our michelle grossman is just ahead with the latest. police in california are confident they have stopped a suspected serial killer from striking a seventh victim. we'll take you inside china's most consequential meeting of leaders, including president xi's plans on taiwan that every american will want to hear about a minnesota girl who witnessed the murder of george floyd is hoping to turn the tragic incident into a learning moment for children. and we've got all your week

six highlights in the nfl as we kick off a new week. it's monday, october 17th. "early today" starts right now >> good morning. i'm phillip mena. >> glad you're with us i'm frances rivera it's time to break out those thermals the first cold snap of the season is moving in. record cold is sweeping across 2/3 of the country starting today with temps dropping from ohio to tennessee. nbc meteorologist michelle grossman is tracking the cold front for us okay, michelle, we're ready to hear it. good morning >> good morning, guys. so good to see you hope you had a great weekend it feels like it came fast, and we're looking at a really cold morning for so many of us. you need to bundle up, start the car early. bundle up the kids at the bus stop we're looking at temperatures dropping into the 20s in some spots. we have freeze alerts, freeze watches across the area, freeze warnings when you look at this map, it's 53 million americans, from the rockies to the midwest, even the southern plains, the southeast,

into the ohio valley where you see the pink, that is your freeze warning, and the purple is a freeze watch and we're looking at temperatures very chilly at this moment right above the freezing mark in minneapolis. 34 rapid city. 39, into the 40s in chicago, st. louis. these temperatures are going to drop as we head throughout the later part of this morning, right before sunrise as we go throughout tuesday, we're going see the temperatures dropping to near 10 degrees in aberdeen back to you guys >> all right, michelle thank you. breaking overnight, the suspected stockton serial killer has been arrested in california. police took 43-year-old wesley brownlee into custody, where he is being held behind bars without bail he was booked on suspicion of at least one murder and assorted weapons offenses police say they followed the suspect while he was driving >> our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving. we watched his patterns and determined early this mourning he was on a mission to kill.werr

killing. >> when he was arrested, police say he was wearing dark clothing, a mask around his neck, and he was carrying a gun. six people were killed and one survived in the string of shootings which began in april of 2021. the mother of paul alexander yaw, who was killed in july, had this to say. >> i'm just grateful that they were able to save it from happening to another person and another family, having to go through what we've gone through. it's just been horrific. >> the most recent attack was on september 27th most of the victims were latino, but authorities say they found no evidence that the killings were race-based. three victims were homeless. in iran, the death toll has risen overnight to at least eight people and dozens are injured after a fire at the notorious evin prison in tehran. evin holds many political prisoners and anti-government activists.

foreigners among them, including americans. the fire comes as popular protests rock the islamic republic for a fifth week. our tehran bureau chief ali arouzi has the latest. >> reporter: a raging inferno engulfed the notorious evin prison, housing many foreign political prisoners, including two americans. massive flames lit up the night sky in tehran. outside, the constant ring of gunfire and explosions the judiciary saying prisoners died from smoke inhalation, with 61 others injured, blaming thugs for starting the fire. nbc news is unable to independently verify their claims a american international told his lawyer that he was safe and had been moved to a secure unit. on saturday, president biden voiced his support of the ongoing protests in iran >> iran has to end the violence against its own citizens simply exercising their fundamental rights >> reporter: iran's president

fired back, accused biden of inciting chaos, terror and destruction. one month ago, 22-year-old mahsa amini died three days after being arrested by the feared morality police due to violating the strict dress code. thousands of young iranians have taken to the streets in protest. women largely leading the charge since the protests began a month ago, according to amnesty, but not verified by nbc news, at least 201 protesters have been killed, including 23 minors. yet the demonstrations are showing no signs of slowing. instead, they seem to be growing into a broader rebellion against the ruling powers. >> okay, ali, thank you. back here in the u.s., the midterm elections are only 22 days away. with control of the senate on the line, one of those closely watched races is in georgia, where early voting is about to begin today. and nbc is hearing exclusively

from republican candidate herschel walker. josh lederman has this report. >> reporter: barely three weeks out from election day. who will win control of the senate is anyone's guess as races tighten across the country, including in georgia, where early voting kicks off the senate race there is key to the republicans' push to win back the majority. republican herschel walker is speaking exclusively to nbc's kristen welker about why he flashed a badge during friday's debate, and whether he is pretending to be a police officer. >> and where is this one from? >> this is from my hometown. this is from johnson county, from the sheriff of johnson county, which is a legit badge everyone can make fun, but this badge give me the right -- wait, let me finish. if anything happened in this county, i have the right to work with the police in getting things done. >> reporter: walker says he has participated in training and leadership programs with law enforcement for years. >> does that have arrestingor is it an honorary badge >> it is an honorary badge, but

they can call me whenever they want me and have i the authority to do things with them to work on things. >> reporter: the national sheriff association says an honorary badge is, quote, for the trophy case. >> that is not the truth >> reporter: the johnson county sheriff confirms to nbc news he gave walker the honorary badge and could enlist walker's help in a crisis. the georgia race just one of many that are tightening as the election approaches. in iowa, longtime gop senator chuck grassley facing a surprisingly close race, while in pennsylvania, republican dr. mehmet oz and democrat joh fetterman are running neck and neck democrats sending in their heavy hitters. president biden and former president barack obama both hitting the campaign trail in the race's final weeks >> i hope we're going to show up and vote i th >> our thanks to josh for that report you can see more of kristen welker's interview with herschel walker coming up on "today." chinese president xi jinping has issued a stark warning over governing island belongs to ispe

he is widely expected to secure a third five-year term here is janis mackey frayer. >> reporter: xi jinping is about to take his place in history set to secure power here for a groundbreaking third term, addressing the communist party congress be ready to withstand high winds, choppy waters and even dangerous storms he warned of tough times ahead. xi mentioned security or safety dozens of times. the biggest applause, when he declared taiwan will be part of mainland china, even if it means taking the self-governed island by force a party congress happens only twice in a decade. so there is always a lot of pageantry, and rarely any surprises. xi's ambitions to build a socialist super power come at a crucial time for china, facing criticism over ties to russia and hostile relations with the u.s.

>> his view is that china is basically an equal of the united states now and should be treated as such by the u.s >> reporter: here people had been hoping xi might ease the stifling zero covid policy instead, he praised it just last week, sensors raced to scrub images of a protest banner, a rare sight in beijing that lamented constant lockdowns and said "we want freedom. even to report on the congress -- >> always a covid test. >> reporter: meant taking multiple covid tests, and spending two days at a quarantine hotel inside the great hall this week, china's plans will take shape behind firmly closed doors xi jinping will extend his rule for as long as he chooses. his power uncontested and complete janis mackey frayer, nbc news, beijing. let's get another check of today's frigid forecast with michelle hello.

>> hello we have the fall chill in place. a lot of places feeling like winter, especially through tonight into tuesday morning a sweeping cold front that is going to bring in the cold air from canada. many of us feeling that chill all the way down to the southeast. we're looking at temperatures well below normal for this time of year. so bundle up as you head out this morning we're looking at temperatures 36 degrees in minneapolis not going very far from the current temperature right now. 21 degrees below what is normal this time of year. tomorrow chicago, just 46. lexington 50 notice nashville, we're looking at temperatures only in the 50s as well. that's a look at t big weatherhe 60 degrees today in nashville. all right. it's a chilly start, guys. we'll see how long it lasts with the weekday forecast in just a minute >> we'll see you then. thank you, michelle. the nfl's only undefeated

team has no trouble staying perfect. plus, the rest of week 6 highlights. turning tragedy into hope. a girl who witnessed the murder of george floyd shares her experience through a new children's book. , i switched to swiffer wetjet, and it's awesome. it's an all-in-one, that absorbs dirt and grime deep inside. and it helps prevent streaks and haze. wetjet is so worth it. love it, or your money back. are you tired of washing dishes? well flip the way you clean'em with dawn platinum ez-squeeze. it's an upside-down bottle with no cap. you just grab and squeeze. dawn platinum's more powerful formula breaks down and removes grease 4 times faster. nice! no flip, no mess. platinum is also a go-to grease cleaner for your sink, your countertops, and to pre-treat stains on laundry. fast. easy. dawn platinum ez-squeeze. flip the way you clean dishes. when cold symptoms keep you up, try vicks nyquil severe.

just one dose starts to relieve 9 of your worst cold and flu symptoms, to help take you from 9 to none. for max strength nighttime relief, nyquil severe: ♪♪ here's another drive to deep left center field, and this one is gone! harrison bader's early blast gave the yankees a leg up on the guardians and yankees pitching didn't allow a run after the fourth inning. the yankees force a game five with the win, 4-2. and that deciding game five is tonight in the bronx the winners head to houston to play the astros and n the alcs the national league championship series is set after the padres and phillies completed four game upsets over the nl's top two teams game one is tomorrow in san diego, hosting the nlcs for the first time since 1998. a rowdy week 6 in the nfl

was capped off with an nfc east rivalry in the city of brotherly love >> pulls it. a step in the secondary. he will score! >> the eagles were flying high, with a 20-0 lead over dallas in the second half, cooper kupp got the cowboys back within three, but then some philly trickery put the gym out philly trickery put the game out of reach the eagles improve to 6-0, they win it 26-17 the giants reeled off 14 points at the end of the fourth quarter to take the lead one last chance for the ravens, and lamar jackson would get stripped don't look now, but big blue is 5-1. back on the field, joe burrow and jamar chase connected for two second the second one completed the bengals comeback in the big easy

th the patriots rookie quarterback, bailey zapp was electric in cleveland. threw two third quarter touchdowns to put the gym out of reach there. bill belichick tied for second most wins all time with 324 as the pats beat down the browns, 38-15. it was another classic clash between the chiefs and bills josh allen led the action in the final two minutes, putting buffalo in range for dawson knox to grab the dart the bills get the hard fought win, 24-20 an impressive performance from buffalo's stefon diggs landed him on sunday's squad of top formers. and nearly 400 yards from matt ryan helped the colts get past the jaguars. a minnesota girl who witnessed the murder of george floyd is hoping to turn a tragic and traumatic incident into a positive by writing a children's book about her experience. the book called "a walk to the store" is out this week on what would have been floyd's 49th

birthday from our minneapolis affiliate kare, kai edwards has more >> the smile of an 11-year-old girl at the hair salon for the first time a break perhaps from being sad. >> one time i would make myself happy and then cry for some reason it makes me get my sadness out she was 9 when she and her cousin walked to cup foods to buy candy but instead witnessed george floyd die