Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Episode Date: August 20, 2026

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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking news tonight, the deadly chopper crash that killed five American tourists overseas. Smoke rising from the wreckage after everyone on board was killed. Search and rescue teams racing to the site. The group traveling between safari locations. Among those killed a veteran of our NBC News and Telemundo family, how he's being remembered tonight. Also breaking Prince Harry and Megan moving back to Britain. The new report just out, why they're going back now. Back home, the all-out manhunt for this woman,

connection with the death of her police officer husband. She's considered armed and dangerous. New images in connection to the death of actress Hayden Panetteer. Police at the door of her boyfriend who was with her when she died. The latest on that investigation. Electric shot gloves in classrooms. The family's outraged after finding out the device ICE officers will soon use. We're recently used on students in schools.

We'll tell you where. An incredible save caught on camera. The police officer gathering. a group of people to help lift this car to rescue someone trapped underneath. The Titanic-themed attraction grabbing headlines, the doomed ship inspiring this ride for kids, but is it appropriate why people are divided? Plus, getting a degree to become an influencer? Syracuse is the latest school to launch a program, so is it worth it?

Top story. Starts right now. And good evening. We begin tonight with that deadly helicopter crash in Kenya. Five Americans dead, including someone very close to many of us here at NBC News. It was a dream safari vacation for those on board that ended in tragedy with all seven on board killed, including the pilot. Images from the ground show Kenyan search and rescue teams who said they were slowed down by the difficult terrain and an active fire at the crash site. The helicopter carrying the group between two safari locations when it suddenly went down, and tonight we're learning more about those on board, including Roger Duarte, a food entrepreneur from Miami.

And Jose Suarez, a 20-year veteran of NBC News and Telemundo, a mentor to countless journalists across both networks. He was a loving and funny guy in this tough business who had a major impact on this news organization and on me personally as a mentor and as a friend. Our George Solis begins our coverage tonight on that fatal crash. Tonight, a helicopter carrying tourists on safari ending in a horrific crash, killing seven people, including five Americans, New video showing the search and recovery operation alongside charred debris in the mountainous terrain. Here, you can see the tail rotor warped from the crash. And these images from the Kenya Red Cross, smoke rising from the crash site, and part of the helicopter wreckage visible on the ground. Among the Americans killed, Jose Suarez, a Telemundo executive who led stations in Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Myers.

Also on board, prominent South Florida restaurante, Rader Duarte, Ecuadorian. intelligence official, Mikale Sensei Kuntugi and his wife Stephanie, and married South Florida couple, Henry Parra and Adam Levate, who loved to travel, their friends tell NBC News. The aircraft went down around 9-13 this morning local time near Mount Ololokwe and Semboro County, a pilot in all six passengers killed. Kenyan authorities say it was flying between two Safari Conservancies when it crashed. What is your first assessment of what you've seen so far? Well, the investigators are going to look at the debris field.

I think they'll look at the weather. I think they will look at any work, mechanical work that had been done on the helicopter. I think they will look at the pilot's training. The terrain is making the recovery effort difficult, with an active fire also reported at the crash site. Tonight, colleagues remembering Suarez, a more than 20-year veteran of NBC Universal News Group, Chairman Caesar Condi saying in a statement, we are heartbroken by Swarza's death, adding he was an exceptional colleague who cared deeply about his teams. And we are all thinking about Jose and missing him so much, along with everyone else who perished in that helicopter.

And George, I know you're hearing more from some of the victim's families. Yeah, that's right, Tom, the family of Roger Duarte, that food entrepreneur here in Miami telling us tonight, the magnitude of this tragedy is impossible to comprehend and that there are no words to express the depth of our pain. Meanwhile, the cause of that crash tonight remains under investigation. Tom. George Solis tonight for us, George. Thank you. We're going to turn now to a breaking development involving Prince Harry and Megan.

The couple expected to return to the UK years after they left. The move would make the UK their primary residence. Danielle Hamamjan reports from London. Tonight, a royal bombshell nobody saw coming. The Telegraph newspaper reporting that six years after they stepped down as working royals, Prince Harry and his wife, Megan, are moving back to the UK along with their two children. The move, the paper says, will make the UK their primary base with Archie and Lilibit, 7 and 5, to be enrolled in British schools starting in September.

When asked by NBC, a spokesperson for the couple did not deny the reports. India, quite the bombshell tonight. How surprised were you and other royal insiders? I think it's fair to say that it has caught everybody off guard. I think it's very important for Prince Harry for his children to understand his own British heritage, his upbringing, the family that they are a part of on this side of the Atlantic. For now, the Telegraph reports the couple will not be reprising their roles as working royals, will not live in a royal residence, and their security arrangements still unclear. The couple left the UK for California in part because of what they said was unbearable treatment by the tabloids. Prince Harry's memoir later frayed tensions,

describing the breakdown in the relationship with his brother and father. Last month, Harry was joined by Megan and their children for a visit with the king and Camilla. It was the first time Charles, who's still receiving cancer treatment had seen his grandchildren in four years. Danielle joins us now from outside Buckingham Palace. And Danielle, have we heard anything from the palace tonight?

Yeah, new official statement from Buckingham Palace tonight, Tom, but a source familiar with a couple's place, plans. Tells NBC tonight that the king found out on Sunday and looks forward to spending more time with the Sussex family in a private capacity. In the meantime, I think many people will be asking what does this move mean for Harry's relationship with his brother William? Well, Royal Insiders, we've spoken to say, don't take this as an indication or a signal that the brothers are ready to patch things up. That might still take some time. In the meantime, we are expecting the Sussex says to be in the country by the end of August.

They will not, Tom, be living in London. They'll be living outside the Capitol. Back to you. Okay, a lot of updates there, Danielle. We thank you. Back here at home, we're following tragic news out of Tennessee. Two members of a college cycling team killed after getting hit by a driver. Several of their teammates rushed to the hospital.

Aaron Gilchrist has the latest on their condition tonight. Tonight at Tennessee College campus in shock at the tragic deaths of two sophomores. Halen Ingdahl and Braden Rogers were members of the Milligan University cycling team. They were among 11 student athletes on a training ride in Hampton, Tennessee, when they were struck by a car early this morning. Witnesses described seeing mangled bicycles across the road as victims were being treated. Some of them had to be flown to a nearby hospital. The driver now in custody and facing charges. John Benfield, age 69 of Newland, North Carolina, has been charged with vehicular homicide by recklessness, two counts.

Milligan University is a private Christian college in North Carolina. Northeast Tennessee, its president sharing an emotional message on social media asking for prayers. Lord Jesus, we need you. Have mercy. Tonight, four of the surviving students are in critical condition in the intensive care unit. Aaron Gilchrist joins me now, and Aaron, what else can you tell me about the conditions of those survivors? Well, Tom, we did hear from the hospital where these young athletes are being treated tonight. And we're told that there are total of six of these cyclists who are still in the hospital. One was checked out and was able to be discharged earlier today.

Two of the students who are still in the hospital were told are stable and that they are still receiving some care, not in the surgical unit. We mentioned those four cyclists who are still in the ICU, in the surgical ICU. They are in critical condition tonight. We weren't given any information about the types of injuries that these cyclists sustained. At the same time, Tom, it's worth noting that the district attorney there in that area of Tennessee did mention that the man who was driving that car is in custody now. He was booked into jail this afternoon. And he was asked whether alcohol may have been involved in this crash,

Tom. He would not answer that question directly, saying that the investigation is still ongoing, but he reiterated that he's charged with vehicular manslaughter by recklessness. Tom. Okay. Aaron, go crest for us. Aaron, thank you. extreme weather threat across the country, powerful storms charging across the Midwest, putting areas already hard hit at risk once again, and right now more than 80 million-faced dangerous heat alerts with many students heading back to school in those searing temperatures. Our Priscilla Thompson has the details. Tonight, heat-fueled thunderstorms drenching parts of the heartland.

It comes after severe weather overnight ripped the roof off this apartment complex in Kansas City, Missouri, displacing dozens of residents. Pretty inconvenient, especially since our cars are buried under the debris. We can't drive anywhere. West of Houston, the combination of extreme heat and stifling humidity has made it feel as hot as 107 degrees this week. This team has been practicing since before sunrise trying to beat that dangerous heat. How concerning is the heat that we're seeing this week? Very concerned.

Schools in Katie taking multiple extra precautions to protect students. If the normal time for recess is 30 minutes, or perhaps it goes down to 15 minutes to limit the time that the students are in the heat. Across Houston, firefighters responding to more than 150 heat emergencies already this month. This is not normal heat. No, this is triple digit, and then you throw it in the humidity. That's tough on the body, no matter what age you are. And tragically, north of here in Dallas County, police say a five-year-old girl died after she was left in a vehicle. after returning home from school Tuesday.

Priscilla Thompson joins us now from Houston. Priscilla officials there are warning families. They may not realize how much that heat is affecting them. Yeah, Tom, because this is a days-long heat wave, and so it really starts to build on your body over the days. First responders here are telling us that in particular, they get a lot of calls for people who are unhoused and construction workers, and a lot of what they see is dehydration.

So the message from them tonight is to stay hydrated and minimize that time outdoors. But look at this map. You have more than 80 million people who are under heat alerts. So many people affected. And for some, no end in sight. Tom. Priscilla Thompson for us.

Priscilla, thank you. Now to another developing story, the alarming new record for America's wallet. The national debt topping a staggering $40 trillion. You can see this string of digits here with the United States officially in the red by an eye-popping amount and counting. You can see the image how big it is right there.

and it continues to grow throughout this broadcast. Okay, we're going to move on now to a surprising night of primary elections showing powerful backers can only get a campaign so far in 2026, whether it's establishment Democrats on the left or President Trump on the right. A stunning upset in Florida's Senate primaries adding another Democratic socialist to the party's front lines for the midterms, progressive Angie Nixon sweeping the moderate opponent Alex Vindman, who was favored to win.

And on the Republican side, a tougher night. than usual for President Trump's endorsements. The president's pick for Governor Byron Donald's winning that nomination, but three other Trump-back candidates losing their primaries, I want to bring in our political pros that are going to join Top Story tonight. Tiffany Smiley is the founder of Endeavor Pack, and Yomesee Agabwelle is a senior fellow at Third Way and former Chief of Staff at the Biden White House Press Office. We thank you both for being here. So, Yemisi, I'm going to start with you. What is your take? And can we pull anything for the entire country on what happened yesterday? I don't think Democrats are really going to

pull much lessons from Florida. Florida isn't even really this race isn't even something that people, I think, were closely paying attention to and saw it as our path towards getting a majority in the Senate. Look, Alex Vindman was just simply not a good candidate. I don't even want to look at this as some kind of establishment backed candidate. Most of his donations came from out of state, frankly, until maybe about a year ago, I think he lived around the Washington, D.C. I'm from Florida. I didn't know he was in Florida. I'll be honest. I was very confused yesterday. Yeah, he went up against a Florida state lawmaker who, you know, regardless of if she's a, you know, she's a bit more progressive than I think I would like for a Democrat running in Florida. But she's a Floridian and she had a history there and a connection to the people that lived there.

Tiffany, does this make you just sort of chomp at the bit a little bit? You have a Democratic socialist now running in Florida. What do Republicans think? Yeah, I think this is really bad for the National Democrat Party. It's a bad night for Chuck Schumer. and Hakeem Jeffries, you know, there was 16 million, or he raised $16 million, and he lost. He lost, you know, decidedly, yeah. And so the Democrats have a lot to look at in this race. Nixon is a far-left progressive candidate. She's saying really, really wild things. And she's already defined. So the Democrats are going to have a hard time defining her. It kind of reminds me of Kamala when she ran because she was already defined of sort of this do-nothing vice president. And she just never had enough time to divine herself within the Democrat Party. What do you say to that? I mean,

voters will ultimately decide. Yeah, well, I think Nixon is, quite frankly, I don't even think she really needs the DSA moniker. She didn't have a whole slate of them come down and campaign on her behalf. She didn't go on a stream with Hassan Piker. She was asked directly about him, and she said, I don't even really know who that is. She was asked about defund the police, abolish prisons, which is like foundational to their platform. And she said, no, I don't believe in those things. So I think she is running a different kind of race, which you have to do. in Florida. But frankly, it's a very uphill battle. And I think that people like Chuck Schumer are going to direct some funds maybe to Texas, Michigan, even Iowa. I noticed you said DSA.

And I'm just, I just wonder, is that something Democrats would rather use a phrase, I would rather use then-sane Democratic Socialists of America? I'm just wondering, or is it just shorthand? You know? I think it's just shorthand, but I don't think you can run on a socialism-first platform in a Florida where you have a large Latino population, large. Cuban population that is like dealt with with with that kind of those effects directly. But also when you run in the South, you're also running with a very loyal base, and that is black women. And so I think she was able to capture the energy and attention of that base.

Alex Vindman didn't even want to debate her. And I think that assuming that you get a position simply because you are a prominent figure during the Trump one Resist Lib era is a little bit too much forthright for me. But then it's like, are the Democrats, you know, they have to wake up and realize you You can't just run against Trump. You have to offer the American people something else in a vision. I think that's what we're seeing with the DSA sort of taking over. It's like a referendum on the status quo.

Speaking of President Trump, it was a so-so night for him, right? Because, I mean, he had three candidates that lost that he backed. I mean, no one bats a thousand. And his endorsement is one of the most powerful endorsements in history, in political history. And conservatives want his endorsement. It is a good thing, and it will be powerful in the general elections. Speaking of, let's talk about another candidate backed by

by President Trump, Darlene Graham, right? Because there's some criticism today. She's obviously the sister of the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. She had a rough time handling some questions, especially on Taiwan. Let's take a listen to this debate last night. I'm just going to be honest here.

I'm not on national security. I'm not that informed on national security, so I do support the military. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise. You're going to be a United States senator. You should know what's going on. You're also replacing your brother who did know a lot about national security. Obviously, she wasn't in the Senate for as long as Lindsay was.

But that was a pretty terrible answer. Yeah, and I'm sure if she could take it back today. She's being honest. And she's being honest. Maybe that is endearing to voters and refreshing in the political world. I ran for U.S. Senate and really a national race in Washington State. And I know that those debates are hard. And they take a lot of prep and a lot of time.

And quite frankly, she doesn't have. a lot of media training or time on camera. Her brother was brilliant. He was an excellent communicator. He was strong on national security, and it wasn't really a gotcha national security question either. But then again, she's showing courage, and she's showing that Americans can stand up and make a difference. And quite frankly, her opponent wasn't that great either. So I think at the end of the day, it's going to come down to the voters and who they believe in. And she still has her brother's team surrounding her, and we'll see how that race, you know, how it shakes out. But typically, races are not won based on the debate stage, minus Joe Biden and Donald Trump's debate.

Yeah, I want to put something on the air for you, on the screen for you now. In November, there are nine competitive, at least from NBC News, nine competitive Senate races, right, by NBC's count. Four toss-ups. Meanwhile, there are 18 competitive House races. Where do you think Democrats should be spending the most energy before the midterms? I think the focus really does need to be the Senate. I feel like the House is all but wrapped up. I do think that that's kind of the consensus across both party lines that that'll flip, and then we'll have Speaker Jeffries. But the Senate really is incredibly competitive. A recent Fox News poll shows that John Hustead and Sherrod Brown is leading him.

There's a pickup with Josh Turrick in Iowa. I mean, even at the at the governorship level for Iowa, people are talking about Rob Sands. There is momentum. And if you're going to write a blue wave, winning the states and some of the states that will even give us a determination about 2028 is incredibly important. That's why we've got to focus even on Michigan. Yeah, we have a surprise guest who's coming in. This is like professional wrestling, you know, like when like a surprise wrestler runs in from outside. It's Garrett Hake. He's joining us from the White House. He's been standing by for us. He was crunching the numbers on that trillion dollar debt. He was trying to figure it out. Garrett, what is what is the White House's take on what happened yesterday?

Well, the thing they're most happy about is Eugene Vindman losing. That's a personal. one for President Trump. Remember, Vindman was the star witness in the president's first impeachment trial. Excuse me, Alex Vindman. I get my twins backwards here on a day where we also had the Winkle Vosses here at the White House. Vindman was the star witness in that first Trump impeachment, and the president has never forgiven him for his role in that. It was sort of the basis of Vindman's candidacy that he was someone who would stand up to President Trump and fight him in whatever way was necessary. Him going down is something that they are actively celebrating here at the White House. But I do think also it's something that some national Democrats may be celebrating too, even if they don't want to admit it. You guys were touching on this just a second ago.

Florida as a statewide race at any level is a money pit. And Vindman had just enough establishment credentials. He had raised just enough money that against a relatively unknown Republican senator, Democrats might have been tempted to try to put Florida into play late. And now I don't think they will do so. All that money could be argued, and I think it's a smart argument, would be better spent plowed into a state like Iowa where it goes a lot further and their chances are a lot better. Yeah. All right, Garrett, great to have you. I'm glad your surprise appearance worked out. Yemisee, we thank you so much for being here today. Tiffany as well. Great conversation.

When we come back, new details about Hayden Panetteer's death. Police spotted at the home of the brothers who were there when she died, plus what her mother is telling NBC News tonight. Growing manhunt, the urgent search for a woman wanted a connection with the death of her husband, a veteran police officer. Plus, the life-saving lift, police jumping in to help flip a car off a man trapped below. More on that incredible moment when we come back. We're back down with an update on the investigation to the death of actress Hayden Panettiere. A police incident report revealing new details about who was at the apartment in South Carolina when she went into cardiac arrest on Sunday. Steve Patterson has that story.

Tonight, new images of police at the doorstep of the men who were with Hayden Panettiere when she died. Taken this morning, you can see Greenville Police outside the home of Brian Hickerson and his brother. Two squad cars are parked out front as officers can be seen walking up to the porch. Greenville police telling people that officers responded to a call for a welfare check at the home and that it was unrelated to the Hayden Panettier death investigation. And new tonight, we're seeing Hickerson and Greenville for the first time since Panetteer's death. Meanwhile, the actress's mother telling NBC news that police are investigating her daughter's death and that a narcotics investigator has been brought in.

Neither Greenville police nor Hickerson have responded to NBC News's request for comment. Greenville police have said a preliminary investigation did not show evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances. Penitier wrote about her relationship with Hickerson in a recent memoir describing abuse she says she suffered. Shortly after, Hickerson admitting to some of the allegations in an interview with TMZ. I had a lot to drink. and I got physical with her, and I got arrested spent night in jail. All right, Steve Patterson joins us with that here.

So, Steve, we're getting new details from the coroner's office as well. Yeah, we spoke to the coroner's office today. They tell us penitiers remains. Now with her family. Meanwhile, though, we've obviously had the initial autopsy, initial investigation. They say a full autopsy,

along with any toxicology report, could take anywhere from six to 10 weeks. We will not have an official cause of death until that happens. Tom. Okay, Steve, thank you for that. Now to the urgent search for a Massachusetts woman wanted in connection with the death of her husband, who was a police officer. Valerie Castro has the latest on the investigation and the new video of the suspect.

Tonight, new surveillance video released by police as a manhunt intensifies for this woman, 58-year-old Karen Solomon. Police in Massachusetts say she's wanted in connection with the death of her husband, Kurt Solomon, a Worcester police officer. She's a suspect. We want her for questioning. The 31-year veteran of the force was found dead at the couple's home early Tuesday morning. Residents stated there's a male laid out in her backyard, unknown breathing. First responders making the grim discovery when they arrived.

We have blood on the back door, and he's covered completely in blood. Looks like a laceration of the neck. Investigators have not confirmed how Solomon died. Today, police releasing that video of their suspect, appearing to have been recorded. about 10 minutes after the first 911 call while warning the public she's presumed to be armed and dangerous. The large-scale search covering ground by helicopter, law enforcement teams scouring bodies of water by boat, and officers combing nearby wooded areas. Karen Solomon co-founded First Help, an organization that raises awareness about suicide and mental health among law enforcement.

Seen here previously speaking to NBC Boston about her work. After hearing one story from a widow, I just decided we need to do something. Her whereabouts now high priority for police while they mourn the loss of a fellow officer. Kurt was a loved and respected member of our department with 31 years. Today we lost a member of our family. Valerie Castro joins us live. Valerie, do we have any sense of where she may be? Tom, if they are focusing on one particular area, it's not something they're making known to the public. What they are saying is they are still actively searching for Solomon.

Yesterday, they issued a reverse 911 call for residents within a two and a half mile perimeter of the scene, warning them that she is presumed to be armed and dangerous. But they say if anyone spots her, they should not approach her but call police. Okay. Valerie, Castro, first, Valerie, thank you. Still to come tonight, the major legal development in that deadly track meet stabbing case, why the trial judge will be replaced. Plus, the potential skin cancer breakthrough, the new treatment that could change the fight against melanoma. We're back with a new development in the murder case involving Carmelo Anthony.

convicted of fatally stabbing a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet. The judge who presided over the case now removed as the defense pushes for a new trial. Our Erin McLaughlin has fallen at all. Tonight, the judge ordered out in the Carmelo Anthony case. The day before a hearing that could hand the 19-year-old a new trial for the 2025 stabbing death of Austin Metcalf. In today's recusal hearing, Anthony appeared in a green jumpsuit, as the defense team pointed to this clip of district judge John Roach. Did the jury get it right? Yeah, they did.

Whatever they say, they get it right. Arguing the judge's comments made days after the guilty verdict that put Anthony away for 35 years are problematic and grounds for Roach's recusal. Today's ruling applauded by a crowd of Anthony supporters who'd gathered outside the courthouse. I've never seen a judge in the aftermath of a trial. decide to go public and, you know, basically make a statement that made it out that everything went well, everything was done right. Austin Metcalf's father reacting on Fox News today. They can celebrate. If they want to consider a win for their side, that's okay. It doesn't really change the facts. There's no new evidence. The presiding judge said he believed Roach could be fair, but removed him anyway.

ruling that an outside person would have concerns about his impartiality to preside over the divisive case, in which prosecutors argued Anthony stabbed Metcalf in the chest at a high school track meet after he refused to leave a tent that belonged to Metcalf's team. Legal experts say today's ruling could help the defense's motion for a new trial set for tomorrow, this time before a new judge. Tom. Aaron, thank you. Now to Top Stories News Feed an update on that salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeno Peppers. New data from the CDC shows more than 430 people have gotten sick, up about 25% from just two weeks ago. Health officials say cases have now spread to at least 32 states and nearly 60 people have been sent to the hospital.

The outbreak has caused several restaurants to pull jalapenos from their menus, including Chipotle and Kudoba. Antenist star Nick Kirogo suspended after testing positive for cocaine. The former Wimbled and finalist announced on social media saying he made a huge mistake. Kiroz has struggled with injuries in recent years, winning only two matches since this peak season in 2022. The 31-year-old Australian is now facing a ban of up to four years, but the punishment is expected to be reduced. And in L.A., new body cam video shows people jumping in to help an officer lift a car. To rescue a man trapped underneath, it happened after a crash there last month. Together, they're able to flip the vehicles on its side and get the person out safely.

First responders say the man was taken to the hospital and it survived thanks to the brave. teamwork. Okay, we're going to turn now to those electric shock gloves soon to be used by ICE officers. Some parents in one Nebraska City surprised to learn those gloves have already been used in their local public schools. NBC's Julia Ainsley reports. Do any of the school resource officers here tonight have those gloves on them? If so, I'm willing and I'm volunteering to be shocked right here, right now. Tensions high at a public school board meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. Learn how to de-escalate, be an adult. I think vulnerable students have been placed in danger without guardians made aware of the risk. Parents, students, and members of the community,

speaking out after learning that, according to Omaha's NBC affiliate, most school resource officers in the district's middle and high schools carried shot gloves, like the ones soon to be used by ICE officers. Last week, ICE announced it plans to purchase $20 million worth of electric gloves for its officers. Both the Omaha police and the manufacturer, have done on-camera demos. Based on how these gloves are being advertised, they are being used on adult men, and they are falling to the ground in pain.

What's to say if these gloves are being used on a sixth grader who was just in an overstimulated state? The Omaha mayor and police chief in a joint statement Monday said that gloves were used twice during the last school year, including in a program for students with learning deficits. Writing, we believe it is, the safest use of force option and the rare times when it is used. But late Tuesday, Omaha police

announcing they will no longer use the glove in schools after community pushback and a request from the superintendent. The police chief writing, we will adhere to that request, adding that OPD officers will forever carry standard issue equipment, including tasers, OC spray, batons, and firearms to ensure the protection of others and themselves. But parents with children in are still upset. If there's a hair armed on their head, then I'm going to exercise my rights as a human being as a father to protect not only my children, but all the children in the community. Meanwhile, the glove has been advertised at least two school resource officer conferences

in Mississippi and Texas. Julia Ainsley joins Top Story tonight. So Julia, where do things stand right now with ICE and these gloves you were just showing us? Well, Tom, I actually just spoke to a senior DHS official tonight who said that that contract has not yet been finalized, but they expected to be within the next two weeks. What we reported last week was that they had found a supplier, compliant technologies, and chosen the gloves that they want to use. And despite this public backlash, including how the gloves are used locally, like in schools,

and people saying that I should not be using these in the fields, this official tells me they have every intention to move forward. And it's just a matter of how quickly they can get enough of these gloves out to every ICE officer in the field. They say it will be done as the latest March. Okay. Julia Ainsley for us again. Julia, thank you.

Now at Top Stories Health Check and the possible cancer breakthrough, a new vaccine showing promise at preventing melanoma from returning. Ann Thompson with what a new trial is showing. A potentially pivotal moment in the fight against high risk. melanoma. A new MRNA vaccine combined with the immunotherapy drug Ketruda showing clinically meaningful improvements, keeping the cancer from coming back in a large-scale trial. Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that kills more than 8,000 people a year. Dr. Michael Postow at Memorial Sloan Kettering worked on the trial.

Other types of cancer vaccines in general have been approved, but this is the first personalized cancer vaccine that's shown a benefit in a phase three study so far. Gary Keblish got the vaccine in 2019 after his difficult diagnosis. Not very good. A 75% chance, if I remember correctly, of the melanoma returning within a five-year period of time. Now with his wife and daughter, the public school teacher says he is cancer-free. Happy and healthy. Here's how it works. First, doctors surgically remove the melanoma tumor. The patient starts on Ketruda while the tumor and patient's blood are analyzed for their unique mutations to make a vaccine. The process takes about six weeks. Moderna and Merck, developers of the experimental treatment saw their stock prices jump on the news.

More specifics on the trial outcomes are expected later this year. Ann Thompson joins us now, Ann, this is such big news. I understand that I guess the specifics from the latest trial will come later, but what do we know from the earlier trials? So the phase two trials showed that this double whammy, if you will, the vaccine and Ketruda cut recurrence by half. I mean, that's extraordinary, Tom. And now, so here's what we're looking for. We expect the results to be released in the fall. The question is, do they do the same thing? And then how quickly will the FDA get this? And we understand from a Merck spokesperson person today. They don't have a date to submit it to the FDA, but they're already talking to

regulators. All right. Ann Thompson, we thank you for this. Now, an update on that alleged fraternity drug trafficking ring at Penn State. Authorities accusing students of selling cocaine out of off-campus fraternity houses, even using pledges to help package the drugs. New reporting from NBC News laying out how investigators were able to take down the operation and bust the alleged ring leader at the center of it all. Joining me now is one of the authors of that article, Senior Breaking News Report. DOA Madani. Doa, thanks so much for being here. So I want to show our viewers a timeline of how officials were able to sort of piece this all together. Here it is. It dates back all the way to September of 2024, almost two years ago, when authorities were tipped off about a cocaine ring on Penn State's campus.

An inside source then contacting the accused leader, Tom Robinson, messaging him on Snapchat for the drugs. A few months later, authorities swoop in and arrest Robinson, which led investigators to the alleged main supplier, Augustino Abattiello. walk us through the operation and what else you found out. Okay, so bear with me. We've got new court documents yesterday that detail a 2024 arrest of Thomas Robinson. Right. What we learned from those is that a confidential informant went to police in September 2024 saying that this guy T-Rob was selling drugs on campus. And he was also accepting Venmo payments with a username that literally had Tom Robinson in the name.

So they do a little digging. They find a guy named Thomas Robinson at a Delta Upsompson. fraternity house that's really close to Penn State's campus, but not on campus. And they do a series of sting operations buying drugs from the sky. And eventually they arrest him in December of 2024. They go to the frat house, barred into his bedroom. He thinks it's a prank from his frat brothers. It was unfortunately very real. So he gets arrested in 2024 at the very end. At some point between his arrest and this last week, he has been cooperating with police. And that led police to Augustino because Augustino is the alleged supplier. And that's

what we've learned this week, that he was getting large and large amounts of cocaine, bringing it back to the campus. And between these two fraternities, because Augustino is a Sigma Chi member and Robinson was a Delta Upsilon member, they were basically using their pledges to package and distribute the drugs. Yeah, and again, these people are presumed innocent until proven guilty, of course. What do we know about the other pledges or brothers that apparently had a role in this?

There's not a ton of information about them. They seem to allegedly have very small roles in all of this. There was one fraternity member who allegedly started going into business with Robinson, and at some point in this, he no longer wants to be a part of it. Around December 2023, he says that he wants to back out. And he has testified in front of a grand jury, according to the court documents.

What do we know about the pledges? How did that sort of get into the reporting? That came from the new criminal complaint against Augustino that was filed this week, where it was basically said by these guys that testified in front of the grand jury that they were using pledges to package the cocaine. They're getting these large amounts, and then they're splitting them up. It's essentially like a drug running operation you would think of, you know, in the city, but just on, in a fraternity house where you have runners, you have people packaging and all that. This is kind of wild.

There's a father involved in all this, too, which makes it really troubling. And what are the allegations against him? So Paul Robinson has been charged with, I believe, felony tampering as well as obstruction. The state attorney general in Pennsylvania has accused him of concealing evidence in the case. What they're saying is that he allegedly hid drugs and cash. in a safe. And that's really the extent of what we know. There's been no details in any criminal complaints about Paul Robinson. Okay. So they essentially think he might have been trying to protect his son, is what it sounds like? It does sound that way. Okay. Have we heard from attorneys at all?

No one has responded to comment in the last couple of days. We've really been trying to reach these people any way we can, and it's just come to dead ends. Do we know what the next step is in this case? There's a series of preliminary hearings that will happen. There are 14 defendants in this case in the next couple of weeks, and it really depends on how they choose to plea. So they'll continue with the court process. It does seem as though some of these lesser offenders might take plea deals based off of their testimony, but we'll see how that shakes out. Okay.

Doa, thanks so much for being here. We appreciate it, as always. We're going to take a turn now and head to the Middle East because there's a bit of news and the stunning acknowledgement from Israel's military. The Army confirming back in 2024, its soldiers fired on a car carrying a five-year-old Palestinian girl, Hina Rajab, who was later found dead along with the paramedics who rushed to savor. Now the military is ordering a criminal investigation into the killings. Are Matt Bradley's tracking the latest? Yeah, Tom, it could be, could be a very consequential day for those who want to

see justice for what's been happening in the Gaza Strip ever since those 23 attacks by Hamas. We just saw from the IDF what looked like the first acknowledgement that there could have been criminal wrongdoing, referring to very high-profile cases from the past couple of years to a criminal probe. And this is the first time we've seen that done by the IDF so far in the fight in the Gaza Strip. So this is a big moment. These are two really pivotal cases. One, the killing of the young girl, Hind Rajab, in her car. After all of her family members had been killed, the world heard her agonizing conversation that went on for hours with rescue workers who tried and died trying to reach her. The other was the killing of 15 medical workers in 2025. And in both of these cases,

the Israelis initially said they weren't involved or weren't responsible for the deaths and have since gone back on this. However, for victims and advocacy groups, this isn't necessarily the meaning means something important because what could lead to is, according to, critics of the Israeli government a whitewash. And many of these sorts of criminal probes within the military, they don't tend to lead to anything like convictions. Tom. Matt Bradley for us once again tonight. Matt, thank you. Still to come tonight on Top Story, the Titanic-themed ride for kids raising some eyebrows, how this family-friendly attraction is sparking a new debate. Back now with Top Story's Global Watch. In the UK, a Family Farm is

making headlines for one of its attraction. for kids. It's a slide built to look like the Titanic. Reaction online has been mixed with some saying it's in poor taste, but many others say it's educational and it's fun. Danielle Hamamijan joins us once again and takes a closer look. Gravely Fruit Farm in the UK is a family-friendly destination for fun and fruit picking, but it's not the strawberries that's landing the farm in the headlines these days, but this slide. An attraction for the children named after. after, yes, the Titanic. And much like the real one that sank more than a century ago,

this Titanic ride lifts up in the air, sending the children sliding down onto a crash mat. It first opened at the farm last summer. We posted on social media, and on that post, we got a number of comments, which basically said, you're being very insensitive, da-da-da. So we panicked a little bit. Farm manager William Campbell Gray says that prompted

them to change the name. A choice, he says, sparked an even stronger reaction. We got an enormous amount of backlash. My wife, who runs the social media, got death threats. People absolutely loved the fact that it was Titanic. My son's obsessed with the Titanic. He loved coming to the farm. Why have he changed the name? So we actually had a big long thought about it and lasted about two weeks with the name change. Then we changed it straight back to Titanic and it stayed there ever since. So when you hear about people say, listen, this was one of the biggest tragedies, dozens of children died, what is your response to that? Well, my response would be that we're not taking, making the fun of the dead at all.

We're not insensitive at all. It's actually very much a sort of in memory of Titanic. The reaction online this summer? Well, some commenters calling it distasteful, with one writing, so odd to have a children's ride themed around one of the worst tragedies in history. But the majority of the comments in support, with one writing, I'm glad you didn't change the name. Alex Dodman visited the farm last year. It didn't bother me at all. When we were there, my kids learned about the Titanic.

There's a similar attraction at another farm in the UK, and inflatable slides are popping up at kids' birthday parties. This one appearing to have an entrance for first-class passengers. I'm the king of the world! The iconic 1997 film about the doomed ship is one of the highest grossing movies of all time. We need to remember that Titanic is, Number one, it is a disaster and there was a great loss of life,

but it's also a really, really big cultural phenomenon. A sunken ship that still has its grip on culture today. Danielle Hammamjian, NBC News, London. When we come back, it's a dream for many kids nowadays, becoming a famous influencer. Several colleges now offering classes to help make students make careers out of creating content. We'll hear from the head of a new program at Syracuse right after this. Finally tonight, we're back with the universities betting big on social media, ready to teach the next wave of influencers.

It's a world that can be lucrative. Just take a listen. Here's how much I made the month of July is a full-time content creator. $10,450 as a full-time microchered content creator. For the month of April, I made a total of $24,846. This has been like the highest-paying month so far. $11,000 for just views alone is actually insane. And I personally have been making on social media as of late, but every single person is so different. Well, it's not as easy as it sounds. The creator economy is expected to be worth $480 billion by 2027.

That would be double what it was in 2023. A lot of creators earn their money through brand deals, which can pay out tens of thousands of dollars per post. Now, colleges are trying to cash in as well. These five American universities have launched majors or minors in content creation. Students at Arizona State University can learn how to make social media comments. content alongside traditional communications and media classes. And starting this fall, students at Syracuse can learn how to build a brand, monetize their content, and grow their followers with a new minor focused on the creator economy. We're joined now by the executive director of that program at Syracuse, Ryan Schramm. Ryan, thanks for joining Top Story. I appreciate it. Walk me through how this minor works.

What are you teaching and what do you hope students walk away with? If they truly are paying for this education, what are they going to get in return? It's great to be here, Tom. So really good. idea of our creator economy minor here at Syracuse was bringing together two top schools in their respective field, the Newhouse School of Public Communication and the Whitman School of Management, so that students had the opportunity to understand both the art and the science behind this growing creator economy. When you think about it, there are 50 million people participating in the creator economy globally this year, and it's not just the creators themselves. oftentimes the individuals behind the scenes, those that may work at brands, like you pointed out for those various sponsorship deals, or even the agents and managers who are helping create them and bring those to life.

So our goal here at Syracuse and with the Center for the Creator Economy is to be able to equip students for those wide range of career opportunities as well as specialized curriculum to bring that all to life. I get that, and Syracuse has such a great reputation when it comes to your communication school. We have a lot of journalism graduates from Syracuse at work here at NBC. There are a lot of influencers out there, right, who are already making a ton of money, and they presumably didn't study this in school, right? So what makes this minor worth it, would you say? Well, I think it's a really fair argument to say that if all you want to do is go out and try

to get rich quick, you may not need a four-year education. But for those that are thinking about being a creator as truly a profession, what we've heard from students and from industry alike is they're looking to hire ed to be able to really help equip those individuals for the entirety of that journey. Because when you're a creator, you're also by default, a small business, Tom. And so being able to understand not only how to create very compelling content, but equip yourself to be able to make sure that your business grows and that you have a career worthy of doing that is definitely in line with why people would work. want that for your education.

Here at Saracuse, we take it one step further. Our alumni network, those that are in industry doing those things, including that NBC News, like you mentioned, are one more added advantage that gives our students a leg up, whether they want to contribute in front of the camera or behind it. OK, Ryan, that's it. Now we're going to have to get a little more intense here, all.

I feel like we're all on talking points here. So let me ask you a question. Who's going to teach this course, right? Because I mean, you get a typical university professor They're my age, maybe they're older. What do they know about teaching the younger generation about social media, something they grew up with? Totally fair, Tom.

Look, one of the advantages that we have at both the Newhouse School and the Whitman School is that our faculty have lived in industry. So they understand these spaces. But in addition to that, we have the opportunity to bring industry thought leaders who may not be faculty into our classrooms to work with these students. Because to your point, what's great about the creator economy, fast growing, fast moving, but it then shifts the onus to those in higher ed like here at Syracuse. I love that idea. You constantly adjust that curriculum and make sure we're on the leading edge.

Yeah, the flip side to all this, right, Goldman Sachs reports, when we looked at points, Goldman Sachs, I should say, points out that just 4% of content creators globally make more than $100,000. It's an easy industry to break into, but a tough one to really turn into your full-time career. I mean, you guys know this, right? So what can students expect coming out of this? I mean, they're going to take this class. Is it more of a primer, or do you think it'll really give them the tools to go out and become an influencer? No, we're very confident that for those that want to be creators, it's going to equip them for all the things that they need to build a career in that space.

But to your point, Tom, while there may be millions of creators worldwide, the reality is there's tens of millions of people participating in this broader creator economy, and that is not lost on us here at Sarah. We want to make sure that no matter which path a student wants to take, they have full advantage to be able to participate and be able to have a great career. All right. Ryan Schram from the University of, I should say, Syracuse University, the Orange Men have a good football season, and I'm sure we'll see you back on Top Story at some point soon. We thank you. And we thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamis in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.