Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, July 27, 2026

Episode Date: July 28, 2026

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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, the monster storm unleashing tornadoes and pounding the Midwest right now. This giant twister tearing across Wisconsin. A massive funnel cloud sweeping through a neighborhood before ripping apart homes and downing trees. Storms flooding roads and flipping cars and it is not over yet. And dramatic video of gunfire erupting at a Seattle food festival. People running for their lives. Three people killed a gunman still on the loose. Another?

captured and only 15 years old. The wife of the Kansas City Chiefs coach carried away by first responders after allegedly being shot by their own son. Savannah Guthrie's new message seeming to speak directly to her mother's kidnappers. You'll hear her emotional plea. The convicted killer in the Idaho College murders now claiming he's innocent, why Brian Koberger is trying to take back his guilty plea. Incredible ocean rescue, a lifeguard fighting massive waves to save a boy swept out to see how he got him back to shore. And shark attack warning, multiple frightening encounters caught on camera, our conversation with one man who survived a bite in Florida. Plus, ice deportations ramp up our new reporting about the group of migrants at risk tonight. Top story starts right now.

Good evening, I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom. On the air, powerful storms ripping through the Midwest. Tornadoes hail and intense downpours impacting tens of millions. Look at this. Terrifying video of a massive funnel cloud tearing through Wisconsin. Close up, you can see those swirling clouds and flashing lightning. Video from inside a home shows those violent winds tossing debris across a yard. The destruction coming into view.

Dron video capturing an entire neighborhood leveled in Appleton, Wisconsin. Wisconsin. Homes and trees ripped to shreds, cars flipped on their side, some with windows blown out. And on a highway there, this semi-truck left barely recognizable. Much of it is completely mangled. Right now, hundreds of thousands are without electricity. Similar scenes in Illinois, winds and rain pounding against the windows of this car dealership. Drivers stalling on flooded roads as heavy rainfall submerges streets. And the threat is not over yet. We'll track where the storms are headed next, but we begin tonight with Maggie Vespa in those hard-hit Chicago suburbs. And Maggie, you were following some breaking news there.

Some workers are trapped in a storm drain. What can you tell us? Yeah, Alison, that's right. So basically, as you know, it's been raining through much of the afternoon. We got word early afternoon that two contractors were trapped below the ground in storm drains here. Rescue crews have been working frantically for hours to get to the two of them. Firefighters just telling us that one has been pulled out. the other one is still down there.

This is, as you point out, severe weather slams much of the country. Tonight, a monster twister tearing across Wisconsin. Watch as this ominous cloud roars through a neighborhood. This is really fucking bad. This dramatic video capturing the devastation in Manasha. Trees and homes on the main street torn apart. A warning siren still blaring, even with car windows blown out and that building damaged. A similar scene in Appleton, drone video showing houses simply destroyed.

Debris scattered across this residential area and mangled vehicles littered across a highway. It's all part of a violent system that slammed the Midwest today. You can hear powerful winds howling outside this car dealership near Chicago. Those were like golf balls. Large hail slamming the suburbs. Downed trees crashing onto homes and cars. Drivers forced to navigate flash flooding. Storms grounding flights at Midway Airport and Chicago O'Hare,

where this video shows water pouring in through the ceiling. It comes as more than 130 million Americans are under heat alerts and overseas historic wildfires ravage Western Europe, with more than 300,000 people evacuated from multiple iconic sites across Spain, Italy, and France, including that country's world-famous Bordeaux wine region. Here you see the flames from the cockpit of a firefighting plane. Around the world, Mother Nature's destructive power on full display.

And Maggie Vespa joins us again from Downers Grove, Illinois. And Maggie, those rescue efforts to save that's still trapped worker just expanded? Yeah, Ellison, that's right. So firefighters here on the ground telling us you can see one site where they're trying to reach them, but actually they're working at three right now within blocks of here. So it's expanded, really, to try to raise. to try to reach him from any direction they can. It's been raining throughout much of the afternoon,

and basically they just want to get to him, as you can imagine, as quickly as possible. Allison. NBC's Maggie Vespa leading us off tonight. Thank you. For more, let's bring in NBC Miami meteorologist Larissa Apreou. Larissa, this is just day one of a one-two-punch system, right? Time it all out for us. What are you watching?

Well, we're going to continue to see the threat for severe weather. That will carry on straight through tonight, and then we do it. all over again tomorrow, but tomorrow its eyes will focus on the East Coast. We'll get to that shortly, but for now, places like Green Bay, south into Madison, the severe weather threat is done for you. Chicago, just to your south, you're still dealing with pretty robust storms, and then the bullseye remains across Indianapolis, where we continue to see heavy rains, a couple severe thunderstorm warnings, so some of these storms capable of producing wind gusts

as high as 60 miles an hour. As you mentioned before, 47 million people at risk to see some of these strong storms capable of producing 60 to about 75 mile an hour wind gust. Damaging hail has also been in the history with some of these thunderstorms in addition to possible spin-ups. And we saw just that in and around Wisconsin. We take you to tomorrow where the threat then begins to shift east. We're talking our nation's capital, south into Raleigh, as far south as Columbia, South Carolina. And this is where we could see once again, wind gusts as high as 60 miles an hour, large hail, and a few isolated tornadoes are not out of the question. But that severe weather also extends as far north as the city of Philadelphia.

Now, one of the things we're also tracking is the immense heat that continues to batter the middle of the country. Take a look at some of these temperatures for tomorrow. Nineties triple digits. But when you factor in the humidity, we're going to be sweating it out. Memphis, Tennessee. Your air temperature 99 during peak hours of the afternoon. But once you include the humidity, dangerous heat index values will unfold. So please drink water and be careful out there. Larisa Abra-you, thank you. Not a more breaking news this time out of Washington State. Seattle police say they are searching for a third gunman involved in that deadly shooting

at a food festival and dramatic video capturing the chaotic moments the shooters opened fire. Liz Kreutz is at the scene. Tonight, police arresting a 15-year-old, who they say was part of that deadly shootout Sunday, sprang bullets into a crowded Seattle Food Festival. Oh, it's right there. Officials earlier saying they were still trying to locate and identify a second gunman. We believe that the bullets that were fired were from two individuals who appeared to be firing at one another. But late tonight in court documents, police say there was also a third shooter, riding the 15-year-old and one of the deceased,

engaged in a gunfight with at least one other unknown suspect. Police say three people died, a 56-year-old woman and two men ages 19 and 44. Anyone have a small, a trial, tourniquet size? Five other people were injured, including a two-year-old boy. I don't know if it's gang activity, but certainly group activity. We have to determine the nexus behind what happened. Well, city officials are facing backlash after Seattle's mayor incorrectly told the public Sunday, all shooters were in custody.

We are doing the best that we can to provide accurate information in a timely manner. Shooting, oh! According to officials, the gunfire erupted just after 6 p.m. Multiple people down. One person shot in the back. What's going on? Sending thousands running to safety. Oh my God.

People even forced to seek shelter in the Space Needles gift shop. You can just get a sense being here of how chaotic it must have been. There's trash littered everywhere and dozens of abandoned tents like this. this one. In fact, take a look. You can get a sense of how quickly they must have gotten out. Their food is still out on the counter, pancakes even still on the griddle. Vendor Akika Bullock was nearby when the shooting started. Altitation happened right over there towards the intersection. He says he ran towards the bullets to save his pregnant wife and saw many of the victims on the ground.

How are you doing? It's it shakes you. It's really sad. And Liz Kreutz joins us now. So Liz, that third gunman is still. believe to be at large at this hour. Yeah, Ellison, that's right. And actually, as we speak, the Seattle mayor and police department are giving another briefing where they now have come forward and said that, yes, they do believe that there were three gunmen involved, the 15-year-old in custody, the 19-year-old who is now deceased, and this

third gunman that they are still searching for. And they also now have come out and confirm that they do believe this was gang-related. They believe that the 19- and 15-year-olds were associates firing back. against this third person who is at large. And Ellison, just quickly, I'll show you. This is this bite of Seattle food festival. And all these vendors are now returning here today, busily trying to clean up after they had to abandon

so much in the chaos of this tragedy, Alison. NBC's Liz Kreutz in Seattle, thank you. Turning overseas to the violent attack in the streets of Paris, a man stabbing three women, a group of bystanders, jumping in to stop him. NBC's Matt Bradley has the latest. Tonight, disturbing video showing a suspect armed with two knives stabbing passers by on a Paris street. As bystanders scream in horror during a second stabbing attack in Europe in his many days. A crowd then subdued the attacker. One bystander threw a suitcase at him, forcing the knives from his hands,

according to a witness who said he helped tackle a man. I saw a man coming towards us with two large, lives like this and stabbing women, said this witness. Three women, one of them pregnant, were injured by the suspect. It comes after a suspected terror attack on a pride parade in Berlin, where one woman was killed and nearly 30 injured. The perpetrator rammed a white van into festival goers, then got out and stabbed people with a machete. German authorities identified the suspect as Abdul Balut, a German citizen whose parents immigrated

from Lebanon. He had a criminal history and was a supporter of the terror group ISIS. He was later shot and killed when police say he attacked officers with a knife. And Matt joins us now. Matt, talk to us about where French police stand tonight in terms of the investigation. Well, as I just mentioned to Tom Yamis, it looks as though the French police haven't actually determined whether or not they're going to be opening an investigation at all. This stands in stark contrast to what we heard from the German investigation, where that

that man who had been actually shot dead by police, he had been convicted in May and was sentenced to prison time. He had been a known sympathizer of ISIS. But in this Paris attack, that man had made, according to the French Interior Minister, statements, you saw he was pinned down by that crowd. He had made statements that police said were incoherent. So it's not entirely clear exactly what his motive, what is at all. NBC's Matt Bradley. Thank you. We appreciate it.

Also tonight, a secret service agent is under arrest facing accusations of brutality, of brutally beating two young men during a hazing ritual, including one who prosecutors say nearly died. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell has more. Tonight, a Miami-Bay secret service agent now has a mugshot and was pulled from his elite law enforcement job, accused of unleashing days of severe beatings in an alleged fraternity hazing ritual, linked to an alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi that left two unnamed victims so bloodied that extensive skin grafts and critical emergency care were required. Today in a Florida court, it's charging you with attempted manslaughter with a deadly weapon. 29-year-old Marquez Pinder appeared by video ordered to have no contact with victims or the fraternity.

Do you understand the stayaway order, sir? Yes, ma'am? Pinder and two other men face felony charges. According to an arrest warrant, the first of several April hazing incidents happened at Pinder's Miami apartment. An affidavit states two victims were struck repeatedly on their buttocks. With paddles and canes, one man bled through his underwear and pants. The laceration so severe that substantial portions of skin and soft tissue was surgically removed. One victim was intubated to prevent further physical deterioration and death.

The national fraternity said Kappa Alpha Psi is a non-hazing fraternity and said the suspects are not active or financial members. Kelly O'Donnell joins us now from Washington, D.C. Kelly, what else are you learning about that agent? Pinder has been an agent for fewer than three years. And that's important because that's described as phase one of the training to be a Secret Service agent. That typically takes five to six years. He has been removed from duty and is on administrative leave pending this court case moving forward. And he's now also being held under house arrest. He's due back in court in September, where he would then make a plea. What's so striking about this is it's hard to understand how a 29-year-old federal officer would be involved in this. So there are questions we have about who are these fraternity members? The University of Miami

says that this has nothing to do with their undergraduate chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. And as you saw on the piece, the national fraternity, which has been around for 115 years, is distancing itself as well and says that this is an alumni chapter. So there are some real questions about why these apparent adults are involved in this kind of behavior. In the court documents that I went through today, it was clear this was part of an organized ritual where they had had a campaign. in red and white, the fraternity's colors. They also had cleaning supplies. They had warned the two men who were ultimately victims in this about letting them know if it became too severe.

And yet, this happened on repeated dates and had such serious physical injuries. Ellison? Kelly O'Donnell in D.C., thank you. Now to a violent crime hitting the Kansas City Chiefs Organization, police saying the wife of the team's offensive coordinator was shot by their son. NBC Shaquille Brewster. has the video of the moment officers rushed in to try to save her. This dramatic moment captured on doorbell camera video shows deputies running. Carrying out Mia Bianami, the wife of Kansas City Chief's offensive coordinator, Eric Bianami, after authorities say she was shot by their son. Watch as officers move toward the home with their

weapons drawn. Oh, they're breaking down the door. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office says Mia called 911 herself. Deputies responding around six. 7.30 Sunday evening to a home in Ashburn, Virginia. Female reported she shot in the chest. Eric Bianami rushing from training camp in Missouri to help take care of her. According to the criminal complaint, Mia's son shot her with a 22-caliber gun in the left forearm and shoulder. Mia by enemy had been shot more than once, and there are other people in the house to include Elijah by enemy, who we determined at the time was the suspect in the incident.

This video shows a man handcuffed outside the home. 27-year-old Elijah Zion Bianami was arrested and charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm and commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. Now he's being held without bond. As the team says, Mia is in stable condition. She's a saint. We all know that. The people that know her, one of God's good blessings right there now.

I'm really a special person. Tonight, law enforcement still investigating this disturbing shooting. And Shaq Brewster joins us now with Moore. Shack, are we getting any new details in terms of her injuries? Well, Alison, according to that criminal complaint, she required surgery to treat her injuries and her wounds. That complaint specifying that she was shot twice, once in the forearm, the other time in the shoulder, but it says that a projectile went across her chest and is still in her body even after that surgery. Now, again, the team says she is in stable condition. And when we heard from her, Andy Reid, the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. He also suggested that Coach Eric could be away

for some time, saying that two other coaches will be picking up his responsibilities, at least during training camp. By the way, we did reach out to attorneys for Elijah, the attorney in the public defender's office, saying that they do not want to comment on this story, Alison. All right, NBC's Shaquille Brewster. Thank you. And we are back in a moment with a major update in the murder case of Brian Coburger, why he now wants to take back his guilty plea. And is it even possible? We'll explain. Plus, Savannah's new emotional message, our beloved colleague Savannah Guthrie, pleading with the person who may have taken her mother to finally bring her home. And the dramatic rescue at sea, a lifeguard rushing to save a boy caught up in some giant waves, how they finally

got him to shore. That's ahead on top story. We are back tonight with a difficult case out of Massachusetts, and we must warn you the details are disturbing. Beginning today, the high-profile trial of Lindsay Clancy, the mother accused of killing her three children, Clancy's ex-husband and father of the children taking to the stand testifying on his ex-wife's mental state. She described thoughts of hurting the kids or having or them having some sort of ailment. Clancy's legal team arguing that she is not responsible for their deaths due to postpartum psychosis. We have an expert panel to break it all down. NBC Boston reporter Mary Marcos, NBC News legal analyst Misty Maris, and Dr. Nicole Pinsack, a licensed clinical psychologist. Let's go right to Mary to break down the most pivotal moments in court today. Mary, you were in the courtroom.

Take us through what you heard. One of the most pivotal moments really was when Patrick Clancy testified that he thought the children were killed on what he thought was one of his ex-wife's best days. And Lindsay's lawyer even said that he didn't have to be there to testify on her behalf, but he was there talking about how Lindsay's mental health continued to decline over the course of about four months, even though they were actively trying to seek medical treatment. Nicole, let's bring you in here, because the defense in this case is saying postpartum psychosis, in particular was at play. I think a lot of people have heard this case, and they said, okay, it's dealing with postpartum and we think depression.

This is different, right? Break down for us the differences there and what exactly we're talking about. So postpartum psychosis occurs in one to two per every thousand births. And it's marked by a break from reality and typically characterized by delusions, fixed irrational beliefs or hallucinations. So hearing things other people can't hear and seeing things other people can't see. And it is a medical emergency. and it's also temporary and very treatable.

Talk to us about what some of the risk factors are. I've heard it described as something that's very rare. When we hear what we heard from Patrick Clancy, her ex-husband in court today, about a four-month decline, is that typical? So with postpartum psychosis in general, the riskiest period is within the first month after birth and the first couple of weeks. So we really advocate for proactive postpartum mental health treatment. So once you get pregnant, set up care with a therapist or prescriber that specializes in postpartum mental health.

And that way they can explain to you your unique risk factors and even prevent postpartum psychosis. Risk factors that we know include history of bipolar disorder, family history of bipolar disorder, history of psychosis, postpartum psychosis, birth trauma, history of trauma, even preclampsia. So we really do understand some of these risk factors and can work towards preventing. So, Misty, there is a question of people have mental health issues, things that come up, but that doesn't necessarily mean it meets the burden in a criminal case to say, okay, you didn't understand what was happening. Break that down for us. Is there a precedent for this? Yeah, so the defense here is arguing lack of criminal responsibility, meaning she's admitting that she

committed the act, but she should not be held criminally culpable because she did not appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions or was not able to conform her conduct to the law. So that's in Massachusetts, kind of the equivalent of an insanity defense. To think of a case where a similar argument was used, let's go back to Andrea Yates. 2001 drowned her five children, raised a very similar argument. And here the defense is arguing that there were mental health issues due to this postpartum psychosis that was exacerbated by being overmedicated. 13 psychiatric drugs were prescribed during the period between September 2020 and January 2020. So that is the crux of the defense argument, and it's really going to come down to that expert medical testimony.

Nicole, from your perspective, when you hear this discussion about the amount of medications that were prescribed, do we hear that number 13? What stands out to you? So I can't comment on Lindsay Clancy's medical treatment. I'm not part of our treatment team, and it would be an ethical for me to do so. But I can say, in general, we have very effective medications for postpartum psychosis, and it is temporary and treatable. Okay. Misty, when you think about what we heard from Patrick Clans, today and he's going to be on the stand again, right? This isn't over. But what stood out to you? So Patrick is an interesting witness because he's testifying right now direct exam from the prosecution, but he's also on the defense witness list as well. So what we heard today was really laying out this

timeline from a prosecution perspective, a lot of focus on the days leading up to the killing. And in fact, that day where he said that she seemed better. These were some of her best days. We saw videos of the family at a water park playing with the kids. She was able to function. Seems like a normal day. It doesn't seem like she's under any sort of psychotic episode. So that's where the prosecution is going. Now, from the defense perspective, what I picked up on is there is a time where there are serious

and significant issues that are being recognized by Lindsay and also by Patrick. December, she says at least two times, according to his testimony, that she did express that she's having thoughts of harming the children, that they were. were actively seeking medical treatment. That's why this case is going to be so heavy on experts to talk about what her mental state was at the time the crime was committed. That is really the critical point in time from the jury's perspective and what they're going to have to grapple with and their determination. Mary, let's bring you back in and have you pick it up from there. What is next in the coming days for this trial? And in terms of what we expect to hear as it we

move forward from the prosecution, they have brought up different things like the fact that they alleged Lindsay Clancy was mapping things out when her husband left home that day. How important is that going to be moving forward? Well, that'll be really important to the case, and that is pretty much where they left off today. They were going through the text messages between Lindsay and Patrick the day the children died. And that includes when Lindsay sent Patrick out to a restaurant to get takeout for dinner. She said she hadn't planned anything for dinner that night. And she, the prosecutors alleged that she sent him to a restaurant that they didn't typically get take out from. So that will be where we pick up on Wednesday when court resumes at 9 o'clock in the

morning, that moment when Patrick comes home and what he finds. Mary Marcos, Misty Maris, and Dr. Nicole Pinsack, thank you all. We appreciate it. And a reminder, if you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also visit 988 lifeline.org. Still to come on top story tonight, emergency beach landing, why this plane suddenly veered off course we hear from the pilot. Plus, missing in paradise, what we know about the American woman who disappeared after going swimming in Granada. Back now with an emotional new message from our colleague, Savannah Guthrie, seeming to speak directly with her mother's kidnapper. The 84-year-old now missing

for nearly six months. Here's Aaron McLaughlin with Savannah's new video. I'm coming on today with the very specific message. It has been months since our mom was taken from us. Our family is in agony. Tonight, Nancy Guthrie's daughter Savannah posting this heart-wrenching message to her mother's kidnapper. We are in a nightmare that will not end. Nothing about our situation has changed. We have done our part, and we will never stop looking for her.

We will always ache for her and feel that hole in our hearts. The world can be. a cruel and unforgiving place. And I know that you have tried to do things the right way. Back in February, the Guthrie family announced a million dollar reward for information leading to Nancy's recovery. Now Savannah seeming to speak directly to the person responsible for taking her. So I'm asking you, begging you to do the right thing now, make the right choice. Help us find her. Tell us where to look for her. I truly believe it is never too late to do the right thing.

Help us bring this situation to an end. For all of us, no matter where we've been and what we've done, I believe there is always a way home. Please make the right choice. It's unclear what prompted this message. Law enforcement sources tell us there have been no significant developments. Erin McLaughlin, NBC News. Now, an update in a story we've been following closely here on Top Story, a judge deciding

there is enough evidence for singer David to stand trial for the killing of a teenage girl last year. The singer whose legal name is David Anthony Burke has pleaded not guilty to all charges he faces. The decision follows days of testimony with prosecutors sharing text between Burke and 14-year-old Celestrivas Hernandez months before her body was found decomposing in the trunk, trunk, rather, of his Tesla. Eric Leonard joins us now from our Los Angeles station. Eric, talk to us about what we learned during this multi-day hearing. And in terms of next steps here, what comes next?

Yeah, prosecutors put on a dozen witnesses over five days who described all elements of the case. They described Celeste Rivas Hernandez's death. The discoveries of what they say were her DNA profiles in stains found in both David Burke's rented Hollywood. Hill's home and also in his car. There was some striking forensic evidence that came in where one of the analysts at the LAPD showed that tiny bits of plastic that were found during her autopsy examination matched up like jigsaw puzzle pieces with an inflatable kids pool found in Burke's garage. The prosecutors believe that's where her body was dismembered. There were also, as you mentioned, dozens of text messages discussed. These really established the very close

and possibly unlawful sexual relationship that went on between the two of them well over the course of the year, beginning when she was 13 years old, all the way through when she was 14 years old. And the prosecution also brought in text messages just this morning before the judge made her decision about how they believe some of those messages show Celeste was threatening David Burke with the possible exposure of their relationship and what she said would ruin his career. And Eric, in the past attorneys for David have said that they believe, and they will show that he is not responsible for her death. A trial date has not been officially set yet. But in terms of the defense's case here, what do we expect them to present?

Well, they went for what you might expect in a murder case, which was challenging the sufficiency of the government's evidence, saying there just simply wasn't proof that Celeste Rivas had been murdered in the way prosecutors suggested. And there is a lack of direct evidence. There aren't eyewitnesses to the murder. There's no video of it. But it was a mountain of circumstantial evidence that the defense is trying to overcome here. So threatened, or I should say the defense raised questions about whether or not there was enough proof to stand up these charges. Obviously, the judge disagreed. Also, they raised the idea through cross-examination that Celeste may have had a role in her own death, both highlighting some of the text messages where they say Celeste had threatened

violence against Burke, where they said she seemed despondent, and during the cross-examination of the medical examiner, the coroner who did the autopsy, tried to raise questions about whether Celeste could have stabbed herself. Now, Celeste's parents were in court for most of this. As you might imagine, they were very upset by some of these suggestions. Their attorney said today, after court, he was horrified. As you mentioned, no trial date's been set, but Burke has been ordered back to court August 31st. Until then, he's being held with no bail.

A trial could be set within 90 days of August 31st, so certainly it's possible before the end of the year. Eric Leonard in Los Angeles, thank you. At a top story's news feed, starting with the urgent search for an American woman who went missing on vacation while in Granada. According to a longtime friend Elizabeth Waddell went out for a swim at a beach in that country last Wednesday but then did not return. Authorities put out a missing person's alert and they are asking anyone with more information to come forward and report it. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell giving a new update on his health. His office shared this photo of him and his wife, adding that McConnell is still not ready to return to each. in-person work on Capitol Hill.

He's been getting physical therapy after a fall in his home last month. It's forced him to miss the last 38 votes on the Senate floor. No timeline yet on when he's supposed to return to Washington, but McConnell is not running for reelection and is set to retire when his term ends. And the scary moments, a plane lands

on a Southern California beach. Police say a plane made an emergency call this afternoon and landed right in the sand on Huntington State Beach. There were two people on board, and they had just left John Wayne Airport when their engine failed. Our team at NBC, Los Angeles, spoke to the pilots moments after. Things happen a lot faster in a jet than they do in an airplane like this. So I felt like I had a few seconds to digest what was happening, but still a very serious situation. And I just really just

followed my instincts. Luckily, the pilot made that safe landing and there were no injuries. Staying in California, Santa Cruz lifeguard saving a 10-year-old boy. while dodging, pounding waves on the central coast. But the lifeguard needed help going under at one point. Other swimmers joining in pulling the kid back to shore. Witnesses told NBC Bay Area that conditions suddenly turned dangerous, sweeping that young boy out into the surf. They say he is expected to be okay.

Also tonight, a dramatic new twist in the case of Brian Coburger, the man convicted of killing four University of Idaho students back in 2022. It pleaded guilty last year and is serving multiple life sentences, but now we're learning he wants to take back that plea and have his day in court. NBC Stephanie Gossack is tracking it all for us. So Stephanie, why the sudden change? Yeah, I mean, it took everyone by surprise, right? So he wants to withdraw his guilty plea, plead not guilty, and then have this go to trial.

And you remember it was a pretty sudden decision when the plea deal happened about three weeks or so before the trial last year. And he reached out to the New York Times over the weekend. And he told them this in a statement, my asses. actual innocence is my truth, and the plea hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation must be withdrawn. But you may remember, too, there was a hearing last summer where they talked about the plea deal, and a judge asked him some very pointed questions about how they arrived at this plea deal. Listen to this little bit we have for you. And do you understand the nature of the charges that are, that you've been charged,

with that I understand you're going to plead guilty today, too. Yes. Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty? Yes. He also specifically asks him, did you kill any names each of the victims in four separate questions? And he says, yes. Providing him, according to legal experts, very little wiggle room here.

So how rare is it to see someone take this course of action and also you touched on the legal wiggle room there? Does he have a case here? Well, we don't know the details of what he's actually going to lay out for the judge. But he can do this. It is rare. It's even rarer that it goes forward, and a judge agrees to it, because you have to show that you had counsel that was trying to deceive you, or there has to be new information that's introduced. We don't know if he has any of that, and so we have to see what the briefing does say in the end, but it could end up being a hearing. Another thing I think people will think when they hear about this is, wait, isn't there a new Netflix documentary that's coming out focused on the families of the Idaho for?

Two days. It's out in two days. And yeah, this documentary, the point of this is to highlight the lives of these for University of Idaho students, not the crime, not the case, and the people who loved them. And you know that Gonzalez, Kelly Gonzalez's family came out with a statement today. And they called Brian Coburger, the mosquito you just. just can't SWAT. And they suggested that all of this is him just trying to get out of solitary confinement and to be back in the spotlight again. Allison. NBC, Stephanie Gosk, thank you. You're welcome. And tonight we're learning that ICE plans to ramp up arrest and deportations of Haitian migrants after the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration could strip their temporary protected status. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez joins us now to discuss. Gabe, walk us through your new reporting because we're talking about... about potentially 350,000 Haitian migrants being impacted by this, right?

Yeah, certainly, Al Sen, it is significant for hundreds of thousands of Haitian migrants. Maybe many of them who had been living in the United States for quite some time under temporary protected status. Now, the administration has long said that temporary protected status or TPS is meant to be temporary. However, many immigrant advocates say that there are very dangerous circumstances remaining in Haiti. and that these immigrants, many of whom have been working and living throughout the United States now for several years, should not have to be forced to go back to Haiti, which is considered by many, to be still extremely dangerous. Now, an administration official does tell NBC News that ICE is planning to ramp up the arrest

and deportations of these Haitian migrants, although the official says that the timing and the exact location of these operations are still being worked out at this point. But this comes after the Supreme Court gave the administration a major victory this year by saying that TPS status could be removed not just from Haitians, but also from Syrians. So again, we're expecting this to unfold in the coming weeks and months, perhaps some immigrant advocates, including a group that works with Haitians, says that they are already receiving many concerned calls from many communities. communities in New York City and San Diego, for example, that are expecting these arrests and

deportations to ramp up very soon, Allison. And gave DHS also announcing new changes to the asylum process? That's right. And look, the administration is framing this as a way to clear the asylum a backlog. Now, the change basically would allow immigration officers to bypass the traditional interview from some asylum applicants and refer their cases directly to immigration judges. Now, again, the administration is trying to argue that this will remove the backlog. This has the potential, though, to affect a large amount of asylum applicants, hundreds of thousands, potentially.

And immigrant advocates are coming back and saying that this is merely an excuse to try and fast-track deportations. But again, this all comes as the Trump administration really tries to increase the pay. of deportations, despite the recent controversies over those ice-involved shootings, those deadly shootings in other places across the country, including Maine and Texas. House. Gabe Gutierrez, thank you. Coming up tonight, the rise in shark sightings across the country. We hear from one man who survived a terrifying attack in Florida.

And singer Carly Simon's shocking Parkinson's diagnosis, what she's saying about her symptoms. Stay with us. And a quick programming note, make sure to tune in on Wednesday for Pope Leo's concert for peace, featuring Andrea Bocelli and a choir of children from around the world. You can only watch it here on NBC News Now, NBC, and Telemundo. And Tom Yamis will be anchoring from there and will speak with Pope Leo. We'll have that conversation right here on top story. Back now with the surge in Summer Shark sightings.

More encounters captured on camera on both coast here at home and around the globe. Here's NBC's George Salis. The heart-stopping shark attack caught on video. Watch as this apparent reef shark charges towards the diver, New Zealand content creator Henry Gibbs. Gibbs capturing the chaos while spearfishing in Fiji, saying the shark latched onto the back of his calf and began to roll. He says tonight he's on the mend. Meanwhile in Florida. I was more worried about heart than I was myself.

Jekori High, now recovering after. He says a shark attacked him while he and his pregnant fiance were swimming in shallow water in Daytona Beach. When he let go on my foot, they tried to come up and get my arm. Then I pushed it away from me and then it tried to get my other leg as I was running out of the water. And look at this, a great white shark earlier this July in the waters off Rhode Island. These moments, part of a wave of shark sightings this summer. Help! One possible factor, the warming of seawater, because of a weather phenomenon known as El Needs.

Dr. Mahmoud Shivji studies sharks at Nova Southeastern University. Could El Nino have a direct correlation with why we're seeing more sharks? So there is some evidence that during El Nino periods, juvenile bike sharks, and this is in the Pacific, tend to come in close to shore. Shivji says it could also be pushing prey closer to shore. And sharks, big sharks, they want food, and so they tend to come in following their food,

and so they come in close to shore. come in close to shore. And so that might be part of the reason why people are seeing, at least they're seeing more fins in the water. Still, experts say shark attacks are rare, but some survivors like Jacori High, thinking twice about getting back in the water. I'm going to beach. Yeah, you're going back. And George Solis joins us now from Dania Beach, Florida. George, as you said in your report there, we're definitely seeing more sharks. Are bites on the rise as well? Yeah, Alison, it's still extremely rare. I mean, here on the beach, We've actually seen a number of people in the water.

You might be able to see two off in the distance. So it's certainly not slowing people from getting into the water. But that expert we spoke with said, a couple of things to keep in mind. You're more likely to fall off your bike, more likely to get into a car accident, more likely to get struck by lightning than actually get bitten by a shark. That said, it's important to heed the warnings. Number one, if you see a lifeguard blow the whistle alerting to a shark, you obviously want to get out of the water. And of course, if you see a shark or suspect a shark in the water to get out immediately. Alison.

George Salis, thank you. Turning now to Top Stories health check and the devastating diagnosis for music icon Carly Simon. She's revealed she has Parkinson's disease. Here's NBC's Ann Thompson with more on her diagnosis. Carly Simon is an exquisite storyteller. But her story today is a shock. The woman whose music helped define the 70s and 80s has Parkinson's disease. Now 83, Simon says it was discovered when she still had mobility issues, despite having both knees and a hip replaced. In a statement writing, there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help. My family and I knew that something more was going on. Simon says she is taking medication for stiffness and other symptoms while focused on the emotional impact of the disease, particularly the apathy. Writing, it is as though the part of the brain that sends out invitations to participate in life

has temporarily misplaced the guest list. As it has so many times, she says her music has rescued her, laid down in a new album. It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life. What is the prognosis for someone who is 83 and diagnosed with Parkinson's? I think that's highly variable. It depends very much on the individual. Generally speaking, we anticipate a slow evolution of symptoms with increasing different. with day-to-day function and mobility. Still resilient, the woman who wrote the Oscar-winning theme to the movie Working Girl, says tonight she has not stopped living and working.

Nobody does. Still writing her story. Ann Thompson, NBC News. For more on this, I want to bring in neurologist, Dr. Leah Kroll. Dr. Kroll, thank you for joining us. I'll start with the caveat that you don't. personally treat Carly Simon, but this is an issue that a lot of people have heard about, have thought about, have questions about. And so we appreciate you being here to help us make sense

of it as much as we can. So Carly Simon has said that she had arthritis in both knees and a hip and then had several joint replacements. In terms of Parkinson's disease and how it manifests, are those common early symptoms? Alison, this is a really interesting question. And the answer is both yes and no. So one of the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease is rigidity. That can feel like pain, stiffness, difficulty moving the joints. It sounds and feels similar to arthritis for a lot of people. But I want to be clear, there's not actually a relationship between arthritis and Parkinson's disease, meaning having arthritis doesn't increase your risk. But both of those disease processes are

increasingly common as we get older, and there is an overlap in those symptoms. So data shows 1.1 million people in the United States have Parkinson's. and nearly 90,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year. What are some of the warning signs or things people should try and look out for? So the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are going to be problems with movement and mobility. Specifically, the classical symptoms beyond rigidity, like we already mentioned, are Brady-Kinesia. That's a medical term for a slowing down of your movement and resting tremor.

That's involuntary tremoring that happens when you're at rest. Often we describe it as a pill-rolling tremor because it starts. in the hands and sort of looks like this, like you're rolling a pill between your fingers. But the symptoms can be more far-reaching than that. Other things to look out for depression, constipation, loss of a sense of smell, difficulties with sleep, difficulties controlling your blood pressure. The list goes on because there's so many different ways this can look, depending on your individual case. Talk to us about prevention. We know there is no cure yet for Parkinson's, but there are also promising treatments, right? In terms of prevention and possible treatments,

What are those? So it's not a curable disease like most of our neurodegenerative diseases, but we do have good treatments that help make the symptoms more manageable. The mainstays are going to be medications to increase the ease of your movements and your mobility. And also certain patients may be candidates for particular surgical therapies, things like deep brain stimulation or focused ultrasound. All patients really benefit from physical therapy, exercise, speech therapy, occupational therapy, mindfulness, meditation, support groups, all of that plays a role. And in terms of prevention,

exercise, exercise, exercise, and a healthy diet. And there are always doctors like you. If you have questions, concerns about yourself or your loved one, somebody that you can reach out to a medical professional for more questions. Dr. Leah Kroll, thank you so much. We appreciate your insights in time tonight. Thank you. Stay with us because when we come back, connected forever. We'll talk about the life-saving donation that brought one couple closer than ever before. Their story is coming up next on Top Story. And finally, tonight, a married couple from Arizona, redefining what it means to be the perfect match.

When her husband needed a kidney, she stepped in with a life-saving donation. Emily Aketa has their story. When Robert Coleman Jr. and Maddie Gehr exchanged vows last year, they never anticipated such an early test of in sickness and in health. I started having a little bit of blurry vision and spots my eyes. So I ended up going to urgent care and they sent me directly to the emergency room. Coleman had reached stage five kidney failure and the spring learned he would need a transplant. Finding a donor for many can take years.

But it turns out these newlyweds were a perfect match in more ways than one, geared donating her kidney to save her husband. We just always say it was meant to be because who wouldn't, who knows, knows what would have happened if we didn't meet. Oh, what is it? The surgery was successful. And as they both recovered from their operations, Coleman's sweet talks the nurse into letting him see his beloved and be present for the discharge ceremony.

She wheeled me down to the third floor and I just, my heart was overwhelmed. It's just a huge blessing for us. The pair, both firefighters, now looking forward to the two firefighters now looking forward to the now looking forward to returning to duty and saving more lives. This is the biggest test that we could possibly give and she passed in the flying colors. She's incredible and I'm extremely blessed to have her as my wife, that's for sure. It's all up from here. Emily Ikeda, NBC News.

And thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Ellison Barber in New York for Tom Yamis. Stay right there. More news is on the way.