>> thanks for joining us here. "nightly news" is next. follow us on twitter and facebook as well. >> see you at 6:00. on the broadcast tonight, warning signs before a young gunman carried out a massacre in california. new questions about whether he could have been stopped as we learn more about the lives he took. paying tribute. president obama at arlington addressing a growing scandal over caring for our veterans in the wake of a surprise visit to the troops, how did the white house unintentionally expose america's top spy in afghanistan? on a mission, pope francis on a historic visit to israel wading directly into the mine field of mideast peace. and sticker shock at the supermarket this holiday. a look at what is to blame for the spike in prices for so many of your favorite foods. "nightly news" begins now.

>> from nbc news would headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. >> good evening on this memorial day. i'm cynthia mcfadden in for brian williams. topping the news, the horrific massacre in santa barbara. ten minutes is all it took for a single gunman to take the lives of seven, including himself. as we learn more about those killed, a painful question, could something have been done to prevent the slaughter? mike taibbi has the latest. >> reporter: there were a number of red flags over the past year that elliot rodger was headed to trouble and might take others

with him but none of the clues were clear enough to legally stop him. now an entire community is in mourning. a mother and father embraced in their doorway today in anguish and tears. >> i ask god why he don't take me instead of my son. >> reporter: their son was among the first victims of the rampage leaving the wang's to prepare for the saddest trip any parents could make and leaving a community in mourning. it was a long-planned outburst alleged killer, elliott roger. in a matter of minutes, he took the lives of six uc santa barbara students, his roommates, two young women, katy cooper and veronica weiss and finally christopher martinez. martinez' father hopes to meet with another grieving parent, elliot rodger's father, peter. >> what i would hope is we can come together. he made -- he said i want to work to prevent this from happening again. that's our common ground. >> reporter: in the continuing

investigation, a warrant was served today on at least one of the three stores where he legally purchased his guns and how rodger was able to fool trained deputies during an april 30th check on his well being called by his parents. >> they didn't feel anything because of the way he was able to convince them as he was able to convince people in his life. >> reporter: during the mayhem people tried to help. >> i was giving him cpr and i looked down and recognized his face. >> reporter: for those mourning the victims, families most of all, it's a time to grieve and remember. >> she was amazing to watch. she just went into everything with such vitality and enthusiasm. >> reporter: the university has cancelled classes for tomorrow and instead declared a full day of mourning and reflection. cynthia.

>> thanks, mike. mike taibbi reporting tonight from california. at arlington national cemetery today, president obama laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns paying tribute to fallen american heroes. just hours after returning from a surprise visit to the troops in afghanistan. the president also took time to address the growing va scandal, which remains a major topic on this memorial day. peter alexander is at the white house for us tonight, peter, good evening. >> reporter: cynthia, good evening. president obama honored the memories of the servicemen and women that gave their lives defending the country and in a clear reference, emphasized american veterans must get the care and benefits they have earned and deserve. at the nation's most sacred monument, a somber memorial day

tradition 150 years after the last soldier was laid to rest at arlington national cemetery. president obama called this a pivotal moment for u.s. service members fighting overseas. >> our troops are coming home. by the end of this year, our war in afghanistan will finally come to an end. hours earlier, the president obama himself arrived home from afghanistan after a surprise overnight trip to thank the troops in person. >> the american people stand united. we support you. we are proud of you. we stand in awe of your service. >> reporter: here at home, the commander in chief is facing tough scrutiny how the u.s. served veterans with allegations of deaths from delayed treatments and other miss conduct at the va. with eric shinseki in attendance, president obama eluded to the scandal. >> these americans did their duty. they ask nothing more than our country does ours for now and

decades to come. >> reporter: vice president biden was more blunt. >> there is a sacred obligation and we're behind right now. the va is having problems, and we got to get to the bottom of it. >> reporter: overnight, another potentially damaging revelation, the white house mistakenly identified the top officer in cobble. the name included on a list of u.s. officials that met privately with president obama sunday. nbc news is not reporting that officer's name. >> it does make him a bit more of a target and that's obviously a consequence for the individual and cia. >> reporter: tonight white house officials are not commenting. senior officials say the white house mistake is in their language, embarrassing, stupid and unhelpful but say it's catastrophic. >> thanks. tonight rescue teams are searching for three men that went missing after a huge

landslide in western colorado. it happened in a remote area east of grand junction when a ridge collapsed following heavy rain. authorities estimate the slide is about four miles long, two miles wide and 250 feet deep in some places. helicopters were surveying the area looking for men. the ground surge has been slow going because the entire area remains unstable. overseas, pope francis flue back to the vatican tonight from jerusalem ending the visit to the holy land that included surprise spots and the pope didn't stall from the mideast peace process. ann thompson was along for the trip. >> reporter: pope francis the pilgrim became pope francis the peacemaker. ♪ >> reporter: trying not just to thread the needle of middle east politics, but to move it. gestures can be more important

than words here and there were plenty. the pope at the western wall embracing the rabbi who traveled with him, kissing the hands of holocaust survivors and vowing that such evil never happen again. a careful balancing act praying at the wall the israelis built along the palestinian west bank and today visiting the memorial for the terror victims at the request of prime minister. the biggest gesture came sunday in bethlehem, the birthplace of jesus where the pope announced he would use his considerable personal clout to restart the peace process. what is the reaction to the pope inviting the presidents of israel and palestine to the vatican for a prayer meeting? >> it is an acknowledgement of

the conflict in the middle east is not and never was a political conflict. 6 >> reporter: jerusalem's old city was virtually shut down today because of security concerns. here the pope thought to strengthen ties between all three faiths, this small piece of land so often disrupt in anger. he urged that no one abuse god's name through vial leans. and with 4 rabbis, he compared the relationship of jews and catholics to a bar mitzvah. on the flight back to rome, the pope told reporters next month's meeting will be just to pray, not to negotiate. on the issue of sex abuse, the pope said there has to be zero tolerance and said three bishops are under investigation and next month, he will meet and celebrate mass with several victims at his residence in the vatican. cynthia?

>> to the crisis in ukraine and a dramatic confrontation today, one day after a history-making presidential election as prorussian militants lunched a major offense to take over one of the country's biggest airports. more from kiev. >> reporter: with firepower from above, ukraine's military went on the offensive targeting armed prorussian militants trying to take over donetsk international airport. it became a battle zone, but this time government forces prevailed. in kiev, the new president elect condemned the militants. >> they just abandons, they just killer, they just terrorist. >> reporter: the billionaire businessmen won overwhelmingly in yesterday's election promising closer ties with

europe and u.s. and talks with russia and also a crack down on the militants occupying parts of eastern ukraine. some fear more violence. >> i don't think he can solve this in two days. it's a long process, like it will take i think a few years. here at home, it was a day of remembrance in cities and towns big and small, memorial day. there were ceremonies for the fallen like this one in milwaukee, wisconsin and images on boston common. 37,000 flags plan to put each of the massachusetts residents lost in combat since the revolutionary war. of course, the parade, the main street across america including this patriotic scene. memorial day, of course, is also the time that millions of americans begin the yearly tradition of outdoor family gatherings and barbecues and

what's on the grill may be more expensive with the government forecasting food prices continuing to ri. we get our report from tom costello. >> reporter: it's the talk around the picnic tables this memorial day, what is happening to the grocery bill. >> my husband asked me if i'm buying gold at the grocery store because our bill haves gone up. >> reporter: nationwide, food prices have went up a gallon of milk 3.32 and chicken breast up 13 cents and tomatoes up 16 cents and eggs up 20 cents. the grills we will be paying for this year, beef and veal prices both up 6%. beef is now averaging $3.80 a pound but higher in some areas. at this barbecue, lisa says her food expenses have nearly busted the budget. >> four years ago i was able to buy the meat and sodas for $300. i've now spent more than double that.

>> reporter: the steering drought in texas, oklahoma and california have kevin stated produce fields and depleted cattle stock. >> total number of cattle in the country are the lowest since the 1950s. >> reporter: making matters worse, a serious virus killed 7 million piglets, 8% of the nation's bigs. at this butcher shop today, the owner told us he's been watching prices fluctuate for 34 years. >> it's like everything else. it all is a domino effect. it falls back on everything we buy. >> reporter: higher food prices are especially difficult for the financially vulnerable. >> seniors living on social security, anybody on a fixed income, they are really feeling it and have to become better shoppers to cope. >> reporter: watching sales, clipping coupons and stocking up on the deals when they come. tom costello, nbc news. a surge of rescues at the

start of summer, beaches are packed. the danger lurking just offshore. and later, an army of volunteers making a difference when there is just not enough time in the day.

we're back now this memorial day and after a long winter being cooped up inside, a lot of families are starting to venture out to the beach. they are packed from coast-to-coast and lifeguards are on alert for rip current, a real danger for swimmers who have more than 200 rescues this weekend alone in florida. nbc's gabe gutierrez is on daytona beach tonight. gabe, good evening. >> reporter: cynthia, good evening. there have been at least 120 rescues in this county just today. for many vacations families, there have been some terrifying moments and for the lifeguards here, it has been a busy holiday weekend.

from coast to coast, it's the unofficial start of summer. beaches jam packed. last winter's polar vortex a distant memory. >> it's an absolutely beautiful day. gorgeous day. >> reporter: this holiday weekend a wave of trouble. in florida lifeguards rescued more than 200 swimmers trapped in dangerous rip currents. including teresa's 10-year-old son. >> scared the living heck out of me. >> reporter: rip currents are powerful channels of fast moving water caused by shifting sands that can move of speeds of eight miles per second. if you're caught in one, your

best bet is to swim paralal to the shore. >> don't panic. don't expel your energy. >> reporter: the 60 lifeguards here are stretched to their limit. >> the high pressure system built offshore of florida east winds coming in pretty fast causing waves on the florida coast and then the water going back out to sea gives rip currents. >> been a long winter. >> yes, it has been. >> reporter: this family is here vacationing from toronto. did you hear about the rip current warning? >> yes. >> reporter: not used to rip currents, they are keeping their kids close by and busy with sand castles. extra caution on this start of summer. these red flags have been whipping all weekend but thankfully, no serious injuries have been reported but summer is just beginning. for the people who plan to swim out here in these waters, it's a cautionary tale this weekend. cynthia. >> thanks to you, gabe. back in a moment with an unbelievable sight caught on camera and the reminder of a brutal winter that way.

tonight a monstrous wildfire is burning out of control in alaska fueled by high winds. it burned 250 square miles. evacuations have been ordered for about a thousand homes and businesses in a remote area about 60 miles south of anchorage. rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and wednesday which should contain it. and we want to show you amazing images from market, michigan. folks lying on the beach while eye ice chunks are floating. it's the most in the upper peninsula since last september. most of the ice should be gone

by the end of the week but good luck to anyone brave enough to take a dip in that water and a program note, tomorrow night here on "nightly news", brian williams with share an exclusive first look at his conversation with edward snowden in moscow. it's snowden's first interview on american television leading up to the prime time special wednesday at 10:00, 9:00 central on this station. the kindness of strangers making a difference for a mom who could use a helping hand.

as any mother knows, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to do everything that needs doing. if you're a single mother, help can be hard to come by as joe fryer found unless you discovered a group of willing volunteers making a difference in california. >> reporter: ear piercing construction noise is actually a welcome sound in this home. kathy, a sing the mother of two is getting a much-needed hand rail thanks to handyman john wanger who is volunteering his time. >> when you see the look on people's face we're able to touch, you have no idea how much it means. >> reporter: he's part of a group in sonoma county, california, called serve a little which helps single moms

tackle their growing to do lists. >> it means a lot to me, it does. >> reporter: we'll see you at 4:00. he's the man behind it. >> we're able to put a roof on a single mom's house. >> reporter: he matches volunteers eager to do good with single moms working or going to school. >> a lot of people doing a little bit can make a huge difference. >> reporter: one of the greatest needs, auto mechanics, single moms that need help with car repairs. so repairman bill patterson donates his time fixing cars. he was raised by a single mom. >> i know firsthand the challenges that they have raising kids on their own. >> reporter: his next appointment is the mother of 4-year-old landon, elizabeth. >> it's not a mom car. >> reporter: if a car is a lifeline, her '91 celica is on life support. she came here to get a tuneup. >> he gave her something else.

>> this is your new car. >> really? >> yes. >> the bright blue 2001 ford was donated by another single mom. >> we're going to give you a safe car for you and your kid. >> are you serious? wow. >> reporter: thanks to such incredible again rose again royce fit. who are single are anything but alone. >> wow, thank you so much. can i give you a hug. >> reporter: joe fryer, nbc news, santa rosa, california. >> the kindness of strangers. that's our broadcast for this memorial day. i'm cynthia mcfadden who will be back here tomorrow. for all of us at nbc news, good night. 

nbc bay area news starts now. his whole life, i'm so proud of him. >> right thousand at 6:00, a mother's anguish, remembering one of the three bay area students who were killed in the deadly southern california rampage. i'm janelle wang in for jessica aguirre. >> and i'm raj mathai. those three families are dealing with this tragedy this evening. their sons were killed in isla vista. they were all stabbed by their roommate. elliott rodger killed them

before terrorizing so many others in this college community of eye louisi isla vista. >> among the survivors is another young man from the bay area. we have kris sanchez who spoke with one of the local families but mark matthews is standing by live. >> reporter: nick's father says the quest for information about the young man has been over the top. his sister says the support for her brother has been terrific. nick pasichuke was skateboarding when murder suspect elliott rodger ran him down, ramming him with his black bmw. the blow