at 6:00 p.m. >> thanks for joining us, everyone. on the broadcast tonight, city on edge. new images tonight of a teenager shot to death by police minutes before his fatal run-in. as we learn the identity of the officer at the center of it all. show of force. assault weapons and armored vehicles in ferguson and across the country. is this the new face of america's police? getting high. it's legal, available and looks pretty harmless. but so many kids have overdosed, one governor has declared a state of emergency. and sea change. a popular summer destination gets a big makeover following the backlash over how it treats its star attractions. "nightly news" begins now.

good evening. i'm lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. today as cooler heads thankfully prevailed in ferguson, missouri, police finally revealed something the community has been demanding all week along with some new information about what michael brown may have been doing in the minutes before his fatal encounter with the police officer. that officer was publicly identified today, but police also released video evidence pointing to michael brown as a suspect in a store robbery that had occurred shortly before. but even police acknowledge that doesn't explain what happened next on the street nor why that officer shot and killed an unarmed teenager. and tonight the release of those pictures is only increasing the demand for those questions to be answered. again this evening ron allen leads our coverage from ferguson. ron, good evening. >> reporter: good evening to you, lester. yes, ferguson police released the name of that officer, darren wilson, a six-year veteran, hoping to satisfy one of the key demands of the protesters.

but at the same time they released video of michael brown allegedly carrying out a store robbery minutes before he was shot and killed. and that has sparked new outrage. police say these are pictures of michael brown minutes before he was killed. security video from a convenience store, images showing brown allegedly stealing cigars, pushing a clerk. police reports list brown as a suspect in a strong armed robbery. police documents show officer darren wilson was handling a sick call with an ambulance not far away between 11:48 and 12:00 noon. 11:51 a.m. police got 911 calls reporting the store robbery and radioed out minutes later. wilson left his call and encountered brown at 12:01 p.m. a second officer arrived at 12:04 p.m. michael brown was dead. ferguson's police chief said officer wilson stopped brown

because he and a companion were in the street blocking traffic. >> this robbery does not relate to the initial contact between the officer and michael brown. >> reporter: police say officer wilson was assaulted, but the man with brown claims the officer shot him while he was trying to surrender. >> it was horrible to be front center to the whole situation. i think that in his eyes, it looked like it hurt him a lot. >> reporter: the police focused on the alleged robbery sparked outrage. >> they want to justify them killing that boy. homicide is homicide. >> reporter: brown's parents through their lawyers called the character assassination. >> we believe that he is strategically did that to assassinate the character of michael brown. >> these are our kids. these are our sons. >> reporter: emotions running high after a peaceful night with state police now in charge. we saw protesters policing themselves, cops putting down their weapons and joining in.

no sign of a heavy police presence. hundreds of people still out here and the authorities seem inclined to let it just keep continuing. many including new security chief ron johnson joined in the march. but now with the release of these new images of michael brown, there's once again tension between the authorities and the community. now, to clarify, we just spoke to chief jackson who says at some point in the encounter the officer saw cigars in michael brown's hands and thought he might be a suspect in the robbery. he released the videotape because there were so many media requests for it. but at the same time they refuse to release more public information about the moment when the teenager was shot and killed. lester. >> ron, thank you. one of the officials you just saw in ron's report, captain ron johnson of the missouri state highway patrol is the new man in charge of keeping order in ferguson. a native of that town, a 27-year veteran of the highway patrol

and immediately said we're in this together as he brought a strikingly different tone and style from the st. louis county police he and his officers replaced. >> our task here is to ensure the safety of the citizens of ferguson, the health of the businesses in ferguson, but also to ensure that the people of ferguson have their voice, their right to speech, their right to gather and maintain. and that's what we will continue to do. yesterday you saw me out there talking, communicating, understanding and respecting. and that's our task. that's what this uniform stands for. in our anger we have to make sure we don't burn down our own house. that we don't go down and vand arelize our own buildings. i agree this is not a black and white issue. we all have sons and daughters. the governor talked about old wounds. this is an old wound. but it's time to stop saying it's an old wound and close it for good. i see today a lot of hope. a little bit more trust than we

had a few days ago. and i see if we all stick together, i think we're going to be better. and we're going to be something the nation can look at and say, you know what, we can do it. >> captain ron johnson of the missouri state highway patrol. and as we watch these events unfold this week, many couldn't help but think it was a military force, not a police force, that was on the ground in ferguson. attorney general eric holder said he was deeply concerned about the deployment of military equipment and vehicles and the senate armed services committee says it will look at how local police departments are using this equipment. we get more on this tonight from nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: it's not just ferguson, missouri, where police have deployed armored vehicles and assault weapons. across the country law enforcement has dramatically beefed up their arsenals. much of it hand-me-down surplus equipment from the military. police in ft. myers, florida, are among many departments that have a mine resistant armored vehicle or mrap.

>> it can sustain handgun, rifle, all the way up to rocket propelled grenades on this vehicle. >> reporter: most cities pay very little if anything for the equipment and more than 600 mraps are in use nationwide. there are also humvees, machine guns, camouflage, even helicopters and planes. that's feeding concern that america's police forces are thinking of themselves not as cops but as soldiers. >> the police being trained, for example, to think of the communities that they're serving as battlegrounds, to think of the people that they're supposed to be protecting and serving as wartime enemies. >> reporter: youtube is full of police recruiting videos showing practice s.w.a.t. raids, but while violent crime is down 53% since 1990, police insist they face well-armed criminals from the boston bombing suspects to mass shootings at schools, shopping malls and movie theaters. >> this is the type of equipment we feel like we need at times in situations to make sure we're going home to our families at night. >> reporter: to combat drug

gangs 23 years ago congress ordered the military to send its surplus gear to police. the program then accelerated through 9/11 and two wars. but the pentagon insists it has no say in how the equipment is used. >> it is up to law enforcement agencies to speak to how and what they gain through this system. >> reporter: the question tonight, how do military equipment and tactics affect the police mission to serve and protect? tom costello, nbc news, washington. elsewhere tonight, the governor of new hampshire has declared a state of emergency. and the issue there is a health crisis. dozens of drug overdoses this week from a synthetic form of marijuana legally sold in some forms. nbc's rehema ellis has that story for us tonight. >> reporter: it's sold in colorful packages as an incense with names like "mr. nice guy," smacked, k2. and typically labeled not for consumption. but new hampshire officials say in fact it's all synthetic marijuana, also known as spice.

and the cause of 47 overdoses just this week. >> the officers themselves have walked into the park and have seen people on the ground having a seizure. in one instance there were several people actually unconscious when the police officer got there. >> reporter: they're made of dry plant material which can be sprayed with a chemical touted as similar to thc, the ingredient in marijuana. that can be smoked or brewed into a tea causing a dangerous high that can also be deadly. >> we want people to know how dangerous this is. this is not a game. it is totally real. >> reporter: on facebook veronica and devin ekhart raise awareness by posting this picture of their only son, 19-year-old connor, who died in california after taking one hit of synthetic pot. >> you would think would be safe, would be okay, it's an alternative to marijuana, and it's anything but that. it's a deadly poison.

>> reporter: studies show it's a nationwide problem. nearly 8% of high school seniors have tried it. it was the fourth most abused substance by high school students last year, behind alcohol, marijuana and amphetamines. what is it about synthetic marijuana that makes it so dangerous? >> well, you never know what you're getting. and when some of the product can contain chemicals that cause things like blood pressure problems, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias and can even cause death. >> reporter: in manchester, new hampshire, police confiscated more than 40 bags this week alone. and across the country officials and parents try to spread the word these products are dangerous. 40 other states and the federal government have permanently banned the sale of synthetic marijuana, but manufacturers can evade the law by modifying the formula making it very difficult for authorities to police this product. lester. >> all right. rehema ellis tonight. thanks. overseas, concern that the

ebola outbreak has been vastly underestimated. the aid group doctors without borders say the epidemic could last another six months. the death toll is now over 1,100 in four african countries. and in atlanta dr. kent brantly, one of two americans being treated for ebola, said in a statement today he was "recovering in every way" and remained hopeful of returning to his family in the near future. i want to turn to the escalating crisis in ukraine now which claimed today that a russian armored column entered its territory during the night. nato made a similar claim. ukraine's president said his forces destroyed most of the russian vehicles. for its part russia denied that any incursion had taken place. as the humanitarian crisis plays out in northern iraq, claims tonight of another massacre by isis militants. reports that 80 members of a minority yazidi community were killed in a village in that region. it was fears of such attacks that drove thousands of yazidis onto a mountain in northern iraq and prompted this week's u.s. bombing campaign.

and all of this has people here in this country's biggest yazidi community on edge. our report tonight from nbc's chris jansing. >> reporter: at a park in lincoln, nebraska, the stories and the tears pour out. >> it just breaks my heart to think what's happening to them. >> reporter: everyone here is an american-yazidi. how many of you have family back there? >> everybody. >> reporter: and everyone has had family members murdered by isis terrorists or are still missing. >> they don't know if they're still alive or they killed them. >> reporter: he came to the u.s. eight months ago with his family when he called his brother in iraq, a member of isis answered. >> they tell you who they are. >> know if somebody's not coming

to convert to muslims, we're going to kill them. >> reporter: isis decapitated his brother. julie escaped a refugee camp during the first gulf war and is now a fourth grade teacher in lincoln. her uncle sent video of the school where he lives with 700 others who escaped off mt. sinjar. food and water are still scarce. he tells her horrifying stories about a market run by isis. >> they're selling yazidi womans in the market right now. for about a couple dollars. >> reporter: until now most americans have never heard of yazidis, a small ancient religion that draws from christianity, islam and persian traditions. >> we believe in god. we are not devil worshippers like isis claim that we are. >> reporter: about 700 yazidis now live in nebraska, the largest population in the u.s. >> i got two boys, they born here. >> reporter: but family and faith tie them to the tragedy still unfolding more than 6,000 miles away. >> i talked to him last night. they're just crying. >> reporter: they are profoundly grateful the u.s. has intervened, but for these

americans in the heartland, a distant narrative hits painfully close to home. chris jansing, nbc news, lincoln, nebraska. and still ahead tonight, how one of this country's best-known attractions, sea world, is trying to overcome a wave of criticism involving its biggest stars. and later, the amazing response to america's ice bucket challenge. new figures tonight on just how much money has been raised through all this.

over the years it's become a go-to destination for millions of american families, but today sea world announced major makeovers for its three locations around the country. the move comes after harsh criticism over how the parks treated their biggest stars. here's nbc's joe fryer. >> reporter: a wash in negative publicity and a high profile debate about whether orcas

should be left in captivity or be free. today, sea world unveiled plans to build larger habitats for its killer whales. the new orca home in san diego will be 50 feet deep with a viewing area that's four stories tall, nearly twice as big as the current habitats. >> it's really about us giving them more opportunities to exercise, to engage, have a dynamic environment. >> reporter: sea world is facing backlash thanks to black fish, the documentary viewed by millions condemns the park's treatment of killer whales after an orca killed a trainer in 2010. in response several celebrities have criticized sea world. some musicians have backed out of concerts at the parks. and this week with attendance taking a hit, the stock tumbled. >> the stock is down more than 30% today. >> reporter: today's habitat announcement did little to silence critics. >> it doesn't matter how big you make that pool, it's still going to be very restrictive and confining for a killer whale. >> reporter: sea world ceo jim acheson spoke to nbc news.

how much of this is in response to the controversy generated lately? >> people are going to say that, but that's not going to deter us from the work we're doing. we're not doing it one bit because of any of that. >> reporter: as for the film that sparked this controversy, sea world says it's unfair and misrepresents their work. >> we make no apologies for what we do and how we do it. >> this is its pectoral flipper. >> reporter: sea world is also committing $10 million to killer whale research as the heated dispute continues for what's best for these majestic creatures. joe fryer, nbc news, san diego. back in a moment with the runner who was stripped on the track in more ways than one.

tonight, a new twist to report in an international spy drama. german media report that the country's security agent secretly recorded a phone call involving hillary clinton while she was secretary of state. they're calling the whole thing an accident. the irony of course is that

relations between the two countries soured after it was revealed this country spied on german chancellor angela merkel. nascar issued a new rule today. it comes less than a week after one of its star drivers, tony stewart, struck and killed a fellow racer at a sprint car event. kevin ward, jr., was hit after exiting his car and walking down the track. the new rule orders drivers to stay in their cars if their vehicles are involved in an accident. another ruling is drawing attention today. a french runner thought he had the race in the bag, so he started the celebration a little early taking off his shirt and carrying it in his mouth. he was stripped of his gold medal for unsportsmanlike conduct. we should note he lost it before at the same event two years ago. he shoved a mascot who happened to be a 14-year-old girl. but tonight there's at least one big win to report, the viral videos are everywhere. everyone from celebrities to next door neighbors pouring buckets of ice water over their heads. it's all to raise awareness and

money for lou gehrig's disease. while the movement has paid off literally raising $9.5 million for the cause in less than three weeks. 75 years ago today americans traveled over the rainbow for the first time. "the wizard of oz" has its hollywood debut. it's become one of the most-watched films of all time. it introduced generations to munchkins, ruby slippers and that little dog too. here's a piece of trivia for you. the terrier that played toto was paid $125 a week, even more than the actors of munchkinland. when we come back, a final act for a venue that gave millions a front row seats history. stop stop

finally tonight, a farewell to a legendary landmark that's seen it all. after 54 years san francisco's candlestick park held its last public event. it was closed out by one of the biggest names around who got it done with a little help from his friends. nbc's miguel almaguer has our report. >> welcome to candlestick park! >> reporter: for paul mccartney, a chance to say good-bye again.

this, the final concert, the last public event in san francisco's famed candlestick park. the same venue where mccartney and the beatles played their final concert together back in 1966. >> $4.50 to attend this concert. >> reporter: marlene was there. >> it was so wild with energy. >> reporter: there for the beatles' final show, and again for candlestick's curtain call. opening day april 12th, 1960, richard nixon was here with willie mayes. the stick was built for sports and notorious for bone chilling winds. but it was the catch -- joe montana's game-winning playoff drive, that made this place famous. >> probably the most exciting end to a football game that i've ever seen. >> welcome to game three -- >> reporter: in 1989 millions were watching the world series live when it struck -- a 6.9 quake rattled the place to the

rafters. sports wasn't the only religion at the park. in 1987 the pope came to candlestick in the stadium built for noise, silence from 88,000 in the stands. >> it was so quiet that you could hear the lights humming. >> reporter: candlestick is set to be demolished next year. all of this will become urban redevelopment. they're selling history. you can buy the seats here. but the memories are priceless. soon candlestick will become a housing and shopping center. but for the last 54 years it gave us all a front row seat to history. miguel almaguer, nbc news, san francisco. that's our broadcast for this friday night. thank you for being with us. i'm lester holt in for brian. i'll be with you all weekend tomorrow on "today" and of course hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. course hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

announcer: nbc bayaries news starts now. whoever wrote this, i don't think it's liberal or conservative, they are twisted. under attack for flying a flag. i'm peggy bunker. >> i'm raj mathai. bitter feelings in a local neighborhood. someone sent a disparaging letter to people flying a flag outside of their homes. this hate mail is having the opposite effect on the neighborhood. now, more flags are flying.

jodi hernandez joins us in san rafael. a lot of people are shaking their heads. how could this be happening in such a progressive area? >> reporter: that's what everyone is asking here. the young man that lives here put up more flags after he, like so many others here got one of those mean spirited letters over the flag that has been flying over his late grandparents house for decades. i'll tell you, the flag flap has this entire neighborhood fired up. >> this is a symbol of our country. it's what's good about it. >> reporter: that's why dean morris has been flying the american flag outside his house more than 30 years. >> my statement and pride of my country. >> reporter: morris was flabbergasted when he got a letter in the mail criticizing him for flying the flag daily.