Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Episode Date: June 19, 2024

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

Tonight, fire and heat colliding, extreme temperatures, baking millions as wildfires engulfed the West. The dangerous record-breaking heat wave pushing east, sending temperatures soaring. Families desperate for relief seeking out spots to stay cool. And the wildfire threat exploding out west, flames erupting in New Mexico, thousands forced to escape in a moment's notice, firefighters battling a wind-fueled wildfire outside of L.A. The concerns these intense fires could signal a catastrophic wildfire season to come. Also tonight, trouble in the tropics and potential tropical cyclone churning closer to the Gulf Coast, Texas under a tropical storm warning bracing for coastal flooding and heavy rains. The disturbance enhancing intense rainfall in Central America will this become the first name storm of the 2024 hurricane season,

Al Roker, standing by with the timing and the track. Justin Timberlake arrested for DWI, the pop star's mugshot just released after spending the night at police headquarters. Timberlake pulled over after he reportedly rolled through a stop sign and swerved on the road, what he allegedly told an officer before refusing a blood alcohol test. Maine's criminal loophole? A shortage of public defenders in the state allowing a man with a violent criminal history to be released. The deadly armed standoff after that man was left out and public uproar over the growing legal crisis. The spread of a rare flesh-eating bacteria sparking global concerns, health officials saying it can kill in just 48 hours.

We speak with a former head of the CDC about the rapid spread and the symptoms to look out for. Plus, inside the beast, an up-close look at the migrant journey through Mexico to the southern border, the brutality along a treacherous train ride for those desperate for a shot at the American dream. And a father's inspiring sacrifice for his son, the life-changing decision, to help his son, son grow up like any other kid. Top story starts right now. And good evening. Excessive heat, wildfires, and tropical storm warnings. Tonight, millions of Americans are caught in the crosshairs of life-threatening weather events. More than 73 million Americans from Iowa to Maine dealing with dangerous heat with a dangerous heat wave. Chicago, New York,

Detroit, and D.C., just some of the nation's biggest cities grappling with record high temps. This expansive heat wave is fueled by an intense heat dome, and the reason it's so dangerous is because of how long this stretch of brutal weather lasts. Several cities staying in the 90s for up to eight straight days. Take a look at the staggering highs for tomorrow. Banger, Maine in Burlington, Vermont, reaching 96 degrees. You see it right there with temp skyrocketing up to 100. Could shatter from now until Friday those records. That heat out west. is also fueling nearly two dozen wildfires. You see them right here, including this one in New Mexico. The fire erupting last night and rapidly spreading, forcing people to rush out of their homes to escape those flames. Fire are still working to contain this, the post fire just north of

L.A. we told you about last night. That fire scorching more than 15,000 acres. And moving further southeast, where that tropical trouble is brewing, a potential tropical cyclone expected to make landfall in Mexico could become the first name storm of the hurricane seas. Tropical storm warnings issued for parts of Texas, coastal communities bracing for flooding, heavy rain, and strong winds. All of this comes as advocacy groups petitioned FEMA asking them to add extreme heat and wildfire spoke to their list of major disasters. And a reminder, heat is the number one weather-related cause of the death of death in the U.S. If the request is approved, it would unlock much-needed emergency funding. We have our reporters spread out all across the country tonight from Cali to Pennsylvania.

on what conditions look and feel like right now. And Outroke are standing by to walk us through the brutal heat and the tropical disturbance. All right, Maggie Vespa leads us off tonight from Pittsburgh. Maggie, it is getting close to summer, right? Officially summer. It's going to be hot over there. But what's different that you're noticing this time around? Well, this time around, I mean, as you point out, it's not even summer yet, right?

So this really intense heat wave is incredibly early. We're talking about temperatures as much as 25 degrees above average. And for that kind of up and down the East Coast, we're seeing officials, mayors, governors, you name it, really warning people to please take this seriously, because not only is it exceptionally hot and exceptionally humid, we're talking about heat indices in some cities well into triple digits, but also people haven't had time to adjust to the heat. So it kind of, they say, hits our bodies that much more severely, and people can be feeling the effects all the more. We talked a little bit about that yesterday. One thing that we've been noticing a pattern that's kind of growing is that schools are closing. early because of this. Some school districts weren't let out for the summer yet. School districts in Boston and Buffalo have gone to half days already to get kids home before it gets really hot.

And then one district in Massachusetts basically said, okay, that's it for the semester. We're calling it early. And they sent kids home days early for summer break. That happened today, Tom. So they're really taking this seriously. And it's been intense here. We can really see why. We've heard of snow days. Now we're getting heat days as well. I'm sure the kids are excited about that. Before you go, I know that all this heat is leading to emergencies, right? People calling 911 because of outages and power outages, of course, but also 911 outages as well? Yeah, exactly. I mean, this has really been kind of adding to the chaos.

First and foremost, we had power outages here, tens of thousands in Pittsburgh because of overnight storms, severe storms that rolled through, and that means everyone's air conditioning went out. So you had crews scrambling to restore that, knowing how desperate people were for AC. And then you go up to Massachusetts, we had officials to. saying that their 911 system went down across the state and they said this is the worst possible time to be able to lose a way to call for help we had heat related emergencies coming in they say we expect that over the next several days thankfully that system has been restored but Tom they were getting out like the local numbers for the fire departments and ambulance services just saying we know people need help in this heat and this is the worst time again to lose that lifeline so just really adding to the stress as this heat wave continues to mouth Tom. Okay, Maggie, heading to Chicago. Now, the city is set to reach seven consecutive days of temps over a sweltering 90 degrees. Yesterday, the thermometer reaching a staggering 97 degrees breaking the previous record for June 17th. Our Mora Barrett is there in the hot zone tonight. Mora, you've been there reporting all day, trying to stay cool.

What are you been hearing from the people you've been talking to about how they're handling this unbelievable heat, which the summertime in Chicago is usually the best time, but maybe not today? It is the best time. And that's something that people really look forward to here in Chicago because we get that wicked cold temperatures and freezing and snow. And so people are happy that summer is on the horizon, but point blank, this heat has been unexpected. I talked to a young girl who said that she was excited to be out of school and to be able to get to the beach, but she has asthma.

And so when there's high temperatures like this that really impacts her health, I talked to another mom who's had to balance a visit here to Chicago with her five-year-old son getting them inside and outside in the AC, dipping into the water to try to make sure they can stay safe because we don't usually see these types of temperatures until later into August. The humidity is really high here as well. And so officials are really warning people to be as safe as possible.

I spoke with the fire official earlier today who talked about the fact that hydration isn't a given even when you're in the water. I wait to hear a little bit more of his warning. You don't realize you're sweating and dehydrating as much as you are. Even spending 20, 30 minutes in 63-degree water, 63-degree water like we have right now, you can get dehydrated and tired quickly and become overexerted.

That water in Lake Michigan, very refreshing, very needed right now, especially as this heat wave is expected to continue through this weekend, Tom. You know, we mentioned dozens of environmental labor and health care groups today, pushing FEMA to recognize extreme heat as a major disaster on par with events like floods and tornadoes. Some people at home might be saying that's maybe a bridge too far. But walk we through why that distinction would be important for a city like Chicago. Well, Tom, researchers are quick to call out right now. The fact that we're seeing this extreme heat, these record-breaking temperatures this early in the season,

they want to remind everyone that this is directly tied to human-caused climate change, especially with the attribution to high carbon emissions. And so as we see these heat events as frequently as we are for these longer periods, time. It's also important to remember that they, as you mentioned, they are the cause of death for more than any other natural disaster, double the amount that we see from hurricanes or tornadoes, for example. And so for FEMA to be able to step in and talk about and help allocate funding towards these disasters, it could help cities like Chicago prepare when it comes to cooling centers and air filtration systems, as well as handing out water and prepping for more

electricity use, which is needed in these really hot times. Now, we reached out to FEMA to see what they might do about this, and they kind of punted it to the state, saying that states would need to request that specific funding. They wrote in a statement to us saying that they're focused on the increase of preparedness and increasing resilience at both the community and the individual level to be more prepared for the heat before it arrives. And the climate challenge is something that the Biden administration and its agencies has been really focused on mainly investing in mitigation and resilience, but that funding is really just getting started in projects coming off the ground right now, Tom.

All right, Maura Barrett, in Chicago for us, Maura, thank you. Over on the West Coast tonight, firefighters battling a series of raging wildfires. This map showing some of the largest fires currently burning with California's post-fire ripping through more than 15,000 acres. Other massive fires in states like New Mexico forcing immediate evacuations. So far, burning through nearly 19,000 acres. For more on all of this, Steve Patterson joins us now from L.A. County where firefighters are battling that post-fire. Steve, we know Monday firefighters there had contained about 20% of that fire. Has that number moved at all? Is there any concern about it spreading further? Yeah, Tom, look, there's no way that conditions aren't better now

than they were a few days ago. We started yesterday at 8% containment. It now started today at 20% containment, now the number is 24%. Look, firefighters definitely have a toll hold on this fire. Their primary mission is to push the flames away from a nearby interstate. One, I can hear and see right now, I-5. That is where the homes are. That is where the population center is. They are pushing it south into the forest, deep into the forest, which of course is good. But it also means that the terrain that it's on now is very steep, very rugged, very dangerous. So, air drops are premium, as well as dozers, still part of the firefighting operation, part of the recipe. It also means, though, that just one ember or a pocket of embers can spread this fire to a new front.

So it makes it very dangerous with really what is the biggest bad guy in all of this since minute one. The wind. I can feel it. It is erratic. And it has the possibility to continue to spread this fire really as far as the I can see. And Steve, this fire and the ones we're seeing in New Mexico are pretty massive for this time of year. Does the scope of these fires indicate a much more dangerous fire season to come? Yeah, Tom, I want to say on the New Mexico fire, we just got an update from the governor. The governor now saying 500 structures, possibly more than that, have been burned. That fire leading to at least two injuries, that fire still very dangerous. It's not one.

It's actually two fires, 20,000 acres in total, zero percent containment surrounding a small town on a Native American reservation. It is very, very dangerous. Harbinger. Look, this is June. We don't really start to see the true fire season until September. So to think it's starting months earlier with spot fires, dozens of them all across the region. It is certainly an arbiter of a very serious season to come. Okay, Steve, we thank you for that. And those fires not held by the scorching temperatures we've been talking about. So let's get right over to Al Roker. Al, walk us through what we're looking at over the next few days here when it comes to the heat first. Yeah, Tom, unfortunately,

least another 72 hours of this heat. 73 million people from Iowa all the way to the northeast, mid-Atlantic, and the Appalachians under the heat advisories, watches or warnings. For tomorrow, we're talking about records possible. In Syracuse, New York, Bangor, Maine, 95 in Brunswick. Wheeling, West

Virginia may hit a record at 95 degrees. Wilmington, 93, and as you can see, going right toward the weekend. Chicago, they're going to be into the 90s, Elmira, New York, mid-90s, New York City, mid-90s, and the heat and humidity, Tom, going to make it feel even worse right now.

All right, we know it is that time of year, right? I know you're tracking that tropical disturbance we were talking about yesterday, moving towards Mexico now. That's right. And we've got some severe weather to talk about also, Tom. Take a look at this. Nine million people at risk from Duluth all the way to Dodge City, large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes.

We've got tornado watches tonight till 8 o'clock, severe thunderstorm watches till 10. And we've got that tropical disturbance, that system, that storm. We've got tropical storm warnings from Brownsville. Port Lavaca, almost to Galveston. It right now is a potential tropical cyclone. It has got winds of 40 miles per hour. It's moving to the north at six miles per hour. And as it makes that trek toward Mexico, it's going to make landfall sometime early Thursday morning. But the big impact's going to be the rain up to the north, Tom. We are looking at a flash flood risk, Corpus Christi, Houston, San Antonio. Rainfall rates two to three inches per hour when all is said and done

We could be looking at about 10 inches of rain, Tom, anywhere from Bay City down to Brownsville. All right, Al Roker, we always appreciate it. As Texas prepares for that potentially dangerous rainfall over the next few days, San Brock is right there on the coast. He's joining us live from a rainy Galveston Island. But the rain from a different storm system, Sam, talk to us about what you're experiencing over there and what could come. Yeah, Tom, good evening. Look, I'm standing on the beach right now. We've been sidestepping bands of rains for the last couple of hours, really, coming in.

sideways. You can feel right now and see the wind that is really picked up, and the surf is fairly strong behind me next to the jetty as a basis of comparison. They're seeing it crushing inside. As far as, you know, how far does this go? The flood watch right now is not just from Galveston where I'm standing, but as I was mentioning, all the way down to Brownsville, that is a chunk of about 400 miles or a six-hour drive. The projection here, three to six inches of rain, two to four feet of storm surge. Residents I speak with here are not terribly concerned right now, in part because they're used to this kind of thing on that situated on the Gulf. They see hurricanes all the time. This, of course, is just a tropical system, cyclone that might become a tropical storm.

They have a seawall all the way out there that's 17 feet high. So if you want to get some storm surge, it's going to blunt some of that. But as far as just the greater southeastern Texas coastline, the governor's very concerned right now. Let me tell you what has happened at this moment. He is ready to about 20 state agencies, Tom, to be prepared for emergency responses. That includes everything from the Texas A&M Forest Service. down to the National Guard. The Forest Service has strike teams with personnel of about 100 people. You're talking about a lot of people on the ground there, and then they're deploying things like swift water boats, if need be, high-profile vehicles, helicopters, all the tools that you would see in rescues, if needed.

Now, as far as Galveston is concerned, the only sort of notification they've given residents, at least in social media platforms, is not to try to drive through any standing water. Turn around, don't drown. Of course, that's something we all try to keep in mind in all this. But Juneteenth, this is the birthplace of Juneteenth, the most significant change so far. Tomorrow was supposed to be celebrations. That's been delayed, and that's actually the case for a number of cities throughout the area, including parts of Houston as well, Tom. Looks pretty dire behind you there, Sam. Quite the shot.

Before you go, I know you're tracking this system and what's happening in places like El Salvador. Correct. So you have these really destructive, deadly rainfalls that came through Central America. El Salvador, Guatemala as well. El Salvador saw about a dozen or so people who died in Guatemala, it was three men, two of whom were trying to rescue their friend from an overflowing river, and they all passed away as well. Those storms were really intensified by what's going on with this tropical system. And now, of course, as I'll mention, it's coming in to the northeastern part of Mexico,

but we're going to be on the effects all the way here in Texas as well. That's the very latest in terms of what we're seeing right now. All right, Sam Brock, wrapping up our weather coverage, Sam, we appreciate all that. We do want to turn now to power in politics and former President Trump's new push for a critical swing state in the 2024 election, Wisconsin. Trump rallying supporters as Democrats blasts his track record in the state, saying he broke his promise to bring manufacturing jobs there. Shaq Brewster on the ground at that rally in Racine for us tonight. I just want to begin by saying, hello, Wisconsin, hello. Tonight, Donald Trump making a push in battleground, Wisconsin.

with just over a week until the first scheduled presidential debate. We've had great success here. It's great to be back in this beautiful state with thousands and thousands of proud, hardworking American patriots. The former president highlighting the economy and immigration in a state he narrowly lost in 2020. The small city of Racine getting major attention from both candidates, President Joe Biden visiting just last month, announcing a new $3.3 billion investment by Microsoft.

building a tech center on the land where Donald Trump joined Foxcon in 2018 to tout a major manufacturing project that never fully materialized. You kidding me? Look what happened. They dug a hole with those golden shovels. And then they fell into it. Democrats mocking Trump's visit with this billboard near the event. But at today's rally, the Trump faithful, undaunted.

When you are talking to your friends about Donald Trump, What are you saying to them? He's for the people. He, I'm getting emotional. I don't know. You're getting emotional? Yeah. Why?

I just, I feel like he actually cares about the country. And it takes somebody who's been in business. America's ran like a business. It really is. And there was so many less wars with Biden. I just feel like the world has changed a lot. In an interview late today with NBC's Milwaukee, affiliate, WTMJ, former President Trump denying reports he planned to stay in Chicago rather

than Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention. Probably they think because they have a hotel. They have a beautiful hotel there, beauty, as good as it gets. But I'm staying here. I was always planning on staying here. Back in Washington, President Biden announcing a new immigration policy using executive action to protect undocumented spouses of American citizens who have lived in the United States for at least 10 years.

potentially shielding about 500,000 immigrants from deportation if the move survives legal challenges. The steps I'm taking today are overwhelmingly supported by the American people, no matter what the other team says. Trump on stage in Wisconsin today, blasting Biden's order. He's going to formally grant a mass amnesty to millions of illegal aliens that came into our country. The presidential split screen happening as new national polling shows the two men running neck and neck at 49% apiece, and with only about four and a half months until election day, just 2% of voters saying they're still undecided. Shaq Brewster joins us tonight from that campaign rally in Racine, Wisconsin. Shaq, let's first start with the reports about what former President Trump may or may not

have said about Milwaukee. I know he addressed it in an interview with our local station there in Milwaukee. Talk to us about what he said and what exactly happened. Yeah, it can clearly, It was on top of his mind. It was the first thing that he said when he got on stage here at his rally. Before he got into the meat of his substance, he said an emphatic, I love Milwaukee. But you mentioned our affiliate reporter, Charles Benson, pressed him about those reports. Listen to a little bit of that interview. Did you say Milwaukee is a horrible city?

No, I didn't say it. They're liars. You know they're liars. They lie about everything. They've got the worst policy in the world. They lie about every single thing they do. I chose Milwaukee. I said, I do say it all the time.

I said it to you, and I said it to anybody that wants to listen. Crime is way too high, as it is in many cities, and they've got to watch the election because the election results last time in Milwaukee were terrible. I mean, it was just terrible what happened. But other than that, I like Milwaukee. I'm the one that picked Milwaukee. And we should clear up that those election results have been reviewed. They went through court battles, and the election in 2020 was,

free and fair when you listen to what courts have to say and what those reviews bear out. All right, Shaq, we also have that upcoming debate we've been talking about. It's next Thursday in Atlanta. And I know you have some new reporting on whether RFK Jr., the independent, the third party candidate in this race, whether he's going to attend or not? Well, Tom, it appears as if the third party contender will not be on that debate stage next week. He's missing two key thresholds that CNN laid out. He did not get 15 percent. at least four qualifying national polls, appearing to only get 15% in three of those four. But more importantly, he did not show that he's a viable candidate in enough states to be able to get

270 electoral votes. Of course, that is what's needed of anyone running for president based on those state qualifying requirements in each state. So his campaign is saying that they filed a complaint. They may take further legal action. But as of now, it appears as if he will not be on that debate stage time. Khruster for us tonight, Jack, we appreciate that. For more on President Biden's new immigration policy

and what it means for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants. I want to bring in Maria Theresa Kumar. She's the president and CEO of Voto Latino and an NBC News contributor and a good friend to Top Story. And Raul Reyes, he's an immigration attorney and a contributor for NBC News Latino.

I thank you both for joining the show tonight. Raul, I want to start with you. I'm trying to understand what is different in what the president just announced today and what maybe millions of other immigrants have done who they come to this country, they become citizens, and then they end up bringing their spouse over, or they marry someone else who may not be a citizen, and that person is put on a path to citizenship. I'm trying to understand what's different here.

That's when people are here with lawful status. It's a very common misunderstanding. Many people think that if you are undocumented and you marry an American citizen, that's an automatic grant of citizenship. But it is not. The only way that someone who marries a citizen can adjust their status is to leave the United States, go back to their country of origin and apply there for a green card. But when they do that, under American law, it triggers a ban for three years, 10 years, or sometimes forever. So Biden's executive action is trying to address this CATS 22 to let families adjust their status while staying here, staying together. You're an immigration attorney. How big of a deal is this? This is a big deal. I'll tell you, anyone who is an immigration attorney has dealt with this situation. And it's not easy when many, another misconception is people think, well, why can't people just go home and apply their thinking of a country like, say, Mexico, where it's not a difficult journey?

We have undocumented people from China, from Venezuela, from Cuba, from Africa, where it is not politically viable or financially viable for them to go home at all. So this is the situation and the Biden's move is addressing, it's providing a fix. Maria, why do you think the president is doing this now with the election less than five months away? I think that one of the things that when the president went out campaigning almost four years ago, he promised that he was going to address immigration reform. And one of the things that we saw is that he tried to do some sort of bipartisan agreement with the Republican Party not once but twice, and it failed. And so now recognizing that there is opportunity for relief for American citizens who have spouses who are undocumented, he decided to actually pull the trigger and do so.

And this is the thing, Thomas, we have now been working on this very specific issue. It wasn't just four years ago. We have been working as a coalition and senators and business leaders for over a decade trying to provide this relief because it's a no-brainer. If you are married, you've been here for over 10 years, you've been paying taxes, oftentimes you may have American children, this actually provides the kind of relief, not just economically, but more importantly, the relief that you're finally being recognized as a citizen coming out of the shadows.

And then I do have to ask you, this comes as he's trying to strengthen the border as well. Is he trying to appease progressives while also appealing to the majority of Americans who want stronger borders? No, this is what's really interesting. This is, I know that we've debated this for a very long time. I think that the president has made it crystal clear that we have two different policies that we have to address. What is happening at the border right now is an international issue.

that is impacting Latin America throughout. And as Raoul mentioned, it's impacting folks like such, you know, we're seeing a huge migration coming in from middle class to Chinese and the list goes on. That's an international issue. What happened today was addressing a domestic policy issue of individuals that have been in this country for an average of 23 years who have been paying their taxes who are good citizens and good standing. And what they were missing was protection from the government to be able to live their life out of the shadows. shadows. Well, will anybody challenge this? Will this be challenged in court? Well, look, we are obviously in a super partisan era. So, of course, there are going to be legal

challenges to this, probably from some Republican governors or conservatives. But here's the thing. What Biden is doing, he is grounding this move in something called parole in place. That's part of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Presidents from both parties have used it for decades, most recently, to provide relief for some military families who have undocumented members. So it is on very sound legal grounds. It's just a question depending on who our next president is because he can rescind the action or how the legal challenges play out. Well, right. So once they're in this pipeline, now that this has happened, how long do you think these people who have been living in their shadows will get to become citizens? Well, as I understand that this program,

people can apply this summer. They have to go through vetting, background check, and then assuming they are on the normal pathway for citizenship, it's three years to a green card. Then there's a five-year requirement for citizenship. You know what? The important thing to remember here is Biden is not giving people anything. The people who are impacted by this policy, they are eligible for green cards already. Biden's plan just makes it so that people do not have to leave the country in order to access the green cards. Maria, we're going to have all these sort of immigration reforms happening on the cusp of this debate. How much of the debate do you think President Biden will be talking about immigration?

I think immigration is a central issue to how you define the next hundred years in this country. And I don't say that lightly, because if we do not have immigrants that come to this country that is reinvigorating our economy, that's reinvigorating our course of, you know, our course, it becomes like so many other countries right now that are struggling because they just simply don't have population. And so one of the things that I expect from for the president is to be very clear that he's going to continue being tough on the border because we have to reimagine our Latin American policy. But at the same time, we have to show decency and generosity for those individuals that are

have been contributing to America for decades. And that's what we saw today, the beginning of that conversation. Maria Theresa Kumar Raul Reyes, we thank you both for joining Top Story tonight. Still ahead as Secret Service agent robbed at gunpoint in California. The armed robbery happening while President Biden was at a fundraiser in L.A. The surveillance image released by police as they hunt for the suspect. Plus, criminal loophole? Police in Maine blaming a deadly standoff on a shortage of public defenders. Why a massive backlog of cases is allowing some violent suspects to get out on bail. And Justin Timberlake, J.T., arrested for drunk driving in the Hamptons, the mugshot just released, and will police say the pop star said moments after getting pulled over,

top story just getting started on this Tuesday night. We're back down with the arrest of one of music's biggest names. Singer Justin Timberlake arrested and pleading not guilty to charges of driving while intoxicated. The incident all unfolding early Tuesday morning on New York's Long Island. NBC's Aaron McLaughlin has the details. Tonight, Justin Timberlake arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. According to the Suffolk County District Attorney, he pleaded not guilty and was released. The singer was photographed by the New York Post, leaving court today in Sag Harbor, a ritsy beach community on eastern Long Island. A source close to Timberlake tells NBC News, last night the 43-year-old had dinner at the exclusive

American hotel. He was driving a 2025 BMW to a friend's house after midnight when according to court documents, he failed to stop at this stop sign and swerved in two different places. Police pulled him over. The officer determined Timberlake was intoxicated, writing, his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. A strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath. He had slowed speech, and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety. According to the documents, Timberlake told the officer, I had one martini and I followed my friend's home. He was arrested and brought to police headquarters where he stayed overnight, having refused a chemical test to determine his blood alcohol levels three times. NBC News reached out to Timberlake's representatives and has yet to hear back. The performer was in Sag Harbor on a break from his world tour promoting his new album. The legendary Billy Joel, who had lunch at this. same hotel today reacting to Timberlake's arrest. Judge not, unless you be judged.

Timberlake's next court date is on Friday in Chicago. He's also scheduled for a virtual court date in late July. Tom. All right, Aaron, thank you for that. Next tonight, Maine, where law enforcement officials are outraged after a man with a violent criminal history was released on bail. Then within days, went on a violent rampage that ended in a fiery standoff with police. The reason he was let out, get this.

Statewide shortage of public defenders. NBC's Priya Shrether has this one. This is the deadly aftermath of an armed standoff in Maine that authorities are blaming in part on a statewide shortage in public defenders. On Saturday morning, law enforcement ordered residents in Auburn to shelter in place for hours after they say 43-year-old Leon Hinckley went on a violent rampage. This is a case that never should have happened. Hinkley, who previously served 15 years for repeatedly stabbing his domestic partner and a bystander who tried to intervene, was let out on bail just three days earlier.

And here's why, according to Maine's judicial branch. On May 24, Hinkley was arrested for allegedly choking his current girlfriend. Over the next three weeks, he had three more court appearances, but was never appointed a public defender. The court found this was a violation of his constitutional rights and lowered his bail from 25,000 to $5,000 and eventually to $1,500. The Sixth Amendment protects all criminal defendants' right to a fair trial, and really the cornerstone of that is the right to access counsel. Hinkley made that bail, and police say, just three days later, he returned to his ex-girlfriend's home and killed her new boyfriend. Two houses caught fire as Hinkley broke into several homes while running away from police. After exchanging gunfire with officers, Hinkley was shot and killed by police. In a rare public rebuke, a representative from two police unions writing in a statement

that responsibility now squarely falls on the judge for the deadly incident. You had the district attorney in Anderson's County begging the judge, do not release this man out into a public. He's a danger. In response, the Chief Justice of Maine Supreme Court is defending the judge's decision, writing, the lack of appointed counsel in the state is a constitutional crisis. As a result, every day judges must make extraordinarily difficult decisions, balancing the constitutional rights of the accused with the needs of the public. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine says the public defender's shortage in the state

is an ongoing problem, with a backlog of hundreds of defendants who have waited weeks or months for an attorney. The entire criminal legal system depends on there being lawyers for the defense as well as prosecutors. But here, there aren't enough lawyers to handle the defense. So the criminal legal system is falling apart. It's a constitutional crisis. And something has to be done. Two years ago, the group sued the state over its system of reimbursing private attorneys for low-income clients. And their lawyers are hoping for a trial date this fall. The state of Maine says it is trying to address the shortages by creating a formal public defender system with several taxpayer-funded offices. Tom?

OK, Priya, we thank you for that. Just ahead. The ambulance theft caught on camera. One paramedics bold move jumping into the driver's side window to stop the suspect from getting away. This is crazy. The dramatic ending and that suspect's arrest next. Okay, we are back down with Top Story's news feed, and we start with an update in the death of a University of Missouri student. Riley's strain that we covered extensively here on Top Story. His body was found in a Nashville River. An autopsy report finding strain died as a result of drowning and ethanol intoxication that happens when someone consumes high levels of alcohol. You may remember strain disappeared on March 8th after being kicked out of a Nashville bar. His body was recovered from a nearby river more than two weeks later. The search tonight for a suspect who robbed the U.S. Secret Service agent at gunpoint in Southern California.

Police in Orange County say the robbery happened outside a star-studded campaign fundraiser for President Biden. Former President Obama was also in attendance. Authorities say a bag was stolen but did not elaborate. No one was hurt. So far, authorities have just released an image of a silver infinity they believe was involved. And video shows an Ohio firefighter, his daring move to stop an alleged ambulance thief. Look at this. You see 19-year-old, the 19-year-old suspect, he walks up to the truck outside of Cleveland.

The man gets into the ambulance and attempts to flee when a firefighter chases him. He then jumps through the driver's side window, sending that truck over a curb. That suspect was restrained and later arrested. He faces multiple charges that firefighter suffered minor injuries. All right, now for an update on that flesh-eating bacteria we first reported on last night. The National Institute of Infectious Diseases reporting more than 1,000 cases as of early June, with Japan at the center of this spread. The bacteria known as strep-toxic shock syndrome, or STSS, is deadly and about 30% of those infected. That's pretty scary.

For more on this and how serious it really is, I want to bring in Dr. Tom Frieden. He's the former director of the CDC and former commissioner of the New York City Health Department. He now serves as president and CEO of resolve to save lives and initiative to prevent. event epidemics. Dr. Frieden, thanks so much for being on Top Story tonight. Thanks for having me. Let's talk about this bacteria. What can you tell our viewers about it?

As you've said, it can be very serious, and that's scary, but it's rare. A thousand cases in a population of more than 120 million is too many, but each of these is something that is a tragedy for the individuals, but there's something that everyone can do to reduce their risk. And health officials like yourself have been aware of this bacteria for some time? We've seen it increasing gradually. Unlike something like flu or COVID, it doesn't have the likely potential to cause a huge pandemic, but it can be very severe for individuals. Let's put some stats up on the screen for our viewers so they kind of understand why we're doing this tonight.

Last year, there were 941 cases reported. But as we mentioned, this year's numbers are already higher with 1,000 cases. We're only halfway done with the year. Experts say that that number of cases in Japan could reach 2,500. So why are we seeing it spread so quickly? No one really knows why we're seeing an increase, but there's something everyone can do to reduce their own risk. Wash your hands well for 20 seconds or more. We say sing the happy birthday song twice or whatever else to make a good hand wash. If you have diabetes or you're older, you have to make sure that you're very careful about caring for wounds. And if you do have a wound that's looking bad or a kid with a sore throat, you need to get it checked. Three out of ten people are dying because of this. Why?

It can be very severe. So even though it's not resistant to antibiotics, it's killed by penicillin, when people begin to getting that septic syndrome, they need to be treated very quickly. As you may remember, Jim Henson died from this very syndrome. Oh, wow. Okay, so talk to us a little bit more, again, about the symptoms? The symptoms can be fever, feeling lightheaded, having a rash. The rash can get worse very quickly. What's bad about this particular syndrome is that it moves very fast. And then the only way to figure it out is to look at the back.

under a microscope. Is that how you guys figure it out? You really have to go into the doctor and to a hospital and get tests done to determine whether or not you have this syndrome. So during COVID and during the Olympics in Tokyo, I was in Japan and I was so impressed by their measures. I mean, they are so strict when it comes to this kind of stuff. Any reason to believe that things aren't going as planned in Japan with this spread? I mean, I was sort of surprised to know that this was happening over there. Not really. They have a strong health system. They have a good health care system.

can get into care. They see the doctor regularly there more often than we do. But as people get older, and of course it's an aging society, you are more susceptible to severe infections like this. How worried should be of this coming over here to the U.S.? Is it already here? There's already what's called Group A Strep here. I think this is a serious problem for a few people. What's more serious is the risk that we will forget about the risk of microbes because microbes can be deadly. And if we forget about them, we will be condemned to repeat past problems like the million Americans

who died from COVID. Yeah, you know, you just wrote an op-ed about bird flu, and we've been covering bird flu here on Top Story as well. You write in your piece, the United States response to H5N1, bird flu has taken too long, showing how risky gaps in coordination and trust can be. What's going on? We're not doing enough?

Well, this is a complicated outbreak. It's affecting cattle herds in many, many states. We don't yet know how much it's spreading among cattle or among people who are working with the cattle. So there needs to be more done to find out what's happening. Tell people, tell the public what's happening. Work with the farming community because they have a major economic risk here, and we have to make them whole. Remind our viewers, because every time we talk about bird flu, people forget how it is transmitted. So is it transmitted from people working with the livestock and breathing the same air?

or is it eating meat sometimes that maybe is not cooked as much as it should be? So big picture, influenza or flu, is what has caused most of the pandemics of the past hundred years, and they can be very deadly. So as a doctor working in public health, we really worry about flu pandemics. Bird flu is a strain of flu that can be deadly for chickens and other poultry, and has been spreading around the world for a couple of decades. We're very worried that if that bird flu changes, just a few different parts, of its genetic makeup, it could spread readily among people.

Right now, the few individuals who have gotten the so-called bird flu are people who have worked directly with cattle or with... Breeding the same air, that's where it transmits? It can be through... I know there's a lot of questions about this, right? We're not entirely sure. How is it spreading among the cattle, for example? Maybe the milking machines.

Okay. There have been fragments of flu found in milk, but the pasteurization process kills flu. So pasteurized milk is safe to drink. We have to worry about the beef at all that we eat? Nothing so far, absolutely not. All right, Dr. Friedan, thank you for answering all of our questions about all this stuff. We appreciate having you on tonight. Coming up, another major headline out of Asia,

10,000 doctors walking off the job in South Korea. And they're joining thousands of junior doctors who have been on strike for months why medical professionals are protesting a government plan to address hospital staffing shortages. That's next. Back now with the Americas, where our partners at Sky News have an inside look at the life of migrants making the treacherous journey through Mexico to the southern border. Some of them riding a freight train thousands of miles putting their lives in grave danger

because of the way they ride this train. Sky News correspondent Stuart Ramsey and his team traveled on the train known as the Beast. The tension ripples through the migrants. The Beast is coming. A freight train heading north towards the United States. In the dark of night they chase the slowing train, then clamber aboard as it stops. It's chaotic.

The Beast is dangerous for sure, but they are desperate. They didn't think it was going to stop, but it has had a scrambling on board. This is the sort of truck they're looking for. force because they can actually get inside. They don't know how long they've got. It's all a bit panicky, but of course you can sense the euphoria. Now, of course, they have no idea how far they're going to get down the track, but as far as they're concerned, it's a start. Within two hours, an immigration checkpoint stops the train. Neither Mexico or the United State want migrants to make this journey to the border. And they're forced off.

Many are clearly terrified. Emily is taken from her mother Alejandra. She's held by an immigration officer. That is abject fear. She is two years old. Reunited on the tracks they're told to walk. Alejandra is distressed. In the chaos, she's lost her husband and second daughter.

I want to know where my husband is, my daughter. How am I going to continue? traveling with just this bottle of water, without food, without money and without anything. The family are eventually reunited and disappear into the darkness. Venezuelan migrants, far from home. Some refuse to leave. They're in the last two cars and shout at the officers to let them continue. Probably because of our presence.

The Mexican authorities withdraw and the train continues northwards. What we have seen and what we have been told is new. The migrants are being prevented from getting to the United States border, sometimes violently. On the side of a track we find a small group who's just been kicked off a train. Rohinga has been hit over the head with a metal bar by Mexican officers. He and his wife are Colombian. Naomi is eight months pregnant. Officers use a cattle prod to get her off the train. Five times they put an electric shock on you. You're clearly pregnant.

When I saw that my husband was hurt, I tried to defend him, obviously, because he is my husband. Then they told me to shut up. I better not say anything. They insulted me and gave me electric shocks. Roxanna Malave's husband, Jose, was beaten unconscious and has disappeared. She's left on the track with her two children. They're from Venezuela. They gave him electric shocks, and they broke his mouth. He was carrying our little boy, and they still beat him up. They hit him.

They hit him with a black thing. They poke him in the back. They punch him everywhere, then they made him stand up on the train, and they threw him down the train. With help from a local charity, Jose has found a few hours later and reunited with his family. He is beaten and needs help to walk. What shocking, though, is this. Cut into his back are the letters MX from Mexico. He's been branded.

Despite the new interventions by the Mexican authorities to thwart them, their inexorable move north goes on. We met Naomi again, boarding the Beast. It's a high-speed freight train heading north to the city of Chihuahua. The migrants are on the roof. Hundreds of thousands of people have been using the Beast for years to traverse Mexico, but it is really dangerous. Obviously, we're high up, we're travelling on a train.

There's obviously the problem for them of immigration, but also they're prey to the many gangs that control huge areas of Mexico. They often get robbed on this train, the stories of rape, and many people have died riding it. But it's cheap, well, it's free, and it is the quickest way to get across Mexico. We race through towns and cities.

It's both beautiful and terrifying in equal measure. Twelve hours later, we arrive and the migrants dismount. Climbing down the beast, they're already planning their next leg. The migrants seem to have no rights in Mexico. America doesn't want them on the border and Mexico is obstructing their movement. But it's not solving the problem. They are here. Naomi and Rominger, like all the others, keep going. Is this where their dreams begin so near to the United States, or is it where their dream ends?

They just don't know. Stuart Ramsey, Sky News, Mexico. Our thanks to Stuart Ramsey and his team for that story. We're also following other international headlines and Top Stories Global Watch. We start in Kenya, where massive protests have been breaking out over tax reforms. New video shows police firing tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators, as thousands took to the street. in the capital city of Nairobi. More than 200 people arrested.

The country's government had proposed tax hikes, including a 16% tax on bread. The increases have been scrapped for now following the unrest. Mass protests also breaking out in South Korea over a controversial plan to boost medical school admissions. About 10,000 doctors participating in a one-day walkout and rallying in Seoul. They joined about 12,000 junior doctors

who have been on strike since February. The doctors have been protesting a government protesting a government plan to add up to 10,000 doctors by 2035 to address shortages. However, current medical professionals say the school system right now cannot handle that. And Thailand's now set to become the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriages. Lawmakers and activists seen celebrating after the country's Senate overwhelmingly passed the landmark bill. It was the last legislative hurdle, and it should take effect within 120 days after a royal endorsement from the king.

The nation's first same-sex wedding expected to happen later this year. Okay, when we come back, Father's Day may be over, but we're still celebrating one incredible dad. His nine-year-old son battling a rare condition and in need of a transplant, how this dad stepped up with the ultimate gift. Stay with us. Finally tonight, a father's gift. A New York nine-year-old in need of a kidney didn't have to look too far. His own father stepping up to the plate. NBC's Yamiche Alcinder has this wonderful story.

From birth, Jaron Menary has faced an uphill battle. They said, oh wow, wait a minute, he has only one kidney, and the one kidney that he has is small. Born with brachio-a-rinal syndrome, a rare condition affecting the kidneys' neck and ears. Hearing aids helped Jaron live a normal life. But as he grew up... All right, that's good. His one kidney couldn't keep up. Three quarters of the block, he would have to stop, and he would be very sick.

said or crying and go, Dad, I can't do it anymore. Last year, doctors told his family, Jaron needed a kidney transplant right away or face dialysis. Mom and dad quickly volunteered. Turns out Dad Steven, a retired New York City firefighter was a match. Jaron's mom, Donna, recalling the emotional moment before surgery. I had to dig deep on that one, and especially right before surgery, Jaron and I were able to go downstairs and see dad and just to see them hug each other and give them.

each a high five, say, okay, we're going to go do this now. It was so moving. That transplant, a success. After the surgery, I felt so good. Jaron backed to doing everything a nine-year-old should. Go ahead, go, you know what you do. Dad's Stephen right there by his side. Well, I think he's a hero to me because he does baseball with me.

To be his hero is amazing. He's an amazing boy, and I would do it over and over again. Pretty awesome, Dad. We thank you, Mish, for that story, and we thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamerson, New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.