high-rise apartment fire less than three miles away in the same borough. eight c d od from smoke inhalation after a space heater malfunctioned. >> this tragic and frightening event after the inferno we saw just days ago just really add the pressure on the bronx. >> reporter: late this afternoon, fire officials said someone did report smelling gas shortly before the explosion but it is unclear if there was a gas leak. they say they are still investigating what caused this to happen. norah. >> nancy chen on the scene. thank you. well in a stunning twist today, three suburban philadelphia police officers were charged in the shooting death last summer of an 8-year-old girl. they fired into a crowd trying to break up a gun fight. get more now from cbs's meg oliver. >> reporter: nearly five months after the shooting of 8-year-old, three sharon hill police officers were charged in connection with her death. today following a grand jury

investigation, officers devon smith, sean dolan, and brian devney were each charged with voluntary and involuntary manslaughter and ten counts of reckless endangerment. >> when did you determine the fatal bullet was from an officer's gun? >> we initially determined back in, i think, the september timeframe. we are now sure beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer shoot -- not only killed her but they also wounded three other young people. >> reporter: the young girl was killed last summer after two teens exchanged begunfire at th end of a football game. the three responding officers fired 25 rounds, striking four people including young fanta and her 12-year-old sister. >> they returned fire at the wrong target in the wrong direction and into a group of people. um, that's what they are being held accountable for. >> reporter: attorney bruce castor represents the bility family. >> this was a bright, bright,

shining light the kind of person that made people happy just by looking at her and to have her gone is a terrible, terrible tragedy. >> reporter: initially, the two teens who opened fire at each other were the only ones charged in her death. the district attorney now withdrawing those charges. >> what we are trying to do here is hold everyone accountable for their actions that night. and also, to make sure that we can, as a community, at the end of this, begin to heal. >> the officer's attorneys released a joint statement today maintaining their innocence saying they rushed to the sound of gunshots to protect the community. norah. >> our thanks to meg oliver. we turn now to an alarming trend at america's airports. the tsa today reported a record number of guns at checkpoints in 2021. and you may be shocked by how many of them were loaded. the tsa administrator spoke exclusively to cbs's errol barnett. >> it is one of the most alarming things we see is the number of weapons in our checkpoints. >> reporter: a record-breaking year at tsa 6,000 guns detected

airports nationwide. that's up 35% from 2019 even as travel remained below pre-pandemic levels. and how many of these firearms are loaded? >> the vast majority are loaded. uh, about 86% of those firearms are loaded. >> reporter: atlanta's hartsville-jackson after a tsa officer found a loaded gun in a passenger's bag. that passenger then reached in, accidentally discharging it. >> well, that illustrates why loaded weapons are so dangerous. because it's very easy to discharge. >> reporter: that airport had the most firearms intercepted -- 507 detected, up from 323. dallas, houston, phoenix, and nashville round out the top five. tension and stress are already high at airports over flight delays, mask mandates, and covid concerns. phoenix's sky harbor closed two checkpoints this month due to staffing shortages. >> staffing pressures are prevalent across the country.

but we have standards of performance for our screening operations. >> gun sales are up in america. >> reporter: in fact, they're soaring with a record 21 million background checks conducted for the sale of a firearm in 2020. and 40% were new gun owners. >> for those who do choose to travel with their firearm, understand that it is possible and there is a way to do that. >> reporter: and this is the legal method. guns must be unloaded, locked in hard-shell checked luggage, and of course declared with the airline. now, violators can face fines almost $14,000, norah, and jail time. >> errol barnett, thank you. there is a lot more news ahead on the "cbs overnight news."

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wanting the power to unilaterally rewrite the r rule book of american elections. >> reporter: democratic about visits in michigan are taking matters into their own hands. >> they are not securing the vote. they are suppressing the vote. >> reporter: reverend charles williams is going door to door. he is not leading a petition drive. >> i say hell no. >> reporter: he is trying to stop one. michigan republicans are gathering nearly 350,000 signatures to tighten state voter i.d. requirements. if enough people sign, williams expects the state's republican legislature will pass it into law. sounds like you are not waiting on washington to come in with a solution? >> we understand that nobody's coming to save us but us. >> reporter: the bills in congress would make it more difficult for states to tighten voter i.d. but michigan republican lisa mclane said voters tell her tighter restrictions even some that could make it harder to vote are necessary. >> one of the top things they talk to me about are what are you doing?

what are you doing to ensure that our elections are fair? >> reporter: they stop you on the street about that? >> absolutely, sir. absolutely. >> reporter: reverend williams says he is not folding in his local battle. >> the fight must continue, and i think many people on the ground understand and are very clear that they will not stop until justice comes. >> debate tomorrow, possibly a vote tomorrow. democrats are trying to change hearts and minds in american communities before they come up short here in washington. norah. >> scott mcfarlane, thank you. still ahead. scenes of widespread destruction. an island wipes out by tsunami waves 50 feet high.

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before and after satellite photos show the disaster zone is covered in thick ash. all right. coming up next. we roll up our sleeves, a s have

tonight, we want to thank you for your response to the historic blood shortage that led the red cross to declare the first ever national blood crisis. it inspired many of you to donate blood and today i gave, too. so many americans answered the nationwide call to arms. in some parts of the country, bh blood drives are completely booked this week. >> i saw your segment. >> katy ripley stepped up. >> so meredith, what made you want to donate? >> well, i really did watch the show and thought, oh, i could go do that. le earlier today, we gave blood at the red cross hall of service here in the nation's capitol. >> my blood's going to go to three people. >> donations plummeted during

the pandemic but there are covid safety measures in place. social distancing and a mask requirement for all. >> very safe and painless. doesn't hurt at all. >> it was my second donation but katy ripley is going for the first time. katy, what do you think about this effort that you are now involved in to encourage more people to go out and give blood? >> i am really excited about it. it really feels like a concrete way to help people and do some good in a time when a lot of us feel powerless. >> reporter: katy is not just a donor, a blood donation saved her life after she was hit by a car when she was 6 years old. >> what's motivating me is knowing that i can help other people the way that i was helped. i'm so grateful for the person who donated blood so that i could be here today. back?ts is your way o gg >> well, red c sayratefuor theig of suppo buty nd more to

overcome the crisis so if you want to give, we have information on our website, cbsnews.com/blood. and that is the overnight news for this wednesday. reporting from the nation's capital, i'm norah o'donnell. this is cbs news flash. i'm tom hanson in new york. u.s. secretary of state antony blinken and russian foreign minister sergey lavrov have agreed to meet in geneva friday in search of common ground. experts are concerned russian military buildup around ukraine could lead to an invasion there. homes were evacuated in central texas over a growing wildfire. fire crews say a prescribed burn fueled by gusty winds may be the cause. rain is expected to pass through the area by thursday. and there is a new date for music's biggest night. the 64th grammy awards will now be on april 3rd in las vegas. it was scheduled for january 31st in la but delayed over the surge of covid cases.

you can watch the grammy's right here on cbs. for more news, download the cbs n news app on krur cell phone or connected tv. i'm tom hanson, cbs news, new york. this is the "cbs overnight news." >> good evening and thank you so much for joining us. it is a tale of two americas in the ongoing battle against the omicron variant. some parts of the country can see light at the end of the tunnel. while others are seeing the biggest surge in cases since the very start of the pandemic. in the northeast, cases and hospitalizations are falling after hitting a peak about a week ago. in new york city, cases have dropped 44% and hospitalizations are down 50% in just the last seven days. but in other parts of the country, omicron is spreading like wildfire with more than

5.4 million new infections last week. hospitals in oklahoma city -- well, they have a dire warning tonight. they are at a breaking point. in an extraordinary open letter, the major healthcare systems write, soon, you or a loved one may need us for lifesaving care whether for a stroke, emergency appendectomy or trauma from a car accident and we might not be able to help. can you imagine? well, we have this breaking news that is just coming in, as well. cbs news has learned that the biden administration will announce tomorrow it plans to provide 400 million n95 masks for free to americans. cbs's manuel bojorquez is going to lead off our broadcast in charlotte, north carolina, where cases are up nearly 700% since last month. good evening, manny. >> good evening, norah. here in north carolina, even as cases surged, some testing sites had to shut down over the weekend due to the winter storm, and there could be more bad weather on the way this weekend. but tonight, the federal government says there is another option for the near future.

today, as long lines persist at some testing sites across the country, the federal government's website to order rapid tests -- covidtests.gov -- is live. people can order up to four tests per household, which will ship within seven to twelve days. the latest effort to try to bring down the number of cases and hospitalizations. this comes, as fears that omicron, which may cause less severe disease, may cause more deaths. modelers are predicting 50,000 to 300,000 more americans could die by mid-march. >> i think the omicron surge is going to be one that will be up and down in most locations in five to six weeks. it is going to be a challenge to get through those a omicron continues its siege, some states are returning to pandemic protocols in schools. massachusetts' public schools today announced weekly at-home rapid tests will be available for students and staff. nationwide, more than 6,000 schools were disrupted one or more days last week. meanwhile, oklahoma city's four

major hospital systems say they have run out of icu beds due to this latest surge. in north carolina, covid-related hospitalizations are at a pandemic high. currently, one in three people tests positive. dr. katy is chief epidemiologist for atrium health care lie nas medical center in charlotte, where 156 covid patients are on life support. 92% of them, unvaccinated. for people who think omicron is not that big of a deal, you are saying what -- what you are seeing inside those hospital walls is a big deal? >> yeah, and, you know, throughout the pandemic, the experience of healthcare workers taking care of the sickest of sick patients, watching young people that are unvaccinated pass away from covid -- it's incredibly, incredibly heartbreaking and devastating. >> reporter: ag at some hospitals have started to subside, likely or possibly due to that shorter cdc recommended quarantine time. but here in north carolina, the shortages remain a real concern.

in fact, fema has dispatched a total of 25 ambulances with two-person crews to assist in a dozen counties here. norah. >> manuel bojorquez, thank you. well, there is a new development today in the battle between major u.s. airlines and telecommunications companies over the planned launch of new 5g wireless services. airlines warn of catastrophic disruptions and they want the new service to be banned within two miles of airport runways. cbs's chris van cleave has the newest information. >> reporter: fearing massive flight disruptions as soon as wednesday morning, an 11th hour compromise to a bureaucratic standoff that had put cell phone providers and airlines on a collision course. with the white house stepping in to mediate. >> certainly, minimizing flight disruptions, ensuring safety in travel is -- is a top priority. >> reporter: at&t and verizon will activate more than 90% of their ultra fast wireless networks as planned wednesday but cell phone towers within a

two mile radius of many of the nation's busiest airports will remain offline specifically to avoid potential interference with cockpit systems that help pilots land in bad weather and low visibility. united's ceo scott kirby had warned of potential catastrophe. >> 5g is now the biggest issue facing the airline industry, remarkable to say in a world where we are still in covid. >> without this compromise,ai 1 day could be delayed, diverted, or cancelled due to 5g with national commerce grounding to a halt. the faa says it still expects some issues. the agency has only cleared equi equipment on about 45% of airliners to operate with 5g networks. cancelled flights to several u.s. cities until the situation was worked out. airline industry analyst henry hartivelt. >> if you don't have to travel on wednesday, don't. if you can postpone your trip, even 24 hours, you may be better off. i think wednesday's going to be a very chaotic day. >> reporter: the threat of

5g-related flight disruptions comes after a trying month for flyers who have suffered through tens of thousands of delays and cancellations due to weather and covid-19 staffing issues. >> it's a fasten your seatbelt, hang on kind of week and the next few weeks, as well. >> reporter: a senior faa official told me not -- not long ago that he expects there will be some, quote, bumps tomorrow and that's because more than half of airliners aren't approved to use that equipment to land in low visibility at some 82 airports where 5g will be active tomorrow. that could certainly lead to unpredicted disruptions which is why the airlines are scrambling to figure out what their scdule's gonna look like tomorrow. norah. >> chris van cleave with all the details tonight. thanks. and there is breaking news tonight. a significant escalation in the investigation into the january 6th attack on the capitol. we have learned that the congressional committee has issued subpoenas to members of trump's family and his closest advisers, including rudy giuliani. and tonight, cnn is reporting the committee obtained phone records for eric trump, as well as donald trump jr.'s fiancee,

kimberly guilfoyle. we are learning more tonight about the gunman who took four people hostage inside a texas synagogue. this is a newly released picture of him and we now know british intelligence services investigated him just over a year ago, and was determined to be no longer a terrorist threat. the suspect entered the u.s. last month on a tourist visa. all right. tonight, we are seeing scope of the devastation from that deadly underwater volcanic eruption and tsunami on the pacific island nation of tonga. every home on one island was destroyed by 50-foot waves. before and after satellite photos show the disaster zone is covered in thick ash. the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

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this is the "cbs overnight news." i am major garrett in washington. thanks so much for staying with us. we begin with new signs of a possible turning point ahead in the fight against the omicron surge. more than 5.4 million americans tested positive last week. a new record. but look at this. new york city's numbers are dropping fast in both cases and hospitalizations. that's significant because new york was one of the first places hard hit by the variant. this follows a similar trajectory in south africa, where omicron was first discovered. cbs's debora patta has more.

>> reporter: after just eight weeks since the world first heard about omicron, discovered here in south africa, the country's wave has dropped as sharply as it had risen and there's been very little interruption to people's lives. children remained in school. restaurants are busy. and the city is bustling. the fs of gholobal anxiety. infections spread here with ferocious speed. within days, south africa was the epicenter of the disease, and then -- well, not much at all. we have monitored this same covid ward throughout the pandemic. during the omicron wave, it's as if it's a completely different hospital. half empty, very few patients requiring oxygen. and the staff are under a lot less pressure. it was the complete opposite just six months ago during the country's battle with the delta variant, then the same hospital

was overwhelmed. >> we are a human being before we become a nurse. so seeing people die like that is hard. >> reporter: that was exhausted covid nurse justice speaking to us then. this time round, he can count the deaths on one hand. >> i am little bit at ease now that we have second line of defense, which is our vaccine. >> reporter: it is the vaccine and previous infections that have boosted south africa's has ity to the virus, explains dramatically reduced severe illness and death. >> the omicron wave now accounts for less than 5% of all of the death that has occurred due to covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. >> reporter: he believes that while there will still be many more variants, the acute phase of the pandemic -- at least here in south africa with its devastating death toll -- could be over.

>> i am highly optimistic we have reached a turning point in this pandemic. i can't see us vee ribbeting what we experienced during the course of the first three waves in south africa and in fact i am optimistic most other countries. >> some high-income countries have cautioned against relying too much on the south african data. but scientists like the professor battle to understand their reluctance to learn from the south african experience. debora patta, johannesburg. hundreds of families who lost everything in a devastating fire in colorado last month are struggling to find a new place to live. the marshal fire destroyed nearly 1,000 homes in bolder county. many families were left homeless at a time when the housing market has never been tighter. here is cbs's janet shamlian. >> stuff we can replace all this. i it's okay. >> reporter: ashes and rubble, what's left of the home the ruff family was filled to enjoy. sheryl, nathan, and their two

boys lost it all. >> all the presents we just opened them the day before. >> reporter: the marshal fire exploded december 30th. racing from distant fields to dense neighborhoods. >> we didn't even get our wedding rings. we left those on the window sill in the kitchen. >> reporter: nathan's home was gone watching this video. he didn't recognize his own street until he spotted the family's jeep. >> yeah, that was -- that was hard. >> reporter: more than a thousand structures burned and hundreds more damaged in the communities of superior and lewisville. how many different places have you spent the night since the fire? >> hotel, basement, house of people we didn't know who were angels, and then we are in an other friend's house's basement and hoping to finally get in a place next week. >> reporter: the catastrophe of the fire is now a crisis of housing. how challenging has it been for you guys to find housing? >> since the fire, that has been my sole purpose in life i think is just to find a home in our

community for the children. >> reporter: fueled by the pandemic, it was already a tight market. last month, just 263 three-bedrooms available in bolder county. hundreds of families are now looking in the same place, at the same time. >> immediately, people came right up with bedrooms, basements, rvs. >> amanda helped create a facebook page connecting families with homes. >> what's really missing is the long-term rental opportunities. >> reporter: cheryl pocketed a family photo and heartfelt plea. please consider us, she wrote. they are still looking. >> we know that there is other families doing the same thing so it felt a little bit like hunger games but at the same time, you know, you feel for everybody else, too. >> reporter: beyond housing, the need for everything is incalculable. >> we have set up a free store for people to come in and have some dignity, and get what they need in a kind of a retail space, versus kind of picking out of piles and donated

clothing. >> reporter: at the marshal fire free store, anyone impacted can take everything they need. how are the kids doing? >> um, they are obviously probably more resilient than we are, at this point. >> reporter: miki and ryan also lost their home with two children, two cats, and a dog. they have a temporary place thanks to a couple who moved out of their own home to help. so you are staying in the home of somebody you don't know? >> we literally met 'em the day before we moved into their house. >> a short-term solution for a long road ahead for everyone. think you will find those wedding rings? >> we are going to dig for them. >> that is the goal. it's about all we will probably find. >> probably see us tomorrow digging. >> reporter: families in search of the one thing there is no place like -- home. janet shamlian, superior, colorado. >> the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

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robinson of north maesh hockey. the first black player in the national hockey league, he was honored on the 64th anniversary of his nhl debut and not only by the bruins, the city of boston proclaimed yesterday willie o'ree day. i recently spoke to o'ree about his life and groundbreaking career. >> reporter: willie o'ree became the first black player in the national hockey league in 1958, suiting up for the boston bruins. o'ree, now 86, was playing minor league hockey in quebec when he got the call. >> on january the 18th, 1958, the bruins called and says we want o'ree to meet the bruins in montreal to play two games against the montreal canadias. >> o'ree did what jackie robinson had done 11 years early, integrate a white sport as a black professional. >> they sat me down and said, willie o'ree, we brought you because we thought you could add a little something to the club. don't worry about anything else just going out and playing your game. >> the speedy winger did and

afterward, described it this way. >> it was the greatest time of my life i believe. i will always remember this day. i am going to ask you a question. i think i am the first -- you look like you are a little nervous? >> yes, it did. >> o'ree was talking about achieving his ultimate goal playing in the nhl, not making racial history. >> i didn't recognize i broke the color barrier until i read it in the paper the next day. >> reporter: did you encounter any racial hostility? >> oh, yeah. you know, from -- from different players and -- and fans. >> players? >> different players, yeah, on the opposition. yeah. i heard the racial remarks and racial slurs. and it was in chicago and new york probably the -- the worst problems i had. >> reporter: black players in pro sports knew what to expect, and were expected to endure it in silence. >> in terms of this business of being jackie robinson of hockey, have you had any troubles? >> no, none -- none that you could say troubles. i have had a few jeers like that but i guess all hockey players

do. >> and o'ree goes back to boston. >> reporter: o'ree played 45 games in the nhl over two seasons, then flourished in minor league hockey, winning two scoring titles. >> i remember the first time i came into this building. >> reporter: in san diego, where o'ree played eight seasons, his number is the only one in the rafters. next week -- >> o'ree getting set. >> the boston bruins will retire o'ree's number -- 22. >> i am over -- overwhelmed and really, really excited. but golly, i'm -- i am really thrilled. >> reporter: o'ree is already in the hockey hall of fame. he has a statue at the national museum of african-american history and culture. and he is on the verge of receiving the congressional gold medal. >> really is somebody that exemplifies courage and, you know, what we want as a role model for our kids. >> reporter: senator debbie stabenow of michigan and congressman mike quigley of illinois have led the gold medal effort -- congress's highest civilian award. >> when you started talking to

your colleagues, did any of them know who willie was? >> no. >> how about you, mike? >> very, very, very few knew who he was. i will be honest, i grew up not knowing who willie was. >> was it a hard sell once you had the conversation? >> no, in fact, people would go the first black player in the nhl? wow. >> when he went to chicago stadium as a boston bruin, the fans were the worst in the league and so were the players. it's tough to hear because these were my heroes growing up. >> reporter: this story -- it has a twist. >> i have an unfortunate accident. >> reporter: willie o'ree, the nhl's first black player a descendent of slaves played his entire professional career blind in his right eye. >> was a slap shot from the point come up and hit me flat in the right eye and broke -- broke my nose. >> reporter: o'ree's surgeon said he would never play hockey again but within weeks, he was back on the ice striving for the nhl. he swore his family to secrecy, and never told any team of his blindness. >> i said forget about what you can't see and just concentrate on what you can see.

>> reporter: what he couldn't see then was the enduring power of his example. >> you can only imagine what he has been through. >> reporter: anthony plays forward for the florida panthers. >> i was a young black male playing hockey in a predominantly white sport. you know, you don't see too many black athletes. definitely motivated me, i would say, to make the nhl and try to, you know, pass it on forward to the next generation for sure. >> reporter: o'ree has spent the last 25 years passing it forward to the next generation as one of the nhl's diversity ambassadors bringing hockey to underserved minority communities. >> this is what i tell these kids you can do anything you set your mind to do and don't let anybody tell you you can't attain your goal. if you feel strongly in your heart and in your mind, never give up. >> willie did some outreach here in washington, d.c. willie o'ree is quite obviously a national hero. i grew up watching him play as a child in san diego. willie o'ree inspired me to pick up the sport, and we have some

photographic evidence of that. there you see it yours truly, age 14 fully suited up. to me, willie o'ree was one of the gr (dr. david jeremiah) there may have never been another time in history when end times prophecy has been more aligned with the culture and circumstances of the world than it is today. i believe there are ten phenomenon we are witnessing today that were recorded centuries ago in bible prophecy. (male announcer) join dr. david jeremiah in his new series, "where do we go from here?" on the next episode of "turning point." right here on this station. there's this feeling we chase... like someone upped the brightness

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from the halls of congress to our nation's schools, one question looms large these days. how do you bring people together when they seemingly disagree on just about everything? dr. jon lapook went looking for answers in tonight's unifying america. >> as our country struggles for ways to bring people together, the word empathy seems to be everywhere. >> it is time to see things from inside their world. >> reporter: uc berkeley professor dr. halpurn has been studying empathy for three decades. >> you know you are having empathy when you find yourself listening in a way that makes you feel them as a human being. >> reporter: patients who say their doctors are empathetic are more likely to follow their advice. that's why medical schools are teaching empathy as a core skill.

at nyu langone health where i am a professor of medicine, our empathy project produces short films to teach clinicians to be more confident by practicing empathy. >> how do you pronounce the -- >> our latest focus is on how difficult it can be for a black woman to be seen and heard. >> if you really want to empathize, you have to try and imagine how the world sees her. and how she assumes the world sees her. >> the number one thing about empathy is don't project your experience onto other people. >> reporter: during reconciliation efforts after international conflicts, empathy has helped people recognize their shared humanity. so, how might empathy be used as a schotool for reconciliation r here in the united states? >> nobody feels as good about living in this country with the fragmentation and conflict and empathic curiosity begins with you don't have to see it my way, what do you need to rebuild? and after asking those questions, listening with empathy. dr. jon lapook, cbs news new

york. and that is the overnight news for this wednesday. reporting from the nation's capital, i'm major garrett. this is cbs news flash. i'm tom hansen in new york. u.s. secretary of state antony blinken and russian foreign minister sergey lavrov have agreed to meet in geneva friday in search of common ground. experts are concerned russian military buildup around ukraine could lead to an invasion there. homes were evacuated in central texas over a growing wildfire. fire crews say a prescribed burn fueled by gusty winds may be the cause. rain is expected to pass through the area by thursday. and theres a new date for t be on april 3 in las vegas. it was scheduled for january 31st in la but delayed over the surge of covid cases.

you can watch the grammy's right here on cbs. for more news, download the cbs news app on your cell phone or it's wednesday, january 19th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." website launched. americans can now order free covid test kits. the government's plan to give out free n95 masks. 5g rollout. new mobile technology threatens to disrupt flights nationwide starting today. the last-minute agreement two avoid mass delays and cancelations. it sounded like a bomb. that's the only thing -- that's the only thing i could compare it to, like a bomb went off. >> partial building collapse. what set off an explosion that left one person dead and eight injured in new york city.