>> evacuate, evacuate, evacuate. unfortunately this is going to kill people. >> reporter: possibly the largest evacuation ever in the sunshine state with orders in place for 2-1/2 million people from here to the carolinas. >> it seems like it's going to be pretty bad. it's best to get off the island. >> taking the warnings seriously after seeing the destruction matthew left behind in the caribbean. bathering the bahamas and killing more than 100 people in haiti. in what the worse humanitarian crisis since the 2010 earthquake. here in florida, theme parks closing. businesses boarded up from mia mi all the way up the coast and inland. millions are now bracing for matthew and what could be potentially disastrous impacts. president obama has declared a state of emergency for florida. officials here are also warning as many as 2-1/2 million people

after this storm hits late tonight. marci gonzalez, new smyrna beach florida. the race is on to escape south florida. for some that meant a flight to the valley. john ericson is live at sky harbor. it makes sense that people would want to escape to the desert but that the plan this time for the people you talked to? >> reporter: stephanie not quite. the trip was already but with the hurricane baring down, they wanted to get here as quickly as possible. a woman who's new to florida is glad to be here in arizona away from matthew but is worried about what her home may look like when she goes back. >> it's absolutely terrifying. we very quickly learn how to put up the shutters and i feel

it's still very, very scary. >> most things going normally here at the airport this afternoon. she flew out of fort lauderdale this morning. says the airport was already looking deserted as it got read ready to shut down. she's on her way to sedona but says she may not be able to relax with matthew on her mind. >> tracking hurricane matthew right now. as it continues to move to the northwest at around 1 1-miles- per-hour. that eye centered on west palm beach. you can see heavy rain moving into jacksonville right now as we're expecting it to continue to move in this northwesterly direction. latest indication and still category four storm, 140-mile- per-hour winds. there's the latest update for you coming in. 130-mile-per-hour winds gusting to 155. let's look at the latest track from the national hurricane center. this takes it into tomorrow morning as it continues up the

category three storm expected. but watch what happens it circles back around to the northeast. back to the southeast. as a tropical storm as we get into sunday and this could potentially move back into florida. potentially back into the bahamas. we're going to be watching this situation not only for the rest of the newscast and into tomorrow. but the next couple of days to see exactly where this is going to be go. >> there's no end to this story. on abc15.com and our free mobile app. we're going to be going back to florida. david muir will be on location. we're going to be hearing from a e member -- from a member of the coast guard who is in florida. he tried for the cameras about the fires in chandler. but police say the water works were all an act.

what do we know now. >> thomas leper jr. will be brought here. he's already been charged for setting fires near his neighborhood near mcclintock and chandler. chandler investigators swarmed this neighborhood. >> you know fact is stranger than fiction. >> reporter: larry wolf lives across the street. says everybody feel in danger. leper spoke out about the fires to abc15. >> really scared to be told be prepared to wake your children up out of bed. in the middle of the night because of a fire. >> reporter: from playing the victim to suspect number one. police say leper allegedly set fire to a fence lying next door to his home the very next night. >> the type of behavior that

unusual when it comes to arsonists. >> leper is known as the mayor of the street. they even pitched in to help him when his property burned. >> he was telling me everything that happened. me and wife went to buy him a gift card so he could fence. >> reporter: police say they put surveillance on lepr. he admitted to leaving a note behind at one of the scenes. we knocked on his door but his wife dilled not want to speak to us. another arrest in those creepy clown threats. police are saying the threats were made to students and staff at west view at the high school. it all happened on social media. officers are saying they were similar to the scary clown

the u.s. vargas is behind bars, he admitted to making those threats. he said he just meant it to be a prank. one person was killed, another seriously hurt. coliard has been charged with murder. it's been more than a month since this went down. phoenix police say they just made their final arrest in a murder case. officers swarming the area of 61st avenue and thomas and taking a fourth suspect into custody. this is all in connection with that game of go fish that turned deadly last month. mario cholack was killed when police say the suspects broke up the party showing up with semi automatic guns. >> some scary images to show you from the live desk right

am pm. police are still trying to track this guy down. he demanded money then he threatened a witness before running off out of the store. it's all going down last week at the store. two other armed robberies but still no arrest. phoenix police staying busy investigating these overnight. the first happening near avenue and osbourne. several items were stolen there including a tv and laptop. cops say at least one person was home when this went down. the robbers were on the way here as well. >> no clowning around. students bringing a creepy mask to class. how people feel about their

two valley students just clowning around now facing harsh punishment all because they brought a scary clown mask to school. >> the parents of the students feel the punishment don't the crime. >> reporter: both of these students are seniors and football players. some students came in cow onesies. some western wear but clowns not welcomed. >> the kids weren't in a costume costume, it was just a mask that one student brought. >> the themes of the day was not clowns. i think some students think this was funny. it's not. there's a lot going on around

we want to make sure we're keeping the focus where it needs to be. >> state officials cannot comment on punishment. the students tell me the boys have been suspended for nine days. >> they basically act like it was a drug or weapon. like they have like a knife or something. or like i don't know some weed or something. it was like nine days like come on. >> that's just uncalled for and ridiculous. he should have just got a verbal warning. or a week detense saying that wasn't called for. >> i'll have more on that at 6:00. back to you. from the live desk tracking hurricane matthew for you. the category four storm taking aim at florida right now. todd walker joining us live now in vero beach. todd. >> katie we have these feeder bands coming before the brunt of matthew. could still be four to five hours from that. we're already starting to see the winds pick up as is the rain. the stop sign starting to

this is what we're going to see and only going to ramp up as we go throughout the night. hurricane matthew a category four storm. we're talking winds of 135 miles per hour as it does make its way into the area during the overnight hours. for now, we know this is just the beginning. people hunkering down getting ready for hurricane matthew. we're live in vero beach florida. todd matthew. back to you. when breaking up gets dangerous. why you don't want to make this valley woman mad. >> bucking state audit a recommendation sheriff paul babeu was headmaster at desisto school in massachusetts. a boarding school rife with abuse. a lot of things went down that probably shouldn't have. this isn't about abuse or neglect, because none of this was found.

and a judge ordered it to stop. the cornering, the sheeting, i didn't know how to live and function as a normal human being. i'll end with that, thank you so much.

police say this woman cut up her exboyfriend's couch, set fire to his house and damaged his car. the man's children were found safe. your vote doesn't count if you don't cast percell sent voting information with the wrong polling in place. now election watchdog are asking voters to report any problems from now through november 8. the fact that you know the seal of approval of the state of arizona.

hlets. is arizona turning blue in the race for president? one new poll seems to think so as it shows hillary clinton now taking the lead over donald trump in our state. the democratic nominee leads 44- 42%. this comes with a margin of error of 3.9%. so it's essentially a statistical tie. the poll also asks voters about the john mccain and kirkpatrick race. as for clinton they're setting their -- she also stopped by a fundraiser in new york. tim kaine, bernie sanders and daughter chelsea out and about. arizona welfare agency in a new audit doesn't paint a rosie

rejecting auditor recommendationings after a report shows members not showing up at court. >> we're happy with the advancement we're making and we're just not going to divert and take their eye off the ball. >> mccain says they're continuing to find homes for kids in need. there's a public meeting starting at 6:00 in phoenix. the project has been the center of controversy surrounded by claims that the land is sacred. take a look at this. a live look outside there. hurricane matthew barreling down on florida right now getting closer to making land fall. live look right now at the situation.

mass evacuations across that region and that eye. that's where the highest winds are still east of west palm beach moveing to the northwest. we're going to be tracking it all evening long. we'll have the latest at 6:00. closer to home we're sitting at 88 degrees after topping out at 90 today in phoenix. 13% humidity. have a little bit of high clouds. getting ready for a beautiful sunset tonight. if you want to share those -- for 83 at 7:00. by 9:00 we're headed into the mid-60s tonight. a pretty mild start tomorrow morning. and warmer afternoon highs. in fact, we'll be above average. forecast 96 degrees is what we're expecting to top out at with that average being at 92. we have had some upper level moisture. a little bit of return of that. down to the south. this is where those high clouds have been rolling in. has not produced any rain. it's not going to today. those rain chances will be going up. look at dewpoints they're back

and south eastern arizona. but we have dewpoints in the single digits at the grand canyon. dewpoints are going to continue to return from the southeast. those rain chances go up slightly. late tomorrow night for the valley we'll definitely see those clouds roll back in. better chances for some heavier rain out through the white mountains. so this takes us into early saturday morning. could see a couple showers across the valley. in fact, i think saturday that's when we'll bring those rain chances up to 30% here with best chances being right now from about 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with some lingering chances throughout the afternoon. over all not going to be a wash out for us not looking super widespread but light showers possible saturday. lingering into sunday. otherwise expect partly to mostly clear skies as we wrap up the weekend. 65 in flagstaff. 75 in kingman.

lows tonight will be in the 60s here across the south central portions of the state. 60 in casa grande. the coldest spot in the map will be window rook at 25. high of 70 tomorrow. 72 in show low. 86 in globe and 93 tomorrow in tucson. again valley lows tonight will be pretty nice. in the mid-60s for all of us. back up to 95 again those rain chances not in our forecast until late tomorrow night. they'll be slight at that so we'll just field the low passing clouds. those ozone levels will be going by high. breezes in the forecast as well. saturday up to around 15 to 20- miles-per-hour. as that system moves through. then sunday, we'll look for lighter winds. a lingering shower, chance in the morning. other wise 90s.

morning lows all next week in the 70s. horses on the lose in the valley. how cops used social media to find where they belong. >> first here's david muir in florida getting ready for world news. >> on a special edition, david muir in the storm zone. hurricane matthew already deadly. now david muir and the team

what do doctors from leading cancer centers in the country have in common? many of them now call cancer treatment centers of america home. expert medicine works here. find out why at cancer center.com. cancer treatment centers of america. developing tonight. another deadly shooting. officer schneider answered a

range. another scary situation for law enforcement today. this time in houston. a deputy shot an inmate at the hospital who is being treated for se izures. the man grabbed a weapon and tried doctor. we've been waiting for it and today it is official. a runway at sky harbor is closed for a month. that means flight delays for you. abc15's jessica breaks down

they have to run power lines from a substation over there across the runway to terminal three right here. so while they're doing that they're going to be doing upgrades to the runway. here's how it's going to affect you. you need to tack on at least 30 -- 30 minutes to your travel time. sky harbor says that once this is all done it's going to be >> travelers that have been coming to the airport have already seen the change in the way that terminal three looks. all the glass and the more openness. it's going to be really more modern and more efficient for our travelers. really giving them a more convenient traveling experience. >> so this runway is going to be shut down until november 6. but just to put this into perspective for you. there's about 1,200 flights that come in and out of sky harbor every single day. all of those flights have to

around this morning on paradise valley. two horses on the lose. all of this unfolding in the area of tatum and mcdonald. you may have seen this on abc morning. police sent out a tweet helping to track down the owners. when they showed up we tried to interview them. the horses said neigh. we told you david muir takes you through world news but we have you covered here. we know so many of you have family on the east coast. we'll have the latest on hurricane matthew. have you been dropped by the health care insurer. >> we'll be warmer tomorrow. look at your 24 hour planner. 77 by 9:00.

66. keeping some of these clouds out here through tomorrow. then climbing back in the upper 80s by noon and we're topping out tomorrow at 96 before we hit 94 by 5:00 p.m. going to be a warm one. a lot of folks tries to get out to?ft -- get out to the first day of the fair. we're going to be talking on the latest on hurricane matthew.. we'll have the very latest on that. a lot of things going on this week end. plus rain chances, they're back in our forecast. we'll be mapping those out hour by hour. >> and increasing our rain

tonight, breaking news. bracing for a monster storm. hurricane matthew, now growing in strength to a category 4. ready to strike the east coast. millions of americans warned to leave before it's too late. >> if you need to evacuate and you haven't, evacuate. this storm will kill you. >> what could be the biggest mass evacuation ever, across several states tonight. powerful bands lashing florida right now, and what's coming here tonight. millions warned they could lose power. already more than 100 dead in matthew's wake. rooftops ripped off. tonight, we're tracking the storm hour by hour. our team of meteorologists and reporters across the storm zone. a special edition of "world news