Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Episode Date: April 16, 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 school shooting in Texas, multiple students injured. The massive police response after a gunman opened fire this afternoon. Chilling scenes of students filing out of the building, others sprinting across campus. Four students injured and police say the shooter is still on the run. Deportation showdown. The judge overseeing the case of that Maryland man mistakenly sent to El Salvador, now considering holding the Trump administration in contempt. His wife's plea after, President Trump said he's not bringing him back. Harvard versus the White House, the Trump administration pulling billions in funding from the Ivy League school after it refused to agree to their list of demands, how it could impact everyday Americans.

New drone tracking technology, the FAA launching a new drone detection system in New Jersey. Is it connected to the widespread drone sightings from last fall? Summer travel slowdown. United Airlines announcing plans to decrease domestic flights. after a drop in demand, what it means for your travel plans. Fiery rescue, dramatic body cam footage capturing the moment a man was pulled from a burning car, how a routine traffic stop ended up in flames. And too good to be true, these TikTokers claiming to work at Chinese factories making American products saying they're selling items from Nike and Lulu Lemon for a fraction of the price. So is it the real deal?

Plus, the new report from the CDC, how autism rates are on the rise. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. We begin tonight with the school shooting in Dallas, Texas, and the manhunt for the shooter. This was the scene this afternoon at Wilmer Hutchins High School. Police flooding the campus, looking for the shooter. Authorities say four students were injured and taken to local hospitals.

They say they have identified the suspect and are now racing to find them. Social media video capturing the chaos on campus as concerned parents rushed to make sure their kids are safe. An eerily similar scene playing out at the same school almost exactly a year ago when a student shot another student in the leg inside of a classroom. That incident leading the high schoolers to stage a walkout, protesting what they said was a lack of security on campus. Tonight, students shaken and left wondering, how did a guy? gun, get on campus yet again. NBC's Jay Gray is in Dallas and leads us off. We've got an active shooter, Wilmer Hutchins High School. Tonight, panic and chaos inside a Dallas high school. Oh, man, the kids were just running out, all of them. They were running out

in floors, man. Just hundreds of kids running out. Teachers rushing to lock doors and hiding with students as the gunshots ring out. I saw him walk by and then like two seconds later. I heard like six shots and the teacher ran to the door and closed it and told us to hide in the corner. Parents getting heartbreaking messages from their kids trapped inside. She texted us and telling us that she loved us, like that there's anything to happen to her, that she would just letting us know that she loved us. This shooting, just a year and three days after a shooting at the same high school last year, injured a student.

This was going on too much at this school. Last year, my oldest son was a senior here, and it was a shooting. It's easier. Same thing going on. It's ridiculous. Four students were injured, three with gunshot wounds. Officials say the school is now secure, but students are still overwhelmed. I heard one of my classmates say that they saw a bullet had came through our door window. So like, that's when my heart really sunk. And I'm sorry.

And asking questions. I feel like the security, they weren't really, like, doing their job at the moment because, like, how would the gun get in the school in the first place? And Jay Gray joins us now from Dallas. Jay, I understand a news conference just wrapped up. What are we learning about the suspect that is still on the run? Well, Ellison, this camp is still locked down and classes have been canceled through at least the end of the week here. Police tell us that they have identified a suspect, but that's. suspect is not in custody at this time and that the weapon used in the attack did not come through

any of the main entrances at this high school where metal detectors were in place we are told and fully operational. We're also just learning of the four victims in this case. They're all males three between the ages of 15 and 18. Jay Gray reporting on the ground there in Dallas, Texas. We appreciate you. Our other big story tonight, the battle in court today over that Maryland man mistakenly deported to an El Salvador prison. A federal judge expressed frustration at a hearing today saying that there is no evidence the Trump administration has taken any steps to bring the man back as they were instructed to. NBC's senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez has that for us tonight. Tonight, a new escalation in the fight

between the Trump administration and the federal court system. I will not stop fighting until I see my husband alive. Late today, the wife of Kilmar Abrago Garcia, the father of three deported to a mega prison in El Salvador, walked into a Maryland courthouse where a judge demanded to know what the federal government has done to abide by a court order to return him to the U.S., saying there will be no tolerance for gamesmanship or grandstanding. The White House is arguing that Abrago Garcia was not mistakenly deported. That contradicts earlier statements from a Justice Department prosecutor and the Solicitor General, who acknowledged his deportation had been an administrative error. He's from El Salvador, so that's a decision up to El Salvador.

Legal experts say the case is about much more than just one deportee and raises questions about due process for anyone in the U.S. Abrago Garcia was a foreign terrorist. He is an MS-13 gang member. He was engaged in human trafficking. He illegally came into our country. And so deporting him back to El Salvador was always going to be the end result. But Abrigo Garcia has never been criminally convicted in either country. He did enter the U.S. illegally in 2011. But in 2019, an immigration judge determined he should not be deported to his native El Salvador because he might face danger. Another judge agreed evidence showed Abrigo Garcia was a member of MS-13, but his attorneys

argue that was based on questionable testimony from a confidential informant. No evidence has been submitted about this allegation, proving this allegation. The Supreme Court has ruled the Trump administration must facilitate Abraco Garcia's return to the U.S. But the Department of Homeland Security said today, if he does show up at a port of entry, the U.S. would either deport him to another country or remove his protected status and send him back to El Salvador. The legal fight is quickly becoming a test case for the limits of presidential power and the country's system of checks and balances. They need to comply with the Supreme Court's directive

or the Supreme Court needs to enforce its order aggressively, which should include contempt. And Gabe Gutierrez joins us now from the White House. Gabe, the judge was very clear today. She wants to move quickly. What are the next steps here? Yeah, Allison. She wants Trump administration officials to submit depositions and evidence

within two weeks. Now, attorneys for Obrego-Garcia want the administration held in contempt for its inaction. And today, the judge suggested that she would consider that, Elsa. Gabe Gutierrez at the White House. Thank you. The Trump administration also escalating a fight tonight with Harvard University, freezing more than $2 billion in grants to the school after it refused to comply with a list of demands from the president. Trump now saying Harvard's tax-exempt status could be at risk as he attacks the university for promoting what he calls terrorist supporting sickness. NBC, Stephanie Gosk has more. Tonight, it's an all-out battle between Harvard University and the Trump administration.

The White House accusing the school of not addressing anti-Semitism on campus. We unfortunately saw that illegal discrimination take place on the campus of Harvard. There are countless examples to prove it. The Department of Education freezing more than $2 billion in federal money. after Harvard refused to accept a long list of demands taking aim at its culture and curriculum. The school's defiance being embraced by some on campus. I think it was so important because this attack on Harvard wasn't just an attack on Harvard. It's an attack on higher education.

And in that sense, this attack on a pillar of American civil society. Today, President Trump also threatening to revoke the university's tax-exempt status, accusing the school of pushing political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired sickness. Harvard University's president says the school has taken steps to address anti-Semitism on campus and calls the federal government's tactics a violation of the school's First Amendment rights. Former President Barack Obama weighing in today, applauding Harvard's decision. Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions, rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom.

Federal funding has been paused for schools around the country, including Columbia, Penn, Princeton, and Northwestern. The money being used as a cudgel to try to force cultural change. Harvard has the largest endowment of them all over $53 billion, but there are restrictions over how that money can be spent. So pulling federal grants will still hurt. And the whole country will feel it, according to the president of the American Council on Education. This freeze will hamper Harvard's ability to produce new technologies, new biomedical discoveries,

new outreach and public health. you will be in worse shape as a nation because of these freezes. And Stephanie Gosk joins us now in studio. Stephanie, is Harvard preparing for a tough legal fight over this? It seems like they are. Listen, they've made the allegation that their First Amendment rights have been violated. So that right there sets up a possible federal lawsuit. We also know that they've hired two high-profile Republican attorneys.

One is the former deputy counsel for President George W. Bush. the other, a special counsel that investigated Joe Biden and his handling of classified records. So that certainly looks like they're putting a team together that may end up in court, Ellison. And Harvard does a lot of research. You mentioned in your report the concerns some people have about what research could potentially be lost. Looking at just a snippet of what Harvard Medical School has done, as well as its alumni. This is from their website. I'll put this up for viewers to see the smallpox vaccination back in 1799. The first public demonstration of anesthesia, the first descriptions of appendicitis, the first successful kidney

transplant in 1952, and then more recently the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Those are all advances that have been attributed to Harvard Medical School and or its alumni. Just a few of many. You know, you look at that list, and what is it mostly? These are health advances. And a lot of the research is in the area of health research. Like right now, they are looking into tuberculosis. They have research for ALS. They have research on how radiation affects the human body. You know, I think when you look at this research question, not just for Harvard, but around the country, people don't realize that the bulk of how research is done in this country is university-based.

And it is how we have had some of our most impressive innovations, from things like the Internet to other, really life-changing developments here in this country. Is there concern now that that research that's ongoing at this moment could be in jeopardy? So they are freezing $2.2 billion. The school tells us that they're still not sure how that's going to be distributed. And they do have a big endowment, $53 billion. Now, a lot of that money is reserved for certain things. But if there is a school that can take this blow for the team, as it were, it may be Harvard.

So they are stepping up. But what they are saying and what you heard President Obama say in that message is that there is hope that universities will follow suit to put pressure back on the administration. Really important reporting. Stephanie Gossk, thank you. You're welcome. And we are learning new details tonight about that arson attack at the Pennsylvania governor's residence, including how the suspect's mother had contacted authorities prior to the attack. NBC, Shaquille Brewster is in Pennsylvania with the latest.

Tonight, the massive cleanup at what is both an active crime scene in the Pennsylvania governor's home. This just two days after police a 38-year-old Cody bomber tried to kill Governor Josh Shapiro by firebombing his house. Dumpsters now lining the yard of the residents, crews walking out with large plastic bags and seen with power washers, even measuring the height of the front gates. Questions mounting about how a man was able to scale the perimeter fence, evade police stationed at the home, and then deploy Molotov cocktails before fleeing without being immediately captured. Is there any way to not view this as a massive security failure? Well, everyone's going to want to go that route. But again, nothing's happened to him before that would indicate. this and people get complacent. Rob Diomenico is a retired FBI supervisor and runs a security consulting firm.

I think it's really going to change security around the country for politicians, especially governors that now look at it and say, how vulnerable am I? The suspect, Cody Bomber, is behind bars and we're now learning more about concerns raised by his mother. Just last week, she called police about her son, Penbrook police telling NBC News they investigated, but weren't able to do anything because Bomber wasn't home and his mother didn't say he was presenting a danger. In front of a judge Monday, Bomber denied suffering from mental illness and said he was unemployed in most recently living with his parents. An army spokeswoman says bomber was in the Army Reserve from 2004 to 2012.

The fire chief is now calling Bomber a domestic terrorist and said the historic landmark built in 1968 and the family and guests of the governor sleeping there during the attack were at, a unique risk. There was a fire alarm system, but not an active fire suppression system, meaning fire sprinklers that would have put the fire out before it spread. And Shaquille Brewster joins us now from outside the governor's residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Shaq, the suspect said in court that he was out on bail for a 2023 charge. Do we have any information on that charge? Yeah, that was a case that's still very much pending. In fact, there was a court date on the books for

tomorrow, but that since has been moved. In 2023, he was arrested in charge with multiple counts of assault. It was a misdemeanor or misdemeanor charges there. But if you look at the criminal complaint, he was accused of hitting two of his children and his wife at the time and also biting her. We also know that he has other charges in his background. You go back to 2015, 2016. He pled guilty to forging checks. So in those instances, those were cases that were closed. But this time around, we know from the arraignment that he will not be released. He was denied bail, so he'll be behind bars, Ellison, for the foreseeable future. Shaq Brewster, thank you. We're back in a moment with the new technology to fight drones in

New Jersey after those claims last year of giant drones swarming above. Plus, the Ranger leading the way, the first woman ever to complete this grueling army training challenge. And luxury goods for less. The offer is going viral. Can you buy American brands cheaper direct from the factory in China? We'll tell you if they're the real deal. We're back now with the FAA testing out new drone detection tech along the New Jersey coast. It comes just months after those reported mysterious sightings there of flashing lights in the skies, setting off hysteria over drone sightings. NBC's Sam Brock has this one. For the first time in months, drones are back on the public radar and hovering over New Jersey

skies. As the FAA studies drone detection systems on the Jersey Shore, a project the government says it launched years ago at airports around the country, but now is expanding to off airport locations like this ferry terminal to ensure safety between an increasing number of drones and aircraft. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says it's all about national security. The FAA is doing this to ensure we can properly detect drones in our airspace and make sure they don't interfere with aircraft navigation systems.

The FAA says the work has no direct connection to the swarm of drone sightings that recently prompted national hysteria. So that's the airplane, but look at that. When they blanketed the skies from Maryland to New Jersey. There was a lot of panic in the area. Causing consternation at diners. Do you get the impression the federal government knows way more than what they're revealed to people? And frustration from lawmakers. Then in the first days of the Trump administration, this revelation.

The drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons. With this off-airport testing, the FAA says it's using about 100 of these off-the-shelf drones, in addition to a couple of larger drones, too. Now, it's only taking place during daylight and the weekend. weekday hours with all the communities involved being alerted as for why the off airport testing the f aaa says that's to make sure the drones don't impact law enforcement and medevac services more testing will be held at sites in new mexico north dakota and mississippi later this year and sam brock joins us now from maplewood new jersey so from alaska to mississippi i mean how

did the f a select these sites yeah so it's a wide footprint ellison You know, you think about what it is that the FAA is trying to accomplish here, that their drone detection service is not interfering with crucial services like military, medevac, law enforcement. So they're testing it out in a variety of different environments. Alaska, for example, one of the coldest places in the United States. Then you have Cape May, New Jersey, which, according to authorities, is right on the water. And that's a huge plus because it allows them to launch these drones, Allison, without going over residential neighborhoods in the process. So it's a variety of different conditions. also worth noting that the FAA testing facility happens to be in New Jersey, which is one of the

reasons why it was selected. So there's some coincidence in all of this that it just so happens that that testing is going on in a state that was mired in the center of this controversy, or at least conversation over what was going on in the sky. But again, just to reinforce this point, the FAA says there is no direct connection between the research that the government was doing and what's happening right now with this multi-year project. Allison back to you. Sam Brock in New Jersey. Thank you. The first time in Army history, a female service member completing an elite event known as the best ranger competition. It's a grueling three-day challenge involving helicopter missions, obstacle courses, and a whole lot more.

But the historic first comes as the future of women in combat roles is being questioned. NBC's Pentagon correspondent Courtney Kuby has the details. Every year, some of the Army's most elite warriors gathering to test their strength, endurance, and warfighting skills. It's called the best ranger competition, but you may notice there are no women in this video. That changed on Friday when First Lieutenant Gabrielle White became the first female ranger ever to compete. The West Point Grad, climbing ropes, slogging through mud, knocking out pull-ups, and swimming across the water alongside her teammate, Captain Seth Deltonre. Lieutenant White, the only woman on any of the 52 teams during the arduous three-day three-day three. 30 event marathon. They placed 14th, notably making it to the final events, even after many

other teams dropped out. White already a trailblazer for becoming a ranger. Ranger School not even opened to female soldiers until 2015. Shortly after the military lifted its ban on women in combat roles during the Obama administration. And I meet extraordinary women in uniform who can do everything that a man can and more. But the future of that integration, increasingly uncertain under President Trump. Before his confirmation, Trump's Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaking out against women in combat.

I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn't made us more effective, hasn't made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated. Hegseth's Defense Department publicly congratulating the winners of the competition on X and sharing another photo of two soldiers there firing a mortar. but saying nothing about First Lieutenant White's historic participation. In response to a request from NBC News, they provided some basic biographical facts in a statement. White's presence, however, still speaking volumes, proving that female challengers can compete in one of the military's highest profile events for elite soldiers.

And Courtney Kubey joins us now. Courtney, have you heard anything else from the administration in terms of recognizing Lieutenant White's accomplishment. We have an Allison. And, of course, this comes after Secretary of Defense Pete Hankseth has made it very clear that he wants to look at standards for how men and women in the military are competing against one other. But the reality is here, this Best Ranger competition is the exact example of a case where

men and now one woman are competing on the exact same turf, the exact same obstacle courses, and meeting the exact same standards. And Ellison, what's really remarkable about the case of First Lieutenant Gabrielle White is that there were 103 men, one woman, and she made it all the way to the end, finishing 14th with her partner. It really is a show that there are women. It is proof that there are women who can meet these standards, no matter man or woman here. Ellison?

Courtney Kuby, thank you. When we returned the rise in autism, the new study just out, Why have the rates among children gone up? Plus the sudden drop in domestic air travel. One major airline now cutting back on flights. So does that mean cheaper tickets for you? And we're back with Top Stories news feed, starting with a top advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hankseth

placed on administrative leave. Dan Caldwell was escorted from the Pentagon today in connection to a broader investigation into leaking top secret documents. An official telling NBC news, Caldwell was placed on administrative leave over an unauthorized disclosure. Caldwell's removal was first reported by Reuters. And dramatic video just released as a wanted driver is pulled from a burning car in Florida. Dash and body camera footage showing the deputies arriving at the scene running toward the vehicle engulfed in flames and rescuing that driver.

Vero Beach police say Donald James Jr. fled from. from officers during an attempted traffic stop. He was later brought to the hospital and now faces numerous felony charges for eluding officers. And a serious health scare for singer Lil Nas X after he was hospitalized for partial face paralysis. The Grammy Award winner posting this video

showing him trying to smile with a caption explaining he, quote, lost control of the right side of his face. Will Nas X later posting to his Instagram story to reassure his fan saying he is OK and getting better. He did not reveal the suspected. cause of his condition. And a passing of note tonight, beloved TV game show host Wink Martindale has died. Martindale hosted several popular shows, including Tic Tac Doe, Gambit, and High Rollers.

He had a 74-year career in radio and television and was very close friends with Elvis. Martindale died Sunday at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91 years old. In Chicago tonight, former President Biden making his first public remarks since leaving the White House this January. speaking at a social security event held by an advocacy group for people who have disabilities. Biden blasting the Trump administration's efforts to cut back the Social Security Administration. Take a listen.

Fewer than 100 days, this new administration has made so much, done so much damage and so much destruction. It's kind of breathtaking if it could happen that soon. They've taken a hatch into the Social Security Administration. pushing additional 7,000 employees, 7,000 out the door in that time. Let's get right to NBC's senior White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell. Kelly, we certainly expected to hear former President Biden sort of go after his successor, at least criticize him this evening. We did hear some of that, but walk us through what stood out to you.

What more did we hear? Well, for former President Joe Biden, this was a chance to get a message out at what he believes is a critical time. He has done some other events since he left on. office, but as you pointed out, those were not public. This had the cameras, had an audience, and was an issue he cares a great deal about protecting Social Security. This was a bipartisan conference as well. The president was very pointed, but he did not go across the line to naming Trump directly or attacking him in a political way, but very critical on these policy issues. There

might be a subtle difference to that to viewers, but that was very much in the Joe Biden brand. So in some way is what was striking about this is that today was considered a day of action for lawmakers who are Democrats across the country. So you're seeing a number of town hall meetings and different messaging in people's home districts while they are back in their home states during the recess period. And it times out with President Biden then filling a void perhaps for a national voice on this matter. The party is certainly trying to decide who should be that national voice. And President Biden, who really didn't want to leave office, had planned to run again as we saw, we all lived through that, wants to have an ability to speak out on issues that matter to him and to his party. He defended his administration's record on trying to protect aspects of social security, protections for people with disabilities who also received that benefit, and to defend it as being an earned benefit and not an entitlement. So those are some of the things that certainly stood out as the president was back in the political arena. Former president. That's an old habit. Former

president was back in the political arena. Kelly, I want to play another bit of Biden's speech tonight where he seemed to allude to Elon Musk's doge team. Let's take a listen and we'll talk right after. Why are these guys taking Amos and Social Security now? Well, they're following that old line from tech startups. The quote is, move fast, break things. They're certainly breaking things. They're shooting first and aiming later. As a result, the result is a lot of needless pain and sleepless nights. So not naming Elon Musk there, but most people know who he's talking about and what team he's referring to.

Is that possibly a new strategy for Democrats? I mean, we saw them attack Elon Musk in Wisconsin and seemingly it worked there, at least politically. Is that something we could see moving forward as we, and it's a little ways away, but as we inch, I guess, towards midterms? Well, midterms will be a blink of an eye before we know it, but certainly Democrats are scrambling to find a message now, especially while things like the doge cuts, which have a limited time period, at least based on Elon Musk's participation as a special government employee, which runs only until the end of May for his 130 days. But the former president certainly talking about the kind of destruction that can happen to, institutions. This was very much Joe Biden, the institutionalist, not directly attacking by name.

The key figures, he knew everyone in the audience understood who he was talking about, as we could perceive just watching it. And he wanted to stand up for what government is that is different than the private sector, certainly different than the technology sector or startup world, that these institutions are important because of the protections they provide, the order they provide, and the access to the public. He really tried to emphasize that. And, of course, this was a themed meeting about Social Security. So he might have had views on a lot of other topics, but he was focused on this for this first public speech that gets him back on, certainly on our air and certainly in an active political discussion where the party is looking for how to get traction.

Kelly O'Donnell at the White House. Thank you. Now to a major new CDC report finding autism rates up in school-age children. The study found that one in 31 school-age children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder by their eighth birthday. That number reflects a dramatic rise in autism over the past two decades. In 2016, that number was one in 54, and in 2000, one in 150. RFK Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, is now calling autism an epidemic. Let's bring in NBC News medical reporter Erica Edwards. this is a dramatic increase, but numbers alone don't always tell the whole story, right? Are there more cases or have doctors just gotten better at recognizing symptoms and diagnosing it?

Hey, Alison. So I did talk with the researchers who did this study today. They say it's very simple. They're just getting really, really good at identifying these cases earlier at younger ages. And there have been major advancements in screening, they say, as well as increased awareness of autism. and broader definitions of what autism spectrum disorder mean. So it seems that more kids are being identified and important diagnosis so they can get the resources they need, Ellison. Let's talk about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., RFK Jr. He's calling this an epidemic. He says that he expects to have an answer as to what causes autism by September. He has incorrectly in the past many times linked vaccines to autism. You are talking to researchers and doctors.

Are they questioning this data or how this data could be used moving forward? Yeah, so let's address this right at the top. Experts who have been studying autism for decades, who have been treating and working with families, dealing with autism spectrum disorder for decades, say that there is absolutely zero evidence that vaccines cause autism full stop. And, you know, even though experts welcome additional research

into this area. There is some question as to how Secretary Kennedy's new push for autism answers will be any different from what they've already been doing. Now, what does seem to be at play here are genetics. Experts say there are hundreds, if not thousands of neurogenetic factors that could be at play in the role of autism. And that's really where they want to focus, Ellison. We hear RFK Jr. saying that he expects to have an answer as to what causes autism by September. Is that realistic? Could we really know what actually is the primary cause of autism by September of this year? So it really remains to be seen actually how he would answer that question, right? Even the experts who have been studying this for decades are not sure what he would be doing differently than what they've already been doing.

So they say that it seems like September would be a little premature. However, again, they're sort of cautiously optimistic, okay, if we're going to really put a lot of money and resources into finding the cause of autism, you know, go for it. But otherwise, you know, they're not really sure how this would be different. Erica Edwards, thank you. Turning now to the major headline for air travel this summer. United Airlines announcing cuts to domestic flights in the coming months due to what it says is a drop in a demand. But there is some good news for the airlines, sales of international funds. flights rose in the first quarter of this year. So what does this mean for your summer travel

plans? NBC News senior aviation correspondent Tom Costello joins us now. Tom, why are airlines seeing this slowdown domestically? I think the biggest headline and the reason for this is a potential recession, certainly concern about the economy, right? Last week we saw the Delta CEO saying that there was a real potential for a recession. And then now we've got United Airlines out with guidance saying that there could be a recession or maybe not. We simply don't know. The bottom line is their domestic travel is already slowing down, so they're going to be trimming the flight schedule by about 4%. And they're also hoping that they can attract more leisure travelers to make up for the slowdown and business demand. So that's going to be potentially an opportunity for U.S. travelers.

But as for international, so far, United and Delta say international travel is hanging in there right now. Okay, so slight trims coming to the schedules for United Airlines, but they still say they're having a strong year financially. How are all of these things true at once? Well, listen, I think for the most part we're talking about what the guidance is going forward. So the first quarter looked pretty good, but then, of course, what happened? We had the tariffs, we had the potential for trade war. And as a result, a lot of people very unsteady, unsure about the potential for recession. And some of Wall Street's biggest investment houses warning of a potential recession.

recession. So that is something that, of course, rattles people who are using their discretionary money. You know, what's very interesting about airlines is that they're often a leading indicator of the economy and where it's going. Why? Because people book trips in advance, right? So if booking slow down, you get a feeling for, oh, interesting, right? Demand is slowing down. People are not booking out, especially on potential holidays. So that might suggest people are uneasy about the economy. And then one other note, and this is critical, government travel dropped 50% in the first quarter. Of course, as the Trump administration, through Doge, is cutting costs. All of that government travel also adds up for the airlines.

Okay, so if someone at home is booking a summer vacation, looking at flights, what does this mean for them? Cheaper tickets? I think there's the potential you might find a deal for the summer domestic travel. Keeping in mind, yes, United is cutting back on capacity, but they're trying to make up for the loss or the slowdown in business and government travel. So you might find some deals out there, not just on United, but the other airlines as well. And the Frontier CEO told our Halle Jackson just last week that they believe that there's an opportunity for the bargain players out there, Frontier and Spirit, because people don't want to spend the top dollar that you may have to spend on one of the bigger so-called legacy airlines. Good reminder. Still a lot of options out there for everyone. Tom Costello, thank you.

You bet. Now the newly released body camera footage from inside the home of actor Gene Hackman, where he and his wife were discovered dead back in February. NBC's Dana Griffin has the new details. Yeah, he's down. He's been down for a while. Gene Hackman, the actor. Tonight, for the first time since the shocking death of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, We're seeing the moment officers, at times with guns drawn, checked every room of the couple's Santa Fe, New Mexico home,

making the grim discovery. So I think this is where he was sleeping because there's blood on the pillow and on the mattresses and on the bedspread. Hackman, who investigators say died of heart failure February 18th, lived nearly a week inside the home with his wife's body. He's guarding her. Arakawa was in a bathroom guarded by the couple's German Shepherd. The dog growled at him.

Along with their deceased dog Zena, who was still in her kennel. They've been dead for a few weeks. It only takes three days without water for a dog to die. An autopsy later revealing Arakawa died of the rare hanta virus, a respiratory illness spread through infected rodents. That don't make sense because she was young. She took care of him. According to an environmental assessment,

no rodents were found in the main house, main house, but rodent droppings were found in several other buildings of the property. We're also seeing surveillance video the last time Arakawa was seen in public. Here, she's shopping and wearing a face mask. New case reports revealing Arakawa also sent an email that morning to cancel her massage appointment, writing, so G woke up today with cold flu-like symptoms, did a COVID test negative. And on her laptop, an investigator says she Googled breathing techniques and on Amazon purchased boost oxygen canisters. Dana Griffin, NBC News.

Turning overseas now with Top Story's Global Watch, a severe sandstorm in Iraq forcing airports to shut down and leaving more than a thousand people hospitalized. Dramatic video capturing the massive plume of dust and sand-blanketing central and southern portions of the country. You can also see that thick orange haze, reducing visibility close to half a mile in some areas. Emergency rooms are reportedly seeing an influx of patients suffering from respiratory illness. meteorologists say even though dust storms are common, this region is seeing an uptick linked to climate change. And China is ordering airlines to suspend Boeing jet deliveries as the trade war with the U.S. escalates. Officials telling Chinese air carriers to not purchase aircraft equipment from any U.S. companies. Bloomberg reports that China is working to help airlines that currently lease Boeing planes,

the move in response to President Trump's 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods. And the cat is out of the bag after an exotic cat smuggling operation was busted in Spain. Two people were arrested in Mayorka after allegedly selling exotic cats online. Spain's civil guards as they seized 19 animals and more than 40 irregular animal passports from countries like Belarus, Russia, and China. Police say their investigation began after they received a tip that the couple was illegally selling big cats for nearly $70,000 per animal. The seized animals are being transferred to an animal rescue center.

Now to the Americas. In Mexico, a concert turning violent after a popular artist refused to sing narco ballads. It's a genre of music that's been climbing the charts, but critics say it glorifies drug cartels. Some of the critics include the U.S. State Department, which revoked visas for another narco ballad band slated to perform in the U.S. at the end of this month. NBC's David Noriega takes a look. Chaos erupting at a concert outside of Mexico City. After singer Luis Conriquez told the audience he would not be singing narco-corridos or narco ballads. Songs that glorify drug cartels and the drug trade and are banned in some Mexican regions. Fans seen on video trashing the venue and destroying the artist's instruments, according to his management team,

who say they didn't perform the songs because of government restrictions. Mexico's president Claudia Shanebaum condemning the violence on Monday, saying that while she does not support a ban on the genre, she urges performers to choose their songs and lyrics carefully. Millions and millions of people like to listen to this and dance. Experts say that while the songs do contain descriptions of violence, they resonate with the working class. Much like someone watches the sopranos or breaking bad,

And they get to feel a little bit like Walter White or Tony Soprano. Some of the people who listen to these songs, they fantasize about feeling like El Chappo Guzman. Narco ballads came under renewed scrutiny after the band Los Aligres del Barranco, projected images of El Mencho, the leader of the Halisco New Generation Cartel, during a performance in March. The band was set to play in the Bay Area at the end of April. canceled their work and tourist visas following the incident in March. That decision announced by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in a post on X, saying, in part, I'm a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn't mean that expression

should be free of consequences. A day after their visas were revoked, the band saying in a statement, it was never our intention to generate controversy, much less cause offense, adding, we will take stricter measures regarding the visual and narrative content of our shows. some Bay Area residents agreeing with the government. I think if it's something, if they're going to perform something that's negative, then yeah, yeah, I would definitely mind because I do have kids as well, and we live in the area. While others say trying to stop the music will only make it more popular.

Censoring narco ballads is next to useless. It only makes the materials you censor into more popular cultural expressions. David Noriega, NBC News. Up next, luxury goods direct from the factory. The viral TikTok offers can you buy Nike and Lulu Lemon products straight from the Chinese factory? We'll tell you what you need to know. Plus, the bucket brigade of books, how one community came together to help out a small bookstore. We're back now with the new phase of the me more that has sprung out of the trade war.

with China. Video is apparently flooding in from Chinese factories urging American shoppers to buy luxury goods at a much cheaper price directly from the suppliers. But are those goods legit? NBC's Camilla Bernal takes a closer look. There are the videos seen by millions of Americans. Let's not be poisoned and misled by the market can pay any longer. That seem too good to be true. We have like thousands of them in such. Ticktokers claiming to work at Chinese factories that may high-end products and offering to sell them directly to Americans for much, much cheaper. The goods range from Birkenstocks, $10,000 to Nike sneakers. Hello, boss, I'm a Nike Shoes wholesale factory in China.

And Lulu Lemon workout clothing. Who are the suppliers behind Lululemon? One video garnering 11.9 million views. Here in these two factories, you can get them for around five to six bucks. But Lulu Lemon says the claims made in the videos are not true. Though the company says it manufactures about 3% of its finished goods in China, a spokesperson telling NBC News, Lulu Lemon does not work with the manufacturers identified in the online videos,

and we urge consumers to be aware of potentially counterfeit products and misinformation. Authentic Lulu Lemon products are only available for purchase at our Lulu Lemon store locations, register Lulu Lemon e-commerce sites and select authorize and specialty stores. And if you were tempted by that super cheap Louis Vuitton handbag, Louis Vuitton has many Chinese supplies, but they just don't admit it. Know that the company has long maintained its products are made only in Europe and the United States, as it currently states on its website. Louis Vuitton, Nike, and Birkenstock have not responded to our request for comment.

Besides price, I think even more important is, the authenticity of the products, the quality of it. Professor Shen Lu, whose research focuses on the global apparel industry, including international trade policy, says even if the factory did produce that hot handbag you want, they likely would not be licensed to sell it outside of its contract with the brand you know. They do not only control where they source their products, but also they control where consumers can buy their products. Chen encourages shoppers to beware of the context in which these misleading offers have surfaced.

They come amid an onslaught of memes, many of them appearing to be AI-generated coming out of Chinese social media as the trade war rages on. From this video mocking the idea of Americans, or at least a caricature of Americans doing low-wage factory work, to this one that says the cards the U.S. is playing were made in China. And even the Chinese embassy based in D.C. blasting everything from American transportation to high price tags. This trade war turned internet beef doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. And Camila joins us. Now, I mean, look, I love a sale. We all love a deal. Is there any way for consumers to fact check specific TikToks if they're claiming to be suppliers for some favorite brand bars? There is, and they should. Lulu Lemon, for example, has a list of all of their suppliers online, and it shows who they are, what exactly they do, and where they operate.

So if you have any doubts, you should check the Lulu Lemon website or any brand that you're trying to shop for and try to fact-check yourself because you might be able to do just that. If you have any doubts, you keep checking the Internet because the reality is that if it looks too good to be true, Ellison, it probably is. Yeah, that always seems to be true, right? Kameela Bernal, thank you so much. We appreciate it. Coming up, a tale of community right out of a storybook, hundreds of residents forming a human chain to help move their local bookstore to a new location, how they all came together to help this business start their new chapter.

Tonight, a small Michigan community coming together to support their beloved local bookshop. Residents forming a book brigade, a human chain passing thousands of books one by one to help the shop relocate. Tom Yamis has this story. When Michigan's serendipity books was preparing to move to a new home, owner Michelle Toplin faced a daunting task. To have put all the books into boxes probably would have taken us two or three days.

Her collection, nearly 10,000 books. So she came up with a novel idea and put out a call for volunteers to act as a conveyor belt. That's an incredible supply chain. You know, it really was. People really consider independent bookstores there. Shoulder to shoulder, the community formed a line 300 feet long from the stock room of the old shop, around the corner and into the new store. There was a 91-year-old woman. There was somebody with their six-year-old child, and we figured if we just did it book by book, everybody could be involved.

What began as a single human chain doubled with 300 people and one dog turning out to help, including, Donna Zach. It was just a joyful experience passing the books and noticing and commenting to each other about, oh, have you read this one? Have you read that one? I really enjoyed this one. New friends were made as covers of bestsellers were passed from neighbor to neighbor, moving an entire inventory in just under two hours. And yes, in alphabetical order. People started clapping and cheering and singing and it was just, it was just overwhelming. Now, to the Toplin is getting ready for the next chapter, a bigger location opening later this month. And for someone who has read more words than most, when she thinks about her community, she simply has two.

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