Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, September 29, 2025

Episode Date: September 30, 2025

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, what we're just learning about the suspect in that deadly mass shooting and arson at a Michigan church, the brutal ambush, killing four, leaving eight others hurt, including a six-year-old. New stories of worshippers rushing the wounded outside as the church went up in flames. Officials calling it an act of targeted violence, but one man told us after a chance encounter with the shooter. Also tonight shut down showdown, an 11th hour White House meeting, gaining no ground. around, why flights and more could be affected if leaders can't get to a deal in less than 24

hours. Plus, the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who could be without a paycheck or lose their jobs altogether. The deadly Listeria outbreak under investigation in more than a dozen states. The popular frozen meals sold at Trader Joe's and Walmart being recalled over contamination concerns. Cold case breakthrough, how police solved the brutal yogurt shop murders, featured in a new docu-series, decades after the killings. public clash between two of the biggest names in the Harry Potter world, actress Emma Watson and author J.K. Rowling, fighting publicly over trans rights and their rocky relationship. Close call on the tracks. Look at this terrifying video capturing the moment a train collides with the tractor trailer. What happened

next? And global superstar bad bunny score in this year's Super Bowl halftime show. So is the league making a play for the Latino fan base? Plus the high-end restaurant making sure everyone gets a seat at the We'll take you inside the fine dining experience, serving up pay-what-you-can meals. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Hallie Jackson in for Tom tonight, and we begin here with new reporting in that horrific shooting and arson attack at a Michigan church. This was the fiery scene on what should have been a peaceful morning of worship. Four people killed, eight others hurt after somebody opened fire on that church of Jesus Christ of Latter-D-D-D-A.

Saints, about 15 minutes outside Flint, Michigan. Police say the suspect also set fire to the church with multiple improvised explosive devices, IEDs found at the scene. We're learning new details tonight about the suspected attacker. Officials say 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford was a former Marine who served in the Iraq War and had prior arrests. He was killed by officers at the scene. His own family telling NBC News, we are completely in shock over this.

We have no answers. It all comes after a string of shooting. across the country, including in North Carolina and in Texas. According to experts, the U.S. on average has had at least one mass shooting every single day this year. A heart-sickening reality, leaving so many asking, can this really be life in America? Our Maggie Vespa is in Grand Blank, Michigan and leads us off tonight. From above in Grand Blank, Michigan, investigators combed charred rubble looking for a motive in Sunday's attack on a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The FBI is investigating this as an act of targeted violence.

Can you tell us who you believe the target was a specific person, the LDS Church, another group? As of right now, again, as this is an ongoing investigation, what I would say is when I say targeted violence, I mean targeted within our state and within our community. Chris Johns has his own suspicions. He asked you, what do you think of Mormons? Yes, that is his question. Johns is running for city council in the area, and last week, while campaigning, says he drove up to the home of 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, who first asked him his views on guns, then Mormons,

adding he dated a woman in Utah. He said Mormons are the Antichrist. And that's what, and he said in a very matter of fact. He said Mormons are the Antichrist. Just like that. Deadpan. Matter of fact. John said Sanford remained calm. Days later, John saw his picture identified as the gunman in Sunday's attack. Authorities now saying Sanford had multiple past arrests, including one for burglary. chilling when you saw what happened? Extremely. In a statement provided exclusively to NBC News, the gunman's father writing, we are devastated.

We don't know what to think. Calling Sanford a Christian and a loving father, son and husband. The statement adds he was a Marine and we are completely in shock over this. We have no answers. Authorities say four are dead and eight injured. The youngest person hurt, a six-year-old child. When Sanford's truck crashed into the church, Paul Kirby, there with his family, ran to help.

I saw the gun and him starting to shoot and I turned and ran, went back towards the doors. I got a little bit of shrapnel in my left leg. You said you ran back in toward your family, just wanting to save your wife and kids. Yeah, the scariest I've ever been. Kirby says parishioners carried kids and the wounded out the back. Minutes later, the church going up in flames. I am extremely lucky to be alive. It is so scary to hear.

Maggie is joining us now from the scene in Grand Blank. And Maggie, you're learning more about what exactly investigators are finding at the scene? Yeah, Hallie, that's right. I actually spoke one-on-one with the acting special agent in charge with the ATF. And he told me the gunman in his truck on Sunday had four IEDs or improvised explosive devices. And he said two of them were effectively multiple. commercial-grade fireworks that he said were taped together and designed to explode. He said the other two were just designed to create a lot of smoke.

And again, they said they were in his truck and they were never detonated during the attack, but he had them on him. You also in that piece saw crews searching the charred rubble of this church, which is just down the way here. We are told tonight, an update. All victims have now been identified. Pally. Maggie Vespa live for us there in Michigan.

Thank you. The mass shooting there. just the latest in a wave of violent incidents in this country, including a suspect who opened fire over the weekend at a waterfront bar in North Carolina, killing three people. NBC's Aaron Gilchrist has the latest. This waterfront bar, popular with tourists, the scene of another horrific mass shooting.

We're revising coming from a subject on the boat, shooting into the building from the boat. In court today, prosecutors revealing they believe the suspect, 40-year-old Nigel Max Edge, intended to carry out the shooting at the American and fish company in Southport on Friday night, but another passing boat interrupted his plan. Investigators say he returned the next day, opening fire from a boat just feet from the bar's deck, where dozens of people were listening to live music. Police calling the attack

highly premeditated. We heard one pop. I looked up thinking it was fireworks. And next thing you know, people were running around the corner. To see the carnage, you never get that out of your head. Was somebody shot in the head and sitting there trying to console his wife with her husband dead right at her. Like the suspect in Michigan, Edge is a Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient who served in Iraq. Edge said he suffers from PTSD, according to the police chief. One thing is clear. We must do more to prevent these acts of violence. It has to be our top priority. There have now been 324 mass shootings in the U.S. this year. Experts say attacks motivated by both ideology and fame are on the rise.

a snowball effect where there are more violent role models out there. And then those violent role models can inspire new copycat attacks by people who want to be like them. Aaron Gilchrist is joining us now from North Carolina. And Aaron, on that incident there, what else do we know about what the suspect has told police since his arrest? Well, police haven't revealed a lot about what the suspect is saying in detention. As a matter of In fact, in the detention center right next to where we're standing, we do know from investigators that they believe that he has given some indication about his military service. They say he's identified as a combat veteran, also that he identified as having PTSD.

We did hear from prosecutors in court today that they believe he may have had a traumatic brain injury, just sort of giving us some insight into the suspect here, into who the person they believe was responsible for the attack on that bar two nights ago. Still, though, obviously, Halley, a lot of information that still needs to be learned. Investigators said in court today that they are still really in the early stages of this investigation. We know that Edge will be back in court on October 13th for a probable cause hearing. We do expect at that point that we may hear him enter a plea guilty or not guilty at that

time, but this is a case that is going to be in the court system for some time. It is a case that is eligible for the death penalty here in North Carolina. And the prosecutor, the district attorney here, did say that his team of prosecutors is going to be looking at that as a possible consequence that they want to make sure is available to this particular suspect. Okay. Aaron Gilchrist in a wet and rainy North Carolina for us tonight. Aaron, thank you. Let's bring you here to Washington now with the countdown on to a shutdown. Maybe if leaders cannot get to a deal in just about 24 hours from now.

and not much sign of progress even after a high-stakes meeting at the White House today. Our Chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles has the latest. Just a little more than 24 hours from a partial federal government shutdown. Tonight, congressional leaders and President Trump appear no closer to striking a deal to keep the government open. After a high-stakes White House meeting, both sides emerging, pointing fingers. I think we're headed to do a shutdown because the Democrats won't do the right thing. their bill has not one iota of Democratic input. That is never how we've done this before. House Republicans already passed a spending bill to keep the government open, but so far cannot get

enough Democratic votes to pass it through the Senate. Republicans blaming top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, saying he won't support the bill to please the Democratic base. You don't put a gun to the American people's head and say, unless you do exactly what Senate and House Democrats want you to do, we're going to shut down your government. Noting six months ago, Schumer voted for a similar spending bill, known as a CR, to keep the government open. While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse. But Democrats accuse Republicans of not being serious about negotiating, warning the GOP will pay a political price. Republicans control the House and the Senate and as a Republican president.

If the government shuts down, it's because Republicans want to shut the government down. If there's a shutdown, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid payments, and VA benefits would continue. And essential workers like active duty military and air traffic controllers stay on the job. But national parks could close. And many federal workers, including at the IRS, could go without pay. You can't go to the grocery store and say, well, there's a bill that was passed and I'll get paid and I'll come back and pay you for these groceries. is joining us in Washington. She's right. There's not many IOUs you can write because of this at the grocery store, but for a lot of federal workers, it's not just a function of a paycheck. For some of them, this may be a matter of a job or not, right? And that's what makes this potential shutdown different than the ones we've seen in the past. Before thousands, maybe millions of federal workers were furloughed, but they were given back pay after the fact. In fact, they passed a law in 2018, guaranteeing that they would get that back pay after a shutdown. That's not the case. This around because the White House has indicated that they may go as far as to just outright

laying people off permanently as a result of this shutdown. And the president said in an interview with R. U.Michal Sinder over the weekend that he feels like he may have to do that. So that's a real threat. So if you're a federal worker right now, that's got to be in the back of your mind. Even if you're not a federal worker, you may feel some of the impacts, maybe not Wednesday if this happens or Thursday or Friday, but perhaps in a few weeks from now if this drags on. Yeah, I mean, there's like the direct impact. If you're planning a family vacation that includes a trip to a national park. That national park will likely be closed. But if this drags on for an indefinite amount of time, you could just see government services start

to suffer. For instance, if you're a TSA agent, you've got to come to work even though you're not getting paid. Maybe you decide to call in sick as a result of that that could slow down the process of just getting through the security line at the airport. We saw that a few years back. Real quick, just based on your reporting, what are the sources you're talking to saying about the potential chances? Do they think it's greater than 50 right now? I would say it's a 95% chance. the government's going to shut down tomorrow. Anything can happen. There's still a 5% chance of some sort of miracle happening between now and then, but we are at that stage right now. All we need is a miracle. What you're saying is I'll see tomorrow. Probably. Ryan Nobles, thank you very much.

Appreciate that. Also in Washington, President Trump meeting today with the Israeli prime minister unveiling his new 20-point plan for peace in the Middle East. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages, paving the way for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. It is a major announcement, but it comes with a major catch. Israel has agreed to this, but will Hamas? Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House. Nearly two years after the Hamas, October 7th terror attacks started the war in Gaza. Tonight, President Trump mixing hyperbole with diplomacy. One of the great days ever in civilization. As he unveiled a new framework for a ceasefire deal. We're at a minimum very, very close, and I think

we're beyond very close. Meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu here at the White House who says Israel is on board. I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims. The proposal would begin with an immediate ceasefire, requiring Hamas release all of its hostages within 72 hours, in exchange for a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Plus, full aid would be sent into Gaza. I challenge the Palestinians to take responsibility for their destiny, because that's what we're giving them. requires Hamas disarm. An international stabilization force made up of troops from Arab nations would provide security. Gaza would be governed not by Hamas, but by a new Palestinian committee

overseen by an international body, led by President Trump and other world leaders. The board of peace, we call it, the board of peace, sort of a beautiful name. But so far, the president saying Hamas has not signed off on his plan, giving the green light to Israel to keep its war against Hamas going if they say no. would have my fall back into finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas. This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done. Gabe Gutierrez is joining us now from the White House. So Gabe, while the world waits to see how and whether Hamas will respond to this, there's

also some notable news in this phone call that came out between the president, between the Israeli Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Qatar today as well. Yeah, that's right, Halle. That was earlier today before that joint appearance with Netanyahu. The White House says Netanyahu expressed deep regret in a phone call with Qatar officials. After ordering that airstrike targeting Hamas leadership there earlier this month, the missile strike killed the Qatari servicemen, and the White House also says Netanyahu acknowledged violating Qatar's sovereignty by conducting the strike.

Hallie. Gabe Gutierrez at the White House for us tonight. Thanks, Gabe. We're also watching what you could call double trouble in the tropics tonight. Hurricane Umberto maintaining major hurricane strength in the Atlantic as tropical storm Imelda is expected to come a hurricane in just a matter of hours. The system has been very destructive in the Caribbean. Look at that. You see somebody kayaking down the street. That's not a river. The water is up to the doors of some of those houses. In the Bahamas, heavy rain flooding whole neighborhoods. And Imelda also slamming Cuba with downpours, causing flash flooding and crumbling buildings. buildings. It has turned deadly there, too. After a landslide, officials say one person was killed.

Now, parts of the southeast in this country are on alert as the storm churns just off the coast. And you're seeing some of the impacts in Florida today. That's Jupiter Beach, for example, rough surf, strong winds, rip currents too. Let's get right to our friend of the show, meteorologist Bill Karen. So, Bill, what's interesting about this, these storms are not expected to make landfall. They're actually moving away from the east coast, but still creating some problems, right? Only if you're at the beach, though. I mean, it's so strange to have a tropical storm about to become a hurricane so close on the radar off the east coast of Florida. It's only 100 miles from the space coast, but this is as close as it's going to get, and now it's going to be heading out to sea.

And then, of course, we have a category for hurricane that's in between Bermuda and Florida. Typically, that would be a big deal by itself, kind of similar to what Aaron did earlier in the season. But this one's just going to send some big waves, and they're going to follow each other routes in the middle of the Atlantic. So not quite a hurricane yet, but we do, I think, overnight towards tomorrow. morning, and Melda will reach that status, and then it will race towards Bermuda. They may have to deal with the core of the system, possibly a category one hurricane. Bermuda's built for big storms, so they'll be okay. But obviously, all interests will be there over the next about 24 hours. Wednesday afternoon, evening, by the way, is when it'll be closer

to Bermuda. And a couple of days ago, we were thinking we were going to get a lot of rain from this system in the Carolina, now we're going to get hardly anything at all. And we actually need rain. It's been an extremely dry September, Halley. We've had a flash drought through much the eastern half of the country, and we haven't had any tropical systems to help, and Imelda's not going to go into either. All right, Bill Cairns, thank you very much for that check. Appreciate it. It's a top story's health check now, and this new warning about a deadly Listeria outbreak that

so far has killed four people. The Food Safety and Inspection Service is adding two things to its list of frozen meals that could be contaminated. We're going to show you to you here. Take a little screen grab if you need to. It's this market side linguine with beef meatballs that's on the left. That's sold at Walmart. the right, if you shop at Trader Joe's, this is the TJ Cajun-style blackened chicken breast

fetichini Alfredo. Keep it up for another second. If you have that stuff, that's what you need to be on the lookout for. Anne Thompson knows that. She's bringing us now a little bit more. Ann, want to be clear, it's my understanding that these products have not been linked to deaths yet, but if you have them, don't eat them, right? Right. This is an ongoing investigation into a Listeria outbreak that is connected to ready to eat pasta, that the federal government has, been looking at for more than a year now. Now, the key, Halley, is to take a look at your refrigerator or your freezer. And if you have either of these two items, one that was sold at Walmart that you see there, that's the market side linguine with beef, meatballs, and marinera sauce, or the one

from Trader Joe's, throw them out or take them back to the store. Now, the other thing you really need to be aware of are the best buy or best used buy dates, because that's what's key here. And for The market side, Linguini, the best used buy dates are from September 22nd to October 1st of this year. And for the Trader Joe's product, it is September 20th, 24th, and 27th of this year. Listeria is not, it can be very dangerous. It's not fun, Anne, especially if you're, for example, a pregnant woman. You're often warned to be on the watch for Listeria, right? I mean, there's some real red alarms here.

Yeah, the people who are most vulnerable. The people who are most vulnerable to the illness caused by Listeria are older people, people with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women. Now, here are some of the symptoms beyond the typical gastrointestinal symptoms that you would expect. There is fever, headaches, stiff neck, loss of balance. Those are other things you should be on the lookout for. And then for women who are pregnant, in particular, it's particularly dangerous. it can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, and it can also cause life-threatening infections in newborns.

So these are all good reasons to double-check what's in your freezer or your refrigerator tonight. Yeah, no kidding. Ann Thompson, with our health check, Ann, thank you. We'll be right back in just a moment with a new breakthrough in a decades-long cold case known as the yogurt shop murders. Why investigators now think a potential serial killer could be behind the killings of four young girls. And a rocket launch in Texas today, look, ending like this, that cloud of fire will tell you what caused it. And the clash between two of the biggest names in the Harry Potter universe, J.K. Rowling firing back at Hermione, Emma Watson, over their views on transgender rights. That's just ahead here on Top Story. We are back with the major development in a decades-old cold case.

known as the yogurt shop murders, with officials in Austin, Texas, naming a suspect in the 1991 murders of four teenage girls, a horrific crime that later became the subject of an HBO docu series just this summer. Brian Chandler has the details. More than three decades into an infamous cold case. Tonight, a stunning breakthrough. I know now what happened, and that does ease my suffering. Police identifying Robert Eugene Brasher's as the suspect in this brutal. crime. Four teenage girls shot and burned inside an Austin yogurt shop in 1991. Investigators using DNA technology that didn't exist at the time. Finding Brasher's DNA underneath the fingernails

of the youngest victim, 13-year-old Amy Ayers. Amy's final moments on this earth were to solve this case for us. It's because of her fighting back. The discovery comes just weeks after HBO put the case back in the national spotlight with a new series on the murders. Brasher's died by suicide during a standoff with police in a separate incident in 1999. Police call him a serial killer. In 1985, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted murder, but was released on parole after fewer than four years. Officials link his DNA to at least three other killings. Austin lost its innocence the night those young souls became victims.

today we have some closure some families finding solace after decades of despair the justice system has filled the girls numerous times over the decades the pain that you have endured over the decades can never be healed but I hope you can stop asking he did this to your girls Ryan is joining us now from Texas and Ryan talk us about this suspect here who obviously died years ago to investigators think that maybe he could be linked to more cases is that Is that something they're pursuing? They do, Hallie. In fact, the lead investigator says their work on this case is not yet finished.

They're going to see if they can link his DNA to yet more crimes and perhaps even more strikingly, Hallie. We talked to Robert's daughter over the weekend. She said not only is she not surprised to hear this about her father, but she thinks she knows, she says, that there are more murders at his hand left to be uncovered. Howley. Stunning to hear, Ryan, that when you asked her if she had a message. to her father. She said it would be that I hate you. Just chilling in every way.

Ryan Chandler, thank you so much. Let me bring in now Tim Clementi, a former FBI special agent who has investigated homicides. Tim, thank you for being with us. One of the notable things about this case is that just recently it got more attention because of the release of this HBO docus series after having haunted Austin, Texas for literally decades. It's so unusual, right, to have this new suspect, somebody who is not in the mix, so long after a case has been cold, right? It is very unusual, but it's become more and more the norm because of the technology that's been advancing, especially with regard to DNA. We saw in so many, the Green River Killer, Golden State Killer, there's so many cases where DNA from old cases is re-examined, and now the technology exists to take what would have been impossible to collect, very small samples, and to analyze them. And there's their genealogical searches that are done now.

So the technology evolution is why we're seeing this. And pull on that thread, because that's also why, when you look at this case, for example, you know, back when it happened, there were a number of people, I think four people who were accused of the murders, even allegedly had confessed to them. Their convictions were then overturned. And you look at this distinction between something like we're seeing now, DNA evidence, versus something like eyewitness accounts or confessions, you know, from individuals. Yeah, one of the most notorious things about working major cases and especially homicides is that eyewitnesses are often unreasonies. reliable. There's a lot of emotion involved in a big case like this, whether you're a witness, a victim that survived or anything like that. And so witness testimonies are often not very reliable. Science very much so is. And so in this case where you had the two individuals that either confessed on their own or were coerced into confessing, those confessions led the investigators in a particular direction and they stayed in that direction and why wouldn't they? But now the technology brings us in a different direction to a a totally new suspect, who, it seems, has been prolific in these types of crimes. And so it looks very positive that they have the right suspect. Sadly, he was paroled from an attempted murder prior, and he should have still been in prison when these four girls were killed.

So given this, based on your expertise, would it be your assessment that investigators made missteps back in the early 90s, or is it simply the case that the technology just wasn't there? The technology was not there yet, Halley. And there might have been missteps. I mean, everybody's human, including homicide detectives, and we all make mistakes. Some of the missteps might have been that once you have a suspect, you need to keep looking to make sure this is the only suspect.

But when you have confessions, that's not something that's normally done. When you get somebody that confesses to a crime something this serious, where the death penalty was on the table for one of the two, it's not unusual to call it a day and say, okay, let's do everything we can to prosecute these guys. I'd look at, you know, 20-20 hindsight is easy to see now what should have been done. But I don't know if missteps is the right definition for what we're talking about. I think it was a misdirection that was caused probably by those confessions.

Tim, thank you very much for being with us. It's good to have your perspective and your context. Appreciate that. Lots to get to ahead on Top Story, including the close call captured on camera. Dramatic video as a train smashes into a tractor trailer. Ooh, sending it and those light poles. flying. Plus, the big shake-up in the race to become New York City's next mayor, with the current mayor dropping out. So how much will Eric Adams' departure move the needle? Where things stand

tonight? But first, top story's top moment and the real-life little superhero in Brooklyn. Four-year-old Adonis, also known as Spider-Man, wanted to use his powers for good to bring a smile to some fellow New Yorkers. So with that his mom knowing why, he spent two days cutting out paper hearts to share with subway riders in the morning. Let me tell you, they loved it. Watch this. The train is coming. You got to hurry up.

He wants to give you a heart. Yeah. He's been cutting him out all weekend. I didn't know why, but now I see. Aw. That is a surprise for everybody, including Mom Andrea, who tells top story. She is so proud of her son.

You know what? Spreading a little kindness. We love to see. Stay with us. a lot more news coming up. Back now with Top Stories news feed, starting in Utah, where a hearing was held today for the suspect charge with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson is being held without bond on charges of aggravated murder,

among a number of other offenses, of course, after the assassination of Kirk. while he was at an event at a college campus in Utah. Robinson has a new legal defense team, and they are now asking a judge for more time to review all the evidence in this case. Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty. We'll be looking ahead of that next hearing at the end of October.

And new tonight, YouTube's parent company, Alphabet, is agreeing to pay President Trump $22 million to settle a lawsuit over the suspension of his YouTube account. Do you remember this? The president was temporarily banned from the platform after the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Now, some of the settlement money is said to be going towards construction of the White House ballroom, that new ballroom on the East Wing. Meta and X have already settled similar lawsuits with President Trump earlier this year.

And got to show you this really dramatic video, capturing the moment a train slams into a tractor trailer stuck on the tracks. This is in upstate New York. Watch this. So this driver, you see him, he's kind of trying to do a U-turn there off the tracks. Boom, there goes the train. So scary. The trailer ends up flying, taking down. at least one of those railroad signals there. Fortunately, and incredibly, when you look at this,

nobody was hurt in the crash. Police are obviously looking into it. And Firefly Aerospace's Alpha Rocket exploding during a pre-flight test in Texas. Look at the fireball here. You see the video showing it bursting into flames, just moments before its seventh ever flight. Firefly says all of its staff is safe,

no other facilities were damaged in this explosion. It does mark Firefly's latest setback. Back in April, another alpha rocket lost a first stage booster not long after separating from the upper stage. To the latest now, in President Trump's push to deploy troops in American cities in what he calls an effort to crack down on crime. You've now got the state of Oregon suing the Trump administration over his request that the Defense Department deploy National Guard troops to Portland to help protect people there. Officers specifically, the state's governor says that is not legal, a White House spokesperson pushes back. That's as the president is threatening to send troops into a number of cities run by Democrats. Look at Memphis, Tennessee, for example.

It's where we find our Priscilla Thompson, who is joining us now live. Priscilla, it's Portland, it's Memphis, it's maybe Chicago now. President Trump signed a memo, creating a task force that would send troops to where you are. Give us a sense of where things stand on this Monday evening. Yeah, Halley, I'll tell you what you're not seeing behind me here in Memphis, and that is those National Guard troops on the streets of Memphis patrolling. in sharp contrast to what we've seen in places like Chicago and D.C. And that is because the governor here says that this is going to be a slow and progressive role into town,

that it is going to be the National Guard, but it is going to be a total of 13 different federal agencies. So he talked about the DEA, the FBI, the ATF, all of these agencies coming in to assist local authorities. Now, he did not say how many personnel were going to be on the ground here. He said that that is going to be determined based on the need. But he did say that the National Guard, when they do come in and as they arrive, they are not going to be carrying guns. They are not going to be able to make arrests unless local law enforcement feels that that is something that they need to do. But they really are just going to be here to be a multiplying sort of show of force here. And it really is going to be some of these specific agencies working with the Memphis police to try to target the most violent criminals, the most violent crimes in the city.

But I will tell you, when you look at the crime stats right now, they're all down. Crime overall in the city is down by 25% according to the stats that have been released by the police department. And you have crimes like murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle left, a theft, all of them at years-long lows here. But the governor was asked about that. Local officials also ask about that and why something like this is needed right now. And they say that it's about continuing to make that progress and continuing to see more results since, that they're getting these resources for free. The state isn't having to pay for them from the federal government.

Hallie? Priscilla Thompson live there in Memphis. We'll be watching to see if anything develops over the course of the next couple of days. Priscilla, thank you. To power and politics now. And the big shake-up in the mayoral race in New York City.

The current mayor, Eric Adams, is not going to run for re-election. Just about five weeks now till Election Day. So this is a pretty dramatic move before his departure from the race. I mean, listen, Adams, let's be real. He had been trailing. Look at this. Well behind the Democrat here, Zohran Mamdani, behind former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo as well. This is a CBS news poll from not too long ago, UGov. But look at what happens when you pull Adams out.

Mamdani is still ahead in this contest by double digits. And we're seeing this across the board in this race. Another Quinnipiac survey has Mamdani leading by nearly the same margin outside of the margin of error, by the way. Joining us tonight to break down the new developments in this race is Emma Fitzsimmons, the City Hall Bureau Chief for the New York Times, who covers the Adams administration. for letting me do my Steve Kornacki impression. I promise that's the last I'll do it. What's interesting here is there's kind of this conventional wisdom that Adams dropping out would consolidate perhaps some of the non-Momdani vote, if you will, behind Andrew Cuomo. Are you getting any sense if that's going to be the case? And how have things been today as you're watching this race? Our polling shows that it could help Cuomo a little bit,

but Adams was pulling so low at under 10 percent that it might not drastically change the race. It does sort of allow voters to focus on the three remaining leany candidates, Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa. And Cuomo is using this to talk to donors and to say, I'm the mom-dani alternative. Everybody get behind me now. What about Curtis Slewa, this long-shot Republican candidate? The Times has reported, not confirmed by NBC,

that President Trump and his team want him out of the race, too, because if you take too much of his, you know, whatever he's polling at, maybe 15, 17 percent or something, you know, and put that, If those folks, let's say, go to Cuomo, which they might be more likely to do if they were going to back a Republican anyway, that maybe it gives Cuomo a chance over Mom Dani. I've been covering Curtis Lewa for five years. I visited his studio apartment with, you know, more than a dozen cats. He's not leaving this race. He's made it very clear. He said you'd have to hit me with a truck to get me out of this race. And so he's saying he's not leaving the race. But I think Cuomo wants to sort of sideline him. Trump came out and said that he's not ready for prime time Sliwa and made fun of his cats.

And so I think the goal here from Trump and Cuomo is to sideline Slewa, say he's not a serious candidate. If you want to put your money somewhere, put it behind Cuomo. And what's Mom Donnie doing? You talked a little bit about how Cuomo is sort of readjusting to this new reality. What about the frontrunner in this race? I was with Mom Donnie today. He held an event to attack Cuomo. He made cuts as governor to this rental assistance program that he said led to the city's

current homelessness crisis. He's also attacking Trump. He's been holding event after event, drawing attention to how Trump's agenda is hurting New York City, he says. So Mamdani is really focused on pushing back against these two and sort of being this happy warrior, talking about free buses, talking about universal child care, drawing attention to the positive message that helped him win the primary. For folks who don't live in New York City who are going, well, wait a second, Hallie, why are you and Emma talking about this, right? How does it affect my life? I think there is some degree of speculation inside those who cover politics, political observers, let's call them, that there may be something to extrapolate nationally about the way Zora Mamadne, four Democrats, has run this race, has emerged as the frontrunner for now, you know, in the biggest city in the country here. There's also been this huge spotlight on Eric Adams nationally because of, of course, the federal corruption case against him.

that was ultimately then dropped by the Trump administration that said they needed the mayor's help to basically combat. They needed him on board for its immigration efforts and crack down in that city. What is Mayor Adams going to do next? It remains to be seen. This is sort of a parlor game in New York City politics. What will he do next? Will he work for the Trump administration? Could he become a Fox News, you know, talking head? Might he try to work in the private sector and make some money? He doesn't have a lot in the bank right now.

But look, the mayor of New York City is a national figure. Some people say it's the second most stressful job after being the president. And so there are national tones to this race. I think Mamdani, some people will say, like, it's really, he's a really uniquely charismatic candidate who ran a really good primary. And there aren't national implications, but he's close with AOC. And she's argued that this is an example of the generational change that needs to happen in the Democratic Party. Momdani's only 33 and represents the sort of new millennial politics. Emma, it's such a good point, too.

There's some real specifics that are particularly unique to this individual race. Emma Fitzsimmons with the Times. Thank you very much for being with us. Good to see you. Coming up here on the show, getting a handle on Gen Z. We'll tell you the latest luxury brand looking to make a splash in the coffee shop game in the hopes of brewing up a new customer base. Plus, the NFL turning to who else?

Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. Is the league hoping to score a touchdown with a league. Latino fan base. We'll explain. We are back with the big brand, hoping to lure in more Gen Z customers with a sweet treat and a coffee alongside their coach bag. Our Christine Romans got an inside look at the luxury handbag store, hoping its newest cafe will keep younger buyers shopping longer and spending more. Reminds me up. It's so cute. I had to have that. How about a macha latte with that handbag? Y'all, this is not a drill. The s'mores latte.

The tabby cake. Even sweet little treats. Coach, hoping to build brand buzz for a generation raised on online shopping, now thirsty for experiences. What do handbags and coffee, how do they go together? You know, it's really all about the experience. Gen Z really wants tactile experiences, right? I think this experience is going to drive even more people to our brand. Gen Z and millennials making up nearly 70% of Coach's new customers in North America last

quarter. Think less click and ship and more shop and sip. Oh, and it's eminently postable on social media. Are you more likely to buy more coach stuff if you come for coffee too? Yes, yes. So what's drawing in the coffee? TikTok. TikTok. Starbucks famously turned coffee into an experience. Other retailers like Ralph Lauren, restoration hardware, and even banks like Capital One are offering coffee options too. I thought people were exhausted by inflation, but you're saying if the experience is right, people still spend money. If the experience is right, if the product is right, if it's in the right location, we know where we want to go, then people are certainly spending money on that, yes.

And posting online about it, too. Hallie, this is the third U.S. location. It's been pretty packed while we've been here today, and we've met some young people, as you saw, who came here because of TikTok is something they're talking about online. They want to be part of that experience. So a new kind of social shopping experience, where people, people are paying for the, I guess, the perks of the brand, Halley? Turning now to Top Story's Global Watch, starting in Vietnam, where at least 13 people have been killed.

Nearly 50 others hurt after a powerful typhoon ripped across the country's coastline. Look at this. Some of the damage here, roads flooded, power lines snapped, and homes destroyed. That's after typhoon Boy Aloy, with intense rain, lots of wind, and waves up to 26 feet high. Officials are scrambling to find the multiple people still missing. Also, tonight the Taliban releasing another American citizen who'd been held in Afghanistan. You see, Amir Amiri on the far left there, now the fifth American freed this year after U.S. officials met with Afghan leaders over the weekend. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, also praising Qatar for helping to get him released. Ameri has been in Afghanistan since December, but it's not clear why exactly he was detained in the first place.

And where do you see the video captured by a travel blogger in Russia? a group of polar bears living inside an abandoned research station from the Soviet era. Look at this. The bears roaming around the buildings, peeking through the windows. One of them even tries to bite the blogger's drone. Look at that as it flies a little too close. This station's on a small island off Russia's northeastern coast. Scientists apparently abandon it back in the early 90s after the Soviet Union collapsed.

Also tonight, a new twist in the falling out of two of the biggest names in the Harry Potter universe. Author J.K. Rowling, blasting actress Emma Watson, who's now opening up about her complicated relationship with the controversial creator of the Potter universe. Our Gotti Shorts explains. Tonight, a public controversy brewing between Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and one of the biggest stars of the iconic franchise. I can love her. I can know she loved me. Emma Watson, who starred as Hermione Granger in eight Harry Potter films starting at age 10. It's Levi-O-Sar. Not Levi-O-Sar. up in a rare interview for On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Honestly, just as a young woman, for her to have written that character, created that world, given me an opportunity.

There's just no world in which I could ever cancel her out or cancel that out for anything. She talked about the mixed feelings she holds for Rowling, who has been criticized for supporting anti-trans legislation. I just don't know what else to do. other than hold these two seemingly incompatible things together at the same time and just hope maybe they will one day resolve. But rolling, slamming her comments in a post on X writing, like other people who have never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience

of real life she's ignorant of how ignorant she is. She'll never need a homeless shelter. She's never going to be placed in a mixed sex public hospital ward. I'd be astounded if she's been in a high street. changing room since childhood. Rowling has been outspoken about her beliefs for years. In 2004, Rowling writing an essay in which she questioned whether more people have come out as transgender as a result of a contagion fueled by social media. Saying that year on X, there are no trans kids. No child is born in the wrong body. In 2025, Rowling celebrated the UK Supreme

Court ruling that trans women cannot legally be defined as women under the Equality Act and using the phrase turf, meaning trans exclusionary radical feminist, writing, it's It's Turf VE Day, comparing the ruling to VE Day that ended World War II. Watson hoping the online debate can someday happen in person, perhaps even reaching an understanding. I think the thing I'm most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible. So you remain open for that dialogue? Yeah, and I always will. Godi is joining us now from L.A.

So Gotti, you know there's this Harry Potter series in production. It's going to come out in a couple of years on HBO, 2020. 27. And already we've seen calls from Hollywood to boycott. How much of a factor is that? Yeah, I mean, that is still yet to be seen. And the calls to boycott from Hollywood, right now we've counted two big ones. Petra Pascal commented on somebody's post on social media, calling for a boycott. Nicola Coglin over from Bridgeton also made a post about not wanting to touch a new show with a 10-foot pole. But, Hallie, as you mentioned, like, whether this is going to have any bearing on the TV production of the most popular book series of all time that is still yet to be seen.

This show isn't going to be out until 2027. They are given it the full HBO treatment. All seven Harry Potter books, they're going to be remade into a full season. Each, all of them are getting a new cast, so new Harry Potter, new Hermione, new Ron. And that show is supposed to be much closer to the original books. And of course, J.K. Rowling is going to be one of the executive producers. Super interesting. Godi Shorts, thank you for that. Coming up next here on Top Story, imagine going out to eat, getting the check, and being told, pay what you can. In this economy, how one restaurant in New York is giving guests a taste of high-end dining without the sky-high price.

Just ahead. We are back now with the headline that has sent bad bunny fans into a frenzy, maybe even you. Apple Music announcing that the superstar is going to headline the Super Bowl halftime show coming up, in February, bringing his music to millions. The choice by the NFL coming as the league looks to expand its reach and capitalize on its fast-growing fan base, Latinos. Here's NBC's Valerie Castro. Global superstar Bad Bunny scoring the performance of a lifetime. Apple Music announcing the three-time Grammy winner and chart-topping hitmaker is set to headline the Super Bowl's 60 halftime show. Social media bursting with excitement after the announcement.

on Sunday. I'm so excited. As fans begin to speculate what the king of Latin trap will bring to the world's biggest stage. I think he's perfectly cut out for the halftime show because he's a great dancer,

he's a great singer, he's just so charismatic. When Bad Bunny takes the field, it won't be his first Super Bowl appearance, first joining Shakira for her halftime show with Jennifer Lopez in 2020. The Puerto Rican, African icon is no stranger to big moments.

Wrapping up a three-month sold-out residency in San Juan earlier this month that brought a surge in tourism and pride during the island's hurricane season. In a statement about his performance this February, Bad Bunny saying, This is for my people, my culture, and our history. Experts say the pick could be a strategic move by the NFL to target the fastest growing sector of its fan base. Latinos, with viewership spiking 11% last year, according to NPR. PR. And according to a 2024 Nielsen report, 64% of Hispanics have watched or streamed NFL games live over the past year. The NFL is smart. They want to make money. He is a huge star. And having him on this stage is a way to draw in both their current audience and new audiences

overseas and around the U.S. who maybe aren't into the NFL yet. 2025 has been nothing but touchdowns for Bad Bunny. From Hollywood to an upcoming 57-date world tour, telling our Tom Yamas last month, this is only the beginning. I remember when I was a kid, I used to write stories, and quentos, act. So you see yourself not only as a recording artist, but as an artist. Yes, that's the way that I really just lived. I want to keep growing and learning, especially learning. And Valerie is joining us now from the top story studios in New York.

Okay, Valerie, I'd be remissed for the Swifties if I didn't ask about the possibility that Taylor Swift maybe was going to do the halftime show. Was that just pure, like, fun fan fiction, speculation, or was that ever real? Well, Hallie, I mean, it would have been the obvious choice, right? Given the Taylor Swift effect, helping to draw more women to the game ever since the launch of her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs player, Travis Kelsey, her appearance at his games helping to grow that audience. It is unclear if she ever had that discussion with the NFL, but hey, there's always next year. That is for sure. Valerie Castro, thank you very much. Appreciate that. Finally, tonight, one New York City restaurant is setting the table, so to speak, for a new trend. It's a pay-what-you-can fine dining experience that lets anybody who makes any kind of money get some of the best bites for the fraction of the price.

Here's Aaron McLaughlin. At first glance, this looks like a fancy dinner out at a pricey New York restaurant. Fresh locally sourced food prepared by an award-winning chef. The multiple little dishes with corn, it's like, I've never thought about those things so intensely. The twist? Everyone who sits down for the five-course set menu pays what they can, with a sliding scale of $1545 or $125.25. It's opaque, that is to say, you don't know what I'm paying and I don't know what you're paying, and it's self-described. It's an honor system that's the brainchild of former New York Times food colonist Mark Bittman. The community kitchen is a new non-profit restaurant now open for the next few months.

This is great food sourced locally, cooked by people who are being treated well, and anyone could afford to eat it. Chef Mavis J. Sanders takes us through the morning's hall from the farmer's market. So we just got these peas in, and they taste delicious. They're amazing. I love that you're competing with Michelin Star restaurants for your ingredients. I love that I'm winning. And for Mavis Jay, this is personal. When I was young and I was working in Michelin Star Kitchens,

and then I would go back home to Georgia when I couldn't find the same kinds of fresh vegetables. How satisfying is it to be able to serve up this food? It's amazing. At this community kitchen, the best bite is knowing everyone can afford one. Erin McLaughlin, NBC News, New York. Our thanks to Aaron for that one. And our thanks to you for watching. top story. For Tom Yamis, I'm

Hallie Jackson in Washington. Stay right there. We've got a lot more news now on the way.