Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, April 8, 2024

Episode Date: April 9, 2024

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, eclipse mania, millions across the country, taken in the magic of the cosmic phenomenon. People all over the world traveling and strapping on their glasses to watch as the moon passes between Earth and the sun. Nearly the entire country able to catch a glimpse of the eclipse, but just 15 states experienced complete totality. The emotional moment as cities and towns plunged into total darkness are got to be. Schwartz captures the breathtaking views by Jed. The best moments and stunning views as humanity comes together to marvel at our universe. Also tonight, Shatner Live, the Star Trek and acting legend reflects on the magical nature of a solar eclipse, how it compares to what he witnessed when he traveled to outer space and what he hopes others took away from this beautiful event.

In the race for president, Donald Trump going public with his stance on abortion, laying out his position on the controversial issue, saying states should make the final call on abortion rights, refusing to back a national ban after 15 weeks. The move infuriating both Democrats and some Republicans, while his former vice president, Mike Pence, is calling Trump's announcement a slap in the face. Ecuador raids the Mexican embassy, Ecuadorian police breaking into the embassy to arrest a former vice president seeking political asylum there. sparking backlash, leaders across the Americas calling it a violation of international law, how Mexico is responding tonight. Plus, running across Africa, a UK man, the first to run the

length of the continent in under a year. The runner traversing 16 countries through jungles and deserts even held up at gunpoint. What he said the moment he crossed the finish line. Country star cuffed singer Morgan Wallen arrested after allegedly throwing a chair. off a Nashville rooftop bar, the chair, narrowly missing two police officers. The country star reacting with this grinning mugshot. What's not so funny, the felony charges. He's now facing. And dude, that's my car.

Dramatic video shows the moment a man attempts to stop thieves attempting to steal his truck. The suspect in a getaway car attempting to run over the man in his own driveway. Why that man says if he had to confront them again, he would do it. story. It starts right now. And good evening. Tonight, millions of Americans marveling over the magic of this year's solar eclipse, people from all walks of life taking in the unbelievable sight as the moon passes between the earth and the sun temporarily blocking the sun's light.

From Eagle Pass, Texas to Indianapolis, to Carbondale, Illinois, and all the way up to Maine. These were some spots in the 15 states that were able to experience totality. The celestial phenomenon viewable in forms across 40 states. The path of totality stretching 100 miles wide, extending across the continent. In Mexico, one of the first places in North America to see the moon completely cover the sun. Dallas, Texas was the largest city in the path of the eclipse. People there telling our Al Roker, it was such an emotional moment to catch a glimpse for the first time. Temperatures dropping four degrees as the sun faded away.

In Russellville, Arkansas, hundreds of couples gathered for a mass wedding at the total eclipse of the Heart Festival, saying, I do, moments before taking in totality. And check out this time lapse from Toledo. People there in awe as skywatchers plunged into complete darkness. Even among all the hustle and bustled the Big Apple, New Yorkers stopped in their tracks to look up, amazed at the universe around them.

In just minutes, top story goes where no show has gone before. We'll speak live to one of the galaxy's greatest thespians and space ambassadors, William Shatner. But right now, the moment bringing humanity together for one of the most anticipated events in so long. NBC's Lester Holt witnessed the magical moment from Indianapolis. He starts off our coverage tonight. It didn't matter where you were. The reactions were the same. Joy, awe, and wonder.

A shared experience for millions of people today who had a front row seat to history on the horizon. Just seeing how it got dark, that was an experience that, you know, it's like unforgettable. I'm glad to be a part of something like this. People flocked to the path of totality, wider than it was in 2017, and stretching across 15 states from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Correspondents were spread across it as the moon shadow moved from the southwest to the northeast. Morgan Chesky in his hometown of Kerrville, Texas. And everyone is in awe right now of this four minutes and 24 seconds, which I have to tell you, is feeling a little like an eternity right now.

The buildup was so strong as we saw the moon slide in front of the sun that when it finally happened, you almost had to pinch yourself. Soaking up the moment with his family. A little 10-month-old Eleanor about to get her very first eclipse. I know it's a lot to take in, honey, but Olivia, oh, it's a lot. I know, I know. I wouldn't be anywhere else other than with you all right now. There it goes.

In Dallas, Al Roker. Yeah. Woo! Oh! Ha-ho! Ha-ha! Yeah! There are the beads.

There are the beads. And in Maine, you saw, oh, look at this. Look at this. And in Maine, five, four, three, two, one. Kate Snow, surrounded by thousands. I've done this once before, and I got emotional then, and I feel myself getting emotional now.

It's just something about it that is so incredibly special. I think it's maybe the commonality that we're all experiencing one thing at the same exact time. For some, it was about checking something off that bucket list. I'm from East Africa, and I couldn't believe what I just seen. For others, it marked a new beginning. Hundreds of couples exchanged vows in Russellville, Arkansas, including Michelle and Randy Weller.

We will always remember our wedding day because of that day. And despite concerns about the cloudy forecast, the views did not disappoint. You can see the bottom corner coming out. I think it's coming out right now. There you go. Right there on the right. Pure magic, inviting all of us who paused for a few minutes today and simply looked up. What was the emotion you guys experienced?

What was breathfaking? We were at the Indianapolis Speedway with more than 50,000 other eclipse chasers. It's just sliding away. You know, Tom, you and I cover a lot of difficult things to report sometimes, but this is this is magical and as the sky quickly darkened we took off our glasses like exciting happy like my heart beating is fast I am so happy you guys got to experience this this is so neat a special and powerful moment that connected all of us my mom always promised me a trip to the moon so this is as close as we get 1969 watching the first moon landing together

She made it an event that we would never forget. This is terrible. She's with you today. Thank you. So much emotion on this day throughout the country. Lester Holtz joins us live tonight from Indianapolis. Lester, you've seen a lot, you've covered a lot. Every assignment, for the most part, has something unique, something you won't forget.

What stood out to you today? You know, Tommy, I was thinking of how many weather stories I cover. And, you know, when we tend to go on the road for weather stories, they tend to be calamities and disasters. And this was a natural event that the whole country could take part in to some extent. We, you know, we talked about in that story the connections that were made of a shared moment. It was all true. I think a lot of us didn't know how we would react. I was more emotional than I thought I would be.

But apparently I wasn't alone. It was really, really something. It was definitely special. Lester Holt for us leading us off tonight here on Top Story. Lester, we thank you for that. For more on The Eclipse, we have a special guest tonight. Star Trek star and actor William Shatner, the oldest living person to travel into space. He joins us in our spotlight interview tonight. Mr. Shatner, thank you so much for joining Top Story. I want to start with your own eclipse view and experience. You were in the path of totality in Bloomington, Indiana.

What was that moment like for you? Well, I was asked to speak, to entertain 15 minutes before the eclipse. So I wrote out something that I thought would amuse and amaze people, but I got the eclipse coming up. How can you overcome that? So I gave in to the awesomeness of it. You know, we've all seen pictures of the web telescope and the great, views of the majesty of space and the incomprehensibility of the power that's going on out into the outer reaches but it's distant and all of a sudden we see a miracle of

of two bodies lining up to to make a picture for the third body so an eclipse such a refined maneuver. It doesn't have the power of explosions in space, but it still reminds you of these heavenly bodies moving in rhythm and in line with forces that we don't quite understand, retaining their orbit, retaining their ability to move, and all of a sudden this coincidence, this instance of this instance of magic in which one body moves in front of the other and it shades it so we can see this

unique view of our star and I looked at this ring of fire through the dark glasses and again I was amazed at how eternal and majestic the skies are and here is one small example but it's a reminder of the uniqueness that we live in the weather cooperated here it rained this morning it's going to rain later in the day but the skies opened up and it was bright blue until we had the eclipse I was astounded I was moved to tears I was moved to understand that in some dim way the universe moves in in in the in the majestic orbits and ways that we don't understand.

But this one, we did understand. Mr. Shadden, explain that moment, though, why you were moved to tears. What do you think it was about seeing the moon cover the sun like that, that brought people to tears? It was understanding that there are forces beyond anything we can understand. It was something so magical, so unique. in that it rarely happens, and frequently, when it happens, you're dependent on a clear sky. Even a small cloud can ruin the moment. So unless you have a clear sky and that moment in time, you've missed everything.

Just the fact that we're looking at a celestial body going through its paces in front of us. We can read, we can look at pictures from the web, but it's like hearing about a car accident and being part of a car accident. The accident makes you understand that there's life and death, and these moments in space reminds you of how the word majestic comes to mind, how unfathomable. the skies are, and here in this one instance, we could fathom what happened. The moon came in front of the sun and sent a shadow over a very limited number of places on Earth, and those of us who are lucky to see the totality of it, it's a lifetime experience. Mr. Shadner, you had a chance to fly on Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin Space Shuttle back in October. of 2021, and you wrote about it in your book, which was called Boldly Goal Reflections on a Life

of Aw and Wonder. This is about the journey. I want to read to our viewers what you wrote. You put in the book here, I had the thought that going into space would be the ultimate catharsis of that connection I had been looking for between all living things. I had a different experience because I discovered that the beauty isn't out there. It's down here with all of us. Leaving that behind made my connection to our tiny planet even more profound. It's sort of interesting to hear your experience with the eclipse because it almost sounds like it was more profound than when you were actually in space because you've said being in space was incredibly lonely. Well, seeing the eclipse gives you a nudge of how immovable, how majestic. how you can't ponder the mystery of the skies.

But all of a sudden, you see a shadow in front of the sun. My trip into space reminded me of something that I've been doing for a long time, ecology, and I saw the vulnerability dramatically once again, but in such dramatic terms, the vulnerability of the earth. and I was swept with the knowledge that extinction is happening in front of us all the times. Entities that took 3.8 billion years to evolve, to evolve it took to adjust to the earth and adjust to other things that were evolving. And they're disappearing without us knowing they even existed.

The sadness I felt of the millions of things that are going extinct because of mankind, kind, just made me so sad that the passage of a complex thinking, feeling, thing was gone, and we never knew it existed. That to me carried such sadness, but I only realized that when I got off the ship. And once I realized that I couldn't contain myself, I found myself crying uncontrollably. And every time I think about it, I well up because the earth is so beautiful. The earth has such grandeur about it. There's something so beautifully connected between man and the rest of nature.

And we, most of us, are thwart it. We deny it. We say, that's ours. We can cut that tree down. We can kill that animal. We can spray a killing powder. because something is eating our crops. There are so many ways around it.

If we just thought in those terms about our ability to destroy the Earth and that we can't, not that we shouldn't, we can't. We can't go anywhere else. Talk about all you want about going to Mars and colonizing the moon. It's not going to happen to the degree it needs to happen. Eight billion people going someplace. We're here. We're stuck with here.

We have to. have to clean up our mess. That's plastics and that's the air and the water. William Shatner, maybe planet Earth's greatest space ambassador. We thank you so much for joining Top Story and sharing your experience of the eclipse. Well, thank you for giving me a chance to say that to people with feeling and meaning we all owe a debt to this beautiful Earth. That is so true. William Shatner, we thank you again.

And many who were in the eclipse path in totality down south are now in the crosshairs of, believe it or not, severe weather. Heading into tomorrow, large hail reaching two inches in diameter, threatening the Dallas, Texas area with tornadoes, damaging winds and flooding. Also a concern in the region. Let's get right over to NBC News meteorologist Bill Karens, who joins us now live in studio. So, Bill, quite the day, I'm sure, for you. But now there's even more work ahead. Yeah, and all the severe weather and the bad, nasty stuff held off to after the eclipse. But as you mentioned, there's thousands of people trying to head out of Texas in other areas.

And now we have a tornado watch that's up until 8 o'clock. Haven't had any tornadoes yet. We do have some very strong thunderstorms that are racing north. They've now reached Interstate 20. We have a severe thunderstorm warning right over the top of Tyler, Texas. About 60-mile-per-hour winds are possible and quarter-sized hail. And as we go through the night tonight, that's going to be the story. We're going to get some really big, large hail-producing storms.

And this will continue into tomorrow, almost all of Texas, even into Louisiana. Three-inch hail. We call it like giant hail. That's when you get up the baseball size. That's going to do significant damage. That's going to be possible. Watch out in the Dallas-Fort Worth area tomorrow morning about 9 a.m. And this is the area that has the chance for that big hail.

And on top of this, it's going to be stormy in this region for three straight days. Flood watches are up. Some areas have a chance of getting up to eight inches of rain. So Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, this mess is it'll be all through the south. It makes its way to the East Coast, Tom, by the time we get the Thursday night. All right, Bill, Bill, we'll stay tracking that throughout the week. Now to our other major headline tonight. President Trump announcing his position on abortion,

refusing to back a national 15-week ban and saying he favors allowing states to decide their own policies on the issue. Democrats and some Republicans now blasting the move, including his former vice president, Mike Pence. Garrett Hake is following the political fallout. Tonight, after weeks of hints, former President Trump weighing in on abortion,

declining to call for a national ban, instead saying it should be up to states to decide on any restrictions. The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land, in this case, the law of the state. At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people. Also stating his own view. I am strongly in favor of exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.

Mr. Trump's announcement creating intense bipartisan backlash. Donald Trump just endorsed every single state ban on reproductive care nationwide. If Magi Republicans put a federal ban on his desk, he'd sign it. Donald Trump is the reason Rose ended. If you reelect me, I'll be the reason why it's restored. While Mr. Trump's former VP, Mike Pence, slamming him for not calling for a national ban, writing, quote, President Trump's retreat on the right to life is a slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans who voted for him in 2016 and 2020. The Supreme Court with three Trump-appointed justices struck down Roe v. Wade in 2020.

returning the issue to the states where some now have near total abortion bans. Others have no restrictions. I was proudly the person responsible for the ending of something that all legal scholars both sides wanted and, in fact, demanded, be ended. Roe v. Wade. But just 36 percent of Americans support the overturning of Roe, according to an NBC News poll. And the issue has energized Democrats. For Mr. Trump, today's announcement is the latest step. in a long public evolution on abortion. I'm very pro-choice. I'm pro-life.

We will agree to a number of weeks which will be where both sides will be happy. Garrett Hake joins us tonight from Washington. Garrett, in many ways, the former president has sort of telegraphed this move. How is he responding tonight now that he's getting criticism on both sides? Well, he's really lashing out, Tom,

especially at his critics on the right, suggesting that Republicans stridency on the issue of abortion, has cost them elections. It's going after especially Lindsey Graham, who's been an ally of his on other issues, suggesting that Graham wouldn't have even been reelected without his support. Donald Trump knows he can't control this narrative in the broader public or certainly can't totally stop the attacks he's going to get from the left. But on the right, he is very much throwing his weight around, trying to get the rest of the party to fall in line behind him on the idea that this abortion issue

should be left as much as possible to the states going forward. All right, Gary Hake for us tonight, Gary, thank you. For more on Trump's abortion announcement and what it means for the 2024 race. I want to bring in our political pros tonight. Democratic strategist Amisha Cross and a good friend of top story. And Mark Lodder, former director of strategic communications on the Trump 2020 campaign, also a friend of the broadcast. We thank you both for joining us. Mark, let's pick up right where Garrett left off there.

Will he throw his weight around and will the Republican Party sort of line up behind him on this stance? Well, eventually they have to. No choice, because at least in President Trump, you have someone who fights for life. On the other side, you have Joe Biden who believes that taxpayers should be funding abortion in the seventh, eighth, ninth month of pregnancy, and that's just not palatable. So let's have this fight at the state level, which is where we were fighting for 50 years to do, and the president has set out the expectations of exceptions for rape, incest life of mother, support for IVF, and then let's let the states handle this.

Mark, but do you think it's good politics? And look, it might be. Maybe it's his strategy to confuse everybody. But you really have no idea where the former president stands on abortion. When you look at his history, when you look at where the Republican Party is, where you look at what he said when he was president. And then when you look at now, what he just posted on truth social. Well, he has come out and said, look, that he thinks that 15, 16 weeks is probably the right area to be. That's where the American people are.

The polls show 71% of Americans think that four months is about the right time for a woman to be able to make that very difficult decision. He said that he thought six weeks was a little bit too restrictive. And so, you know, he's said where he is in terms of broad policies, but what you can get done at a federal level, nothing. What you can get done at a state level is going to be up to the people's elected representatives, which is what the fight about Roe was all about in the first place. Amisha, I know this is a personal issue for your family. How are Democrats looking at this announcement? As one where former President Trump is talking out of both sides of his mouth. Quite frankly, Republicans know, and Donald Trump knows as well that restrictive abortion policies do not win.

We've seen this in Virginia. We've seen it now be a ballot initiative in Florida, and that's mobilized a lot of Democratic, younger voters and women voters. We've seen it utilized in campaigns, even in the great state of Kentucky, where Andy Bashir, and ran ads about a young woman who was a victim of incest and sought an abortion. Time and time again, we've seen that at the polls, abortion rights is not a winner, or abortion restrictions are not a winner for Republicans. So Donald Trump is trying to basically ease his way into something that is very interesting to me because he says that we shouldn't have, you know, federal regulations here.

However, on that same token, he's pushing this off to the states, but he made a federal regulation when he decided to choose Supreme Court justices who he knew would overturn Roe v. Wade. That was his federal stance. And he's someone who has gone across the country in previous years supporting the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He's someone who advances the restrictive policies that we've seen in state after state. And has applauded governors as well as state legislatures who have pushed for some of the most restrictive policies. One in three women in America lives in a state where there are severe abortion restrictions. That is a huge no-go for women, and we've seen it time and time again come up, and when it does, Republicans lose.

So I think that Donald Trump right now is playing the semantics game, even though he's already showed his hand. So, Mark, as you know, many conservative Republicans, even those you work closely with, like former Vice President Mike Pence, are upset with this announcement because they wanted to see Trump back a national ban. How worried are you that this could cost him some voters? I don't think it'll cost him voters, because I don't think anyone who really values life can afford to sit home. The choice is not just about abortion. It's also about the economy. It's about a secured southern border. And it is about who's going to be out there fighting for pro-life.

And so Donald Trump has shown that he is pro-life. He is the reason why we got justices who put this decision back in the hands of the lawmakers that were elected by the people. And so the choice is pretty clear whether you're going to have abortion funded by the taxpayers in the seventh, eighth, or ninth month, or if we're going to have some. common sense, finally injected into this discussion. And then, Amish, I want to ask you, Biden, President Biden consistently leads the former president polling on the issue of abortion.

But take a look at this. In a recent Wall Street Journal poll of seven battleground states, Trump leads Biden on almost every other issue surveyed in several cases. By 20 points, abortion is clearly one of the only issues where Democrats are playing with the lead. But how can President Biden make an argument for a second term when he's so far behind in all these other different areas? areas. Well, I think we're seeing him do that right now. One of the advantages that Biden and

the Democratic Party has is their overwhelming fundraising hall and individual donors, many of which who are donating monthly, not just big dollar donations. With that being said, he's already amplified across multiple states, his ad buys. He is expanding offices. The state of Michigan has over 30 right now. We know he's expanding in Georgia. We know that he's expanding in places like North Carolina as well. And that's going to continue to happen. He needs to increase our to black voters, younger voters, ensuring that he is showcasing the policies where they're actually affecting people's lives. We know that more jobs have been added.

He needs to take that show on the road. He's talking about infrastructure. We recently saw the disastrous issue with the bridge in Baltimore. There are several issues that are related to the American economy. The American, we're watching right now, the information that came out today on student debt relief and some of the rest of the projects related to decreasing the amount of, or the overburne that many people feel in paying back their student loans, these things matter to the American public. Joe Biden is doing what he needs to do. It's developing the messaging strategy and getting

individuals shaped up for these battleground states so that people can understand where his policies actually meet them where they are. Abortion rights is a different type of conversation because there are literally women in dining because of this and because of lack of abortion rights. There are women who their children are non-buyable, women who had already bought the nursery, women who have already bought the baby clothes, women who've already hosted a lot of the events around welcoming their baby, and that child did not make it. Meanwhile, states across the country, we see Republicans pushing to absolutely not pay attention to doctors and what doctors are telling them to save the mother. We talk about the right to life. What about the right to life of that woman?

The right for her to live and the right for her to continue to be able to maintain a level of procreation. Because in many cases, if she does not have those abortion rights upheld, she will not be. be able to have another child at all. Amisha Cross, Spark Lauder, we're going to have to leave it there for tonight. I'm sure we're going to be talking about this through November and beyond. Still ahead tonight, the deadly shooting in Las Vegas, a gunman opening fire inside a law office. At least two people killed. The suspect also dead. The late-breaking details we've just learned. Plus, dramatic video showing the moment a man tackles someone trying to steal his truck, but seconds later, he's hit by the getaway car in his own driveway. But that man told top story about the

decision to confront the thieves. And one of the country's biggest stars, more, I should say country music's biggest stars, Morgan Wallen accused of throwing a chair off the rooftop of a popular bar in Nashville. The felony charges he's now facing. Stay with us. Okay, we're back down with the arrest of controversial country music star Morgan Wallen. The singer allegedly throwing a chair from a rooftop bar in Nashville, almost hitting two police officers. NBC's Kathy Park is there and has the details. I know that last night we let the record talk. One of country music's biggest stars, Morgan Wallen, now facing felony charges.

This video shows a chart-topping singer in handcuffs outside of Chiefs, a bar owned by fellow country singer Eric Church. Police confirming Wallen was arrested for allegedly throwing a chair from the rooftop of the bar, which they say then landed just five. feet from two police officers. According to his arrest affidavit, the 30-year-old was charged with felony reckless endangerment and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. His attorney telling NBC news in a statement, Wallen is cooperating fully with authorities. I've heard of him who's been in trouble before. You still take the music. The Tennessee native gained popularity in 2018 with his single whiskey glasses. And since then has risen to fame. Winning

country music's biggest awards and claiming the spot as most streamed album and song for 2023. But the star has also been caught in other controversies. In 2021, video's surface of him using a racial slur. Wallen later apologized in a YouTube video. A word can truly hurt a person. And at my core, that's not what I'm okay with. He was also arrested in 2020, again in downtown Nashville, charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct after allegedly kicking glass items inside Kid Rock's bar on Broadway. According to the Tennessean, court records show prosecutors ultimately drop those

charges. Wallen then made headlines later that year, pulled from Saturday Night Live as a musical guest after breaking COVID protocols and videos posted to social media. I'd like to apologize to SNL, to my fans. But he eventually made it onto the show, poking fun at his party boy reputation. No consequences. But he may not be able to say no consequences for long, with a court appearance set for next month. All right, Kathy joins us tonight from Nashville. Kathy, we can actually see, I think that's the bar that Morgan was at behind you. Can you give us an idea of the area and how bad this could have been?

That looks pretty high up. Yeah, Tom, you're exactly right. The bar where this incident occurred on Sunday night is directly behind me, a block away. We're on Broadway right now. If you've been to Nashville, this is where the action, and you have the restaurants and bars here. And this incident happened on Sunday night, but there is still a lot of traffic, foot traffic at this time. And in fact, I spoke with one person who works in downtown Nashville, and he was saying it's incredible. No one got hurt when that chair flew six stories from the top of that building behind me, Tom.

Yeah, could have been pretty bad. And Kathy, is Wallen still behind bars? Could he face real jail time for this? You know, Tom, there are very few details as to why or how Morgan Wallen actually allegedly threw that chair from the top of the roof. Right now, he's no longer in jail. He bonded out. The bond was set for more than $15,000.

His next court appearance is set for May 3rd. And coincidentally, Tom, his concert is actually right next door at Nissan Stadium that week as well. Tom. All right. Well, when you're walking on the streets here in Nashville, keep an eye up. You never know what's going to be falling from the sky there. Right, Kathy Park, we thank you for that. Next tonight to a wild video out of Washington State.

It shows a man nearly run over in his own driveway by attempted thieves who appeared to be targeting his truck. And I see's Dana Griffin spoke to that truck owner, and she has that wild video tonight. Just seconds after getting a notification in the middle of the night. Eric Smith captured on his own ring camera tackling a suspected car prowler who had been sitting in the passenger side of his truck. hands on him grabbed him. At that point, he started screaming, yelling for the driver of the vehicle to help him out, help, help. Then the driver of this getaway car backs up, angles toward them and accelerates. It felt kind of like a movie. You know, I just ended up on the hood, held on, turn around to see where I was going to impact. I saw I was going straight for my truck.

I saw my truck door was open, just having to pick up my legs and kick my door closed. After being hurled off the vehicle and slamming into his own truck, Smith stands up without a scratch to snap a photo before the suspects sped away. I was a little shaky, so the photos came out, a little blurry. The incident happened last month outside his Pierce County, Washington home. His family now sharing it online to help authorities identify the suspects. I give a lot of credit to social media. The Pierce County Sheriff's Department tells NBC News those images led to a potential arrest in a different city, but they have yet to confirm if the suspect is tied to their investigation. The department writing in a statement in part, we have seen a significant rise in motor vehicle thefts with juvenile suspects.

This incident is particularly scary since it shows how bold the suspects are getting and at what costs they will take to get away. According to the department, motor vehicle thefts were up 27 percent in the county line. last year. Just 30 minutes prior to, you know, another person on social media reached out and provided footage of them hitting their vehicles. Deputies say it's likely the suspects were casing nearby homes, but no other reports were filed with the department. They got nothing out of it. I have nothing. I don't keep anything in my vehicle, but they were certainly lucky. Lucky, Eric says, because everyone involved could have been hurt. Would you have done anything different? Yeah, that's a good question. Absolutely not.

You know, there's so many different ways this could have gone, and I think I had probably the best outcome. Dana Griffin joins us now live from Los Angeles. So, Dana, what more do we know about this potential suspect? And why haven't they confirmed if this is one of the suspects in that video? Well, see, Todd, these car thefts and car prowl cases are often not the first crime these suspects have committed. So while someone has been arrested for a different crime and a different jurisdiction, Pearson, Pierce County investigators are looking at this person as a potential connection. They tell me it could take months to confirm both suspects' identities.

They are using several tools to make the connection, and they want to make sure they have an airtight case. Tom? And Dana, before you go there, I know that phrase car prowling is being used more and more. Explain to our viewers what exactly is a car prowler. Is it essentially someone who's looking to steal a car? Well, actually, they're looking to get inside your vehicle and still need. items inside. So they, according to the victim in this case, he says that they believe that that getaway car was stolen and that these suspects were going, checking random cars throughout the

neighborhood, looking for ones that were unlocked because they were not trying to make a lot of noise, not trying to make a scene. So that's why they are being dubbed car prowlers for going in these trucks and trying to steal items and possibly still the vehicles. And it's a big problem in so many states. All right, Dana, we appreciate you in that report. When we come back, we continue our coverage of the great North American eclipse. NBC's Gotti Schwartz with arguably the best seat in the house watching the total solar eclipse from a jet, about 20,000 feet in the air, what he saw when the moon and sun perfectly aligned. Stay with us.

We were back down with a unique view of today's total solar eclipse. Across the country, millions of people witnessing the rare phenomenon from the ground. But our Gotti Schwartz sworeing 20,000 feet to give us a glimpse of the eclipse in a jet. How lucky are we to have a moon and sun so perfectly aligned that every so often their magical dance allows us to stare straight at the sun for a celestial show like no other. It turned dark fast and it turned morning fast. From the youngest viewers to those waiting for this moment for decades, Many were simply overcome by the beauty of today's total eclipse, while we set out for a different view.

We're going to be flying in formation for a little bit. The plan is that that jet is going to stay on the outside of the edge of totality. A front row seat to history from above. All right now, we are in full on totality. Let me see if I can show you. Look! we are what about 20,000 feet the view's breathtaking

when you're up here and you see you see the movement of this shadow shadow is very dark on this side very light on this side the team from B-speed capturing a moon shadow passing over Arkansas look at this wow

now it's like this sunrise but the sunrise is a color I've never seen before it's like a A deep purple. This is incredible. What a happy coincidence. A cosmic wink to all of us that we share this planet, united under our sun. I'm super excited.

I love hearing the joy behind me when all of that went down. It is a life-changing experience. And Tom, what a cosmic experience. Cosmic experience. I got to say, this is one of my things. favorite assignments of all time. The only way we're going to top this is maybe going to the moon, going to Mars, I don't know, but the future is looking very, very bright. The sun is coming out. It's shining right now. So who knows? Tom, back to you. I'd be happy just going

to Cabo in that jet. All right, Gotti Schwartz. Thanks so much for that. Now to Top Stories News Feed and we begin with the shooting at an office building in Las Vegas. Police say a gunman shot and killed two people at a law office before turning the gun on himself. Hundreds of people evacuated. to the nearby Red Rock Casino. So far, no details on the identities of the victims or their relationship with the suspect. And the NCAA women's basketball final capping off a historic season

with another record-setting night. According to ESPN, a whopping 18.7 million people tuned in to watch South Carolina beat Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes for the national title Sunday night. It is now the most watched women's college basketball game ever. ESPN says it's also the largest audience on the network for any basketball game, men's, women's professional, or college, since 2019. That's pretty cool.

All right, next tonight to the Americas and the escalating tension between Mexico and Ecuador. In a stunning move, police in Quito storming the Mexican embassy and arresting Ecuador's former vice president who was seeking asylum there. Now Mexico severing diplomatic ties with Ecuador, arguing the raid violated international law. NBC's Guadvanegas explains us all for us. Tonight, Mexico breaking diplomatic ties with Ecuador after an unprecedented use of force. Police and Ecuador's capital, Quito, raiding the Mexican embassy over the weekend and arresting former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glass, who had been granted political asylum by Mexico.

Video shared by Mexico's foreign minister shows the moment Roberto Canseco, a Mexican diplomat, tries to stop the caravan with the VP from driving away and is tackled by police outside the embassy. How delinquents allianed the Embachada of Mexico in Ecuador? This no is possible. No, it's a locura. Mexican officials say the officers entered by force

jumping over the wall, forcing the gate, and hurting Mexican personnel. Mexico reitered his condena for the violation of the immunity of his embassy in Quito and the aggression to his personnel. Glass, who was moved to a high security prison in Guayaquil on Sunday, arrived at the Quito Embassy in December after he was indicted on corruption charges, charges he claimed were politically motivated. Now some residents in Ecuador concern this stunning arrest is yet another political play. just to, in consequence of that the

support of the president is descending. Ecuador's foreign minister defending the move saying that there was a risk of imminent escape and that Mexico violated the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries when they gave glass asylum. Just three months ago, the president of Ecuador stressing the importance of the two nations

working together to fight crime in the region to Telemundo's Julio Bacquist. But I think we can work in Conjuncto? We have to work together. We have a

problem similar, and I think we can, unting forces, resolve it in a

better manner. But now, that relationship seemingly shattered. The U.S.

State Department condemning any violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations

writing on X. We encourage our partners Mexico and Ecuador to resolve their differences

in accord with international norms. On Sunday, Mexican diplomats returning back home to an outport of support. As Mexican officials say, their embassy in Ecuador will remain closed indefinitely. All right, Guad joins us tonight from our studios in Miami. Guad, this is such a strange story. Do we know if there will be repercussions from Mexico?

Because it seems clear from your reporting, Ecuador violated international norms that treat embassies as sovereign pieces of property. That's correct, Tom. So what we know this morning, the Mexican Chancellor announced that 29 nations around the world have spoken in favor of Mexico and condemning what happened at the Mexican Embassy, including some countries from the European Union. She specifically said that the leaders of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Bolivia have declared themselves personally in favor of Mexico. And this is going to be key. She announced that the community of Latin American and Caribbean states have called for a meeting for all of the chancellors of. the members of that block to meet tomorrow, both Mexico and Ecuador are members of that block.

So tomorrow's meeting will be specifically to discuss what happened at the embassy, Tom. Guad, you know, our viewers at home may be thinking about Ecuador, and we had that major story that you were covering for us as well, where an entire newscast was taken hostage live on the air. What exactly is the state of playing Ecuador right now? Right. So there was a lot of violence that escalated last year because of what was happening inside of the prisons and a lot of the criminals or the organized crime groups in Ecuador

that had gained a lot of power. So what happened is the new president came in and that president cracked down on a lot of the prisons because a lot of these criminals were organizing what was happening outside from inside of the prisons. So we know that the president has taken executive actions to crack down on organized crime. That has been happening. And also part of his administration's work has been to crack down on politicians that they, have found to be guilty of specific charges. So the vice president was someone that was indicted when the new president came into power. And at some point, that vice president went to the Mexican embassy, asked for political asylum, and had remained inside of the embassy. But the

government of Ecuador said that they had a right to go in there because they felt like the Mexican government had violated some type of law by interfering with what was happening in Ecuador. So it's a very complicated situation. Now, the Mexican government, Tom, has said that they will take this to the international court and to the United Nations so that they can take the next step as we all figure out what happens next, Tom. Yeah, clearly it's not the last we've heard about this incident. Okay, Guad, we thank you for that. Coming up, running across Africa, a British man running across 16 countries, 10,000 miles in under a year. Our partners at Sky News right alongside him as he finally crossed the finish line. Again, he ran across the continent. The first thing he said after completing his goal.

That's next. Now, the top stories, Global Watch and a check of what else is happening around the world. We start in Russia, where there's been a flooding emergency in the Ural Mountains near the border with Kazakhstan. New video, take a look, shows rescuers pulling people through the windows of their flooded homes. After one of Europe's longest rivers swelled several feet causing a damned burst, authorities saying, that more than 10,000 homes are flooded right now. Mass evacuations are underway, with rivers expected to rise even more in the coming days.

So far, though, no word on any injuries. Brazil's Supreme Court opening an investigation into Elon Musk over possible obstruction of justice. The tech magnate in hot water for saying he would defy the court's orders to ban some popular accounts on X. The judge accusing Musk of launching a disinformation campaign against the court, Musk will also be fined $20,000.

every day for each band account reinstated. Must responded calling for the judge's resignation. And the eclipse, not the only spectacular phenomenon we're talking about tonight, take a look at this, smoke rings emitting from Mount Etina in Italy. That is very cool. The largest active volcano in Europe, the near perfect circles, known as volcanic vortex rings, drifting across the Sicilian sky, onlookers admiring the rare site, which experts say are formed

through the rapid release of gas and vapors from a new crater. Wow. Okay. We want to turn now to a story of an incredible feat, a British man running the length of Africa, covering almost 10,000 miles in less than a year. Some of his supporters joining him for parts of his journey, but he also faced several challenges as well. Our Matt Bradley has a look at the moment he crossed that finish line.

Breathless but triumphant, 27-year-old Russ Cook completing a monumental challenge, running the length of Africa. Pretty good, I'm bit tired. That's almost 10,000 miles are roughly the equivalent of 376 marathons, over 352 days. I'm just trying to make sure we're going the right way. The realization that my wife got pregnant, had a baby, we now have a two-month-old in the time he's done this. The UK native crossing the finish line at the northern tip of the continent in Ross Angeles, Tunisia, on Sunday. After a grueling and at times perilous journey across 16 countries, starting at the southernmost point in Cape Agulah, South Africa, last day.

Day, 337. Cook documenting his journey on social media as he tackled different climates and terrains. But he also had to deal with unpredictable and dangerous scenarios. He says in Angola he was robbed at gunpoint of his passport and phones, and that in Congo he escaped locals armed with machetes by paying them off. The scariest moment was in the Congo when I was on the back of a motorbike, thinking I was about to dock. Yeah, getting driven into the jungle.

That was pretty nuts. That terrifying ordeal, even making him consider quitting. Probably for about one minute, thought about quitting, and then I realized I couldn't. So that's about as close to he ever got it. And if all that wasn't challenging enough, he was initially denied a visa crossing into Algeria from Mauritania when he turned to social media for help.

He's been following him since he first started from the very beginning. His supporters finishing with him on the last leg, in all of the man who also ran from Asia to London three years ago. I saw the post on Instagram where he invited everyone out. I was laying on my couch. 20 minutes later, I bought the ticket, and here I am. I just couldn't miss a crazy historic opportunity like this. His run dubbed as Project Africa, raising almost $900,000 and will go towards two charities.

I'm a big believer in sport doing wonders for people's lives, and it changed my life. Though Russ has more in store, for now, he's just looking to unwind. I've got a whole list of ideas. But, yeah, no, I definitely am keen to chill out for a moment, like, spend some time with your family and stuff, you know. Matt Bradley, NBC Doops. When we come back, end of an era, curb your enthusiasm, ending after 12 seasons and more than two decades,

why fans say the episode is Larry David's redo of the infamous Seinfeld finale. We'll explain it all. Plus, the high-profile cameos giving the show a proper Hollywood farewell. Stay with us. Finally tonight, Larry David's beloved curbier enthusiasm coming to an end, the highly anticipated episode paying homage to the controversial Seinfeld finale that David served as a co-created for. Valerie Castro has this one, and a warning to all of our viewers.

There are a lot of spoilers in this next story. After 12 seasons, spanning 25 years full of awkward and cringeworthy behavior. Larry David's caricature of himself and curb your enthusiasm came to an end with an homage. If you get convicted, you'll be a felon. Ba-da-a-da-bom. And a return to the scene of the Seinfeld finale, which at the time many considered a crime.

All right. David returned to Seinfeld for that finale in 1998, where Jerry and the cast were on trial for being insensitive, allowing for fan favorites of past seasons to make cameos. The superb episode uses a similar plot where TV Larry breaks a local election law and characters from his past come back to claim revenge. He came back in and he said he was opening up what he called a spite store. I will not tolerate corruption from Trump, Putin, or Larry David.

Come on. It was a perfect call. Even the boss, Bruce Springsteen, appearing as a witness. What kind of guy is Larry David? He's the kind of man who carelessly. maybe even maliciously, had me drink from his glass and gave me COVID. As he awaits a verdict, the characters take shots at the other ending. I bans all those Seinfeld episodes.

Oh, yeah? All I got left is a... Wow. Although, I heard some terrible things about it. The evidence of David's maddening personality is not lost on the jury who find him guilty of rubbing people the wrong way. We find the defendant guilty. As he is sitting in his cell, it appears he is. determined to have his show suffer the same fate the second button is the key button it

literally makes or breaks the shirt until none other than Jerry swoops in you're a free man freeing David's character on a technicality and some advice that comes from experience you don't want to end up like this nobody wants to see it trust me and while it seems Larry learned a lesson this is how we should have ended the finale his fans know better than that I'm 76 years old, and I have never learned a lesson in my entire life. And a big congrats to the curb crew for quite the run. We thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamison, New York.

Stay right there. More news on the way.