Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Episode Date: July 23, 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 remembering heavy metal legend and original reality TV star Ozzy Osbourne, the world paying tribute to the British rock icon and Black Sabbath frontman, one of the most influential artists who pioneered the genre, his shocking antics both on and offstage, including biting a bat's head off and opening up his home to the world on the Osbournes, the fans bidding a final farewell to the Prince of Darkness. Also tonight Deputy A.G. Todd Blanche says he'll meet with Epstein accomplice Galane Maxwell. The reason why? As Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly ends the House session to avoid a vote on releasing Epstein documents. Another celebrity home targeted amid a string of break-ins in L.A., security camps capturing this, intruders hopping

the gate of former Real Housewife star Teddy Mellencamp, who was home with her young kids at the time. An inside look at a self-proclaimed white-only town in rural Arkansas. We speak with the reporter who got access to the community. Critics call a dangerous step towards organized hate. Is this even legal? The door kick challenge, video capturing a mass team kicking a door, firing an airsoft gun, and running away. Police say it's part of a growing TikTok trend. What parents need to know tonight? The rare firenatal ripping through Turkey, firefighters struggling to contain that blaze. And rumors of a reunion, the cryptic billboard and social media post sending Fleetwood Mac fans into a frenzy. Plus, we'll show you how a phone stolen at a bar in North Carolina ends up at a black market in China, the unusual journey.

And could it happen to yours? Top story starts right now. And good evening. Tonight, the music world this morning, the passing of a heavy metal legend. British rock star Ozzy Osbourne has died at 76 years old. His family confirming in a statement, Osborne passed away this morning surrounded by loved ones. His cause of death, it's still unclear, but Osborne has been public about his battle with Parkinson's. The man millions of fans came to know as the Prince of Darkness first rose to fame as the front man of Black Sabbath before launching an incredibly successful solo career.

His wife and manager Sharon Osborne at his side. The Osbournes not just rock and role royalty, but the first family of reality TV. Their hit show premiering in 2002 on MTV, giving fans a glimpse into Ozzy's offstage antics like these. No, no, do you want to a burrito? Ah, there is. Yeah, they're fucking dead. Do you want a barrito, Jerry? Sure.

What the f***ing them are, do you? I'm stuck on the Weather Channel. What the fuck the fuck is that? Just weeks ago, Ozzie taking the stage for what would be his final performance, reuniting with Black Sabbath before tens of thousands of fans in Birmingham, England. Our tributes are pouring in from friends and fellow musicians and fans. Just moments ago, flowers laid at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And the band that made him a star, Black Sabbath, posting this image from that final concert to Facebook,

the Prince of Darkness, on his rightful throne. Along with the words, Ozzy Forever. In a moment, we'll speak to a former MTV VJ who was friends with Ozzy for decades. But we begin tonight with a look back at Ozzy Osbourne's wild ride on that crazy train. Joe Fryer leads us off. It was just this month that Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, abdicated his heavy metal throne, a farewell concert with his Black Sabbath bandmates in their hometown of Birmingham, England. You've got no idea.

I won't feel. Huh? You can't give him the moment. Now, not even three weeks later. even three weeks later comes the startling news from his family. It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osborne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. On social media, Black Sabbath posted this photo with a simple statement, Ozzy forever.

Osborne was lead singer for the heavy metal group rising to fame in the 70s. They pioneered a raucous type of music that made rock and roll sound like easy listening with songs like paranoys. Oh, that I've got to be running, but nothing seems to satisfy. Later rejected from the band for excessive drinking and drug use, Osborne landed on his feet with a successful solo career powered by hits like Crazy Train. His decades-long career was punctuated by a single infamous moment, reenacted in parody throughout his life. The time he bit the head off a bat. He thought it was a toy. I picked it up, bite the things head up, and suddenly everybody's freaking out because it's a real

back. Fans saw a lighter side of the metal god on the highly censored MTV reality show, the Osbournes. Bubbles! Oh, come on, Sharon. I'm fucking a Ozzy Oswald, the Prince of a goddamnness. Over the years, he won Grammys, performed for the Queen, and created the music festival Oz Fest. Tributes are pouring in. Helton John says he was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods. His bandmate Tony Iommi posting rest in peace, Oz. And from Metallica, a photo with a broken heart emoji. Glowing praise for the Prince of Darkness. And Joe joins us now live in studio. Joe Ozzy Osbourne was 76. as we saw, they're very public with both his battles and his comebacks.

Yeah, that's right. And as you mentioned, his family has not said yet how it was that he passed away, but he always spoke candidly over the years about various health struggles, multiple spinal surgeries, as well as that Parkinson's diagnosis. He also spoke candidly about his struggles with alcohol and sobriety, but says that it was his beloved wife, Sharon, who saved his life. Joe Fryer for a show. We thank you for that. I want to bring in Matt Pinfield tonight. He's an entertainment television host and disc jockey who worked as an MTV VJ. He was also friends with Ozzy Osbourne for decades. Matt, I am so sorry for your loss.

I really do thank you for coming on the show tonight. I know Ozzie played a significant role in your life. Can you share more with our viewers about your personal bond with him? You know, Ozzie and I, yeah, we became friends. Obviously discovered him like so many other people did as a young child. My interest in love and rock and roll. And, you know, I didn't know years later, he and I would become very, very, very, very, great friends in the 1990s, and we did a lot of things together. In fact, into the 2000s,

when I was a vice president of what they call A&R at Columbia Records, I put together OzFest live album for Ozzy and Sharon and worked with them on that. But we had this long-term friendship for years, and obviously his influence can't be overstated because there are so many people that still pick up instruments, learn those classic Black Sabbath or solo Ozzy songs, but we had this incredible relationship and friendship because of our mutual love of music. And so much so that I had a stroke in January. I was in a coma for almost two months in Los Angeles and then in a rehabilitation hospital. But when I got out, Ozzy sent me this cane. He sent me one of his own gold-plated canes that he actually used himself. And it just arrived

one day. I was staying with family recovering from my stroke. And it was the most beautiful gesture that Hasi decided to send that to me because he was so upset that I had the stroke. And we had so many great moments together, whether it was interviews that we did or at his live shows. And he's just such a music enthusiast and not only

influenced so many people, but I just I loved him as a man. He was incredible. And him and Sharon, I did a lot of things with them over the year. So it's an incredible loss. Tell me about that moment. Tell me about that moment, because I can't imagine getting out of a coma, trying to

back, being at your lowest, right, both physically and mentally maybe, and then opening that up and seeing Ozzy's name on that cane, that had to feel amazing. That was one of the greatest gifts ever. I mean, it just blew my mind because it was such a beautiful gesture, and it really is typical of Ozzy's heart, you know. He had just an incredible heart. He loved his friends. He loved his family. And he loved rock and roll. He loved music. I mean, and he was just, he was such a passionate guy. And there are so many layers to him, you know? And I just will tell you that that meant everything in the world when that came because it was a complete surprise. It came in this giant box, Tom, and I opened it was,

what is it? What is it? And I pulled it out, and I couldn't believe it was Ozzy's personal cane, which, you know, he was, again, I got the word that he was very upset when he heard about the stroke. You know? And he just wanted to see me get back on my feet, you know? Matt, a lot of people say this, and it's true. It's hard to get famous, but it's even harder to stay famous and yet Ozzy did. What was he so how was he so talented? Because he had both success with Black Sabbath and

the decades of success as a solo artist and then obviously venturing into reality TV as well. Yes, I mean, I think the thing is because he had an open mind and he never took himself too seriously. You know, he loved rock and roll so much. So when he, you know, when he met Paul McCartney

or, you know, it was funny. He would be backstage and, you know, I'd be, I'd see. He'd be listening to the Beatles, or he'd be listening to Peter Gabriel. Like, he just loved music of all kinds, of all different genres, you know? And, you know, at first, of course, they're considered the godfathers of heavy metal, but, you know, he always said, you know, I'm in a rock band. I'm a rock musician. I love rock and roll. And that was the thing about Ozzie. It was amazing. And I think the staying power has so much to do with him having an open mind and having someone who's incredible as a life partner like Sharon has been all these years.

She's an amazing woman. I love them both dearly and the entire family. So it's, that says a lot about Ozzy because he's always been very, and he does, again, he can poke fun in himself. I always love that about him. He understood, you know what I mean, not to take himself too seriously. And that was a beautiful thing about Ozzy. And I'll miss him. Yeah, he had to love America, He spent so much time here. Oh, he did. He loved this country, and he did. Because, you know, I mean, the Sabbath guys loved this country

because this is where they were toured and were loved really first. Sure, the records did great in the UK and the rest of the world eventually, but they really cut their teeth as so many bands did, even Led Zeppelin over the years. All these bands by touring America. America was the promised land for all these rock and rollers because they loved all the old rock to start with. You know what I mean?

And so, yeah, he very much loved his country here. Matt, it has been a pleasure to talk to. I thank you for joining Top Story tonight and sharing so many great memories. We'll be thinking about you and, of course, the Osborne family as well. Yeah, thank you so much, Tom. It's great to be with you today.

I hope you have a great rest of your week. Okay. We're going to turn to politics now, take a turn on the show here to Washington where the Trump administration faces continued backlash surrounding the unreleased Epstein files. General Pam Bondi, announcing that one of her top officials plans to meet with Galane Maxwell soon. Maxwell is the convicted associate of Epstein currently serving 20 years in prison.

Here's Peter Alexander with the latest. Tonight, Attorney General Pam Bondi announcing her top deputy expects to meet soon with Galane Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche posting, President Trump, has told us to release all credible evidence. If Galane Maxwell has information about anyone who committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say. It's the latest effort by the Trump administration to diffuse the uproar among some Trump supporters over the handling of the DOJ files on Epstein. President Trump today saying he would support it. I don't know about it, but I think

it's something that would be sounds appropriate to do. It's sort of a witch hunt, just a continuation of the witch hunt. Hours later. Later, the House Oversight Committee approved a Republican-led motion to subpoena Maxwell. She wants to tell us who I was going to Epstein Island. I think that would be interesting. Tonight, the House Speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, says he'll send lawmakers home early for their summer break, delaying any votes demanded by Democrats and some Republicans that would call for the release of more Epstein files. They were actually ending this week early because they're afraid to cast votes on the Jeffrey Eppstein.

issue. We should release the Epstein files. Johnson slamming it as political games. The Democrats are trying to play gotcha politics right now. Has anyone forgotten? They had all these files the entire time. They sat on everything Epstein related for four long years while President Biden was in office. Last week, the Justice Department asked a federal court to unseal secret grand jury records in the Epstein case. Today, the judges said they need more information to make a ruling. Tonight, Maxwell's lawyer confirmed discussions with the DOJ, thanking President Trump, quote, for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case. But some Democrats argue Maxwell, who's appealing her 20-year sentence, may be looking for a presidential pardon. All right. With that, Peter Alexander joins top story tonight. Peter, let's switch gears here and talk about former President Obama, who had a strong pushback against President Trump's new accusations today against him, correct?

Yeah, Tom, that's right. President Trump today pushed the conspiracy theory. that former President Obama tried to undermine Trump's 2016 victory accusing Obama of treason. Pointing to Trump Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard's claims that Obama officials manufactured intelligence about Russian interference. We heard from former President Obama's office. Today, they called President Trump's accusations, quote, outrageous, ridiculous, and a weak attempt at distraction. Tom. All right, Peter Alexander for us. And tonight, one U.S. automakers reporting plummeting profits, It's a direct impact from President Trump's trade wars as the White House scrambles to make tariff deals with more countries ahead of a self-imposed August 1st deadline. NBC senior business correspondent Christine Romans is tracking it all for us. Following an Oval Office meeting with Philippines President Fernand-Marcos Jr.

We'll probably agree to something. President Trump announcing via social media a trade deal in which the Philippines will pay a 19% tariff on its exports to the U.S. and the U.S. zero tariffs on exports to the Philippines. President Trump also saying the countries will work together militarily. The Philippines has yet to confirm any details of the deal. The announcement comes ahead of the August 1st tariff deadline for U.S. trade partners, and as the impact of tariffs already in place becomes more clear. Tariffs are obviously a big story for us.

General Motors today said the price tag for President Trump's tariffs was $1.1 billion in the second quarter. We don't expect any specific price increases related to tariffs. GM so far eating the tariff cost, trying to offset some of it through cost cuts and investments in the U.S. Many of the manufacturing announcements that we made earlier in the quarter about onshoreing production here into the U.S. with $4 billion of capital initiatives are going to have an effect as we get 18 to 24 months down the road. But the current 25% auto tariffs, hard to avoid. GM says they will cost the company $4 to $5 billion this year.

Other automakers feeling it too. Jeep and Chrysler maker Stalantis says, due in part to tariffs, it expects a $2.7 billion loss in the first half of the year. Well, Tom, next week there will be a new round of talks with China taking place in Sweden. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson will be present for those. But the other big issue out there is the European Union. The EU is said to be readying a, quote, trade bazooka, a trade. Bazooka to retaliate against the U.S. if President Trump goes ahead with a 30% tariff on those countries, Tom. All right, tough talk there. Christine, we thank you for that.

Tonight we're getting new details in the drowning death of beloved actor Malcolm Jamal Warner, who starred as Theo Huxable on The Cosby Show. What we're learning about the person who discovered Warner in the water and the first responders that tried to revive him. Jesse Kirsch is on the ground in Costa Rica for us tonight. This is the Costa Rican beach where officials say a dangerous rip current swept away Malcolm Jamal Warner. The Cosby Show star drowning in secluded Paradise on Sunday. What makes that beach so treacherous? You know, it's similar to other beaches where there are strong rip currents that are deceiving.

Mike Geist helps run a volunteer lifeguard organization here. He says while no lifeguards were on duty that day, Geist's friend who happens to be a trained lifeguard was there to surf and discovered Warner unresponsive in the water. You know, the first thing that they do is they bring them to the surface. and give the emergency respirations right there right there in the water on the on the surfboard and when he didn't respond to that my friend rapidly took him into the beach and they immediately began CPR these are the first things we saw when we pulled up to the beach signs in Spanish and English warning people about potentially hazardous conditions this sign even giving a roadmap for how to escape a rip current Costa Rica's red cross says they were able to rescue another

man alive, who was taken to a clinic in critical condition. Meanwhile, tonight, the outpouring continuing to grow. Blue suede shoes hit it. One for the money, two for the show. Raven Simone, who played Warner's niece on the Cosby show, posting this emotional tribute. He was the big brother. He was one of the most multifaceted, talented men. So gentle. In a 2013 interview, Warner said his proudest achievement wasn't the hit sitcom, but building a life beyond the Cosby Show. If I die tomorrow, I know I would go with a smile on my face. Officials say Warner's autopsy was completed this morning and confirmed that his drowning death was in fact an accident. Tom. Jesse Kirsch for us from Costa Rica, Jesse, thank you. Back

home, millions baking under brutal heat with some places seeing temps into the triple digits. That as summer storms rumble across the country. The roof of this community center collapsing during heavy rain in central Florida. 20 people were forced to evacuate and thankfully no injuries have been reported. Let's get right to NBC News meteorologist Bill Karen. So Bill, what are you tracking tonight? Yeah, Tom, as you know well, Central Florida is, you know, every single afternoon. The sky is just opened up. But this was exceptional. We had over four inches of rain and just 45 minutes that led to that roof collapse. We don't have a lot of other problems with flash flooding. We do have in New Mexico some concerns, but nothing that's imminent. As far as,

As the heat goes, today was just another brutal day with the humidity especially along the Gulf Coast, all up to St. Louis. All of those areas along the Mississippi River are in excessive heat warnings. Now that heat dome expands. It's going to move towards Chicago tomorrow. You're going to feel like 104. Then we're going to take this heat and begin to push it east. It's going to be creeping into Detroit. It'll feel like 103 by Thursday. It will arrive on the East Coast as we go into Thursday and especially Friday where areas like New York could be 95. Some areas of Connecticut be near 100 degrees while will cool it off in areas of the Great Lakes. And for everyone that's sick of summer and wants a break, there's none coming all through the end of July, much warmer than average temperatures, Tom, from the Rockies all the way to the East Coast. All right, Bill Karen, it's going to be a hot summer. We're back in a moment with a simple question. Where do cell phones go once they're stolen? One man's iPhone led our Stephanie Gosk on a wild journey to a black market pipeline of stolen smartphones. Plus, an alarming new trend of teens kicking on front doors, some of them firing airsoft guns like the one you see here, then posting video. of themselves on TikTok. And the growing movement for towns for whites only,

Sky News speaks with the leader of a group, building one right here in the U.S. and planning more across the globe. That exclusive next. We're back now with an NBC News investigation into a stolen smartphone scheme and the journey one mobile device makes from North Carolina to Florida to China

after it was snatched from its owner. NBC Stephanie Gosk has this one. Last January, Thomas Baker was out with friends at a bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, the last time he had his phone. It was kind of surprising because you don't really expect to be pickpocketed in Charlotte. But actually, phone thefts at bars in Charlotte

have gotten so bad, the police posted this video warning online. I don't think this is a Charlotte issue. I don't think it's a center city issue. I think this is a national issue. Back home, Baker logged in to Find My iPhone on his laptop. I started tracking the location. Within hours, his phone went from Charlotte to Cal Penn, South Carolina.

Thomas Baker's phone was clearly on the move, and it ended up here, not in North or South Carolina, but Miami, Florida. And the Find My app placed it inside this 100-year-old church downtown. Pastor Gideon Ape is not surprised. He says dozens of people from all over the country have. reached out about stolen phones since last August so often he reported it to the police who came up empty we started getting people walking up to the church like you know pounding on the doors okay my phone is here my phone is here the pastor let them inside the church walking them through

the pews the phones weren't here just to be crystal clear pastor gideon when you are not giving your sermon in front of a congregation you are not collecting stolen phones are you no absolutely not No, not at all. Baker's phone's exact location was difficult to pin down, clearly not in the church, and more likely in a nearby building, making its way through something of a black market pipeline. And even though Baker had used Apple's security features to lock the phone, the hardware was still valuable. That's probably why it ended up in the last place it pinged, Hong Kong. We build these devices that are just so valuable that we just wave around, like, you know, just literally. shaking around gold bricks in the air.

Andrew Huang is a hardware engineer and often visits this market in Shenzhen, China, not that far from Hong Kong, where he says the sale of cell phone parts does big business. You'll see bags like just kilogram bags of cameras just sitting there, and you'll see like a pile of like a hundred screens sitting on the other table. A long journey for a phone that was stolen in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a vivid reminder that on a night out, How about also don't keep your phone in your back pocket? Oh, yeah, I was going to get to that one, too.

Yeah, don't put your phone in your back pocket. As many friends lovingly reminded me that night. All right, Stephanie Goss joins us now in studio. And Stephanie, there's a good reason why these cell phones are making their way to China. Yeah, Tom. We spoke to a special agent at the FBI who says that it is so easy to sell a stolen phone on the black market and that for thieves, a phone is essentially cash in their hands. And when they do it to scale, meaning a lot of phones, it can be a lot of cash.

Yeah, I'm sure we saw it there. All right, Stephanie, we thank you for that. Okay, still ahead on top story tonight. Another disturbing celebrity break-in. This time at the home of former Real Housewives star, Teddy Mellencamp. It follows the murder of an American Idol supervisor and her husband in the same neighborhood. Plus, a new sugar high for Coca-Cola, the drink that will now use American sugar cane over corn syrup. Following a push from President Trump will explain that one.

But first, top story's top moment in here in New York City, one petticab driver, blasting a Billy Joel classic while driving two women around Manhattan, little did they know the piano man himself was driving right alongside them. Take a look. Okay, next time. Oh, you see, we are playing you, man. Can I take a picture with you, please? Hey, man, big fan. How are you? How are you feeling? What a New York moment. Billy Joel posting that on social media captioning it. We are in a New York state of mind. Always so true.

All right. Stay with us. Just getting started here on Top Story. We are back down with a major change for Coca-Cola, the soda company, announcing it will be adding a new product line in the United States. Coke with U.S. cane sugar instead of high-fugue. corn syrup, coming on the heels of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s make America healthy again movement and a push from President Trump. Here's NBC's Hallie Jackson with a taste of what's to come.

It's not exactly new Coke, but it's new to the U.S. Coca-Cola made with American cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coming soon. We give people more choice and more ways to enjoy the Coca-Cola brand. And enjoying this choice, the country's highest profile, Cola connoisseur. President Trump, who famously has a Diet Coke button on his desk in the Oval Office, and who reportedly peppered the head of Coca-Cola about why the company didn't use cane sugar, according to a new book. The president, previewing Coca-Cola's announcement Wednesday, it's just better, he posted, and on that, plenty of agreement. Whoa! Oh my gosh. This is 10,000 times better.

It's way more fresh, and it has more flavor. Coca-Cola already uses cane sugar in its Mexican version, but high-fructose corn syrup in what you usually find here in the U.S. This version isn't going anywhere, but the new product they're adding will feature only American cane sugar. The push now appears to revolve around the president's Maha movement, make America healthy again, led by his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's long favored the switch to cane sugar. High fructose corn syrup, that is poison. If you're going to drink Coca-Cola, drink a Mexican Coke because they don't have it in it. But ounce for ounce, both versions are roughly the same number of calories and the same amount of sugar. In a standard bottle, about as much as you'll find in two and a half full-sized chocolate bars.

There's no health benefits for substituting cane sugar with high fructose corn syrup. I think the biggest difference may be in taste. And to some customers, that's pretty sweet. Hallie Jackson, NBC News. All right, time now for Top Story's news feed. And today, Ford recalling nearly 700,000 Bronco and escape SUVs due to potential fires. The popular vehicles recall because of a fuel injector can crack and leak leading to a fire hazard. The recall affecting Bronco sports made between 2021 and 2024 and escapes from 2020 to 2022.

Ford's saying that there is not yet a permanent fix for the issue, but Ford dealers will update software for free. And an update on that deadly fire in a Massachusetts assisted living facility last week. Investigators announcing that the fire was accidental, possibly caused by an oxygen device or smoking materials found in a residence room. Sadly, that resident was one of the 10 people killed in the blaze. The governor this morning releasing $1.2 million to help Fall River first responders. Eric Menendez is in the hospital suffering from a, quote, serious medical condition, according to his attorney. Mark Garagos, an attorney for the Menendez brothers who were convicted in the infamous 1989 murder of their parents, is calling for Eric to be released from prison immediately for further treatment as he awaits a parole hearing next month.

Garagos, who confirmed the news to NBC, did not share what that condition is. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee says it will comply with President Trump's executive order banning transgender women from, competing in women's sports. The committee made the change in an updated policy posted to their website on Monday, a team memo saying, quote, as a federally chartered organization, we have an obligation to comply with federal expectations. And in Maryland, a college baseball team forced to cancel a game after their field was flooded by the fire department over a fly ball. Video showing water streaming onto the field, coaches saying a wayward ball hit a pickup truck in the Silver Springs Fire Department parking lot, then a fire truck backed out of the station

and rained out the game. The department apologizing and placing that firefighter on leave. Okay, we also have an update tonight in the string of disturbing break-ins in one L.A. community. Take a look at the surveillance video. It captures the moment's intruders hopped the fence

before police say they tried to break into the home of Real Housewives star Teddy Mellon Camp in Encino on Monday night. That incident happening almost immediately after hundreds of community members gathered to raise their concerns about violent crime in that neighborhood. Following the shocking murders of an American Idol music supervisor and her husband who were shot and killed in their home in the same community you may remember, we covered that story.

For the latest on all this, I want to bring in NBC's Camilla Bernal. So Camila, talk to us about the latest in that Encino break, and Teddy Mellencamp and her family were home at the time? They weren't, Tom. She was there with her four children, ages 5 to 16. She says that they were definitely shaken, but are very fortunate to have the latest in home security, because, That's how they found out about all of this. They saw it in the video. They saw the three men trying to get into the house through the side door.

The alarm goes off. And her husband's saying that the men were only there for about three or 20 seconds or so. And so they did call police right away. Police came very quickly, but the three people were already gone by the time that authorities got there. And so they say that they are very scared, but are just grateful that they are safe despite what happened to them, Tom. Yeah, and then I also want to ask you about that tragic attack in the same neighborhood last week. We're learning new details about what happened to that couple. Yeah, really disturbing details.

We now know they were shot with their own gun. That's what the DA here in Los Angeles said last night. He also said that the suspect in this case called police on the day of the killings. He used his own phone to call authorities, which is how they eventually found him. But that day, he told police that he did not need police response. that specific day. And so, of course, people are wondering what happened here in terms of the response. Many people terrified in Los Angeles and in Encino.

And LAPD is saying that that day, they did go to the house, they checked around, everything was locked, they did a flyover, they called the people back who had called 911, could not reach them, which is why officers ended up leaving that night. We now know that the suspect was inside of the house. He essentially found their gun, waited for them to come home. They had a confrontation, and that's when he shot and killed the couple. We also now know that the suspect had already been arrested, and a judge had dismissed the case because of a mental health evaluation, and authorities now obviously trying to figure out exactly

what happened then were waiting for him to appear in court on August 20th, Tom. All right, Camila Bernal on both those stories tonight. Camila, thank you. Now to a potentially dangerous TikTok trend ramping up across the country, it's called the Doorkick challenge, an aggressive kind of ding-dong ditch that's causing property damage at homes, scaring residents and law enforcement. Law enforcement warning, it could turn deadly. NBC's Kathy Park has a story. The threat outside this Tampa area home looks very real, a mass figure approaching the door,

kicking it hard, then firing a weapon, which deputies say is an airsoft gun before fleeing late last Friday night. The county sheriff's office says this incident, which has left the community shaken is part of a growing prank trending on TikTok called the door kick challenge. This is Florida. We're allowed to carry. We're allowed to protect ourselves. Our homes, our property, or children, our pets. Neighbors like the one here, warning the practical jokes could end in tragedy. It's going to be life or death. It really can be. And your mom's not going to want to have to cry at your eulogy about it. So think next time. Reported incidents of the challenge popping up not just in Florida, but in Minnesota. And California, too.

It's sort of like ding-dong ditch, but much more aggressive, daring teens to go up to a random door, kick it hard, and then flee. But those kicks can be extremely loud. I was just asleep, and I just woke up startled and scared and just wanted to make sure I get my kid out of the way. And they can cause damage, like in this other Florida incident in Volusia County, where you can see the door hanging open after the teens run away. deputies making an arrest just hours later. It is crystal clear camera. Those shorts are very distinctive. Catching the moment on body cam and prompting the county sheriff to issue a blunt warning.

That's a good way to end up dead, especially in Florida. You've got to think you're about to become a victim of a home invasion robbery, and you're under the castle doctor, and you're going to shoot first and ask questions later. Other law enforcement begging kids to sit this trend out, too, from Arizona. We want to encourage parents to speak with. There are teens about the dangers and potential criminal charges associated with participating in this challenge. To these particularly young-looking pranksters in Pennsylvania. These can have tragic results, and we've seen it across the country.

In Fort Worth, Texas, over 21 incidents were reported in recent months. This type of horseplay could get someone injured, and that's not what we're looking for. Those high stakes, tragically hitting home for one family in Virginia when they lost their son earlier this summer. Authorities say 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr. died after he was shot recording a more traditional ding-dong ditch prank for a TikTok video. That incident not appearing to involve any door kicking, but showing just how quickly a prank can escalate into something much more serious. Yeah, this is pretty scary here. Kathy Park joins us now live. Kathy, what else can parents do to protect their kids who might be seeing this on social media? It truly is dangerous to be doing that to someone's front door.

Yeah, Tom, so law enforcement and community members are urging parents to talk to their kids about the serious risks and consequences of this prank. It's not all fun in games. If someone feels threatened behind that door and their arm, things can escalate pretty quickly. And it's also worth noting, Tom, that these pranks can lead to criminal charges in the case in Volusia County. Those two Florida teens involved were arrested for felony burglary. Tom. Okay, Kathy Park for us, Kathy, thank you. When Top Story returns, the quest to build a whites-only town deep in the Ozarks, we speak with the sky.

sky news reporter who gained exclusive access and is real Israel under pressure as the starvation crisis in Gaza escalates. Stay with us. Back now with Top Stories Global Watch, wildfires in Turkey forming a rare and terrifying firenado. Large plumes of smoke could be seen spiraling into the sky in northwestern Turkey. Firefighters attempting to douse the flames. with a hose, hundreds of wildfires have ravaged Turkey this summer, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate nationwide and killing two people. Climate scientists have dubbed Mediterranean countries, including Turkey and Greece, wildfire hotspots. And a Japanese town conducting an

unusual bear drill after recent attacks. Local police in a hunting club conducting the drill in a town about 60 miles outside of Tokyo. Video shows officers demonstrating techniques to deter bears aiming to improve preparedness when encountering the animal. The drill comes after a bear killed the newspaper delivery man less than two weeks ago and an increase in bear sightings. A performer at the Royal Opera House in London causing a brief scuffle on stage after unfurling a Palestinian flag. The performer held the flag in protest as the cast was taking boughs after a final performance of the opera I'll Trouvutarte. A few moments later, someone back sage tries to snatch the flag with the performer tugging it back, the opera company calling the protest a, quote,

unauthorized action by the artist, but declining to comment on if the performer would face discipline. Staying overseas now with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, growing more dire. Health officials there warning 15 people, including four children, have died from malnutrition in just the last 24 hours as international pressure mounts on Israel

to allow more aid in. NBC's Matt Bradley has this report from the region, and a warning to our viewers, some of the images are disturbing. In Gaza City, children among those searching through the mountains of garbage. Looking for food, scraps of plastic and burned paper, anything to help light a fire for cooking. Outside the small soup kitchen still open, scenes like this. The 15 pots of lentil soup not nearly enough for the massive crowds that come here.

In the last three days, we noticed that increase the number of the cases are coming to the reception room of civil... In the last 24 hours, 15 people, including four children, have died from malnutrition in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health. We reach a critical point regarding the health situation, because now there is cutting of the road between the area. Israel's military expanding its operations yesterday to an area in central Gaza, where officials believe some of the remaining hostages taken during Hamas's October 7th attacks may be held.

The IDF says 950 trucks worth of aid are in Gaza waiting for distribution. But on Monday, a joint statement by 28 Western countries, including Canada and the UK, condemned what they described as the drip feeding of aid, calling the Israeli aid distribution model dangerous. According to the UN Human Rights Office, over a thousand Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to access food since late May. A number disputed by the Gaza humanitarian foundation, an American aid group backed by Israel. by Israel. Now we are seeing the last gasp of a humanitarian system built on humanitarian principles.

This system is being denied the conditions to function, denied the space to deliver, denied the safety to save lives. Matt Bradley joins us tonight from Tel Aviv, Matt, with all the pressure from the international community to get more aid into Gaza, we're just learning special envoy to the Middle East. Steve Whitkoff is set to visit the region. What does he hope to accomplish? That's right. We heard from the State Department that he's actually on route right now. He's headed to the Gaza area, according to a spokesperson for the State Department. This, according to Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. Now, Whitkoff travels quite a bit, but he doesn't normally come here unless something consequential is happening. And this is the kind of thing that I've been hearing from the Israeli government. If Whitkoff is on his way, that means something could be stirring when it comes to these ceasefire negotiations. And part of these ceasefire negotiations, hopefully, will be relief for the Gaza. people in terms of additional food aid. Tom. All right. Matt Bradley for us. Now to an exclusive

report from our partners at Sky News, a community in rural Arkansas is growing, but not everyone is welcome. Leaders there say only white straight people are allowed to live there arguing it's their right to choose their neighbors. But critics say it's a dangerous and racist step in the wrong direction. Sky News is Tom Cheshire went to the whites only town to talk to the people behind it. in the state of Arkansas, dozens of people have been working hard, building houses and a new type of community. It's called Return to the Land,

and it is a town open to white people only. They are millennials and Gen Z, and this is a new update of age-old prejudice. No blacks, no Jews, no gays. Its founder, Eric Orwell, invited me in because they believe what they are doing is completely legal. Welcome to the Ozarks.

Ozarks. Thank you very much. What we've done here is establish a place where we have control over who our neighbors are and that is just for the sake of preserving, you know, our culture. And that culture effectively, we're saying this is a white culture, a white's only place.

White American culture. Yeah, not just white, but white American. But what this sounds like is bringing back segregation. Is that a fair assessment? Well, I mean, it's free association. So we're not trying to keep other people down. This is a small settlement in the middle of the Ozarks.

But they are being kept out, even if... Well, I mean, you don't let everyone into your home. Around 40 people live here. Hundreds more from across the world have paid to be members. And while the men do the physical labor, the women take care of the children who live here full-time. It's a loving movement. I mean, on that aspect of it, being loving,

I suppose the counter argument would be it could be a very loving community if you're part of the community, but if you're black or if you're Jewish or if you're gay, you can't be part of that community. They can have their own communities, and they already do, and I think that's great for them. If other people are allowed to do it,

and don't really see why whites aren't allowed to do it. It doesn't make me sense. But the goal is to have lots of these communities and for it maybe not to be rural for there to be cities on the same basis, right? Yeah, that would be neat. I look forward to seeing how this movement grows over time. Return to the land is only the most radical example of a growing trend.

These are all the white supremacist incidents, demonstrations, leafleting, recruitment drives, meetups over the last four years in the US, tracked by Ackled, an organization that monitors violent conflict and protest. There's been a dramatic increase over that period. It has become a background thrum. of nationalist activity. You might be wondering how any of this can be legal. Return to the land is structured as a private members association,

which they believe allows them to discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, along with other factors. That has yet to be tested in the courts and may well fail, according to civil rights experts. If you really look deep in the civil rights act that way it states that, no one, it doesn't state that. I think they misunderstanding what the state, because there have been many organizations that tried to carve that out and say, hey, there are certain people I want in here and certain people

I don't, and there was a lawsuit. And the person that who filed a lawsuit won, because you cannot carve out and say, I want this group people in and this group people out. That's not right. Right or not, they are doing it and they are growing it. The Arkansas Attorney General has said his office is now reviewing the matter as a result of our reporting and that there is no room for racial discrimination in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. We contacted the governor of Arkansas but did not receive any response. Return to the land

though, hopes to be a beacon for its political ideals. Others will look at the same flames and see something very dangerous. And with that, Sky News is Tom Cheshire joins us tonight from London. So Tom, talk to us first about how you're able to gain access to this group and why they were so willing to share with you this type of lifestyle. Yeah, I think we've been covering this sort of thinking for a long time here in the UK and in Europe around the far right, anti-immigration protests, conspiracy theories, things like this. And that's how we came across this group to start with. So these connections do exist across borders.

I think that's a really interesting part of this. So, you know, with that background, we came across this group. I got in touch with this leader, Eric Orwell, and it took a bit of negotiation. but he sort of decides to let us in. I think that's because they want to get the message out. I think the other part of that is a lot of that internet culture is spent slightly in an echo chamber. So the sorts of arguments they make to each other,

to the converted, the radicalized, some people would say already. I think, perhaps they think, you know, we just want the world to see this. This is a loving community, as one of the women told me there. And they don't necessarily realize how that's going to translate to a white audience. Yeah, I do want to ask you. They call themselves Return to the Land.

We saw their symbol there. What do both those, sort of the name of the place and the symbol mean? Yeah, I mean, return to the land is sort of, it builds on a lot of far right tropes you've seen in the past, sort of a blood and soil sort of thing. Now, they would say they're not Nazis, they don't espouse that. Again, with the symbol, it's based on a Nordic run. There's some speculation online that it's a Swazca. They say it was based on a Nordic room. Again, ruins, that sort of symbology has been used by the far right in the war.

in the past. So that's a lot of sort of where the ethos is coming from. They would say they don't hold those views, but it certainly builds on that sort of iconography. I do want to ask you, you mentioned the women in this community. Do women in this community have only that role, or can they be independent? Can they have their own jobs? Lots of people that have their own jobs that exist in wider society. So there are other jobs happening. And I don't actually think there was a pressure to necessarily fulfill this traditional wife role, you know, the sort of thing we see on Instagram. That said, there is a pressure, I think, to have family.

There's an expectation that women are going to have big families, and that's really core to their mission. So you talk a little bit about the makeup here. We're talking about women. In the story, you mentioned there's some people that did not want to appear on camera because they work in law enforcement. What more can you tell us about that? Yeah, I mean, the people who worked in law enforcement, that's something we were told. We weren't able to verify it. But we were told a lot of people didn't want to be there.

They didn't want to be in front of camera. They didn't want their employers to find out things like that. I think the makeup is really interesting, though. These people aren't from Arkansas, really. There's one person from Arkansas, but most of them are from different parts of the United States. This is a culture that's born on the internet. They've chosen Arkansas as the place to try this. They've gone near Ravenden, but they've done that because of various different things.

They want to take this internet movement. This is the first place they've chosen to take this digital movement and make it in the real world. Finally, how rural is it? We see a lot of fires, big bonfires, maybe pails of water? I mean, is there running electricity? Is there infrastructure? I mean, it's pretty rural. I think there are different expectations in the U.S. than the UK, but, you know, it's a long way away from big town, certainly 45 minutes to the nearest town of

Pocahontas, which isn't that big to start with. They have managed to lay electricity, though. They've laid water. They've got a well. They've got very high-speed internet, and that's actually crucial to the sort of recruitment process. But a lot of it is really scratchy living. They see themselves in the pioneer, the settler mold. And they like that, too. they sort of live up to it, but it's really, it is not comfortable living. They're doing it because they're extremely motivated. Tom Cheshire from our partners at Sky News. You can watch their full mini-doc on Sky News as well.

Tom, we thank you for your time. Thanks. And we will be right back. Finally tonight, rumors of a reunion, a billboard on Sunset Boulevard, teasing something new from the group Fleetwood Mac, after Stevie Nix and Lindsay Buckingham made cryptic social media posts online NBC's Jacob Sobrough has that for us tonight. They went their own ways years ago, but now could the iconic bandmates of Fleetwood Mac be reuniting.

Rumors swirling after Stevie Nix posted this lyric from the group's 1973 song Frozen Love that reads, And If You Go Forward, shortly after Lindsay Buckingham posting the next line, I'll meet you there. Fans then spotting this billboard that appeared in the heart of Los Angeles days later. Here on Sunset Boulevard, you can see that portrait of them from their 1973 project, Buckingham, Nix. It's the only album that they ever recorded together as a duo. There's also that September date, but nobody really knows what it means. The billboard setting off a landslide of emotions. A reunion, a new album, Something is going on.

Nixon, Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac less than two years after that 1973 album. The couple's tumultuous four-year romantic relationship and breakup, providing much of the inspiration for the group's chart-topping hits. Making them one of the most successful musical acts of all time. Buckingham ultimately getting kicked out of the band in 2018. But a frozen love could be heating up. One person rooting for them, fellow bandmate Mick Fleetwood. Woo! It's magic then.

Magic now. Now, the potential reunion has us all thinking about tomorrow. Jacob Soberoff, NBC News, Los Angeles. We shall wait and see. All right, we thank Jacob for that. We thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamous in New York. Stay right there.

More news on the way.