Top Story with Tom Llamas - Friday, September 12, 2025

Episode Date: September 13, 2025

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, the suspected shooter in the killing of Charlie Kirk now in custody. Authorities arresting 22-year-old Tyler Robinson on suspicion of aggravated murder after his father reported him to a family friend. Surveillance video that law enforcement says is Robinson climbing down from that roof and fleeing the scene. And the inscriptions on those bullet casings were covered by investigators will tell you what they said. Also tonight, pleading for peace, Utah's governor asking Americans, to help stop the rise of political violence, and we talk to young people from both parties about Kirk's death to see where we can find common ground.

Plus, the deadly shooting in suburban Chicago, DHS says an undocumented immigrant allegedly driving at ICE officers and dragging one with his car shot and killed in the confrontation. Police clashing with protesters in Ecuador, authorities wielding riot shields, firing tear gas,

will tell you what sparked the unrest. Swift deposition? A lawyer for Taylor Swift saying she could be forced to sit for a deposition in the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Will she avoid getting further sucked into one of Hollywood's biggest disputes? Ghost Peppers Goodbye, the Spunky Octopus with an adoring fan base online, getting an outpouring of love after entering her final stage of life. And 41 years after the premiere of Miami Vice, we take you inside the nearly week-long celebration in the 305. the suits, the cars, that iconic soundtrack, and our ride with one of the stars of the show. And the FDA now planning to link COVID shots to the deaths of more than two dozen kids,

the pushback and how they got to that number and why doctors say the vaccine is still safe. Top story starts right now. And good evening. We are coming on the air tonight with the words of Utah's governor. The words America waited 33 hours to hear. We got him. The manhunt for the suspected killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is over. Authorities say this man, Tyler Robinson, fired that fatal shot from a rooftop at Utah Valley University.

Robinson is 22 years old. He lives in Washington County and is a technical school student. Authorities say his family reported Robinson had previously discussed Kirk's visit to the university where he ultimately was killed. We've also learned that it was Robinson's own father, You see him here that helped lead investigators to his son, speaking to a family friend who then alerted authorities. Officials also releasing the surveillance footage, they say, is Robinson climbing down from that rooftop and fleeing the scene. The political world still reeling from the death of Charlie Kirk, this memorial outside the Phoenix headquarters of Turning Point USA, Kirk's nonprofit advocacy group.

And today, a plea for the peace, Utah's governor Spencer Cox, urging Americans to choose a different path from the violence we've seen this week. And this just in. We're expecting to hear later tonight from Erica, the wife of Charlie Kirk. But we begin with our broadcast. We begin our broadcast with Morgan Chesky, who leads us off again tonight from Utah. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We got him. Tonight, after a manhunt that lasted just 33 hours, police say they've caught the suspect who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson arrested for suspicion of aggravated murder and other charges. Authorities say his family turned him in. A family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident.

Law enforcement sources tell NBC News that family member was Robinson's own father who contacted a family friend, identified as a minister, and that's when local sheriffs were alerted. Robinson lives in Washington County, Utah, and is currently a student at Dixie Technical College, where he's in the Electrical Apprenticeship Program. Congratulations. Video from 2021 shows Robinson reading a scholarship letter from Utah State University, which he attended for one semester. Utah's governor says family members told them Robinson recently brought up Charlie Kirk's upcoming visit to the Utah Valley University's campus, saying he did not agree with him. In the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU. They talked about why they didn't like him and the viewpoints that he had. And tonight, police revealing more evidence uncovered in their investigation, including taunting inscriptions written on three unfired rounds they recovered.

One of them reading, a fascist catch, followed by arrow symbols, another with the lyrics of an anti-fascist song from Italy. That's a piece of evidence that is not normal. And so it shows there was some kind of intent there to deliver a message. Investigators also interviewed Robinson's roommate, who showed the messages they say Robinson wrote on the platform Discord, saying he needed to retrieve a rifle left behind. A message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel. The message is also referred to engraving bullets. Discord tonight saying it has found no evidence that the suspect planned this incident or promoted violence on Discord.

This morning, President Trump announcing the arrest. I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him. We're in custody. The head of Utah's DPS telling me their investigation is far from over. Is it your belief that Robinson is the sole perpetrator in this case? We are very confident that Robinson was the only shooter at this scene. Authorities say Robinson arrived on campus earlier than initially thought at 8.29 a.m. wearing a.m. wearing a. shirt and shorts.

leave and return in a different outfit. The same one seen in these enhanced photos, and then again later, when Authority Save Robinson ran and jumped off a nearby roof to escape. Authorities save video near the scene shows Robinson drove a Dodge Challenger to the campus. Today at the family home, a challenger was seen parked in the driveway. Tonight, family friends and neighbors left stunned. I feel for his mom. I love Amber. She's a great mom, and he has a great dad. All of it happening as Kirk's body arrived back in his home state of Arizona, flown on Air Force 2 with Vice President Vance and Kirk's widow, Erica, seen waving to supporters as they left the airport. With a growing memorial for Kirk in Phoenix, this message tonight from the FBI

director. Lastly, to my friend Charlie Kirk, rest now, brother. We have the watch, and I'll see you in Valhalla. Morgan Chesky joins us tonight from Spanish Fork, Utah, outside that prison. Morgan, you're standing outside, I should say, excuse me, the county jail where Tyler Robinson is being held. You know, the governor has already alluded to what the punishment is here. Tell our viewers what that could be. Yeah, Tom, he has on multiple occasions. He said that the death penalty remains on the table. And in cases of aggravated murder, which is one of the charges we anticipate this suspect to be charged with, the death penalty still applies. As for right now, Robinson remains being in the side this county jail being held without bond, and he should be formally charged on Tuesday. Tom, okay, Morgan

Chesky, once again leading us off here on Top Story. Morgan, we thank you for more in the case against Tyler Robinson, NBC News, National Law Enforcement and Intelligence correspondent. Tom Winter joins us tonight. Tom, we now know that they're going to file formal charges we think on Tuesday. Walk our viewers through why and what we think these charges could be. Right. So they have this that they can hold him in custody just on the probable cause affidavit, basically what the police say they've found so far. But the advantage of this, Tom, is they can take the balance of today, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to continue their investigation.

They'll be able to talk to his friends, his family, and they'll also be able to piece together a timeline of where was he from the moment he left that campus in that neighborhood until the moment that police take him into custody last night? Did he talk to anybody? Did he say anything? They can even get a jumpstart on his cell phone. All of that could lead to potentially.

more charges. We're talking state charges. Could there also be federal charges? There could be federal charges. We saw that in the Luigi Mangione case, another targeted killing. But the difference there, I took a look at those charges just before speaking with you tonight. There's a lot of interstate travel that Luigi Mangione is doing. He's traveling to New York City. There's interstate stalking charges that help inform the federal murder charge. We have no indication at this point that this individual ever left Utah. So it might be difficult to find some federal trip buyers to bring charges. We'll just have to see what what they come up with. And then we know the father here turned his son in, but law enforcement

deserves a lot of credit, too. They work tirelessly, and they put those image out here, which may have sparked that conversation with his father. It's just good old-fashioned detective work. What do you do? You find out where the person was. You get the videos. And in this day and age, the videos and the fact that it can be spread so far and wide on social media, on our broadcasts, it allows people to be able to see this and start to say, who are we looking for? And that's the type of work just that it's not glamorous, it's not CSI, but it does get the job done as we saw here. Tom Winter, we thank you. Great work all week on this one. We want to dive a little deeper into the key pieces of evidence that Morgan had mentioned. Investigators are looking to determine a motive here. And the inscriptions on the bullet are going to be so important. The bullet cases, they were found with that high-powered rifle.

NBC News correspondent Stephanie Goss joins us live now. She's been looking to these messages. And Stephanie, walk our viewers through the writings of what appears to be on these bullet cases. and what they ultimately mean. Yeah, sure. I mean, we've found a few references here to pop culture, to gaming. And the first one I'm going to draw your attention to are these arrows. There's a game called Hell Divers 2

where players call in actions using arrows like this. This sequence, Tom, calls in an airstrike. The other thing that I want to point to is really historical reference. And it's this line right here. These are the lyrics to an Italian song from the 1940s, an anti-fascist,

song. But these lyrics have also been repurposed by pop artists and used in a TV series, a Spanish TV series on Netflix about thieves who steal from the Spanish government. So while these connections are certainly there, we can't definitively say what they are. Yeah. And then while some of the parts of these writings are up for interpretation, the governor of Utah earlier today, pointed to one part that he said speaks for itself. Do we know what he's referring to? Yeah, Tom. He was about this phrase right here, and you can see why he would say there's no way to read that in any other context than what is there. But it's important to say that as we look at these meetings, there's only so much extrapolation you can take because what we don't know is what

the intent was in putting the messages on the casing. But we have seen this before. We saw this in Minneapolis with the shooting at that Catholic Church Tom, and we also saw it with Luigi Mangione, Tom Winter was just talking about before, who allegedly killed the CEO of United Health Care. There were messages on shell casings in that crime, according to authorities. Yeah, a little copycat action here. Stephanie Gosk, we thank you for that. On college campuses across the country, high alert after the killing of Charlie Kirk. In just the past 24 hours, several schools forced to lock down, including at the Naval Academy.

NBC's Ryan Nobles is on the ground in Annapolis with that report. Tonight, tension and anxiety are on the rise across America. Oh, f***. The University of Colorado Boulder campus evacuated today, officials later determining it was a hoax. While in New York, NYU says a number of offices received, quote, racist threats of violence aimed at black members of our community. Several historically black colleges and universities have reported similar threats, leading to campus lockdowns, canceled classes, and activities. activities postponed. At the very top of our list has always been the safety and security of our student body. At the U.S. Naval Academy, an online threat forcing a lockdown.

Attention. Lockdown. Lockdown. A source telling NBC News in the midst of the frenzy, a current midshipman mistakenly thought a responding member of law enforcement was a threat, leading to an altercation where the officer shot the midshipman. This would be the safest place, you know, considering it's a military academy. I don't know what's going on in this country right now. I don't understand. In Washington, bomb threats were reported two days in a row at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. You can't take chances.

Former Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger warns every threat must be taken seriously, even if most turn out to be false. Those are the kinds of disruption that the people who initiate these kinds of calls, these fake threats, This is what they want. And the Navy says that midshipman who was injured during the lockdown was shot in the shoulder. He was treated at the hospital and released today. Tom. OK, Ryan Nobles for us on that one. Ryan, we thank you. Now to a major medical headline, NBC News has learned FDA officials are expected to link the deaths of 25 children to the COVID vaccine.

But doctors say evidence shows the shots are safe for kids. NBC's Ann Thompson explains. A new salvo tonight in the fight over who should get COVID vaccines. year. A source confirming to NBC news that FDA officials will present data they claim links 25 deaths of children to the COVID vaccine. The presentation will be made to the CDC's Vaccine Advisory Committee, a development startling health officials. I think what we're going to see is a fountain of lies, junk science, and fear-mongering. Fear is based on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.' comments before he was Health and Human Services Secretary. This is the deadliest vaccine.

Three sources tell NBC the FDA's data comes from the vaccine adverse event reporting system or VARs run by the CDC. Anyone can report an event, but that doesn't mean it was caused by the vaccine, as is emphasized many times on the website. The CDC collects information to see if a pattern should be investigated. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty McCarray last week. We're talking to the primary sources, the family members who lost. a child we're talking we're reviewing the autopsy reports the vaccine integrity project reviewed the scientific data from last COVID season did you find any evidence that it's causing deaths in children we in our review we did not find any new evidence that linked the COVID vaccine to

safety around deaths and mortality Jackie Matthews's mom of two boys including a cancer survivor wants them to get the vaccine. I do wholeheartedly believe that our symptoms would be more manageable and potentially keep us out of the hospital and hopefully keep us from dying. Okay, with that, Ann Thompson joins us. And I want to talk about another headline that we had just last Friday, too, which was a report in the Wall Street Journal that said that RFK Jr., they were going to put forward a report showing, and they were alleging this, that pregnant women who take Tylenol,

there might be an autism link there. We reported this out. There's an update tonight, right? There is Kenview, which is the maker of Tylenol. Some of their officials met with Secretary Kennedy this week to talk about this issue because all the science, Tom, has shown that there is no link between pregnant women taking acedaminophon and then their children getting autism. And they stress that.

And the other thing they pointed to was the FDA's own website that says there is no evidence between linking acetaminopin to causing autism in children. Okay, an important update, and we thank you for that. Still ahead tonight, an immigration arrest turned deadly. What happened when officers pulled a car over in Chicago? And another state restoring its congressional map will tell you which party is poised to flip a seat in the house. Plus, an 11-year-old girl reunites with the woman who saved her from drowning.

How the hero pulled off the rescue, even though she doesn't know how to swim. Stay with us. We are back now with deadly clash during an immigration raid in the Chicago area. DHS officials say an ICE agent shot and killed a man as he resisted arrest and dragged the agent with his car. The incident coming as the president vows to send National Guard troops to an American city in the south. Here's Maggie Vespah. In suburban Chicago, a blood-stained car marking a deadly flashpoint in America's immigration raids. The Department of Homeland Security.

saying ICE officers in Franklin Park tried stopping a vehicle driven by 38-year-old Sovedio Villegas Gonzalez, but say he refused to follow commands and drove his car at law enforcement officers dragging one a significant distance. ICE saying that officer who sustained severe injuries feared for his life shooting Villegas Gonzalez, who later died at the hospital. DHS describes the individual as a criminal illegal alien with a history of reckless driving, though a review of Villegas Gonzalez is publicly available. records by NBC News found no criminal charges. Records show he pleaded guilty to four traffic violations, including speeding, the most recent in 2013. Wow. Two shots. Yes. An auto shop surveillance

camera capturing the sound of gunshots. I knew that ICE was going to be near the area, but this really has close to home. It follows weeks of protests against immigration raids in Chicago, which President Trump's dubbed Operation Midway Blitz in his latest crackdown in Democratic-led cities from our nation's capital and suggesting recently New Orleans could be next to now this. We're going to Memphis.

Memphis is... That's the next city. Deeply troubled. The latest stats show, violent crime in Memphis this year, is down 17%. With that, Maggie Vespa joins us tonight from Franklin Park, Illinois.

Maggie, you have new reporting tonight about the man who was shot and killed. What can you tell us? Yeah, Tom, that's right. Late today, ICE confirming to NBC News that he is indeed from Mexico. And that's especially poignant, given that it's worth noting, tensions here in and around Chicago were already heightened heading into the weekend, especially on Sunday, because Mexican Independence Day celebrations are set to begin here in the city at that time. Meanwhile, it's worth pointing out, Governor J.B. Pritzker, obviously, a frequent critic of President Trump speaking out about this, kind of calling for calm while they wait for all the details, calling for a full factual accounting of what happened here. But Congressman Brad Schneider criticizing President Trump and specifically Operation Midway Blitz, saying it's creating a climate of anxiety and fear.

His words, something that is bad for everyone. All right, Maggie Vespa for us. Maggie, we thank you. Now, we're an update on that ice rate in Georgia last week where hundreds of South Korea nationals, you may remember, were detained outside of a Hyundai plant. Tonight, those workers landing back in South Korea after a week of back-and-forth negotiations,

with the Trump administration. NBC's Janice Mackie Freyer was there when they arrived. Hundreds of workers detained in shackles in the U.S. have returned to South Korea, arriving to applause and dozens of cameras. Officials here telling journalists to not film workers' faces at the airport to protect their privacy.

But away from the terminal, where workers reunited with family... How good does it feel to be home? Some spoke publicly for the first time about the immigration raid in Georgia that ignited a diplomatic crisis. These workers said it was like being in a movie with armored vehicles and guns pointed out, as he says. There was no way we could resist, so we all just surrendered and were taken. Others described the cold conditions and prison food. He says he's feeling, quote, nothing but joy to be home.

The drama started September 4th, when armed agents with ice stormed a $4.3 billion battery factory being built by Hyundai and LG. We have a search warrant for the whole site. 475 people were rounded up there. Accused by immigration officials of working illegally in the U.S., what type of visas they were on, or if they had visas at all, still isn't clear. U.S. authorities saying using foreign laborers hurts American workers. We are sending a clear and unequivocal message that those who exploit our workforce undermine our economy and violate federal laws will be held accountable. But the images of Korean workers carted off in handcuffs were on news channels everywhere,

sparking outrage here over their treatment. No one is illegal. South Korea's government, chartering a plane and making a deal to bring them back. A lot of attention is being paid to these images of the South Korean workers arriving home safely and with dignity after an ordeal that could threaten relations with the U.S. The raid has set off alarms at South Korea's biggest companies that are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into U.S. manufacturing, the sort of foreign. foreign investment, President Trump has demanded in trade talks. The problem is visas. Companies here often use short-term B-1s or B-2s or visa waiver programs to get skilled workers onto projects. Even South Korea's president said there needs to be a better system,

or companies here might hesitate to gamble on the U.S. They're not there to take American jobs away. But semiconductors, electric batteries, there's not that much domain expertise in the U.S. right now. And for the Korean companies who invested a lot of money in the U.S., they need to send people there to execute on the business plan. There's political fallout to deal with, too, given how upset many South Koreans have been, that an ally would treat their workers the way they did. I felt like this wasn't something that would happen in the America we know here. says. Even if perceptions of America change here, she says, I'm not sure that would actually affect the United States. Already, LG has confirmed that the opening of that battery factory

will be delayed two to three months. One challenge, convincing the technicians building it to go back. Nobody is going to stay and work when it's like this, says this engineer. For now, the returning workers have been urged to rest. something delicious to make him feel better, says this mom. And with that, he was heading home. Janice McAfreyer, NBC News, Incheon, South Korea. And when we come back, we talk to a young Republican and a young Democrat about cooling down the rhetoric around Charlie Kirk's death and the latest longtime cast member leaving Saturday live just weeks before the start of season 51. But first, top story's top moment and the thank you from one little girl to the woman

who saved her life. Mia Garcia reunited with Bridget Addison, the woman who rescued her from drowning at Lakes Park and South Fort Myers, Addison jumping right in to save the little girl, even though she, herself, did not know how to swim. Here's the moment they were reunited and what they told are Fort Myers Naples affiliate, WBBBBH right after. I'm so happy. I don't feel like I'm really a hero. I feel like if you see anybody in stress help him she saves me from from gators and she says she doesn't consider herself a hero how does that make you feel it makes me feel okay because she is a hero she just just probably doesn't

seize that she is definitely a hero all right stay with us more news on the way legislature passing a plan to redraw the state's congressional map, turning a Democratic-held district into a Republican-leaning seat. Now the map is heading to the governor's desk where he's expected to sign it into law. Missouri is the latest state to jump into the nationwide redistricting battle aimed at shifting the balance of power in Congress in next year's mid-term elections. And Taylor Swift is getting caught up in the legal drama between It Ends with Us co-stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Attorney saying that Swift agreed to sit for a deposition next month. But her lawyers are pushing back on that and saying the pop star will only appear if

she is forced to Baldoni and Lively have been in a months-long court battle after she sued him for sexual harassment. And Ego Wodom is the latest cast member to announce their leaving Saturday night live. She wrote in a post on social media today, the hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say good night. Wodom has been on the show for seven seasons and she joins a growing list of departing cast this summer, including Heidi Gardner, Devin Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Joaquin. S&L's 51st season premieres next month. Okay, authorities in Costa Rica, raiding a hotel now where the son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner passed away during a family vacation. Prosecutors saying they ordered documents and digital

evidence to be turned over. Investigators first searched the motel back, a hotel, I should say, back in March, a week after 14-year-old Miller Gardner was found dead. Puerto Rican officials previously determined he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Okay, we want to return now to our top story as we learn more about tonight and Charlie Kirk's suspected killer. His assassination, sparking calls to tone down violent political rhetoric. Utah's governor today with an urgent plea to lawmakers and citizens alike. Here's Gabe Gutierrez with this report. Tonight, just minutes after announcing the arrest of the suspect, police say killed Charlie Kirk. It is an attack on all of us. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are.

An urgent call to lower the temperature. That's the problem with political violence is it metastasizes because we can always point the finger at the other side. And at some point we have to find an off-ramp. Utah Governor Spencer Cox calling the moment much bigger than one person's assassination. I absolutely believe that this is a watershed in American history, yes. The question is what kind of watershed, and that chapter remains to be written. Is this the end of a dark chapter in our history or the beginning of a darker chapter in our history? Echoed by top Democrats. We just have to change the rhetorical nature of our debate.

The president also remembering Kirk. He was an advocate of nonviolence. That's the way I'd like to see people respond. Kirk's assassination at just 31 years old has devastated those who knew him. Charlie was a friend, but who's really hurting today is his family, you know. But it's also shaken people who disagreed with him. Kirk was killed while answering questions from people who did not share his views, like he often did at campus events, people like Hunter Kozak.

It's awful, and a father doesn't have his kids anymore. Kozak was asking Kirk about gun violence the moment he was shot, now posting this plea. It's still a human being. Have we forgotten that? Or we craked? Like, I stand by so little of everything that he said. But one of the things that he stood by was conversation. The president has ordered that flags remain at half staff in honor of Kirk through Sunday evening. Tom. Gabe Gutier is at the White House and the governor of Utah, not just addressing the public today, but also bringing together young leaders on both sides of the aisle for an honest and open conversation about the

heated political climate. Joining me tonight here on Top Story, two activists who are both involved in the Utah political scene, Ben Anderson from the Utah Young Democrats and Zach Wilson from the Utah Young Republicans. We thank you both for being here tonight. You know, I want to start with, I guess, with Zach. I'll start with you. We want to play a little more of Governor Cox, and I'll get your thoughts right after that. We will never be able to solve all the other problems, including the violence problems that people are worried about if we can't have a clash of ideas safely and securely, even especially those ideas with which you disagree.

That's why this matters so much. History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country. But every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us. for us. We get to make decisions. We have our agency. And I desperately call on every American, Republican, Democrat, liberal, progressive, conservative, MAGA, all of us to please, please, please follow what Charlie taught me. So much has happened this week. What did you both make of the governor's words?

Zach, I'll start with you. Yeah, thanks, Tom. Such a tragic couple days. Really been numbing and painful for so many people. Our condolences go out to Erica and the kids and the rest of his family, friends and the millions of people really across the country, the young people, older people, whoever, that looked up to Charlie and who were really brought into the political process by Charlie. Anyway, it's a tragic time and it's a time of reflection, I think. I've encouraged people to feel what you're feeling and accept that and go through that. And then to open your mouth and to have discussions and have those tough conversations that need to be had and doing that in a respectful way where people can grow together and not become entrenched and further down on what they believe. believed anyway. But anyway, I think this is a time for contemplation and reflection on the root cause of what killed Charlie Kirk.

Yeah, Ben, what about your thoughts? Yeah, I mean, it's horrifying to see something like this happen anywhere, let alone in your own state. I think, you know, I absolutely agree with the governor that now is the time we need to turn down the temperature. We need to stop political violence in all of its forms. And I think that starts with each and every person. It starts with politicians. It starts with activists, people who are involved. we all definitely need to make sure that we are doing our part to end political violence. Because the thing about it is, it doesn't matter which side of the aisle you're on. It can affect you, and it's not a partisan issue, and it should not be a partisan issue.

So I absolutely believe we need to strive to end political violence. How will this affect the way you guys invite political leaders onto your college campuses? I will say what we like to do here in Utah is we like to hear lots of different perspectives. I think even within the Democratic Party, we have a very big tent, like we like to call it, a wide range of perspectives. Everyone does not agree on everything. And I think we welcome that. I think especially here in Utah, we kind of see that as the Utah way of coming together across differences, finding common ground, and working towards our shared ideals and values.

I think especially moving forward, that's going to be a priority. Ben, when you listen to the governor, you know, and you take his instructions, how do you make sure that something like this, you can't control all political speech and debates and or political violence, but at least on your campuses and your communities, Ben, how do you, I should say, Zach, I'm sorry, how do you make sure you can sort of live up to what the governor's asking? Yeah, I think it's a fine balance. You've got to be careful, first of all, security and things of that nature. I saw some recent surveys saying that a lot of young.

young people are more okay with silencing or shouting down or even violence when it comes to political opposition. I think that's a very dangerous path to walk down. So I think one is modeling good leadership, level-headed leadership, and allowing what Charlie so frequently talked about, which was freedom of speech. That's a guy that went into the most hostile of environments and really encouraged anyone to come up to the mic and engage. And there'd be people sometimes, you know, from clips that I've seen that he would be booing or trying to silence people. He said, no, let him or her talk. And I think that's important is letting people speak, the peaceful right to assembly. This is some of the core stuff that the country's

founded upon. Yeah. And we need to model that, especially in college campuses, which is supposed to be the free exchange of thought. That is where you go to learn and grow and engage with new ideas, not shut them down and, you know, intimidate them. So I agree with you. Ben, Have you actively done anything? I know it's been sort of a shocking 48 hours, but have you done anything sort of in these last two days to sort of reach across the aisle? I think, you know, the first step in moving forward in this way

is a shift in mindset. And I think this is something that we all have to sit and process with, understanding that political violence is becoming more and more frequent, and it's something that we are going to have to grapple with. And I think it starts individually, recognizing it as a problem, and finding ways to be part of a solution.

And I think it absolutely has to do with respecting others with different viewpoints, no matter how much you disagree with them, and understanding the importance of open and free political dialogue, because that is what our democracy is all about, is being able to debate issues openly and safely and peacefully. And I think that is what we all have to recommit to individually to start with.

Zach, I'm going to give you the last word here. We only have only about 30 seconds, but what is your message? to the people that you lead within your own community yeah this kind of goes back appreciate the chance tom this this goes back to the original point which is go through what you're going through experience and feel what you're feeling and then step up and you know seek the help that you might need as you're going through this this this difficulty this this trial but then it is to engage to get into the conversation and again to get to the root cause of what is what is causing

violence like this and we have other you know other stories we could point to i'd say also that our country is one that has gone through moments of immense turbulence you look at the 1960s for example multiple assassinations unrest riots and we came out stronger because of it so i would just say to engage in an optimistic and courageous voice in a way that's respectful and of course peaceful but but don't uh don't shirk away from what you believe do it in a way that okay we'll end it there Zach Wilson, Ben Anderson, we thank you so much for joining Top Story. There's still much more news ahead when we come back. The outpouring of love for an octopus at an L.A. Aquarium.

This is an incredible story, why Ghost Pepper is capturing so many hearts. And a signature show from the 80s having its moment again. We'll tell you how Miami is parting from Miami Vice, like it's 1984. Stay with us. A lot of people say an octopus is like an alien. But the strange thing is, as you get closer to them, you realize that you're very similar in a lot of ways. That was a clip from the Oscar-winning documentary, my octopus teacher, chronicling a man's bond with an octopus and all the life lessons that came from that friendship. Tonight, a Southern California community coming together to show their love for their home.

hometown octopus, Ghost Pepper. Emily Aketa on the touching reason why so many are saying goodbye to the fun-spirited, eight-legged creature. At the aquarium of the Pacific in California, this giant Pacific octopus first arrived last summer quite small. She was only four pounds and so tiny. But that tiny-sized cephalopause quickly earned the name Ghost Pepper for her rambunctiousness. This is how she gets weighed. I am winded. And as she's grown, so has her following. One person posting, I have her tattooed. Often octopuses show shy tendencies, but that wasn't really the case with Ghost. Yeah, she's very spunky and outgoing. But this week, a gutting update on Ghost. As the aquarium announced, the octopus has entered

senescence, the final stage of life after laying eggs, fans sharing an outpouring of love online, writing she's made so many people happy. And she's made so many people happy. And she's She is my first stop whenever I come and visit. I remember the day when it all started. Fascination with octopuses soared after the 2020 Netflix documentary, My Octopus Teacher, spotlighted a rare relationship forged between a filmmaker and common octopus. Giant Pacific octopuses like Ghosts have one of the longest lifespans of any kind of octopus, three to five years, which is the range Ghost is believed to be in.

What we really want to do is inspire people to care about the ocean and protecting habitats where ghosts live. As this octopus's eight arms have reached into America's heart, Emily Ikeda, NBC News. All right, Emily, Aketa for us. Emily, we thank you for that story. We want to turn out a top story's global watch. We start with an emergency landing in Japan, leaving at least two passengers hurt. A United Airlines plane heading to the Philippines with more than 140 people on board, forced a touchdown in Osaka. You could see passengers going down the escape slides

with emergency crews on the tarmac. There were reports of a possible fire in the cargo hold, but United says an initial inspection came back all clear. Okay, chaos erupting in Ecuador as people are taking to the streets to protest the government. Video shows police and riot gear clashing with demonstrators in the nation's capital and firing tear gas to break up the crowds.

Protesters rally against what they describe as authoritarian and ineffective governments, governance, I should say. And Nepal's president appointing the first woman to lead the country's government after days of deadly protests, which we've been reporting here. Sushila Karkin, now serving as the interim prime minister. She's a former Supreme Court Chief Justice and known for taking a stand against government corruption. It comes after those violent demonstrations this week left more than 50 people dead and caused the previous administration to collapse over that social media ban.

And Albanian's prime minister naming a first of its kind cabinet member today, but it's not a human cabinet member. It's an AI-generated chatbot. You can see it right here. The bot's official name is Diyala, which means Sun and Albanian. And it's meant to help crack down on corruption by managing how the government contracts private companies for various projects. This project launching with the help of Microsoft. Pretty interesting. Okay, and back here at home, fans are coming together to celebrate more than four decades of one of the great,

greatest TV shows ever, Miami Vice. It was not only a TV show, but a cultural cornerstone that defined the great city of Miami through the decades. Our George Solis Donda white suit hopped in a Ferrari and hit the streets of Miami Beach to celebrate the milestone. It was the show that helped define a decade. Pastel suits, fast cars, and a soundtrack that made television history. Miami Vice set a new standard for the genre. We dressed the part to meet members of the cast coming together as part of an annual celebration, 41 years after the show hit the airwaves.

I'd never see anything like it. Among them. You all right? Edward James Olmos, who earned an Emmy for his portrayal of the stoic Lieutenant Marty Castillo. I'm Lieutenant Castillo. Could you have known the cultural juggernaut the show would become? No. I don't think anybody really, you could, I mean, the designers and production designers and the stories, you know, that we told and the way they wrote it and swept the world.

No drive down memory lane would be complete without a little Ferrari horsepower. Oh, I said to that. Does that take you right back? Right away. During the nearly week-long celebration, superfans like Brian Houser have been living out their 80s dream, getting up close and personal with rare memorabilia. I don't think it's been recreated since, and it still resonates to this day, 41 years later. A love letter to a city still embraced to this day. How does this feel? Beautiful.

George Solis, NBC News, Miami Beach. Detective Solis on the mean streets of Miami there. All right, George, we thank you for that one. When we come back, it's time for bingeworthy. We'll have a behind-the-scenes look as Downton Abbey says its final goodbye, plus a new romantic comedy set in Paris. the Paris you think. And Demi Lovato back with new music. Don't go away. We are back now with Bingeworthy. It is Friday, which means it's our time to look at the best things to watch and listen to this weekend. And we were joined tonight by our friend and Top Story

Entertainment Journalist Brian Balthasar. Brian, so great to see you. Great to be here. Just back from Switzerland, extreme skiing. Yeah, this goes speed racing, skiing, all the sports. I'm here for it. Brian, so great to have you. I'm so happy it's Friday. We're going to start with a show that you love. Only murders in the building. People are obsessed with this show. Let's show a clip of Season 5, and we can talk about it at the back end. Guys, the police report just came in. A guy fills a fountain with blood in the most murderous building in New York. They say it's accidental? So we just assumed murder.

Lester had a run-in with the mobster the night he died. I found a finger. Nobody accidentally slices off. their finger. This is a message. It's like the horsehead and the Godfather. I know that one. All right, we're just talking about all the greats here, Martin Short, Steve Martin, and of course, Selena Gomez. So what do you think? I mean, good? Yes. If you love this show, it continues on that trend. This is a building you don't want to live in,

by the way. It's like murder she wrote, like stay away. Also, we see Rennell Zellweger in there. You know, every actor is saying to their agent, get me on old ways. They want to be on the show. It's a hot show. Great cast. Funny. Okay. Next up, you've said this is going to make you laugh out loud, maybe in a good way or a bad way. It's called the wrong Paris. The premise is someone who thinks they're going to Paris, France, but they end up in Paris, Texas. That's how we'll set it up. Here's a clip.

The Honeypot Harris wants you. Don, I've got an idea. Do you want me to audition for the Honeypot? Once you're eliminated, you're already going to be in Paris. To a hot French man. Panya. Thank you. I'm moisturizing. We're in Arbyn. Addy! Oh my God. We're in Paris, Texas.

All right, Miranda Cosgrove, you saw her right there. For a certain segment of viewers out there, I love Carly, right? Eye-Hard Carly. Yeah, I Carly, right? I Carly. I made up High-Hard. For the young kids out there. So she thinks she goes on this dating show because she wants to go to Paris to art school, and this is her way to get there for free. She goes, and it's actually a dating show that's held in Paris, Texas. Well, you don't see as the leading man will make you remind you that you don't have abs. Like, you're like, I've never felt more aware that I don't have abs.

I'm like, I don't even know if you get, okay. So it's obviously, you know, she wants to go to Paris, but then she falls in love. You can see where this is going to go. But if you like a rom-com of this nature, it doesn't take itself too seriously. On Netflix, a movie, or is it a series or what is it? Movie, and it's good? Yeah. Watch it.

Okay, we'll binge it. All right. Next up, if you love Downton Abbey, Peacock, the Mothership. has a documentary about the film. Let's see you, club. Welcome to Downson. I'm honored to invite you to tea with our entire Downton family.

It'll be a night of memories, surprises, and lots of laughter. Plus, a world-exclusive scene from our third and final film. So join us as we celebrate the grand finale. Okay, I'm maybe the only person on the planet that has never seen an episode. of the show, ever, not even a single frame.

You know what? I don't think it's for you, Tom. But explain this to me, because it feels like Barbara Walters-esque, and then it's maybe newsy, but also entertainment. What is it? This documentary follows just the legacy of this show and the storylines and the characters. Maggie Smith was a central character on the show, who we've since lost, and they reminisce about that. This is a show where there's not going to be huge surprises in the movie,

the final movie. It's just warm and nostalgic. And if you love this show. If you love this show, you're going to love this. And the property that you're looking at there is a real property that the family rents out, leases out to the production. It's an amazing space. The storylines are great, too. They wrap up real quick.

They're like, oh, there's a problem. Solved. Like, it's really light. Like, it's just really light. And I like the show. I like the way they shot it, though. It does give you that sort of nostalgia of the 90s, where the soft focus and the lighting and everyone's sitting down. It's very well made.

Okay, Brian. We appreciate that. Next up, this one, this is right up my alley, aka Charlie Sheen on Netflix, two-part series. I can't wait to watch this clip. He was the highest paid TV star of all time. Everything was fine. For a while, nobody got hurt, nobody got arrested. For a while.

And he started experimenting with everything. When it started to change, it was quick. He kept saying, no, no, no, I'm in the hospital now, but next week I'll be ready for the show. Okay, so this is Charlie Sheen, Mr. Tiger's Blood. Right. You know, winning, winning, yeah, yeah. Like, so he's back, why? Right.

Well, this is just, I mean, it's time to look back at this really crazy time of his life. John Cryer actually sits down. It's a very unvarnished. It is not a puff piece. No holds bar. Right. And John Cryer was like, if you're looking for a love letter here, I got to tell you, you're not going to be able to use any of myself because he made John

Cryer's life really difficult as his coach car, two and a half minutes, right? And you see, Denise Richards, Sean Penn, who you don't see are Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. So that's really interesting. Yeah. Why? Why? Well, they do imply, like, this is not a story they're particularly amused by in the same way that he was. It was difficult on them. And, you know, it's an interesting story, though, that he's still around. He's still doing okay. And there's Heidi Fleiss. Yeah, when we talk about no one was arrested. He still looks pretty good. He does. Yeah, he does. He still looks pretty good. Finally, not finally just yet, because this segment is going on, brother. We have Warfare, which is on HBO Max, serious drama film about the war in Iraq. Let's take a look.

Copy one. We're in part of next two. You're coming to you or are you coming to us? Stand by. We'll let you know where we're inbound. Let's move! Here's a plan. DA five minutes over.

Scouts are going to lead us out and I'm bringing up the rear. Pop smoke. Smoke out? We are all coming back to you. OP1, they are en route to you. So, Brian, this feels almost like a documentary. almost like a documentary, Zero Dark 30, The Hurt Locker. And you were telling me, like, this is not action.

This is, like, realistic. Right. It doesn't kind of over Hollywood the process of war. It really goes for authenticity. Ray Mendoza, a real-life Navy SEAL, is one of the co-writers and directors of this. And it's not in real time, but it's practically in real time. It's about a small battle that went badly, but didn't get a lot of press. And it doesn't insert those, like, hijinks between soldiers and laughs.

It is really raw, and that's part of the power of it. authenticity. Yeah, it takes you into what it's like to be in combat. Yeah. Okay. Let's turn out to music. 21 pilots. I got a new song. It's called City Walls. The new album is called Breach. Let's hear City Walls. All right, Brian. You get it. You like it? Are you into it? All rock, pop, rap, if that's your genre. This is where. This is there. a third album, a little bit of everything there. They really do.

They're all about crossing genres. They talk a lot about anxiety with an upbeat tone. And this is the third album they have that debuted number one on the Billboard chart. So check that out. We got one more, though, Demi Lovato. She's got a new song. It's a breakup song. It's called Here All Night.

Let's listen. All I do, since you been gone is stay up and stay out. Begging for the bass till it's hitting me right. Sweating on the dance floor under the lights to get all. all right an ode to flash dance a little bit there what do you think you got 20 seconds good beat will be in the clubs check it out yeah dancing is it big in switzerland it will be it's hot it's all right uh guys we thank you so much for watching top story tonight and every night brian we thank you have a great weekend i'm tom yamas in new york more news on the way stick

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