. making news in america this morning -- call for calm after the ambush killing of two new york city police officers. the mayor's message to protesters as an officer's widow breaks hear s her silence. plus what eric garner's daughter says at the memorial. chased off a highway and nearly forced off the highway. >> she just hit our car. she's pushing us off the road. >> an extreme case of road rage caught on camera. bowl brawl on the football field. what cause the melee after the game. and let it go. some teachers surprised their students in a performance going viral this morning.

good morning to you all, i'm t.j. holmes. >> and i'm tai hernandez. there's a growing memorial where the two new york police officers were killed. and among those bringing flowers, eric garner's daughter. >> the mayor is appealing for harmony. elizabeth hur is joining us. >> reporter: while the mayor is appealing for harmony, police are being warned to take extra precautions. this is because while investigators believe the attacker acted alone, threats from copy cats have police on alert. a brutal attack against two nypd officer has police in new york and cities nationwide on guard. >> when a guy in new york is gunned down murdered in cold blood. it opens our eyes. >> reporter: shot dead at point blank ring, wenjian liu and

rafael ramos were assassinated. their families reeling just days before christmas. >> this is a difficult time for both of our families. but we will stand together and get through this together. >> reporter: officer liu got married two months ago. officer ramos leaves behind a wife and two sons. killed, police say, at the hands of 28-year-old ish may yell brinsley. his gun, police believe, was inside the plastic bag. back in brooklyn, hundreds paying tribute. among them, eric garner's daughter. >> you're still a human being, you had a family, you had a wife and children. >> reporter: and again new york city's mayor is asking for peace. asking that the protests be put on hold, at least until after

the officers' funerals. back to you. >> thank you. well, police officers across the country are being warned now about becoming possible targets of a possible ambush. >> and a number of cases, officers are being told not to go on principals alopatrols aloa careful. and in houston, police are looking at this facebook posting which read, in part, two down, 49,000 to go. a major storm is moving into the midwest and east just in time for the holiday. brought heavy, wet snow to the rockies. >> interstate 70s shut down because so many skiers were heading down to the sploeps as you can see there, they could move a little faster on their skis. >> it didn't look like three days before christmas at the bengals/broncos game in cincinnati. fans and players were brenched by heavy rain late in the game. it wasn't too cold. >> cincinnati won't be alone

under the umbrellas today. >> let's get the weather from justin povick. >> reporter: thank you. while the southwest deals with sunshine early week, anything but into the central plains. well, we're pulling down colder air and we have precipitation available. you know it's going to be in the form of snow. that's the case through much of minnesota, wisconsin, the eastern dakotas and eastern nebraska. travel delays along 94, 35 and i-80. but belief it or not, it's mostly rain. it's a wet go this time around with snows continuing into the central great lakes. and for your holiday, blustery conditions. chilly temperatures in the great lakes. t.j. and tai, back you. north korean websites are back online. but the country's internet service was unavailable for more than nine hours.

just last week, president obama accused them of orchestrating the hack attack against sony. the state department wouldn't say if they were involved. >> if the u.s. did this, not only north korea, but other nation states participate in this type of activity, there are going to be repercussions. >>, however, sources say the u.s. was not involved. it's possible it was a technical glitch. but experts say it had all the hallmarks of a denial of service attack. now the alarming story of a bag full of guns brought on to a passenger flight. a gun smuggling ring was bringing the weapons from atlanta to new york and some were loaded. one of the accused is a delta baggage handler which is now they got around security. the scheme unravelled when the guns were sold to an undercover

officer. hearing for the first time from the texas weatherman recovering from an attack. patrick crawford told reporters his main focus is returning home from the hospital in temple where he's receiving care. he said he did not know the man who shot him in the parking lot of the tv station. >> the one thing i do want to state about the incident that i was reading online and everything, is that the man that shot me didn't say any words to me. there was no interaction whatsoever. >> police have released a sketch of the suspect. there is no word on a motive. a high profile congressman from new york is expected to plead guilty later today to felony tax evasion. republican michael grimm, remembered for this, he threatened to throw a reporter over a balcony. the reporter asked him about a campaign finance investigation. it will likely end his political career. pope francis issued a

stunning indictment of top officials in the church during the christmas greeting. he said they suffered from, quote, spiritual alzheimer's. others were accused of the terrorism of gossip. watchers have never seen anything like it. still ahead, how ereaders and tablets are disrupting your sleep. plus contract killing. a wife under arrest accused of hiring a hitman to kill her husband. video investigators say is proof. and bowl brawl. a football game comes down to the wire and ends with a wild fight on the field.

welcome back. wall street opens this morning with the dow at an all-time high. just 41 points shy of the 18,000 mark. all three major averages closed higher yesterday, the market's third consecutive day of gains. it's a classic santa clause rally. and volumes should decrease as everyone looks forward to christmas. and cars are getting safer. new crash results test show that honors from the insurance industry doubled this year. toyota has the most models. they have automatic braking. but in most cases you'll need to buy an option package to get that. bmw is the fifth auto maker to agree to the expanded recall to all parts of the country. some driver's side air bags can explode. takata says that's only a risk in humid areas of the country. the federal government

disagrees. drones are flying off the shelve this is christmas. so the faa is teaming up with industry groups to warn operators about safety. it was launched after a number of drone and aircraft incidents rose dramatically. called know before you fly, it reminds operators to stay under 400 feet and avoid planes. and encourages newcomers to take a lesson before trying their hand. holiday shoppers are sclu splurging on their furry come pan yans. consumers are expected to spend $30. and spending on humans is up 6.5%. petco and pet smart have santa hats and pet shirts that read happy pawnakkah. to you too. a submerged plane in crystal clear water.

new video of a coast guard rescue. plus just like dad, a 10-year-old with skills on the hardwood. balling like his nba father. anc. which means fewer costs, which saves money. their customer experience is virtually paperless, which saves paper, which saves money. they have smart online tools, so you only pay for what's right for you, which saves money. they settle claims quickly, which saves time, which saves money. they drive an all-hybrid claims fleet, which saves gas, which saves money. they were born online, and built to save money, which means when they save, you save. because that's how it should work in the modern world. esurance. backed by allstate. click or call. thanks for protecting us from trash cans & chair legs, and helping us appreciate your enthusiasm. this holiday season, give thanks to the pets who inspire you. at petsmart, save up to 25% on select aquarium kits from aqueon® and marineland. petsmart®.

♪ vicks nyquil severe. helps relieve your ugliest, nastiest, roughest, toughest cold symptoms. vicks nyquil severe. with maximum symptom fighting ingredients. ♪ right now at kohl's, the more the more you save! go to kohl's dot com to get your savings pass... spend $100 or more and save 20%! spend under $100 and save 15%! save on top of already great sale prices! now through 6pm christmas eve! kohl's. take a look at this. it's the season's big tides. the biggest tides and waves of the year generally come to the california coast around the sol tiss. it's winding down today.

they were out in force. and, of course, everybody looking for the perfect wave. and the surfers find driving to the beach or anywhere else easy in the western half of the country. the only wet roads in the northwest. that's not the case in the eastern half, roads in the upper midwest may be slippery. and airport delays possible in new orleans, atlanta, minneapolis, new york city as well as boston. and turn now to florida where a woman is in custody in connection with an alleged plot to have her husband killed. >> tonya demur was caught after contacting someone to make her husband, quote, go away. she offered, apparently, $10,000 to make it happen. or instead she offered him four cars to the hit man. she even signed a fake title agreement on camera. >> yep, your name and sign it and date it. >> i never in my life heard of anybody that was silly enough to sign a note. but she did. >> her alleged motive remains

unclear. she is in jail charged with solicitation to commit first degree murder. an empty lot. this is where a missing person case started in texas. it's where an armored car was found running, but the driver was gone. driver is a 24-year-old named trent michael cook. their first concern is cook's welfare, then what happened to that missing truck. a florida man has been rescued after his small plane crashed into the water in the bahamas. you can see the crew from a coast guard helicopter jump into the water. they helped him into a rescue basket and he was pulled to safety. he is going to be okay. joe cocker is being remembered by friends and fans for his unique song stylings. ♪ lend me your ears and i'll sing you a song ♪ well, the british soul singer died on monday at his home in

colorado from lung cancer. he was as well known for the phonetic gestures on stage as his raspy voice. he was propelled no term one for with a little help from my friends. he was 71 years old. almost six months after his death, casey kasem has been laid to rest. he was buried in norway after a small ceremony. his death was part of a bitter family dispute. his children said he wanted to be buried in the u.s. and their stepmother made the decision without asking them. and papi vab, it's for people who can't swallow pills. it's the first intravenous drug for influenza. expected to be on the market soon, maybe before the flu season is over. a woman in northern california is in a bit of

trouble after a road rage incident caught on camera. two young women were attacked by the woman in a truck. they were nearly forced off the road by the truck driver who slammed on her brakes several times and was weaving between lanes. the friend of the driver being harassed was recording this whole thing. >> i can kind of laugh about it now because it was such a crazy experience. but in the moment, absolutely t the next exit. that woman, right there, who was pounding on the window, now facing several charges. a crazy college football game got only more crazy after the final whistle. this was the inaugural miami beach bowl. jake elliott hitting the longest overtime field goal in college football history, 54 yards.

>> a great end against byu. this is what happened after that, the team the brawled in the middle of the field . we don't have word on discipline or what set somebody off. but this was an ugly scene. discipline going to come down. pros put on the finale of monday night football. >> highlights from espn. >> happy holidays, he's stan, i'm neil. we do sports here. >> lots on the line. the bengals and the broncos. payton manning and company trying to get a first round bye. bengals trying to get into the playoffs, and jeremy hill trying to get there. he had 86 yards after contact. and that's the most on any run in the last five seasons. >> maybe too much. >> bengals tied the game at even. peyton manning had four interceptions. this was the one that really

hurt. kirkpatrick takes it in for a touchdown. bengals in the playoffs for the a fourth-straight season. >> and the shot that ended the series, and portland advanced and houston went home. and james harden has been in shape since. hits the three there, the steal there. and up and down. no aldrige for portland. didn't matter. rockets were up 20 at the half. harden, 44 to go with 5 steals. and houston wins 110-95. >> that's all we got. back to you. >> all right, thanks, fellas. here's an example of the the apple not falling far from the tree. check this kid out. he's got game. little guy at this point. you can tell, he's better than the other little guys on the court. >> he better be, he's the son of lebron james. 10-year-old lebron james jr., seems like he can do it all, dribble, shoot, pass and score

just like his dad. >> the one thing he needs time on, dunking. he needs to stretch out a little bit. but lebrony, and this is cool to happen. these sons of pro athletes and coaches. these guys can't help but become good ballplayers themselves. t he didn't have a choice. >> no, in his blood. and dressing room drama. the surprise one woman got while trying on a dress. and the surprise for these students from thinker teachers. go. o here's your invoice, ladies. a few stops later, and it looks like big ollie is on the mend. it might not seem that glamorous having an old pickup truck for an office... or filling your days looking down the south end of a heifer, but...i wouldn't have it any other way. look at that, i had my best month ever. and earned a shiny new office upgrade. i run on quickbooks. that's how i own it.

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time for us to check "the pulse" now, stories you'll be talking about today. your ereader may be keeping you awake. many people read to help them relax and fall asleep. but a new study says what you read makes a difference. >> and ipads and printed books, and the devices failed. they were more groggy the next morning. it seems tablets and similar devices emit a bluish light that might interfere with sleep. >> makes sense. >> i wonder is true for the kindles. the things that are all flat? >> well, next up in the pulse, trying on a dress at jcpenny. sandra hernandez had just pulled

the dress over her head when a scorpion fell out. and landed on her. she cornered it and called for help. >> the store employee tried to catch it, but it slipped away. she said it was 3 inches long and full of personality. >> when i gave it a shake, the scorpion, what i thought was a string went to the floor. i was shocked, looked down. oh, my god. >> she carried that dress around for a half hour before heading to the dressing room. she used to work at the storm and thinks the scorpion came from a warehouse out of state. hundreds of kids and their parents in england got quite the surprise at a church service. >> teachers wowed them by bursting into song to perform, what else? "let it go." ♪ let it go ♪ let it go ♪ let it go ♪ let it go

>> i heard that was accompanied by an organ before, sounds great. surprising the kids at the service has become annual tradition. but this flash mob was the best yet. >> that song is never going away, is it? >> it's here to stay. i like the variations. i think the organ adds a little gravitas to the lyrics. >> cool video there. for some of you out there, your local news is coming next. >> for everyone else, "america this morning" will continue after this. stay with us. no matter who you are,

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>> ♪ >> good morning, i'm tamala edwards. it's tuesday, december 23rd. we're tracking two hits of rain as thousands head out to those holiday destinations, your accuweather team has updates on what to expect in your neighborhood also updates on this morning's commute. the search is on for the gunman who opened fire shooting an innocent man in the back. holiday delight for drivers in one local community where the price of gas has now fallen below two bucks a gallon. and the kennedy versus the pop star. find out who has banned from a christmas table. this one's juice z it's all ahead on "action news." >> ♪ life-size sweet treat that has plenty of guests at a pocono resort in awe.

>> it's not on the menu, instead, it's in the lobby. >> from scranton pennsylvania with the story. it's not a fairytale, this is a real gingerbread house. a sight 10-year-old jonah can hardly believe. >> it's like -- it's an amazing, like, miraculous, like, thing, they have trukted he econstruct. and it's unbelievable. >> reporter: this is 3500 pounds of gingerbread and 100 pounds of ice. dough mixing began back in september. >> started rolling the dough out in october. and in november, baking the pieces. >> reporter: 8-year-old danny could smell it from far away. >> it's awesome. but we did find out that it's all wood if you look over there. >> reporter: when you take a closer look at this life size gingerbread house, you can tell

throughout the christmas season, it's definitely needed some repairs. >> we have to come out here two to three times a week and continue putting candy back on to the house. and we have to fix our train tracks every day. >> reporter: the miller family is here visiting sky top for the first time and stopped by the gingerbread house. 6-year-old braden says his younger sister may have taken some of the candies. >> no, she destroyed it. >> reporter: the millers say this life-size house was the perfect treat for their two young kids. how big is the gingerbread house? >> big like this. like this. like this. >> reporter: and they hope to come back and visit again soon. >> absolutely. we're probably going to come here again for the holiday. >> reporter: you can make reservations to enjoy a meal inside the house from now to january 4th. amanda kelly, news watch 16, monroe county. >> there you go. dessert's easy, just pick off the cand