Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, April 17, 2025

Episode Date: April 18, 2025

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

Tonight, the deadly shooting at a Florida college, at least two killed, six injured. Terror on campus, students fleeing for their lives as a gunman opens fire at Florida State University. Police swarming the campus, students filing out with their hands up. The shooter arrested and were now learning. He is the son of a sheriff's deputy. School bus overturned in South Carolina. The race to free the students trapped inside. At least five people critically injured. hijacking in the Caribbean. Dramatic video of an American pulling a knife on the pilot mid-air, but a hero passenger takes him down.

What was the hijacker's plan? Deadly cable car accident. Four tourists killed in Italy when this gondola snaps plunging to the ground below, how rescuers carried others to safety. Menendez brothers in court. The chaotic hearing today to shorten the convicted killer's sentence as lawyers battled in court the update from the judge. late today. Dangerous Kool-Aid challenge. How teens are busting through walls and fences just

like the Kool-Aid man in the 80s as part of a TikTok challenge. And playing God, the scientists who brought back the extinct Dyer Wolf are trying to resurrect the woolly mammoth. They join us in studio. Do they think it's dangerous messing with nature? Plus, it could be the new blockbuster weight loss drug, but this one, not a shot, it's a pill. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. Tonight, a college campus reeling after a gunman opened fire on Florida State University, killing at least two people and injuring six others. New images coming in of panicked moments in classrooms. You can see chairs piled high to barricade a door. The campus was full of terror as gunshots rang out. Cell phone video showing students screaming and frantically running away from it all as law enforcement rushed in, guns drawn, searching for the suspect, and quickly swarming the area trying to help the injured. Students seen with their hands raised as police went classroom to classroom to help them safely evacuate. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee.

Officials telling NBC News this all happened near the student union right in the heart of campus. Here's what we know about the suspect right now. He is 20-year-old Phoenix Eichner, a current student at the university. Eichner is also the son of a Leon County Sheriff's deputy who police say used his mother's personal weapon in the shootings. A big question tonight, how could this involve someone so connected to the police department? NBC's Priya Shrethar joins us live from the scene right now. Priya, the campus where you are that is still in active crime scene. What are you seeing there?

Yeah, that's right, Ellison. And I'm actually as close as you possibly get, can get to the student union where this all unfolded shortly before noon today. And not only is this an active crime scene, this is also an active memorial, a growing memorial here, as you can see behind me, students coming and laying flowers down to pay their respects for all the victims as they try to figure out how the unthinkable could have happened on their campus. The gunshots ringing out across the campus. Students seen fleeing, others urgently evacuating with their hands above their heads. Just before noon, a gunman started shooting near the school's student union. Two people are dead, according to authorities, six others are injured. Needless to say, we have multiple crime scenes. This is a very large area we're covering. This is an active ongoing investigation. Authorities say suspect Phoenix Eichner is in the hospital. The 20-year-old is the son

of a current sheriff's deputy, according to the Leon County Sheriff. Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons, and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene. As warnings of an active shooter went out across campus, some sprinted away. Others barricaded themselves inside campus buildings. We like block the doors with tables and stuff. I couldn't get through to 911. Multiple law enforcement agencies rushing to the scene. This way, this way. Officers clearing buildings room by room using a code word, evacuating terrified students. Mass hysteria like went through the building. President Trump this afternoon asked if he wants to see any changes to gun legislation following today's attack. I'm a big advocate of the Second Amendment.

I have been from the beginning. I protected it. And these things are terrible. But the gun doesn't do the shooting. The people do. It's a phrase that's used probably too often. I will tell you that it's a shame. Today's shooting wasn't the first at Florida State University. In 2014, an alum shot an employee and two students at a library. Tonight, authorities say several buildings are still active crime scenes. A camp is shaken once again after another day of violence. And Priya joins us once again from FSU's campus. Priya, do we have any more information about those killed or injured in this attack? Ellison, we don't have too much information about the victims. We do know that the two individuals who tragically died were not students and they were not law enforcement. As you

mentioned, six people were injured of those six. Five of them were hospitalized. But we don't know how many, if any, of them were students. And in addition to that, authorities did say that the suspect was neutralized and remains in the hospital. Ellison? Priya Shrether in Tallahassee, Florida. Thank you. The identity of the suspected shooter, the son of an active sheriff's deputy, sending shockwaves through the Florida law enforcement community. Let's bring in NBC News, law enforcement and intelligence correspondent Tom Winter. Tom, what more have we learned about how the suspect was able to get access to the gun? I understand it was a personal weapon that she had previously used and had bought back from the department.

But is that something where there was some sort of obligation for it to be locked up or stored or accounted for in some form or fashion? Well, Alson, you're asking the key question that really everybody in law enforcement is asking at this hour. And so first off, as far as that weapon goes, police departments from time to time will change out weapons manufacturers or the type of caliber that they're using. And in this part of Florida, you have the option then to buy that weapon back that you've been using. for your own personal lawful use. Now, it is generally accepted practice, whether you're in law enforcement or you're just somebody that has access to a gun,

particularly if you have a child or a young person in the home or somebody else in the home, is to lock that weapon when you're not there. That weapon may very well have been locked in this instance. We just don't know. Or perhaps it was available and unlocked, and this individual had access to it that they believe is the suspect for this shooting.

That's a key question they're going to have to figure out, Was there a policy here that wasn't followed with their best gun practices here that weren't followed? Or did this individual do something to be able to get access to that gun? That's going to be a huge focus here. What do we expect investigators to first try and focus in on, in terms of the suspect's history? Social media, laptops, phone. What were the last Google searches? Who was he last speaking to?

Is this some sort of personal animus he had against these individuals on this campus? or was there some sort of greater ideology this person believed in? Those are going to be the key questions here going forward as to motive. All right. Tom Winter, thank you. We appreciate it. I want to bring in Chris Mollivay. He is a junior at the school and was inside the student union when this shooting happened. Chris, thank you for joining us on Top Story tonight, and I'm so sorry it has to be under these circumstances. First of all, tell us how you are doing physically and emotionally after all of this. Are you physically doing okay?

Physically, I'm a little bit rough right now. Earlier today, I actually tripped on some of the stairs right behind me. And unfortunately, I ended up sprained my ankle. I have a couple of bruises as well on my right leg, as well as on my arm and also my thumb. So mentally all things considered, or physically all things considered, I'm doing okay. But mentally, I'm still trying to process everything.

You know, this is something in a million years, I never thought I'd be involved in a, situation like this one like we saw here today at Florida State. Talk to us about what that moment was like when you first started to hear gunshots or realize something was wrong. I understand you were at that student union area and that building studying. What did you see in here? That's right. So I was in the student union earlier today. I was getting some lunch when all of a sudden I saw dozens of students just running into the student unit in a frenzy. I heard someone say it was an active shooter. So I had maybe only about

five to 10 seconds to really react to that situation. I grabbed what I could. I ran out there and then I actually hid behind some bushes over my shoulder. And that's why I started to hear those gunshots in a very rapid succession. I'm not sure what type of firearm it was. I actually didn't see the gunman by I believe it was an automatic weapon considering I saw or I heard nearly like a dozen bullets. What went through your head as you were crouched down in those bushes hiding from

this unknown shooter at the time? It was just surreal. Like I didn't think, you know, I'd ever experienced something like this in my lifetime, really. Like, I've, you know, I've grown up hearing, you know, the stories about, like, the Parkland shooting and several of these other horrific incidents that have happened, really, in the past couple years. But I never would have ever imagined that, you know, I would see something like this at the place I've called home for the last three years. Did you feel that law enforcement, both from the county, Tallahassee, the city, as well as the FSU police, do you feel like they were quick enough in their response to this? Oh, absolutely.

I saw law enforcement arrive on the scene maybe three to five minutes after it happened. Like when I got to those bushes, I already heard the sirens wailing. There was definitely a big law enforcement present here on FSU's campus. And then fortunately, I was able to make it to my car, which was parked on the northwest side of campus over by the McCollum apartment. It's one of the student dorms here on campus. So I was able to make it there safely, albeit pretty tricky considering my ankle. But I was able to make it home safely to my campus or to my apartment off campus. Chris, have you been able to talk to your parents?

What was that first call with, like with them? So the first call I had was actually with my mom. when I was, that's what I was hiding behind the bushes. And unfortunately, when I called her, she actually heard all those gunshots to start ringing over the phone on speaker. And actually, behind me, you know, where I'm shooting here in Tallahassee right now, I'm my dad with me, he came up to just, you know, support me and just be with me through this very difficult time for just us students here at Florida State. Chris Malawi, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us. I'm so sorry that you

had to experience this, but thank you for helping us understand what happened a little bit better today. Thank you. Thank you. We're also following breaking news tonight out of South Carolina. NBC News has just confirmed that one student has died after a school bus overturned on a highway. Five other people were critically injured. Nearly three dozen students were on board at the time. NBC's Rahima Ellis has the late details.

Oh, wow. Tonight, a harrowing scene in South Carolina after a middle school bus blew a time. higher, rolling on its side, leaving one student dead and many injured. At least five people in critical condition, officials say. The bus carrying roughly 35 children and two adults overturned roughly 40 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina. The middle schoolers were traveling home from a field trip just outside the Queen City. I-77 was blocked for miles.

The bus left lying across the highway. First responders swarming the area, treating the interest. injured, some rushed to local hospitals via Medevac choppers. We have seen a large response of people out here. We have seen multiple choppers take off as well from the scene. Medical ambulance, probably, I would say, around three or four. Two other buses transporting students from the event were not involved. The sheriff's office asking the public to avoid the area.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is expected to investigate the accident. tonight, a community praise for the injured. Rahima Ellis, NBC News. A frightening moment on board a plane in Belize, an attempted hijacking caught on camera. Officials there say the suspect is believed to be an American citizen. Sam Brock has the latest. Tonight, chilling video from inside a plane that appears to show a hijacking in progress. A small aircraft operated by Tropic Air with 14 passengers and two crew members departing an airport in Belize for a within the country. Then, according to the police commissioner, was taken over by an American citizen with a knife who was ultimately shot by an injured passenger. As the plane landed,

he shot the hijacker. He had a license firearm. And so he was the one who shot the hijacker. And he also handed his firearm over to us. Sadly, that passenger is in a critical condition because he was stabbed. The commissioner interviewed by seven news police identifying the hijacker as Akiniella Taylor. The U.S. Embassy there, unable to confirm reports about his possible military status or whether the suspect was looking to get back into the country. What could have been his motivation for all of this? Yeah, we don't have any information on it at all. We don't know why he wanted to go back to the United States.

This video from Channel 5 Belize also shows the plane's suspenseful landing. When a plane landed, we immediately made our way to the runway. I must see as a plane land, it run out of fuel. So again, guard is good. Hours later, ramped up security presence on the runway and passengers being patted down on the tarmac. Tropic air describing the situation as a serious and unprecedented in-flight emergency in a statement, adding that a number of passengers sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical care. A tragic sequence of events that officials say could have been far worse.

And Sam Brock joins us now on set. I mean, the big question for me watching that, in addition to how did a knife get on board, But how and why did another passenger also have a weapon, a gun? Two weapons on board this flight. So the Belize Airport Authority comes out with the statement says, we have actually updated our comprehensive security plans. What does that involve? We check passenger bags and we have electronic screening equipment.

People are thinking to themselves, of course, this is an airport. That's what happens, right? And if that's the case, how do these weapons get on board the plane? We don't know the answer to that. But apparently, if you are flying from a foreign destination to the United States, you have to match the U.S. level of security. In this case, the flight, though, was going from one location in Belize to another. So maybe it did not.

But either way, they said they updated these standards back in January of this year, and you still had two weapons on board the plane. So we have not heard U.S. officials address anything about this. I'm pretty sure that's going to be at the top of list of questions that are asked. And did police and Belize say anything about whether or not they knew of this hijacker prior to this incident? They did not. They didn't have much information too shed on that, just that it appeared that he was trying to get back to the United States. But even that little tidbit is kind of in dispute at this point.

So we're just waiting for more. information. NBC Sam Brock, great reporting. Thank you. We're back in a moment with the new federal charges for Luigi Mangione, how it could help, how it could get him one step closer to the death penalty. Caotic hearing for the Menendez brothers, the fears back and forth between their lawyers and the DA, why their plea for a shortened sentence is delayed once again. And back from extinction, the scientists who have claimed to have resurrected the dire wolf are proving they can bring species back from extinction. But should they? They join Top Story next.

Meet Remus and Romulus, the first two dire wolves since the Pleistocene era. That was our first look at Remus and Romulus. You may have heard about them. They've been making headlines the past few weeks as the first direwolves in more than 10,000 years. Colossal Laboratories is the team behind the project. They use gene editing technology with the mission of bringing back previously extinct animals. Beth Shapiro and Ben Lamb of Colossal Laboratories joins us now on set. I mean, first question, did you all watch Jurassic Park?

Are we sure this is what we want to do? You're the first person to actually pull that together. Talk to us about your process here. What steps in layman's term did you go through to get to this point, and why the focus on dire wolves? We started by getting dire wolf DNA. So we went out into the field and collected fossils, remains of dire wolves that used to be alive, extract the DNA, and sequence and assemble dire wolf genomes, which we then compared to genome sequences, the DNA in all of our cells,

of all the different canids that they might have been related to, to figure out what it is that makes them distinct. We then use the tools of gene editing to edit gray wolf cells to have 20 different edits in 14 genes to make them big. and stronger and have this characteristic white coat that we now know dire wolves had because we learned it from their genomes. And I know you have probably seen all of this, but there are some people in the scientific community who say what you have done here is an extraordinary feat of gene editing, but

they say ultimately 20 snips of DNA changing that is minuscule in terms of evolution. And they say really what we have here is not bringing back an animal that was extinct, but they say this is a gray wolf who has some cosmetic. tweaks? How do you respond to those criticisms? It is a gray wolf that has 20 edits, but these are more than cosmetic tweaks. These are edits that evolved in gray wolves that evolved in dire wolves. See, it's too many wolves. It's a lot of wolves. That evolved in dire wolves that we brought back in these animals. In 2016, the IUCN Species Survival Commission published a report about what it meant to do successful

de-extinction, and they defined it as bringing back some elements of an extinct species. It's not possible to bring anything back. That's 100% identical to something that used to be alive. But by doing this sort of functional de-extinction, we are creating components of ecosystems that haven't been there before. Why is that important? Well, you know, habitats around the world are changing faster than species can evolve and adapt. And what we need is new tools that can help them keep up.

We can replace these missing components of ecosystems and use these same tools to help species that are alive today. avoid that same fate. And there's about 30 different ways to classify a species. So even existing species today, not all the scientific community agrees on what the classification is, right? And so by our definition, by several of the definitions in that group of 30, they are dire wolves, right? And we actually use the ancient genes from dire wolves, the dire wolf-specific variants to make

these changes, which is truly remarkable, right, to what you mentioned. But the other thing, you know, that didn't make as much headlines because they're not on Game of Thrones is all of the conservation work. And so the path to bringing back the Dary Wolves also helped us develop some really cool cutting edge technologies that can be used to save Red Wolves, which is, you know, the most endangered wolf on the planet. Talk to us about that. What are the next steps here? And is there a world where maybe some of this technology could be used to help animals that are in danger of becoming extinct? Yeah, all the, all of the technologies that Colossil develops, we make available. to free for our conservation partners. We have about 48 conservation partners around the world.

We're working on EEHV and elephants, which is a deadly disease that kills about 20 elephants a year, or 20% of elephants a year. We actually are working on to save the northern coal in northern Australia. And now we've actually developed a new type of cloning from blood so that we can isolate these cells called EPCs in blood, which is a massively better step for invasiveness

for cloning for endangered species. So we can actually just take a simple blood draw, isolate these cells, and then clone from these cells. And so that is a huge step forward for both cloning efficiency, but also for animal welfare. And while we made three dire wolves, we actually made four red wolves, which is pretty great. Wow. So three dire wolves, we only showed two of them there. But how are all three of them doing? Where are they? What's like a day in the life, I guess? They're doing grades.

Romulus and Remus are about six months old. They already weigh about 80 pounds, and they are thriving in their preserve. can tell you about, but I have to get in a little plug for Kaleezy, who's my favorite. She is only about two months old, and she is absolutely adorable. And you can already see their little personality is coming through. It's pretty cool. Yeah, we have them in a 2,000-acre, secure, expansive ecological preserve. We got a lot of excitement around the company.

We get a lot of excitement around our woolly mice. We actually had a couple super enthusiastic, but, you know, necessarily uninvited visitors that have stopped by the lab, and our labs aren't open to the public. So we aren't sharing the location yet, but we are certified by American Humane Society, the oldest humane organization. There's about a 300-point checklist you have to go through, and the wolves live really great lives that are seemingly natural, and they're a national habitat. And before you, I do want to ask you, I mean, we mentioned Jurassic Park.

It's a joke, but it's also a tweet that we have from the Jurassic World account, where they tweeted this when the news came out saying, we see no possible way this could go wrong. Yeah, and I agree with it. People who are actually like, wait, I am worried, are we talking about doing dinosaurs? What is, I mean, what is the thought and talk to us about if that is a real worry for some people? I think most people are playing around here. But is this good for humanity at large? There's no DNA in dinosaurs, so there's no chance that we're going to be getting any dinosaur,

the extinct dinosaurs back anytime soon. And the next steps for our dire wolves are to stay on this reserve. We're going to study them and learn about how they interact with their environment. This is the logical and ethical next step to a de-extinction project. We do hope that the excitement that has been generated by this. I mean, this is another thing that hasn't gotten a lot of play. But my colleagues at the university, where I worked before I joined the colossal, and even my kids come home saying,

we had a lesson about direwolves and extinction at school. And the idea that so many people are thinking about this, possibly for one of the first times in their lives, I think is a really important. In my background is in data and building software companies. My entire career is working with much smarter women and men than me to build really cool, interesting companies. And so I look at the data. And what's been interesting is there's been a hundred times or larger search for Red Wolf Conservation in the last week.

Even though Red Wolf weren't like the focus of most of the stories, right? But there were over 7 billion media impressions from the stories that got written alone about Red Wolves. That's incredible, right? So Red Wolf Recovery, Red Wolf Rewilding, How do we? save the Red Wolf. And there's a whole Red Wolf team that's been working to save the Red Wolf. And they've made tons of progress, you know, before we started developing these technologies. And now we're just bringing more light to their work. And then we're trying to bring our new technologies to their work as well. It is amazing. And even if half of it is hard to understand for

most of us, you're doing extraordinary work. Best Shapiro, Ben Lamb, with Colossil Laboratories. Thank you so much for being here. We appreciate it. Thanks for having us. We're back in a moment with a potentially blockbuster new drug that could revolutionize weight loss. No more shots. This one is a pill. And kidnapping through a video game, how a 10-year-old was abducted by an adult she met on the popular game, Roblox. We're back with Top Stories News Feed. Late today, a federal grand jury returning a four-count indictment against Luigi Mangione,

the man accused of shooting and killing the United Healthcare CEO in Manhattan. The indictment does not include any new charges, but includes the special findings, which is required to make him eligible for the death penalty. It comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi announced prosecutors will move to seek the death penalty for Mangione. He's currently in a Brooklyn jail on state charges and has pleaded not guilty. A Southwest Airlines flight making an emergency landing in Houston. Shortly after, takeoff this morning, a small engine fire forced the plane to circle back and land. The slides were deployed. passengers evacuated and taken back to the terminal.

Their bags were removed from the damaged plane and put on a new one so people could continue their journey to Cabo. No one was hurt. The cause of the fire is now under investigation. And a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and county deputy dodging an SUV that ran off the road. They were responding to reports of a car that he'd deer early Sunday on an interstate that is just north of Orlando. The sheriff's office saying the SUV hit the patrol vehicle and then the car that had hit

the deer. It then spun onto the interstate before finally coming to a stop. At this point, it's not clear if the driver of the SUV will face any charges. And a surprise at several Seattle intersections, pedestrians hearing an AI-generated voice of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos when pressing the crosswalk button. Hi, I'm Jeff Bezos. This crosswalk is sponsored by Amazon Prime with an important message, you know, please don't tax the rich. Otherwise, all the other billionaires will move to Florida, too. There were reports of similar things happening at several locations across the city yesterday. The Seattle Department of Transportation says they are working to fix the hacked buttons.

This follows similar instances in California's Silicon Valley. In those cases, people reported hearing AI-generated voices of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. It's not clear who is responsible. Now to the new standoff between President Trump and the chairman of the Federal Reserve, the president accusing Jerome Powell of playing politics, but stopping short of trying to fire him. Senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House. With markets on edge and his trade war escalating,

tonight President Trump is lashing out at the Federal Reserve chairman he once appointed, writing on social media that Jerome Powell's termination cannot come fast enough. I don't think he's doing the job. He's too late, always too late, a little slow, and I'm not happy with him. I let him know it, and if I want him out, he'll be out of there real fast, believe me. The rebuke coming after this warning from Powell Wednesday. Tariffs are highly likely to generate at least a temporary rise in inflation. The president now slamming him for not cutting interest rates to help the economy.

We have a Federal Reserve chairman that is playing politics, somebody that I've never been very fond of, actually. but he's playing politics. Powell says the Fed needs more clarity before making a move. We're never going to be influenced by any political pressure. People can say whatever they want. That's fine. Trump had previously said he would not try to replace Powell. And earlier this week, the Treasury Secretary stressed the importance of an independent Federal Reserve. I believe that monetary policy is a jewel box that's got to be preserved.

Democrats' warning of chaos if Powell is ousted. If Chairman Powell can be fired by the president of the United States, it will crash the markets in the United States. Powell, whose term as Fed Chair, ends next year, has said the president does not have the legal authority to fire him. If he asked you to leave, would you go? No. Today, the president welcomed conservative Italian prime minister, Georgia Maloney, the first European leader to visit the White House since his new tariffs were announced. We're going to make a trade deal. I fully expected. The administration also touting progress on trade deals with Japan and Mexico.

Late today, the president said the U.S. is also talking with China, while two major Chinese e-commerce sites, Tamu and Shian, now say they plan to raise prices for U.S. customers next week. And Gabe Gutierrez joins us now from the White House. Gabe, back to the standoff between the president and the Fed chair. Does President Trump have the authority to fire him without Congress? Well, Alison, it would be unprecedented. And legal experts say, no, he can't. But the Supreme Court is considering whether to hear a separate case that might give President

Trump more power to remove leaders of independent agencies. Allison? Gabe Gutierrez on the North Lawn, thank you. Inside a Los Angeles courtroom, a resentencing hearing for the Menendez brothers postponed after turning contentious today. The brother's attorney, Mark Garagos, calling the proceedings unfair. The issue, a comprehensive risk assessment, ordered. by Governor Gavin Newsom to determine whether Eric and Lyell Menendez posed a public safety risk.

Garagos says this report was provided to prosecutors, but not the defense. Today's hearing, part of a process that could eventually lead to the brother's release from prison, where they're serving a life sentence for the murders of their parents. For more on this, we're joined by NBC News, legal analyst Danny Savallo. Danny, walk us through some of the other aspects of what happened in court today. So recall that we're here for a resentencing. which could have been initiated either by the DA or by the judge. And in this case, it was originally by both.

And the standard the brothers have to show here is pursuant to a 20-23 law. The only reason that they're here is because of this law that allows defendants who were convicted, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole when they were under age 26. They have to show the classic post-rehabilitation factors, which are that they've become better people in prison, and perhaps more importantly, that they will not be. a risk to society if they are let out of prison. That's what they need to show today. That's what the defense or the brothers and Mark Aragos are going to try to show through evidence. And that is why Mark Aragos is complaining about evidence that may have been provided only to the

prosecution and not the defense, because they have to put their best foot forward during resentencing. So ultimately, this was supposed to be a two-day hearing, but the judge made the decision and pretty late today to postpone tomorrow's aspect of it and move it to May 9th. What could potentially that May 9th hearing look like? They're just going to continue the same fact-based hearing. The judge is going to hear evidence from both sides. The statute is clear as to the kind of evidence that they need to hear. In other words, to get into court, to have the resentencing, they have to establish they're

not going to be a threat to society. Once in there, expect the brothers to put on plenty of evidence about how they got their degrees while they were incarcerated, how they helped other prisons. prisoners, how they've aged and learned from their mistakes. And perhaps the most important factor will be taking responsibility. That's what the judge and, of course, the DA's office is going to be looking very closely for, whether or not they satisfy that element of the statute. So initially, the Menendez brothers and their legal team, we're looking at three avenues to possibly get them out of jail. It's gone down to two. Now we're talking about resentencing

or clemency. At this point, is resentencing still the most likely avenue for them to leave prison, or are they going to have to turn towards hoping for clemency? Yes, statistically clemency, which can either be a pardon. That wouldn't happen here. It would be more like a commutation. A pardon erases the conviction. A commutation just reduces the sentence so you can get out. And I can tell you in the nearly 20 years I've been practicing, I finally, last week, had my first pardon in my entire career. And I am a rarity. It almost never happened. Statistically, you can look at the statistics for just federal pardons. And the The last few months have been an anomaly because President Biden pardoned some thousand or so people, President Trump pardoned a thousand or so people.

Some presidents have pardoned no people. So over the years, pardons are incredibly rare, state pardons equally so, maybe a handful a year in each state. So this is something that rarely, rarely happens. So the point is the resentencing statute of 2023 creates a presumption of resentencing. So the mere fact that they're in the courtroom means they have more than a fighting chance. They've got a real chance to get resentenced. Partons, good luck, even if you're Lyle and Eric Menendez or just someone no one's ever heard of. So if you were part of their defense team advising them on this next day two that has been pushed away until May 9th, but this next hearing, what would you say are the primary things that you're going to focus on in that courtroom?

You have to focus on the statutory factors. Assure the judge that these two do not pose a safety threat. Go heavy on all the rehabilitation they've done while in prison. probably because we got a preview just a couple weeks ago that the DA's office was mostly concerned that they haven't taken responsibility appropriately. I would expect that they are going to go in there and offer any evidence they can to show that, yes, we do take responsibility for what we have done to tell the DA's office and the judge there in the courtroom that not only are we rehabilitated, not only are we no longer a threat, not only have we learned from this, but we take responsibility.

That is probably their clearest path to unlocking the cell room doors. That is their much better chance. Pardons, clemency, commentations, just statistically, they scarcely even happen. All right. Danny Savalos, thank you. A California man is behind bars tonight, accused of kidnapping a 10-year-old girl. He met on the gaming site, Roblox. Authorities locating the child in the town more than 250 miles away from her home.

As the incident sparks new concerns about the dangers. of these social media platforms so popular among kids. NBC, Steve Patterson has more. Tonight, relief for the family of a California preteen, home safe after every parent's digital age nightmare, an online relationship turned kidnapping. Authorities say was sparked by encounters over the smash hit video game, Roblox. Sunday, the Kern County Sheriff's Office was alerted to a missing 10-year-old girl. Authorities say interviews with her friends revealed she was communicating, with a much older man. 27-year-old Matthew Naval through Roblox and Gamer chat app Discord. Police report they tracked down Naval in his car with the girl hundreds of miles from her home.

Naval was arrested for kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Children are exchanging harmful matter with adults. We get reports of it a lot. Roblox is one of the most popular video games in the world with 85 million daily active users. 40% are children 12 and under. person from Roblox saying in part these allegations are deeply troubling and we are actively investigating. We have a zero tolerance policy against child endangerment and a range of safety features to guard against predatory behavior. I really would tell parents I would caution them. If you don't understand what the app is, it shouldn't be on your kid's phone.

Tonight, another wake up call for parents proving kids aren't safe from strangers, even in their own living room. And Steve Patterson joins us now from Los Angeles. for parents whose kids are using these apps, and it's a lot of parents, what sort of safety measures should they take to try and protect them from situations like this one? Well, listen, obviously these individual apps do have parental controls that can be adjusted internally, including chat restrictions. There are also settings at the operating system level, Apple screen time settings. Microsoft has family safety settings, but Evie, the former special agent in that piece, says it's really simple. If you don't comprehensively understand the devices in your child's hands, don't let them have it. She says that would be like being comfortable with letting your kid roam free in Times Square to talk to any stranger that they want to.

That's hard to imagine, and so too should letting your kid roam around on the internet. Alison. Steve Patterson, thank you. Now to Global Watch and a terrifying scene for tourists near Naples, Italy, a cable car line snapping, sending a gondola plunging to the ground. At least four people have been killed and more than a dozen others stranded for a time on the mountainside. NBC's Hologorani has the details. Heart pounding moments as one by one, 16 passengers stranded in a cable car are lowered to the ground by Italian rescue teams. One woman repelling with a small child in her arms, the tourists forced to evacuate the gondola

after it became stuck at the base of a mountain just south of Naples. After a cable near the summit snapped, sending a different cable car crashing to the ground, according to the mayor of Castellamare di Stabia. Four tourists were killed in the crash, and a fifth, a middle-aged man, has been airlifted to the hospital in critical condition, according to first responders. The governor of Campania told Sky News that the victims were too close. couples. The rescue corps says teams struggled through thick vegetation and fog to get to the scene. Additional crews surveying the area from the skies. The cable cars are a popular

excursion for tourists, promising a journey into nature with sweeping views of Mount Vesuvius. Four years ago, a similar scene unfolded in northern Italy. A cable car disaster in 2021 left 14 people dead after a technician disabled the car's emergency brake, saying it kept locking spontaneously. Disaster struck when the main cable snapped, the emergency brake, failing to prevent the cable car from reeling backward down the support line. The cause of tonight's tragic accident now still remains under investigation. Hala Gaurani, NBC News. Staying overseas, Colombia, declaring a national health emergency after a record high, dead

deaths from the mosquito-borne disease yellow fever. At least 34 people have died and 74 cases reported in a widespread outbreak largely concentrated in central Colombia's Telima province. The current outbreak is especially deadly with a mortality rate of nearly 50% among those infected. Health officials urging people to get vaccinated for the illness and avoid high-risk areas. Scientists revealing an earth-shattering discovery of the strongest hints of life beyond our planet. Researchers at England's Cambridge University detecting signs pointing to possible life on the exoplanet K218B that's orbiting 729 trillion miles away. They say they found chemical patterns similar to those produced by Earth's algae and seaweed indicating the possible existence of a warm ocean containing life. Scientists say they are continuing research for further confirmation of life-supporting chemicals on that planet.

And Chinese students using a unique method to learn Spanish through reggaeton music, a study from a Barcelona university revealing an uptick of students turning to social media videos and streaming services and translating songs of Latin artists such as Bad Bunny and Jay Bolivin. Researchers say there are limited resources for learning Spanish in China, so students are getting creative. And back in this country, a new weight loss pill is offering promising results that researchers say is comprehensive. to medications like OZMPIC. The drug developed by pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly, is said to have helped those with type 2 diabetes lose an average of 16 pounds. And the data from the company's clinical trials now giving hope to a needle-free alternative for healthy weight loss. Here's NBC's Stephanie Gosk. The latest weight loss and diabetes drugs are revolutionizing people's lives. And tonight, another option is just on the horizon. No needle necessary.

Eli Lilly announcing it has developed a pill, releasing data suggesting it is as strong as OZMPIC. It activates that GLP1 receptor in your body. So people can potentially expect the same kinds of weight loss taking this pill? That's the hope. The clinical results out today are from a type 2 diabetes trial. Patients lost 8 percent of their body mass taking one pill daily, and blood sugar levels dropped dramatically, according to the company.

which meant if a doctor tested them, they wouldn't even know that they had diabetes anymore. Chief Science Officer Dan Skravonski says they are so confident in the pill it's already being manufactured. When we get FDA approval, which could be as soon as next year, we hope to be able to have abundance supply. Is this pill going to be cheaper? Well, one of the advantages of the pill is that it's easier to make in our factories. That should mean more people should have access to it. Pharmaceutical companies have been in a race to develop a pill like this. Pfizer recently pulling its weight loss pill after a participant in one of its trials experienced possible liver complications.

But Eli Lilly says its version hasn't caused liver issues. The side effects, according to the company, are similar to the injectables, with many participants experiencing digestive issues, but the majority not serious enough to stop taking the pill. Having a pill that's taken it, you know, at your convenience, I think can be. be a gain changer for some people. But obesity expert Dr. Melanie Jay cautions that these drugs, whether injectable or in pill form, need to be managed by a doctor. It is not some kind of silver bullet, is it? It is not. It is not a silver bullet. And we are finding that in real-world practice, we still have so much to learn about how to use these medicines. Because there is no needle, that means it's cheaper to make. But that does not necessarily mean the price will be cheaper. Demand could

be very high when this hits the market. Eli Lilly says they aren't going to set a price until they get FDA approval. Ellison? Stephanie Gosk, thank you. When we return, the new Kool-Aid challenge, teens busting through fences like the Kool-Aid man in those old ads, why it has some homeowner shouting, oh no. Plus, how would you want to spend your final days? We'll introduce you to a man given the worst medical diagnosis most of us could imagine how he's turning it into some of the best moments of his life. We're back now with a social media trend making a comeback. It's called the Kool-Aid Man Challenge.

It involves crashing through walls and fences, just like the Kool-Aid man does in those iconic commercials. But some homeowners say it is doing some serious damage. NBC's Marquis-Francis has this one. Tonight, police on New York, Staten Island, looking for the people in this surveillance video, three of them running full speed across the street, and crashing through a fence, while a fourth appears to record them. And if their MO looks familiar to you,

Hey, Kool-A! Oh, yeah! You might be on to something. Oh, yeah! The homeowner with that destroyed fence says he believes the vandalism could be tied to a viral trend known as the Kool-Aid Man Challenge. There was a flashlight with the camera, so I believe they were recording a video. In which participants do their best impression of those iconic Kool-Aid commercials

that have been on the airwaves for decades. The trend first popularized in 2023, sometimes causing real damage. Ran out back and saw, you know, the fence just splattered. Jody Viola's neighbors capturing a group throwing themselves through the slats and fleeing in 2023. I think we were pretty shocked at how easily the fence exploded. The loud crack of another fence buckling on New York's Long Island, even making an impression on a retired corrections officer. That's when I heard the bang.

It sounded like a gun go off. His was just one in a string of five incidents in two months that led to multiple arrests. Now, the trend appears to be coming back in fashion, with police in New York fielding three reports in as many months. And it's not just New York. Several incidents reported in Sherville, Indiana, this month.

One resident telling NBC News, she's been targeted multiple times over the years, costing her $2,200 in damages. She says the teens look for PVC fencing because it easily pops off. The vandalism often happening at night, making it tough to identify perpetrators. In a statement, Kool-Aid says it does not endorse the Kool-Aid Man challenge. Writing in part, we kindly ask everyone to leave the breaking through walls to the Kool-Aid man. And while the classic commercials remain a favorite for many kids and adults alike,

the residents affected are not drinking that Kool-Aid. I didn't really find it so funny waking up, finding out that now I have a big cost on my head to repair my fence. And Marquis Francis joins us now in studio. So Marquis, how serious are authorities actually taking this? Yeah, Ellison. I mean, for some people, this can seem like a fun and harmless prank at first glance. But police are actually considering these incidents as potential crimes. And as we saw in the report, police have actually made arrests in the past.

And the reason is, because for some homeowners, these incidents are costing them thousands of dollars in repairs. Alison. Marquise, Francis, thank you. We're back in a moment with the inspiring final wish for a man diagnosed with terminal cancer to volunteer to help others in all 50 states, while he says this new mission is keeping him going. Finally tonight, the story of one man turning his terminal diagnosis into an opportunity for good. He set a goal to volunteer in all 50 states with the time that he still has left. We had a chance to speak with him today about his mission and the legacy he's looking to build.

Hey, y'all, it's Doug from Doug's dying to serve tour. State by state, Doug Rook is a man on a mission. From bagging potatoes with the Idaho Food Bank to serving seniors at an Oregon community center, Rook set out to volunteer in every U.S. state after a terminal cancer diagnosis earlier this year. One of the things I reflected on after receiving the news that I may, you know, have a year or less left on this earth is that I hadn't done enough good. And with that, dying to serve was born. His go-fund me raising over $50,000 so far. And there's been so much generosity and so much amazing support.

And now Doug has volunteered in 11 states. He hopes to hit 25 by the end of May. His mission to help brought him here to Kitchen Angels in Santa Fe, New Mexico. where he spent a morning preparing meals for people who are homebound. Well, he's got a lot of energy, and I think it was really fun. I think I'm going to be around longer because of me doing this, because I can feel the difference in my body when I'm helping people, and I'm doing this volunteer mission. I can feel it.

Now he's hoping to spread that good feeling to others. What do you hope people take away from your story and your experience? You know, if my legacy once I'm gone is that my story helped inspire thousands of people around this country and maybe around the world to volunteer, then, you know, I can die happy. Looking to start a non-profit to make his mission last. I'll give you one example. I had a 78-year-old gentleman send me a message the other day that his wife is days away from dying of Parkinson's. his wife of 60 years. He wasn't sure if you wanted to stay, to continue on without her. And he just wanted to write me and tell me that the selflessness I'm showing and what I'm doing

has made him realize that he has more to give. If you could go back in time and speak to a younger version of yourself before the cancer, before all of this, knowing what you know now, what would you want yourself to know? Don't waste time chasing the almighty dollar as much as I did. Love everybody and let your light shine, your kindness shine, because I'm doing that now. I wish I had always been doing it. It's an amazing way to live. Our thanks to Doug for sharing his story with us.

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