. breaking news in america this morning, hurricane dorian gaining strength on track to hit florida as a category 3 storm. >> it is forecast to become much, much more intense. everybody needs to really, really be on guard. >> store shelves already empty as people stock up. new video showing the damage in the caribbean. this morning, the new storm track and the biggest concern right now. an urgent warning from a major american city, stop using e-cigarettes immediately. the lung disease outbreak now under investigation and the new study on the risk of secondhand vaping. a developing story in washington, d.c. a college intern walking her dog is fatally stabbed in the

street. police calling it a random attack. what we've learned overnight. plus, the dramatic video, a rhino on the attack at a safari park with a man trapped inside that vehicle. >>oaters on the east coast. and friendship and devotion taken to new heights. meet the veteran who carried a fellow marine 14 miles up a mountain. good morning. thank you for joining us this thursday. we begin with a state of emergency in florida as the state braces for what could be a major hurricane by this weekend. >> at last check hurricane dorian was packing winds up to 85 miles per hour, but it's expected to gain strength over the warm waters of the atlantic and grow into a category 3 storm. >> it already slammed the u.s. virgin islands where crews will be out this morning assessing the damage. abc's mona kosar abdi begins our storm coverage.people in florid.

>> stay safe. >> thank you. >> reporter: bottled waters flying off the shelves as emergency officials and forecasters sound the alarm. >> all of florida is in play. ev >>ottom line is that have a very, very serious hurricane threat to the state of florida. >> reporter: forecasters say dorian could grow into a category 3 hurricane by the time it reaches the florida coast late this weekend. people from jacksonville down to miami taking no chances buying generators, batteries and flashlights. >> we're from the island, so we are ready. we are not the last-minute people in a hurricane. we know what hurricanes do. >> i'm not that concerned but i think it's better to be safe than sorry. >> reporter: the state's governor has already declared a state of emergency. local officials are warning residents, know your evacuation routes. >> this is no time to panic. we don't know what will develop in the days ahead. >> reporter: the u.s. virgin islands took a direct hit from dorian as a category 1 storm.

new video shows winds up to 80 miles per hour wreaking havoc on marinas and damaging buildings on st. thomas and tortola. nearly 40,000 power outages reported. >> there's still some assessments being done overnight on the islands of st. thomas and st. john. road crews are working to clear the roadways. >> reporter: and in puerto rico heavy rains and strong winds but a sigh of relief as the island was spared the brunt of the storm. but some tourists now leaving puerto rico are left to wonder whether they'll meet up with dorian again on u.s. soil. >> we're flying back tomorrow and hopefully it's not going to get on monday to south carolina. >> reporter: and overnight we've learned that president trump approved an emergency declaration for the u.s. virgin islands. now, officials there say they've seen a lot worse from other storms in recent years but, janai and kenneth, we're expecting a better damage assessment later today.

>> and we will be finding out what that heavy rain and those strong winds did there. mona, thank you. meanwhile, the biggest concern along the florida coast will be flooding. >> accuweather's adam del rosso is tracking the storm. adam. >> janai and kenneth, good morning. we're continuing to track hurricane dorian pulling away from puerto rico and the virgin islands but here's the thing, it's moving into warm atlantic wears and won't have a lot of 46 so that means it will continue to strengthen. by friday morning, a category 2 hurricane, saturday evening likely a major category 3 hurricane heading right for florida. still some questions on where exactly it goes, but we need to prepare all across florida because there are some serious impacts heading our way. we need to keep an eye out for flooding, storm surge, damaging wind gusts that are going to lead to power outages and plenty of travel issues, especially as we head into the labor day holiday weekend. kenneth, janai. >> and we'll be definitely checking on central florida. adam, thank you. you can stay with abc news for

continuing coverage of hurricane dorian, and you can track the storm any time on the abc news app. well, now to the other developing story this hour. the fbi is offering a $20,000 reward for the capture of two fugitive murder suspects. blane and susan barksdale have been on the run since monday when police say they overpowered two armed security guards in utah. the private guards were transporting the couple from new york back to arizona where they're accused of murdering a 72-year-old man they knew. his house was also set on fire. the victim's brother says he just wants justice. >> it's like everything just got thrown out the door. the people that were transporting him, it's like i think somebody, you know, didn't follow procedures correctly, and, you know, one thing led to another, and this is the mess we got right now. >> the victim's body was never found. and a motive hasn't been given. the suspects were last spotted

in a red gmc pickup truck with arizona plates. we turn now to the urgent warning from one major city to stop using all e-cigarette devices immediately. it comes after more than a dozen people came down with a severe lung disease. each patient reported vaping before their health declined. this morning, the city of milwaukee, wisconsin, with an urgent warning, stop vaping immediately. the alert comes after 16 people who use e-cigarettes were hospitalized with chemical pneumonia. >> after two people we should probably have sent out word sooner, but i'm glad we're doing it now. >> reporter: patients range from teenagers to people in their 30s. kim barnes' 26-year-old son dylan is among them. she says he had been vaping for less than a year and almost died this month. >> i didn't think he was going to come out of it. i thought that i was seeing my son the last time. >> reporter: this warning comes just days after officials in illinois announced the first death believe to be related to the e-cigarette use. the cdc is now investigating nearly 200 cases of severe

pulmonary illnesses linked to vaping in 22 states. milwaukee's health department says it's unclear exactly what is sending people to the hospital. store managers are criticizing the city for issuing the alert without knowing the cause of the illnesses. >> what will it do to your business if you see people stop using vaping products and e-cigarettes? >> business will start crashing down. >> i understand citizens are going to say, business owners, hey, this is a legal product. i can sell it, and they can, but i think the health commissioner has to take it to a higher level. >> reporter: doctors say the potential culprits aren't just vaping products and e-cigarettes but also marijuana oils. >> they're not really sure if it's vape products there are legal to sell here or if it's thc products people get off the streets. >> part of it is buyer beware, but, you know, you don't know if those products get into a regular store either and i'd be very hesitant about taking that gamble. >> and now there are concerns about secondhand vaping fumes. a new study found about one-third of middle and high school students have been

exposed to vaping aerosols in the last year. federal health officials are warning about a deadly mosquito-borne virus that seems to be spreading across the eastern u.s. it's called eastern equine encephalitis or eee. it's threatening people in at least six states including michigan where a 14-year-old girl is fighting for her life. her family says she had a simple headache but within days her condition worsened. eee is also blamed for a woman's death in massachusetts. to protect yourself avoid standing water and use insect repellent with deet. police in washington, d.c. have arrested a man for the stabbing death of an intern on a city street. they say 27-year-old margery magill was walking a dog tuesday when she was killed in what they say was a random attack in northwest d.c. a 24-year-old man is in custody. they say there's no information to suggest a robbery and the two apparently did not know each other. her family says magill who is from california was interning in d.c. for the summer. time now for a look at your weather for this thursday

morning. a nasty storm left a giant mess around houston. heavy winds blew out the revolving door of a downtown building, which led to flooding through the lobby. even parked cars weren't spared after the wind knocked over an awning. the pacific northwest will be cooling down today with highs in the 70s and 80s. the southwest also cooler dropping to mostly 90s. mostly 70s and 80s in the midwest and northeast. 80s and 90s across the south today. coming up, a major hotel chain makes a big change in the bathroom. also ahead, the man accused of killing his wife by poisoning her breakfast cereal. how he allegedly did it. and new video of a rhino going on the attack at a safari park.

you we're back with video of an angry rhino attacking a car with a zookeeper inside. this happened at a safari park in germany. the rhino flipped the car at least three times. the zookeeper suffered bruises and a concussion but is getting ready to go back to work tomorrow. it's unclear what led up to the attack. the fbi is reportedly investigating two cameras that were broken outside the jail cell where jeffrey epstein died. reuters reports the cameras were within view of the cell where the accused child molester's body was found. epstein's attorneys told a judge this week they're skeptical that he died by suicide. they say he was not in despair before his death. new video from mississippi appears to show a troubling incident involving a voting machine. a man casting a ballot in tuesday's gop primary runoff for governor saw his vote change more than a dozen times jumping

from bill waller to the eventual winner lieutenant governor tate reeves. irregularities have been reported in seven counties. a surprise resignation in the senate. republican johnny isakson of georgia says he will retire healthproblems. the move could provide an inin for democrats trying to take back the senate. another big shake-up in the retail industry. lord & taylor has been sold for $100 million to le tote, a clothing rental start-up company. meanwhile, bloomberg reports the retailer forever 21 is now preparing for a possible bankruptcy filing. and the world's largest hotel chain, marriott, now says it will eliminate small plastic bottles of shampoo and bath gels from all rooms. the move next year will eliminate 500 million plastic bottles every year replaced by larger bottle or dispensers mounted on the wall so you can't take them anymore after your stay. coming ,

eruption in europe. also, the privacy concerns after a doorbell video company teams up with hundreds of police departments. and a professional racer and tv star is killed trying to set a new speed record. what she said just days before what she said just days before the ♪ corey is living with metastatic breast cancer, which is breast cancer that has spread to other parts of her body. she's also taking ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor, which is for postmenopausal women or for men with hr+ / her2- metastatic breast cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole was significantly more effective at delaying disease progression versus letrozole. patients taking ibrance can develop low white blood cell counts, which may cause serious infections that can lead to death. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection, liver or kidney problems, are pregnant, breastfeeding,

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and relief from symptoms caused by over 200 indoor non-drowsy claritin and outdoor allergens. like those from buddy. live claritin clear. for one week only, save up to $36 on select claritin products. check this sunday's newspaper for details. so some boaters here got to see nature's fury off the coast of italy. that volcano on stromboli island erupted sending all that smoke and ash one mile into the sky. lava burned vegetation as it spilled into the sea. another eruption last month killed a hiker. incredible images there. now to the tragic death of a racing star known as the fastest woman on four wheels. >> jessi combs was trying to break a record by traveling more than 500 miles per hour on land when her car crashed. this morning her boyfriend says he did everything possible to save her. abc's will carr has the details. >> reporter: jessi combs seen

here barreling across the desert died chasing her dream. the 39-year-old was attempting to set a new land speed record for women trying to go faster than 512 miles per hour when she tragically crashed in oregon. her team calling 911 moments after. >> the jet, the high speed jet car that we got crashed and the pilot is fatally injured. >> reporter: in a statement her family said she left this earth driving faster than any other woman in history. widely considered the fastest woman on four wheels, in a 2013 interview with auto blog combs described the emotional conversations with her mother about the dangers involved. >> she's like, is there anything i can do. really mom, there's not anything you can do but what you can do is you can help me get my will ready. >> reporter: she posted a picture walking behind her jet-powered car. people say i'm crazy. i say thank you. authorities say the cause of the crash is under investigation. it comes as combs' boyfriend says the documentary will come out down the road detailing what

happened. in los angeles, will carr, abc news. a new partnership aimed at keeping neighborhoods safe is raising privacy concerns. more than 400 police departments are now teaming up with the doorbell video company ring and officials will be able to request videos recorded by homeowners' cameras. privacy advocates worry the program could lead to people spying on their neighbors. but law enforcement officials say the videos are already getting criminals off the streets. >> this is a way that we can interface with them. we have community members that are willingly sharing crime and safety-related information. >> people are relieved by something like this. but the other thing you don't want to have happen is that people continue to allow their privacy to be eroded. >> so they say homeowners can choose not to participate in the police partnership. but ring warns it can store user deleted video to comply with any legal obligations. after a five-year investigation, a michigan man has been charged with murder accused of spiking his wife's

bowl of cereal with a fatal dose of heroin. jason harris is also charged with trying to hire a hit man to kill his wife christina. the medical examiner originally ruled the cause of her death an accidental overdose but her friends insist she didn't use drugs. investigators say harris talked to relatives about getting rid of his wife. a second victim has died after a boat crash involving "shark tank" star kevin o'leary. police in canada are asking for witnesses to come forward. o'leary says he was a passenger on a boat that hit another vessel on lake joseph in ontario saturday night. he says the other boat had no lights on and fled the scene. police are not confirming details but say both boats left the scene. they're trying to determine if alcohol was involved. new video this morning of a great white shark surprising some lobstermen off cape cod. the shark came right up to their boat. it was feeding on the carcass of a humpback whale. nearby experts say shark sightings are up 60% this year. in sports, serena williams passed her first real stress

test at the u.s. open. she dropped her first set against 17-year-old catherine mcnally but then rallied for three sets to win. williams is now a perfect 38-0 in first and second round matches in new york. she's on fire. >> keep going. up next in "the pulse," the lottery player who stayed patient and cashed in.sohead, a matthew mcconaughey that will make a whole lot of young women happy. and a true test of endurance. the veteran who carried a fellow marine 14 miles up a mountain. ied a fellow marine 14 miles up a mountain. fact is, every insurance company hopes you drive safely. but allstate actually helps you drive safely... with drivewise. it lets you know when you go too fast... ...and brake too hard. with feedback to help you drive safer. giving you the power to actually lower your cost. unfortunately, it can't do anything about that.

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professor mcconaughey. the oscar winner has been a visiting instructor at the university of texas for four years, but now he's joining the staff as a professor. >> he'll continue teaching his script to screen film production class. he earned his film degree from ut back in 1993. now bringing it full circle. >> you know he's going to be good. >> yeah. most people are creatures of habit, especially when they're picking lottery numbers. >> including this guy who used the same combination of numbers for nearly 30 years. well, guess what, he finally hit the jackpot in the canadian lottery. he won $60 million, totally paid off. >> but get this, he waited ten months before claiming his prize. he says he was overwhelmed and wanted to recheck those numbers over and over to be sure. >> i mean -- >> i would have gone like literally within an hour. >> that da me, me, i won. >> but he waited 30 years so what's 10 more months? next the story of friendship and devotion taken to new heights. it's about two guys that were part of a special operation

unit in the marines. >> john nelson and jonathon blank served in afghanistan where blank lost his legs in an explosion. blank had wanted to climb a certain mountain in utah since moving there five years ago. >> well, last weekend, nelson carried him to the summit, a trek of more than 14 miles. >> i got legs. i got legs. i couldn't imagine if i -- i thought this would be something epic for him to experience to actually get there. >> not only have i lived through this, he's lived through it as well. we're special operations guys. you know, we're recon marines. we can do anything. we can maybe instill that mind-set in other people. >> they're not done yet. they're planning to climb california's mt. whitney, more than 14,000 feet high, on veterans day. >> so cool. finally a fed up beekeeper in turkey has decided to put some thieves to work. >> he lost $10,000 in honey over three years to bears so these honey stealing bears became his honey taste testers.

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...and protects from future stains. crest. healthy, beautiful smiles for life. making news right now at 4:27, the man c building is back in court this morning. the ruling he wants the judge to make. google is pitching in to ease the homeless crisis in the south bay. the large donation it's making to help build new housing. the legal battle over san francisco's tilting millennium tower may be over. the multimillion dollar state department settlement considered right now. >> i'm natasha sioux ves. >> i'm natasha aaron. >> bringing brightness with her dress this morning and smile. and meteorologist mike nicco. always bright. >>always here on this side of the desk, holding things down.

>> you sound so excited. >> the coffee has president kicked in yet. ill the pillar of the desk. we've got temperatures in the 60s. we talked about how mild it was going to be this morning. our mildest morning. sure enough, only santa rosa at 58. everybody else in the low to upper 60s those to the humidity that is hanging around. look at the temperatures this afternoon. starting off very mild. we're going to end up a little bit cooler, just like yesterday. mid 60s coast, into upper 60s in san francisco and richmond. low to mid 70s around the bay. mainly 80s inland. we'll get rid of the 90s for at least a day or two. they're back for the weekend. i'll show you that coming up. here is frances. >> off to a great start in terms of traffic. it's quiet out there. no major accidents right now. a live shot of the golden gate bridge. look at this. super light, not even any fog to

slow you down. live shot of 680, right-hand side southbound traffic as it moves towards -- along southbound 680 towards highway 24. te ride on westbound 80 also looking good as you make your way through emeryville. drive time westbound 80 highway 4 to the maze is 16 minutes. >> frances, thank you. new developments involving the millennium tower, the skyscraper that's continuing to lean and sink. now a settlement has been reached in lawsuits involving the homeowners. cornell barnard has the details. >> reporter: it's the luxury condo high-rise with killer views. that's not what the millennium tower famous. it was sinking and slightly tilting. one homeowner rolled a golf ball across his floor to prove it and hundreds sued. a lure for a group of homeowners say a tentative agreement has been reached to stabilize the building and compensate residents for the tower's

defect. the deal includes $100 million to drive 52 new perimeter piles to stabilize the foundation. they'll be driltd 250 feet into bedrock three times deeper than the piles currently used on the building. the developer agreed to compensate the owner. >> the claim we made in the lawsuit is the difference between what the units are worth today and what they should be worth. you measure that by looking at all the other similar buildings in the area and the appreciation levels they have which the millennium has not had. >> reporter: homeowners claimed construction on the transit center caused their building to shift. >> it changes the game entirely. >> reporter: realtor kevin ho tower could mean good news for buyers and sellers in the future. >> once it gets back to where it's supposed to be, the market will find equilibrium and that equilibrium, just like the building, will probably go up and it w be a really good place to