making news in america this morning, a deadly shooting on live tv. a news crew gunned down in front of cameras. overnight, the tributes pouring in. the reporter's father speaking out and new details about the suspect. we're live in virginia with the latest. tracking erika. the caribbean bracing for the storm. on track to hit the islands today and likely impacting the u.s. soon. determined driver. a man behind the wheel not getting towed without a fight doing whatever he can to keep his car. and dynamic duo. taylor swift brings a friend on stage, and it nearly broke the internet overnight. good morning. i'm phillip mena.

>> and i'm reena ninan. we begin this morning doing what we know many others are doing in newsrooms around the country, thinking about those two young journalists killed on the air in virginia. >> alison parker and adam ward were known at their station as the "a" team, both of them just a few years into their careers. vicki gardner, who was shot while being interviewed, is hospitalized in stable condition. >> and last night, candlelight vigils were held to honor and remember the victims. abc's kenneth moton has more from moneta, virginia. kenneth, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, reena and phillip. you can see behind me virginia state police are still watching over this scene because today the intense investigation will continue. meanwhile, this community is honoring the fallen journalists who had bright futures ahead. late into the night, investigators searched for clues and answers at the home of the man accused of gunning down two roanoke, virginia, journalists on live television. >> it did not register that it was gunshots.

it probably should have, but, you know, she's doing a little feature story. >> reporter: wdbj reporter alison parker and the man behind the camera, adam ward, were in the middle of a live interview when former colleague vester flanagan opened fire. the news crew was killed. the woman they were interviewing, vicki gardner, seriously injured. flanagan was later captured after a crash and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. >> at some point in his life it would appear things were spiraling out of control. >> reporter: the 41-year-old, who went by bryce williams on the air, had a history of workplace problems, bouncing around from station to station over the years alleging racial discrimination and sexual harassment. in a rambling manifesto sent to abc news after the shootings, he wrote "why did i do it? the church shooting in charleston was the tipping point, but my anger has been building steadily. i've been a human powder keg for awhile just waiting to go boom." memorials and prayer vigils took over this community. 27-year-old ward was engaged to

marry a producer at his station who happened to be in the control room at the moment of the shooting. parker, just 24 years old, was in love with her boyfriend, wdbj anchor chris hurst. >> today i lost the love of my love, and it was not slow, but it was incredibly painful, and it was immediate. >> reporter: and get this, guys, the shooter actually posted video of the attack online and went on a twitter rant about his victims. the police have that evidence, which has been removed from social media and replaced with support from fellow journalists tweeting the #westandwithwdbj. reena and phillip. >> kenneth, so incredible just how calculated all of this was. what else are we learning about the victims this morning? >> reporter: well, we understand this ward and this parker, they were just incredible human beings and incredible journalists. just obviously very young in their profession. they wanted to do so much. we understand ward, the cameraman, was -- his fiancee, who was a producer at the tv station tragically in that

control room when the shooting happened. it was her last day yesterday, and they were days or weeks away from moving down to another tv station so they could start a life together. they wanted to get married. also parker, she -- her boyfriend was actually an anchor at the station, as we've mentioned and as we've reported, and they also wanted to get married. the anchor actually tweeted that they had just moved in together. they were not open with their manufacture relationship, but they were very much in love. >> young lives with such incredible futures ahead. >> kenneth moton live in moneta, virginia. kenneth, thank you. the father of reporter alison parker understandably says his family is dealing with unbearable grief. even so, he's vowing action. >> in an interview with fox news, andy parker said he's ready to campaign for gun control. >> i'm not going to let this -- this issue drop. this is -- you know, we've got to do something about crazy people getting guns. this is not the last you've heard of me. i got -- this is something that

is alison's legacy that i want to make happen. >> parker went on to say he's going to, quote, shame legislators into doing something about closing loopholes and background checks. he says he's already spoken to virginia's governor, who is a gun control advocate, and really what else can you do as a parent when something tragic like this happens other than to do everything that you can to ensure that your child did not die in vain. >> absolutely, and he was standing right next to alison's boyfriend, who he said a guy she loved with all her heart. the last text that alison, you see there, sent to her boyfriend was "good night, sweet boy" just a short time before she was senselessly killed. >> our thoughts and prayers are with them. well, stay with abc news for the latest on the virginia shooting and later on "america this morning," more on the suspect and his letter sent to abc news. plus, live team coverage later on "good morning america." well, a police officer responding to an emergency call in louisiana is dead. he is the second officer killed on duty in that state this week alone.

henry nelson was shot after responding to a house where three women were stabbed. the suspect, who happened to be officer nelson's cousin, is in custody. this comes after a louisiana state trooper died on monday after being shot. colorado movie theater killer james holmes will spend the rest of his life behind bars. a jury has sentenced him to 12 life sentences, one for each of the people he killed three years ago. a judge added thousands of years for the attempted murders of dozens of other movie patrons, it's the maximum sentence allowed under colorado law. many in the courtroom applauded as it was announced. now to new fallout from that confrontation between donald trump and univision anchor jorge ramos. trump refusing to back down said ramos was totally out of line at the news conference. the head of univision calling the treatment of ramos "beneath contempt," and trump getting some unsolicited advice from the white house. >> i'm not sure that it's a

successful media strategy to physically remove reporters for asking tough questions. >> while campaigning in iowa, hillary clinton said trump is no different than most of his rivals when it comes to immigration telling an audience, most of the other republican candidates are just trump without the pizazz or the hair. and for the first time, clinton addressed the possibility of a challenge from joe biden telling an audience in iowa that the vice president must do what's right for him and his family. on a conference call with top democrats, biden said that he is still undecided about a run for the white house. he said he's weighing whether he has the emotional fuel to endure a campaign. the caribbean is bracing for tropical storm erika as it nears the leeward islands. it is on track to approach near puerto rico and the virgin islands today. schools, airports and casinos are closing, and shelters are being prepared. erika is expected to bring some much-needed rain to parts of the drought-ridden caribbean, and at this point erika could hit

florida sometime on monday. new this morning, a major retailer already starting christmas layaway. >> i just can't believe it. an out-of-control takeoff. an american airline under investigation after one of its flights got off to a terrifying start. plus, terrific touchdown. one of the craziest punt returns you will ever see. for colon cancer? get tested i don't have any symptoms. [female announcer] of cancers affecting both men and women,

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that the trust for public land is fighting to preserve. from boulevards to ball fields and ponds to playgrounds, together we have saved over 3 million acres of land. a park is a gift that is worth protecting. help support the trust for public land and the gift of parks today. mexico's so-called fire volcano erupting again spewing clouds of ash into the air. hundreds of people have been evacuated and ordered to stay mi mi miles away. the volcano has been active since july. in the past month nearby villages have been covered in

thick ash. it's considered one of the most active volcanoes in central america. major automakers are being sued over those keyless ignitions following the carbon monoxide deaths of 13 people. according to the complaint filed in federal court in los angeles, carbon monoxide is emitted when drivers leave their vehicles running after they take their electronic key fob. drivers are under the false belief that the engines will shut themselves off. well, american financial markets opened this morning on positive territory again. the dow surged more than 600 points, nearly 4% after a six-day sell-off. that was the biggest one-day point gain in seven years and third biggest ever. the sell-off was caused by worries about china. well, this morning china's main stock index enjoyed its best day in two months. the christmas season is starting two weeks earlier this year. tomorrow, in fact, that's when the walmart layaway program begins. 40,000 items will be available in the payment plan. it's about 20% more than last year. the giant retailer wants to get a head start on holiday shopping. >> i haven't even seen the halloween costumes out yet.

>> not yet. never early to be spending money, though, i guess. right? >> you're right. you're right. when we come back, the big story we're following, a tv news crew gunned down during a live report. what we've learned about the suspect in his letter sent to abc news. plus, tug-of-war. a must see. a driver's attempt to get out of being towed. esurwhich means fewer costs, which saves money. their customer experience is virtually paperless, which saves paper, which saves money. they have smart online tools, so you only pay for what's right for you, which saves money. they settle claims quickly, which saves time, which saves money. they drive an all-hybrid claims fleet, which saves gas, which saves money. they were born online, and built to save money, which means when they save, you save. because that's how it should work in the modern world. esurance. backed by allstate. click or call. listerine® total care strengthens teeth, after brushing,

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in southern california a car crashed into a fire hydrant turning it into a geyser. the water shot 25 feet into the air. eventually fire crews were able to turn off the fire hydrant. it is unclear what caused the crash. now for a look at morning road conditions, roads will also be wet in parts of the rockies, central plains and south to southeast. and if you're flying, airport delays are likeliest in miami, kansas city, denver and phoenix. updating our top story this morning, the on air murders of two young tv journalists in virginia. >> alison parker and adam ward's colleagues at wdbj in roanoke are going back on the air this morning with heavy hearts. both were shot and killed by a disgruntled former colleague yesterday during a live interview. we know the gunman was fired by tv stations at least twice because he was said to be causing problems with other employees. authorities say he had a clear plan for yesterday's attack and exactly how he was going to spread the

word about it. >> now they're piecing together his clearly troubled life. more now from abc's pierre thomas. >> reporter: vester flanagan was known on air as local tv reporter. here he is in one of his stories holding a gun, a man slowly descending toward madness. the former tv reporter targeted the television crew when they were most vulnerable. a live report. even used his skills to film the murders and to post them on social media. >> what is somewhat unique, you have an individual, a journalist by trade who not only carried out a workplace attack but then used the tools of his trade to communicate about that attack. >> reporter: a man identifying himself as flanagan faxed what he called a suicide note to abc news that shows a deeply angry man laying out his grievances. he noted in the manifesto that he had been fired from the station of the murdered television crew. flanagan expresses admiration for mass murders, specifically the columbine killers and the virginia tech shooter whom he said he personally knew. pierre thomas, abc news, washington.

>> and do stay with us here at abc news for the latest on the shooting. robin roberts will speak with the boyfriend of the reporter killed. that's coming up on "good morning america." the faa is investigating a scare involving an allegiant air flight. a plane taking off from las vegas started lifting off the nose wheel off the ground before hitting the right speed. the alarmed pilots fighting against the plane's controls couldn't push the nose back down. they had to abort the takeoff. the airline says that a part of the plane malfunctioned, and they are now inspecting every plane in its fleet. there is nothing more frustrating than coming back to where you parked your car and seeing that it's about to be towed. so this florida driver tried to do something about it. fighting the tow truck tooth and nail. >> ooh. >> yeah, that cannot be good for his suv. it was elevated at a 45-degree angle. his attempt to escape failed and

now it looks like he's going to have plenty of damage to pay for. well, time now for your thursday morning sports. >> how about some baseball highlights? we'll get that now from our guys at espn. >> good morning, everybody. with neil everett, i'm chris hassel, and we almost had a no-hitter last night in major league baseball. missed it by that much. >> that's justin verlander. he pitches for the tigers and had just win on the season which is hard to believe. he's got two no-hitters on the back of his baseball card looking for a third. he got trout and pujols and said when he got them in the seventh he felt like, you know what, this thing may be happening. chris iannetta, who bats under .200, went and watched some tape in between his ab's, came out with a leg he was doing that in 2011 when he was hitting the ball better, cut the chalk and no-hitter over but the tigers win on a one-hitter. >> verlander used to be in the

same rotation as the birthday boy, david price, who is now with the blue jays. turned 30 on wednesday. celebrated by striking out a bunch of texas rangers. six innings, eight strikeouts. he did give up a couple of runs, but these are the blue jays. if you only give up a couple of run, you're going to win by a lot. edwin encarnacion, grand slam, career high 21-game hit streak and the blue jays take it 12-4. the best 25-game span in franchise history, they've won 21 of their last 25 games. >> chris and i just met, our chemistry will get better. all right, guys. thank you. well, most high schools haven't started playing football yet, but we already have the best kick return of the year. >> it happened in hawaii where a punt returner picks up the ball and cuts across the field. then the ball is stripped out of his hands, and nobody has it. >> where is it? >> it's kicked all over the field but the same punt returner

gets the ball back and runs it into the end zone. >> just how they drew it up. just how they drew it up. >> i didn't realize that's in a real term, punt returner. >> yeah, yeah, you return the punt into the end zone after scrambling around for it and juking everybody out. now you know. up next in "the pulse," undercover, miley cyrus goes to find out what people really think about her. and going viral, two twins pretending to sleep when they hear mom's voice. >> hi, babies. was almost alway. thinking about what to avoid, where to go... and how to deal with my uc. to me, that was normal. until i talked to my doctor. she told me that humira helps people like me get uc under control and keep it under control when certain medications haven't worked well enough. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions,

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she had a completely different look asking people what they thought about her. >> what is her father's name again? >> he's the one -- what's miley's father's name? what would you say if miley cyrus was your daughter? if you had a few kids or if they were acting like miley cyrus, would you have any thoughts? >> no, no problem. i just like taylor swift better. ♪ >> we'll have to see which miley cyrus shows up sunday to host the video music awards on mtv in which she performed two years ago. she stole the whole show by twerking, made parents everywhere extremely happy, i'm sure, teaching everybody to twerk. >> oh, she does have those moves. some people may notice that the phrase smelly cat trending this morning. it's all because of a special appearance during a taylor swift concert last night. ♪ smelly cat, smelly cat what are they feeding you ♪ ♪ smelly cat, smelly cat ♪ it's not your fault

>> that's just a classic. >> the biggest hit from the central perk. >> right. >> fans of the show "friends" recognized that song, lisa kudrow joined swift as you can see on the stage to sing this song, "smelly cat." >> it was made famous, as you see there from kudrow's character phoebe always singing it at their favorite cafe hanging out talking about dating each other. great song. >> that was the vintage "friends." >> totally. it's all throwback thursday. it's all throwback thursday. maybe jen's hair is coming back too. >> you never know. a pair of adorable twins in seattle clearly have an acting future. >> these little girls should have been snoozing, but watch what happens once they hear momma's voice. >> hi, babies. oh. >> that's them faking it. >> yeah. the 18-month-olds, they don't realize mama is always watching. judy travis says her twins are active, but the shenanigans end once they hear her voice. >> it proves that children know at a young age right from wrong

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live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. it is thursday. it is 4:28. i am christian. >> i am eric thomas. >> now the weather forecast. mike? >> good morning, everyone. you will notice the lack of clouds. warmer temperatures. visibility is unlimited because the marine layer is nonexistent. you can see stars outside this morning. temperatures are running from the upper 50s to mid-60. by noon we are in the mid-70s at the coast. upper 80's around the bay and inland. on the way to mid-70s at the coast and upper 90s inland. warm this evening and 78 around the bay and dress for 88 inland. now the morning commute. leyla? good morning, everyone. the bay bridge toll plaza shows

cars are starting to collect in the far right and left hand lanes. moving over to the san mateo bridge, a nice breeze headed between hayward and foster city. albany to the maze is four minutes. from fremont to san jose at 11 minutes on highway bow we. >> it is 4:29. the seven is on for a hit-and-run accident driver who smashed into a natural gas pipe causing an explosion at a strip mall in santa clara. matt keller has the latest. matt? >> fires are on fire watch keeping an eye open hotspots. all of the destruction and only two people have minor injuries including a firefighter treated for dehydration. the video was sent to abc7 shot after the fire began.

it shows a woman running dangerously close to the flame in her car and the car left the parking lot driving away. a short time later sky 7 was over the fire as flamed engulf the strip mall taking five long time businesses. one family narrowly escaped the salvadoran restaurant necessity is own for 15 years. they took the cash register with them. everyone else is gone. >> horrible. depressing. a loftiers of hard work. >> the cause of the fire is clear, a vehicle hit the gas meter and left the scene. police are looking for the driver in a car similar to the one seen leaving the scene, a white two car honda accord. if you have any information on the case, call po >> thank you, matt. tributes are pouring into a virginia tv station and families of two members of the team, a day after being gunned down on ve