tonight, breaking news. the state of emergency right now. several major fires out of control in tennessee. thousands of families and tourists racing to escape. this hotel engulfed in flames. even dolly parton's dollywood in the path. some cabins catching fire. also breaking, the deadly plane crash. what we have just learned. what happened just before the crash. and the team onboard, the video of them fateful flight. and the six found outside the plane, alive. the attack at ohio state. the student on a rampage with a butcher's knife. what's now been discovered tonight. donald trump about to go to dinner at this hour with mitt romney and his wife. will romney get the job as secretary of state over rudy giuliani? and cameras in the court. the stunning moment. the officer who shot walter scott in south carolina. what he said on the stand,

good evening. and it's great to have you with us here on a tuesday night. and we begin with the stunning images coming in from tennessee. several major fires fueled by 60-mile-per-hour winds, and we have just learned tonight that the fires have now turned deadly. it is hard to grasp the true scope of this disaster, just look through the windshield of this car, surrounded by flames there on both sides of the road. so many trying to escape tonight. an entire city evacuated the flames creeping towards a cabin. a surveillance camera capturing it all. and tennessee state troopers guiding families away from their homes through the thick smoke and fallen trees. abc's linzie janis leading us off from tennessee tonight. >> hit the gas! hit the gas! >> reporter: tonight, the race to escape the flames. >> go, go, go, go, go! >> reporter: embers flying over the windshield. >> that [ bleep ] going to melt these tires in a heartbeat. >> reporter: michael luciano riding shotgun as he and a

fire in the great smoky mountains. winds gusti iing to 60 miles pe hour, fanning the flames. police rushing door to door, evacuating the entire city of gatlinburg. >> police pounding on the door and said, you got to go right now. >> reporter: the wall of fire engulfing this cabin. terrified guests trapped inside the park vista hotel, as the one next door erupts. >> you had to lay, like, perfectly flat on the ground or the smoke was, like, just too thick. >> reporter: at least three dead. officials calling apocalyptic. >> this is a fire for the history books. because it is unlike anything most have ever seen. >> reporter: sunrise bringing images of the devastation in the hardest-hit area. just look at this home completely burnt to the ground. you can see this giant steel beam twisted and bent by the heat of the fire. it's still smoldering. more than 150 homes and businesses destroyed. >> there's areas in there, it looks like a bomb has gone off. >> reporter: the great smoky

tourist destination, and the home of dolly parton's theme park, dollywood. 12 cabins there burned, but the main park is safe. in a statement, parton saying she is "praying for all the families affected" and the "firefighters who are working so hard." david, the mayor of fwgatlinburg says the next 24 hours will be critical in putting out fires like this one at this burnt-down motel. the bad news? the winds are expected to whip up tonight. the good news? some much-needed rain is on the way in the morning. da >> linzie, thank you. just a devastating scene there behind you. and you heard me mention the winds at the top. so, let's get right to meteorologist rob marciano. rob, when you hear about those 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts, that certainly does not help. >> reporter: no, it's a trigger, david. and just like last night, we've got high winds expected tonight. take a look at this. high wind watches and warnings in the fire zone in advance of the next batch of rain, beneficial rains, but that same system is spawning tornadoes

a very dangerous situation. folks who live in and around monroe, jackson, especially tupelo, mississippi, need to be on-guard now for the next four, five hours. it moves east tomorrow, over the fire zone as a beneficial rain, and across much of the northeast, including here in new york and new england, which, today, it's been raining all day. david? >> rob marciano with us tonight. rob, thank you. we turn next here to the other major story tonight, the deadly plane crash. the images of that team celebrating along the way on their journey. but then, the flight overnight crashing, nearly the flight was carrying a brazilian soccer team to a finals match, crashing on a hillside in colombia. and we have just learned here what happened right before that crash. that team had so much to look forward to. celebrating a cinderella rise on their way to a playoff game. 71 people killed. but miraculously, six were found outside the plane, somehow they survived. abc's david kerley on what happened in those final moments.

intact, having slammed into a hill. through the day, the grim task of recovering the bodies of the 71 onboard who were killed. but remarkably, those six survivors found away from the fuselage. it was to be a joyous trip for the regional brazilian soccer team, the chapecoense. making a big tournament for the first time in its history. documenting their trip in the airport, then selfies onboard. and the tale of these two alan ruschel, with the beard, a defender. one of the two players who survived. next to him, danilo padilla, a goalkeeper found alive. he was actually able to call his family, but then died from his injuries. and the heartbreaking story of this 22-year-old player who was killed, his family releasing this video from just last week when he learned that he would be a father. in their hometown, fans stunned by the loss.

146, was owned by a charter company. it is often used to get into difficult airports. abc consultant steve ganyard has flown into that airport. >> even in the daytime, it's a very sporty place, because not only do you have this very rugged terrain, but there is oftentimes weather. >> reporter: on the last leg of its flight, nearly five hours from bolivia, the short-haul jet starts circling around in bad weather. the crew reports an electrical failure, declaring an emergency, then disappearing from radar. the black boxes have been recovered, but with an electrical failure, did they continue to record? and did the crew have enough navigational instruments? >> if you're on battery power, you don't know where you are. in this case, when you throw weather, nighttime, high terrain and no navigation, it's a recipe for disaster. >> reporter: colombian authorities say the tail hit the top of a mountain, with the rest of the jet sliding down the other side. the question tonight, where were those six survivors sitting, and how did they survive when so

>> so, the tail of the jet hitting that mountain. and david kerley, who covers aviation for us, there were some members of that team who did not board that flight? >> reporter: two members, actually, david, because of injuries, stayed home. and were dejected, they were in the locker room today, having lost the majority of their team. also, the coach's son was supposed to be on the plane. he forgot his passport, he too survives. really a hole in that community in brazil tonight. >> yeah, just a horrible picture there of those two team members learning of the news. david, thank you. we also do have new reporting tonight of that horrific attack at ohio state. the student who crashed into a crowd, and then went on a rampage with a butcher's knife. tonight, isis is now calling him one of their, quote, soldiers. but this evening, the video of the attacker just a few months ago, celebrating his graduation here in america. so, what or who got to him? here's abc's chief investigative

claiming the ohio state attack was carried out by what it called one of its soldiers of the islamic state. >> abdul razak artan, cum laude. >> reporter: just five months ago, abdul razak ali artan was graduating with honors from community college in ohio. leading one of his victims today to wonder what happened. >> picture of the graduation shows a jubilant young man, so, to do this, for this to happen four, five months later, yes, i would be very interested to know what all the circumstances were. >> reporter: all smiles in his now is added to a long list of at least 14 young people linked to terrorist attacks in the u.s. in his statement posted on facebook before the attack in which he was shot dead, artan wrote, "if you want us muslims to stop carrying out lone wolf attacks, then make peace." authorities say artan was not known to the fbi, and as agents now seek to learn more, victims are beginning the healing process. >> i could tell he was very angry.

vet anderson payne served two tours in iraq unscathed, only to be injured on an american college campus. >> he turned and went to swing the knife at me, and i reached up with my left hand and i grabbed the blade, so that it couldn't hit me, and that gave me enough time to duck under his arm and make my way back into the building to get away from him. >> all right, so, let's get right to brian ross tonight, because isis is now claiming this young man was one of their soldiers. is there any evidence to back this up? >> reporter: so far, david, there's not. and that's what the fbi is doing now. going through his phone records, his computer, looking to see who he might have been in contact with. david? >> brian ross and your team. our thanks to you. at this hour, president-elect donald trump is set to go to dinner with mitt romney and his wife, ann. does this signal romney will get that role of secretary of state? it's become a very public jockeying for position, rudy giuliani, general petraeus among the names. but mr. trump's own transition was overshadowed today by one of his own tweets about the american flag. here's abc's tom llamas.

out of the blue declaration on twitter -- "nobody should be allowed to burn the american flag. if they do, there must be consequences. perhaps loss of citizenship or a year in jail." no explanation for what trigged trump, but the tweet came just 30 minutes after a fox news segment that a massachusetts college removed all american flags after someone set one ablaze to protest trump. >> they took down the flag after one flag was set on fire. >> reporter: flag burning is protected under the first amendment. 26 years ago, the supreme court decided it's a form of freedom of speech. one of the justices who agreed? the late antonin scalia, who trump has often praised. >> in this country, we have a long tradition of respecting unpleasant speech. >> we have a responsibility as a country to carefully protect our rights that are enshrined in the constitution. >> reporter: trump's tweet taking some attention from a busy day for the transition team.

of georgia picked as secretary of health and human services. price is an orthopedic surgeon, and a fierce critic of obamacare. >> this is bad for patients, for all americans. >> reporter: he's one of few republicans with a detailed plan for replacing the president's health care law. it includes repealing the expansion of medicaid, which provides insurance for millions of low income americans. >> nice to see you all. >> reporter: today, trump also tapping former labor secretary elaine chao to head the department of transportation. majority leader mitch mcconnell. and for treasury secretary, trump picking his campaign finance chairman steve mnuchin, who spent 17 years working for goldman sachs where he was a partner. but the powerful job of secretary of state still unfilled. today, trump meeting with tennessee senator bob corker. and tonight, the president-elect sitting down for a second time with mitt romney, who denounced trump during the campaign. >> do you still think he's a con artist, sir? >> reporter: tonight, romney

>> and tom llamas with us live tonight from trump tower. so, tom, we had that first meeting between mr. trump and mitt romney. then kellyanne conway deeply critical of romney on our own air in recent days. and now, tonight, this dinner with romney again, so, is he in? is he out? >> reporter: david, no doubt mitt romney is still at the top of that list. but rudy giuliani has also been campaigning hard for the post. we also know that general petraeus and senator corker are also in the mix for secretary of state. but tonight, it will be mitt romney who has donald trump's ear. the two cc who at one time hated each other break bread tonight. david? >> tom llamas covering this transition every step of the way. tom, thanks. overseas tonight, and to syria, and to troubling pictures after a new round of air strikes killed at least ten civilians trying to flee aleppo. video shows the bloody aftermath after government forces pounded the city, trying to reclaim one of the final outposts held by president bashar al assad's opponents. the u.n. reporting tonight up to 16,000 people have been

to escape the fighting. back here at home tonight, and to a stunning moment in court today. in south carolina, officer michael slager taking the stand in his own defense, charged in the shooting death of driver walter scott, after a routine traffic stop. here's abc's steve osunsami. >> i made the decision to use lethal force, because mr. scott never stopped. >> reporter: this former police officer took a giant risk testifying. michael slager looked into the jury's eyes and told them that at this very moment, when he started firing at walter scott in the green shirt, he felt afraid for his life. >> i fired until the threat was stopped, like i'm trained to do. >> reporter: scott was unarmed, and is clearly seen in this cell phone video running away. prosecutors say it was murder, and made slager stand up and hold a tape ruler to show jurors how far scott ran. a whole 18 feet before slager started shooting. slager is claiming that scott grabbed his taser in a fight before the cell phone recording.

at me, coming at me like this. >> reporter: but he now admits that scott didn't run away holding it. people in the courtroom shook their heads as slager struggled to explain this -- why he picked up the taser from this location and moved it closer to scott's dead body. >> was it because i was policing my gear? i can't even answer to that. >> reporter: slager told jurors he wasn't trying to plant evidence. but outside this courthouse, in the black neighborhoods where he once worked, they don't believe him. david? >> steve, thank you. and there is a new turn this evening in the case of the missing mother found alive weeks later in california, bound and left by the side of the road. her husband speaking to abc news about her injuries, and tonight, authorities now revealing to abc that she was branded. and that whoever did it might have been trying to send a message. here's abc's kayna whitworth. >> reporter: tonight, sherri papini's husband speaking out,

of horror and elation" upon first seeing his wife in the hospital. "the officers warned me to brace myself. her face covered in bruises ranging from yellow to black because of repeated beatings. the bridge of her nose broken. weighing just 87 pounds, her now emaciated body covered in severe burns. she has been branded." that branding on papini's skin now being scrutinized. >> it is not a symbol, but it was a message. >> reporter: to who? >> it could be a message to her, it could be a message to others. >> reporter: authorities are still hunting for papini's captors, described as two armed hispanic women driving a dark suv. keith papini says his wife was released with a chain around her waist and a bag over her head. david, keith saying his wife's long blond hair had been chopped off. the sheriff telling me, that could have been some kind of psychological warfare to destroy her identity. david? >> kayna, thank you. there is still much more ahead on "world news tonight" this tuesday.

watch this. thieves ramming their truck into a store, and then a whole team racing in, trying to get their hands on guns. police now saying it's happening in so many cities. where they are searching, at this hour. the abc news investigation, right after the break. the road rage battle in the parking lot. the drivers ramming into each other with their suvs. this was just incredible. and then, introducing america's newest millionaires tonight. 20 co-workers, factory workers, we loved this. now sharing a $420 million jackpot to the question -- will they stay on the job?

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up to 15 crooks swarming in, grabbing dozens of weapons. abc news has learned, gun store burglaries are surging across the country. in texas, this thief smashing through the door, then the case, gone in seven seconds. ever creative, this gang uses a truck and steel cables to rip a metal gate right off its hinges. some even using blowtorches. a disturbing 28% spike in gun store burglaries from 2013 to 2015. more than 12,000 weapons, including assault rifles, stolen. this year, the pace of burglaries at a rate of more than one per day. >> less than 30 seconds, they were in, got the guns and were out. >> reporter: in and out, 30 seconds? >> 30 seconds. >> reporter: these steps often lead directly to violence on the streets. >> we know those guns will be instantly used to commit violent crimes here in our communities. >> reporter: david, the crooks think it's more difficult to trace guns stolen this way. but the bad news, these heists are getting bigger and bigger. >> pierre, thank you.

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[burke] hot dog. seen it. covered it. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two. ? we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ? searching for information. 13 action news.... live at 6 starts.... in minutes. co . . a dangerous valley intersection finally, 20 factory workers playing the lotto together for years. it paid off. here's linsey davis. >> let's see how you did. first number down tonight is 21. >> 21, 37, 44, 16! >> reporter: they call themselves the tennessee 20. >> checked my e-mails, we won. and we're just -- i mean, i almost passed out.

tennessee have played as a group for years. the split on that $420 million jackpot? $12.7 million each. >> last night, my check engine light came on. i thought, well -- you know, i don't have to get frantic about that now. >> reporter: they're still staying on the job, at least for now. >> i'm not planning on quitting. i'm planning on staying there. may change my mind, but -- >> reporter: several million reasons that just might change her mind. >> the tennessee 20. and we needed that story from tennessee tonight. i'm david muir. i'll see you right back here tomorrow. good night. a message for the mo. of the two brothers... police say....

george has more on the emotional courtroom meeting between two people.. whose lives will never be the same. tom lead-in just a few weeks ago... sharithea everett, a mother of five, lost two of her sons when they were killed by a suspected drunk driver. and today, for the first time she got to see the man police say was behind the wheel as she begins her fight for justice... sot when i look at him i dont they're the same age! it just that split second he made a cal and now, sharithea everett will spend this weekend saying goodbye. sot i just cant wrap my head around i'm about to bury both of them saturday. just a few weeks ago... jermaine asher and robert shawn roberts were on their way to buy her a birthday present... when a suspected drunk driver near lake mead and rainbow hit and killed them... sot life is not promised i know.. but they had so much potential,

today in court... she says the suspect, willie worthams, mouthed the words "i'm sorry..." sot while he was saying he's sorry i was just visualizin if there's a vehicle slamming into him at 115 miles per hour. a crash that took two sons... and tore a family apart.. sot i want justice... so sorry just don't cut it for me. tom tag willie worthams' defense team was granted a contuance... so he'll back in court in january for a preliminary hearing on dui and reckless driving charges... his family didnt want to talk on camera... but did say t for the victim's family as well.. tom george, 13 action news. new developments on a heartbreaking tragedy unfolding in east tennessee.. where more than a dozen wildfires have now destroyed more than 250 buildings and homes. the town of gatlinburg is being hit especially hard. 3 people have been killed.. and the out-of-control flames have forced thousands to flee. some evacuees had to drive through the fire to reach safety. joyce/evacuee: "we just watched