Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, April 4, 2024

Episode Date: April 5, 2024

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

Tonight, President Biden's stark warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden threatening to change U.S. policy towards Israel if more isn't done to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The high-stakes talks in direct response to that strike that killed seven aid workers. The grieving parents of the dual American Canadian citizen killed in that attack speaking out. They're heartbreaking words about the tragic loss of their son. Also, tonight, race against the clock. In Taiwan, search and rescue crews searching for victims after a deadly earthquake rocked the region. Terrifying dash cam video showing boulders slamming into cars after a landslide.

People left stranded in a tunnel completely cut off from a main road. Nurses holding on to babies as the tremors rattled the NICU, the latest on the efforts to free those trapped in the rubble. Fowl play suspected. Oklahoma investigators revealing new details. after two mothers on their way to get their kids go missing, the suspicious circumstances surrounding their disappearance. Tuberculosis at a Chicago migrant shelter, the urgent health warning over the infection

and what we know about exposure within the city. Plus, trashy porch pirates, a crafty thief caught on camera going to great lengths to steal a package. Another man taking matters into his own hands, enraged after his packages, including his sneakers, kept going missing. his clever decoy to catch a porch pirate in the act.

And Kiss sells out. The iconic rock band striking a deal for the rights to their music, brand, even their makeup. But the band ensuring this isn't the end of the road, how they plan to rock and roll all night and party every day in a futuristic way. Top story starts right now. Good evening. Biden, threatening to limit U.S. support if Israel does not do more to address Gaza's humanitarian crisis. That warning during a high-stakes talk with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Net and Yahoo, Biden also calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The 30-minute conversation, one of the most consequential between the two world leaders since the war began. The call was arranged after an Israeli strike killed seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen, sparking global outrage. Chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, calling for an independent investigation into the deadly attack. The family of the dual American Canadian citizen killed in that strike. Speaking out tonight, you'll hear from them. This says the U.S. and Israel continue to clash over Israel's planned invasion of Rafa.

The Biden administration concerned about Israel's plans to evacuate the one million people seeking refuge there. All of this, as Netanyahu faces, protests back at home. You see them right here as public anger. grows over his failure to achieve a hostage deal. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez starts us off with new details on that tense conversation. Tonight, President Biden is warning Israel that without immediate action to protect civilians in its war against Hamas, U.S. policy towards its staunch ally will change. The direct message coming during a phone call between the president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The president emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall

All humanitarian situation are unacceptable. The 30-minute call was the first between the two leaders in nearly three weeks and marks a much tougher tone towards Israel. The White House says the President made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers. The White House has repeatedly said Israel faces a genocidal threat from Hamas, just this week saying there will be no change in policy.

But two U.S. officials tell NBC News, the president today strongly implied he may condition American military aid to Israel on whether Netanyahu makes immediate changes over humanitarian concerns in Gaza, including getting to a ceasefire. The White House saying changes must happen in days or even hours. Do you think the prime minister is really listening? I think it was evident in the phone call today. It was a good discussion. Direct, no question. Today's call was arranged in direct response to the Israeli strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen workers, including 33-year-old Jacob Flickinger, a dual American-Canadian citizen. NBC's Ralph Sanchez spoke with his parents. We are two people who suffer because we've lost our only cell, but we're only two. There are thousands and thousands. There are. Israel says the strike was a grave mistake and was not intentional. Gabe Gutierrez joins us tonight from the White House.

So Gabe, explain to our viewers here. There is this threat now from the Biden White House, but the military aid is still flowing to Israel. Yeah, that's right, Tom. Look, just days ago, the Biden administration signed off on sending more than 1,800 bombs to Israel. And the administration is also pressing Congress to sell more F-15 fighter jets. to Israel. But today, the White House said that all that had already been in the works for months and even years, and it is unrelated to this war. Tom? All right, Gabe Gutierrez for us tonight, Gabe, we thank you for that. For more on what this means, for U.S.-Israel relations, I want to bring in foreign policy analysts, Hagar Shemali, tonight. Hagar, we thank you for joining Top Story. You heard about the readout from the phone call between the president and Prime Minister Netanyahu and John Kirby's comments to the press.

Is this now a red line for the Biden administration? Do you think this changes everything, or is this just political rhetoric? Well, Tom, it's somewhere in the middle, because it started out as political rhetoric. You have more words than action at this point. President Biden is issuing a threat, and it's a very real threat. He's saying that the aid to Israel could become conditional if the behavior doesn't change. And so, on one hand, when words aren't backed by action, sometimes you're not going to see a change in behavior, but that threat is very real. Now, at the same time, the reason I say it's somewhere in the middle is that I don't expect

the relationship overall between the United States and Israel to change, because Israel is an ally. I don't see the United States making a statement to walk that back entirely because there are many reasons that Israel is an ally. That's a relationship that's mutually beneficial. We have a very close intelligence relationship. I worked very close to the Israeli government when I was in the U.S. government, particularly on counterterrorism, and they were very helpful on our goals. for counterterrorism in the region, and also here back at home.

And so what I, this is, this to me, sits somewhere in the middle. So be completely transparent with our viewers here, and I know you will, but, but who has the leverage here? Do the Americans have the leverage? President Biden because of the weapons and the history? Or do the Israelis have the leverage because they're in the middle of a war and there's an election around the corner? Also somewhere a mix of both.

So the U.S. definitely has more leverage. And I would, by the way, I would argue that around the world. Now, that's a matter of opinion. I think that as a rule, the United States carries a lot of leverage because of the support we have, because of our economy, and because of our general power. The relationship with the United States is something that Israel likes, that they pay attention to. We have a very, very close relationship with us.

But at the same time, there are things that motivate Bibi Netanyahu and things that don't. And that's not necessarily reflective of the rest of the Israeli public. The rest of the Israeli public, from what I can see from the press, they do. do care about international public opinion. They particularly care about U.S. opinion. But Bibi is a bit different. And the talking point that you've heard from President Biden, from other U.S. officials, and by the way, even from former President Trump, when they've all been cautioning, you know, listen, you're losing support around the world, that to B.B. is not a very compelling talking point. But that said, the reason the U.S. does have leverage

is not just because of the aid, but it's the kind of aid. We give $16.8 billion. to the, sorry, we give $3.8 billion to the Israeli military, that's 16% of their defense budget. It's a lot, but it's not everything, but the key is that it's the weapons. We give the majority of their weapons, and that's why threatening the conditioning of our aid should be something that would affect a change in policy. How do you think the election in November, the U.S. election, is going to affect this war? And I ask that because there is a deadline for President Biden, right? he would like a ceasefire, he would like to see an end to this war by November, but in many ways, it's out of his hands.

That's true. It's one of the things that we used to say when I was in government and working with the Israeli was that you could push and you could ask for so much. And at the end of the day, a lot of the times they would do as they wished or as they pleased, and we would only be able to shape so much. And I think the administration is certainly in that in that same position. But the fact is that even if they are or aren't in that position, when it comes to the U.S. relationship, with Israel. I wouldn't expect any change there, not just because of the election year, that's certainly part of it, but also because the U.S. administration does believe in Israel's right to defense, in the fact that they are trying to neutralize a threat that comes from Hamas and trying to get the hostages back. And that the U.S., although we would have an approach that certainly protects innocent civilians more, certainly protects aid workers, the U.S.

would respond similarly if we were faced with a similar situation. And that is a fact. And I also believe the U.S. government, having handled Hamas, Hamas was in my portfolio when I handled, when I worked on counter-terest financing, the U.S. government does not want to see Hamas control the Gaza Strip. That is a benefit to them if they are neutralized. And so they're actively working on that. But when you have an election year, you're going to want to tweak things in your favor

and in the favor of what the U.S. government believes is a long-term system. goal for the Israelis and the Palestinians without rocking the boat too much. There is a reason why the U.S. has this special relationship with Israel, and I just don't expect significant changes to that policy. All right. Thank you for that. We turn out of that powerful earthquake over in Taiwan, the desperate search for survivors, an incredible new video coming in from the moment the quake hit. Tonight, at least 10 people are dead and hundreds still trapped as rescuers now race against time. NBC's Janice Mackie Freyer is there with more.

Tonight, the urgent rescue effort to get to survivors on Taiwan. And an all-out search is underway in the mountains for people trapped. Caught off by massive landslides triggered when the earthquake hit. With major roads and tunnels blocked, there's no way out. Rescue crews were able to reach some people, leading them to safety on foot. And in some cases, helicopters are being brought in to get people out. But at a hotel in a national park here, dozens are still waiting for help. This bus, now a mangled mess, blocking the road.

As we were leaving, rocks were still falling, he says. Dash cam video of when the earthquake hit, showing boulders rolling down a road, crushing cars. Dramatic images showed just how powerful the quake was here. from a rooftop pool spilling down the side of a building and nurses scrambling to protect newborns in the hospital tonight in Hualien just 11 miles from the epicenter a major cleanup is underway this building leaning precariously but still intact i thought it was a train at first leona bergen a student visiting from chicago was staying in a hotel right next to it when the earthquake hit the whole place started shaking and

and rumbling. And I didn't, it took me a while to realize what was going on. And with that, Janice McAfriar joins us tonight from Taiwan. Janice, I want to start right where you are. We're looking at that building there. Can you walk our viewers through if that building is secure, if you can even secure a building of that magnitude? Well, I'm in Hualien, about 11 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake, and you can see that this building is tilting very precariously. What they've had to do, Tom, The ground floor has crumbled, but the rest of the building is intact.

I'm not sure if you can see, but there's barely even a window that's been cracked. What they've had to do, though, to stabilize it is move these huge concrete blocks underneath it, and they've piled rock on top. They're hoping that will keep it stabilized for the time being, because there have been hundreds of aftershocks, some of them quite strong, and they don't want that building coming down on its own. And then speaking of the destruction there, Janus, do we know how many people are still trapped? They are saying hundreds of people are still trapped, but we should clarify, it means people who are unable to get themselves to safety.

Many of them are in the mountain areas around Hualien, and they're stuck. They're on roads. They're in tunnels. There are dozens of people who are stuck at a hotel in a national park. Rescue teams have been able to reach them to make sure they're okay, give medical care, food and water as they begin the slow process of trying to get them out. They have used helicopters to get several mine workers to safety who had been trapped in a quarry. But this remains the priority for emergency teams is to try to reach all of these people and to get them to safety because of the risk of these aftershocks and the impact they could have on landslides. and as well, because there could be bad weather moving in over the weekend.

And then as we talk about these ongoing rescue operations, and we look at that damage there, this was a pretty massive earthquake that could have been even more catastrophic, correct? But it seems like Taiwan was well prepared. They have so much experience with these types of natural disasters. Tom, earthquakes are unavoidable here, and Taiwan arguably has one of the most advanced warning systems in the world. They're just prepared. There are alerts that go out over cell phones and wide public awareness,

where people just seem to know what to do with an earthquake strikes. There are also very strict building codes, lessons that have been learned over the years. They have several buildings that have been reinforced with steel beams to make them more resistant. That said, the concern are the aftershocks and the strong ones in particular. We had one here just a few hours ago. The concern is the impact those aftershocks will have on buildings that are not stable. And it's why this building behind us, officials say, will be demolished on Friday. Tom?

Janice, Becky Freyer from Taiwan. Janice, we appreciate all your reporting. Please stay safe. Back here at home to a high-profile murder trial, the one involving Brian Coburger, the man suspected of killing four University of Idaho students. The lawyers for Coburger arguing in court today that the jury pool, In Lattuck County, Idaho is biased against him after surveying the community. But the prosecution argued that the survey itself violated an order that prohibited both sides

from making statements to the public that could bias the case. I want to bring in our friend NBC News Legal Analyst and defense attorney, Danny, so the defense and prosecution, they were in court today over this survey that the defense said. The judge weighed in. He was not too happy. Let's listen to that. This is a very, not a usual case from the law. And you know that we've been working very, very hard to keep the sort of noise out of the case.

And now it's been injective at least to these 400 people. Without a permission of the court, without discussion with the state, I mean, that's troubles me. So, Danny, you're a defense attorney. How bad is this for the defense? It's bad, but not as bad as it may look, because I think really this is more about asking forgiveness instead of asking permission.

Because there doesn't appear to be any Idaho statute that's directly on point forbidding this. And in fact, defense attorneys and attorneys in civil cases use surveys from time to time. They also use mock trial. and mock juries. So these are tools that are used. I think the way this was done is what's bothering the judge and the prosecution. That it was just done unilaterally without the involvement of the state and the court. They went out on their own and started surveying people in the

potential jury pool without asking permission. And the way it was done makes it look like that might have been deceptive. But was this a strategy or was this sloppy? I'm betting it's more sloppy and less a strategy to conceal things from the state because that wouldn't have been a good idea. They surely would have found out because after all, let's say they got the survey results they wanted. They would have put those in a motion to change venue and at some point the state would have said, hey, where did you get these survey results from? So in all likelihood, it was just an act of omission. It was not a deliberate, in my view, attempt to conceal things from the court or the state. Idaho is one of the smaller states when it comes to population in this

country? Can Coburger get a fair trial in the county where this crime happened? By the way, you also bring up another really good point. I think the analysis is different because you're in Idaho. You're in a less populated area where when you make phone calls in the neighborhood, you're going to get people who are going to get called to jury. Four hundred. Tell other people. Yeah. Right. Imagine if you did that in New York City, in the five different counties. If you called 400 people, it wouldn't even make a blip on the screen. And it would be, I think, a very different analysis than is here. You talk about pretrial publicity. Several decades ago, there was a case before the Supreme Court, Shepard v. Maxwell. It's interesting because it was

actually the inspiration. It was the inspiration for a TV series and a movie called The Fugitive. Although the facts are not really that similar. What we take away from it legally has nothing to do with the movie. It's the idea that if the pretrial publicity of a case reaches a circus-like atmosphere. It could potentially deny the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial. But, Tom, here's the thing. And I've made motions based on that exact same principle. They are almost never, ever, ever granted. Even the change venue, that is a rare occurrence. Because the problem is, if you have a case that warrants a change of venue, then you might just be getting out of the frying pan into the fire. If you move two or three counties over in an infamous case, how much less do

the jurors actually know in Idaho. Tell me a county in Idaho that hasn't heard of Brian Coburner. So you don't think this case gets moved? It could be. Venue change is the most frequent fix. You're not going to get the case dismissed for that reason, but a venue change may be possible, but it's really hard to get to a venue change. And that's usually something that's dealt with as you get closer to trial when you at least give the jury pool a try and it seems hopeless. All right, Danny Saval. It's for us. Danny, we thank you for breaking that all down for Next to the latest in that investigation of NFL star Rashi Rice, an attorney for the Kansas City Chiefs player confirming Rice was driving one of those luxury cars, a Lamborghini, that was involved in a multi-vehicle crash in Dallas. Rice now apologizing to the victims for his part in that high-speed collision and then walking away from it. NBC's Priscilla Thompson has the details.

Tonight, an attorney for NFL star Rishi Rice confirming his client was behind the wheel in this dangerous, crash caught on camera. Mr. Rice acknowledged that he was driving the Lamborghini. Police say that Lamborghini and this Corvette were speeding down the expressway in Dallas when both drivers lost control, hitting four other vehicles and sending two people to the hospital. It comes a day after Rice confirmed in a statement that he spoke with Dallas police about Saturday's crash and apologized to the victims. He's going to do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible. In terms of injuries, in terms of property damages, he'll make certain that he is responsible for helping them. You guys all right? You guys just going to leave it?

The occupants of the vehicles in question all left the scene, investigators say, without checking if anyone needed medical attention or exchanging information. Here you have a young man 23 years old, never been involved in anything like this people were injured his heart goes out to them the NFL said today we continue to monitor all developments in the matter but tonight with Rice's reputation and career all on the line his attorney asking the public not to judge him based on this incident alone he's a young man that made a mistake how many of you have made a mistake. All right, Priscilla Thompson joins us now live.

Priscilla, this happened in Dallas, a major city. I'm so confused here. There was allegedly some race scene. It's been captured on video. There was a massive accident. People were hurt. They were sent to the hospital. And then you have someone who was involved in the accident admitting to leaving the scene.

Has anyone been charged yet? This happened on Saturday. Yeah, Tom. Police say there have not been any arrest or charges made so far. here. Police say that they are still interviewing witnesses, victims, and people who may have been involved. And then once they conclude this investigation, they will turn that information over to the prosecutor who will make a decision on charges. I spoke with an expert, and it's unclear exactly how serious these charges will be, given that there were no serious injuries. But they did

say that there is obviously the likelihood of civil liability here. And we do know that a number of the victims in this accident have obtained legal counsel. Tom? Yeah, there'll definitely be a lawsuit. Okay, Priscilla Thompson on this very strange traffic accident in Dallas. Priscilla, thank you. Now to the dangerous weather conditions across the East Coast, five million people now under winter alerts, with scattered rain and snow showers circulating across the region. Snowfall amounts set to reach up to two feet for more on this unseasonable winter weather. It's now spring, right? NBC News meteorologist Michelle Grossman joins us live. Michelle, walk us through this.

Well, it certainly feels like winter there. This is an April nor Easter that is bringing tons of snow. It's heavy. It's wet. We had flowing winds, winds gusts up to 70 miles per hour earlier today. That brought some power lines down, some power outages. And we're still tracking the system that we've been tracking all week long. Here's the snow that's falling. We see the lighter blues, the whites. That's where the heaviest snow is falling. So portions of Northern New England. And then look at this rotation. We're looking at some shower still impacting portions of the Ohio Valley into the northeast. This will start to wind down tonight, which is good. new. So this is sort of the last hurrah of this storm. But still 5 million people impacted, as you mentioned. We have winter weather advisories for Watertown, Caribou, winter storm mornings. That is in the pink here. So Schenectady in Portland, also Bangor, Maine looking at that snow falling. And this is how much we're expecting. Where you see those pinks, purples, also the blues, that's the highest amounts. Nine inches, that's in the purple, 12 in the pink. That's the additional amounts. But when this is all set and done and we're looking at those totals, we can see over two feet of snow in some spots. Here is our next weather maker. It's in the

the west coast. We're seeing Pacific low swinging into central California. We're looking at heavy coastal rain, also some mountain snow. Then as we go throughout tomorrow, we'll see it kind of move inland here. So we're looking at moving into the Great Basin, scattered showers into Southern California. And this will be our next cross-country storm that's going to bring severe weather by Saturday. So we have a little break in terms of severe storms today or tonight tomorrow. And then Saturday it returns. So we're looking at winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour with any storms that move through. Could see some hail as well. Tornado risk is low, but it's not zero. So anywhere in the central plains, Topeka, Wichita, also Oklahoma

City. Then we want to talk about the eclipse. This is on Monday. We do have the concern for some severe weather in portions of the southern plains. That includes Dallas, Lovkin, Alexandra. Tom, we're going to watch this very closely in terms of timing. Right now it looks like Monday evening, but it could be into the afternoon. We'll look at that over the next couple of days. Back to you. Okay, Michelle. We thank you for all that. Still ahead tonight, a potential predator in Houston, a NASA employee, accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, how authorities alleged he used his credentials at NASA to lure the victims. Plus, the shocking moment showing a plane, look at this right here, attached to a parachute

spinning out of the sky in Florida, what we know about two survivors on board, and tens of millions of dollars stolen from a money storage facility in L.A., how authorities say burglars pulled off one of the biggest heist in the city's history. Talk about Los Angeles here. Stay with us. Okay, we're back now with the major cash heist in L.A. The FBI and the LAPD are investigating one of the largest robberies in the city's history. Tens of millions stolen Sunday at a San Fernando Valley money storage facility.

Now investigators are looking into how burglars were able to breach the building and pull off this heist. Let's bring an NBC News correspondent Elwyn Lopez. She's in Los Angeles live tonight with much more. So, Ellen, what do we know so far about how these burglars gained access to that facility to pull off the heist? Yeah, Tom, listen, it's a multimillion-dollar mystery. Investigators are still trying to figure out exactly how these burglars were not only able to enter the building, but also get inside that vault without triggering any alarms. They have a few different scenarios that they're looking at.

I want you to take a look at that aerial shot of the side of the building. You can see that there's this large hole there that has been bored. it up. There's some debris around it. Investigators are still looking into whether that was possibly caused by the heist. So far, no suspects. And a reminder that all of this took place Easter night. And the operators of that facility did not find out about this until Monday, Tom. Ellen, talk to us more about what is this building exactly? It's not a bank. It's a cash storage facility? Yeah, so it's a money storage facility in San Fernando Valley. There are several of these across the United States. A lot of people think of those armored trucks going from the

business to the bank, from the bank to the business. But a lot of times these armor trucks go to money storage facilities. And that's where a lot of these businesses hold up their cash for a time being. And that's exactly what this was. A lot of layered security there. So it's really interesting to think of how these builders were able to get inside so many different security systems. There are a lot of questions as to whether this was an inside job or not. We know that authorities are looking into that. The FBI and the LAPD are both investigating this, Tom. Elwyn Lopez for us. Elwyn, we appreciate that.

Next to a shocking case of alleged serial sexual assault out of Houston. A NASA employee accused of attacking six different women. He met online using his NASA credentials with the space agency to gain their trust. Why prosecutors are worried there may be more victims out there, maybe even across the globe. Marissa Parra reports tonight. Tonight, stunning allegations of sexual assault against a NASA engineer. Eric Sim charged with attacking six different women he met on dating apps. This image shared exclusively with NBC's Houston affiliate, KPRC2, capturing the moments

just after police arrested Sim at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA is a trusted brand, and because he was a professional, it helped build their confidence that he was who he said he was and that they were safe and they weren't. The alleged assaults happening at his townhouse near downtown Houston, New court documents filed by the district attorney say Sim connected with the women on apps like Hinge, OKCupid, and East Meets East. He frequently uses these dating apps to communicate with multiple individuals at the same time and is portraying himself as somebody who wants a committed relationship. Prosecutors say between 2019 and 2022, Sim invited the women back to his home and forced himself on top of them. One of the women telling police, she may have been intoxicated at the time.

of the assault. The district attorney now concerned there could be more victims. Because Sim has an extensive travel history, both nationally and internationally, we fear that there could be other victims who may not know that he's charged yet. Sim has pleaded not guilty. His attorney calling the allegations false and saying the relations were consensual, but didn't turn out the way the complainants hoped they would, adding, we look forward to presenting. the whole truth to a jury. NASA, Johnson style. Sim, gaining fame online for starring in NASA's viral parody of SIE's

2012 hit music video Gangnam style, which has more than 8.6 million views. NASA says they cooperated with authorities during the arrest in late February, but declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. The agency telling NBC's Houston affiliate in a statement, they would take appropriate personnel action based on investigations, both external and internal. Sim, now out of jail on a $700,000 bond, but remaining under 24-hour house arrest with total monitoring of all of his electronic communications. The district attorney says this case should serve as a warning about meeting strangers online.

Credibility is more than skin deep. There's just more to each of us than not just who we say we are, but where we work or what profession were in. None of these women suspected that they were dating a serial rapist. And yet, that's exactly what happened. Okay, Marissa Parra joins us tonight live from Miami. So, Marissa, the DA talks a lot about trying to establish someone's credibility before you go on a date with someone, right, when you meet them online. But this guy didn't make up the fact that he was a NASA engineer. He actually was one. What can people on dating apps do in these kinds of cases and are his account still active?

It's a great question. And it's interesting because there was a Facebook group where local women tried to warn other women of SIM. But dating apps really have their hands tied with these sorts of things until people come forward with either irrefutable proof or there is some sort of actual police charge. We did actually hear back. We got a statement from Match Group. They own Hinge and OKCupid. And they said in part that what has been reported is horrible and has no place anywhere, saying they will cooperate fully with investigators, but adding, they banned his account as soon as they received the report on what happened. Tom? Marissa Parra for us.

Marissa, we thank you for that report. When we come back without a trace, new details tonight on the search for two moms who went missing on their way from Kansas to Oklahoma to pick up their kids, why authorities say they believe foul play is involved. All right, we are back now with Top Stories News Feed, and we begin with an update on two mothers from Kansas who went missing while traveling together in a rural part of Oklahoma. In a new statement, police say evidence found inside one of the women's cars suggest foul play is involved. They did not elaborate. Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelly were reported missing Saturday after they never arrived at their destination.

Butler's abandoned car was found on the side of the road. A small plane crash caught on camera in Florida, but looked at it. how interesting this is. The new video shows the plane attached to a deployed parachute. That's a safety feature it has, falling out of the sky near Tampa. The plane then crashing into the backyard of the home, two people on board managed to get out of the wreckage and were walking around when first responders arrived. They were taken to the hospital, but are expected to be okay. And tonight there are reports of tuberculosis cases at migrant shelters in Chicago. Chicago health officials say a small number of cases have been reported, but they did not

say how many cases and which shelters are impacted. The health department says it is monitoring cases through contact tracing. Officials say they do not believe there's an increased risk to residents in the Chicago area. And legendary rock band KISS has sold their music catalog, brand name, and even that iconic makeup. The band selling the rights to their music for a whopping 300 million bucks to Swedish company Pop House. The sale also includes their master recordings and publishing rights, with their likeness, but fans don't have to say goodbye just yet. The company plans to launch a Kiss Avatar show using AI by 2027. Okay, we turned out to an investigation by our NBC station in Washington, D.C. For seven months in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic, the Metropolitan Police

Department was the only place in Washington, D.C., where residents could legally buy a handgun. Now, new documents obtained by the station's investigative unit reveal that a concerning number of the firearms they dealt, were then found at crime scenes. Here's NBC's Washington's investigative reporter, Ted Oberg, with the details. There are only two people in the entire district who can help you get a legal handgun in D.C. and Sean Poland is one of them. I wonder if that needs to be modified. Poland opened D.C. Security Associates in 2021, one of two federal firearms licenses in D.C. We believe in response to ownership. At a time when D.C. had only one. other gun dealer, the Metropolitan Police Department.

According to everyone we talked to and federal records we've combed through, D.C. was then and is still now the only police department anywhere in America to sell guns to the public, the only one. And we've got the records to show how it happened. Fearing Second Amendment scrutiny, D.C. Council passed a law in 2012, allowing the city to deal guns if no private business would do it. And that was the case in the spring of 2020 when Mayor Bowser ordered D.C. police to do it. In April 2020, D.C. police started operating as both the dealer and enforcer of gun laws in the district. Police departments are not supposed to be firearms dealers, are they? No, heck no. That was my biggest point there. If your firearms branch screws up, you're going to inspect and enforce your own firearms branch?

Months later, Poland remembers D.C. police couldn't wait to get out of the gun business. They asked us to open early by four weeks. Why? They were getting sick and tired of managing all those firearms they had down there. They had thousands of firearms waiting to be processed. D.C. police wouldn't talk to us about Poland's claim, but we do know now where some of those guns ended up. After a gun is found at a crime scene, the ATF traces it all the way back to the original sale with dealers like Poland, and then follows the trail to see who else may have bought the gun before it was used in a crime.

Detectives use the traces to develop suspects. The ATF cracks down on dealers who sell a higher number of guns eventually recovered at crime scenes, forcing them to report more information and participate in what the ATF calls its Demand Letter 2 program. The agency put D.C. police in it after tracking dozens of guns from crime scenes in 2021 alone to MPD gun dealing. We are not anti-gun dealer at Brady. We are anti-gun dealer at Brady. We are anti- irresponsibility. gun dealing. The group Brady United Against Gun Violence recently released hundreds of documents related to the program and found it's really rare to be put in it. But we found 14 dealers in the D.C. area, including Poland's and another who currently operate in D.C. and MPD. was on the

list, too. It was a little bit surprising to see the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department receive a demand letter. But not to Poland. Does that surprise one bit. Who says he warned police. He didn't think their gun selling practices were tight enough. I walked in there and it was archaic. The processes, the systems they were using to manage that process was archaic. I had offered advice, had offered little suggestions. D.C. police wouldn't tell the I-Team if it took his advice or answer any questions on camera. A spokesperson only telling us, MPD has never sold guns.

MPD was required to operate as an FFL to upholds. the constitutional right in the district. During that period, the department facilitated the legal transfer of 8,038 firearms. Gun dealers are gatekeepers. That's their mandate under the federal law. They have that responsibility and that obligation to make sure that every sale is a safe cell. But there's another concern the I-Team found what's called time to crime. The ATF explains on average a gun found at a crime scene is 10 years past its first sale. Shorter times the agency tells us deserve more scrutiny. And in D.C. police's case, the time to crime was around 20 months, less than two years. Sharf says, even though D.C. police no longer operate as an

FFL, the department should want to know why their time to crime was so much shorter and be able to tell D.C. families, if their loved one was shot with a gun, they helped bring into the district. MPD is ultimately responsible for the public safety of the residents of Washington. in D.C. Everything that they do should have an eye towards protecting the public safety. And Ted Oberg joins us tonight from Washington. So, Teddy, it's a comprehensive report there. But help our viewers understand this. It's not like the D.C. police set up a traditional gun stand, correct? No, that's exactly right. And it's an important distinction, right? There were no gun cases or display cases, racks of guns that you could walk into headquarters and take a look at.

You'd go to another store, typically out of state, and pick that gun out and have it shipped to D.C. police. And there was the only time and the only place that a federal background check would be done. It's a key part of the sale, and that's what made them a gun dealer. It's the only place the look for background convictions would have been done. And if that check didn't go through, the sale wouldn't go through. So that's a key distinction. They had the right and the responsibility, as every gun dealer everywhere in America has, Tom, to say, no to a sale if they had any concerns about who was buying it or for what reason.

D.C. police wouldn't tell us if they ever refused a sale. And then, Ted, the D.C. police, did they bring in money? I mean, did they make a lot of money during this seven-month period? Well, you know, a lot of money, you know, up to the viewer, right? But yes, they charged $125 per gun. They sold more than 8,000 guns or helped sell more than 8,000 guns during that time. It's more than a million. They brought into the D.C. General Fund. NBC Washington's Ted Oberg. Ted, we thank you for that.

Coming up, fleeing Haiti, Haitians caught in the country's gang war, now trying to escape the violence by boat. But authorities in the U.S. trying to prevent an influx in migrants are Guadvinegas riding along with the National Guard's helicopter crew getting a bird's eye view of how they're patrolling Florida's coastline. Stay with us. Okay, we're back now with the latest from Haiti, where gang violence has displaced thousands from their homes.

Some Haitians making the desperate decision to escape on boats, attempting to reach the U.S. border in Florida, the closest to Haiti. But the state is ramping up patrols to prevent an exodus of migrants if that happens. Guadvenegas joined the National Guard on a patrol flight for tonight's report. The race to escape a country in a state of virtual anarchy. Several countries, including the U.S., continued to evaction. their citizens from Haiti as dangerous gains keep control of the Capitol. But Haitians left with few options, taking to the sea and often risking their lives to flee the violence.

Since the latest escalation of violence last month, the Bahamas Royal Defense Force says they've interdicted several vessels carrying nearly 400 Haitians, one boat packing 122 migrants, including 11 children. In the U.S., Florida Governor Ron DeSantis deployed. employing an additional 250 state officers and soldiers, as well as helicopters, aircraft, drones, and boats to try to prevent an influx of migrants by boat that would add to an already overwhelmed immigration system. People should just know if you want to come to Florida with those types of designs, you're trying to come to legally, we have an unprecedented array of assets that are in the sea right now that are not going to let that happen. riding along with Florida's National Guard on one of the patrols over the Florida Keys. What we typically expect is more of the boats that are coming from Haiti to come up from this direction towards the upper keys and even into Miami proper. These guardsmen patrolling the waters daily

along the coastline that faces Haiti and also Cuba, getting a bird's eye view of the routes often taken by migrants. We're flying at about 500 feet above the water. Haiti is in this direction. You can see the water where it gets steeped. Now, vessels could be coming from that direction. This aircraft is equipped with cameras that can spot them at three feet far away distances. We just saw a greater. That's about nine miles away. Battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Cooper, leads one of the teams here in the Florida Keys. Our mission is detect, identify, and then report. He believes the stepped up patrols appear to be working. Have you found any vessels since March 13th that you identified as vessels that

came from Haiti? We have not. We have not. And I would probably say that's a biggest thing to deterrence. Current weather conditions make it easier for vessels to take the journey. But with hurricane season just a few months away, the National Guard is preparing for harsher waters. Our mission not only is to detect and identify, but at the end of the day, search and rescue for not only personnel that are tourist or Florida citizens, but also those that are trying to come in illegally. And with no end in sight to the violence in Haiti, A desperate solution for many is 700 miles away, a journey filled with danger and sometimes deadly challenges, much like those they face at home. Guad vanegas joins us tonight from the Telemundo Center with more.

So Guad, these patrols you just showed us there in your report, they're just one of the layers of enforcement taking place on the water. What other ways are they policing the coast right now? Tom, there's a lot of resources being focused on this. The Florida Division of Emergency Management is coordinating a multi-agency effort. This includes the state troopers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which, by the way, they have their own airplanes and their own boats, and all of them also coordinate with the Coast Guard, who's got its own boats and its own airplanes.

So a lot of resources focused on these efforts, and when you think about the money being spent, that helicopter we went on can cost between $10,000 to $20,000 to operate daily, and that's only one of the helicopters being used to patrol. that Florida coastline, that is, again, a lot of resources being focused on this, Tom. Guad vanegas for a squad, we thank you for that. Now to Top Stories, Global Watch and a check of what else is happening around the world. We start with that deadly drone attack in Ukraine.

New video showing the moment one of the strikes hits a residential area in Harkiv, causing a massive explosion that you saw there. At least four people killed, including three rescue workers, who were responding to the first strike. The blast also hitting an energy facility, severing power for 350,000 residents. In Thailand, a raging fire breaking out on a packed ferry. Look at this. New video shows the boat up in flames as it was nearing the popular tourist destination. A popular tourist destination. Panic passengers in life have seen jumping onto rescue boats and into the water to escape. Officials said all 108 people on board were rescued. That's incredible. The cause of this fire is still under investigation. And Botswana's president threatening to send 20,000 elephants to Germany, retaliating against a proposed ban on hunting trophies. Germany joining Britain and Belgium pushing a ban on elephant trophy imports, but Botswana's president says hunting is a crucial method of elephant population control.

The country is home to a third of the world's savanna elephants and now faces issues with the mammals trampling crops and people. The local community also relies on the tourism revenue from trophy here. hunting. And when we come back, talk about a trashy thief. A suspect in California caught on camera disguising himself in a garbage bag to steal a package. And on the opposite coast, one homeowner fighting back against porch pirates, the decoy he used to catch one red-handed. Those wild moments next. Finally tonight, two wild incidents involving porch pirates, those thieves that try to steal packages right from your front door. In one incident, a New York apparently setting a trap to lure a would-be pirate

than breaking out a baseball bat and serving some street justice. In another, the thief using a garbage bag to conceal their identity. NBC Stephen Romo has it all tonight. Watch as this man unlatches a closed gate in New York City and starts stuffing a box into his bag. What the man didn't know,

resident Carlos Mejia says those were just decoy packages he put outside his queen's home to catch porch pirates. I just didn't want nobody to take him, bro. What you got in there? Nothing, man. I've been losing a lot of money on packages, and just that week, I lost two packages. That man then offering some explanation.

What you got in that back? This is my stuff. I live right there, brother. Get on your knees. Mejia then calling the police, but not before the man tried to get away, and Mejia stopped him again, grabbing him and bringing him back to the ground.

Officer, what am I being arrested for? 34-year-old Victor Stazone arrested and charged with petty larceny and trespassing. He could not immediately be reached for comment. He was trying to make me feel bad. I wasn't having it. You know, whatever that guy is going through, everybody has problems, but that doesn't give you the right to go around and stay in people's, you know, packages. In California, it was the porch pirate taking a new approach.

A Sacramento homeowner flabbergasted when a garbage bag appeared to waddle itself up to his doorstep and swipe a small package. Across the country, porch pirates are infuriating homeowners, says package theft expert Ben Stickle. I think what we're probably seeing is the general public getting a little fed up with the rate at which packages are being stolen. And to make matters worse, there seems to be no easy fix in sight. Oftentimes the packages have a very low value. And so we don't see a lot of emphasis frequently from the police with this. It's not that they don't want to. It just has, you know, competition with other types of crime and other things that are going on. For now, Mejia says he's just happy he stopped one alleged theft, but cautions others

against taking matters into their own hands like he did. I don't recommend it because I know you put on your life on the line. And I guess I was lucky enough that this guy didn't have anything because I know a lot of people that do this stuff walk around with weapons nowadays. As for what you can do to protect your packages, experts say to limit the time your belongings are left unattended. They say you can ship things to your workplace. That can often help. And also just asking delivery drivers to help out by hiding items on your property, maybe behind a planter or something like that. And surprisingly, they say cameras don't seem to be that effective at being a deterrent. As we saw in this piece, cameras are right there and people often still try to take those packages.

They say if the act is already in progress by the time that thief notices the camera, they'll often go ahead and take it. But they say signs put up further away from your house can make it a less appealing target to those porch pirates. Tom? All right, Stephen, thank you, and we will keep an eye out for any suspicious garbage bags out there. We thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamis in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.