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about the gun they recovered from the man, what's called a ghost gun? possibly. made with a 3d printer along with a silencer. fake ids, a handwritten three page document. the images tonight. the nypd racing nearly 300 miles along i-80 to question the man in custody in pennsylvania, aaron katersky on the scene with the arraignment tonight. also breaking the marine veteran daniel penny found not guilty in the subway chokehold case in new york city tonight. our team inside syria with our james longman has witnessed already after the fall of president assad's regime, rebels seizing damascus with lightning speed rating, the presidential palace, assad's expensive cars, men, women and children freed from underground jails. what the u.s. is now saying tonight, as the world now braces asking what comes next? back here in the u.s. tonight, the bombshell allegations against jay z. a civil lawsuit now accusing him and sean diddy combs of raping a 13 year old girl. tonight, jay z vehemently denying the

accusations and calling on the accuser to now reveal her identity, saying what's fair is fair. linsey davis with us tonight. tonight on capitol hill, president elect donald trump's nominees pete hegseth, the critical new meeting for him. tulsi gabbard, nominated to be the next director of national intelligence. she's now facing timely questions about why she met with assad and what trump is now saying about mass deportations. the dreamers, and whether prices could go up for americans. tonight, the drone mystery widening large drones now spotted over philadelphia after being seen near thephia president elect's golf course and near a military base in new jersey. what's going on? taylor swift's eras tour takes a final bow, and what she did for her cast and crew across five continents. major league baseball star juan soto's record setting contract. tonight and america strong. this evening, the basketball team and one very silent night. the christmas tradition. and you'll see it right here. from abc news

headquarters in new york. >> this is world news tonight with david muir. >> good evening. it's great to have you with us here on a monday night. we begin tonight with the breaking news in the murder of that ceo in new york city. police say a person of interest is now in custody. tonight, 26 year old luigi mangione in custody in altoona, pennsylvania. for now being held on a weapons charge. the break came after a worker at this mcdonald's recognized him from those surveillance images and called authorities. police finding mangione had a passport and several fake ids, including this new jersey driver's license. the same one he used to register at a hostel in new york, where this widely circulated image was captured, showing his face. we have learned police also found mangione had what's called a ghost gun, possibly made with a 3d printer with a suppressor or silencer appearing very similar to the one used in the attack captured on surveillance. the images today. when the news broke, the nypd immediately racing down i-80

the nearly 300 miles to altoona, pennsylvania. mangione is seen in a mug shot late today, his arraignment just moments ago in altoona. the images in a moment here we have learned tonight he was valedictorian in high school. he went to the university of pennsylvania, where he graduated with a master's in engineering. abc's senior investigative correspondent aaron katersky leading us off. he's on the scene in altoona tonight. >> tonight, nearly a week after the ceo of united healthcare was gunned down outside of new york city ho, 26 year old luigi mangione has been taken into custody in altoona, pennsylvania, where he was recognized at a mcdonald's from surveillance images. >> he is believed to be our person of interest in the brazen, targeted murder of brian thompson, ceo of united healthcare, last wednesday in midtown manhattan. >> the nypd seen racing along i-80 to altoona, nearly 300 miles away, after a break in the case. just after 9 a.m, a worker at this mcdonald's spotted a customer who was eating and

acting suspiciously and dialed 911. >> the mcdonald's employee did something we ask every american to do. if you see somethingsomey something. but something. most importantly, do something. and they did. >> altoona police taking mangione into custody on gun charges. police say he had this ghost gun that made have been made with a 3d printer similar to the weapon used to kill thompson, along with a suppresser or silencer. they also found three hand written pages that police sources tell abc news express anger at the insurance industry and could speak to his motivation and mindset. >> it does seem he has some ill will toward corporate america. >> he had clothing and a mask consistent with the suspected, a passport and multiple fake i.d.s, including this license used to check into that hostel in new york city. >> he has ties to san francisco, california, and his last known address was honolulu, hawaii.

he has no prior arrest history in new york. >> he had a masters in engineering from the university of pennsylvania. he's from maryland where he was a valedictorian at a private school in baltimore, seen here giving a speech. >> it seems like just yesterday we were freshman, having wars and playing computer games. now we're moving on. >> reporter: about a year ago, he posted a review of the manifesto by ted kaczynski saying he was a violent individual rightfully imprisoned who maimed innocent people, but describing him as an extreme political revolutionary. in this video, brian thompson's killer is seen moments before the murder waiting for the unitedhealthcare executive. when the gunman spots his target, he runs across the street and opened fire, leaving thompson to die on the sidewalk. >> our nypd investigators combed through thousands of hours of video, followed up on hundreds of tips, and processed every bit of forensic evidence. >> police stitched together a timeline of the suspect's

movements from the moment he arrived in new york ten days before the shooting. he kept a mask over his face at all times except for this one unguarded moment when he checked into the hostel. surveillance cameras catching him at a hilton, at a starbucks and getting into a taxi at the bus station where he vanished. police found bullets with the words deny, defend, and depose, a possible reference to grievances with the insurance industry. >> yes, he was the ceo of a health insurance company. in america, we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint. >> thompson's murder has ignited online anger against the industry, and over the weekend, the company putting up fencing around its headquarters. tonight, unitedhealthcare says in a statement, our hope is that today's apprehension brings some

relief to brian's family, friends, colleagues, and many others. mangione appeared in court moments ago on the local gun charges. investigators from the nypd and the manhattan district attorney's office are here in altoona, starting to go through some of the evident collected here and through the suspect's social media where they see an x-ray of a spine and posts indicating he read books about back injuries. david. >> david: aaron katersky leading us off. we turn to the verdict in the deadly chokehold trial in new york. the breaking headline, the jury acquitting daniel penny of criminally negligent homicide. here's stephanie ramos tonight. >> reporter: tonight, daniel penny cleared of all criminal charges in that deadly chokehold that took the life of jordan neely aboard a new york city subway. >> it's going good. it's going good. >> reporter: penny seen in a manhattan bar celebrating with his attorneys. >> he finally got the justice he deserves. >> reporter: after five days of deliberations, a jury finding the 26-year-old marine veteran not guilty of criminally

negligent homicide. authorities say neely suffered from mental illness and drug addiction. prosecutors admitting the 30-year-old homeless man made threats on that subway in may of 2023 but arguing penny's hold was excessive and lasted almost a minute after neely stopped moving. >> i put him out. >> reporter: the defense man taining penny never intended to kill. >> i'm just trying to make -- de-escalate the situation. >> reporter: the judge dropping the most serious manslaughter charge last week after the jury deadlocked. but tonight, all 12 jurors voting not guilty on that remaining lesser charge. david, tonight, jordan neely's family vowing to pursue a civil lawsuit. >> stephanie ramos, thank you. now to the stunning turn of events in syria. rebels forcing president bashar al assad to flee. toppling statues of assad.

celebrations across syria where millions of syrians were forced to escape. real questions now about what could come next. tonight, our chief international correspondent james longman inside syria and what he has witnessed already there. >> reporter: syrians fought for years to topple him, but bashar al assad is tonight a dictator on the run, as a rebel movement sweeps him from power in les than two weeks. statues ripped down, paraded through the streets. as we drove in tonight, signs of the regime's total collapse all around us. >> so many years, syria was a fortress. now, we're driving straight in. >> reporter: rebels racing into the notorious jail revealed to have underground sections, prisoners locked up for decades. finding several women and a small child. please don't be afraid, a rebel tells the child. you can go out now. we're part of the revolution. and this haunting scene, ropes believed used to torture and

hang prisoners found in one area. at the border today, hope for a new day. i met 29-year-old youssef who fled his country when he was just 17. i ask how he's feeling? i'm so happy, but with mixed feelings, he says, because i have missed so much. my studies, work, but i'm happy, he says. the country youssef will return to now run by this man, the u.s. considers a terrorist, having turned against al qaeda and now as the leader of the syrian rebel group, gilani is striking a far more moderate tone. crossing into the meet the faces of his lightning revolution. >> why are people worried? he came from al qaeda. isis might be involved. he said there's nothing to be worried about. these young men not much older than 25, 26, are now manning one of the main posts to syria. they are from a group which the world knows very little about.

now they're in charge. assad evading capture, fleeing with his family to moscow where he was granted asylum. his syrian palace plundered, dicovered inside, luxury cars. his fall after 50 years of family rule a major blow to iran, who funneled weapons through syria and for russian who has a key naval base in the country. we're in central damascus and there are signed of celebration everywhere. take a look. shell casings all over this area. there is real joy here, but there's also real concern. no one knows what's going to happen next. david. >> david: concern there and all over the world tonight. james longman in damascus, thank you. back here in the u.s., the bombshell allegations against jay-z. a civil lawsuit accusing him and sean "diddy" combs of raping a 13-year-old girl more than 20 years ago. tonight, he vehemently denies the accusations and calling on the accuser to reveal her identity. >> reporter: tonight, rapper jay-z firing back against allegations he sexually assaulted a then-13-year-old

with sean "diddy" combs after the 2000 vmas. the newly amended civil lawsuit -- originally filed by a "jane doe" in october -- now identifying "celebrity a" as jay-z, whose legal name is shawn carter, claiming he and diddy, "drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl at an afterparty." and that a female celebrity stood by and watched as combs and carter took turns assaulting the minor. combs and jay-z, who were both 30 in the time, were in attendance at the awards show that year. combs has previously denied all allegations. and today, jay-z filing to dismiss the lawsuit calling it a "cynical and calculated campaign to force payment of an exorbitant sum of money." the rapper vehemently denying the allegations, taking direct aim at the plaintiff's attorney tony buzbee writing, "what he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle." noting concern for his wife, music icon, beyonce, and their three children -- who are 12 and 7 years old -- "my wife and i will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age

where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims." attorney tony buzbee standing his ground writing, "i won't be bullied or intimidated. people will see through this effort to discredit me and my clients and the truth will be revealed. >> david: and linsey davis with us as well. >> in that motion to the court, jay-z is asking allegations either be dismissed entirely or the identity of the accuser be disclosed adding, fair is fair. >> david: we turn to president-elect donald trump and his nominees tonight, embattled defense secretary nominee pete hegseth back on capitol hill. the critical new meeting. also, tulsi gabbard, nominated to be director of national intelligence, facing timely questions of her own given what played out in syria, asked about her 2017 meeting with bashar al assad. and what trump is saying about members of the january 6th committee and whether prices will go up for americans. here's rachel scott tonight. >> reporter: tonight on capitol

hill, trump's embattled pick to lead the pentagon, pete hegseth, meeting again with senator joni ernst. >> did she say she's gonna vote for you? did you feel confident leaving that room that she would support you? >> it was a great meeting. >> reporter: ernst, the first female combat veteran and vocal survivor of sexual assault, saying as i support pete, i look forward to a fair hearing. when asked does she support the process or support hegseth? >> you said supporting the process, it sounds like you're not a yes yet, is that fair? >> i'm supporting the process. >> reporter: also on the hill, tulsi gabbard, tapped for director of national intelligence. facing timely questions now after the fall of ruthless dictator bashar al assad, asked about a 2017 visit to syria and why she met with assad. >> how do you explain your meeting with assad to skeptical senators? >> reporter: kash patel, trump's choice to take over the fbi, who

has vowed vengeance against trump's enemies, meeting with senators too. >> do you plan to investigate the january 6th select committee? >> asked about comments trump made in his first broadcast interview since the election. suggesting the members of the january 6th committee should go to jail. >> honestly, they should go to jail. >> so you think liz cheney should go to jail? >> for what they did? >> everyone on the committee? >> anybody who voted in favor -- >> are you going to direct your fbi director and attorney general to send them to jail? >> not at all. >> reporter: days after saying he wouldn't state a 25% across the board tariff on mexico and canada, an economist warned it would raise prices for american families, trump pressed after railing against kamala harris and inflation on the campaign trail. >> can you guarantee american families won't pay more? >> i can't guarantee anything. i can't guarantee tomorrow. >> reporter: president-elect donald trump says he's ready to move forward with his plan for mass deportations on day one. but when asked specifically about dreamers, those undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as

children, trump saying he would be willing to work with democrats on a plan to let them stay. tonight, democrats appearing skeptical but saying they would be willing to engage in good faith negotiations. >> david: rachel scott, good to have you. >> when woe come back, the images coming in, the drone mystery widening. large drones spotted over philadelphia after being seen by the president-elect's golf course. >> also, news coming in on taylor swift, what she's done after her eras tour for all the crew. and the basketball team

tonight, the n tonight, the new drone mystery that's widening now seen in the philadelphia area. large drones spotted over philly, delaware county. nearly 50 sightings were seen last night, after sightings over trump's golf course. >> taylor swift's eras tour comes to an end and what she's now done. >> and how does

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to the to the index of other news. a wrap on taylor swift's historic eras tour. the final show in vancouver last night, the tour grossing more than $2 billion. she reportedly gave out $197 million in bonuses to the cast and crew on that tour across the globe. >> tonight, the biggest contract ever in pro sports. after playing with the yankees, juan soto signing a record deal with the mets. 15 years, $765 million.

and he's just 26. when we come back tonight, the basketball team and their christmas tradition you have never heard a game this silent.

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can you do defying gravity?! yeah, get my harness. buy one line of unlimited, get one free for a year with xfinity mobile. and see “wicked,” in theaters now. finally tonight here, america strong. have you ever seen a basketball game this silent? tonight, in up lntd, indiana, north of indianapolis, it's the christmas tradition altaylor university. every year, the big game and one very silent night. since 1997, nearly 30 years now,

the students gathering at their home game right before finals singing christmas songs together before the game. ♪ i don't want a lot for christmas ♪ >> but once the game begins, total silence. not a creature stirring. just listen. not a sound from the stands until the tenth point scored by the team. and then -- [ roaring ] >> the school erupting into cheers running to the court. and in the last moments of the game, the students, the professors, the whole university singing silent night together. ♪ silent night >> and right here tonight, the taylor university men's basketball team on a christmas tradition that continues. >> silent night is a 27-year

tradition going on here at taylor for a night full of fun and hoops. thanks again for shining a spotlight and go troops. ♪ sleep in heavenly peace >> christmas tradition nearly 30 years strong now. america strong for sure. i'm david muir.r.r.r.r.r.r.r.r.. ♪ you know i'm a dreamer ♪ ♪ but my heart's of gold ♪ ♪ just one more night ♪ ♪ and i'm coming off this long and winding road ♪ ♪ i'm on my way ♪

♪ i'm on my way ♪ ♪ home sweet home ♪ there's no place like the road home. receive a $5,500 bonus on a new 2024 audi q5 plug-in hybrid during the season of audi sales event. ♪♪ from the alex trebek stage at sony pictures studios, this is... ♪♪ here are today's contestants... an esl teacher from vienna, virginia... a vp of restaurants and bars,