tonight, campus attack horror at ohio state. a driver slams into a crowd, then goes on a terrifying stabbing spree. we have new details on the suspect, as the fbi investigates. were there ties to terrorism? with no evidence, president-elect trump pushes baseless claims that millions voted illegally, in an plus, palace intrigue. are there warring factions inside trump tower? we're live from havana where thousands are lining up to bid farewell to fidel castro. what's next for cuba? banned for life. delta reverses course after a video of a belligerent passenger, screaming at women onboard, sparks an uproar. and football to farming. an nfl star who walked away from millions and then found new success

"nightly news" begins right now. this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. reporting tonight from havana. good evening. we'll have coverage of a remarkable outpouring in the streets here today over the death of fidel castro over the weekend, but we lead off with late details on today's bloody knife attack on the campus of ohio state university. the suspect, who after plowing his car into pedestrians, and then attacking people with a knife, was identified late today as a somali-born, osu student. his rampage ended when he was shot and killed by police. the campus put on lockdown, leaving thousands confused and terrified. the fbi has joined the investigation and this evening officials have not ruled out terrorism. nbc's stephanie gosk has the latest. >> we have several pedestrians struck by a vehicle.

university this morning. >> shots fired, one down. >> reporter: students just getting back to class, after the long holiday weekend, when the university tweeted a shelter in place alert, at 9:56 a.m. just six minutes later, another more urgent alert. the 60,000-student campus was locked down. images emerging of students barricaded in classrooms, as authorities tried to secure the scene and surrounding buildings. >> and i heard five or six gun shots going f, class and just saw people were running. and was nervous. >> reporter: eyewitness nicole was walking to her first class, when she saw a gray car plow into people on the sidewalk. >> that car just swerved and just hit, like ran into the whole group of people. and it hit a cop really bad. i could tell he was in a lot of pain. >> the suspect came out of the car with a knife and started swinging at students. >> reporter: police say it was a deliberate act. >> after hitting pedestrians, the suspect cut multiple

the officer engaged the suspect and shot and killed the suspect. >> reporter: social media posts showed a body laying on the ground. that body, the lone suspect, identified by officials as 18-year-old osu freshman abdul razak ali artan. this photo shows his car arriving on campus moments before the attack. despite reports of an active shooter on campus, only his car and a knife were used by the suspect the -- the only gun was fired by the responding officer, 28-year-old alor police since 2015. >> the officer being in the right place at the right time. he was able to see this whole thing happen and take immediate action. >> reporter: 11 people were hurt, a mix of faculty, staff, and students. thankfully all are expected to survive. students here at ohio state were still riding high after a big football win over the weekend, when this attack took place. the governor of ohio, john kasich, who got his start here, called

that, lester, classes are set to resume tomorrow. >> stephanie gosk, thank you. now the big question everyone's asking this evening, that, of course, is why did this happen. investigators are looking into the attacker's background, trying to find out what motivated him. our justice correspondent, pete williams, has been working his sources and has late details for us. >> reporter: police and federal agents tonight are searching the apartment where they say the attacker abdul razak ali artan lived. and friends, looking for a motive. law enforcement officials say shortly before artan plowed into students with a car, this rant was posted on what appears to be his facebook page, saying attacks on muslims around the world, quote, led to a boiling point. i can't take it anymore. authorities say he was born in somalia, fled with his family to pakistan in 2007, and came to the u.s. through jfk airport in 2014. he was a lawful, permanent u.s. resident.

overseas terrorist propaganda. both isis and al qaeda have urged followers to carry out attacks with vehicles or knives. just two months ago, isis claimed credit for a knife attack that hurt nine people at a minnesota shopping mall. and french police say a truck attack in july that killed 84 people in nice was inspired by isis. university police say they're confident artan came to the campus alone and carried out the attack by himself. now they're investigating whet it. lester? >> pete williams, thank you. there's high drama once again tonight at trump tower. president-elect trump pushing baseless claims that millions voted illegally in the election, costing him the popular vote. there's no evidence of that. meantime, there are reports of deep divisions over perhaps the biggest decision the president-elect will have to make before taking office. we get details from nbc's hallie jackson. >> reporter: reality

with another possible pick for secretary of state. retired general david petraeus. >> very good conversation and we'll see where it goes from here. >> reporter: a top transition source tells nbc news, petraeus is being considered for multiple high-level posts, despite pleading guilty for mishandling classified information, and donald trump's attacks against hillary clinton, investigated for doing the same. later cleared by the fbi. petraeus's appearance highlighting the infighting over who should lead the state department. divisions, between backers of judy giuliani, a long-time loyalist, and mitt romney, a former never trump leader, coming under unusually public scorn from one of trump's top aides. >> we don't know if he voted for donald trump. >> reporter: romney, set to visit new york tomorrow for more talks with the president-elect, who's stayed silent so far on something else. his unsubstantiated twitter claims that millions of people voted illegally. now new pushback from the election offices

new hampshire, virginia, and california, all denying it. >> these allegations and accusations of millions of people voting illegally in california and in other states, are unfounded. unless mr. trump has evidence. if he does, bring it forward. >> reporter: donald trump's transition team, today providing 45 pages of documents they say backs up voter fraud claims. citations debunked after analysis by the nbc news political unit and other independent fact checkers. >> it's really unprecedented in american history to election after the fact is unfair. >> reporter: the president-elect slashing out not just at the system but at a recount initiated by the green party, happening in wisconsin and new tonight now, pennsylvania also. this recount, has almost no chance of actually changing the election results. a point the president-elect's team has been making. lester? >> all right, hallie jackson, thank you very much. back here in havana at the plaza of

people going inside the memorial here to pay respects to fidel castro. the line goes as far as you can see. they go inside past photos and then sign a pledge of loyalty to the ideals of fidel castro. this is not the passing of an era, as this is still a communist country in the hands of castro's brother raul, but it comes at a critical time in the relationship between the u.s. and cuba. the massive line snaked into the square. stood in the hot sun, clutching flags and photos, waiting hours to pay their respects to their controversial, former leader, fidel castro. >> it's important for the cuban people to be here, and everybody is here precisely because of what he said. >> you see soldiers crying, old ladies crying, men crying. >> reporter: at the top of each hour, the booms of 21-cannon salutes echo through havana during this official nine-day

decade now, in death as in life, his name sparks deep emotions. castro, the hero and freedom fighter. castro, the ruthless tyrant. the world that even some here still debate his legacy. >> love it or hate it, he was an incredible man. you can agree or not with him, but he was incredible. he did many, many things for cuba. >> reporter: castro rose to power in 1959, leading a guerrilla force that toppled cuba's u.s.-backed dictator. at first he championed democracy. >> i am not communism. i do not agree with communist. >> reporter: but before long, established a communist state. over the decades, castro boosted health care and literacy for the poor, but it came with a price. denying cubans basic human rights, his critics charged, forcing more than a million people to flee the island. in miami, news of castro's death sparked celebrations.

to see this, to hear it himself. he died like three years ago. but i'm sure he knows. >> reporter: president obama recently has worked to thaw tensions between the two countries, loosening trade restrictions, re-opening the u.s. embassy in havana. another major milestone, the first commercial flight in decades departed the u.s. for havana today. but just as that plane took off, president-elect donald trump tweeted that he may reverse the plan to open cu between these two countries, as complicated as ever. and to punctuate that, the white house said today that neither president obama or vice president biden plan to attend castro's funeral. back in the u.s., jury selection began in the trial of a church massacre that shocked the nation. dylann roof is accused of killing nine african american worshippers at a church in charleston, south carolina, last year. today the judge ruled roof can act as his

has details. >> reporter: wearing his striped jumpsuit in court today, dylann roof began representing himself. federal judge richard gergel granted the 22-year-old's request to serve as his own lawyer but warned it was strategically unwise. roof mostly listened as the judge questioned potential jurors. he did speak up after one juror said, the death penalty is roof saying, at this point, i think he should be struck. roof faces 33 federal hate crime charges for the massacre of nine worshippers at a black church in charleston in june of 2015. the survivors say they forgive roof and some even say they don't believe in the death penalty, even in this case. now they may have to testify in court. >> one of dylann roof's goals may be to actually put the victims of the crime right in front of him. make them as uncomfortable as possible. >> reporter: it could take weeks for a jury

news. turning overseas where the battle for aleppo appears to have reached a brutal turning point. syrian troops have now seized large swaths of that city, forcing thousands to flee, including a brave 7-year-old girl we met last month who captured the world's attention by sharing her struggle to survive on social media. we get the latest from nbc's richard engel. >> reporter: the syrian regime today bombed neighborhoods in aleppo into submission. r mother have been tweeting a voice of resistance from rebel-held eastern aleppo. when we filmed at her home last month, bana said, we have the right to live. we're not terrorists. now she's on the run. one of her last tweets said, tonight, we have no house, it's bombed. she later wrote, i got minor injury. i didn't sleep since yesterday. i am hungry. i want to live.

bana's home was near a northern park in aleppo where rebel defenses collapsed. rights groups say the rebels have lost a third of their territory in aleppo since saturday. we managed to speak to bana's mother tonight who said her daughter is okay and now sleeping but that the situation in aleppo is desperate. >> aleppo is bleeding. really it's bleeding. aleppo, it's suffering very much. >> reporter: today, syrian state tv showed as they left rebel areas. syria wants to show aleppo is being liberated. activists say they and the city are being decimated. the syrian regime has long maintained if it can retake all of aleppo, syria's second city, it will break the back of the resistance. tonight, it looks like that may happen. lester? >> all right, richard engel, thank you. still ahead, caught on camera.

cyber monday deals. the new way you can protect your special deliveries this

we're back now after a long holiday weekend that saw millions of americans shop till they dropped. people are spending much more money online than they are in stores, even before today, cyber monday, and with the rise in online spending comes fears over package thieves stealing those deliveries.

that story and how to fight back. >> reporter: cyber monday zooming towards a new record. americans now on pace to spend a whopping $3.4 billion online today. up 9% from last year. mobile is the driving force. more than half of online shoppers use tablets or smartphones. but as a record number of orders from amazon and other online retailers fly out the door, there is growing concern this year that those packages make it safely into your hands. porch prowlers caught on camera, pilfering packages in broad daylight. >> we are tired of stuff happening on our street. >> reporter: one woman posing as a mother with a baby in a stroller, swiping a shipment from a san francisco home. she hides it, then walks away. that baby, really a dog. >> they're going onto people's property, seeing that people are away, they're at work, two-family incomes, people are working longer, dark this time of year, and they take packages.

million americans have had packages stolen before they could open them, according to bank rate. expert the re78d recommend, in order to keep your packages safe, redirect them to a secure location, an amazon locker, or fetdex office. use smart gadgets for your home. a video doorbell like ring has a camera that keeps an eye on your front step at all times, even texting when there's someone at the door. a smart garage door opener from chamberlain, which you can control from inside. a sensor device, like the package guard, it sounds an alarm if someone takes a package off a motion-detecting plate. with more deliveries ever this year than before, smart technology ensuring those precious gifts make it into the right hands. jo ling kent, nbc news, robinsville, new jersey. up next, the shocking moments when a plane passenger decides to make an

delta airlines today took the unusual step of banning a passenger for life after he was caught on

berating and insulting fellow passengers who voted for hillary clinton. the flight to pittsburgh was still at the gate in atlanta when it happened. the video quickly went viral on social media. delta now says it should have removed that passenger rather than letting him fly. today the ceo of the airline apologized and offered refunds to customers who were onboard that flight. and a shocking scene aboard a united airlines flight today from new orleans to houston. after landing a as the plane taxied to the terminal. we get more from our miguel almaguer. >> a lady on this flight just opened the door and jumped out of the plane. >> reporter: a stunned passenger in houston recorded the incident just after it unfolded. united airlines flight 1892, arriving early from new orleans, sitting near the terminal with an emergency exit wide open, after a woman reportedly opened the door and bolted.

the jarring exit recorded on surveillance camera. as passengers took pictures of law enforcement later boarding the plane with the woman in custody. this isn't the first unruly exit. in april, a united airlines flight attendant pulled the emergency chute and slid off a plane, also in houston. six years ago, a jetblue flight attendant did the same thing. a security camera, catching the man in the act. back in houston, no word today on the passenger's motive during this most unusual exit. miguel almaguer, nbc news. up next here tonight, the nfl star who traded the football field for the

every monday we like to end our broadcast with something uplifting, and i think this story fits the bill. it's about an nfl star earning millions on the grid iron. at the height of his career, he decides to leave it all behind for a wildly different life on the farm. nbc's kevin tibbles tells us how he's giving back in our newest "inspiring america" report. >> reporter: a new day peaks over the

as the gentle giant stirs. >> never stop giving. never stop loving. never stop growing. >> reporter: jason brown is big. football player big. 6'3", 320. and, yes, seven years as a pro center with the nfl's ravens and rams. >> when i turned 27 years old, that was the same age that my older brother was when he was killed serving our country in afghanistan. and itll examination of my life. >> reporter: brown walked away from a $37 million contract and hung up his cleats. >> i wear size 16 shoe. and he wore a size 14 shoe. and to tell you the truth, i still couldn't fill his shoes. >> reporter: deeply religious and devoted to his family, he too wanted to serve. but instead of the military, jason brown bought a farm. >> how did you learn

learned to farm from watching videos on youtube, i get a lot of laughs, and i get a lot of chuckles, right? >> reporter: he calls it first fruits farm. >> jason grows food to give it away. >> reporter: where the first harvest is all donated to feed the hungry. >> we have a list of names and we share. because sharing is caring. >> reporter: this year, more than 250,000 pounds of sweet potatoes. [ laughter ] >> reporter: and lining up in the dirt alongside the volunteers on harvest used to snap the ball in front of millions from the line of scrimmage. >> this is the most wonderful thing that you could possibly do. >> i really don't want any type of notoriety other than for people to say, you know what, that's just some kid from the country that can play a little bit of football, but look what he's doing with his life right now. if he can do it, i can do it. >> reporter: for this mountain of a man, helping those less

kevin tibbles, nbc news, louisburg, north carolina. and that's going to do it for us on a monday night. i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, goodnight. right now on news 3 live at 6:00 -- a father talks to news 3 after his daughter was grabbed by a stranger, sexually assaulted right near their home. what you need to know as police work to catch him before h out the door. why the rush and what's happening that will soon hopefully make it better the next time you need to take care of your registration. also tonight -- news 3 video showing flames coming from the engine of a plane headed to las vegas. passengers react to this in-flight scare. i can't say what i hope happens to him. hopefully he gets caught and

>> that's the fare of a young girl who was sexually assaulted on thanksgiving day steps from her home. i'm jim snyder. >> i'm reed cowan. her father is speaking to news 3. it's our top story. antonio castelan joins us live near west lake mead and buffalo with the father's message to this sexual predator. >> reporter: reed, the sexual assault happened at this gated condo complex. the father says he never imagined this happening at a place he thought was safe. to find him. you know, god forbid it happens again. >> reporter: through his pain, this father named travis speaks to the importance of the capture of a sexual predator. on thanksgiving, around 1:30 in the afternoon, police say the man sketched here sexually assaulted his 8-year-old girl. >> we had the window open. you could hear the kids playing outside. he snuck in and was able to lure one away. >> reporter: police say the