Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, March 18, 2024

Episode Date: March 19, 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, Americans desperate to escape Haiti as violence in the gang-occupied region intensifies. The U.S. evacuating dozens of citizens, but nearly 1,000 more are still trying to get out. The nation spiraling further into chaos as it remains without a leader. Deadly clashes between police and gangs continue to escalate. One woman recalls the terrifying moment she realized she was trapped in the country, the harrowing mission, to get her out. Also tonight, Trump's assets in danger, the former president's legal team saying he cannot pay his $464 million bond in his New York fraud case. The state's attorney general threatening to seize his assets, including his iconic Fifth Avenue penthouse, and the growing backlash over his comments at a weekend rally predicting a, quote, bloodbath in the auto industry if he loses the election. The fiery response from President Biden's campaign tonight.

Plus, Hezbollah bomb maker, customs and border patrol detaining a man at the southern border who claimed he was heading to New York to make an explosive. The investigation into that man's alarming claims. Burglary tourist warning, thieves traveling internationally to target wealthy California neighborhoods and trading in what they stole for cash to send back home. The growing trend forcing Los Angeles police to take new steps to tackle the problem. Kate on camera. New video showing Princess Kate shopping with Prince William.

The sighting comes a week after the release of a heavily manipulated photo that triggered a social media firestorm. The move adding to conspiracies on her whereabouts. Missing student clue, Nashville police releasing new body camera footage following the disappearance of a college student. What that new video shows and the strange place his credit card was found as the search continues for Riley Strain. And cougar attack survivor, a cyclist speaking out after being mulled by a cougar in Washington State, how her friends jumped into action to help her escape the jaws of that animal and save her life. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis.

Tonight, desperation mounting in Haiti as violence in the country dramatically escalates. Nearly a week after Haiti's prime minister announced his resignation, the nation remains in a dangerous power vacuum. Without any leadership, gangs are overrunning the region, even setting the police chiefs home on fire. Just this weekend, police and gangs entering a deadly battle over territory. The rise in violence comes as the U.S. airlifts, 30 Americans trapped in the gang-occupied nation. The Americans landing safely in Miami. The U.S. State Department says nearly 1,000 U.S. citizens have reached out for options to try and evacuate a sharp increase from just last week. Ahead, we hear from an American who narrowly escaped after getting trapped in Haiti while on a mission.

But it's not just Americans trying to flee. Haiti's citizens pouring into nearby Dominican Republic, filled with anguish and despair, as many are loaded onto buses and sent back. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez starts us off tonight. Tonight, more Americans are out of Haiti after a dramatic rescue operation. Congressman Corey Mills of Florida posting these pictures of 13 people whist to safety. As the violence in Porter Prince escalates, more deadly gun battles between Haitian police and armed gangs led by Jimmy Cheriseet, better known as barbecue. One gang out with a slickly produced propaganda video showing it's heavily armed. Today, the State Department said nearly a thousand Americans still trapped in Haiti have reached out to the U.S. Embassy.

Work is ongoing, and we have no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens. Though we certainly recognize the security situation is untenable. Over the weekend, the U.S. evacuated more than 30 Americans, but it's private groups who are conducting some of the most dangerous rescues. It was a little frightening. Missionary Miriam Sinotti is a baker from Jacksonville. She's now safe after a harrowing escape, thanks to Project Dynamo, a veteran-led search and rescue organization. We couldn't get to where the help was coming to. We couldn't get to capation.

We couldn't get to, you know, different places to even get on a government plane. And Gabe joins us now from outside of the White House. Gabe, what is the White House saying tonight about the state? the effort to evacuate Americans from Haiti? Well, Allison, the White House says that an active analysis is underway, weighing the risk of trying to get Americans out potentially through Porter Prince's airport, which has been closed now for some time. Now, Allison, there are a lot of questions about whether that round of Americans that was

evacuated over the weekend, they were actually taken out from a city in northern Haiti, which is far from the violence in Porter Prince. lot of questions about those trapped Americans in the biggest danger, how they might get out else. And Gabe, you were reporting along the Haitian border just last week, and now sources, I understand, are telling you the violence in Port-au-Prince is just on a whole new level. What makes this different than the last two weeks? Yeah, that's right. And where we were was a rural part of the Dominican-Hasian border. And as I mentioned, the problem there was severe hunger. Prince, as you saw in the piece, the violence has escalated dramatically. And really, over the weekend, from Friday into Saturday, has been an incredible escalation. The main gang leader there, known as Barbecue, he is basically now in an all-out war with the Haitian national police. And we spoke with the director of the state broadcaster in Haiti, who says that it was knocked off the air today, therefore limiting Haitian's access to information. So the security situation,

there in Haiti deteriorating very quickly. And now that violence between the gangs and the Haitian national police, we're told, is on a whole new level over the last few days, Alison. Gabe Gutierrez at the White House. Thank you. Now to our other major headline tonight, former President Trump's legal team announcing he cannot pay the $464 million bond due in his New York civil fraud case. It comes amid growing backlash after his comments this weekend about the auto industry,

saying there will be a, quote, bloodbath if he doesn't win the election. NBC News, senior Capitol Hill correspondent Garrett Hake is following it all for us tonight. Tonight, the fate of former President Trump's most famous properties could be up in the air, with Trump attorneys telling a judge he's unable to secure bond in the $464 million civil fraud judgment against him, asking a judge for an emergency stay. guarantors won't accept real estate as collateral, but want nearly a half billion dollars in cash, which Trump's company doesn't have, his lawyers say. If he cannot postpone for the full amount by next week, Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James could start seizing his assets,

potentially even his Trump Tower penthouse. In their filing, Trump attorneys argue the penalty is grossly disproportional when there were, quote, no victims, no damages and no actual financial losses in the case. It comes as the Trump campaign also faces blowback amid Mr. Trump's new inflammatory rhetoric against what he calls criminal migrants. They're not people in my opinion, but I'm not allowed to say that because the radical left says that's a terrible thing to say. These are animals, okay? Mr. Trump has vowed to bring back his remain in Mexico policy that keeps migrants waiting outside the U.S. until courts decide their asylum cases. The Biden administration is releasing 85% of migrants into the U.S. while they wait for asylum decisions.

And tonight, the presumptive GOP nominee also pushing back, saying Democrats, quote, pretended to be shocked at my use of the word bloodbath during this riff about Chinese carmakers. We're going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you're not going to be able to sell those cars. If I get elected, now if I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath for the whole, that's going to be the least of it. It's going to be a bloodbath for the country. That'll be the least of it. Mr. Trump saying he was referring to President Biden allowing imports he says are killing the auto industry. Late tonight calling Democratic attacks, quote, misinformation.

The word bloodbath, I used it about trade, essentially auto trade, because we're getting ripped off with Biden's really dumb auto policy. The Biden campaign rejecting that it was about only cars. Every single day, Donald Trump, is promoting and endorsing and encouraging political violence on the stump. And Garrett Hake joins us now from Washington. So, Garrett, a lot of news from the campaign trail tonight, but let's go back to that bond payment. The Trump team says that he cannot pay it, and they are asking for an emergency stay.

Do we know when a decision could come on that request? Well, so the judge could really rule at any time, including as early as today, and would have to rule by the end of next week. That's the current deadline by which the Attorney General could start season. Mr. Trump's bank accounts or even his properties to satisfy the requirements of that judgment. So I'm refreshing the feed even as we speak to see when we might get news from the judge there. And Garrett, we understand NBC News has some new reporting about President Biden's frustrations with his own campaign. What can you tell us about that?

Yeah, our White House team has done some great reporting here about the president getting increasingly frustrated, both by his low poll numbers and by the idea that he's being cocooned by his staff and not able to campaign as aggressively as he wants against Donald Trump. And in this style in which he likes is a more traditional retail politician. Sources have told our White House team that he's swore and cursed and complained about these low poll numbers and really been pushing to be more active on the campaign trail. An inch that's been scratched a little bit over the last two weeks with him being more aggressive in swing states, including two stops coming up this week.

But we see this all the time, Ellison, especially with presidents. I always feel like they're their own best advocate. They want to get out on the trail a little bit more than they're often able to do, given the rigors of the day job of actually being president. Garrett Hake in D.C., thank you. For more on Trump's comments this weekend and what they might mean for the 2024 campaign, I want to bring in our political pros tonight, Michael Starr Hopkins, president of Northern Star Strategies and a former advisor to the Clinton and Obama campaigns

and GOP strategist Krisha Linzo. Thank you both so much for being here. Michael, let's start with you, since you are in D.C. we're both here. The Trump team is responding to the backlash about Trump's bloodbath comments this weekend, saying that he was specifically referring to the auto industry. He did make those comments in the context of talking about auto manufacturing and trade with China. How do you respond to that defense? Yeah, I mean, the president wants, or former president, rather, wants to pretend like his comments exist in a vacuum. When he started that event, he started out

by referring to January 6 protesters as patriots. That's how we get to the fact that he then is using words like bloodbath. Every time he opens his mouth, he sounds like a lunatic. And so, you know, I can understand why Americans don't understand what he's saying, because frankly, most of us don't understand what he's saying, because it sounds so ridiculous, and it usually is a fomentation of violence. And so I'm glad I'm not a Republican because I wouldn't want to have to defend that kind of language. Chris, I feel like you have been summoned with that. You are a Republican, and when we're talking about some of the languages that he, the language he has used, I mean, even beyond just that term bloodbath, we heard him in a speech talk about some migrants saying that to him, some migrants are not people. We did hear him make comments about January 6 defendants who have been convicted, saying that they are hostages, which is someone who reported from January 6 that day, morning tonight, outside of the Capitol, is simply not true. Is it difficult for Republicans to defend these comments? Would you,

defend them? I would certainly defend his comments. With respect to the bloodbath, they were taken out of context. Even if you look at the dictionary definition of bloodbath, I used to be an economic reporter. This is a commonly used term. It was in the context of the auto industry, as he mentioned, President Trump. And with respect to the migrants, he was talking about, certainly I would say migrants or anyone in this country for that matter, and he used it again in the context of talking about MS-13 and gang members. Anyone who rapes women, who rapes women, who. attacks individuals in our nation, the way someone, the individual who killed Lake and Riley did, I would say they're subhuman.

I think that people who even just now, NBC News reported on the individual who's trying to come to New York and blow up New York with a bomb, potentially, according to reports, those people are subhuman. So I think it's very, very important to look at the context and not just focus on the words. We should be focusing on the policies, which Joe Biden has failed. on all of these issues. Let's talk a little more about January 6 hostages. And we're talking about this idea of crime as it relates to people who have come to the United

States, either illegally or who were simply not born here. I mean, there's been dozens of studies from Stanford dating back to the 1960s. Studies in 2019 from Cato Institute that show people who are native-born Americans commit crime and violent crime at a much higher rate than people who were not born in this country and then come here. But on the January 6th comment and saying that those people are hostages, I think about people like Peter Stagger, I believe was his name, was currently serving a 52-month sentence in prison for attacking a Capitol Hill police officer with a flagpole and was also captured

on video at the same time saying the only remedy here for them is death. Do you think those people are hostages and is that difficult for Republicans when the president refers to people like that when we have real hostages, American citizens currently inside of Gaza? I think with respect to January 6th, he was referring to what we're seeing in the legal system more generally, which is the unfair persecution and prosecution of Republicans and people who... But he was specifically talking about January 6th. He made very clear to say we have to free those J6 hostages. Well, there are certainly individuals on January 6th who were taken into custody who do not

deserve to be taken into custody. And then prosecuted? Do you think people serving sentences right now from January 6 were unfairly prosecuted, like Peter Stagger? I certainly think not necessarily Peter Stagger, but I would say many on that day were unfairly targeted and should... do not deserve to be in that situation. As we see President Trump now, the indictments, they're attacking him. He's unable to obtain the proper assistance legally or even with respect

to the bond payment because anyone who aligns themselves with President Trump or for freedom and values in our country, they are being attacked. Okay, we're going to come back to the bond payment and talk a little more about that. But Michael, let's talk a little more about that new NBC news reporting that Garrett Hake was referring to when we spoke with him from inside the Biden campaign where there are people within his campaign saying to NBC News that President Biden has grown angry and anxious about reelection effort. And you look at his polling and the concerns are understandable, right? He is polling behind Trump nationally and in almost all of the battlegrounds. And when you look at this that's on your screen here, his approval rating is lower than the last

three presidents who have failed to win re-election. How concerned are you with the state of Biden's re-election campaign right now? Look, to say that I'm not concerned would be disingenuous. I think anybody running against Donald Trump would be concerned, given what the consequences are would be for his victory. But when you're Joe Biden running with wages up, inflation down, you're running against someone who foments violence, who foments discrimination, racism, who doesn't believe in democracy, who says on their first day, they'll be a dictator. That's someone who I would like to run against, because as Joe Biden, you get to run on the record of democracy. Joe Biden has a long record. He's fought for democracy. He's fought across the country in terms of making

sure that we are inclusive, that we're bringing both red and blue states together, and that's at the antithesis of what Donald Trump represents. And, Krisha, before we go here, you mentioned the bond payments. When we're talking about what We have heard from the Attorney General Letitia James saying that she would potentially seize his assets from a political standpoint and on the campaign trail. What would that mean, do you think, for the Trump campaign, if that were to actually happen? Well, I think just looking at Latisha James in general, I worked with a candidate who ran against her.

And if he had won, we wouldn't have had many of these problems with respect to, again, the unfair persecution and prosecution of a former president, which again relates to election integrity and our rights. She's doing this because she ran on getting Trump. Every point of her campaign, she intended to do this. She said it in her rhetoric on the campaign trial. So it's no surprise she's going after him to seize his assets because this is exactly what she's trying to do.

She's trying to destroy the Trump organization. Luckily, ultimately the Trump organization does have those assets. They may not be liquid, but they are in his real estate. And this case, there really is no damages. And that's the problem. We all see it for what it is. Most Americans do see these 91 indictments for what they are, which is targeting, again, not to use that word too much, but it really is no other term.

All right. Krisha Linzo, Michael Starr Hopkins. We have a few months before the election. So I'm sure. We will all be speaking again. Thank you both. We appreciate your time and insights tonight. Thank you.

We now move to a developing story happening on the U.S.-Mexico border. Tonight, a man is in custody after claiming to be a member of Hezbollah, An official with Customs and Border Protection telling NBC news that the man, a Lebanese migrant, attempted to enter the country and admitted to plans of making a bomb. All this unfolding earlier this month with an active investigation currently underway. NBC's Julia Ainsley joins us now from Washington, D.C. with more. So, Julia, what else do we know about this situation and the man in CBP custody? But we know that a man named Bezal-Bahdi is from Lebanon. 22 years old and he crossed the southern border near El Paso earlier this month. And when he was

taken into custody by customs and border protection, he told them that he was on his way to New York and that he wanted to make a bomb. And then later he said that he was affiliated with Hezbollah, that Lebanese terrorist organization. Now, it's really unusual for someone to make a claim that they are affiliated with a terror organization just voluntarily. Typically, the way these people are stopped as they have a name or an affiliate on the known or suspected terrorism watch list, and they're stopped that way. So it's very unlikely, very unusual, rather, that this man would make that claim voluntarily, but it's being investigated and taken seriously, and he's in custody at this time.

Alison. And the Supreme Court, Julia, just today, they've extended an order that was set in Texas barring a law that allows state police to arrest migrants. What does that mean big picture? Well, it indefinitely postpones Texas Governor Greg Abbott's plans to allow his state and local law enforcement to arrest anyone they suspect might have crossed the border illegally. This was going to open up Texas to a range of issues. And advocates say it could be an extreme violation of people's rights and could lead to racial profiling. Abbott said it was necessary given Biden's border policies.

But really, even the conservative bench on the Supreme Court has touched. time and time again, sided with the federal government over states when it comes to any disagreements over who should be enforcing immigration law. And this decision today, although they're not weighing in on the merits of the case and the law, this decision today was consistent that the federal government should be in charge of enforcing immigration law. Allison. Julia Ansley in Washington, D.C. Thank you. Next tonight, we're learning more about what brought on some of the spring break violence in Florida that left one person dead and three others injured.

this weekend. Authorities now issuing curfews and security measures trying to keep residents and revelers safe among the mayhem. NBC news correspondent Sam Brock is there with the latest. Violence tonight once again upending spring break celebrations in Florida, this time in Jacksonville Beach. We're currently working three separate unrelated shootings. All of that in a roughly 40 minutes spanned, sending bystanders scrambling and the city into lockdown. 80 people running down the street, watch a dude dropped to his knees. Now, we're learning new details about what might have prompted gunfire that led to three people injured and one killed.

Jacksonville Beach police releasing videos of hundreds of juveniles brawling on the beach. When the crowd was dispersed, then's when the shootings happened. And it's not the only incident raising alarm. We've got a fight over there. A fight in New Smyrna Beach near O'Leod. Lando led Volusia County deputies to draw their weapons when they say a 16-year-old pulled out a firearm. Officers chasing down the team and eventually arresting him, incidents like these hitting hard for families and vacationers. It's like the last thing you want to worry about is not, is coming somewhere to have fun and then getting hurt.

But farther south, Miami Beach is using a series of measures to crack down on violence. Do you feel safe this year? Of course, yes. Ocean Drive now, a stark contrast to previous years. The city manager also implementing a midnight curfew this weekend. For 72 hours out of an entire year, we made a decision. And last night, being out on the streets, I think it was the right decision. Miami Beach now a safe spot in a state still struggling with spring break mayhem.

And Sam Brock joins us now from Miami. Sam, as you just mentioned in your piece there, Miami Beach has been large. safe so far. What measures is Jacksonville Beach considering to try following or to follow rather in the footsteps of Miami Beach? Sure, Allison, maybe they would be wise to follow in Miami Beach's footsteps, which of course they did that this past weekend. There was no violence. The chief of police you heard from him a moment ago said he is not going to be implementing a curfew at this point. He was asked, are you going to be ramping up resources, more officers on the ground? He said, I don't want to tip my hand, but we'll be acting on the intelligence that we gather.

But here's the thing, Alison, the intelligence, they already had gathered there was going to be this beach brawl on Sunday from 2 to 8 o'clock. There was a flyer announcing it, and police were not able to intervene, at least effectively enough, to prevent these three shootings. We've asked the police department, what did you do? When did you try to break it up? So far, I've not received a response on that or a real answer, so still trying to dig. As for Miami Beach, you mentioned the change here year over year. 500 arrests here last year and two homicides that shut things down. Zero shooting so far, zero major incidents, and about 250 arrests. So it's been a remarkable improvement, even if it's come with more crackdowns, here in Miami Beach.

Alison. Sam Brock in Miami, thank you. And while spring break is underway there in South Florida, much of the southeast is still suffering through frigid winter-like temperatures. 23 million under freeze alerts tonight. Snow showers also continuing across the Great Lakes. and northeast, dropping snowfall totals as high as 10 inches. So let's get right to NBC News meteorologist Bill Karens.

Bill, what are you watching tonight? Allison, we all knew this was going to happen, right? I mean, we had an incredibly warm winter. The beginning of March has been warm, it's been beautiful. We just knew eventually we'd get slapped backwards into winter once again. And that's happening tonight in the south. As the sun sets, temperatures are going to plummet. When you wake up in the morning, we're in the 30s, all the way into southern Mississippi.

So we're worried about the areas that have already had, you know, the blooms, flowers, any sensitive plants that were planted too early. That's what we're worried about. There's a lot of people covering stuff up with blankets to try to save them through the night, because after this, hopefully we should be okay. And it does warm up quickly once the sun goes up tomorrow, still only about, you know, 50s, which is below average for this region. And then it gets warmer towards the end of this week, temperatures into the 60s and 70s that just have to survive tonight. So I'll send if anyone has any, you know, sensitive vegetation, that's what we say. Make sure it's covered up or bring it inside. Yeah, no kidding. So even though the southern cold is not going to be

over soon winter is not over for a lot of other people as well, right? Yeah, especially the northern half of the country. You know you can't put the shovels and the boots away yet. So here's what we're going to deal with. We have some snow showers going through northern New England. Then another system comes down through Montana, through the Dakotas. This is going to bring some snow to areas like Minneapolis, Green Bay, Milwaukee, through Michigan. And this should bring some snow to New England by the time we get to Saturday.

So the northern half of the country, plowable snow likely by the end of this week. Bill Carrens, thank you. Still ahead tonight, life or death pursued, a suspect driving off all a deputy in Florida clung to his car. The officer managing to fire his weapon while holding on for his life, how this scary situation came to an end. Plus, police in California cracking down on so-called burglary tourists. How authorities say international crime rings are coming to the U.S. to rob homes in the L.A. area. And Princess Siding, the new images showing Kate Middleton out and about, with Prince William. We'll tell you where she was spotted after weeks of speculation and

internet conspiracy theories over her whereabouts. Stay with us. We're back tonight with new video from TMZ that shows Princess Kate out and about with Prince William. Take a look. You can see here the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge out at a market about a mile away from their home in Windsor. This video was reportedly taken on. Saturday. NBC News international correspondent Matt Bradley joins us now from London. So Matt, this is really the first time we're seeing Kate on camera out with William. What more do we know about this video? Yeah, I mean, Alison, this is going to certainly put to rest some, though definitely not all of the wild speculation and conspiracy theories and rumors that we've been hearing about

for weeks. So these photos that were published by the Sun newspaper, that's a major tabloid here in Britain. And they've been absolutely all over this story, like all of the And now there's a video out as well. And these were captured by a member of the public who said he was surprised to see the royal couple shopping at a farm shop in Windsor right near Windsor Castle. And he apparently bumped into them in the bread aisle. And then he went back to his car and then he shot these stills. And I guess he also took video that were working to clear. Kensington Palace has yet to comment on this.

So this is some pretty convincing evidence that Kate Middleton is actually doing just fine. And the still images and her videos show her relaxed and smiling. Of course, everybody commented on what she was wearing, strolling through the parking lot of this high-end grocery store. And this is an errand. She's a princess. She definitely didn't have to make this errand herself. The son also reported, but didn't provide images, that Kate and her husband went to some of their children's sports games over the weekend. So, you know, is this the evidence that is going to finally put to rest Kate Gate and all these conspiracy theories about her health and our whereabouts? I doubt it. I think that there are still rumors swirling around London that the palace is going to make a big announcement. about something in the next few days.

But, Ellison, those are just rumors, and, you know, I'm not going to get into them. I mean, Matt, do we think that this was a calculated move by the palace saying, okay, let's have her go run this errand, that she definitely, as a princess, doesn't have to do, hoping that it will stop all of the conspiracy theories, the controversy, and also to sort of be like, whoops, are bad on that altered photo that was released last week. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I feel like the palace might be trying all sorts of different things. like I said, she doesn't have to take a trip like this.

Absolutely not. This is to the grocery store. She has people to do that for her, for sure. But, you know, so this was, on some level, it seems like it would have to have been a deliberate move. If you see these pictures in the video, she's just strolling around totally among the public, which, you know, it's surprising when you look at all the people in the photos with her. They don't seem to notice that she's there or that her very, very famous husband is there. So it's a bit remarkable. I would probably, if I'm asked to speculate, and I think that's what you're

you're asking me to do, I would say that this was probably a calculated move by the palace. And it's possible that the palace has decided that they are done trying to fight their fight and make their point on social media. Maybe better to just do it in the real world. Alison. Matt Bradley in London. Thank you. Now to a concerning crime trend plaguing cities in Southern California, so-called burglary tourists

are coming to the U.S. on short-term visas from South American countries and then allegedly robbing homes of cash, jewelry, and electronics. The LAPD now launching a task force to try and combat the international crime ring. NBC News correspondent Dana Griffin is in Los Angeles with the latest. Tonight, the LAPD launching a new special task force after a concerning rise in so-called burglary tourists, as residents in Southern California on high alert. We have a significant increase in burglaries from organized groups that are outside this country, that are coming into the country, and they are targeting.

high-end residents. Police say the burglary tourists are part of international crime rings traveling from countries in South America, the majority from Chile, with the mission to break in and rob homes in the U.S. Home surveillance videos like this capturing the moment a group of individuals break a window and enter a home in Redlands, California. And all too familiar story for residents in the area. It's very, you know, disturbing. I mean, you know, It rattles us as a neighborhood, and we're pretty, we've been here for years and years. The LAPD says there have been more than 900 residential burglaries in the area since January. And in Orange County, Irvine police say in the past 35 days, there have been 34 home burglaries

similar in nature to burglaries tied to the South American crime rings. Police say the intruders use sophisticated technology, like Wi-Fi jammers, drones, and even camouflage suits to stake out homes and disable security cameras. some sort of device by burglars that actually dead and kill or stop Wi-Fi from operating. Ransacking residents for cash, jewelry, electronics, and high-end handbags. But how are these highly coordinated criminals able to get into the U.S.? Police say they arrive here legally on 90-day tourist visas before hitting some of the wealthiest neighborhoods across the country?

San Diego police investigating this crew of burglars caught on case. and suspected in more than 21 burglaries. They are up in their game. They're getting smarter as how they're acting and what they're doing. Making them extremely difficult to track down, according to police. These are Chilean burglary crews. But a possible win for authorities in Arizona who arrested a 17-year-old Chilean national and two adults, all suspected members of this heistring and accused of robbing multiple homes in Los Angeles.

Dana Griffin joins us now from Los Angeles. So, Dana, what advice are police-giving residents who want to try and prevent having this sort of thing happen to them? Yeah, Ellison, officials are reminding people to maintain their security and camera systems. Let your neighbors know if you're traveling. Also, you can put your lights on a very timer so that it appears your home, even when you're not. It's important to remember that these burglars aren't looking for a confrontation. They are watching to see when people are not home so that they can strike. So, I mean, if it were me, I would hire personal security to try to make sure.

my home is safe. Ellison. Dana Griffin, thank you. When we come back, the latest on the missing college student, Riley Strain, newly released body camera video showing the University of Missouri student talking to police the night he disappeared, what that video shows and where the 22-year-old's bank card was just found. Stay with us. We're back with top stories. news feed, and we began with the latest on the search for missing University of Missouri student

Riley Strain. Police in Nashville releasing new body camera footage showing a brief exchange with an officer and Strain the night he disappeared. Around 10 p.m. Friday night, the two greeted each other, and then Strain walked away. Police say he did not seem to be in distress. The 22-year-old vanished on March 8th after he was kicked out of a bar. Over the weekend, Strain's bank card was found near a river. A consumer alert, Trader Joe's is. recalling one of its cashew products over salmonella concerns. The FDA says packages of 50% less sodium, roasted and salted whole cashews tested positive for the presence of salmonella during a routine exam. The products were recalled in 16 states. So far, no illnesses have been

reported. A full list of affected products can be found on NBCNews.com. And online sales have begun for the first over-the-counter birth control pill approved in the U.S. customers are now able to order Opil online. According to the company, it's available on their website or Amazon and orders will be fulfilled within a day or two. Opil's suggested retail price is 1999 for a one-month supply or about $50 for three months. CBS and Walgreens say they will offer Opil once they receive their shipments. We're going to turn now to a terrifying incident outside of Tampa, Florida. A deputy holding on to, holding on for his life after a suspect, it was one. for battery, drove off while he tried to detain him.

The deputy firing his weapon as he clunged the speeding car. NBC's Stephen Romo has this story and a warning. Some of the video may be hard to watch. This is the moment. Police say a routine apprehension turned into a life or death situation for one deputy in Pascoe County, Florida. Police say it all started at this 7-11 gas station when the deputy spotted Paul Smith. A man wanted in a battery by strangulation case. Paul.

Hey, can you step out of the car, please? Smith first, acting confused and then trying to get away. Driving off in his SUV as the deputy, who has not been identified by the department, was clinging to the outside of his vehicle. First, the deputy tried to use his taser. Get out of a car! But Smith continued to drive with that deputy hanging out of the car. ignoring six warnings from the deputy that he would use his gun.

The deputy then shooting Smith. What are you doing? Get out of the car. Police say they provided immediate first aid on the scene, but Smith died from his injuries. This is something that did not have to occur. The deputy tried to de-escalate it. That deputy put on paid administrative leave

as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates, which is standard procedure after a deadly use of force, according to the sheriff's department. Tonight, that department standing by the deputy's actions. Life is all about decisions. And so this suspect decided that he was going to try to fight with the deputy sheriff. He decided to engage in the course of conduct that put the deputy's life in jeopardy. The deputy sheriff decided that he was going to go home tonight. And Stephen Romo joins us now in studio.

So, Stephen, are we hearing anything from that suspect, Paul Smith's family, about all of this? Yeah, we did hear from his sister. late today. She said she and her mother do not think this shooting was justified. She admits that Paul was in the wrong in many ways, but she thinks there was a different way to end it other than ending his life. She says her mother, of course, is quite distraught over this. It's hard not to feel for this family trying to make sense of this violent way that they lost their loved one. Stephen Romo, thank you. Coming up next, a daring rescue in Italy. A group of climbers stranded on a frozen mountainside. The urgent effort to get them to safety via helenmo.

helicopter. Those heart-stopping moments are next. We're back now and heading overseas. A victory lap Russian style for President Vladimir Putin after he won a fifth term in an election where the outcome was never really in doubt. NBC's chief international correspondent, Keir Simmons, is in Moscow for us. Tonight in Red Square, a flag-waving wartime celebration for Russia's re-elected president. President Putin center stage, the pinnacle of this stage managed election, and the crowd are shouting Russia, Russia. These are some of the 87% of Russians who officials say voted for President Putin. The young positioned in the front row tonight for 24 years.

His leadership is all they've known. All my life, President Putin, all your life. And what do you think of him? I love Putin. President Putin is popular here, but not with everyone. This weekend saw arson attacks on polling stations, die thrown into ballot boxes and silent protests. NBC News, the first international news organization to question Putin after he won six more

years. Mr. President, journalist Evan Gershkovich spent this election in prison. Boris Nadirstein, who opposes your war in Ukraine, wasn't allowed to stand against you. Alexei Navalny had died in one of your prisons during your campaign. Mr. President, is this what you call democracy? That's life, he told us, then called the Valny's death an unfortunate incident. He had agreed to release him, he said, before he died, as long as he did not return. Until now, he'd never publicly mentioned Alexei Navalny's name, and tonight the White

House denying knowledge of a prisoner swap. We have not heard a Russian official raise Navalny as part of a prisoner swap in any of those conversations. Kier Simmons joins us now from Moscow. Kier, how are other countries reacting to these election results? Well, Alison, you heard Jake Sullivan there saying that this is not free nor a fair election. And we've heard that echoed by other leaders of democratic countries, perhaps some coordination there. of Ukraine are going further, suggesting that President Putin is addicted to power. And then you have a number of countries today that have been congratulating President Putin, China, Iran, North Korea, but also Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

And there, perhaps, is the challenge for Washington and other Western powers, because, of course, Turkey is a member of NATO. Saudi Arabia is working closely with the U.S. on the Gaza crisis. At moments like this, internationally, you kind of pull back the curtain a little bit on alliances and partnerships. And, of course, say, for example, when it comes to Saudi Arabia and Turkey, those alliances and partnerships include the U.S. and also, to a certain extent, Russia. Keir Simmons, amazing reporting. Thank you and stay safe.

Turning now to Top Story's Global Watch, another volcanic eruption in Iceland, forcing the evacuation of a popular geothermal resort. Video shows bathers rushing out of a pool as sirens blare around them. The eruption is the fourth in the last three months, again, threatening a nearby fishing village where few residents remain after the previous eruptions. The volcanic smoke could be seen as far as the capital city of Reykjavec. No injuries were reported. A daring rescue in Italy, about 7,000 feet above sea level. New video shows rescuers airdropping onto a mountainside in the Alps, crews using ice axes to reach a frozen gully, where a group of climbers were stuck.

The group was airlifted to safety and are reportedly in good health. And record-shattering temperatures in Brazil. Over the weekend, the heat index in Rio de Janeiro soaring past 144 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the feels-like temperature with humidity. The actual temperature was around 107 degrees. Locals flocking to beaches trying to escape

the scorching heat. No word on any heat-related deaths or injuries. We're going to turn now to the Americas and a deepening economic crisis in Cuba. Rare protests breaking out in the country's second largest city over widespread blackouts and a dangerous shortage on food, medicine, and fuel. The U.S. urging Cuba's government

to allow peaceful demonstrations to continue, but Cuba firing back. NBC's Ed Augustine is in Havana with the latest. Tensions reaching a boiling point in Cuba. Hundreds of people participated Sunday in a rare public protest amid a worsening economic crisis that has left everyday Cubans without enough food, electricity or medication. Cuban-run TV showing people flooding the streets of the island's second largest city,

Santiago de Cuba. Demonstrators seem chanting for electricity and food, as some Cubans have experienced power outages for more than 18 hours a day. I think there are three crises going on at the same time, an economic crisis, a social crisis. now a political crisis. Of course, the most important and the most difficult to solve

is the economic one. After the protest, Cuban President Miguel Diascanel taking to social media saying, quote, mediocre politicians and terrorists on social media lined up from South Florida to fire up the streets of Cuba. The US Embassy in Havana urging Cuba's government

to respect the human rights of the protesters and address the legitimate needs of the Cuban people. But today, in response to the embassy, Cuban's foreign ministry announcing it had summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Havana, accusing the embassy of interfering in the nation's internal affairs. The U.S. is sanctioned Cuba for more than 60 years, but in recent years they've been ratcheted up even more. President Biden has stuck with so-called maximum pressure sanctions that were imposed on this island during the Trump administration. Economists say they cost Cuba billions of dollars a year.

Now, coupled with a moribund planned economy, they've created a cash crunch. Today, Cubans struggle with increasing shortages in food, medicine, fuel and power. Inflation has risen sharply, making many products unaffordable for Cubans who depend on an average monthly state salary, the equivalent of just $16. Earlier this month, gasoline price hikes also went into effect. In some cases, raising gas prices about 500%. In another rare move, Cuba has asked the UN World Food Programme for assistance, requesting powdered milk for young children.

All this while the Cuban peso has plummeted. Inflation has really gone crazy over the last couple of years, to the point where if your salary is entirely in Cuban pesos, its value has deteriorated about 90% compared to the U.S. dollar in just the last two years. Demand has spiked for the U.S. dollar, leaving Cubans with limited options to live out their daily lives. Because we don't know, because it's that it exists, for that is that exists in Mercado Negro

about the dollar, because it has taken a measure. Dramatic measures in the face of uncertainty. Younger Cubans have sort of lost hope in the possibility that it's going to get better anytime soon. And Ed Augustine joins us now from Havana, Cuba. Ed, you're there on the ground. Walk us through what the reality is like in Cuba with these power outages. These power outages have been a reality for millions of Cubans for years now.

I'm broadcasting and I'm speaking to you from Havana where there are approximately two million people. That's only about a fifth of the population of Cuba. Four-fifths of the Cuban population lives in the provinces and we're far more insulated in Havana. So sometimes the power goes in my house. You know, I had a power cut for about an hour yesterday. It's annoying, but it's not a game changer.

In the provinces, millions of people have been living for months with power outages that can stretch sometimes 12, sometimes 18 hours. I spoke to a source yesterday who lives in the westerly province of Pinard de Rio in a small village. He said that he had less than two hours of power yesterday. Just imagine getting back to your house after a day at work with no light and seeing the small amount of food you have for you and your family, slowly going off. in the fridge because there's not even enough power to keep it refrigerated. It's a very tense, difficult situation for people.

And, Ed, the United States has responded to the allegations from Havana that they've intervened with international affairs, right? What are they saying? Well, the Cuban allegation in general, when they talk about U.S., what they'd say, interference or meddling, is that the sanctions are of themselves a way of creating misery in Cuba, You know, that by reducing the amount of money that the Cuban government has to spend on things like food to feed people and petrol to keep the power on, they are creating the context for these protests and general popular discontent.

The US government rejects that. The State Department today said that the accusation that the United States government was behind the protests was, quote, absurd and has roundly rejected the... The allegation. Ed Augustine, thank you. When we come back coming face-to-face with a cougar, a group of cyclists attacked by an animal, by the animal, rather, during a ride last month, how they fought back and saved their friend.

That's next. Finally, tonight coming face-to-face with a cougar. That's what happened to a group of cyclists out on a ride near Seattle last month. The friends fighting back. and saving one of their own. NBC's Liz Croix has this story. I know for a fact I would be dead if they didn't come back in. I would just be gone. It's an incredible story of survival and friendship. They're amazing. These three women now sharing

their near-death encounter with an aggressive baby cougar while bike riding outside Seattle. The attack just happened so fast. The competitive cyclists who have been riding together for five years say the terrifying ordeal happened in the blink of an eye. 19 miles into their ride, two cougars ran out from the brush. One went back into the woods, but the other lunged at this woman, Carrie Bergear, dragging her off her bike, its jaw clenched to her face. From the time we saw the cougars to the time it took carry off her bike was about three seconds. One second, I'll say. So we didn't have a chance to face off with them, to scare them away or anything.

I just remember getting tackled from this side and then ending up at the other side of the road. The friends immediately jumped into action for 15 minutes facing off in hand-to-hand combat with the wild cat. I immediately tried to choke the cougar, which was like choking a rock. I knew every second what was going on, and I was doing my own, you know, poking at it and trying to poke his eyeballs out and get up his nose and pry his mouth with my hand. Eventually, the cougar releasing, giving Carrie a moment to get away, as the other two women managed to get a bike on the cougar to hold it down until help arrived. You know, Carrie's just laying there by herself, and we just kept saying, are you doing okay? And she would just give us a little bloody thumbs up that she was doing okay. Fish and wildlife authorities who shot and killed the young cougar telling our NBC affiliate in Seattle that what happened here is very rare.

In the last 100 years, there have been two deadly attacks and 20 that left someone hurt. These bicyclists just happen to be in that place, wrong place at the wrong time. They don't look for people to stay away from people 99% of time. Carrie spent five days in the hospital treated for severe trauma to her face, including permanent nerve damage. While her recovery is far from over, she says she knows how lucky she is to be alive and to have friends willing to fight through their fears to save her. The epitome of true friendship and love is action. We just did what we had to do.

And part of it was just primal instinct. Just get in there and fight. Mama bears. Fight for a life. The cougar wasn't going to take us cougars down. What an amazing group of friends. We are so glad Carrie is doing better and we wish her well in her continued efforts to recover. Thank you at home so much for watching Top Story.

I'm Ellison Barber in New York for Tom Yamis. Stay right there. More news now is on the way.