NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, December 4, 2025

Episode Date: December 5, 2025

911 call from Luigi Mangione’s arrest released; FBI arrests suspect in D.C. pipe bomb investigation; Mother fights to get coverage for daughter’s scoliosis surgery; 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 key evidence in the Luigi Mangione murder case released moments ago, including that 911 call from the McDonald's, where he was finally captured. The never-before-seen photos of the evidence just released, and we'll play you the 911 calls of the McDonald's worker telling police the infamous alleged killer was there. The new details on what happened when police confronted him. The arrest in one of the biggest unsolved crimes in our nation's capital. The suspect caught on video planting these pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic Party headquarters.

What we know about the suspect and how they finally tracked him down. In the hot seat, the admiral who made the controversial call to launch a second strike on a Caribbean boat with survivors facing lawmakers on Capitol Hill and showing them the video of the strike what the footage reveals. The dangerous winter blast set to freeze out tens of millions where the Arctic blast is heading now. next. The school bus on fire, how a quick-thinking bus driver got all of the kids out just in time. The Sky High Rescue, a window washer dangling 15 stories up after his equipment snapped, how rescuers repelled down to save him. Our series, The Cost of Denial, the 12-year-old dancer with severe scoliosis. Her mother's fight to get her the surgery a doctor says she needs before time runs

out. The dramatic dash cam video, a Tesla crashing headfirst into a truck sending it slamming through a wall. And there's good news tonight, the emotional video going viral, the Army veteran still working full time in his 80s and the million dollar surprise now coming his way thanks to the generosity of everyday people. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. We're coming on the air with breaking news. Exactly one year after United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed on a New York City street. We're getting a new look at evidence released just moments ago related to his accused killer, Luigi Mangione. For the first time, we're hearing the 911 call, the manager of an Altoona McDonald's,

placed to authorities telling the dispatcher, some customers thought a man inside the restaurant look just like the New York City shooter on the run. We'll play that for you in just a moment. We're also getting a look at what Mangione had with him when he was taken into custody. You see it here. It appears to be a regular currency, foreign currency, a wallet, as well as a Sharpie,

plus a mask, a flashlight, and more items. All of this evidence released as part of a closely watched pretrial hearing. Stephanie Gosk has been tracking every element of this case and starts us off tonight. tonight new images of what police found on luigi mangione released to the public for the first time including photos of thousands of dollars of cash he was carrying including foreign currency apparently from asia his laptop which he was using when police approached him in the mcdonalds along with a small

flashlight and a sharpie and a mask and for the first time we're hearing the 911 call that alerted police he might be there player number one what is the address of your emergency Um, it's not really an emergency. I'm a manager at Plank Road McDonald's out here on the boulevard. Okay. And I have a customer here that some other customers were suspicious of that he looks like the CEO shooter from New York. Okay. So they're just really upset and they're like coming to me and I was like, well, I can't approach him, you know? No, of course not. All right. Honey, what's your name? One of the responding officers testified he arrived at the McDonald's doubting it was the suspect in the United Health Care CEO's murder, but told the court when he lowered

his mask, he knew immediately it was him. Meanwhile, in court today, prosecutors revealed what the police discovered on Mangione the day he was arrested, including a USB drive on a chain around his neck, an apparent to-do list that included buying a survival kit, trash bags, and more USB drives. And in his back pocket, a Greyhound bus ticket from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, arriving the night. of the murder. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state murder charges. His arrest and the search that followed the central focus of this week's pre-trial hearing, the defense looking to get evidence, including the alleged murder weapon thrown out before the upcoming trial. Stephanie, let's pick it up right there. Is there any chance the judge throws out any of this

evidence you just showed our viewers, including the murder weapon? Listen, Tom, it would be really surprising. But the defense team is arguing, that Mangione's constitutional rights were violated. And this hearing is not over. We have testimony tomorrow. It will likely go into next week before we get the judge's decision. Tom? Stephanie, Goss, on that breaking news tonight.

Stephanie, we thank you. Now to that major arrest, five years after a suspect was seen planting bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic parties. Here's Kelly O'Donnell. A five-year mystery, no more. Federal officials say this long-sought, masked figure. who placed explosive devices outside the Republican and Democratic Party headquarters is 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr. His family home on a quiet cul-de-sac in Dale City, Virginia,

surrounded by investigators in search of evidence. Cole is facing two federal explosives charges. The big break described as old school police work. This wasn't a new tip. It wasn't some new evidence. It was the hard work of President Trump's administration. According to the criminal complaint, Cole purchased multiple items consistent with components that were used to manufacture the pipe bombs, gathered over a period of years, including white kitchen style timers, galvanized pipe, end caps, and nine-volt battery connectors. According to the affidavit, investigators traced Cole's purchases among tens of thousands of items sold over that time period. This case involved millions of pieces of data. It was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Investigators say sell records show Cole's phone pinged seven times near key locations along the path of the bomber seen on video from 739 p.m. to 8.24 p.m. as he placed bombs in January, 2021. The FBI director said agents gave the case a fresh look. Brought in a new team of investigators and experts, reexamined every piece of evidence, sifted through all the data. And tonight, big question is motive. We don't have details on that. However, a source close to the investigation tells us the suspect is talking and cooperating with investigators. Tom? All right, Kelly, thank you. Also in Washington tonight, the admiral who made the call for a second strike on an alleged drug boat briefing lawmakers and showing them

the actual video. Courtney Cuby with new details on what he said and what the video shows. Tonight, the man who made the call for a second strike on this alleged drug boat in the hot seat, Admiral Mitch Bradley briefing Congress about the decision to target two survivors from the initial attack, a decision criticized by Democrats and some Republicans. Bradley viewed the survivors as legitimate military targets. They were in the vessel and in electronic communication with another suspected drug boat, potentially trying to continue their drug run, two people with knowledge of the matter told NBC News. And Bradley was with a JAG, a military legal advisor, when he made the decision to strike again,

according to a defense official. Did a military JAG say that the second and follow-on strikes were all lawful? Yes. The U.S. military has struck more than 20 alleged drugboats as part of President Trump's war on cartels, which he now classifies as foreign terrorist organizations. Lawmakers say Bradley told them Hegseth did not issue an order to kill all survivors. Republicans in the briefing say the video showed the boat loaded with drugs and that the U.S. often uses multiple strikes to kill terrorists.

Just like you would blow up a boat off of the Somali coast or the Yemeni coast and you'd come back and strike it again if it still had terrorists and it still had explosives or missiles, Admiral Bradley, and Secretary had said that exactly what we would expect them to do. But Democrats are alarmed. The video was very disturbing. What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service. You have two individuals in clear distress without any means of locomotion with a destroyed vessel who were killed by the United States. While late tonight, Hague Seth said the U.S. struck another boat carrying illicit narcotics to the U.S. killing for people. Admiral Bradley has commanded all levels of special operations, and there was bipartisan support for him after the briefings today, but Democrats still calling for the full public release of that entire video. Tom?

Courtney Cuby on Capitol Hill trying to get answers there. Courtney, thank you. Now, to the brutal cold snaps sweeping across the country tonight, that sub-zero blast showing no signs of stopping. Bill Cairns is here. We're going to see more record lows in the Mid-Atlantic as well. Yeah, a brutal start to our early winter season. We're going to watch record lows once again tomorrow, all the blue. dots on the map. Some of the areas we're going to highlight Chicago, three degrees tomorrow. All of New England's single digits, a few spots, are going to be in the negative numbers. We're also watching snow that's going to break out and move right through the Mid-Atlantic, especially for our friends in Virginia. It's going to happen during the overnight hours. You're going to wake up to a couple inches on the ground, anywhere from Raleigh, all the way to Washington, D.C., school delays, treacherous roads tomorrow morning.

All right, Bill, thanks for that. Now of that frightening scene on a Tennessee highway, a school bus going up in flames. George Solis now on how the quick-thinking bus driver got all the kids out just in time. The terrifying moments caught on camera. A school bus totally up in flames. Thick black smoke shooting up. The children on board escaping just moments earlier. At 119 East, it's going to be a school bus on fire. All the children are awesome.

NBC News obtaining video of the dramatic inferno, as well as these images showing first responders extinguishing the blaze. Miguel Henry, a former bus driver himself, recording the video on his way to work and went to lend a hand. As soon as he saw the smoke, I believe he evacuated the bus as quickly as possible, kept the kids safe and as well as himself safe. The fire occurring early Wednesday evening on a two-lane highway in Dixon County outside Nashville. Authorities say the bus was traveling when it suddenly caught fire. Officials say the driver pulled over and helped to evacuate the children. Megan Griggs' seven and eight-year-old were on board the fully loaded bus. The fire could have catched on the bus really quickly, and then we got it out, and yeah, you got all of us safe.

Tonight, Mom, grateful. I'm just trying to take it as a freak accident, you know, just thankful it didn't turn into anything crazy. Officials say the cause of the fire is under investigation. Amazingly, no injuries were reported, a community working together to prevent what could have been a tragedy. Not all heroes wear cap, some of them drive buses. George Solis, NBC News. Now to another rescue, this one hundreds of feet in the air after a window washer and his equipment failed, leaving workers dangling outside a skyscraper in Virginia.

Ryan Noble's on the dramatic race to save them. Tonight, a daring rescue from a high-rise building in a northern Virginia suburb outside Washington, D.C. Two window washers were cleaning a building this morning when one of the tethers holding their basket in place snapped. leaving them dangling 150 feet in the air. Rescue workers rushed to the scene. Fairfax County firefighters repelling down the building to secure the workers. To give you an idea just how high in the air these workers were, they were three quarters of the way up this building from where I'm standing right now,

dangling in the air in the freezing cold. A backup harness prevented a serious fall for both people. Pictures from inside the building show the fire crews hooking the wall. workers up to a secure line to pull them out of harm's way. Dan Gaiuski is the battalion chief who oversaw the rescue. He said his crews found a unique way to communicate with the stranded workers. Our fire department units actually started typing into the iPads and showing the workers asking things like, hey, are you okay, you know, letting them know that we have rescuers that are on the roof that are going to be down to meet with them here shortly, just kind of calming those nerves.

The rescue crew said the two workers were remarkably calm during the ordeal. They were pulled to safety and escape the harrowing incident without any injuries. It still isn't clear what caused the incident. Ryan Noble's NBC News, Tyson's Corner, Virginia. Great rescue there. All right, when we return in 60 seconds, our series, The Cost of Denial, the 12-year-old who loves to dance,

denied a life-changing surgery that could cost as much as $100,000. Her mother's battle with insurance to get it covered. We're back now with our series, The Cost of Denial. which investigates the challenges so many Americans face with their insurance providers. And tonight, the story of a young dancer and the mother fighting to get her the surgery their doctor says she needs.

Here's Kate Snow. 12-year-old Vivie Hockerite is a competitive dancer, practicing 15 to 20 hours a week. But the scoliosis she was diagnosed with last year could force her to stop. I was, like, scary and I was, like, confused. Vivie started sleeping in this brace, but the curve in her spine grew worse. It's like that? Yeah. Her mom, Anne-Marie, found a specialist near where they live in Denver who said Vivi was the

perfect candidate for a surgery called vertebral body tethering or VBT. But now she's battling their insurance provider, Etna, for coverage of the surgery that could cost up to $100,000. They're not looking at the whole picture. I think they're missing the story. They're missing the person and they're missing the full scope. What's the emotion that you're feeling? upset obviously i just want sorry you just want to protect your kids

to her that means vb t a less invasive surgery than spinal fusion vbt allows for more mobility it was just going to allow her to get back as quickly as possible to doing what she wants to do and what she loves to do to dance so that to dance most patients are pretty happy with Dr. Muhammad al-Sharif is a pediatric spine surgeon who's not treating VIVI. He explains VBT is for patients with a significant curve. Putting almost a rope to guide the spine? We're putting in a rope to tighten down on the outside of the curve of scoliosis so that it autocorrects. The FDA approved VBT in 2019, concluding the probable benefits outweigh the probable risks.

I no longer consider an experimental surgery. But Aetna does denying coverage for VIVI's surgery multiple times, calling the VBT procedure experimental, investigational, or unproven. Aetna also telling us a team of clinical experts concluded that VBT is outside the standard of care for a 12-year-old child presenting with scoliosis. For VVVie, time is running out. VBT needs to happen at a particular phase of a child's development. Anne-Marie stays up past midnight writing emails, letters to local and state regulatory bodies and officials. Obsessively logging on to Edna's portal to see if something magically changed overnight. Every day. It hasn't.

The company behind VBT says the tether can break, and about 20% of patients who get VBT do end up needing spinal fusion. But Anne-Marie and Vivi want to take that chance. I don't want to keep dancing, and I think the surgery will make dancing a lot more easier. This week, Anne-Marie sued Aetna in one last bid to get her daughter's surgery covered. It feels like the insurance companies want you to give up. They want you to give up. She refuses to do that. And Kate Snow joins us now in studio.

Kate, for other kids out there like Vivie that have severe scoliosis, will this type of surgery ever get approved? It's interesting, Tom. we did come across a family in California who pursued an external review through an outside doctor when their request was denied, and the insurance denial there was overturned. So some patients are having success, Anne-Marie tried the same thing. External review, in her case, though, the denial was upheld. But there still have some hope. They have some hope, but that time is running low.

Time is running out. All right, Kate, we thank you for that. When we returned, the hail of gunfire caught on camera at a gas station that left officers injured. We'll show it to you next. Welcome back. Police officers in Omaha recovering tonight after a deadly shootout caught on camera. You can hear it right there. That was the scene at an Omaha gas station where police officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect. Police had the man shot someone at a grocery store hours earlier. Omaha police telling NBC News two of the officers are still being treated for their wounds, but all are expected to be okay. The suspect died in that shootout. And take a look at this.

alarming new dash cam video of a Tesla, wow, veering right into the wrong lane on the highway colliding with a dump truck. You see the truck's point of view behind the wheel there. The impact sending the truck smashing through a backyard wall in Scottsdale, Arizona. Both drivers, though, are recovering from their injuries tonight. Okay, when we come back here, there's good news tonight about the chance running for an Army veteran still working hard at 88. And the meeting that is changing his life will explain next. Finally, there's good news tonight for an army veteran who gave his family and his country his all, but it was still not enough to retire. In his 80s, still working full-time until now, how the internet just changed his life.

Justine if I could have helped scanning this. Thank you. What was your name? Ed. 88-year-old Ed Bambas clocks into his grocery store job five days a week. I'm 88. I'm still working? Yes, I have to. The Army veteran worked for General Motors but says his pension was wiped out when the company went bankrupt back in 2012.

The thing that hurt me the most because my wife was real sick and when they took the pension they also took the health care coverage. I sold the house and we made it through. My wife died seven years ago. Since then, I've been trying to reestablish myself. His story, catching the attention of Australian influencer Sam Wiedenhofer.

I'd like to share your story and try and, you know, get people to help you retire. Oh, thank you. This moment, going viral, more than 8 million people have viewed the video on TikTok alone. Users commenting saying things like, he's our grandpa now. We must do better for our veterans. And let's retire this sweet man. In the video, Sam gives Ed a $400 tip. But what Ed doesn't know is that the Internet has stepped up in a big way,

raising more than $1.5 million for this veteran, Ed's son, Mike, working on a plan to surprise him with the life-changing money. Does your dad have any idea how much money was raised? No. He is totally in the dark on how much there is. You hear a lot of bad out there in the world, but there's a lot of good, too. The kindness of thousands of strangers coming together, rallying to help one man retire. And we can't wait for that surprise. That's nightly news for this Thursday.

I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.