or show. >> thank you for joining us here at 5:00. lester holt joins us next. breaking news tonight from baltimore. six police officers charged in the death of freddie gray ruled a homicide. alleged crimes including second-degree murder and manslaughter. tonight, a swift and stunning announcement from the top prosecutor in charge. describing an illegal arrest, a fatal injury inside that police van and the repeated failure to get help despite pleas from the prisoner inside. late reaction tonight from the people taking to the streets, the police union. and we'll sit down with the prosecutor bringing those charges. also, new developments in the bridge scandal swirling around new jersey governor chris christie. three former allies charged with intentionally triggering a traffic nightmare. "nightly news" begins right now.

this is "nbc nightly news." reporting tonight from baltimore, lester holt. good evening. a special good evening to our viewers from the west from the shadow of baltimore city hall. a dramatic week of riots and peaceful protests, even like some take ing on right now. this culminated today in a swift, stunning announcement from this city's top prosecutor declaring that the death of freddie gray amounted to murder and manslaughter. and charging six baltimore police officers in connection with his death. state's attorney marilyn mosby saying even gray's arrest was illegal. the charges met with both celebrations and accusations of a rush to judgment. we have full coverage starting with nbc's peter alexander. >> reporter: what followed freddie gray's videotaped arrest the baltimore state's attorney says was homicide. >> we have probable cause to file criminal charges. >> reporter: the stunning announcement less than five days after riots ravaged

the city's streets. marilyn mosby says she spoke to gray's family this week. >> i assured his family that no one is above the law and that i would pursue justice on their behalf. >> reporter: detailing the events of april 12th, baltimore's chief prosecutor says gray never should have been arrested. that a knife found in the 25-year-old's pocket was closed and legal. >> lieutenant rice, officer miller and officer nero failed to establish probable cause for mr. gray's arrest as no crime had been committed by mr. gray. >> reporter: mosby says police repeatedly denied medical attention to gray including when he was arrested complaining he couldn't breathe and asking for an inhaler. minutes later gray, already handcuffed, was taken out of the van, placed in leg restraints and loaded back in head first on to the floor. >> mr. gray suffered a severe and critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside of the bpd wagon. >> reporter: the van then stops so an officer could check on

gray caught by surveillance cameras, but again no medical help. minutes later mosby says another stop where gray struggling to breathe twice asked for a medic. >> mr. gray at that time requested help and indicated that he could not breathe. officer porter asked mr. gray if he needed a medic, at which time mr. gray indicated at least twice that he was in need of a medic. >> reporter: by the fourth stop where officers picked up another prisoner, the prosecutor says gray was unresponsive. >> despite mr. gray's seriously deteriorating medical condition, no medical assistance was rendered or summoned for mr. gray at that time by any officer. >> reporter: exactly 45 minutes after gray's arrest, she says, the van arrived at the western district police station and a medic was finally called. no longer breathing and suffering cardiac arrest, gray was taken to the university of maryland shock trauma center where he died one week later. the six officers including a lieutenant and a sergeant are all

accused of assault and misconduct, four are also charged with involuntary manslaughter, three with false imprisonment. and facing the most serious charges, including second-degree murder, the police van's driver officer goodson jr. who could face 63 years in prison if convicted. >> today is a momentous step on the road to justice for freddie. >> reporter: the police union is demanding a special prosecutor, calling mosby's decision an egregious rush to judgment. >> let me state in no uncertain terms that lieutenant rice and all of the officers involved at all times acted reasonably and in accordance with their training as baltimore police officers. we believe that these officers will be vindicated as they have done nothing wrong. >> reporter: now for the first time we're getting our first look at the six police officers. these are their booking photos from the jail nearby. nbc news has learned that at least three of them have been released and have posted bail. lester, up next for these individuals is a preliminary hearing.

>> peter alexander, and as we speak tonight a new crowd of protests have filed in from across city hall. ron allen is across town where people are reacting to this news, a different feeling there tonight than some of the tense scenes we have come to see this week. >> reporter: at the epicenter of protests not far from where freddie gray lived and died, today a huge outpouring of joy and relief. juan grant, freddie gray's brother-in-law, says the fight continues. are you satisfied? >> no. no. >> reporter: you're not satisfied? >> far from satisfied. they haven't been convicted of anything yet. >> reporter: but this is a big step. >> but it's a big step. >> reporter: pastor jamal bryant delivered the eulogy at gray's funeral. did you think you were going to get here today? >> absolutely. america is going to be in shock therapy tonight to see the mugshots of police officers on television. >> reporter: heavily armed police are keeping shields and weapons lowered. protesters demanding

justice and police enforcing a curfew. >> we witnessed history and this is the thing. i'm hoping we're able to do is make baltimore a model for the nation. >> reporter: but the grievances and mistrust of police run deep. young men like tony washington who admits he's had trouble with the law still doubts the six officers will ever be convicted of a crime. >> it's all phony. >> reporter: it's phony? >> they're going to go through with it and then they're going to say not guilty. >> reporter: but for this moment now there seems to be a truce between the community feeling vindication and the police. do you think things are going to get better? >> of course. of course it's going to get better. you know, what goes up must come back down and what goes down goes back up. >> reporter: and all of this continues to be peaceful. no arrests. no confrontations no. sign of celebrations about to end. unclear whether authorities will try to enforce a curfew later tonight. lester? >> ron allen, thanks.

just a few nights ago here in baltimore on i noted that there are communities here that feel invisible and unheard, but tonight many in the city's african-american community believe that has changed. some going so far as to call the announcement of today's charges historic. kweisi mfume the five-term u.s. congressman and former head of the naacp says it's an important message here in his hometown. >> i think what it says to them is that not only do we see you, but we hear you. we understand your pain. we're not judging, but we are going to pursue justice. >> reporter: there are a lot of hardworking cops out there who do a tough job every day. does this send a message that undermines the average cop who's just doing his job out there? >> this is not an indictment of all police. you know, all of us realize that we have good police officers, men and women who get up every day in their home, put on a badge and uniform and go out and patrol our communities.

they treat us with respect. they treat us with a sense of dignity. and they treat us with a sense of worth. unfortunately, those good officers get painted with a broad brush here. >> reporter: data is hard to come by, but nationwide black americans face higher rates of arrest for many crimes. according to a 2014 analysis by "usa today," at least 70 police departments from connecticut to california arrested black people at a rate ten times higher than people who are not black. >> i grew up in these streets. i have family that lived across the street here. so i've seen now for 66 years in this city what can happen when things work. and i know personally what happens when they don't. and i know how young people grow up believing that this is just the way it's going to be. >> reporter: families like latish walker's. >> my youngest was actually afraid to leave the house tuesday. >> reporter: have you ever been afraid of the police? what are you afraid of?

>> i don't know. i'm just really scared. >> reporter: that's sad. that's sad. >> makes you want to cry because you want your child to be able to walk outside and feel safe and feel like they're important and that they're worthy. and when they're afraid of the very people that are supposed to protect them, what do you do? you know? like how do you tell your child how to behave when they're not doing anything wrong in the first place? his fear is justified, you know and i don't know how to make that go away for him. >> reporter: and as for the unrest here in baltimore this week, latish walker wonders if it made the difference. >> it was the riot that got the world's attention. and had it not been for that, we don't know -- we don't know if that put pressure on them. we don't know. >> a lot of different emotions here tonight. it's not lost on us. there are a lot of

police officers in this city who are in plain. they don't want to be seen through the lens what have has happened here. i spoke to a few of them manning some of the police lines around city hall small talk mostly, how you doing? some of them gave me the thumb's up and some of them said we're hanging in there. meantime, all eyes are focused on the youngest top prosecutor of any major city in america. 35-year-old marilyn mosby, the daughter and granddaughter of police officers, the recently elected state's attorney of baltimore who is leading the case against these officers. nbc's kristen welker sat down with her late today to discuss her decision. >> reporter: when baltimore state's attorney marilyn mosby stepped into the spotlight today, she stood on the shoulders of a long line of law enforcement. her mother, father and grandfather among many family members who served as police officers and influenced her decision to follow them. you spoke to your mom today. >> i did. >> reporter: what did she say to you? >> she said she was proud of me. >> reporter: at 35

mosby is the youngest chief prosecutor of a major american city, but her age has never stopped her. and today she took on her critics, the fraternal order of police citing mosby's ties to freddie gray's family attorney and seat on the baltimore city council representing the gray family called on her to step aside and appoint an independent special prosecutor. why not appoint an independent prosecutor. >> my husband is a public servant and so am i. he makes the laws, i enforce them. there is no conflict of interest. >> reporter: and mosby insisted even though people have been protesting gray's death in baltimore for days, she felt no pressure to rush to judgment. >> i'm a prosecutor. my job is to follow the facts and apply them to the elements of the law. >> reporter: but this mother of two young girls says she does feel the trust is broken between the community and police. and that fueled the violent night of protests earlier this week. >> as a mom i was very concerned.

this was happening right outside my door. >> reporter: mosby says now she's focused on letting the legal process play out and hopes this moment will help right decades of wrongs. >> our time is now to reclaim our communities, to get engaged, to get into the political process. it begins today. >> reporter: kristen welker, nbc news, baltimore. we want to turn now to a story roaring back into the headlines tonight, the so-called bridgegate scandal involving the office of new jersey governor chris christie. the political payback scheme that caused a traffic jam on the george washington bridge led to criminal charges today for three of the governor's former allies, and while it's not been linked direct though christie, it has cast a shadow over his potential run for president. nbc's stephanie gosk has the details. >> no cars are really coming our way. >> reporter: in september 2013 for four straight days the traffic on the george washington bridge was a nightmare, trapping commuters, school kids and emergency responders. today, former port

authority official david wildstein, a new jersey governor chris christie appointee, admitted it was done on purpose. >> a deliberate and illegal scheme to reduce the access lanes from three to one in order to punish the mayor of ft. lee for not endorsing governor christie ere-election. >> reporter: wildstein pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy in a plea deal and while two co-conspire stons, former chief of staff bridget kelly and bill baroni were indicted on three charges. the indictments allege the trio concocted the plan, waited for the first day of school to maximize disruption and then repeatedly ignored the mayor's concerns about public safety. wildstein says he got the order from kelly in an e-mail. time for some traffic problems in ft. lee. >> david wildstein is a liar. >> reporter: kelly breaking her silence for the first time in 16 months.

both she and baroni deny the charges. >> i never ordered or conspired with david wildstein to close or realign lanes at the bridge for any reason. additionally, for the indictment to suggest that i was the only person in the governor's office who was aware of the george washington bridge issue is ludicrous. >> reporter: governor christie responded in a statement. today's charges make clear that what i've said from day one is true. i had no knowledge or involvement in the planning or execution of this act. christie spent the morning in virginia with business leaders. damage to a possible presidential campaign may be unavoidable. >> i think this makes a presidential campaign which has already been an uphill battle, the climb is now steeper today. >> reporter: after court wildstein's lawyer repeated a damaging claim. >> mr. christie knew of the lane closures while they were occurring. and evidence exists to establish that. >> reporter: federal prosecutors say based on the evidence they have gathered during

their extensive investigation, they are not going to charge anyone else. stephanie gosk, nbc news, newark, new jersey. still ahead tonight, big decisions happening all across the country today. where to go to college and how to pay for it. we'll tell you about the new way so many have figured out to cover the costs.

this is a day to remember for hey school seniors as they choose the next exciting chapters of their lives. it's national college decision day when many announce where they are going to school while their parents worry about paying for it. rather than taking out huge loans, some are finding creative new ways to own their futures. nbc's joe fryer has more. ♪ >> reporter: for music major shalini henry john, it was hard enough dealing with the death of her father in march. she also had to pay her college $5,000 before graduating this weekend. >> i remember myself crying before i'd go to sleep because i didn't know how i was going to pay the money for that. >> reporter: her friend suggested a go-fund me page online raising the money

needed through donations from friends and strangers. >> i can't thank them enough. and i'm beyond words. i'm speechless. >> reporter: go fund me says last year more than 100,000 educational campaigns were created for tuition, raising about $13 million. to avoid having to ask online, experts say apply for financial aid early. states and schools often dole out money on a first come, first serve basis and don't be afraid to ask for more aid, especially if something has changed in your life. >> a good rule of thumb for a student is they shouldn't take out more in loan debt over their college courses than they'll make in their first year. >> reporter: even though she raised enough for the $5,000 payment, she still has about $45,000 in loans. but for now there's reason to celebrate. >> daddy, i finally did it. i finally made it. and i know that will make him proud. >> reporter: joe fryer, nbc news, los angeles. up next tonight, the loss of a legendary singer behind one of the most famous songs of the

20th century. also, a sudden collapse today and emergency at the watergate, one of the most infamous buildings in america.

a sudden scary accident today at the famous watergate complex in washington, d.c. when a three-story parking garage collapsed crushing at least one car and injuring two workers. d.c.'s mayor says she can't rule out the possibility that some people are missing in the rubble. this by the way is not the garage where journalist bob woodward secretly met with mark felt. that one is in arlington, virginia and is scheduled for demolition. >> his unforgettable classic, "stand by me," a big hit in 1961 and, again in, 1986 in a movie of the same

name. king grew up in harlem where he was discovered as a teenager, the start of a performing and regarding career that last decades. ben e. king was 76 years old. a huge weekend ahead for sports fans with floyd mayweather and manny pacquiao ready to duke in out in what's been called the fight of the century. the two met earlier for the weigh-in the last time they will come face to face before they clash tomorrow night in the richest match in history. when we come back here in a moment, the children in baltimore schools struggling to make sense of what's happening to their city.

what a week it has been in baltimore, the riots, the marches and peaceful protests like this one across from city hall. tonight we look at it through the eyes of children, grade schoolers, and rehema ellis takes us into the classroom. >> today's event in baltimore made me frightened. >> there was a car on fire. >> i was upset when they looted the stores. i was angry when they smashed and burned up cars. >> reporter: heartfelt essays from students at edgewood elementary in baltimore about how the violence in their city has effected them. >> you go around just messing up everything. and then what do you have for yourself?

>> reporter: for students across the city a teachable moment. >> we want to be positive in all that we do. even some of the negative things we want to turn that around and make it positive. >> reporter: raise your hand if there was anything that happened this week in your city that made you proud. did you find something that made you proud? >> i was so proud to see people cleaning the areas after all of the chaos. >> cause and effect. >> reporter: and they have high hopes for the future. >> i seen the city accomplish a lot of good things. and i believe if we work together we can accomplish more things. >> i think i could like a program to bring everybody together and fight. besides all the bad things they have done. >> i want baltimore to be a better place for my children to grow up in. >> reporter: still growing up themselves, but this week getting a clearer idea of who they want to be. rehema ellis, nbc

news, baltimore. >> that will do it for us on this friday night. i'm lester holt reporting from baltimore. for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. right now at 6:00 sweeping the south bay looking for criminals. an exclusive look at a manhunt under way. good evening. thanks for being with us on a friday. i'm raj mathai. >> and i'm jessica aguirre. a massive raid in the south bay right now. dozens of police parole and probation officers hitting the streets, looking for gang members. david trujillo is the only reporter on today's briefing of the gang task force. he joins us live from the

sheriff's office. the timing here is no coincidence. >> reporter: no coincidence at all. this is the start of the cinco de mayo weekend. one former gang member told me the kind of sweep taking place right now is a good thing. >> uniformed and plain clothed officers. >> they gathered just after 3:00 today. dozens of gang cops looking for gang members. >> we're trying to let people know we are prepared for the weekend starting today. again, there are also precautions set for the rest of the weekend. >> it's a gang suppression, and it comes just before cinco de mayo weekend. agents made several home visits in the last half hour to make sure gang members on parole or probation aren't breaking conditions of their release from jail or prison. >> i think it's really good for the gang officers,