Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, July 28, 2025

Episode Date: July 29, 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.

And good evening. We're coming on the air tonight with breaking news here in New York, a gunman opening fire in a building in Midtown Manhattan, with sources telling NBC New York, a policeman and a civilian have been injured in the attack. Law enforcement personnel circulating this image tonight, believed to be the suspect, walking outside a building in Midtown with what appears to be a long gun. At this hour, NBC News has learned. Officials believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident prompting a massive police response in the heart of America's biggest city, entire block shut down, nearby buildings on lockdown.

Aaron McLaughlin is on the scene here in New York. It's an active shooter. We're getting multiple calls from three, four, five, far cabalry. Tonight, police swarming this skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan. After at least two people were shot, one police officer and one civilian, according to two senior law enforcement officers. Four senior New York City officials say the suspected gunman, Gunman, Shane Devin Tamora of Las Vegas is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the 33rd floor of the building.

Earlier than NYPD circulated this photo of a person with a long gun they say they were searching for in connection with the shooting, according to three senior law enforcement sources. The building, 345 Park Avenue, is the headquarters of the NFL, Blackstone and accounting firm, KPMG. This is Blackstone Headquarters, 345 Park Avenue, approximately 100 people hiding. It all began around 6 p.m. as people were heading home for the day. Those inside told us shelter in place. You can see the section of Midtown Manhattan is completely cordoned off. A large police presence. 345 Park Avenue is just down that way.

I was just speaking to one man who did not want to appear on camera. He told me that his wife is inside the building. She's on the 23rd floor. She says she's okay, but he's waiting for her to get out. Tonight there is a massive police presence, but the NYPD says the scene is contained. I want to say you. NBC News, law enforcement and intelligence correspondent Tom Winter is live with us in the studio tonight. Tom, what more do we know? I mean, this was such a strange incident, a violent incident, and it really paralyzed a part of Manhattan tonight. You know, we have not seen many active shooting incidents in New York City. And one of the reasons for that police believe is because you've got these heavy weapon teams, these guys dressed up in full bulletproof vests, men and women of the NYPD highly trained with those long guns.

And they're outside of a lot of sensitive sites. But they can't be everywhere, Tom, as you do. know, you're looking at there at an image of them running into the building where this incident is believed to have occurred. And so it is highly unusual to see this type of weapon in New York City, highly unusual to see it used. And that's what's got folks so concerned tonight. What was this individual up to? Why were they here? Look, we have seen in the last year violence against specific corporations and as CEO, of course, I'm referencing the United Healthcare shooting. And obviously, we've seen terrorist attacks in the city, and we've seen just random crimes. So So that's going to be something for investigators to look into here tonight.

That's going to take some time several hours. At the top of their mind is the concern for the officer that's been shot here tonight, as well as whether there's any other civilian injuries or death. This is a big building. They've got a lot of floors to go to. It's going to take some time, time. All right, Tom, winter for us tonight. Tom, we thank you for that.

We're also following some breaking news in the waters off of Miami Beach, a sailboat from a summer camp, carrying five children and a counselor hit by a barge. And we're now learning the crash has turned deadly. This surveillance video obtained exclusively by NBC News showing the moment of impact. The barge illuminated in the center of your screen, slamming into that yellow sailboat. You see the sail falling towards the water right there. It happened in Biscayne Bay, part of which stretches between the city of Miami and Miami Beach. Authorities mobilizing a massive response, aerial images capturing divers in the water as they tried to help the victims of this incident.

The Coast Guard confirming tonight two of the campers aboard the sailboat have died. All six people who were on the vessel have been recovered. Are Jesse Kirsch is on the ground for us in Miami Beach and joins us live tonight. Jesse, we're learning more about those victims? That's right, Tom. We just got a further update from the Coast Guard. They are now telling us that the two young girls who lost their lives were seven and 13 years old, and they were killed in this horrific incident.

And you can see behind us here that barge is still out here. This is an area that is popular with locals. It's popular with tourists. and now it has been marked by tragedy. This is the moment a picturesque day at a children's sailing camp turned to tragedy in South Florida. What of a submerged sailboat with missing children. Authorities say a barge struck a sailboat carrying five children and an adult this morning in Miami's Biscayne Bay. You have Miami Beach Fire Marina route as well.

You respond to a fireboat. Surveillance footage obtained exclusively by NBC News, shows the barge toppling the much smaller vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard says all six people were recovered, but two children died. I've never seen so many ambulances, dive rescue. I couldn't even like barely walk. It was so crowded. The horrific crash sparking a massive response, divers and police boats swarming.

The barge carrying a crane sitting in the water for hours. Tonight the Miami Yacht Club telling NBC News, the sailboat was from its youth sailing foundation summer camp, a program for children ages seven to 15. The club writing, it's devastated by this terrible tragedy. Meanwhile, authorities are investigating how this could have happened. Jesse Kirste joins us again live from Miami Beach. And Jesse, just behind you, we see that barge there. And it's also my understanding the sailboat is actually still out there as well.

Yes, right, Tom. And the Coast Guard is out here right now on top of all of that because they are controlling what they're calling a safety zone. You can see a boat coming past us right now. So there's a lot of traffic out here still. hours after this incident unfolded, that barge has been sitting basically in this same spot for hours now. And the Coast Guard tonight is telling us that the sailboat involved in this crash, which was holding those five children and that adult, the sailboat is still submerged under that barge right now. Tom. A tragic day out there in Biscayne Bay. Okay, Jesse, we thank you

for your reporting. We're going to turn out of some other big news we're following tonight involving the extreme weather across the country. A hundred 70 million sweltering under dangerous heat right now. Severe storms taking aim at the Midwest, spawning twisters and intense floods. I want to bring in Ryan Chandler, who's in Dallas, where temperatures are reaching triple digits. Ryan, talk to us first about the breaking news, some tornadoes touching down. The images that we're seeing out of South Dakota during this wild weather event are striking, Tom. More reported tornadoes today. The second day of apparent tornado outbreaks, you see that video twisters ripping through the planes. This area is still under a severe thunderstorm watch

until 10 o'clock tonight, the National Weather Service says. And just minutes ago, there was a tornado warning for Buffalo County in central South Dakota, a reported tornado in Dixon there. The National Weather Service warning people to take cover now just in the last half hour, Tom. All right, Ryan. And then also I know strong storms are unleashing torrential rains in Detroit. The pictures out of the airport there are also pretty wild. Yeah, the Detroit airport there reports intense flooding in multiple areas of the airport. That is impacting travel both into the airport by roads. You see cars trying to get through the water there and travel out of the airports by the skies. Flight aware reporting in the last hour,

there are 70 delayed flights, eight cancellations as the airport warns that flooding is making travel into that airport hazardous and is impacting flights, Tom. And finally, Ryan, the latest on these heat emergencies across the country, it's been so hot lately. Yeah, 107 is the reported field-like temperature here in Dallas. That can be deadly. It's turned deadly during this heat wave just last week. Dallas County reported their first heat death, and we're seeing real harrowing video out of Phoenix where a father was arrested after police say he left his four children in a car.

That car, they were found to have an internal temperature of 120. degrees. The children all exhibiting symptoms of heat illness. They were taken to the hospital and are reported to be okay. But you see that father arrested, people calling this an unfathomable event in Phoenix. Tom. All right. Ryan Chandler for us tonight. New details emerging in that mass stabbing at a Michigan Walmart over the weekend. We're hearing from one of the heroes who stepped in to stop the attack. He says he ran the suspect with a grocery car to keep him from injuring more people. That story tonight from Maggie Vespa. Tonight, one of the men who authorities say helped take down a suspect who stabbed 11 people

at a Michigan Walmart describing how he sprung into action. I could see the knife in his hand. It's like we locked eyes, me and him did. And I was like, I just took off running after him. Retired Marine, Matthew Kolakowski says he saw the suspect stab a woman in the back. Just as far as he could get the knife into her. And then she went right down. He kind of, he had shuffled the knife from hand to hand, and he, like, spun and stopped like he was going to come back and get here again.

I hit him right in the rear just as hard as I could with the grocery cart. Kolakowski and others, the sheriff confirms, held down 42-year-old Bradford James Gilly until a deputy arrived. He yelled, I'm a soldier, and that everybody in Walmart were bad people on that they pretty much need to die. And I was like, well, I'm my mother effing Marine. And then his eyes got big. And then that's when he stopped talking. His brother-in-law, Chris O'Brien, the one filming. I've seen a mother and two children crying because their father was stabbed.

Dad got rolled out on a stretcher, and then, and then, yeah, that's hard. Gilly today, pleading not guilty to assault and terrorism charges. Court documents show he has a long criminal record and history of mental health issues, including being involuntarily committed in 2017. The sheriff in another county, two hours away, revealing on Friday they received a court order to arrest Gilly, deeming him a substantial risk to himself or others in the near future. But deputies couldn't find Gilly who was listed as homeless. Less than 24 hours later, investigators say he carried out the violent stabbing spree.

Okay, Maggie Vespah joins us tonight from outside that Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan. So, Maggie, the suspect's first court appearance, I understand, was pretty unusual. Yeah, Tom, it really was. He started off by basically telling the judge, I don't want to talk to you. And then later brought up watching black and white videos involving psychedelic drug use. His lawyer urging him to be quiet, telling him to really only answer the questions asked. The judge eventually muting him before ordering him held on $100,000 bond. We have reached out to Gillies defense attorney for just general comment.

We haven't yet heard back. Meanwhile, new court documents detailing victims' injuries, including stab wounds to their sides, their lungs, their lungs, one person's eye. All 11 victims in this attack, Tom, are expected to survive. Okay. All right, Maggie, we thank you for that. And a disturbing story in Arkansas. The hunt for a man suspected of murdering a couple on a family hike with their two young daughters, the remote state park on lockdowns since Saturday, as police combed the park for any clues about the suspect's whereabouts. Aaron Gilcrest is in Devil's Den State Park, where the search continues tonight. Got two bodies down here.

Tonight, an urgent manhunt is underway in Arkansas for the man who police say committed a horrific double murder, killing a couple hiking with their young daughters. The man attacked the Brink family on a walking trail in Devil's Den State Park Saturday afternoon, according to police. They say Clinton and Kristen Brinks, seven and nine-year-old daughters, managed to get away unharmed and find help. Two children are there. They advise that their parents were assaulted. was possibly stabbed. At first, officers scouring the park thought they heard signs of life. Here, yell, calling for help.

We're hiking down. But then they say they made a grisly discovery, finding Clinton and Kristen Brink dead on a trail. Police say the suspect is a white male who was seen driving toward a park exit in a black sedan. This park is thousands of acres of dense vegetation.

They made it hard to search for both the victims and the suspect here, and while police don't believe he's in the park anymore. They've closed off all the trails until further notice. Authorities now urging anyone at or near the park that day to check for footage or photos of the suspect. Do you feel less safe here in the park knowing what happened here over the weekend? I do. We just stayed in the car with the doors locked. Tonight, a relative telling NBC news the Brink family had just moved to the area three weeks ago. Their loved ones releasing a

statement saying Clinton and Kristen died heroes, protecting their little girls and they deserve justice. They will forever live on in all of our hearts. And then, Aaron, I know we've just reported a little bit there about the family from around West Fork, Arkansas. What more do we know about them? Well, Tom, we've been able to learn from a family member who spoke to one of our producers earlier today that they described the couple as a loving couple. They described them as devoted parents. As you kind of imagine, the family is asking for privacy right now.

This is something that has been incredibly emotional for them, that these two little girls, now have to deal with trying to come to terms with a new reality for them. The family did ask that the public try to help as much as they can. If anybody has information that may be helpful to the investigation, they've asked folks to come forward with that. We know that state police have been pushing very hard for people who may have been in the park on Saturday, who have cell phone video or photos, who had GoPro cameras maybe set up on a canoe or something like that in the area.

They've asked those folks to come forward with that footage or those images if they can. They've asked people in the surrounding area if they have security cameras or game cameras on their homes or on their properties to let police know and offer any footage that may have captured a glimpse of the suspect that they're still looking for, Tom. All right, Aaron Gilcrest's first night. Aaron, we thank you. We turn to politics down those comments from President Trump saying he turned out an invitation from Jeffrey Epstein to go to his private island. This coming as the controversy over the Epstein files shows no signs of letting up. and now a new plea from Epstein's convicted accomplice to the Supreme Court. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez is covering all the latest details tonight. Tonight, President Trump revealing he turned down an invitation from notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

to visit Epstein's private island in the Caribbean, while he says many others went. Nobody ever talks about them. I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it down, but a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island. In one of my very, very good moments. I turned it down. I didn't want to go to his island. President Trump also detailing what led to his falling out with Epstein more than 20 years ago, an argument over workers at his Mar-a-Lago club. He stole people that work for me. I said, don't ever do that again. He did it again. And I threw him out of the place, persona non grata. I threw him out, and that was it. There's a new bipartisan push to force the Justice Department to release all of

its files related to Epstein, especially after the DOJ interviewed convicted Epstein accomplice Galane Maxwell last week. Tonight, President Trump suggesting there was no damaging information about him in the DOJ's Epstein files, saying if there was, President Biden's Justice Department would have made it public. They were run by Comey, they were run by Garland, they were run by Biden. Those files were run by these people. They were run by my enemy. If there was any of the anything in there, they would have used them for the election. Gabe Gutierrez joins us tonight from the White House. Gabe Galane Maxwell's attorney is out today with a new plea to the Supreme Court. Yeah, Tom. Well, it's more of a renewed plea and a new court

filing. Her attorney is once again asking the Supreme Court to overturn her 2021 conviction in New York for recruiting and grooming teenage girls for Epstein. Now, Maxwell is arguing that a non-prosecution agreement that Epstein made with federal prosecutors in Florida should apply to her case in New York and any other part of the U.S. time. All right, Gabe. And then before you go today, President Trump's attorneys, they wanted to depose Rupert Murdoch? Yeah, that's right. The president's lawyers are asking a judge to order Murdoch to sit for a deposition within

15 days for President Trump's $10 billion lawsuit, accusing the Wall Street Journal of defaming him by reporting on a body birthday letter to Epstein. Now, that letter was reportedly sent decades. but Trump vehemently denies ever writing it. Trump's lawyers, meanwhile, are citing Murdoch's advanced age to submit to questioning under oath as a chief argument in their motion to compel him to. The lawyers are suggesting that the 94-year-old will either be too ill or dead to testify by the time the case goes to trial. Tom. Gabe Gutierrez first. Gabe, we thank you for all of that. When Top Story returns,

Dion Sanders stunning the sports world today announcing not only that he battled bladder cancer, He had to have his bladder surgically removed, while the NFL Hall of Fame or left even some of his closest loved ones in the dark. And his message for Americans tonight. Plus, President Trump breaking with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on the starvation crisis in Gaza as critical aid begins to arrive by air. Turning out of some breaking news rocking the sports world, Dionne Sanders, the head coach of the University of Colorado, Boulder's football team.

revealing today he is cancer-free after battling an aggressive form of bladder cancer. NBC's Morgan Chesky has more on the two-time Super Bowl champions Road to Recovery. Thankful that... Tonight, an emotional Dionne Sanders sharing his private fight with cancer. You have no idea how good God has been for me to be here. The NFL Hall of Famer turned college football coach opening up for the first time since doctors diagnosed him, with an aggressive form of bladder cancer. Adding he's undergone surgeries for multiple health issues over the last four years.

I am pleased to report that the results from the surgery are that he is cured from the cancer. Doctors say the 57-year-old remained upbeat throughout treatments, which included reconstructing a section of his intestine to function as a new bladder. Adding it appears chemo and radiation will not be needed. Given his commitments to his family and to the team elected to undergo a bladder removal. with his two sons. The player coined prime time that now prefers coach prime has always embraced the spotlight, but grew candid when sharing the struggles of writing his own will amid the fight.

Yes, it was too. The football legend said he lost around 25 pounds throughout the process, and credits Randy Moss, another NFL Hall of Famer and Cancer Survivor for encouragement, writing, he called me every other day and told me what I needed to be doing. Please get yourself checked out. Sanders stressed the importance of early detection, saying his cancer was only discovered during an annual CT scan. Too much life.

I got too much life in me, and I got work to do. And tonight, Sanders says, while he did miss summer workouts with the team, he does plan to be back coaching the Colorado Buffaloes that for the first time since he arrived will not feature either of his sons, now both in the NFL. Tom.

Coming up, the massive brawl caught on camera. in Cincinnati, the video going viral, some on the right blasting city leadership. Tonight, the police chief announcing new arrests. Stay with us. Now to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the police chief is speaking out tonight about a brutal fight on the city's

downtown streets. That fight caught on camera and quickly going viral on social media and becoming a national political flashpoint. NBC's Adrian Broaddus has the latest on how it all unfolded, and we want to warn you, some of this video is very graphic. Chaos on the streets of Cincinnati.

Video posted online appears to show a verbal altercation on the sidewalk. At one point, a man wearing a white shirt appears to slap the man in the red shirt. Then others jump in. As fist fly, one man falling to the ground repeatedly kicked and hit for nearly a minute. Some in the crowd attempt to break up the fight. later, it appears a man punches one woman in the face, knocking her to the ground. Lying still for nearly 10 seconds, blood spilling from her mouth until another woman helps her. Cincinnati's mayor releasing a statement Monday saying in part, quote, I am outraged by the vicious

fight that occurred downtown. It is horrifying to watch, and this unacceptable and disgusting behavior is intolerable in any part of our community. The shocking videos rapidly spreading on social media and instantly becoming a political flashpoint, Vice President J.D. Vance weighing in. What I saw is a mob of lawless thugs beating up on an innocent person. J.D. Vance's half brother, Corey Bowman, is running to unseat Cincinnati's current Democratic mayor. Bowman releasing a statement calling for the resignation of the city manager over the weekend. As the videos and the controversy continue to catch fire on the right, some posting angles with captions focus on the race of those involved. Elon Musk posting on X saying, quote, that guy almost

killed this woman. An assistant attorney general saying, quote, our federal hate crimes laws apply to all Americans. The videos reviewed by NBC News do not show what led up to the fight, but police say they've already filed charges against five people as the investigation continues. put their hands on another individual during this incident in an attempt to cause harm will face consequences. Hey there, Tom, the chief of police isn't saying how badly the people involved were hurt or even if they needed medical care. She did say five people have been charged, but she didn't name those individuals and she did not tell members of the media what they have been charged with. Her message tonight is clear. She says anyone involved, no matter what side of the

the fight they were on, she says, will face consequences. Tom? All right, time now for Top Story's news feed. At least three people are dead and three injured after a gunman opened fire outside of a Nevada hotel and casino. Police locating the alleged gunman in the valet area of the Grand Sierra Resort and casino in Reno. That suspect shot and taken to the hospital by police within minutes of their arrival. The suspect and two of the victims are still in critical condition. And highway cameras in Mississippi, capturing the moment an 18-wheeler exploded in a massive fireball on a busy highway. A mushroom cloud erupting as first responders try to fight back the flames.

The 18-wheeler was involved in a multi-vehicle crash shortly before, but it's still not clear what caused the explosion. Thankfully, no one was hurt. And in South Florida, at least three buildings are destroyed after a fire ripped through the Mekosukee reservation. Video showing the intense flames gutting houses and burning vehicles. Crews were forced to call in backup through the winds spreading the energy. members. You can see how big that fire got. They also threatened power lines. Tribal spokesman says it appears

to have started accidentally, but they're continuing to investigate. They say luckily no one was injured. And public health officials revealing how dozens of people accidentally ate pizza contaminated with THC last year. The owners of famous Yeti's pizza outside of Madison say they accidentally prepared a batch of dough using oil infused with THC. According to police, the pizzeria shares a commercial kitchen with another business that makes state license edibles leading to the unintentional mix-up. Dozens of people from age one to 91 years old experience symptoms like dizziness, time distortion, and hallucinations. President Trump issuing a stark warning to Russia's President Putin with a new deadline to end his war with Ukraine. This is also coming as

he announced the U.S. has reached a tentative trade agreement with the EU. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell has those details tonight. Tonight in Scotland, President Trump showcased the power of his office and the assets of his wealth. Trump-branded golf resorts to appear more host than guest with Britain's prime minister, Kirstarmer. President Trump changed his tactic toward Vladimir Putin. Every time I think it's going to end, he kills people. Russia hitting a Kiev high-rise overnight, a drone strike leaving residents, including a child injured. The president shrinking his 50-day deadline for Putin to run.

reach a ceasefire. I'm going to make a new deadline of about 10, 10 or 12 days from today. There's no reason in waiting. If no ceasefire, Mr. Trump threatened to impose sanctions and secondary tariffs on Russia's trade partners, prompting this warning from a former Russian president. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war, not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. But Ukraine's president Zelenskyy, thank you. thanked President Trump for his focus on saving lives and stopping this horrible war. Also during this visit abroad, the president de-escalated his tariff war with the European Union. The U.S. set a broad 15 percent tariff, down from a threatened 30 percent import tax, on many

EU goods, including European cars, like BMWs and Mercedes, while the EU reduced barriers on American-made cars sold there. And while that deal is done in the big picture sense, there are a lot of fine details that still need to be worked out. And there could be changes for important industries like pharmaceuticals, even agricultural products. The EU says they would have liked a lower rate, but they also appreciate having some stability. Tom? Okay, Kelly O'Donnell. Coming up, the scare at a Spanish air show, video of an F-18 fighter jet taking aggressive action, diving low above crowds, the response from the Spanish Air Force on what caused the maneuver. And Southern Europe battling unrelenting wildfires, the summer tourist destination spots

being threatened by the flames. We're back now with Top Story's Global Watch, and we start with the ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia after days of deadly border clashes. The countries agreed to an unconditional ceasefire after fighting killed dozens of people and displaced tens of thousands. The U.S. and China encouraged both sides to come to the table. President Trump said tariff negotiations with both countries would not proceed until the fighting ended. And in southern Germany, police say a landslide caused a deadly train derailment.

At least three people were killed and dozens of others left injured in the crash near Rietlingen, a town two hours west of Munich. Video shows the mangled wreckage after heavy rains triggered by a mudslide. Officials say search and rescue operations were complicated due to the configuration of the train cars. And the Spanish Air Force is responding after a fighter jet scared crowds of people at an air show on the beach. Take a look at this. Video shows an F-18 fighter jet soaring incredibly low in Hihong, just above the heads of screaming onlookers before pulling straight up. The Air Force says pilots performed an evasive maneuver after detecting a flock of birds in its path. Okay, we're going to

stay overseas now to the war in the Middle East. After weeks of global outrage, Israel allowing more aid into Gaza, greenlighting airdrops and pausing fighting for 10 hours each day. This move coming as the Israeli government continues to deny there is any famine in Gaza. And now President Trump is weighing in. Here's Matt Bradley with the latest. Tonight facing fierce criticism, Israel allowing airdrops of aid into Gaza, thousands of tons of aid dropped by United Arab Emirates military planes in partnership with Jordan and an Israeli aid drop overnight. Met by droves of desperate power. Palestinians clamoring for food.

Carrying away sacks on their backs, I'm going to die for flour so we can eat, 18-year-old Abdul says. Israel paused its offensive against Hamas to allow more aid distribution, but the UN calling it a drop in the ocean compared to what's needed. Tonight, President Trump's saying there's starvation and the U.S. will help. Some of those kids are, that's real starvation stuff, I see it, and you can't fake that. We're going to set up food centers. The president at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who says reports of starvation are lies.

There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza. But Trump also saying he's working with Netanyahu to get the last hostages out, saying Hamas refuses to release them. They don't want to give up these last 20 because they think as long as we have them, they have them, they have protection. Meanwhile, in Gaza, a doctor shows pictures of 13-year-old Hoda not so long ago, but now, She's bedridden. The doctor is saying hunger changed the color of her skin and hair. Huda is one of the examples for severe protein deficiency. And with that, Matt Bradley joins Top Story tonight from Tel Aviv.

So, Matt, international human rights groups have been sounding the alarm on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza for months. We've been reporting it right here on this broadcast. But now Israeli groups are joining in? in? That's right. For the first time, Tom, we're seeing two prominent Israeli human rights groups Bates Selim and physicians for human rights calling this conflict in the Gaza Strip, what groups like Amnesty International have been calling it now for a long time, a genocide. Now, key to this distinction that they're making is the idea of basically incitement. So in their presentation today, they showed top Israeli politicians using language that they're making. The idea of basically incitement, so in their presentation today, they showed top Israeli politicians using language

that they said was incitement to genocide. And all this, Tom, is the death toll in the Gaza Strip ever since those October 7, 2023 terror attacks by Hamas sits on the precipice of that symbolic but important number of 60,000. Tom? All right, Matt Bradley for us tonight. Matt, we thank you for that. Okay, we're going to switch gears down and head back over to Europe and the picturesque Mediterranean locauls being threatened by those wildfires. Tourists from Sardinia to Greece forced to evacuate, some escaping the flames by boat. NBC's Keir Simmons has this look at the scorching heat wave driving the flames. Fleeing thick smoke and flames, beach goers in Italy, abandoned sunbeds and escaped on Sunday.

More than 100 on the world-famous Italian island of Sardinia had to be rescued from the sea, forced there by the fast-moving fire. This woman found on a rock, her beach bag, beside her. Across the Mediterranean fires are engulfing communities. This was another tourist island, Kithira in Greece Saturday. This month, satellite images showed thick smoke from a fire streaming across the Greek islands. In a northern suburb of the capital, Athens, volunteers helped firefighters with hose pipes

while others escaped from a balcony. Houses are burning, this local says, they're burning here, they're burning over there. This weekend alone, 500 Greek firefighters faced 50 wildfires, five of them, major conflagrations. One cause intense summer heat, similar to this week's soaring US temps, parts of Greece close to 111 degrees, even closing the Acropolis at one stage. You need to have a hat, drink your water. The Red Cross is really great for giving us water here, but it is getting very hot now. In neighboring Turkey, one site recorded a record temperature of 122 degrees.

There another fire was bearing down on the country's fourth largest city. More than 3,500 people have been evacuated. Four deaths reported so far. Two years ago, NBC News traveled across Greece to Evros, close to the Turkish border, to see the impact of what had been Europe's largest wildfire. It started from these mountains there. To find a charred landscape and locals who blamed a combination of climate change and lost forest management skills. Now Southern Europe faces another difficult summer.

Kier Simmons joins us tonight, Kier, I know you know these communities very well. And besides these fires, you know, just ravaging the land, taking homes and businesses in some cases, it's also taking the livelihood of the economies there because these people depend on the summer tour. You're so right, Tom, and it is looking like another difficult summer. According to the European Fire Information Service, more land has been burned across the European Union in 2025 than ever before. We saw, as you saw in my report there, the damage that it can do. We spoke to people in those communities and talked about how there are different factors. On the one hand, there is climate change.

they very much, many of them blame climate change. And on the other hand, they say that people are forgetting how to manage the forest, how to look after their communities. Many people in these communities, they say, are leaving, just leaving older folk. And if you look at a country like Greece or like Italy or like Portugal, many of these countries that are affected, you're right. They really do depend on the tourism industry.

That's why these governments, and this is the positive aspect, Tom, that's why these governments are investing a lot, not just saying that they want to tackle. climate change, but they want to cause, they want to tackle the implications of climate change. Why? Not just because it's good for communities, but it's good for their economy. Tom? Keir Simmons for us, Keir, we thank you for that perspective.

We're back in a moment, bringing it back here to home. What happens in Vegas? Not staying in Vegas when it comes to Beyonce's final Cowboy Carter concert, the Destiny Child reunion that has Queen Bee fans going wild and all the best highlights from the last night of her tour. That's next. Finally tonight, on the very last night of her Cowboy Carter tour, Beyonce's surprising fans with a Destiny's Child reunion.

The trio taking the stage together for the first time in seven years. Here's Priscilla Thompson now with more on what made the performance so good. Beyonce leaving fans breathless. I never thought I would be alive to witness Destiny's Child in front of my eyes. I'm not okay. I'm not okay. Like, I'm not okay. Bringing back Destiny's Child and that iconic D.C. strut. For the last stop of her Cowboy Carter tour in Vegas. The nostalgia, almost too much to handle.

For fans of the group who haven't performed together since this 2018 Coachella Canyon. be closing out her 32-stop world tour with a bang some fans who attended other shows feeling burned did our breath stank did we do something wrong am i not loved am i a child of neglect does bionthe hate me it's a tour that became a family affair featuring her husband j z daughters roomy and blue and now her sister Tonight, the Beehive, a buzz about the trio's possible reunion as Viances' next act. Priscilla Thompson, NBC News. All right, that does it for us tonight. Thanks so much for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamis in New York.

Stay right there. More news on the way.