wednesday and right before she went on the shooting spree the woman apparently went on facebook to pledge allegiance to isis. jinah kim starts us off in california. >> reporter: just two days after the mass shooting that took the lives of 14 people, investigators are zeroing in on the couple's motivation behind the attack. >> we are now investigating these horrific acts as an act of terrorism. >> reporter: federal officials say tashfeen malik, the female suspect, pledged her allegiance to isis on social media. malik allegedly made the post on facebook under a different name and then deleted it, but investigators were able to recover it. >> i'm aware of it and we're looking into it. >> the fbi does not believe isis had direct involvement with either her or her husband, syed rizwan farook. officials don't know if other attacks were planned, but are concerned the couple was flying under the radar. >> it just doesn't make sense. they didn't seem like the type. >> as you can see, the hard

drive is gone. >> today at the couple's rented home in nearby redlands, the media was allowed free access to the apartment by the landlord after it was cleared by the fbi. media had no access to the garage which had been converted into a bomb-making lab complete with explosive powders and igniters. investigators recovered hard drives and other media that the couple apparently attempted to destroy, but the fbi says they're confident they'll be able to access whatever the suspects didn't want them to know. meanwhile, victims' families cautioned against blaming an entire faith community. >> these are the two that did it, focus on that and that's it. >> reporter: an investigation now focused on an act of terrorism. fbi director james comey says so far there is no indication that the couple of part of a terror cell or larger organization. in san bernardino, jinah kim, news 4. this attack is making

officials reconsider changing the way they screen some refugees. they're worried that women, each mothers like tashfeen maliked my be radical islamic terrorists. radical islamic terror is under scrutiny in washington. steve handelsman continue our team coverage live on capitol hill. >> reporter: it's become a partisan divide. what fbi director comey did today was down play that facebook post saying there is no solid connection to isis so far, and that makes it easier for barack obama and hillary clinton, they are not using the term islamic terror or playing up an isis connection, but republicans here in washington and on the campaign trail and some law enforcement sources are. it's federal investigators calling the attack an act of terror and revealing that 27-year-old shooter tashfeen malik pledged allegiance to the head of isis, but no indication the california couple worked for isis. said the fbi director.

>> so far we have no indication that these killers are part of an organized larger group or form part of a cell. >> reporter: and president obama spokesman now still won't blame the attack on radical islamic terror. >> i'm not going to be in a position to confirm it. >> getting a u.s. visa to marry syed farook malik faced a less rigorous background check than refugees and those checks are under review because one of wednesday's shooters was a woman. women might get the same tough background checks that males get. >> hillary clinton today -- >> we're going to have to be really focused on going after anybody who poses a threat to us no matter how they get here. >> reporter: but republicans are slamming clinton and president obama for their reactions to san bernardino. >> 48 hours after this is over

they're still talking about gun control measures as if should how terrorists care about what our gun laws are. >> reporter: the struggle is to find the next terrorists before the next san bernardino. >> about to call these killers islamic terrorists and experts on both sides agree, preventing similar attacks in the future will be difficult. i'm steve handelsman, news 4, doreen? >> thank you, steve. some local members of congress joined a prayer gathering inside a falls church mosque today and religious leaders used the opportunity to reach out to young muslims. northern virginia bureau reporter david culver joins us with their message. david? >> doreen, during one of the prayer gatherings, one of the imams talked to the muslims who were gathered here and told them that they need to protect their children from deviant interpretations of islam, referring to the type that preach to violence, teaching instead that islam is peace. ♪

friday, maas limb muslims gathe together for prayer. one denouncing violence. joining them inside the mosque, not only the usual worshippers. seated here is northern virginia congressman don bier among other local leaders. he organized this gathering. >> our presence here today is that we have to come together as a community of tolerance, of respect and inclusion. >> reporter: it seems their presence gave hope to young muslims here like nasima, a nursing student. >> it's great to see non-muslims over here as well supporting and, you know, not being ignorant like everyone else because not everyone is a terrorist. >> reporter: given the links to extremists and increasing thets to iceis. >> we have to extend our hand to our neighbors so that they know the difference between us and

isis. >> reporter: imam jahari acknowledges some young people are tempted byó)v extreme viewd tempted by evil, he says. >> it's when they are pulled away, when they're then fed a narrative of guilt, of anger and they have some emotional instability that then you find these types of acts. nasima hopes united gatherings like this ones can change minds. >> they're not cross sided muslims because our religion specifically says not to kill each other. >> reporter: the muslim leaders telling me they're not opening their doors to local leaders, but they also want to open it to everyone else in the community. they're hoping to create dialogue and from there, understanding an ultimately peace. chris? doreen? >> david culver, thank you. just within the last hour we learned a young man missing for a week has been found dead in a virginia park. >> yeah. they found his body in four-mile

run park in alexandria and police think he was murdered. it's also the second time another park has turned into a crime scene. tracee wilkins is live with more details. >> he had been missing since last saturday and police were doing a routine search to see if they could find him and that's when they discovered his body. the search for edward on almendares was found here. the 22-year-old went missing last saturday and was last seen at the park. police wore galoshes where the body was found. >> this was a normal part of the search and a normal part of detective work and this was where the person was last seen and they got the resources from fairfax county and then we located the person. >> they're calling this a homicide that comes just weeks after a similar incident at another park about a while away. on november 9th, the body of

24-year-old luis perez was discovered in the sandbox of beverly park. police say his throat was slashed and he died from stapp and chop wounds to his head and neck. no arrests have been made in that case. four-mile run park was a tragedy. today it was a crime scene. >> i've lived in the area for 25 years and to my knowledge nothing like this has ever happened. >> it's hard to say. there's violence everywhere. >> reporter: the medical examiner's office is going to have to determine what the cause of death was in this case. we are told by police that they are still investigating to figure out exactly what that was and we don't know how long this man's body was here at the creek. reporting live in alexandria, i'm tracee wilkins. back to you in the studio. >> thanks, tracee. >> in montgomery county there is a police officer who devotes his

time to stop being drunk drivers and one of them may have put him in the hospital. the driver who ran into that officer was accused of driving under the influence. news 4's darcy spencer is live outside bethesda. >> reporter: i want to tell you that this officer suffered critical livfe-threatening injuries. the driver has not been charged and he was initially taken into custody after refusing to take a breathalyzer. a man taken into custody after striking and critically injuring montgomery county police officer noah leotta was taken into custody under suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. police say he refused to submit to a breath test so he was taken to the hospital where a blood sample was taken. the officer's injuries were so significant under maryland law if they were involved in a serious collision, and they must

provide a sample, death or blood and luis relluzco. >> and we have to get that from his blood and pressent everything to the state's attorney's office to determine what, if any, charges are appropriate. >> this was the scene in ro rockville last night. the officer was making a traffic stop when he was hit by a small suv. this woman heard a crash. >> i heard a big bang and i came outside on the balcony and within seconds there were swarms of police officers outside so we came downstairs and he was laying in the street. >> leotta is 24 years old and an officer in montgomery county since january 2013. he was working the holiday alcohol task force focusing on pulling over the type of driver

who allegedly hit him. >> that's when i looked at the car and we all knew it was the cop that got hurt and it was really sad just before the holidays. >> reporter: we can see a number of montgomery county police cruisers here at the hospital. i'm told the chief has been here, of course, family and friends and everyone hoping this young officer will pull through. reporting live from bethesda, darcy spencer, news 4. >> thank you, darcy. they looked like a typical american family living in the suburbs and now the fbi is investigating their mass murder as an act of terror and there are a lot of

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unsettling for the people of the united states. what we hope you will do is not let fear become disabling. >> that's fbi director james comey admitting this attack in san bernardino may be breaking new ground for americans. >> meet the press moderator chuck todd joins us now. i think it's hard for all of us to understand how two parents of a 6-month-old baby could do something like this. >> no, it is and the idea that there was radicalization, just combines a lot of fears that americans have been having, i think since the paris attack and never mind the mass shootings and what appears to be islamic terrorism. so i think we're in a tough space and it's a tough time politically. sometimes when a campaign season -- when this stuff happens in the middle offa campaign season the rhetoric can get overheated at a time when that's the last thing we need

being in the middle of where we are. >> and displaced with the rhetoric. >> it was disconcerting to watch the initial reporting coming out and immediately people going into their corner looking for anything that happened as the reports were going on to support their own agenda or their own narrative and everyone was, like, whoa. it was like we shoot first and get the facts later type of thing. i have noticed today a little bit of people are backing off and letting a little bit of finding out the facts. >> it hits the flash points. immigration, guns and terror. >> all in one thing and you have to ask yourself is our political system healthy enough today in 2015 and 2016 to handle all of that at one time, these are divisive issues and polarizing issues and it's an interesting test for folks currently in office and folks that would like to be the commander in chief.

>> as you mentioned, the presidential candidates on both sides are ready and they're getting tested. >> some of them are filling in. we've seen so far and this has been helpful to a donald trump and he is throwing out strength, bravado and some of it is misplaced bravado and misinformation and at the same time there's anxiety and fear out there and there's been a zack um and politics has a vacuum and trumps has filled it and this has strengthened him in a way people didn't think would happen that eventually his shtick would -- and we have a live sunday interview and she'll be right there giving us the latest. as you know this story changes and we'll have the chief law enforcement officer to talk about that. >> probably a lot of new developments. >> there will be a lot of new developments and i certainly have my list of questions ready, but there might be ten more.

we'll have a debate about the role of religion in all this, and i've been talking to two muslims and one who says that this is not an issue within the muslim religion and another muslim who says, no, that muslims need to look in ward and say there is a fringe element here that is creeping into the mainstream that we have to do something about. so we'll have that conversation and plus the regular -- a couple of presidential candidates that will be weighing in, as well. >> a busy show and we'll alert you and go 90 minutes. watch out redskins. chuck will have that on "meet the press" sunday morning at 10:30 on nbc 4. we invite you to join us. a developing story in the district. news 4 warn said that security has been beefed up after a student was caught with a gun this week. the principal sending a letter to parents saying we have

increased security staff to monitor all exit doors and any necessary repairs are being made to doors and camera capabilities, and an additional police officer has been a signed to wilson. officials are trying to figure out how the student got the gun inside the school when student goes through metal detectors to get in and he is in jail tonight. the school says he is facing suspension and possible expulsion. some passengers and a whole lot of cars got an unexpected ride on a ferry after it broke loose from a ferry. the current pushed it a few yards downstream. chopper 4 was over the scene in dickerson. no one was hurt, but a tug body had to bring the ferry ashore and there were a dozen cars onboard at the time. >> several people are looking at this apartment fire. firefighters arrived at 12th and u streets in northwest.

we know the fire started on a second-floor balcony and it's unclear what sparked it. firefighters tell us the cal bonnies are made with a combustible it material and that allowed the fires to get into the walls. >> ex-convicts getting jobs and staying out of prison. we'll talk to some who say their lives have been changed forever. a new option for police officers when it comes to mentally ill suspects. where they can take them instead of straight to jail. >> dozens have been sickened >> dozens have been sickened after eating at

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after a chilly, but nice day we had a beautiful sunset. our temperatures over the next few hours will be dipping down into the 40s. so some of you may want that warm coat. others, well, others can probably get by with just a nice, thick jacket. we'll drop to the 40s and take a look and we'll be working on the sd@$eáñ forecast and the hourlis for saturday and sunday to help you plan out your day. 40 degrees by 11:00 p.m. again, we remain with the clear sky and here's your wake-up for tomorrow. cold start indeed. a lot of locations will be starting out in the low 30s. 33 to 41 and a big spread in temperatures across the area for tomorrow morning.

so if you'll be heading out early, the coat, the scarf, umbrella jacket and what's the best thing to throw out the door, the scarf, the coat and the hat to stay warm. keep that in mind with that cold start heading to some of the tree farms during the morning and it will be dry, and quite chilly if not cold and we give you more of the cautionary light and it's a green light for midday and the afternoon hours with a nice feeling with the sunshine and seasonal conditions coming our way for tomorrow afternoon and even for sunday. we top out at 52, about 53 degrees around waldorf and la plata right into d.c., 53 and we have low 50s to the west and weston, herndon and columbia, maryland, 52 the high temperature for tomorrow. here's a look at the hourlies. we'll get that clear sky around, just beautiful skies all day long and by the time we get to 4:00, 5:00, then the temperature will start to get to the other side of 50 degrees. for several hours tomorrow it will feel quite comfortable.

on sunday, temperatures will get higher and we'll get up to 55 and there will be a few clouds working their way in during the afternoon hours and that's how your weekend stacks up. both days will be pretty and nice for getting out and not only is our weekend looking dry, but all of next week right now is looking dry. dry conditions with temperatures that for the most part will be topping out above average and there's monday, also into the low 50s. the latter part of next week, wednesday, thursday, friday and we will be picking up quite a few clouds and in just a few minutes we'll not only take a look at the seven-day forecast to help plan out your week and we'll take a sneak peek at next weekend so you can see which weekend sizes up better. ahead, what the autopsy of freddie gray reveals about what caused his death in police custody. he was assaulted by four suspects who stole his car in broad daylight inside this metro parking garage.

coming up at 6:30, hear from the victim and why he says he's not allowing this traumatic experience to force him to live his life in fear. and what a homeless man said to d.c. mayor bowser today that she said gave her

>> now at 6:30, as the first week of the freddie gray trial wraps up, we're talking to courtroom spectators about how it's going and what they think the verdict could be. carjacked in a metro parking garage. it seems very surreal, but i was being assaulted in broad daylight in a parking garage. >> tonight the victim shares his story as police hunt for suspects. and a rare glimpse inside the intense crisis intervention training officers in our area are getting.

>> how it could keep some people out of jail. >> first at 6:30, syed farook's family has hired some attorneys and they're giving us more details about the shooter and his wife. they say tashfeen malik was a soft-spoken housewife who wore a veil and didn't speak with male relatives. he didn't notice anything unusual happening. one of farook's brothers in law is already in the process of adopting the couple's 6-month-old daughter. all of this comes as the fbi announced that the shooting is now being investigated as an act of terrorism and a facebook post has been discovered under an alias used by malik that pledges allegiance to the leaders of isis. that was posted just before the attack began on wednesday. the victims ranged in age from 26 to 60. they were mothers and fathers and government workers and students. one was a recent immigrant from iran who had fled islamic

extremism there. we have profiles of all of them in our nbc washington app. for that we can use the search term shooting victims. it was exactly three weeks ago that terrorists killed 130 people in paris in a seary of cafes, a stadium and a theater. >> one of those cafes reopened today less than a month after the gunmen killed five people and seriously ng inned three others on friday, november 13th. today the manager sent condolences to the victim's friends and family and the cafe has been repainted and redecorated to, in her words, erase the signs of this nightmare. watch what happened in boston today. a bomb squad detonated a suspicious package left near a homeland security vehicle. police arrested and charged a 50-year-old man with planting a hoax device. the police commissioner says there was nothing that leads authorities to believe that there were ever explosives in the suitcase. >> about an hour from now there

will be a candlelight vigil to honor victims of two recent mass shootings. it's been organized by muslim and other faith leaders. it starts at 7:30 at the muslim community center on new hampshire avenue and they're going to pay tribute to the victims of the mass shootings in san bernardino and colorado springs and if you'd like to attend they ask you to bring a candle and wind protector. the trial of a baltimore police officer charged in the freddie gray death wrapped up for the week, but after some of the most emotional moments yet. >> a medical expert say gray's neck injuries were similar to someone who dove into a shallow swimming pool. chris gordon is live in baltimore with more. chris? >> reporter: it was the medical examiner's report that led to charges being filed against police officers. today she testified as the prosecution witness here at the trial of officer william porter. >> freddie gray was a healthy

25-year-old when he was loaded into a police van. he had a severe spinal injury. the medical examiner who performed his autopsy testified that the cause of freddie gray's death was neck injury. the manner of death was homicide. >> the jury watched officer william port or video being questioned by two detectives on april 17th. porter said freddie gray was arrested and being loaded into a police van when he arrived. the van driver later called for backup at druid hill and dauphin. he responded and he opened the door of the van and saw freddie gray face down on the floor, lethargic saying help me up. porter said what's wrong? you need a medic or something? gray respond, yes, i need a medic. porter pulled freddie gray up to a bench, but didn't put him in a seat belt or called for a medic at that point. the van was later called to pick up another man who had been arrested at north and penn. on the video, porter tells

investigators i opened the door. gray is unresponsive and on his knees up against the bench. he was completely passed out. by the time the van arrived at the police station freddie gray was unconscious. they tried to revive him, called the medic and had him taken to the hospital. when you give a full statement as was done in this case it almost requires that you take the witness stand to explain some of your responses. >> just moments ago i learned that prosecutors could wrap up their case as early as tuesday of next week and then it will be up to the defense to present witnesses possibly including the defendant himself, officer porter. that's the latest live in baltimore. doreen, back to you. >> thank you. >> there's a new lead tonight on the local carjacking case that led the victim terrified. that victim spoke with news 4 today and wonders if one wrong move made him a target. news 4's meagan fitzgerald is

live at the busy wheaton parking garage. meagan. >> reporter: this happened inside the metro parking garage. the victim who didn't want to be identified and asked that we call him cooper says he's traumatized still, but he's not allowing fear to ruin his life. most agree that anything can happen anywhere. 20-year-old cooper says he never saw it when he hopped in his car on november 13th and drove to the wheaton metro he'd become a victim at 10:00 in the morning. >> i parked my car in the wheaton metro near the pedestrian walkway. he was driving near the walkway when four suspects grabbed him and demanded he turn over his keys and cell phone before they hopped in his car and drove off. >> before they left the garage, one of them was caught on video. >> i was more paralyzed in fear than i was actually thinking

about what was actually hurting. >> reporter: cooper says he's not allowing the incident to change the way he lives his life. >> i think that living in a state of fear is kind of unnecessary. montgomery county police say the vehicle was recovered hours after the incident happened in southeast d.c. for another look at those suspects, nbcwashington.com and you can download our app. reporting in wheaton. >> it's a moment that gave mayor muriel bowser chills. they were holding a graduation ceremony for a group of ex-convicts that were being re-integrated into society. as mark segraves reports one of them had a special message for the mayor. >> damian leonard had a message. at a young age he began dealing drugs which led to multiple arrests and time in jail. after living in a homeless shelter he learned about project

empowerment. >> and they train you for three weeks and help you find a onand i said this sounds good to me. >> today leonard was chosen to speak at his graduation ceremony and introduced mayor bowser. >> i learned about the mayor's mission, to end homelessness. you have one less person to worry about. >> it connects the dots, we have a person who has experienced homelessness and on the pathway to a good job and really using our department o employment services as the resource to get on his way and that's what we work for. >> it's living proof that project empowerment works. he enrolled in project empowerment. >> today he has a good job with a financial firm that helps prepare young people to manage their money. he says he's able to use his mistakes to help teach others. >> i talk to the youth a lot about the things that i went

through in life and just having a better focus and want more out of life than just being in the neighborhoods. >> leonard hopes that he'll get a job just like lampkin has. >> maybe if i get myself together i can help, too, and help people. >> leonard has his first job interview in years next tuesday. in the district, mark segraves, news 4. it will be a cold one tonight. our temperatures drop to around freezing in some neighborhoods, but can you count on a milder afternoon for your busy weekend coming up? i've got your forecast straight ahead on news 4 at 6:00.

now to a developing story about the e. coli outbreak that's been linked to chipotle. one of the latest people to get sick lives in central maryland and that person is one of seven new cases all of it coming as chipotle announces stricter rules with food safety. the company will test all of its produce in smaller batches with enhanced training for handling food. chipotle says it's unlikely that ingredient is still in the food supply. >> you look at the calendar and holiday party sen is definitely under way and a new report is raising concerns about drinking and driving. >> that's right. the foundation for advancing

alcohol responsibility found 62% of d.c. residents don't know the legal limit for driving is .08%. 31% of people nationwide only use the number of drinks they have to determine if it's too much and just 30% of d.c. residents admit to taking a safe ride home after drinking. >> when you have a walking environment or a metropolitan environment that includes public transportation there are so many options it's really disappointing to find that such a low percentage is only 30% actually avail themselves of these safe rides home. >> two-thirds of millennials say they've intervened and stopping someone from drinking and driving. only one-third of baby boomers say they've done the same. >> i'm julie carey in prince william county where the latest group of officers and deputies to get special crisis intervention team training is about to graduate and now they'll have another option if

they think a mentally ill offender needs treatment instead of jail. i'll show you the brand new

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better ingredients. better pizza. better football. papajohns.com there's still a lot of questions about what happened in san bernardino, but we want to give you a quick wrap of everything that we learned today. the fbi is treating it as an act of terrorism. investigators say there are indications the husband and wife team may have been inspired by a foreign terrorist organization. there's no indication they were part of a larger terror network. nbc news has learned that just before the attack the wife, tashfeen malik went on facebook and posted a statement in support of isis leader abu bakr al baghdadi. nbc nightly news is tracking the late developments and you can see their broadcast rid after this one. one question a lot of

parents are asking this week, how -- what is the best way to reassure your children in dangerous times like these without being dishonest with them? >> shomari stone interviewed a child psychologist about what you should and shouldn't say and we just shared that interview on the nbc washington facebook page. you can go there during the break and share it with your family and friends. >> in prince william county, two dozen officers will earn their crisis intervention team certificates tonight. they just spent an intense week learning to deal with subjects who might be in the middle of a mental health breakdown. as julie carey reports there is a new option that can help. >> how are you? >> i'm terrible. how are you? >> the latest crisis intervention team training winding to a close. officers are put to the test through role playing. news 4 was invited into an exercise rarely made public as the officers try out their new schools. >> good afternoon. hey, how are you? >> in this scenario they've been

called to a hotel to check out a guy who has been crashing the complimentary classes ever day. >> they ask questions and listen to answers. >> would you like to talk with him today at all and maybe bump it up a little bit? >> no. i think i'm okay. >> the officer discovers he suffers from mental illness and is homeless and they get him to agree to go to a shelter. [ applause ] >> across the country now more than a hundred officers and deputies have cit training. 88 right here in the prince william county police department. >> another goal of cit training is to steer those in a mental hair crisis away from jail and prince william county and deputies have a new alternative. >> it's staffed by a cit-trained officer. >> having some place like this where an officer can actually transfer custody, we are hoping will help divert from jail. >> therapists will be there to assess mental health needs and

determine the best destination for the person in crisis. in manassas, julie carey, news 4. nice to see those blue skies and some sunshine today, but is still feels kind of cold out there. >> certainly right now it does, as soon as the sun goes down and the weekend is not bad at all and we don't have big storms in the forecast so for us it's really all about the temperatures and if they'll be high enough and comfortable enough for you to get outside and make the most of this upcoming weekend and let's head over to the weather wall, and it is going to be on the chilly side and our temperatures from the mid-30s to the low 40s, but at least we have a very light wind out there this evening. remember the last two days we had anywhere from windy to breezy conditions around the area. here's a look at our current temperatures and 43 around rockville, maryland, and 49 and low 40s and still falling because of that clear sky. for tomorrow, we keep it clear, sunshine and bright sunshine

throughout the day tomorrow with the calm wind so the weather will have a low impact on your day tomorrow. now here's a look at your saturday because i wanted to show you for just how many hours our temperature would be above 50 degrees and we'll hit it around 11:00 a.m. to lunchtime tomorrow at noon. no clouds and there's your sunshine to 3:00 and up until 4:00, 5:00, we're around 50 degrees and it will be a cool day and still comfortable by december standards. behind me, your sunday and this is 5:00. a snapshot and you can see the clouds making their way east and into the area. chose clouds will continue advancing eastward for sunday night, not expecting any rain, but the fact is sunday during the latter part of the day will start to get a little on the overcast sky and that is the next change that you'll notice after 5:00, clouds move in and there's your change. low 40s for 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, and a good weekend for getting out and doing the christmas tree

and changing the lights and the holiday parties and it's a green light for everything and just don't forget the coat and you'll not need the umbrella and next week in the low 50s to upper 50s andround 60 degrees next weekend. guys? >> thanks, veronica. >> thanks, v.j. still to come, night games have not been so kind to washington. what's different this time around. sports is up next, but first here's lester holt with a look at what's ahead on nbc "nightly news". >> tonight nbc news coming to you from the neighborhood and the complex where the two terrorists in the attack in san bernardino live. the fbi came out today and said these were, in fact, terrorist attacks and how does that change anything and how at risk could we still be?

it's time for sports and we'll send it over to chris miles in the comcast sportsnet studios. >> it seems like the big news out right now is coming out of charlottesville. >> a new hire, the university of virginia has a new head football coach. bronco mendenhall and he's taking over the position with the caves in a five-year deal

worth over 3 million annually. the redskins made a change in quarterback this off season. safe to say, it's paying off and they're in first place in the nfc east and most importantly, they can keep the cowboys buried in the basement of the division with a win on monday night. since last weekend's win over the giants, kirk cousins has received ringing endorsements from his teammates playing turnover-free football has clearly helped his cause and confidence, but according to cousins, his past failures are helping him right now more than his recent success. >> you know, we haven't been great under the big spotlight the last couple of years and we haven't been great in a lot of situations in the last couple of years and we did consistently win. i don't see it so much as oh, it's unique to feeling like there are a lot of eyes on it. it was more that we haven't been that good, period and we just need to be better and whether it's sunday night or monday, we

need to be better. >> it's an intense rivalry, but i think these young guys are ready. if you've been watching football at any point in your life you know about the red design and cowboy rivalry. i'm pretty sure everybody will be read. >> packers, and lions this play was just insane and the legend of aaron rodgers continues to grow. check it out. this pass so high it could hit an airplane and he brings it down and a 61-yard touchdown and the longest game-ending play and hail mary play in nfl history. no tyson chandler for the phoenix suns. expect to see the little guy dominate in tonight's game at the phone booth. the wizards will be short a few players. chris humphreys and andrew gooden are all questionable and those are four players over 6'8" that might not play and also signed seven-footer ryan holland

who will start. >> it changes, you know? we'll play the same way that we have. i'm sure they're going to continue to do that without chandler. so taking care of the ball will be extremely important again for us that we don't allow them to turn those into quick points because they can easily do that. >> the terps looking to bounce back from the first loss of the season. the terps play six straight at home and none of those opponents are currently ranked and st. francis out of pennsylvania will come to the center tonight and the tip-off is set for 7:00 in that game. the nats lose a pitcher one day and they gained one the next day. that's right. oliver perez, today the southpaw that is from houston on a two-year deal. earlier this week the nats lost jordan zimmerman to the tigers and now they're rebolstering their pitching staff. >> thanks a lot, chris.

thanks for joining us. "nightly news" up next. >> we'll see you tonight for news 4 at 11:00. this holiday, ford america's best-selling brand is giving you more. the ford holiday sales event... with 0% financing for 60 months on 2015 f-150 and focus and 2016 fusion and escape. plus 1,000 dollars holiday bonus cash on 2015 focus and 2016 fusion and escape. it's the best gift ever. now during the ford holiday sales event get 0% financing for 60 months plus 1,000 dollars holiday bonus cash on select vehicles. see your local ford dealer.

breaking news tonight. the pledge of allegiance to isis. the shocking message from the female attacker in san bernardino posted on facebook right as the massacre began. the fbi now saying their investigating an act of terrorism that claimed so many lives. also, the bomb factory found in the suspects' garage. a bag packed with apparent pipe bos, crushed cell phones in attempts to erase the electronic trail as we see inside the apartment where they plotted to kill. what the suspects' sister is telling nbc news about the signs something was wrong. tonight richard engel on the kind of attackers on american soil that authorities fear the most and why they are so hard to stop. "nightly news" begins right now.