right now on "america this morning," the breaking news from metro atlanta. a shooting targeting massage parlors. several people are now dead. the fbi now targeting whether people of asian descent were targeted. what we're learning about the suspect. president biden one-on-one. his message to thousands of migrants flocking to the u.s. border as we learn the number of migrant children now in custody is even larger than we thought. the conditions they're facing. fireworks inferno. >> are you guys okay? >> dramatic new images of a massive and deadly explosion rocking this neighborhood and what else was found in that house. sticker shock. why you may want to postpone that home renovation project you've been considering. the shocking prices we found.

biblical discovery. the priceless pieces of history found in the middle east dating back nearly 2,000 years. and from the best american city to live in to america's favorite breed of dog to a new job and a new team for lebron james, all your trending stories for your wednesday morning. good wednesday morning, everyone. we begin with breaking news overnight from atlanta. a deadly shooting spree raising new concerns about asian-americans being targeted across the country. >> police are trying to determine why a man opened fire at several spas in metro atlanta killing eight people. it comes just as congress prepares to hold a hearing tomorrow on the disturbing increase in violent attacks from california to new york targeting people of asian descent. this morning the fbi is now investigating a shooting spree that left eight people dead at multiple massage parlors in the atlanta area. police first identified

21-year-old robert long as the suspect in a shooting that killed four people at a spa in cherokee county. one hour later investigators say a gunman matching his description worked into two other massage parlors in atlanta killing four more people. >> it appears all victims are female. >> and race? >> it appears they may be asian. >> reporter: atlanta police then dispatching officers to check nearby similar businesses. >> this started up in cherokee county, my understanding they shot up a spa there. they spot up two spas here in zone two, so we need to make sure if we have any asian spas, we need to be checking on them. >> reporter: police capture long after a brief pursuit. this morning investigators say it's extremely likely he's connected to all three shootings. six of the eight victims are of asian descent. authorities are trying to determine a motive and whether race played a role. racially motivated attacks targeting asian-americans have been on the rice nationwide. overnight the new york city police department's counterterrorism unit says it's deploying assets

to our great asian communities across the city out of an abundance of caution. police in oakland, california, the scene of several recent attacks on asians say they are monitoring the georgia shootings. an advocacy group saying, this latest attack will only exacerbate the fear and pain that the asian-american community continues to endure. police did not release the victims' names. even though they haven't released a motive, the number one trend on twitter overnight was #stopasianhate. the other big story this morning, the crisis at the southern border. during an exclusive interview with abc news, president biden spoke directly to migrants heading to the u.s. border. we learned the number of children in u.s. custody is even bigger than we thought. many are going days without a shower and they're being forced to sleep on the floor. abc's andrew dymburt is here with more on that. andrew, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, mona. so these children making this treacherous journey to the u.s. border alone are not supposed to be held more than three days. some are staying a full week or more crammed into tight spaces sharing tents, some sleeping on

floors as the white house now works to find more shelters. a humanitarian crisis brewing at the border. the u.s. immigration system strained as a surge of migrant arrivals desperately try to reach u.s. soil. more than 4,200 are children housed in government run detention facilities. now questions are mounting for a white house still not allowing journalists inside. but two lawyers who were led in paint the troubling picture of the inhumane conditions for the unaccompanied children. some forced to sleep on floors. around 40 to 50 kids without their parents sharing spaces like these. >> that is where they would spend their entire day. >> reporter: the facilities, many designed to hold single adult men for just 24 hours, have been home for some children for up to two months. this crying mother describes the disturbing conditions her two sons from honduras endured before being reunited saying it was agony what they were going through. the number of children making the journey without their parents jumping 25% since last week. in an exclusive interview with

abc's george stephanopoulos, president joe biden says his message to migrants is -- >> don't come and while we're in the process of getting set up, don't leave your town or city or community. >> reporter: when asked if it was a mistake not to anticipate the surge, biden saying this also happened during the trump presidency. >> first of all, there was a surge the last two years in '19 and '20. >> this one might be worse. >> well, it could be, but here's the deal we're sending back people. >> reporter: the administration now turning a convention center in dallas, texas, to hold 3,000 teenage boys for up to 90 days as the struggles to find safe spaces looms large. and now the biden administration is bringing in fema to help open new temporary facilities. kenneth, mona. >> all right, andrew, thank you. a newly declassified intelligence report shows extensive efforts by russia to interfere with the 2020 election. it found vladimir putin approved an operation aimed at hurting joe biden and helping donald trump. and it found the russians relied on people with close ties to

trump to smear biden. the report also found iran also tried to sway the election but in biden's favor. now to the pandemic. the more contagious variant of the coronavirus are spreading. the brazil variant has now been found in california and massachusetts. it comes as brazil sets a new record for daily covid deaths. meanwhile, a third wave of the virus is hitting just across the u.s. border in ontario, canada, where officials report exponential growth. in cases largely thanks to the uk variant. experts say the spread is being traced to young people. >> what we're seeing across the board, especially up in the northern part of the u.s. and canada, is that younger individuals are more likely to be infected at this point, so there may be a little less caution around distancing and masking. >> reporter: doctors say today's st. patrick's day celebrations and spring break crowds in florida and texas are dangerous. former president trump is joining the push to get more

aericans vaccinated. on fox news he was asked if he recommended getting a shot. >> i would and would recommend it and i would recommend it to a lot of people that don't want to get it and a lot of those people voted for me, frankly, but, you know, again, we have our freedoms and we have to live by that and i agree with that also. but it's a great vaccine. it's a safe vaccine and it's something that works. >> a recent poll found nearly half of republicans say they haven't gotten a vaccine and don't plan to get one. former president trump secretly got his vaccine before leaving the white house. more witnesses are coming forward describing a massive and deadly explosion in california apparently caused by fireworks and say it sounded like bombs going off. this morning, dramatic new video of a deadly explosion rocking this southern california neigor >> oh, my god. >> reporter: investigators say at least two people died when the blast involving fireworks ignited multiple fires. >> it just looks like there was

a large cache of fireworks in there right now due to the explosion. >> reporter: videos posted online show flames and a thick plume of smoke east of los angeles and then a long series of fireworks shooting into the air. >> ooh. >> reporter: this girl taking video then running for cover. another witness started recording after the initial weaker blast. she was checking on her dogs when the big blast hit. >> are you guys okay? >> reporter: police evacuated several streets after the explosion hanging crime scene tape around a home at what appeared to be the epicenter. >> that looks like just a bomb went off there. the roof is just gone. >> reporter: firefighters rescuing horses trapped in the

rubble at that home. >> i just thought that someone was throwing bombs or something. >> reporter: abigail suarez says the explosion knocked her off her chair and damaged her home. >> my tv is crooked. it was hung up but now it's crooked. i have a vanity and that thing fell and our windows shattered. >> reporter: police did not immediately identify the victims. neighbors say fireworks have been going off in that area for years. turning to the weather, a state of emergency has been declared in alabama because of dangerous tornadoes expected today. let's take a look at your wednesday forecast on this st. patrick's day. we're looking at a likelihood of a severe weather outbreak on wednesday into wednesday night across the south. places like memphis, tennessee, birmingham, alabama, and eventually atlanta as we head toward wednesday night. going to be under the gun for severe storms including tornadoes. the greatest tornado threat wednesday into wednesday night, areas from birmingham, alabama, back to jonesboro, arkansas,

including memphis, tennessee. meanwhile, out west in the texas pandemic, a blizzard warning into wednesday. several inches of snow and wind. i'm accuweather meteorologist kevin coskren. coming up, the new kind of mosquito found in the u.s. also ahead, what tiger woods is now revealing after his devastating car crash. and we hear from the first responders who saved two people trapped in this truck dangling off a bridge. the good luck that helped save their lives. psst! psst!

allergies don't have to be scary. spraying flonase daily stops your body from overreacting to allergens all season long. psst! psst! you're good.

just in time for warmer weather a new mosquito arrived in the u.s. the new species which may transfer diseases from animals to people has been found in florida. it arrived from the caribbean. scientists say the insect could

spread to other parts of the gulf coast. tiger woods is home from the hospital back in florida three weeks after a devastating car crash left him with severe leg injuries. he tweeted last night thanking hospital staffers in california for their care. he also thanked fans for their support. the crash investigation is ongoing. a final report is expected soon. new details about a miracle rescue in idaho where a truck was left dangling off a bridge after a crash.3 a cable was all that was preventing the two people inside from plunging to their deaths and megan tevrizian explains how it unfolded. >> reporter: this morning, we're hearing from the first responders who pulled off this incredible rescue as a truck still connected to the camper it was towing dangled off this bridge 100 feet above a gorge in idaho. >> we're coming to get you out. >> just like the movies. it's literally hanging by a tiny chain and miracle is the only word to describe it. >> reporter: the rescue team rappelling down the side of the

truck hanging nose down with a man and woman in their 60s and their two dogs inside. suspended ten stories in the air after crashing off interstate 84. >> both the doors on the vehicle were not able to be opened because of the wreck, so jerry was literally working through the passenger window, and at that he was able to get a harness on both patients. >> reporter: a tow truck driver and state police officer just happened to be driving behind them. they stopped and immediately threw a chain over the railing for extra support until rescuers could arrive about 13 minutes it later. >> we had people there that were ordinary everyday citizens think on their feet and do the best they can to help stabilize it. >> reporter: but it was ultimately the safety chain connecting the truck to the trailer that prevented this from turning tragic. rescuers used a harness to lift the people in the truck and their dogs to safety. >> we had our rescuer at the patient six minutes from arriving on scene and we had both those victims out of the

vehicle and both dogs safely out of the vehicle in under an hour of our arrival on scene. >> reporter: the cause of the crash is still under investigation. it appears seat belts played a big role. both people in the truck reportedly had them on. kenneth, mona. >> megan, thank you. homeowners planning spring renovation projects could be in for some sticker shock. lumber prices are up 170% in just the last year, and everything from concrete to metal fixtures are skyrocketing because of disruptions to supply chains caused by the pandemic. transportation costs are also up. gas prices rose 40 cents in one month. new rankings reveal the best u.s. cities to live in. they were judged on everything from schools to crime to jobs and the woodland, texas, outside austin, number one, arlington, virginia, naperville, illinois, overland park, kansas and cambridge, massachusetts. coming up, the teenager who pulled off a cyberattack targeting elon musk and barack obama learns his punishment. also new details about the

school homecoming queen election allegedly rigged by the daughter's mother. hear from the runner-up next. for adults with moderate to severe crohn's or ulcerative colitis... stelara® can provide relief and is the only approved medication to reduce inflammation on and below the surface of the intestine in uc. you, getting on that flight? back off, uc! stelara® may increase your risk of infections, some serious, and cancer. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection... flu-like symptoms, sores, new skin growths, have had cancer, or if you need a vaccine. pres, a rare, potentially fatal brain condition, may be possible. some serious allergic reactions and lung inflammation can occur. lasting remission can start with stelara®. if you've been financially impacted by covid-19, janssen may be able to help.

♪ ♪ when it comes to nivea essentially enriched, people don't like how rich it feels... ...they love it! it's kinda crazy. see what all the love is about, with the nourishing power of nivea body lotion. needles. essential for pine trees, but maybe not for people with certain inflammatory conditions. because there are options. like an “unjection™”. xeljanz. the first and only pill of its kind that treats moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or moderate to severe ulcerative colitis when other medicines have not helped enough. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections. before and during treatment, your doctor should check for infections,

like tb and do blood tests. tell your doctor if you've had hepatitis b or c, have flu-like symptoms, or are prone to infections. serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers including lymphoma, and blood clots have happened. taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra may increase risk of death. tears in the stomach or intestines and serious allergic reactions have happened. needles. fine for some things. but for you, there's a pill that may provide symptom relief. ask your doctor about the pill first prescribed for ra more than seven years ago. xeljanz. an “unjection™”. the teenager behind last year's massive twitter hacking has pleaded guilty. graham clark's deal calls for a three-year prison sentence, part of which can be served at a boot camp because he was only 17 at the time of the crime. clark hacked several high-profile twitter accounts including those of elon musk, bill gates and former president obama to push a digital currency scam. we turn now to a different

kind of hacking. this one involving a school homecoming queen competition. you heard right. we're now hearing from the runner-up lost because an assistant principal and her daughter allegedly cheated. new information about the couple under arrest accused of rigging a homecoming queen election. >> honestly in my opinion that's pretty ridiculous. i'm not going to lie. >> reporter: officials in pensacola say assistant principal laura rose carroll and her daughter, 17-year-old emily rose grover illegally accessed the accounts of other students so emily would be elected homecoming queen. the investigation started after the school district reported hundreds of students' accounts at tate high school had been hacked. those accounts contain sensitive information including medical history and test scores and school officials also discovered 117 homecoming queen votes, all cast from the same ip address in a short period of time. now both mother and daughter face felony charges. ariana was runner-up

in the homecoming election losing out to emily. when rumors started about a rigged homecoming election she says she didn't believe it. >> i did hear rumors but i didn't really think anything of it until i was brought into the office and it all became real. >> reporter: at the family's home. >> what y'all want? >> hey, what do you want. >> reporter: emily's father had no comment. >> why does it matter you have to win homecoming? it really doesn't. like if it happen, it happens and if it doesn't then, oh, well. >> police say carroll used her district security level to access the computer accounts. she could not be reached for comment. in sports lebron james' sports empire now includes the boston red sox. the lakers star is joining fenway sports group in addition to the red sox, the move also increases his stake in a british soccer team. in the nfl quarterback russell wilson is apparently staying in seattle. espn reports the chicago bears have ended their aggressive pursuit of wilson. instead chicago has signed former cowboys and bengals quarterback andy dalton. coming up, what michelle

obama, meghan markle and lady gaga now have in common with walmart. but first the biblical discovery in the middle east dating back nearly 2,000 years. are you ready to join the duers? those who du more with less asthma. thanks to dupixent. the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. dupixent isn't for sudden breathing problems. it can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. it's not a steroid but can help reduce ds. and help prevent severe asthma attacks. dupixent can cause serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. get help right away if you have rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection and don't change or stop your asthma treatments, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. du more with less asthma.

talk to your asthma specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. if your financial situation has changed, when they're sick, they get comfortable anywhere and spread germs everywhere. nothing kills more viruses, including the covid-19 virus, on more surfaces than lysol disinfectant spray. lysol. what it takes to protect. i'm made to move. but these days, i'm not getting out as much as i'd like to. that's why i take osteo bi-flex. it helps with occasional joint stiffness, while it nourishes and strengthens my joints for the long term. osteo bi-flex. because i'm made to move. ♪ ♪ [ birds chirping ] [ river flowing ] [ dragonfly wings ] ♪ ♪ advil dual action fights pain 2 ways. it's the first and only fda approved combination of advil plus acetaminophen.

advil targets pain. acetaminophen blocks it. advil dual action. fast pain relief that lasts 8 hours. ♪ time to check "the pulse," and we begin with newly discovered fragments of the dead sea scrolls. >> archaeologists in israel have found pieces of parchment containing ancient biblical writings inside a desert cave. they believe the scrolls were hidden there during a jewish revolt against rome nearly,000 2,000 years ago. >> it is the first discovery of dead sea scrolls this the desert in 60 years. next what does walmart have in common with michelle obama, meghan markle and lady gaga? some high fashion help apparently. >> walmart has hired a celebrity designer to oversee its clothing

brand. brendan maxim brendan maxwell has dressed all three in the past. he'll work on seasonal collections for men, women and children. next, labrador retriever is america's top dog. >> new figures rank labs as the nation's most popular dog in 2020. the breed has held the title for 30 years in a row. >> jumping into the number two spot this year is the french bulldog, the breed recently made headlines when lady gaga's dogs were stolen, and german shepherds remain number three. >> oh, you know what, there's some german shepherds at the white house? right? >> major. they were. >> maybe they'll be back. hey, finally a new rule of the road, no exercising on top of your car. >> check out this video from india. a man decided to do some push-ups on the top of his moving car. >> what? yeah, we have no idea why, why he would do this. what his parents said, what was going through his brain but he's promised not to try it again, but guess what, mona? >> what? >> he got a ticket. >> that was his reward, i guess. >> ghost ride the whip.

he wanted to be a ghost. , swollen, painful. tremfya® is approved to help reduce joint symptoms in adults with active psoriatic arthritis. some patients even felt less fatigued. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. tremfya®. emerge tremfyant™. janssen can help you explore cost support options. ♪ for every idea out there, that gets the love it should ♪ ♪ there are 5 more that don't succeed ♪ tremfya®. emerge tremfyant™. ♪ and so are lost for good ♪ ♪ and some of them are pretty flawed ♪ ♪ and some of them are slightly odd ♪ ♪ but many are small businesses that simply lack the tool ♪

♪ to find excited people who will stop and say 'that's cool'♪ ♪ and these two, they like this idea ♪ ♪ and those three like that one.♪ ♪ and that's 'cause personalized ads ♪ ♪ find good ideas for everyone ♪ no matter what sometimes keeps you up, nature made helps you win the night. our melatonin gummies are scientifically developed to help you fall asleep faster, naturally. nature made. the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand.

narrator: covid-19 has changed how we express our faith and gather to worship. now it's time to take the first step that lets us get back to spreading the word without spreading concern. before we can safely come together, we need the facts. as covid-19 vaccines become available, you may have questions. woman: should i get it? man 1: is it safe? man 2: should i wait? narrator: it's smart to question. now get the facts at getvaccineanswers.org so you can make an informed decision when vaccines are available to you.

♪ for skin as alive as you are... don't settle for silver 7 moisturizers 3 vitamins 24 hours hydration gold bond champion your skin

building a better bay area. now at 5:00, the rising concern about asian americans being targeted across the country. a developing situation at the border and officials are bracing for even more migrants. president biden's message and a new interview this morning. and increasing capacity at restaurants and places of worship and gyms. now county in the bay area areaa the less restrictive zone. and all right. we're getting into the saint patrick's day spirit with the viral dancers. move getting a lot of attention online. [ laughter ]. all right. good morning it is wednesday, march 17. saint patrick's day. >> let's get over to mike who is wearing his green today. good morning. hi, everybody. and it's going to be an increasingly gray day outside. right now waking up to partly