>> nightly news is is next. good night, folks. on this monday night, off and running. hillary clinton's road trip to iowa. fast food and pit stops. what's behind the low-key kickoff? and marco rubio jumps in as well setting up a likely florida showdown with jeb bush. another controversial police shooting caught on camera. a suspect killed, a 73-year-old reserve deputy now charged with manslaughter. the parenting debate that has people taking sides. kids as young as 6 walking off unsupervised. their parents in trouble again. how young is too young to go it alone? and master class. the young american who just made history and the sister who inspires him to win. "nightly news" begins right now.

from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news." reporting tonight, lester holt. good evening. they are off and running. late today, on the heels of hillary clinton's official entry into the presidential race, yet another long-anticipated name joined the field of contenders. florida senator marco rubio addressing supporters just a short time ago in miami formally declaring his bid for the republican nomination. meantime, just over 24 hours under her twitter launched candidacy, hillary clinton has barely been seen, apparently by design. only sightings of her posted online as she makes her way to iowa by car. yes, it's her on a security camera video at a fast food restaurant. this has started out at least as a very low-key campaign kickoff. we're covering both campaign launches tonight. andrea mitchell starts us off in des moines, iowa. andrea, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. it's certainly an unconventional launch. her campaign for the presidency. one of the best known women in

america on her road trip here to iowa stopping at coffee shops like this one and trying to blend in along the way. for her first day on the road, this was the only evidence hillary clinton was campaigning. her tweeted picture from a gas station stop near altoona, pennsylvania. and pictures from chris learn, a college student who bumped into her. >> literally when i walked out the door i saw her and i was like, oh, that's her. i didn't even realize she'd be here. it was funny, though. >> reporter: this afternoon security camera video of her ordering a chicken bowl with guacamole at a chipotle outside toledo. tantalizing hints of a seemingly carefree jaunt from the clinton estate in chappaqua across key battleground states. more than a thousand miles to her first public event tomorrow in iowa. carefully choreographed to re-introduce hillary clinton as the self-declared champion of everyday americans like those seen in her campaign video. >> we've been doing a lot of home renovations. >> but most importantly we just

really want to teach our dog to quit eating the trash. >> reporter: trying to re-create the voting blocs of the winning coalition from 2008. women, latinos, millennials. like the bagniewskis who said they had no idea the interview they did two months ago would be part of her campaign announcement. >> we were pretty shocked. i rushed home and by the time i got home my phone had already exploded. >> reporter: and a group with growing political clout, gays. >> we invited hillary clinton to come to our wedding. >> reporter: it did not mention her most recent job, secretary of state and questions she's sure to face about foreign policy failures like benghazi or more recently her deleted e-mails. instead she's borrowing language from critics on the left like senator elizabeth warren about the economy. >> but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top. so i'm hitting the road to earn your vote. >> reporter: some iowa democrats still need to be convinced. >> i haven't made up my mind yet. i want to see all the candidates and hear what they've got to say before i make up my mind, but

i'm really excited about her joining the race. >> i would like to see a woman in the white house. i am concerned about the clinton, bush, clinton, bush, you know, that there's just been so much talk of clinton, bush. >> reporter: and so she gets here tomorrow, she'll meet people in small groups trying to reconnect with the very voters the iowans who rejected her soundly, she came in third when she ran for the presidency last time around in iowa. lester? >> andrea mitchell tonight, thanks. by contrast republican senator marco rubio is making a very public entrance into the race. kelly o'donnell is in miami where rubio just made it official in front of a pumped-up hometown crowd. hi, kelly. >> reporter: hi, lester. candidates rarely make their announcements in the evening, but marco rubio did. he came here at the precise time of 6:03 p.m. to make sure that

cable networks like the conservative home of fox news would carry it live for a friendly audience, and the location was also intentionally symbolic. the landmark, miami's freedom tower. the ellis island for cuban refugees who fled fidel castro's regime a generation ago. the legacy. a crowd of supporters who registered for tickets came to see a blue-collar son of cuban immigrants. >> you know, i think we need somebody who is real. i think that's so important. >> reporter: tonight senator marco rubio launched his run for the republican nomination appropriately in the place where his parents entered the country. >> i live in an exceptional country where the son of a bartender and a maid can have the same dreams and the same future as those who come from power and privilege. >> reporter: earlier rubio stopped by to rehearse, all smiles, but taking no questions. saving his thunder for later. senator, you're the youngest candidate. are you prepared to be president, sir? at a local lunch spot florida voters told me they can relate to rubio. he is a younger candidate compared to some.

what does that mean to you? >> he might think like i do. and have same views as i do. >> reporter: like the extra sugar heaped in cuban coffee, here rubio's heritage sweetens his appeal. what do you think rubio's biggest strength is? >> his background. his double culture. the united states is changing. >> reporter: rubio's quick political rise does include some awkward moments. pressure appeared to get the better of him with that water break delivering the gop state of the union response in 2013. and now more personally. rubio is challenging his own mentor, fellow floridian jeb bush, who is also expected to run for president. and rubio is the third first-term senator to get into the race, but unlike ted cruz and rand paul, he's more establishment than tea party. and unlike, rand paul, his aides tell me that rubio will not seek re-election to the senate while he's running for president. lester? >> kelly, thanks. i'm joined by chuck todd, our political director

and moderator of "meet the press." let's talk about the timing of the rubio announcement in the wake of the clinton announcement. does it help him draw a contrast? >> well, look, it does. obviously, he would like to have the week to himself. let's not pretend he wants to be overshadowed and have this split-screen moment with hillary clinton. however, there's a way for him to make lemonade. he did it well in this speech. he's generation x, she's a baby boomer. by the way, marco rubio's chief primary opponent is jeb bush, another baby boomer. so he's able to make that point quite a bit, that he's about the future. you talk to anybody, presidential campaigns are always about the future. this is something the clinton campaign is very worried about. they're hoping her gender, the idea of electing the first woman president will do that. and lester, one other note -- and this is why generation matters. five of the last six presidential elections have been won by the younger candidate. voters instinctively

respond to the future sometimes by going with the younger candidate. >> we're going to see others jump very quickly, jeb bush among them? >> i think we're going to see a little bit of a lull here over the next couple of weeks, and then watch out for may. that's when you're going to see officially hillary clinton with her big speech and then everybody else like planes on a runway, ben carson, jeb bush, you name it. may will be a big announcement month. >> all right, chuck, thanks very much. senator rubio will appear live tomorrow morning on "today." now to the shocking video adding fuel to the firestorm over use of police force. it shows another incident in which law enforcement fatally shot an unarmed man. we learned late today charges will be brought in this case though the sheriff's office says it was an accident. kevin tibbles has more. >> i got you. i got you. >> reporter: police video of a sting operation in oklahoma. the suspect bolts from undercover agents with the tulsa county sheriff's office and is chased. a scuffle is picked up by a police body cam. according to police, one deputy says, taser. >> roll on your stomach. now.

>> reporter: but then 44-year-old eric harris, who authorities say had an extensive criminal record, is not tased but shot. immediately a voice is heard. >> i shot him. i'm sorry. >> reporter: officers then subdue harris. one kneels on his head. >> i'm losing my breath. >> reporter: the man who pulled the trigger is 73-year-old bob bates, an insurance broker who volunteers as a reserve deputy. the sheriff's office says he mistakenly pulled his handgun instead of his taser and fired. harris died later. >> he believed he had a less lethal device in his hand and he was going to administer a less lethal taser probe when in reality he had a firearm in his hand. >> reporter: the sheriff's office says reserve deputies are members of the public, doctors, bankers, even retired police officers who receive varying degrees of training. bates donated thousands of dollars in equipment, and the

authorities say his role in this operation was in a backup capacity. >> if he had as much training as he supposedly had, he would definitely know a .357 from a taser. >> reporter: while a sheriff's office investigation recommended bates not be charged, late today the tulsa county district attorney did charge him with second degree manslaughter. kevin tibbles, nbc news, chicago. the images from that tulsa shooting emerge less than a week after the country saw video of an officer in south carolina fatally shooting an unarmed man running away from him. tonight more dash cam video is filling in gaps about what that officer did in the aftermath. nbc's gabe gutierrez has that for us. >> reporter: just minutes after officer michael slager shot and killed walter scott, we hear his voice on his dash cam video speaking to another officer.

>> when you get home, probably be a good idea to kind of jot down your thoughts or what happened. >> okay. >> you know, once your adrenaline quits pumping. >> it's pumping. >> oh, yeah, oh, yeah. >> reporter: then slager is heard speaking with someone else on the phone. >> hey, everything's okay. okay? i just shot somebody. >> reporter: now, there are calls to charge other officers on the scene who claimed in written accounts they rendered first aid, including cpr. >> thank god for video because what we see is is that there was a very different encounter that actually happened on that day. >> i haven't seen all of the videos yet, but i know that the one officer did try to prevent the bleeding. >> reporter: also today a second man came forward to claim slager used excessive force. julius wilson, seen here in this dash cam video says slager tasered him in 2014 even though other officers had already pinned him down. how painful was it? >> excruciating. >> reporter: last week mario gibbons said he was planning to

sue claiming slager used excessive force by tasering him the year before. slager, now charged with murder, has not yet entered a plea. his new attorney is declining to comment. the state investigation into the walter scott shooting is expected to last at least until next week. some residents here praised city officials for charging the officer within days, but right behind me others just finished protesting, calling for changes at the police department. lester? >> gabe gutierrez, thank you. four americans received lengthy prison sentences today for an infamous incident during the iraq war. all four are former blackwater security contractors convicted for the killings of 14 unarmed iraqis including women and children in baghdad in 2007. nicholas slatten was sentenced to life in prison. he was the only one convicted of murder. the other three each got 30 years in prison. spring means storms, and a dangerous one swept through north-central texas

this morning creating flash floods in ft. worth that moved in so fast some people were forced to abandon their cars. the water reached waist high in some areas, and it's not over. more rain is expected in the region throughout the week. there's some breaking news seattle where a plane, the pilot heard. upon landing they found a ramp worker in the cargo hold. nbc's miguel almaguer has late details. >> reporter: alaska airlines flight 448 greeted by ambulance in seattle after the pilot declares an emergency landing. it was just after takeoff when loud banging could be heard from beneath the aircraft. headed to los angeles, airborne for 14 minutes, alaska says the contracted employee was found inside the front cargo hold which is pressurized and temperature controlled. >> and the aviation employee walked off the aircraft and told first responders that

he was taking nap. >> reporter: able to walk off the aircraft on his own, the airline is launching an investigation. the cargo worker transported to a nearby hospital in good condition. a short time later, the plane was back on the runway wheels up to los angeles. this time with one less person aboard. miguel almaguer nbc news, los angeles. up next another amazing story up in the air, an extraordinary one-way trip. all the seats are empty. and once the plane lands, it never leaves. and later, the driving force behind a 21-year-old texan who had millions cheering his swing into the history books.

you've probably flown on one. american airlines is retiring a few at a time, week by week. and that means they're all getting one last flight. tom costello takes us along for the ride. >> reporter: it's the sunday night run, baltimore to dallas. >> thank you. >> reporter: but what none of these travelers knew before booking their tickets is that this is the last time this plane will ever carry passengers. >> this is this aircraft's final flight. they are retiring it. >> reporter: after 23 years tail number n-595 is at the end of its life. as american airlines slowly retires what had been the backbone of its fleet. all 370 of its md-80s built by mcdonnell douglas before the fully automated cockpits of today.

the kind of plane old-school pilots love to fly. >> like an old shoe. they're very comfortable in it. it's such a reliable, just good solid airplane. >> reporter: after passengers departed 595 was off again, headed for its final resting place. on its log books 71,000 hours of flight time. more than 31,000 takeoffs and landings. that means over the course of this plane's life, more than 4 million people have flown in these seats. it wasn't long before we were on the ground in roswell, new mexico, the dry boneyard for hundreds of planes that have served their time. every make, model and brand. many of them cannibalized to keep planes that are still flying in the air. this is where planes go to die, dismantled piece by piece. this once proud 747 now a relic. it's really an inglorious end for these icons of the jet age, now salvaged for spare

parts and scrap metal. but more modern, more fuel-efficient planes mean this pilot's favorite is nearly obsolete. so every week for the next two years yet another md-80 will touch down for the last time. tom costello, nbc news, roswell, new mexico. when we come back how young is too young for children to walk off on their own? a case in the spotlight is back tonight.

a maryland couple is back in the news tonight weeks after child protective services found them responsible for, quote, unsubstantiated child neglect. it's all because they let their children ages 6 and 10 walk alone in their neighborhood. and as nbc's rehema ellis reports, an incident over the weekend is igniting their fight all over again. >> reporter: the meitiv family is battling child protective services again. their two children were taken into custody sunday afternoon after a report that they were walking alone blocks from their home in silver spring, maryland. 10-year-old rafi says

they were kept from their parents for hours. >> i thought i was going to be taken away from my parents. >> they wouldn't even let my 6-year-old go to the bathroom. what did they think she was going to do? >> reporter: last december danielle and alexander were accused of neglect for what's been described as their free-range parenting style, which they say teaches independence. >> they're healthy, they're well behaved, clearly well-fed, well dressed, articulate, confident, there's nothing in that list that suggests neglect. that's our new safety plan. >> reporter: to get their kids back, the meitivs signed a safety plan which prohibits them from letting their children go outside by themselves. the state's department of human resources, which oversees child protective services, says it will review the situation and talk to all involved parties. as the family

considers legal action, the kids are caught in the middle again. rehema ellis, nbc news, new york. when we come back, the inspiration behind a young american's record-setting win at the masters.

finally tonight, it was one of the best performances in golf history as millions tuned in the masters yesterday and witnessed something of a changing of the guard. a young texan shattering the record books on his way to a triumphant victory. nbc's stephanie gosk takes a look at the driving force behind his will to win. >> reporter: jordan spieth says he didn't sleep well the night before the final round of the masters. up early, waiting all day to tee off, the nerves had a chance to build. and then he drilled it right down the middle. leading to one of his record breaking 28 birdies for the tournament. watching anyone win at augusta national is exciting. watching a 21-year-old win is special. tiger woods in 1997 was younger but only just. at 21, you're not supposed to be this poised, this gracious, this good. >> just how are you feeling right now? >> yeah, i don't really know. it's incredible. it's one of the best feelings. >> reporter: spieth

grew up in texas with golf clubs in his hands and a philosophy from his father -- set goals and achieve them early. when he walked off 18, family and friends were there to share the moment. a beaming grandfather in the stands, hugs from his parents and a kiss from his girlfriend, a high school sweetheart. his younger sister ellie who was born with a neurological disorder couldn't be there. >> after each round she said, jordan, did you win? did you win? i can tell her i won now. >> reporter: being her older brother, the golfer writes on his website, humbled me every day. >> i'm a professional golfer, but what i do on the course i want to be secondary to what i do off the course. >> reporter: that humility has won over the competition. >> he's just a quality individual. i think it's hard not to like, hard not to pull for the guy. >> reporter: fair to say the gentleman's game not only has another champion, it has another gentleman. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. and that will do it for us on this monday night. i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching, and good

night. we were just devastated. i couldn't believe it. my girls were crying hysterically as well as myself. >> right now at 6:00 left in a lurch. parents of children at a beloved south bay school are devastated by the news the school could be closing its doors. good evening and thanks for joining us. >> i'm janelle wang in for raj mathai. >> and i'm jessica aguirre. a neighborhood preschool has been priced out of the south bay. and with it the families that depend on it for care for their

family. it's located in south san jose and soon the location of that lot could belong to a housing developer. nbc bay area's michelle roberts joins us from outside the school and many parents are devastated to hear the school is closing and are really facing what are they going to do now? >> absolutely. it's a big question. many of them are sad and upset. this school has been around since 1907. obviously, so much has changed since then including the housing prices. just to give you a little perspective, a one-bedroom will cost you about $2,000 in this neighborhood, meaning this property is extremely valuable. >> this is truly a gym. >> st. elizabeth day home has been a landmark in san jose for a century. >> i like my school and my friends. >> 5-year-old arizona and 120 other preschoolers will have to find new friends next year. and with the school closing, many parents worry they won't be able to afford early education without the financial aid st. elizabeth's