on this saturday night, revenge shooting? what we now know about the high school senior who opened fire at his school, who he targeted, and the investigation into why this happened again in colorado. winter blast. the massive storm battering the northeast and the midwest causing big problems on the road and in e air. moon mission. celebrating at mission control as china becomes the third to

land a spacecraft on a lunar surface. the outrage. is being rich a defense against killing four people? the novel argument that kept a teenage drunk driver out of jail. and in her honor, remembering a young victim of newtown by building a safe place for the creatures she loved. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening on this, the one-year anniversary of the newtown school massacre. we're learning details of the latest act of school gun violence. this one yesterday in a denver suburb that left a teenage girl badly wounded and the shooter, a fellow student, dead. police say it all happened in just a minute, 20 seconds. 18-year-old karl pierson marched into his school with a shotgun, a machete, and molotov cocktails

in what may have been conceived as an act of revenge. but offici-- nbc's ron mott is for us with more. good evening. >> reporter: hey, lester. good evening. police say they have a lot of work ahead in this investigation and they'll take their time to do a thorough investigation but did release new details just late this afternoon. they tell us that karl pierson legally bought this pump-action shotgun just a week ago yesterday and that this shooting took place very, very quickly. they say the time from when he walked into the building, the north entrance to this school, and the time he killed himself, police say took all of 80 seconds. officials say karl pierson's target was the debate teacher who students say kicked him off the team earlier this week. a school librarian was seen with police late last night. even though it appears pierson

acted alone, law enforcement worked overnight at what they called four crime scenes. the school, the suspect's car, his house, and his father's home. tonight, authorities are getting a clearer picture of events leading up to friday's shooting but are still trying to determine why the 18-year-old senior resorted to violence, armed with a shotgun, multiple rounds of ammunition, a machete, and three molotov cocktails. >> it is our strong belief he came to this school with that weapon and with multiple rounds and his intention was to utilize those multiple rounds to cause harm to a large number of individuals. >> reporter: with their school surrounded by yellow police tape again today, students returned to retrieve their cars, still unnerved by the terrifying moments that unfolded here yesterday. >> i see two shotgun shells on the ground here. >> reporter: captured in cell phone video from inside a classroom. >> yesterday was chaotic. i don't know. i just didn't really feel real. >> reporter: police say pierson died from a self-inflicted

gunshot wound as authorities moved in, but not before cops say he shot fellow student 17-year-old claire davis at point-blank range. >> she was an innocent victim of an evil act of violence. >> i have a student down in the athletic hall. >> reporter: 10th grader delaney mullins and a friend heard the shot, ran from the library, and passed the bleeding girl critically injured on the floor. >> it was extremely smokey, so i couldn't see anything except a girl who had just been shot. she was falling to the ground and there was blood on the floor. >> reporter: by most accounts, pierson was a likable and sociable student. a talented debater who competed at the national level, a cross country runner, someone who voiced political opinions. these sophomore twins were pierson's teammates. >> he was a very likable guy. really good friends with all the coaches. as far as i'm concerned, he had a lot of good friends on the team. >> he's a normal student. he participated in class, very

intelligent. >> reporter: there is a candle light vigil here in town tonight. as for claire davis, she had surgery yesterday. she is in critical condition. the police emphasized they could find no connection between claire davis and this shooter karl pierson, she just happened to be at the right place at the wrong time. school will not have classes on monday. the superintendent said it's unlikely they'll hold any normal school activities this week. ronter? tt in colorado tonight. thank you. on this anniversary of the newtown shootings, a tribute in connecticut to the 26 people who were killed at sandy hook elementary school. church bells tolled 26 times at a cathedral in hartford, once for each of the victims, the 20 children and 6 adults who lost their lives that day. and at the white house, the president and michelle obama lit 26 candles to honor the victims

and then observed a moment of silence. and we turn now to other news. a big winter storm is hitting the northeast tonight with as much as a foot of snow. nbc's kristen dahlgren is north of new york city in scarsdale, new york. >> reporter: good evening. yeah, we're beginning to see some people slipping and sliding around here. take a look. you can probably see the snow piling up on the roads faster than the plows can get to it. we're just north of the city. there's a winter storm warning in effect until 6:00 a.m. for an awful lot of people, there's a lot more of this ahead tonight. from missouri to maine, the massive storm dumped snow. 1,000-mile swath stretching through 23 state, more than 100 million people in the storm's path. for some, it turned deadly. car crashes in missouri claimed three lives and dozens of accidents were reported across several other states. in indiana, state police issued a travel warning. near indianapolis, firefighters

had to rescue the driver trapped in this multivehicle crash. this car was stopped at a light as the first two cars collided. >> they hit each other in the intersection and spun out. one hit us and the other one went behind us. >> reporter: for many people, this is the third storm system in the past week. at airports, almost 1,000 flights were canceled throughout the day, leaving passengers grounded and grumpy. >> driving all this way thinking i was going to get to the airport and they were going to cancel, it was like, this is my holiday vacation. i was just -- i thought i was going to lose it. >> reporter: on thousands of miles of roads, plows worked overtime. >> it's been a long morning. been out doing work-related stuff, snowplowing. i'll be plowing all day. >> the snow is going up and over the cold air. the reason for the snow, and this is cold stuff, it's arctic air temperatures this morning are running 20 degrees below average. >> reporter: for most, though, the storm was something to take in stride. >> come on.

we live in cleveland. why would we be worried about a storm? >> reporter: even something to celebrate. >> let it snow. >> reporter: in new york's times square, it's what they came for. the snow bringing even more holiday cheer. >> it's magical. it really is. i woke up this morning and called my kids first thing because it was like winter wonderland. it was great. >> reporter: so there are some people enjoying it, but lester, already there are several thousand power outages and overnight in places this is expected to change to rain, even ice. that could be disastrous, that heavy, heavy snow and ice on power lines. so the utility companies have a lot of crews standing by just in case. >> all right. kristen, thank you. and for the latest on where this storm is headed, let's turn to wnbc meteorologist janice huff at the weather center. good evening. >> hi there, lester. this storm system is a large one. it's taking up most of the eastern seaboard, not with just snow but heavy rain from south of washington, d.c. all the way

down into north florida, just to the west of jacksonville. but in the colder air, we're seeing snow. around philadelphia, new york city, back through pennsylvania, up towards upstate new york where they've had plenty of lake-effect snow the past couple of days. then back all the way over to southern new england and to boston. and that's the direction the storm is headed in for tonight and tomorrow. we still have some heavy bands of snow to go around the new york city area until about midnight. then we're going to see icing just north of new york city and snow continues to push northward through upstate new york and new england. boston will be getting snow then. your snow will continue until about 6:00 a.m. then the storm lifts to the north. but still some more snow for parts of maine. could see up to a foot and a half of snow there before the storm comes to an end on sunday. and look at this. by the time this storm ends, this is how much snow will be on the ground, stretching from chicago across the great lakes all the way to boston and to southern new england, that will see more than a foot of snow. we also have winter storm warnings and advisories that remain in effect for this entire region through tomorrow.

lester? >> janice huff here in new york tonight. thank you. and this is not the only weather we're watching. overseas, parts of the middle east are digging out tonight from a snowstorm of historic dimensions. more than a foot of snow paralyzed jerusalem and surrounding areas, cutting off power to tens of thousands of people. it was described as the heaviest snow in jerusalem in 50 years. there was snow as well in cairo, only a dusting, but local news reports say it was the first snowfall there in more than 100 years. china made history toy, becoming just the third member of an exclusive club of nations that has successfully landed on the moon. the unmanned spacecraft and a rover it carried will conduct experiments and search for natural resources. we get more tonight from nbc's ian williams in beijing. >> reporter: the landing was reported live on state television. images of the approaching moon surface taken from the space probe shown alongside animations of the touchdown.

then the celebrations at mission control as china became the third country after the u.s. and former soviet union to carry out a soft lunar landing. the last was in 1976. >> they want to show they're among the big boys. this mission is the toughest one and the most risky one they've ever tried before to prove that. >> reporter: the landing craft carried the rover. it will explore the moon's surface, searching for natural resources. the mission blasted off nearly two weeks ago. the most ambitious yet in a space program china sees as a symbol of its rising global stature. it's become a corner stone of every child's science education here and is an enormous source of national pride. next up, most likely, will be a manned mission to the moon. >> that's one small step for man --

>> reporter: it's been nearly 45 years since neil armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. >> and liftoff. the final liftoff of atlantis. >> reporter: with the end of the space shuttle program, nasa's no longer able to launch manned missions of its own. its priorities are elsewhere. for all the enthusiasm, china still lags far behind the u.s. and russia in space technology and experience. but it's advancing fast. >> sooner or later, we will have a permanent moon base over there. >> reporter: the base is already being built. there's a museum model. but it's a vision and ambition that's driving china's moon adventure. ian williams, nbc news, beijing. south africa and the world will say a final farewell to nelson mandela tomorrow. today his body arrived at the village where he grew up in eastern south africa. our chief foreign correspondent richard engel was there today and has our report.

>> reporter: nelson mandela finally came home, flown to the village of qunu, driven to the family compound in what remains a rural hamlet just like it was when mandela was a child here. his old friend and neighbor p this 92-year-old, watched the memorial on television. he told us he remembers mandela for his generosity. he once paid my son's medical bills and asked nothing in return, he said. qunu is a place where acts of kindness aren't forgotten. most people here are related to mandela. in his memoir "long walk to freedom," mandela wrote his fondest memories of childhood are from here. he grew up poor in a small house made of mud and thatch. as a small boy, he spent his time hunting birds with

slingshots and stick fighting with other children. as an old man, he said he wanted to be buried in the village he loved so much. mandela will be buried in a private service here on sunday. 4500 people were invited, but everyone seemed to be talking about one man who originally was not. nobel laureate archbishop desmond tutu, mandela's long-time partner in the anti-apartheid struggle. he's now a critic of mandela's party, and it controls the guest list. outrage caused the party to change course and tutu now says he will attend. a hint of politics, even at the end for mandela. a hero to millions, who never forget where he came from. richard engel, nbc news, qunu, south africa. when "nbc nightly news" continues this saturday, outrage over the successful defense used by a teenage drunk driver who killed. and later on this anniversary of newtown, how one family is honoring their daughter by making sure her passion lives on let's see if we can get one past the defense. hut! go! here it comes!

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worth, texas, last june was so horrific, four dead, that first responders likened it so the scene of an air crash. 16-year-old ethan couch plowed into a vehicle while driving nearly twice the speed limit at three times the legal blood alcohol level. but his sentence in juvenile court for vehicular manslaughter, a crime that often resulted in a 5 to 15-year prison sentence, was probation, no jail time. eric boyles lost his wife and daughter. >> there are just some things that even today are just too difficult to talk about. and at this point, we're trying to take life one day at a time. >> reporter: boyles and the other victims' relatives said it's especially wrong because couch's lawyers claim something called affluenza for a drunk driving accident, saying the affluent teen had such a sense of entitlement, he couldn't see right from wrong. >> the defense of affluenza is unheard of and wrong legally because it puts the wealthy on a better position than the rest of

us. >> reporter: under terms of his probation, couch will be treated as this $450,000 a year rehab facility in california and will be denied what his attorney called the things he was used to. >> he's not going to have his x-box. he's not going to have alcohol or drugs. >> reporter: prosecutors had asked for a 20-year sentence, saying the only roots now to justice for victims families are the lawsuits filed in civil court. >> they'll have opportunities in other courtrooms, in other forums to get some of that justice. and i wish them god speed. >> reporter: this woman clings to a photo of her grandson sergio, who was left paralyzed from the accident. she says sergio was a smart boy, always made us laugh, and now he'll never be the same. the family is now suing ethan couch and his family for $20 million. >> how is he going to be free to walk, you know? not even one night in jail, county, you know. yet, my brother's got a life

sentence. >> reporter: the case has triggered an online recall petition aimed at the judge in the case, jean boyd, and a growing crowd of critics of the justice system that tilts towards the rich. >> unfortunately, the wounds that it opened only makes the healing process that much greater. >> reporter: a child of affluence who unlike others who confessed to the same crime is not heading to prison. nbc news, los angeles. and when we come back, honoring those who served. hundreds of thousands of them at honorin[ female announcer ] you get sick, you can't breathe through your nose... suddenly you're a mouth breather. a mouth breather! how do you sleep like that? you dry up, your cold feels even worse. well, put on a breathe right strip and shut your mouth. cold medicines open your nose over time, but add a breathe right strip, and pow! it instantly opens your nose up to 38% more so you can breathe and do the one thing you want to do. sleep. add breathe right to your cold medicine. shut your mouth and sleep right. breathe right.

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the scene at arlington national cemetery today as volunteers remembered those who served by placing wreaths at their graves. more than 100,000 of them. there were similar scenes in new jersey and at military cemeteries throughout the country. all part of a nonprofit program called wreaths across america. it expects to provide almost half a million this year to honor the memory of the veterans. and take a look at this. a remarkable meeting that took place yesterday in austin, texas, between the two men believed to be the country's oldest living veterans. elmer hill and richard overton, each 107 years old. both served in the pacific during world war ii and had never met until yesterday. in case you haven't heard, there was no winner in the mega millions drawing, so the jackpot was increased to a whopping $550 million. that ranks as the fourth biggest jackpot ever.

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to remember her. we get the story tonight from nbc's jill rapoport. >> reporter: 6-year-old katherine hubbard was compassionate beyond her years. >> she would find caterpillars, butterflies, frogs, and she would build these little elaborate homes for them. >> reporter: her parents say katherine loved all kinds of creatures. so much so, she made a business card. >> she titled herself caretaker, two words. >> i think it was in her i th t. >> one of the worst school shootings in recent u.s. history. >> reporter: an incomprehensible act ended katherine's short life one year ago. she was one of 20 children and 6 adults killed in sandy hook elementary school. >> when we had to write katherine's obituary, we've taken our clues from her life. we thought, what would make sense? it wasn't flowers. it was take care of the things that she loved. >> reporter: to date, more than

$500,000 in donations have poured in going to the animal center of newtown in katherine's memory. >> her spirit has touched so many people, and everybody wants to be a part of this. the animals are definitely going to benefit from her legacy. >> reporter: their ultimate goal, to build the katherine violet hubbard animal sanctuary, an animal shelter like no other. >> and this will be a no-cage, no-kill facility. >> that's right. >> reporter: the facility will feature a farm, an adoption area, a learning center for children, and personal touches that will remind visitors of katherine. >> it's the only structure on the sanctuary that will have the red terra cotta tiles for katherine's hair. >> reporter: the aspca just honored katherine with the kid of the year award, given to a child who shows extraordinary compassion towards animals. and katherine's older brother freddy joined his parents to accept the honor. >> we're not focused on the tragedy. it was two minutes that ended

katherine's life, but, you know, we have a mission now to make sure katherine is proud and when we do see her some day she says that to us. >> reporter: a mission to fulfill katherine's dream, to remember the little girl who would whisper to animals. >> she would tell them, tell your friends i'm kind. she told us, they'll come back. if they tell their friends i'm kind, i know they'll come back. and they always did. >> reporter: jill rapoport, nbc news, newtown, connecticut. >> that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. see you tomorrow morning on "today" then right back here tomorrow evening. good night.