NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Episode Date: August 19, 2026

Deadly Toledo explosion; ‘Bag of medication’ found where Hayden Panettiere died, police report says; Two Dan Sullivans vie for Alaska Senate seat in unusual primary; 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, the deadly explosion tearing through an Ohio recycling plant, the huge fireball over Toledo. Thick black smoke filling the sky. Two employees killed. First responders racing to that scene and breaking right now an emergency at another nearby plant leading to new evacuations. New details in actress Hayden Panitiers' death. The bag of medication found at the scene. Plus, our exclusive interview with the actress's mother, what she revealed about the on-again-offigan boyfriend who was with Hayden when she died. Inside the Tupac Shakur murder trial, the graphic image is shown to a jury and footage of the rapper's final moments before he was killed.

The growing mystery after a New York woman vanished in Las Vegas, the chilling call that came from her phone, someone pretending to be her. Body cam video as two young sisters are rescued after their babysitter allegedly kidnapped them. A real-life horror movie on the streets of Philadelphia, police searching for a man in a mask, chasing people down. Exclusive video of a team of U.S. Marshals on a raid in Missouri when the deck suddenly collapses. Marshals trapped in that debris. The ring leader of the alleged Penn State Fraternity cocaine ring turning himself in. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yomas.

And good evening. We thank you for joining us on this Tuesday night. We want to begin with that deadly explosion at an industrial recycling facility in Ohio. Two people were killed after the plant suddenly blew up. And breaking right now another hazmat scare at a nearby plant, officials urging people there to evacuate the surrounding area. These were the fiery images from early. this morning. You can see the bright red flames and black smoke pouring into the air and watch

this surveillance footage capturing the huge boom. You heard it right there when the plant exploded, lighting up the night sky and shaking that camera. Video showed first responders racing to the scene to try and put the fires out and rescue whoever was still inside. Our drone capturing these images of the aftermath and look at this, the plant completely flattened and destroyed. these tanks, which may have held chemicals, blown completely apart. Shaquille Brewster is at the scene in Toledo tonight. He starts us off. Tonight, this frightening scene, a deadly fireball illuminating the pre-dawn sky.

That thick plume of dark black smoke billowing high into the air above a Toledo, Ohio neighborhood. You can hear the sirens as first responders race to the scene. This home security camera capturing the blast, Dakota Orozco also lives nearby. He told me the sound shook him awake. It seemed about 100 foot flames. The sky was tinted, orange and red. It looked dystopian. Was it scary?

Yeah, it was. Officials say the explosion and partial collapse claimed the lives of two workers and that it happened during a shift change at Brent Industries, an industrial recycling business, triggering a massive response. Due the size of the building, due to the chemicals involved, being a hazardous material scene, and then due to reports that there were people trapped in the building. Crews launching an urgent search and rescue mission with two employees missing. But rescue teams were evacuated because of the dangerous conditions.

Firefighters battling not just the flames, but also low water pressure in nearby hydrants. We believe that when the building exploded, it broke water mains. inside of the building and they were free flowing and we didn't we weren't able to shut the water off right away hours later authorities finding the bodies of two missing employees a man and a woman who did not survive and with that Shaquille Brewster joins us now live from the scene shack we can see some of that damage there just behind you and we're now learning of another hazmat scare near where you are that's right Tom this happening about 10 miles from where we are fired officials saying that no one has been injured, but they are recommending evacuations around that area.

But back here, Tom, we know investigators are trying to see what exactly happened. We reached out to the owners of this plant. They have not responded to our request for comment. Tom. Shaquille Brewster leading us off. Tonight we have new reporting on Hayden Paneteers, final moments, and the bag of medication found at the scene. And for the first time, the actress's mother, speaking exclusively to NBC News about the man who was with her when she died. Steve Patterson has the latest. Tonight, new details in the death of actress Hayden Panettiere.

An incident report obtained by NBC News revealing her on again, off again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother were both at the South Carolina apartment when police arrived. According to the report, which is heavily redacted, Hickerson's brother was very emotional as paramedics worked on panettiere, while Hickerson did not become emotional until after she was pronounced dead. The officer, adding Hickerson, showed him a bag of medication, he says she was on. Meanwhile, the actress's mother speaking exclusively by phone with NBC News, saying Hickerson was someone, quote, we've been trying to get rid of for quite some time.

Adding the last time she spoke with her daughter was in October. Panettiere opened up about the status of their relationship back in May. Do you still not connect or talk today? At the moment, no, there is not a relationship between her and I. The spotlight, now on Panettiere and Brian. in Hickerson's time together. In her memoir, the 36-year-old described their relationship as increasingly abusive starting in 2018. The actress writing that in one incident, her face was so badly beaten, she didn't leave the house for weeks. Penitier ultimately sought a restraining order,

but the outcome of that request is unclear. Hickerson will later plead no contest to two domestic violence charges in 2021 and was sentenced to four years probation. Hickerson has not responded to NBC News's request for comment. In a recent podcast, podcast, Panetteer read from a journal entry. I realized that I was more afraid of being alone than being abused. I had to take accountability for enabling unforgivable behavior. And the tributes remembering the star continue, including her former partner Vladimir Klitschko, father of their daughter, Kaya, writing that for Kaya, he will speak of her mother

with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was. Steve Patterson joins us now live. Steve, we heard what you reported there about the memoir. So there are still questions about why Hickerson was with her in that apartment. Tom Penittyer's mother at least tells us she doesn't know why her daughter was with him and said she had been concerned about him and his family for a long time. She says she now plans to speak to a detective. Tom? Steve Patterson, thank you. We went ahead to Las Vegas now and day two of the trial and the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur 30 years after his death. The jury's seeing new images tonight from the night of his murder. Dana Griffin has the latest.

Tonight, the graphic images of Tupac's body revealed to the jury. This is an entrance gunshot wound. Some of his family walking out of the courtroom before a forensic pathologist testified, Tupac died from gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen. Do you have an opinion as to the manner of death? Yes. And what is that? Homicide.

The night of the shooting, video from the MGM Grand shows Tupac leaving the venue. After that beatdown of defendant D. Wain Keefee-D. Davis's nephew, Orlando Anderson. Hours later, Tupac is gunned down in what prosecutors call a retaliatory drive-by shooting. Treat me as a hostile witness. An associate of Shug Knight, James

McDonald, who says he did not want to be here testified about gang retaliation culture. I don't want to send him to person. Sure. Even though we don't like each other. Audio from a 1997 police interview played in court revealing Davis was in a outside the Los Angeles party where Christopher Biggie Smalls Wallace was gunned down. Why the recording was introduced remains unclear.

Defense attorney Michael Samt telling reporters his strategy is to paint Davis's statements, including his own memoir, where he admits to being involved in Tupac's death as unreliable. You're essentially telling the jury that you're inclined as a liar. Yep, I am. Yes. That's true. Another witness testifying that there were tensions between rival record labels, death row, and bad boy that he says also turned violent. Tom? Dana, thank you. We're going to take a turn to some key elections tonight and critical primaries across the country and the unusual race that could help determine control of the Senate.

Two candidates with the same name running for the same seat. Ryan Noble says this one. Tonight, control of the Senate may come down to Dan Sullivan. But which Dan Sullivan? This fake Dan Sullivan guy is not in it to win it. He's in it to rig it. Two men with the same name are vying for Alaska Senate seat, incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan, and a former teacher also named Dan Sullivan.

Republicans say the other Dan Sullivan is a Democratic plan. He won a court battle to stay on the ballot with the two Sullivan's listed like this, denoting which one is the incumbent. the former teacher rejecting the idea that he is a spoiler, telling the New York Times, quote, my intention is not to trick people. Democrats pinning their hopes to flip the seat on former Congresswoman Mary Peltola, who is the first Native Alaskan to serve in Congress. While in Florida, Democrats are working to overcome newly drawn districts designed to boost Republicans.

Steve Kornacki explains. The old map had eight districts that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 under the new lines, There are only four that would have done that. That's four seats Republicans are trying to gain. Further complicating Democratic hopes, several incumbents are facing challenges from candidates who describe themselves as Democratic Socialists. But even though President Trump has had success in Florida, new polling shows his approval rating at its lowest point ever, and some Sunshine State voters are looking for something new.

These are the elections that make a big difference in our communions, not just about the president. and I just want to see certain changes. Also voting in today's primary, Florida resident Donald Trump, who despite railing on mail and voting, cast his vote by mail. Tom. Brian Nobles for us. Ryan, thank you.

In Las Vegas, the search is on for a woman who was last seen more than a week ago after she disappeared during a trip there. Now, someone is calling her family from her phone pretending to be her. Erin McLaughlin has this one. She can be anywhere. The family of Elisa Goods is desperate.

The 63-year-old's niece and sisters say the Brooklyn resident was visiting a friend in Las Vegas when she disappeared on August 8th. She left her friend's house to go to the CBS and she never came back. Days later, the family says they began receiving these mysterious text messages from her phone, posing as the grandmother of five demanding money and Bitcoin. They said, I'm at the gas station. I need gas for the car and she doesn't drive and I just started crying because I knew it wasn't her. Then came a mysterious call to Goetz's son. They say he recorded part of that conversation. The caller claiming to be Elisa.

The family says that's clearly not Goody's voice. Yeah, my phone is bad. I'm going to call you. They say they've turned everything over to the Las Vegas police but are frustrated with the investigation. She said we have a lot of things going on, and right now she is just not a priority. And at this point, you have told the detective that someone has your aunt's phone, is demanding Bitcoin, and does not seem to be your aunt. Absolutely. NBC News reached out to the Las Vegas police about that response. No word so far. In a separate statement, the Vegas police

said goods is considered a missing person. Aaron McLaughlin, NBC News. And in Atlanta, video just in of a stunning rescue after a babysitter was accused of kidnapping two children, she was watching. Authority says it's not, authorities say it's not the first time she's done this. Are George Salis with the video tonight. Show him your hands. Hands, hands, hands, kids. Tonight, a heart-pounding arrest and rescue captured on police body camera. Do not move!

Watch as Atlanta police close in on Lakeisha Brown hiding inside a trailer that authorities described is unclean and unsuitable for human habitation. With two little girls, she's accused of kidnapping. You can hear the children crying in the background as officers issue their commands. Put your hands up. Watch as the officers move in and take custody of the children. Don't move or I will shoot you. The dramatic scene unfolding Monday after police were alerted by the mother that Brown,

her babysitter, had abducted her children when she failed to return them. triggering an Amber alert. Officers tracking Brown to this trailer after hearing a baby crying. The mother, you know, thought that she was leaving their children and the care of somebody she could trust. Police say Brown is accused of kidnapping a four-day-old baby under similar circumstances in 2021. That baby also later reunited with his mom. Authorities now moving to revoke her bond in that case. Today, Brown waived her first appearance before the judge, meaning it's unclear where she will be held. As for the two little girls, while they're back reunited with their mother and said to be in good health. Tom?

Glad they got those kids. Okay, George, thank you. When we return in 60 seconds, the manhunt in Philadelphia for the man terrorizing people on the streets in a mask straight out of a horror movie. Plus, our NBC News exclusive U.S. Marshals on a raid. When this happens, the deck gives way. We're back now with terrifying new video of a man wearing a mask straight out of a horror movie, chasing down joggers and pedestrians on the streets of Philadelphia. Emily Aketa has more on the manhunt for this suspect.

It's like a scene out of a horror film. A man donning a chilling Chuckie doll-style mask spotted on the streets of Philadelphia antagonizing men and women. Surveillance cameras capturing him following this jogger. When the 40-year-old turns back, so does he. asking the woman, according to police, are you ready to die? Clearly she's not ready to die. So she takes off southbound on 15th Street. In the process, she injures her leg.

It was part of a scaring spree early last Wednesday that's left locals near City Hall on edge. That's definitely scary and it's creepy, you know, so I don't know what his attentions are. I just think it's so crazy. Like, I've never seen anything like that. And I'm down here all the time. And it just scares me. Now, investigators are asking for the public's help identifying the suspect, seen here holding the mask, and at some points a cell phone. Police believe he recorded the incidents and are looking into whether this was part of some sort of social media prank.

They're scouring social media to see if they come across this individual posting of this online material. It'll be good for us to make it easier to find them. Investigators say this possible attempt to go viral will end in charges related to terroristic threats, harassment, simple assault, And more. Emily Ikeda, NBC News. And we're back in a moment with a raid gone wrong, how U.S. Marshals fell through a second-story deck. Plus, the ring leader of an alleged fraternity cocaine ring turning himself in. That's next. Welcome back. We have exclusive new body cam footage showing U.S. Marshals on a raid in Missouri when a deck collapses out from under them.

They suddenly fall to the ground under a pile of wood. Federal officials say it happened as they were carrying out war. for sex offenders who failed to register. Some marshals were hospitalized with broken bones and head injuries from the fall. Also tonight, a major update in that cocaine trafficking bust at two Penn State fraternities. The man authorities are accusing of being the ringleader turned himself in this morning. Augustino Abatielo was charged yesterday alongside 13 other defendants, but didn't show up for his arraignment. He's accused of having other fraternity members, including pledges, cut and package kilos of cocaine on campus. That's nightly news. for this Tuesday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching tonight and always we're here for you.

Good night.