up a press conference here where they gave us more details but they also commended the security guard who stepped in to stop the shooter. they say he was a retired nypd sergeant who stopped the shooter before he was able to fire more bullets the. shooter facing a long list of charges. no comment from oliver lee looking disheveled as detectives led him out of nassau police headquarters this morning. the 21-year-old accused of causing pandemonium at the mall when he allegedly pulled out a gun, threatening to shoot an employee at the store in the mall. lee now facing multiple charges after the mall melee that left one shot, now in serious condition. and police say the outcome could have been far worse if not for the hired private security guard, a retired nypd

>> he was in the fight of his life, very brave nypd officer and security guard at that time. >> reporter: the sergeant did not want to appear on camera but i spoke with him this morning. he told us he was wearing a suit and armed just steps from lee when lee pulled out the gun. he says he quickly lunged at lee, putting his hand on the revolver, both struggling for control. they wrestled until they were out of the store and in the mall where the gun went off, strike thing another mall employee if the shoulder. that's when he says this man, one of two mall security officers rushed over to help restrain the gunman. it was only then that the sergeant was able to finally pry the hand gun from lee's hands. now the sergeant says he does have some cuts and bruises on his forehead. he was obviously a bit shaken up after this whole ordeal. ifer the man shot in the shoulder, police say that his condition has actually been upgraded.

expected to be released from the hospital sometime later today. reporting live this afternoon in long island, janelle burrell. >> all right. thank you. it's been a mild holiday season so far and there are no science of it slowing down. it was an unusual sight in new york city this morning, people -- unusual sight in new york city this morning with people on the streets in their winter coats. >> all those open jackets and even then, still a little warm. and now let's talk about the challenge of the get-away day. fog, we still have pockets of dense fog in the hudson valley and through western new jersey. there's fog in the city. it's causing airport delays. the national weather service has trimmed the dense fog advisory until 6:00 p.m. but there's more fog around the area. and light rain through parts of orange, putnam, dutch which he recollects rockland and westchester county. and light rain in the city and heavier rain through nassau county. and then a break.

but here's what's headed our way, potential for heavier rain. this holds spot pushes through and ushers in warmer temperatures so -- holds together and pushes through and then ushers in the warmer temperatures. the red box, the risk of tornadoes for parts of the midwest and flooding rains in the south. so going to be a challenging gateway day. and we will talk about that and also tell you just how warm we may be on your christmas eve and how december is shaping up rifle now though -- shaping up. right now though, back to mary. >> thank you. tighter security at local airports may make your trip a little longer. we are at laguardia airport where the hectic holiday travel well underway. >> reporter: well christmas time ranks right behind thanksgiving for busiest time to travel. today between new tighter security and a thick layer of fog, getting on a plane isn't getting any easier. many millions of americans are

skies during the holidays but friendly doesn't necessarily mean fast. >> stood in that line over there, you see it says ticketing. and after standing for 30 minute, they tell us to get in this line for reticketing. >> reporter: fog is adding a layer of issues at laguardia. the average departure delay is around an hour. arrival delays are closer to an hour and a half. >> kind of slow but you figure it's going to be that way, it's christmas time. >> reporter: and adding to the inconvenience, tighter security after the attacks in paris. the tsa will now be able to direct mandatory body scanner screening meaning fewer passengers will be able to out of what some critics have called a virtual strip search. >> i do the enough travel that i'm like, really, there's not much to see. >> reporter: and we have been keeping a close eye on the departures boards and it looks like a few have been canceled

lines have been this long, longer than usual, most of the morning. live at laguardia, cbs 2 news. >> all right. thank you. at newark liberty airport for the third time in less than a month, security arrested a with a gun. tsa agents found this weapon in the carry-on when it went through the x-ray machine on monday. the new jersey man was trying to board a flight to dallas. christmas arrived early for a reality tv star. teresa giudice was released from federal prison today. andrea grymes is live outside her home in new jersey with more. >> reporter: well, mary, teresa giudice is said to be safe and sound inside her million 46- dollar home behind me after nearly a year behind bars. she and her husband both admitted to a string of crimes that's part of what the federal prosecutor called a long running financial fraud conspiracy. well this morning, her attorney picked her up, said he had a

as he drove her home. >> the car ride here was -- she was extremely upbeat. she was calling home. she asked me to put on christmas music. >> reporter: under the cover of darkness and fog this morning, tv star teresa giudice was released from the facility in connecticut. her motorcade including suvs with video cameras arrived home to her mansion around 7:30. we love you signs greeted her along with her husband and four daughters inside. a reunion nearly 12 months in the making. >> it was very emotional. it was a private moment. but it was very emotional, very powerful and it was something to see. >> reporter: teresa giudice along with her husband joe plead guilty to bankruptcy fraud last year. the couple admitted to hiding assets from bankruptcy creditors and submitting phony loan applications to get some $5 million in mortgages and construction loans. >> do not go there!

reality fame as one of the original real housewives of new jersey, not only known for bringing drama to the show but also for gushing over her four daughters which she's had to do through prison visits and phone calls for the past year. >> this call is from -- >> teresa giudice. >> an inmate at a federal prison. >> reporter: bravo featured the whole family in a three-part series. but now she's checked out of prison on home confinement until february. her attorney says she will be allowed to work and do different things with permission from her probation officer. does that include riding around in the lexus with the bow park m.d. the driveway? her lawyer did not confirm it's hers, claiming he didn't know if that was a christmas or welcome home gift. >> she is happy to be here and looking forward to a nice, quiet, low-key holiday with her family. >> reporter: and back out here live, looking at the home, joe

sentence in march. there's a possibility that he could be deported back to italy upon his release since he is not a u.s. citizen. and now her attorney says the home behind me is no longer in foreclosure. their mortgage is up to date and she will remain inside the home with family in the coming days. reporting live in new jersey, andrea grymes, cbs 2 news. >> thank you. some frightening moments for pedestrians this morning west of central park. debris came raining down from a 34th floor window smashing into a car and sidewalk below. a lamp could be seen behind the yellow police tape at 20 west 64th street. police say an upset woman threw the items out testify window this morning. she was hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation. no one was hurt. and there's been yet another security lapse with the security service. a secret service agent parked outside the white house monday. when he returned to his vehicle

the the bag contained the the agent's hand gun, badge, id card, radio and an encrypted thumb drive. iraqi forces continue their quest to take back the city from isis. a spokesman for the u.s. military says there are more than 250 isis fighters there as well as several hundred on the city's perimeter. and much more ahead here on cbs 2 news. a new jersey bus aide under arrest. a mysterious light show in the sky over las vegas. what it was and where did it come from? santa claus gets ready for his christmas eve ride. hi everybody. this is the mcmurray family in germany. this greeting goes out to our friends and family in buffalo, new york.

christmas and gig' em aggies. there is a place where the cold melts away the hustle and bustle dies down and the only thing left is what's truly important. the radio city christmas spectacular presented by chase. you bring the family, we bring the joy. don't wait!

uswi a-yr reen fi gesou40ba,d l e emm vi chne f aea gonner llowr isre oer geouofheas g fs. you can like our page on facebook and find us at facebook.com/cbsnewyork. a new jersey bus aide is accused of stealing money from special needs children. she is being held on $57,000 bail. police allege she stole an unknown amount of cash from

trips. she worked for the school district. she is charged with theft. the u.s. military is reviewing what caused a mysterious streak in the sky over the southwestern part of the country. people across three states spotted the fire ball last night. we have the story. >> what is that? >> what is it? >> what is that? >> reporter: it was the midnight mystery keeping people awake in parts of california, arizona and nevada last night, a blazing bright light streaking across the sky. >> oh, yeah, just all over facebook. really wondered what it is. >> reporter: local news stations were baffled. >> we have been getting phone calls. >> we are hearing reports of a bright fire ball. >> but what is it? we don't know. >> reporter: witnesses offered a variety of theories. >> could be an airplane is. >> that a really long shooting star? >> might be a meteor. >> is it santa claus? >> reporter: others just watched in amazement. >> wow. >> lift-off. >> reporter: according to u.s.

monitors thousands of items in space, the object was the remnant of a used russian rocket, one that may have helped launch a supply vehicle to the international space station on monday scheduled to dock this morning. >> about every day, hundreds and hundreds of tons of material slam into the earth's atmosphere but we are fortunate that most of the objects that are produced on earth are tracked and we can control the, to some extent, what their characteristics will be when they come back to earth. >> reporter: the russian rock set one of 16,000 space objects tracked by the joint operations center which predicted the spacecraft would fall over arizona tuesday evening. >> wow. >> reporter: cbs 2 news, new york. >> and it is unclear for how long officials knew about the reentry as well as where the debris may land. and now is your chance to be santa's helper. you still have time to bring christmas cheer to a child that

and john elliott has a record books. >> and the month may go down in the record books. we will look at those the stats

don't you go away. meet the moore's! we're the moore family, and as you can see, we need an internet that can do more. we do more games, and more streaming. so we need more speed. that's why we switched to time warner cable. now we can connect more devices, at the same time. hi grandma and grandpa! ha, look at that! [laughs] time warner cable even has an internet plan for us. get 50 meg internet for $39.99 per month and ask about free installation.

he's a popular man to write to this year and santa is still working hard to answer all of those letters. >> how volunteers are tradition of giving. >> dear santa, all i want for christmas ising for to give mommy a hug and kiss in heaven. ipad. >> we want a christmas gift but my mom is not working. exlarge. >> all she's asking for is perfume and a cap. >> reporter: these are just some of the wide variety of letters to santa from kids. and volunteers at the post office are on a mission, sorting through requests from the five boroughs, hoping to the make it a merrier christmas for all. >> from the poorest per capita income to the highest like park avenue -- >> reporter: close to 3,000 brand packages will be sent, thanks to the help of local businesses and individual

he left his elf gear at home but he assures us he's been sent by santa. >> straight from santa's brigade. we bought a ton of toys and clothes. >> reporter: and other elves say it seems there's an influx of requests this year for basic supplies and is even food. >> this year they're just asking for anything. yeah, how can you not? >> they range from the simplest to things like and boxes and mac book, car, you know, houses. >> reporter: it's her first time playing elf. >> did you write to santa when >> of course. >> reporter: what did you ask for? >> reporter: here's a request scooter. he says his mother is jail. he would like exlarge clothes. funny. >> my brother said that there's no such thing as santa. or no. >> reporter: whatever the

you can be sure all are read and handled with care. in manhattan, cbs 2 news. >> and you can still sign up to help. the deadline is hours away. you have until 4:00 this afternoon. >> a few more hours. >> get going. let's get to your forecast and find out about today. foggy out there but warm and then wait until tomorrow, unbelievable, john. >> yeah, tomorrow breaking records and thank goodness rudolph has a red nose. we have the beautiful full moon christmas night and some more clouds fill in christmas night. we will show new a second. numbers wow wee, it's december but it's mild. on average about 50. into the lower hudson valley, look at this, 56. and now this is where it gets interesting, you know, it might be winter but how can you complain about the temperatures? steve's loving it but look here now, just across the river, this is lisa, she has 53. and here's another reading at

bring back winter. some folks would love to see the winter. i know people in the snow business or snow lovers are lamenting the fog. it is just soupy out there. we've got fog in the city and 56. winds east at 3 miles per hour. a few more numbering for, 54 staten island. a mild 56 through brooklyn and queens as well. bigger view, even a mild nifty 50 in monticello. 55 in the hamptons. 57 for the jersey shore. through the hudson valley, in and out of it. right now, 2.5. i'll tell you some of the airport, it's worse on the south side. and the jersey shore has improved. still have the dense fog advisory for parts of the area until 6:00. the it's one degree cooler than in the city. temperatures and dew points close together. that's why we're seeing fog but number, wow, still over 20 degrees above normal.

high late in the day and into the evening. so far this month, almost 12 degrees above average on, you know, factor in the days and look at the month right now, we are going for it. 2015, averaging over five degrees above a normal and above, i should say the number one spot. so yeah, we are going the to see a warm december. the light rain down through the city. through staten island, brooklyn and nassau county. more rain in the works. these pockets of heavy rain. and we want to time it outing for as you plan your day. this afternoon. watch tonight though, that's when we see heavy rain. and even an isolated thunderstorm. thursday. skies, mild conditions though. and then there's the chance of a shower christmas night if that's a travel period. a few showers into the weekend as well. but you said it mary, 73

and 64 on friday would tie the record for christmas. >> wow. >> yeah. >> i got to take a flight tomorrow afternoon. may have them put the roof up. >> yeah, why not? >> thank you. when we come back, a close call for a professional skier.

hitting him. a dangerously close encounter with a drone for a ski racing star. the drone carrying a tv camera crashed and burst into pieces right where the skier had been a fraction of a second earlier. the racing director apologized and ruled out the use of drones at events in future. >> yeah, usually just one incident like that, okay, let's move on. coming up on cbs 2 news beginning at 5:00, the cdc reveals an increasing number of deaths among young drivers. and now see the new car features designed to keep them safe. what parents of newborns need to know. stories and much more on the the on cbs 2 news beginning at 5:00.

getting ready for a non-stop journey. he is gearing up to distribute gifts to the boys and girls who have been nice this year. and this is a look at what it's been like in finland where santa and his reindeer will depart. the christmas crew will help spread holiday cheer all around the world. and you can see there are foggy conditions there. so santa is prepared. they are ready to go. >> they are on their way to get rudolph. >> they need him. that's for sure. >> for john and the entire cbs 2 news team, thank you for joining us. i'm mary calvi.

have a great afternoon. meet the moore's! we're the moore family, and we're always looking for ways to enjoy more. so we called time warner cable

call now to get more. more speed. like, 300 meg. more tv shows and movies on demand. more places to make more unlimited calls. call now. for $89.99 a month, you'll get 100 meg ultra fast internet, hd channels included, and unlimited calling to international destinations. we find more good things every day! more ways to watch more shows. on more wifi connected devices in our house. time warner cable made switching easy with a one hour arrival window. they even made sure all of our connections were up and running before they left. why settle for less, when you can get more! call now. get free installation with a one hour arrival window. and ask how you could get a $300 reward card.