this is "nightline." tonight, terror in paris. >> journalists gunned down by terrorists execution style in a shooting spree that leaves at least a dozen people dead. the rampage followed by a massive manhunt. and now the questions who are these killers and what does this attack mean for americans, both abroad and at home? we are in paris tonight covering the breaking news. she was bill cosby's tv wife for eight years and tonight she is speaking exclusively to abc news about her former co-star. >> people have been waiting to hear from you.

and without nicholas sparks' "the notebook" we never would have had ryan gosling in the rain, but now he's made an announcement thatáj5 has fans wondering, could this be the end of love? but first, the "nightline" five. number one in just 60 seconds.

good evening and we begin here tonight with the late breaking developments in that terror attack in paris. as we come on the air, one suspect, an 18-year-old, has been taken into custody. two others are on the run. their assault on a group of journalists this morning was methodical and ruthless. it is just the kind of strike officials here in america worry about most. and abc's terry moran is on the ground, leading our coverage of the terror in paris. >> reporter: dan tonight one of the largest manhunts in the history of france is under way and the french army has joined in patrolling the streets. one suspect has surrendered. to two others remain at large. and this city and nation are reeling in shock. [ gunfire ] today in the streets of paris,

terrorists wearing ski masks and carrying automatic weapons, firing a hail of bullets. the attack began at 11:30 a.m. paris time when two gunmen and accomplice picked up in a black vehicle to the paris headquarters of charlie hebdo a satirical newspaper. the gunmen opened fire on two doormen, killing one. inside they find a cartoonist for the paper and her young daughter and force her to give them the office security code and then enter. their targets, the staff of a newspaper that has long scoured radical islam and other religions. the masked men gunning down the ed store steffen charbonnier and nine others. >> the gang entered, called them by name the editor and some of the cartoonists, and they were

shot in the head. >> reporter: i spoke with the deputy mayor of paris. you're describing an execution. >> yes. >> reporter: they knew each person they wanted to kill. >> exactly. they called their names and shot them. and they were shot in the head. clearly an execution. >> reporter: five minutes later, the gunmen racing out shooting at police and shouting "god is great." and according to witnesses, we avenged the prophet muhammad. they shoot and wound one policeman and running towards him they execute him on the ground. moving calmly to their car they speed off. this their wake a chaotic scene. the wounded on stretchers. neighbors shocked something like this could happen here. i can still hear the shots ringing through my ears this woman says. i never would have believed i uld hear shooting on my own street. the suspects escaped the scene,

but their car was found about a mile and a half away. in all 12 people were killed, 11 wounded, four critically. after a massive police action across the region just hours ago, the youngest suspect surrendered to police about 140 miles northeast of paris. then authorities released this wanted poster of the two brothers who remain at large. abc news confirmed that one of the suspects was sentenced to three years in prison for terrorism in paris in may 2008. he and six other men were accused of sending about a dozen young frenchmen to join the leader of al qaeda in iraq. the attack today by these three men appears to be highly organized. the weapons apparently ak-47 style automatic rifles. >> in the united states it's far easier to get your hands on automatic weapons than it is in france. >> reporter: and they appear to have had extra rounds of

ammunition ammunition, wearing special firing gloves to steady their aim. >> when you look at the tight llet groupings, that's someone who knows what they're doing. they're not shooting wildly they're not spraying bullets. they know what they're doing. >> reporter: their target, charlie hebdo, a newspaper. it's not the first time the publication has been under attack. their offices were firebombed three years ago after they republished those cartoons depicting the prophet muhammad. did you intend to be provocative here? >> we are provocative each week since 20 years. >> reporter: are you frightened? >> no. >> reporter: abc's jeffrey kofman interviewed the editor in 2012 about that decision at the offices where he was killed today.

>> why do you do this? to provoke. >> yes. but not only islam. >> is this freedom of speech? >> yeah without freedom of speech, we are dead. i would rather die than live like a rat. >> reporter: today's attack mirrors other attacks in europe in recent years, where many young, aliened muslims have embraced radicalism sparking an islam backlash. >> al qaeda's operation in yemen named this newspaper and its editor as a target. >> reporter: this massacre comes in the wake of high profile attacks in canada and australia.

but those appear to be carried out by lone wolves described by some officials as likely mentally disturbed. but these men, speaking perfect french, are homegrown and highly trained. >> they looked like an elite terrorist from an elite terrorist training camp. they are not people that just went to syria or iraq and spent a couple of months there. they've been trained and they look like they've been trained by military or former military personnel. >> reporter: security was stepped up throughout paris and around the u.s. immediately after the attack. >> we raised the security highest level. >> reporter: u.s. intelligence has swung into action. >> intelligence analysts in the united states starting when this kicked off this morning, have been working closely with their french counterparts to provide intelligence information, any indication that this is part of a broader threat. >> reporter: at the white house,

president obama condemned the attack as a cowardly evil. >> they are attacking freedom of speech and freedom of the >> reporter: thursday will be a national day of mourning for france. the country's president said the flags will fly at half mass for three days here. late tonight thousands gathered in paris. holding signs up saying, not afraid, and this was everywhere it seemed i am charlie. the whole nation united in sorrow but defiant in the face of terror. for "nightline," i'm terry moran in paris. coming up bill cosby's tv wife speaking exclusively to abc news about the sex scandal engulfing her former co-star. why her words are sparking a backlash from hollywood tonight.

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tonight, we have an abc news exclusive. she played bill cosby's wife on tv for eight years, and now as her former co-star is swarmed with allegations of sex abuse, phylicia rashad is airing her views, many of them controversial, to abc's linsey davis. >> what has happened is a legacy has been attacked. a legacy is being erased. >> reporter: for eight years, phylicia rashad played bill cosby's wife and tonight, she's standing by him once again, this time amidst a wave of allegations.

people have been waiting to hear from you. >> have they? >> reporter: coming to his defense as more than a doz women make accusations against the famed comedian claims in some cases that he drugged them even sexually abused them. what do you say to the women who have painstakingly told these stories of abuse, that they were raped, sexually assaulted, drugged? >> what can i say to these women whom i don't know? what can i say to things that you are hearing when i'm telling you what i've seen. i'm telling you what i've experienced. what can i say? >> reporter: what about them when you first heard women were saying they had been drugged or raped. >> i had never heard that before. so this was the first time i was hearing anything like that. and i can't speak to those things and don't want to. >> reporter: and now rashad has found herself in the center of her own controversy, because of this online report. you were quoted online as

saying, forget those women. >> and that was a misquote. that is not what i said. what i said is, this is not about the women. this is about something else. this is about the obliteration of a legacy. that's what i said. >> reporter: some people might think it was dismissive. >> i am a woman. i am a woman. i would never say such a thing. i would never think such a thing. i did not say that. >> reporter: our calls to roger freeman at showbiz online were not returned. after a portion of our ierview aired earlier tonight, the reporter posted i did not misquote phylicia rashad but she didn't mean for it to be taken the way it was and i should have punctuated. today, three new accusers came forward, and their attorney gloria allred lashing out at rashad. >> phylicia i vow to you that i will not forget these women. >> i remember waking up in a bed

with mr. cosby naked his open robe. >> reporter: adding that they've escalating far past the point of absurdity. even tonight, as bill cosby performed in front of a packed audience in ontario, with a handful of protesters outside, rashad believes that the allegations are all an orchestrated attack. i do want to get your initial reaction to the allegations. >> well my initial reaction to the allegations was, hmm, someone has a vested interest in preventing mr. cosby to return to network television. >> reporter: was there any dialogue ever that you would come out in support of him or something he asked you to do? >> oh, no no no. i did talk to him towards the beginning of all of this and

his common thing was, the internet has given some anonymous people a very loud voice. >> reporter: it's all about tarnishing cosby's legacy she says, the showy debuted in the '80s was one of the first media images that portrayed african-american families as educated ambitious, and driven. >> and this is my office. >> what do you do? >> i'm a doctor for women. >> we're talking about a legacy that inspired a generation of young people to consider and pursue higher education. we're talking about a legacy that introduced and portrayed american culture in its diversity. it's difficult for me to watch this legacy be erased as if it never happened. there is the constitution of the united states which ensures innocence until the proof of guilt, and that has not happened. >> reporter: the tony award

winning actress played a loving yet firm attorney and wife to dr. heathcliff huxtable. at no time on the set did you ever see anything appropriate? >> what i saw was fun. never anything inappropriate. what i saw was work. mrs. cosby was a frequent visitor to the studio. that's what i saw. >> reporter: insisting that the man she knew -- >> is a genius. he's generous. he's kind. he's inclusive. >> reporter: the man that america fell in love with night after night right here on your television screen. >> you saw the shows. and that is what it was. >> reporter: to critics who might say, of course phylicia rashad is going to come out in support of bill cosby. she has a lot to gain and benefit if the show continues to

air. >> cleto: >> oh, really? the longer the show runs the smaller the residuals. >> reporter: have you spoken to him recently? >> no, i haven't. speaking to the character of the man that i know, this has not been easy at all. but he's not a coward. you know he' >> reporter: kesha knight also spoke out in defense of cosby. >> i don't know what happened. the man i know and love you know, is who i just described. >> reporter: supermodel beverly johnson says it was his legacy that made it so difficult for her to come forward. >> this is one of the most decisions i've ever made. i am calling out a black man, a revered black man, but this is

the right thing to do. >> reporter: but for years, she said, she held a dark secret damning accusations that cosby drugged her. >> from the first sip and then the second sip, i knew i had been drugged. >> reporter: rashad wouldn't comment on johnson's case or any specific allegations. >> that's your conversation with her. i don't know anything about that. >> reporter: but she does say she knows bill cosby. is there any way for him to rebound from this? >> i don't have all the answers. i don't know. but i think in the hearts and minds of many people he is held in high regard. >> reporter: and you still hold him in very high regard? >> absolutely i do. yes, i do. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm linsey davis in new york. up next here on "nightline," the man behind the "notebook" who made us believe in never ending love, surprising fans tonight with an announcement

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love it or hate it, the movie "the notebook" has become a cultural touchstone. it speaks to many of our deepest hopes about love. so what does it mean that the guy who wrote "the notebook" announced that he and his wife are separating? here's juju chang. >> reporter: he's the man who made us believe love can last forever. but now nicholas sparks the author behind heart tugging love

stories like "the notebook" announcing his real life marriage doesn't have a story book ending. >> wait don't go. >> reporter: separating from his wife of 25 years. >> tell me about this dream girl. >> reporter: the mother of sparks' five children cathy, was also his muse inspiring many of the books since they married in 1989. >> he said in a statement that he and his wife did not make this decision lightly and they still have a deep mutual respect for each other. >> reporter: nine of his novels have turned into box office hits pulling in audiences with steamy kisses if the rain. >> do you want me? >> reporter: the end of his marriage is sparking a major meltdown online. among his fans tweeting, how am i supposed to believe in love anymore when he's getting a divorce? another saying, i've lost hope. and, love does not exist.

>> it's true. >> i think people are so emotionally connected to the story, that there's a blurred line between reality and fantasy. >> reporter: sparks now leaving the happy ever after. i'm juju chang in new york. >> i still believe. thank you for watching abc news. tune in to "gma" first thing in the morning. we're online at abcnews.com. good night. you know how my mom is coming for thanksgiving? yeah. last night, i sort of... ...invited my father, too. what are you doin'? ey're divorced! you can't invite them to the same place anymore. they legally agreed to not like each other. it was an accident. he told me he was gonna be in madagascar for thanksgiving so just to be nice you know i said, "oh, it's too bad you can't come, too. we're gonna miss you." and then last night, hehe called and said

he put the whole trip off and he's coming. oh, why are you nice?! i know, but your mom said that my mom can stay at your house, and the kids'll stayn one room my dad'll take our room-- whoa! you gave your dad my bed?! the man sleeps naked and spoons the pillow. i'll get the pillowoutta there. get the man outta there!