rrow especially around the south bay. we'll see a chance of a few showers high humidity high temperatures around the bay area. >> nbc "nightly news" is next. on this saturday night, crossing the line. donald trump declaring john mccain was not a war hero. terror in tennessee. memorials for the victims as another service member dies. plus, new details on the background of the shooter. out of control. the e destruction in california a as fires burned thousands of acres destroying homes and vehicles and forcing hundreds of campers to evacuate. protecting your family from the disease spread by a tiny predator. why we are seeing more and more infections. and second act. some of the biggest stars making las vegas hot again, and the fans are following. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world

headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news." reporting tonight, thomas roberts. good evening. we start tonight with donald trump. gop presidential contenders latest remarks in iowa about senator john mccain's military record landed trump in the political crosshairs. he said mccain is not a war hero. so far trump operates with a no apology, no guts, no glory approach. he announced his presidential ambitions with what some consider incendiary rhetoric on immigration. that blunt style now has the billionaire business polls the front-runner. will insulting john mccain's vietnam record help or hurt trump? we're covering this tonight with nbc's kelly o'donnell on the campaign trail and chuck todd in washington, d.c. we begin in ames, iowa. kelly, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, thomas. this is a day-long event of about 3,000 conservatives who are hearing

from 10 of the presidential candidates. then something unexpected and outrageous flew out of the mouth of donald trump. now the whole gop race is feeling the turmoil. >> thank you. >> reporter: on stage in ames, iowa. >> look at that. >> reporter: donald trump speak first, think later bravado was on full blast. aimed at senator john mccain. >> he's not a war hero. he's a war hero because he was captured. >> reporter: that stunning statement followed a a simple question from pollster frank lutz who asked if trump's frequent criticism of mccain made him appear less than presidential. >> he's a war hero because he was captured. you can have -- and i believe perhaps he is a war hero. >> reporter: twitter lit up as other candidates deannounced trump. jeb bush, enough with the slanderous attacks. rick perry declared trump unfit to be commander in chief.

while scott walker ignored trump but called mccain an american hero. mike huckabee today. >> donald trump will need to determine whether that's a statement he would walk back on. >> reporter: trump facing off with reporters tried to soften his remarks. >> i'm not blaming john mccain for being captured. >> would you apologize to campaign? >> no, not at all. >> reporter: 69-year-old trump, who did not serve in the military, said student deferment and a foot problem kept him out of serving. in vietnam. [ indiscernible ] today's outburst began after trump lit a fuse over illegal immigration. when trump visited mccain's home state of arizona, the senator accused him of hurting the gop by bringing out the "crazies." >> he called them a bunch of crazies. that was an amazing crowd of people. those were great americans at that event. >> reporter: tonight senator john mccain is not commenting publicly.

his daughter megan tweeted, she was horrified and disgusted by trump's remarks. and ted cruz also a candidate who has been publicly supportive of donald trump until today said both trump and mccain are friends, so he tried to stay out of it. and trump is of course a enjoying the attention. thomas. >> kelly o'donnell reporting in iowa for us. kelly, thank you. and for more on all of this, we're joined by chuck todd, our political director and the moderator of "meet the press". chuck, are trump's comments crossing the line of no return here? >> you know, thomas. it may be. it was never a matter of it, but when he would alienate the entire republican party. he appeared to do that today. look mccain may not be popular among many conservatives particularly because of his stance on immigration. but going after him as maliciously and personally as trump did is probably going to backfire and might turn off some of the same voters trump was attracting with his bombastic style. it doesn't help trump's case on what he did during the vietnam era versus

what mccain did. there are a number of issues that confront the gop. and many of the candidates going forward. do they start boycotting events where trump is invited? are they going to be comfortable sharing the debate stage with him? i've already talked to campaigns before today that have been expressing trepidation about being on stage with trump for fear that just trump's presence would make barnum & bailey blush. he has no qualms about scorch earth politics. he will smear anyone or anything if they criticize him. that's what he did to john mccain. he was upset over that criticism so look thomas i think he may have passed the point of no return. the only risk now for the republican party by pushing him away is the fact that trump could take his ball and say i will run as an independent and truly muck up the process. >> i know, chuck, you will have much more on the trump factor tomorrow on "meet the press." we will see you then. thank you. >> now the other major story we are following tonight.

that deadly shooting rampage in tennessee. today a navy petty officer died of wounds suffered in one of the attacks, bringing the number to five service members killed. nbc's miguel almaguer has more tonight from chattanooga. miguel, good evening. >> reporter: thomas good evening. the deadly shooting in this city at two separate military facilities is exactly what worries the fbi. an apparent lone gunman looking to make a statement. while investigators have not yet ruled this as an act of terror. they are following 200 leads, poring over the suspect's life. as the fbi combs through more physical evidence today not far from this bullet-riddled window, more flags and flowers, heartbreak, and tears. >> no words can express the devastation, the sorrow that we feel not only our community but our nation. >> reporter: the fifth service officer, naval petty officer randall smith, died from his wounds today. the 26-year-old logistics specialist was married with three small children. >> it's heartbreaking to know that this has happened

in our hometown. >> reporter: the shock here has now turned to sadness. tributes line the streets in and lawns of chattanooga, honoring smith, the four marines killed thursday, and the police sergeant who is recovering tonight. but some worry among all this pain there could still be more violence. >> he represents the ideology that is an enemy of all of ours. >> reporter: dr. ali feels backlash against the muslim community. >> i am worried the most vulnerable in communities and individual maze be targeted. >> reporter: the gunman 24-year-old mohammod youssuf abdulazeez who recently traveled to the middle east is now the focus of a widening probe. and we are learning more about a troubling period in his home life. in 2009 abdulazeez's mother filed for divorce, saying she was repeatedly beaten by the gunman's father, that her children were occasionally struck and berated without provocation or justification. it's unclear whether he disputed the allegation, but

the couple remained married. his life now under the microscope. >> they're looking at electronic record -- cell phone records, credit card receipts, travel documentation. they're interviewing awful his co-workers, family friends, neighbors. >> reporter: tonight there are still no answers, no official motive. now with five service members dead, the bloodshed is over, but the heartbreak here is just beginning. >> in the wake of the tragedy here, many are asking why military officials who work at recruitment centers like this one are not allowed to be armed. late today several governors in different states ordered emergency orders saying the national guard should, in fact, be armed when they are working facilities just like this one. thomas? >> miguel, thank you. overseas in iraq, isis claimed responsibility for a huge bomb attack northeast of baghdad. officials in dihala province say as many as 130 people were killed and 20 missing after a

suicide bomber drove a truck into a crowded market. most of the victims were shiites celebrating the holiday that marks the end of the holy month of ramadan. the white house issued a statement condemning the attack. in this country, a brutal 24 hours in southern california as firefighters battle several wildfires, including one that jumped onto a busy freeway last night. it forced drivers from their cars and destroyed dozens of vehicles. we have that story from nbc's gadi schwartz. >> reporter: there is fire heavy fire. it was a freeway firestorm. >> we were really scared. there was people crying, kids crying. >> reporter: traffic at a stand still. >> reporter: flames devouring car after car on a busy stretch of interstate from l.a. to las vegas. >> grab my water. the bag. and the flame was alreadien the truck. >> the car parked on the outside edge when the fire hit it. it burned all the side, the back the cooler. >> reporter: parents pushing strollers, dozens of people running for their lives. >> it was just scary

because the -- we see the fire behind us. we try to running. and thanks god we found a woman she help us. >> reporter: at least 20 vehicles destroyed and 11 structures burned. this morning, families are checking tow yard s for the cars they abandoned. many cars saved by the air drops overhead. but others weren't so lucky. today fire crews are frustrated saying they should have been there sooner but a number of hobby drones flying near the fire kept them away. >> how many drones are we talking about on this fire? >> there were five. >> five drones? >> right. >> reporter: firefighters say the small drones are extremely dangerous to everyone involved. >> two of the drones pursued our lead plane. one underneath, one actually flying over the top. we're talking about a situation where dozens of people could have been killed. >> reporter: last night another fire about 20 miles away flared up forcing hundreds of

people to evacuate including a camp for children who were hearing impaired. fortunately, no major injuries reported so far at either fire. but some terrifying moments and a vivid reminder of how fast a fire can move. gadi schwartz nbc news, san bernardino county, california. some tense moments today in columbia, south carolina, where passions are still running high after the removal of the confederate flag from the statehouse grounds eight days ago. supporters and opponents of that decision took to the streets today for separate rallies that got heated at times. we get more tonight from nbc's charles hadlock. >> reporter: the grounds of the south carolina statehouse today divided once again. north and south, black and white. on the north steps, a small rally by the black educators for justice, a radical offshoot of the black panther party.

on the south side the ku klux klan their first march in 26 years. >> i'm here for my poor father z who died under this flag. >> reporter: demanding the flag be returned to statehouse grounds. enraged that south carolina lawmakers voted last week to remove the flag following the massacre of the emanuel nine, the pastor and eight church members of the predominantly black church in charleston allegedly gunned down by dylann roof. roof is believed to have visited white supremacist web sites and posed with confederate flags. >> kkk, domestic terrorism! >> reporter: if the clan was hoping for support from the majority of the crowd, they got none. >> you're a disgrace. you need to go back home! >> reporter: the klan claims to have a few thousand members nationwide. >> -- this whole united states is going to be flooded. >> reporter: but the southern poverty law center say the klan is a shadow of its former self. >> the klan today is fractured, it is small, it is poorly

led, and it is really very weak. >> reporter: it is estimated there were 5 million members at its peak in 1925. 42,000 in 1965 during the civil rights era, and fewer than 4,000 in 23 fractured groups. real or not, the emotions divided the state house grounds once again today. state police say there were only about 35 klansmen here today. they were well out numbered by the hundreds who heckled them until they left the state house grounds. thomas. >> charles hadlock reporting in columbia, south carolina. charles, thank you. when "nightly news" continues this saturday, the new warning about lyme disease as the tick-borne illness continues to spread. and later -- what's old is new again. why vegas is the place where the stars want to be.

we're back with health news tonight. new concern about the spread of lyme disease, a frustrating and sometimes debilitating problem. that affects an estimated 300,000 people a year. the cdc came out with new numbers this week on how the disease is affecting more and more people and where. we get details tonight from nbc's anne thompson. >> reporter: 16-year-old christina dorf is in many ways a typical teenager. who two years ago faced a not so typical problem. >> i was getting sore muscles, sore joints. it would be tough to get down my stairs from my bed in the morning. >> reporter: suddenly the athletic

14-year-old, a field hockey goalie was side lined. >> how frustrating was it when you didn't know what was wrong with it? >> it was aggravating because everybody kept saying you're a teenager. you're tired. you're not getting enough sleep >> reporter: it wasn't lack of sleep or chronic fatigue syndrome as some doctors suggested or lack of sleep, but lyme disease, an increasing problem in the northeast and north central u.s., according to a new study by the centers for disease control. it says the number of counties in the northeast with the high incidence of lyme increased between 1993 and 2012. 250% in the north central states. and the problem is moving further north and west. why? the study's lead author says there are numerous answers. >> there is dispersal of infected ticks by animals that carry them there. >> reporter: deer, mice, and birds can-can carry the infected ticks that spread the disease.

dr. david cameron treats christina. >> your brain is working pretty well? >> pretty well. just occasional headaches headaches. reporter: as a lyme disease specialist in new york. have you noticed an increase? >> i see the same, steady increase over the last two decade at the center for disease control control is seeing. >> reporter: to protect yourself from tick bites, the cdc suggest s using an insect repellant with deet when outside. perform tick checks on yourself and your pets. if you find a tick use fine-tipped tweezers to remove it. put your clothes in the dryer on high heat to kill them off. and be letter for the telltale bulls eye rash or fever. >> we want people to be cognizant of what they can do to protect themselves and their family. >> reporter: so like christina, they can stay in the game. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. coming up, we're going to take you on a virtual vacation with fantastic views of some of the world's greatest landmarks.

the scene today in st. andrews, scotland where fierce winds forced play to be halted at the british open after just a half an hour. you can see why as weather gave new meaning to controlling the ball. the delay lasted more than 10 hours. the third round tomorrow, and the final round on monday, the first time that has happened since 1988. on this side the atlantic, an exciting discovery, debris from an unknown shipwreck. a team of scientists on this research vessel stumbled across the debris, including bricks, glass bottles and pottery off the coast of north carolina. the wreck is about one

mile deep. the ship may have sunk around the time of the american revelation. a new way of looking at some of the world's greatest landmarks, from the eiffel tower to the grand canyon and yosemite's el capitan, the vertical rock formation that's one of the hardest in the world to climb. but now, thanks to google, you don't have to be a climber to get an epic view. here with more is nbc's hallie jackson. >> reporter: climbing el capitan looks impossible. so tommy caldwell and kevin jorgeson conquered it, the world watched in person and on this broadcast as they finished the historic climb. >> this is the most that has been so many years in the making. >> whoo! >> reporter: to get to the top, it took them nearly three weeks and a good grip. but with google's new street view trek, it will take you three seconds with good wi-fi. now you can click through the climb as google maps heads to new heights. >> people who could never have been up there in the past get to see that world

through my eyes. >> reporter: camping out on the rockface caldwell and climbing partners snapped these stunning 360-degree shots. >> i think you can actually wrap it. >> reporter: photographing one of the biggest attractions at yosemite. the scenery as spectacular at night as it is during the day. the virtual views the newest addition to a special kind of street view where you can experience everything from the galapagos to the grand canyon. >> i want to inspire people to find the sense of adventure in themselves. >> reporter: to find your inner explorer, just use a map. sure, it's not the real thing. but here it is no less epic. hallie jackson, nbc news. epic, indeed. when we come back, playing vegas. why the famed destination is getting a second wind. ♪

finally tonight, it may not be the place where stars are born, but las vegas has become the place for many of them are reborn. and the fans can't seem to get enough of it. nbc's joe fryer spent some time on the strip, and you can see for yourself. >> reporter: it's not the sounds of slot machines that are luring tourists to las vegas. >> i am the hugest mariah carey fan. >> reporter: it's a sure bet. >> if mariah was not performing, i would not be here.

>> reporter: pop star mariah carey is taking up residency here. and thousands of loyal fans from across the country are paying her a visit. >> she announced it. i was like -- i called him. i was like we need to go to vegas. >> reporter: it's not just mariah. all sorts of big-name entertainers lighting up the strip with a trend that started with celine dion. ♪ my heart will ♪ >> reporter: is vegas like home for you now? >> absolutely. >> reporter: 12 years ago, caesars palace built a coliseum with 4,300 seats. to many, that was a gamble. did people think you were crazy? >> a lot of people, especially in the industry, they thought it was a very, very high risk. >> reporter: but this was no "titanic". in fact, celine sailed on netting more than $500 million in ticket sales. >> you take chances and you go for it. >> reporter: she paved the way for more a-listers. elton john, britney spears, reba mcentire and rod stewart. >> it has become the

new normal business model in las vegas. >> reporter: in 1989, 59% of the strip's revenue came from gaming. last year, 63% came from nongaming, including shows and merchandise, giving a all these show stoppers a profitable encore. elton john, almost $200 million after two stints. britney, $50 million. and mariah $4.5 million and counting. people are planning their trips to las vegas to see the show first. then they're deciding how they're going to get here and where they're going to stay. >> we spent about $5,000 being here. >> reporter: they're buying everything, from mariah socks, brooks and dunn wine, to elton john boas. next up to headline here, jennifer lopez. she is bringing a show to planet hollywood. >> do you feel like you started the trend? >> i don't know. i don't want to feel like i am responsible for any of those wonderful things. but i'm very happy. ♪ there's nothing ♪ >> reporter: in fact, celine herself is

returning here next month. so what's happening here in vegas is definitely staying in vegas. joe fryer, nbc news, las vegas. las vegas goes on. that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm thomas roberts reporting from new york. i'll see you right back here tomorrow night. for all of us at nbc news, have a great evening. good night. the community is tightly knit so these things are taken seriously. ==terry//take con't vo== right now at 6. a warning for all homeowners... watch out. what one bay area city is doing to keep burglars out of their neighborhood. right now, a warning for all homeowners. watch out. what one bay area city is doing

to keep burglars out. >> it is not an area known for crime but a recent spike in alameda is warning homeowners. there are some similarities. christie smith is live in alameda with the very latest. this has to be pretty disconcerting for the neighbors. >> reporter: absolutely. and the police say this seems to be happening between midnight and 7:00 a.m. so they're increasing staffing during that time. aid chance to speak with some neighbors in the area. they say share trying to share information online. keep an eye out and avoid being a victim. they're seeing a slight uptick in burglaries. at this point it is unclear if they are related but people are likely to see police out overnight. and police are saying, if you have an alarm, make sure it is on when you're away or sleeping. make