great across the rest of the bay area. >> brian williams next with "nightly news." on our broadcast tonight, damage control. with scandals piling up, the embattled nfl commissioner breaks his silence. but did he say and do enough, and did he do any harm? no way out after a hurricane wipes out a big vacation spot. tonight, the americans still trapped there waiting for emergency flights to get them out. growing outbreak, the virus striking all across the country. tonight, an explosion of new cases now, children who first have a cold then suddenly can't breathe. and making a difference, after an awful crime caught on camera, the amazing thing that happened next. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. good evening. roger goodell, the commissioner of the national football league, stepped in front of television cameras and reporters here in

new york today for a rare press conference. in a statement that was probably intended to help clear the air perhaps in hopes that a scandal could begin to go away, his statement, his first appearance in days, was long on apology but short on specifics. and it didn't take long for some of those who cover sports to wonder if he'd done more damage by breaking his silence. goodell has 32 bosses, the nfl owners. but he has millions of customers, those of us who are football fans. that remains the problem, this tricky balance for goodell and the nfl. it's where we begin tonight. bob costas is standing by for us. first to peter alexander who was at the press conference. >> we will get our house in order first. >> reporter: after a ten-day public absence, nfl commissioner roger goodell stepped back into a glaring spotlight with an apology. >> i got it wrong in the handling of the ray rice matter. and i'm sorry for that. but now i will get it right and do whatever is necessary to accomplish that.

domestic violence and sexual assault have no place in the nfl. >> reporter: goodell pledged within the next month all league and team personnel including executives, coaches and players will take part in education sessions on domestic violence and sexual assault. and he vowed to overhaul the nfl's personal conduct policy. >> i know this because we will make it happen. nothing is off the table. >> reporter: goodell announced long-term plans to partner with the national sexual violence resource center and the national domestic violence hotline, which has seen its calls skyrocket up 84% since september 8th when the ray rice video became public. >> we weren't even expecting it to get this large and at this point we're transforming office spaces into mini call centers at this point because it's a drain for us. >> reporter: not everyone was impressed. hall of famer fran tarkenton called the news conference a whitewash. >> fans love this game. i love this game. we love the players who play the game. but they have got to show outrage. they've got to yell and scream at their teams and say you've

got to do better. >> reporter: fans reacted on social media. one wrote roger goodell's speech was to owners, not the nfl fans. and another, i'll believe it when i see it. today, outside the baltimore ravens stadium thousands made a statement of their own trading in their ray rice jerseys. >> he came to me first and said, oh, man, now i have to -- i can't wear my ray rice jerseys anymore. >> reporter: in spite of blistering scrutiny, goodell said he would not step down. >> i believe i have the support of the owners. that has been clear to me. they obviously expect us to do a better job. and as i said to several, i don't like to let down anybody. >> reporter: roger goodell said that earlier today every nfl team received information about advocacy and support organizations in their communities focused on domestic violence and sexual assault. he said this is just the beginning of the league's response, that he hoped would be resolved by the super bowl next february. but ultimately, brian, fans and sponsors will likely be the judge. >> peter alexander starting us off here again tonight. peter, thanks.

all of that brings us to bob costas of nbc sports. here's fran tarkenton, one of the guys you and i watched play football when you and i were coming up. he's angry as a hornet over this. he called it a whitewash. he advised nfl fans today not to go to the games. what are we to do with that? how do we process his remarks? >> well, i'm pretty sure most of the people will use their tickets. football is overwhelmingly popular, its credibility and its administration's credibility has been badly damaged. i don't know that that directly and immediately translates into the popularity of the game either at the gate or on television. >> well, do you buy that the argument that goodell today what he did, what he said was too little too late? >> well, a number of people seem to have taken exception to the tone, that there wasn't enough outrage and it wasn't personal enough for their taste. and a lot of people given the

way this thing has boiled over in the media over the last couple of weeks, they want specific action and they want it now. and i don't think the super bowl is soon enough. so goodell ought to take that message from the reaction and get these various committees cracking as quickly as possible so they come up not only with a strengthened policy, a more comprehensive policy, but one that is credible, has clarity to it and that will hold up. obviously a private organization, especially one with a public profile like the nfl, has a lower bar of proof and due process before imposing punishment than the judicial system does. so they have to come up with this is what our policy's going to be and it's a league policy, not from team-to-team because teams have different priorities. and it doesn't -- it can't vary between a star player and a reserve. this is what we do upon arrest, this is what we do upon charges filed. >> bob costas, thank you very much for being with us tonight. we'll see you sunday night for of all things, football night in america. bob, thanks. >> we will. there is a big rescue operation underway tonight to pull out what could be thousands of americans who are still

stranded in mexico four days now since hurricane odile battered the baja peninsula. over the past 24 hours the state department has arranged for the evacuation of over 500 citizens. a slow-moving operation, airports shut down and a lot of roads are impassable. we get a late report tonight from nbc's mark potter in mexico. >> reporter: this is what it looked like at the height of the storm. >> oh, my god! >> reporter: a luxury hotel lobby destroyed by ferocious 125-mile-an-hour wind and rain from hurricane odile. >> i heard a roaring sound. the sound of an airplane going by. then boom! completely gone. >> reporter: in this video taken by weather channel storm chaser josh, the wind pushes through doors and windows stacked with furniture. afterwards, chaos, looting, the roads impassable and littered with debris.

while the airport is in shambles, thousands of americans were stranded. desperate, they've been waiting for hours, some for days in sweltering temperatures just to get on any plane bound for the u.s. >> we're going home. >> reporter: this morning the u.s. military evacuated dozens of americans to los angeles and san diego. and commercial planes have been called in too, helping people like chicago firefighter and iraq veteran jim long finally get home this afternoon. >> no one was coming to help us, we needed to help ourselves. >> reporter: jim and his fellow firefighters all in cabo for a friend's wedding, gathered their loved ones in a hotel hallway for safety. they slept in shifts to protect against looters and the escalating violence. others have similar stories. >> we had to sort of evacuate and take shelter. we didn't know what was going on outside. so that was definitely -- the 24 hours after it was really scary. >> reporter: back in cabo, food,

water and gasoline are scarce as residents there try to put their lives back together. just days ago this paradise a playground for so many, now destroyed. and those planes that are bringing people out are also taking relief supplies in to cabo san lucas, where more bad weather is expected this weekend. brian? >> mark potter with our report on the evacuation effort tonight. mark, thanks. to the north now in northern california. firefighters have lost more ground tonight because high winds have pushed a massive wildfire across an area about 60 miles east of sacramento. several homes went up today as many as 12,000 more are threatened. meantime, the 37-year-old man accused of intentionally starting the fire appeared in court today on felony arson charges. officials say the fire fight will take weeks or even months to contain. there is word from the cdc tonight that this dangerous respiratory virus striking

children has now been confirmed in at least 22 states, just about half the country. and suspected in even more of them as it moves across our country. emergency rooms are packed with frightened parents and children after what first presents as a cold and then gets much worse very quickly. nbc's rehema ellis in our studios tonight including where this illness is spreading the quickest tonight. rehema, good evening. >> good evening, brian. this is normally a rare virus, but hospitals all over the country are reporting children coming in with serious breathing problems. today in boston we learned about 100 young patients, a dozen of them in intensive care. as our dr. nancy snyderman found at a hospital in denver last week, some children had such severe problems they had to be intubated. but it appears to be most severe among children who have asthma. this virus starts as a bad cold, but if your child develops a high fever or extreme difficulty breathing or wheezing, that's when you should take your child to the hospital.

the best way to prevent the spread of this virus, doctors say, is by diligent hand washing with soap and water. brian? >> rehema ellis in our nbc studios with us tonight. rehema, thanks. we awoke this morning to the news that the united kingdom is still united. scotland will not split off as an independent nation. and in deciding to stay together and not see other people, scotland also serves as a beacon for the world for two reasons. the democratic process worked, and their voter turnout of 85% is the envy of all free nations. in the end the vote split 55% to 45% to stay with the uk. nbc's kelly cobiella has our report from edinburgh tonight on this historic election. >> the majority of valid votes cast yesterday went in favor of no. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: a surprise ending

for scots who said "yes" to independence. >> i feel like crying much of the time. i still do. >> reporter: and those who said "no." >> my heart said "yes" and head said "no". >> reporter: it wasn't even close. >> a ten-point difference? >> silent majority of "no." >> reporter: the man who led the independence campaign promised to respect the outcome and then resigned. >> my time is nearly over. but for scotland the campaign continues and the dream shall never die. >> reporter: so what happens with all that passion for independence? a lot of promises were made before the vote, and many here are skeptical the politicians will follow through. promises for more autonomy. british prime minister cameron clearly relieved today said he'd keep them. >> we will ensure that those commitments are honored in full. >> reporter: in glasgow, some voters aren't ready to shake hands. >> there was a huge wish not to

divide and to make this thing heal. >> reporter: the queen calls for reconciliation, reminded her subjects we have in common an enduring love of scotland. a scotland that has chosen not to leave but to stay. kelly cobiella, nbc news, edinburgh in the united kingdom. >> we may have added confusion to some complex legal reporting here last night. it has to do with new jersey republican governor chris christie and the multiple investigations underway into the so-called bridgegate where christie's surrogates allegedly ordered politically motivated lane closures on the busiest bridge span in the world. the state of play is this, the feds have so far found no grounds for charges. no involvement of the governor himself. both the federal and state investigations continue. this was a big day on wall street here in new york today as a chinese e-commerce giant alibaba debuted with the biggest ipo in history raising $22

billion, making it one of the most valuable companies in the world instantly. while it's a new name here, alibaba's responsible for 80% of all online sales in china. the company's ceo told cnbc "we want to be bigger than walmart. we hope in 15 years people say this is a company like microsoft, ibm, walmart. they changed and shaped the world." mixed day overall on wall street the dow finished up about 13 points while the nasdaq finished down 13 and the s&p down about a point. still ahead on this friday night, the manhunt growing for one of the fbi's most wanted. in the meantime, families across a big area are afraid to let their children go outside. what police saw on this surveillance tape that stunned an entire town and how so many people came together to make a difference.

we are back as promised with this growing manhunt tonight for one of the fbi's ten most wanted, a sniper, a survivalist accused of opening fire on police in an ambush attack killing a state trooper in northeast pennsylvania. schools remain closed, people are staying indoors as ordered as authorities broaden out this search. we get our report tonight from nbc's stephanie gosk in blooming grove, p.a. >> reporter: with nerves on edge, tips are flooding hotlines. all possible clues leading to suspected cop killer eric frein. one call led to roadblocks around the suspect's home. helicopters, police dogs and s.w.a.t. teams. but nothing. and it's now a full week since frein allegedly shot two state troopers, killing one. jim novak, a veteran and regular hunter, knows the local woods like the back of his hand.

>> you really have to turn over every rock, you know, that you think this guy could hide under. >> reporter: novak was back here with his dog monday when he stumbled upon a critical clue. >> is that where it was driven in over there? >> yeah. right where that -- >> reporter: a green suv dipped in a pond belonging to frein and filled with evidence. >> there was a brown gun case. there was no weapon in there. and then i knew that this has to be that -- >> reporter: has to be the shooter's car. >> yeah. >> reporter: the find triggered this massive manhunt that grows every day. lives here in this quiet area have been turned upside down. kathy and jason won't let their two small girls outside. >> she looks outside, she wants to go play and she can't. >> reporter: the swings hang motionless on a beautiful day. how about at night? >> oh, every little noise. everything you hear.

whether it's a deer or the house settling or, you know, the wind blowing. you panic. >> reporter: with the community already jittery, officials are asking hunters not to fire their weapons until the search is over. there have been several reports of gunfire to the hotline that turned into false alarms. and they're distracting from the actual search, brian. >> what an awful week it's been for the folks there blooming grove, p.a. stephanie gosk reporting live for us tonight. stephanie, thanks. another break. we're back in a moment with an announcement today having to do with women in the military. plus, a big america name changing hands and changing colors. n name changing hands and changing colors. name changing hands and changing colors. n name changing hands and changing colors.

i have another one for you. >> yes, sir. >> this one straight from the top. >> captain miller had one right there on his shoulder in "private ryan," u.s. army ranger tab, the small patch on the uniform sleeve that has been updated since then but has always been earned.

the only way to get it is to go to ranger school, ft. benning. and the army chief of staff says women should be able to earn the ranger tab starting next spring. while still unable to serve in front line ranger units but rather as advisors and observers. the inventor of a small but ubiquitous piece of american beverage history has died. will radcliff was the man behind the slush puppie, a former door-to-door vacuum salesman and sold peanuts and shined shoes at a country club. but when he spotted a slush machine at a trade fair in 1970, he saw the branding opportunity those flavorings would bring all under the banner of a floppy-eared dog. will radcliff was 74. speaking of beverage news, a bombshell in the beer community today. pbr is going to the former ussr, or as somebody today said pabst blue is going red. all ribbing aside, pbr was always a good rock ribbed american blue collar brand that

enjoyed a second wind thanks to the embrace of hipsters. pabst colt 45 and old milwaukee being sold to a large russian brewing company called oasis beverages. when we come back, our friday making a difference report. a police officer going well beyond the call of duty to help a young man.

finally tonight, this is a story a lot of us saw on our local news that may say a lot about the power of good over evil. it's about a 27-year-old man from stamford, connecticut, who has autism, lives with his mom but commutes independently. patrick happens to be a trusting individual, but in this case that made him vulnerable. but it's what happened next here, the number of people who made a difference, that was truly touching. the story from our national correspondent, kate snow. >> reporter: video games are patrick's passion. >> woo hoo! >> reporter: while his single mom works, you can usually find him at the local mall. everyone knows him there. it's where patrick headed to buy some video games last week with his birthday money in hand, a crisp $100-bill.

>> here is patrick. he's walking in the park towards the mall. >> reporter: the police piece together what happens next. >> pretty soon he starts to play a little keepaway with patrick with the money. >> reporter: he's teasing him. >> he's teasing him. patrick is a trusting person. the gentleman fakes putting the money back in his pocket and gives him that final hug to calm patrick down and in actuality stole his hundred dollars. >> he's taking advantage of him. >> definitely taking advantage of him. >> reporter: they made an arrest. but for all the officers here it was personal. you know patrick? >> yeah. everybody knows patrick. >> reporter: sergeant connelly wanted to make it right. so she started a collection just at the station. but when word got out. >> we had so many calls coming in and e-mails, i couldn't return phone calls fast enough. i couldn't keep up with it. >> patrick, these are for you. >> thank you guys! >> reporter: they collected $2,000 for patrick and his mom, much of it from people with some connection to autism. a child sent a drawing and four one-dollar bills.

>> this brings tears to my eyes because, you know, i see how people can react. and it's amazing. >> how you doing? >> reporter: patrick is practically part of the family at the police department now. yesterday he got to ride in a patrol car for the first time. all the way to the mall. he wanted to spend some of the donated money, but at game stop they gave him a brand new xbox. >> it makes us feel good to know there are people out there who, you know, still care. there's still good people left. >> i'm happy! >> reporter: people who gave patrick a happy birthday after all. kate snow, nbc news, stamford, connecticut. >> that's why we call it our making a difference segment. that's our broadcast on a friday night and for this week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. lester holt will be here with you this weekend. we of course hope to see you right back here on monday night. have a good weekend. goodnight. . hope to see you

right back here on monday night. have a good weekend. goodnight. of course hope to see right back here on monday night. have a good weekend. goodnight. , of course, hope to right back here on monday night. have a good weekend. goodnight. there was nothing left. >> right now at 6:00 flames chew through homes in a rapidly growing wildfire. why crews can't seem to get that upper hand. good evening and thanks for joining us. >> we'll get to that story in a moment. first, breaking news in the south bay. just a few minutes ago, san jose police released these two sketches. take a good look, these two men they say look like this, kidnapped a girl at a bus stop and sexually assaulted her. this happened on tuesday around 4:00 in the afternoon near the

intersection of saratoga and campbell avenues. this is near westgate mall and prospect high school. investigators say the suspects forced her into their white van and that's when they attacked her. they dropped her off in the same area and then took off. again, these are the sketches of those two suspects. anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the san jose police department. developing news east of sacramento where the king fire continues to burn and with a vengeance. today the man accused of maliciously and deliberately setting the fire appeared in court where reporters were only allowed to take photos, no video. wayne huntsman pled not guilty to felony arson. the king fire destroyed at least four homes, 119 square miles, and the plume from the fire is as long the state of colorado. follow lack pines, the government has issued warnings