a better idea of where it might be headed and whether it's going to hit the tri-state. >> beach communities are getting ready just in case. today on long branch and other beach communities along the shores of the new jersey and long island, crews moved sand and tried to build up the beach. the concern is not only about joaquin but another storm coming tomorrow. governor christy has already declared a state of emergency. >> we have two reporters covering the preparations. we're going to begin with lee goldberg with the latest tracks. he's in the weather center. >> don't be surprised if tomorrow's weather in to tomorrow night is worse than whatever impact we may get from hurricane joaquin. two separate issues here. let's go outside right now where it's raining. this is not related to joaquin. we're still seeing rain trying to come up the coast right now. the rain is mainly light. 60 degrees right now. there's the rain around the area. the bulk of it is light. it's going to try to get lighter and break apart. yanks will try to play. there's the heavy rain down the

cause flooding and ponding during the day especially as we go deeper in to the afternoon and evening commute. even heavy rain could start to move in to the area along the immediate long island shoreline and jersey shore during the morning hours. joaquin, powerful category 4 hurricane in a terrible position. the central bahamas not moving very much. just lashing the islands right here. at that point it's right near port nelson. for our weather we're just looking at all this rain down the coast and what joaquin will do is likely hover around the bahamas for a couple of days here. that's key to our forecast. because with this potential track window, instead of being drawn toward the eastern seaboard, it will miss the steering winds and be more influenced by these steering winds. it's an offshore track and that would spare us from the worst of the storm. there's several computer models taking us to land.

that's happening. heavy rain returns tomorrow especially at the coast. overspreads all of us in the afternoon and evening. minor to moderate coastal flooding is a concern. more moderate in to the weekend. the trend with joaquin may stay out in the atlantic. more on that, your 7-day accuweather forecast is a few minutes away. we're going to turn now to the storm preparations and beaches on long island are bracing for strong winds and possible erosion. kristin thorne continues our coverage. >> the feeling is there probably will be some erosion. the question is just how much? >> reporter: it's a tedious job but an important one, making a sand wall along the boardwalk at jones beach. it's not entirely clear if it will even be put to good use with this storm but better to have it than not. they're also preparing the beaches in the town of hempstead. >> we've been moving sand to make sure our dunes are in very, very good shape and we do that all the time anyway.

watching and monitoring beach erosion very, very closely as we go through the weekend. >> reporter: at the very least long island is expected to get a lot of rain and wind over the next few days. flooding is possible so authorities are asking residents to have a plan in place. >> should you live in a low lying area and are asked to evacuate, rather than go to a shelter, we have suggested the family and friends plan where you partner with a family member or friend that lives in the higher elevations and shelter with them if you're asked to evacuate. >> reporter: people are starting to get their homes ready as well, stocking up on supplies. >> are you really concerned or just being cautious? >> i'm just being cautious, bought batteries, flashlights. >> reporter: people say they're not concerned this storm is going to be home about. >> i don't think it's going to be that bad. >> reporter: either way authorities are asking people if you have any time over the next few days, check the food and

it should be enough to last you at least three days. live in jones beach, kristin thorne, channel 7 eyewitness news. >> thank you. meanwhile emergency plans also being put in to place just in case in both new york city and state. governor cuomo says the state is beefing up staffing at emergency centers and more than 30 agencies in new york city are at a heightened state of readiness. berms and walls being put up in lower manhattan. all this just in case, and part of being prepared overall. officials say as well that new yorkers should have a plan in place. >> the only way the public helps us is they plan for right now what they should be doing if they ask for evacuations. >> mayor de blasio will have an update on the preparations in just a few minutes we expect. he's holding a briefing at the office of emergency management in downtown brooklyn. we'll check in when the mayor comes out to speak. a state of emergency is in

city and towns there prepare for days of heavy winds and rain. equipment brought in to replace a mile-long berm in manasquan. anything that can be tossed around like benches and trash cans were removed. governor christie told residents to be prepared but not to panic. >> now is the time for you to begin to prepare for hunkering down and dealing with the storm. >> governor christie says he knows many people may be nervous because of the devastation caused by superstorm sandy but he says the state is prepared to handle whatever comes. >> especially for some folks in new jersey who are watching lee's forecast and tracking the storms, it's understandable that so much of their shoreline and towns near the water still smarting from the devastation three years ago. they're getting ready as well. rob. >> absolutely. good evening. it's drizzling here right now and this city is absolutely no

going to watch the forecast very closely over the next few days. storm preparations here are well underway but also on top of that, here's another question. if the worst case scenario did become a reality, this system or one down the road , would new jersey drivers be able to gas up? >> reporter: countless lessons have been learned three years ago and hoboken leaders say they're now putting those lessons in to action. >> there will be already shelters set up, already triage secondary areas for an emergency room. food pods. all this stuff is being planned, where last time we started learning how to do that while it was happening. >> reporter: street barricades have gone up. parking has been restricted. city vehicles are being shift today higher ground -- shifted to higher ground. getting ready for as much as 8 inches of rain next week. >> this is now an opportunity to get prepared and that's my message. >> reporter: throughout new jersey one of the biggest problems during sandy was gas stations without power leaving

government money was set aside for stations to get backup generators but industry leaders say many station operators are still wrapped up in the application process. to date, less than 30 gas stations have installed those backup generators. >> most of the generators that are being installed actually cost over $100,000 so even if they receive a $65,000 grant they still have to invest $50,000 or $60,000 of their own money. >> reporter: not the news drivers want to hear if the worst case scenario plays out this time around. >> my car floated away in sandy. so that's why we're moving all the cars to higher ground this time, making sure it doesn't happen again. >> reporter: meanwhile in hoboken officials are urging residents to finalize their emergency plans, put their cars on higher ground and sign up for the city's reverse 911 alerts. >> we're on a heightened sense of alert where we're going to be

the best way to go in to it. >> two more quick tips that officials here are passing along. number one, make some sort of family emergency kit to get you through in case the storm hits. also bring indoors any objects that may fly around if the winds pick up. rob nelson, channel 7 eyewitness news. from new jersey to new york city. preparations, mayor de blasio speaking. let's listen in. >> so god forbid that we do see a direct impact from joaquin, we will be in much better position to handle it. amongst the things that we have changed and amongst the things that make us more prepared, our emergency preparedness plans are much more sophisticated. our ability to communicate with people much deeper. our building codes have changed. many of our buildings have seen major improvements that will lessen the impact even if there is flooding. we're well underway with a $20 billion resiliency plan. a number of

other resiliency measures have begun. and what we're going to do from this point on is constantly communicate with our fellow new yorkers about the situation. i want to urge all new yorkers who want to keep close track of the situation to sign up for a service we call notify nyc. you can sign up via 311 or via our website and notify nyc will send you regular updates from the office of emergency management by e-mail or by text. everything we're doing in these next days is of course to protect the health and safety of all new yorkers. i want to make it clear all of our efforts will have shelter capacity prepared and many other efforts. i want to be abundantly clear everything is available to all new yorkers. no one will be turned away. anybody in need will be served. it's important for people to be

addition to notify nyc or checking on nyc.gov. the other thing we want people to know is exactly where your home is located in terms of potential evacuation zones. again, it's way too early to make a judgment whether that would be necessary. but we have an effort we call know your zone. every new yorker should know what kind of area they live in in terms of evacuation plans. for that kind of information you can go on the website, nyc.gov or call 311 and give them your address. they'll tell you what zone you're in. also important for every family to be prepared. have a go bag. have your possession s that you really need to take with you in the event that you need to move quickly. have them prepared in advance. make sure you know how to be in touch with your loved one. be ready. too early to project that but we want people to always think when there may be an emergency coming on, what documents do you need? what information do you need? how are you going to stay in touch with your loved ones in this situation?

prepare now for something which we'll see the result of sunday, monday, tuesday. quickly in spanish before i introduce some of the commissioners who will play a key role in this effort. [ speaking spanish ] >> that was mayor de blasio giving new yorkers a warning saying just in case, be prepared. meteorologist lee goldberg posting updates on joaquin's track all day long on facebook, twitter, instagram, all the social media sites. he'll have his update in a few minutes. we'll turn now to the other big news of the day. another school massacre. this one in oregon. because of a gun, this time at a community college, at least 13 people killed. and the 20-year-old gunman is also dead after a shootout with police. >> we now know he was a student at that school. what we don't yet know is why he shot all those people. this on the

oregon. jim dolan. >> maybe it was a silencer. police aren't saying yet but students never heard the gunfire. the gunman killing young people just starting their lives. for a while at least people nearby didn't hear a thing. didn't know to run. the shooter, a 20-year-old male, would kill at least 13 people and injure more than 20. he didn't stop shooting till his final breath. >> reporter: umpqua community college is on lockdown as law enforcement combs through the grim sight inside science hall where at least 13 people are dead and where 20 others were injured. it was madness. >> there's an active shooter. we have a report of one person shot. >> reporter: law enforcement arrived at the rural school within minutes and students were led from adjacent buildings and checked for weapons and explosives but first police had to deal with the shooter and he

vendering. vend -- nor surrendering. >> officers responded to the college, and upon arriving there they located the shooter in one of the buildings. officers engaged that suspect. there was an exchange of gunfire. the shooter threat was neutralized. >> reporter: they do now believe the gunman acted alone. he's described only as a 20-year-old male. most of the other students who were there agree they kid not hear gunshots. >> i did not hear any shots actually. we were working on a lab and we were all kind of noisy anyways, and all we heard was we need to get in the back room now. >> my son is well versed in it. he said mom there was no sound. 30 something shots and no sound. >> reporter: the investigation

>> our number one priority right now is making sure we take care of the victims, families, and community of roseburg. >> this is of course a grim and brutally long day for students there and of course for their parents who at this hour are still being notified about the fate of their children. the shooter was a student at the school. police will look in to his history to try to determine a motive, what his list of grievances might have been as the community tries to cope with this sudden and overwhelming loss. we should tell you the president is expected to address the nation about the shooting. it's supposed to happen in just a few minutes. we'll bring it to you as soon as he does. >> more on world news tonight. just ahead, the nypd making a major change in reporting a force by its officers as it faces new criticism. >> lee returns with the latest on the rain tomorrow and also on

joaquin. i'm michael douglas, and new york is my home. there's no place like it in the world. and there's no time to see it like the fall. take metro north to take in the beautiful fall foliage from high above the hudson.

see spectacular sights underground... ...or thrilling sights above it. there's so many incredible ways to experience the fun of fall in new york state. plan your trip at iloveny.com. there's something for everyone. big changes troont -- tonight at the nypd because it will soon begin documenting and reviewing every physical encounter the cops have with the public. it comes after the inspector general released a report, faulting the nypd for not better tracking use of police force. striking a nerve, when he said the nypd had been

>> i'm very proud of this organization. if the inspector general of the city feels we're in the dark ages, i think he's going to have to start analyzing his capabilities to analyze. >> bratton very angry about it. for now on all cases of police force must be investigated. they'll investigate complaints about excessive force. a final farewell tonight to evan murray, the new jersey high school star quarterback who died after taking a hit during a game friday night. today friends and family paid their respects to murray at faith discovery church in washington township. emotions spilled outside the church today as the hearst carrying murray's body drove off. he was just 17 years old. the warren hill senior died last week from a ruptured spleen. we're waiting for president obama to speak about the shootings in oregon. we'll bring it to you as soon as he

taking a look at wall street where it was a mixed day for stocks. >> just ahead lee returns with

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breaking news, president obama now speaking about the shootings in oregon. >> federal law enforcement has been on the scene in a supporting role and we've offered to stay and help as much as roseburg needs for as long as they need. in the coming days we'll learn about the victims. young men and women who were studying and learning and working hard with their eyes set on the future, their dreams on what they could make of their lives. and america will wrap everyone who's grieving with our prayers and our love. as i said just a few months ago, and i

and i said each time we see one of these mass shootings, our thoughts and prayers are not enough. it's not enough. it does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel. and it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted some place else in america. next week or a couple months from now. we don't yet know why this individual did what he did. and it's fair to say that anybody who does this has a sickness in their minds.

their motivations may be. but we're not the only country on earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people. we are the only advanced country on earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months. earlier this year i answered a question in an interview by saying the united states of america is the one advanced nation on earth in which we do not have sufficient common sense gun safety laws even in the face of repeated mass killings. and later that day there was a mass shooting at a movie theater in lafayette in louisiana. that

somehow this has become routine. the reporting is routine. my response here at this podium ends up being the conversation in the aftermath of it. we've become numb to this. we've talked about this after columbine and blacksburg, after tucson, after newtown, after aurora, after charleston. it cannot be this easy for somebody who wants to inflict harm on other people to get his or her hands on a gun. and what's become routine of course is the response of those who oppose any kind of common sense gun legislation. right now i can imagine the press release is

guns, they'll argue. fewer gun safety laws. does anybody really believe that? there are scores of responsible gun owners in this country. they know that's not true. we know because of the polling that says the majority of americans understand we should be changing these laws including the majority of responsible, law-abiding gun owners. there is a gun for roughly every man, woman and child in america. so how with a straight face make the argument that more guns will make us safe? we know states with the most gun laws tend to have the fewest gun deaths.

laws don't work or just will make it harder for law-abiding citizens and criminals will still get their guns. it's not born out by we know other countries in response to one mass shooting have been able to craft laws that almost eliminate mass shootings. friends of ours, allies of ours, great britain. australia. countries like ours . so we know there are ways to prevent it. and of course what's also routine is that somebody somewhere will comment and say obama politicized this issue. this is something we should politicize.

our common life together, to the body politic. i would ask news organizations because i won't put these facts forward. have news organizations tally up the number of americans who have been killed through terrorist attacks over the last decade, and the number of americans who have been killed by gun violence and post those side by side on your news reports. this won't be information coming from me. it will be coming from you. we spend over a trillion dollars and pass countless laws and devote entire agencies to preventing terrorist attacks on our soil, and rightfully so. and yet we have a congress that specifically blocks us from even

potentially reduce gun deaths. how can that be? this is a political choice that we make. to allow this to happen every few months in america. we collectively are answerable to those families who lose their loved ones. because of our inaction. when americans are killed in mine disasters, we work to make mines safer. when americans are killed in floods and hurricanes, we make communities safer. when roads are unsafe, we fix them. to reduce auto fatalities. we have seatbelt laws because we know it