude and dangerous delivery. Today, an aid crate crushing to death 14-year-old Muhammad Eid. Desperation like this knows no limits. Dozens crowding this balcony, before it collapses unclear how many were injured. We're powerless, says Malak Abusita, we're calling on the international community to protect us from Netanyahu.

The Israeli Prime Minister's latest plan, a new military push to take over Gaza. The UN calling it a dangerous escalation, Germany taking action, imposing a partial arms embargo, Arab states issuing a joint statement expressing categorical rejection, and Hamas calling it,

a new chapter in the war of extermination. And in Israel, thousands taking to the streets this weekend. We want to stop the war. We want to bring the hostages home. And we want to stop the suffering of the Gaza people. Today, hospitals in Gaza recorded 11 new deaths, citing malnutrition, according to the Ministry of Health. And tonight, in a renewed push for a deal, U.S. Special Envoy, Steve Whitkoff, is in Abiza, Spain, meeting with the country Prime Minister about a, quote, workable proposal.

With a ceasefire on the table, it may delay Prime Minister Netanyahu's military push. But in response to the international outcry, there is a rare UN Security Council emergency session tomorrow morning. Gotti? Molly Hunter, thank you. And here at home, evacuation orders were lifted as firefighters gained the upper hand in the battle against the canyon fire. That's burned some 5,000 acres in Southern California. But Cal Fire says it is now more than 25. percent contained. And check this out. Severe storms slammed the plains today. In Nebraska,

a massive tree crashing down into a house. Thankfully, the person who took that video says she and her family are safe. Meanwhile, supporters showed up at a rally in Texas tonight to protest Republican efforts to redraw the congressional map there. And it comes as officials ramp up a legal battle against the Democrats who fled Texas to try to block that effort. Ryan Chandler reports from Austin. Tonight, the fight to redraw the political map in Texas is escalating. We're never giving up and we're never bending the knee. Are you with me?

With a rally against the state's redistricting push and four Democrats who fled the state to stop it. We can't do it without you. I know you're hard to with us. Texas Democrats on the run appearing virtually as they try to block their Republican colleagues from creating five new GOP congressional seats. Former Congressman Beto O'Rourke defending his political action group. effort to foot the bill. And slamming Attorney General Ken Paxton after he won a decision to halt them from helping to fund Democrats' expenses. He tried to stop us from raising money to support these Democrats in the fight. He lost. In a new filing, Paxton is asking a California court

for the authority to execute civil arrest warrants for Democrats who've left the state. Some appeared alongside Governor Gavin Newsom Friday. He announced California will put a retaliatory redistricting map on the ballot. this November. We'll pick up five seats with the consent of the people. And that's the difference between the approach we're taking and the approach they're taking. Three Texas House sources tell NBC News those Democrats have already left California. We're going to be able to get all of the business done. It's just a matter of when. That's it. The chairman of the Texas House redistricting committee argues it's not about advantage. It's about balance. Are you concerned about the

promised retaliation from Democratic states if we pass these maps? Retaliation. they did it first to begin with. And Ryan joins us from outside the Texas Capitol. Ryan, what is the Democrats' plan to push back? Well, all the Democrats I've spoken to in Chicago, Gotti, tell me that they are not coming home until they kill this special session on August 19th. That'll force Governor Abbott to call another one,

and he tells me he will call another and another until these maps pass. Gotti. Ryan Chandler out in Austin. Ryan, thank you. And tomorrow on Meet the Press, Kristen Wilker, will have an exclusive interview with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, along with Senator Lindsey Graham and former Attorney General Eric Holder.

That's right here on NBC. And turning now to New York, where three people were hurt in a shooting in Times Square overnight. Police say someone opened fire in the middle of the popular tourist destination. You can see the aftermath with people being escorted out of the area, a large police presence there. A suspect is under arrest tonight, and police say some sort of verbal altercation might have led to that shooting. And still ahead tonight, SpaceX making another picture-perfect splashdown, but this return was a first of its kind. Plus, the fight over farm technology and why some farmers say a ban on robotics in the fields

could hurt business and your wallet. That's coming up next. And back now with NASA's SpaceX crew 10 splashing down in the Pacific earlier today, not far from San Diego, on board two NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut. NASA says crew 10 is the first commercial space crew mission to splash down off the California coast. Also tonight, as self-driving cars take to the roads across the country,

they're also popping up on farms as well. Autonomous tractors are the norms in several states. But here in California, farmers say a ban on them is hurting business, and that could impact the price you pay for food. Bagad Chaband, from our NBC Bay Area station, has a closer look. Robots are revolutionizing America's farmlands. Self-driving tree shakers collect nuts. Mini machines prep soil.

And some robots even fire lasers. Their target? unwanted weeds. The stuff that's not fun to do, that's going to start to go away. Larry Jacobs runs six farms in California with the help of eight robots that spread fertilizer and flame fields to get rid of insects. Our biggest problem is labor. You can't find enough people to hire. It's challenging to get all the work done. Because if we don't have people to pick the crops, all our food costs are going to go up.

And that's only going to get worse. The federal government predicts more than 88,000 farming positions will go unfilled every year through the next decade. While technology already exists to allow farming equipment to run all on its own, Jacobs still has to use his own staff to man the controls. because state law in California in nearly all cases prohibits the use of autonomous tech in agriculture, even though driverless cars have been navigating busy roadways in some areas here for years. It doesn't make any sense. It's crazy. When farm equipment is running, California safety regulations say operators must be at the controls, with few exceptions. That law was written nearly 50 years ago, long before autonomous tech.

These advancements were largely developed in California, but farmers here legally can't benefit from them. Even though the state produces more than 40% of the country's vegetables and nearly 70% of the nation's fruits and nuts. John Deere's self-driving tractors are already being used by farmers in 11 other states. But California regulators, concerned about safety, have kept the state ban in place. Larry Jacobs says farmers need more helping hands. Technology is happening fast enough. It's helping us resolve these problems now. That is, he says, if California plows ahead with new rules. Begatchabam, NBC News, Watsonville, California.

And finally, there is good news tonight about someone who got really creative with casual Fridays to bring joy and comfort where it is needed the most. Here's George Elise. Three. At Ghalasano Children's Hospital in South Florida, Terry Aldred isn't just a worker. She's a character. That's Louisle is coming up. No, really, she is. That's her, dressed as Sully from Monsters Inc., manning the service desk.

Thank you for calling. Answering calls. Hello. And checking in young patients ahead of surgery. For a lot of people, they think of casual Friday, and that might just mean jeans and a T-shirt. This is next level. Next level. Cherry on top.

Yep. It's not Halloween. This is what Terry does and has been doing every Friday for the past eight years when the hospital started a short-lived dress-up program. But Terry never stopped. And now, she has a new character every week for a cause as big as her well-organized and massive wardrobe. How important is that smile to you when you see it? Oh, it's awesome. It makes my day.

We saw it during each welcome, sticker exchange, high five, and even in the middle of our interview. My all means. Come on in, Parker. How are you? And it's not just for the kids. Parents love it too. It means the world to us. Anything that makes her happy makes us happy.

That joy, thanks in part to about 300 costumes Terry bought or made herself, some of them based on characters, others on places, on things, and the occasional sweet treat. I mean, I have been a cotton candy where by the end of the day I had no cotton on my candy. Here at the hospital, Terry is clearly in a league of her own. But that hasn't stopped co-workers from crashing the party, including 16-year-old Hardy, who often matches Terry's outfits. Over the years, Terry has collected more than just costumes. She's made countless friends, stories, and new memories of days made better,

and a lot of frowns turned upside down, all thanks to a character, who cares. Because you do, you make a difference. That's the special part about this. We do make a difference. All of us do. George Solis, NBC News, Fort Myers, Florida. Terry, making things less scary. That's NBC Nightly News for this Saturday.

Hallie Jackson will be here tomorrow night. I'm Gotti Schwartz from all of us here at NBC News. Thanks for watching and have a great night. One more?