we were a dancingnd i saw meone walkn and i saw the shots go off. >> be advised theretire mule shots being fired. the back northwest area. >> and this morning we're learning more about this latest mass shooting. the heroic first responders and the people w lost their lives during an act of insanity while just trying to enjoy an evening in northern california a fast-moving inferno that's spreading at breakneck pace. people evacuating as quickly as possible, impacting expensi homes including kim kardashian, who was forced to flee for her life. supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg hospitalized with broken ribs aft a nas fall. we'll have the latest on her

condition. a growing number of protests around the nation over the president's controv choice to head up the justice department. and some of the highly critical comments he has made. and a few things this weekend to make you relax, including a brand new installment of the grinch. "early today" startsight no good friday morning. i'm phillip mena. >> i'm frances rivera.n officials southern california continue to investigate the mass shooting at the borderlin bar & grill. the suspect now identified as 28-year-old ian david long. police say long shot a security guard outside the bar before firing multiple rounds inside, killing 12 people in all. thebi and local authorities searching long's home and car for clues. >> we're going to pursue thet leads tre developed from that evidence wherever they take us t identify any possible motivation. >> as the investigation continues, we're learning more about the victims. among them, former service members, college students, a local business owner, and a sheriff's sergeant.

hundreds gathered for a vigil honoring tne victims g down in a community ranked as one of america's safest. nbc's miguel almaguer is in thousand oaks with the latest. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: phillip, for rsseveral hours investigaave been combing through the crime ouene just a few blocks behind me. asknow, this all unfolded on a busy wednesday night just after 11:00 p.m. gunshots rang out. one suspect was eventually killed. single handgun was recovered. what investigators don't have here is a motive. [ gunshots ] gunfire tore across the dce oor. chaos and carnage inside borderline bar & grisl. s the moment inside when survivors dove for cover as the gunmanunloads. >> we were dancing, and i sawe some walk in and i saw the shots go off. >> reporter: the first 911 call, 11:20 p.m. >> be advised there are multiple

shots being fired at the back rthwest area. >> reporter: a gunman shootrig secu with a handgun before turning his weapon on the crowd of college students. >> we dropped and we heard the gunshots. a lot of gunshots. >> reporter: with reports of smoke grenades shrouding the acits survivors struggled to escape, crawlingss the dance floor, hiding in the attic, jumping throughs.wind >> my friends got the bar stools and started sending it against the windows so we could get out. >> reporter: when firstde resp arrive they can hear gunfire and see victims pouring out. >> we've got multiple people down. we need a lot of ambulances. >> reporter: with the walking wounded staggering away and others carried to safety ventura county sheriff's sgeant ron helus and a highway patrol officer stormed the building. >> it's a horrific scene in there. there's blood everywhere. >> reporter: there officers a immediately met by a hail of

gunfire. >> sergeant helus died at the -- eh. the sergeant passed away at the hospital about an hour ago. >> reporter: 15 minutes later, 11:40 p.m., s.w.a.t. swarms the building. the gunman, they say, deada fro gunshot ivwound. ors left searching for loved ones. 12 were killed. but theet victims had not been named. jason coffman knew his son cody was inside. hours ler the news he feared. cody is among thefa lities. >> only him and i know how much i love -- how much i miss him. oh, god, this is so hard. oh, son, i love y so much. >> reporter: also confirmed among the dead, pepperdine university freshman alaina housley, just 18 years old. one of 16in peppe students at the bar that night. justin meek,23, among the more

rinames and stoes of victims beginning to emerge. just hours before the shooting this was thesd scene wed night. dozens inside the borderline grill had also survived the las vegas concert shooting just last year. the suspect is identified as 28-year-old marine corps veteran ian david long with no apparent motive for the shooting, grief is washing over this community. >> with would someone come in to someplace where people come just to have epn? >>ter: no answers. only shattered lives. by another senseless mass shooting. as investigators look for clues admit shooting they today they may never find a motive. phillip, back to you. >> miguel almaguer for us. ank you. >> among the victims of a mass shooting a sheriff'sbeeputy who ha on the force for nearly three decades. sergeant ron helus was the first iv respond to calls of shots fired, bravely ging his own life to try to save others. joe fer has more on his life

and the hoic acts that emerged during those horrific moments. >> reporter: ventura county -- >> we're seeing people turning now with american flags. >> reporter: as a procession for serge ron helus wound its way through the very streets it protected. >> when i saw the car coming by it was very emotional. >> a 30-mile motorcade of respect. >> he gave his all. he died a hero because he went -- he went in to save lives, s toave other people. just minutes after shots first rang out sergeant helus was on the scene. the sheriff says helus rushed inside and w hit multiple times while exchanging gunfire shooter. colleagues say that was typical ron. >> he's not going to wait. he's not going to hesitate. and he --ou can't describe it as anything other than toldly roic. >> reporter: helus died at the hospital, leaving behind a wife and son. he spe 2 years on the force and was one year shy of retirent. >> every day we send our loved

ones out in the police community and you just hope that they come home safe. >> reporter: survivors of the shooting describe all kinds of brave acts inse the bar. >> all the guys around me were dropping on the floor covering safety.s, getting to >> reporter: some were saved by strangers. >> this guy came up from behind me and picked me up and carried me out. >> reporr: the sheriff says five off-duty officers were inside borderline. they were unarmed but helped rescue victims, even stood in front of someone to block the gunfire. >> all right. joe fryer, thank ou for that report. as police search for a motive, new details areou emergg the suspect, ian david long. long served five years in the marine corps,ncluding a stint in afghanistan. in april police responded to ai domesticrbance at his home, saying he was acting irrationly at the time. ey called in a mental health team, suspecting he may have been suffering from tptsd. thm eventually cleared long. neighbors say long had been living with his mother for several years after his divorcea

authoritie now searching that home for evidence. the shooting in california comes just two weeks after another massacre, the mass shooting at the tre of life synagogue in pittsburgh. and neither incident is isolated. in fact, there's been a mass shooting almost every day this year. stephanie gosk reports on this grim new. normal >> reporter: the scenes look ael so familiar. the police run in while terrified students, concertgoers, regular people run out. >> he was shooting everybody and there was dead people everywhere. >> i w hoping we could get o and looking for all of our friends. >> reporter: this year alone parkland, santa fe, pittsburgh, and now thousand oaks. and thaust skims the surface. there have been 307 mass moreings with four or people shot, 328 people killed, and the year's not er. many ameriadns woke up h the same thought. oh, no. not again. because theynew what to

expect. the phrases we use had become part of a grim lexicon. makeshift memorials, candlelight vigils, thoughts and prayers. for moment we reflect on the victims. for their famil s that moment lasts the rest of their lives. the challenge f the country is this. how do we not grow numb? some of the young people at the borderline bar & grill also survived the concert in las vegas. thatt f alone should shatter this mass shooting routine. we may not agree on how to stop the gun violence, b we can't forget that we must. stephanie gosk, nbc news. breaking news at this an exploding wildfire is crippling northern california. residence tryo escape paradise, california as trees went up in flames around th they're growing at a rate ot ab80 football fields every minute. 15,000 structures are now in danger and tens of thousands of people have been forced to

eaevacuate. ars in butte county, ventura, and now chico county. even kim kardashian and her family had to leave their town of calabasas, and some people are getting trapped as they try to escape. here with more is nbc's gadi . schwar >> reporter: in paradise, california a massive wildfire turning day to night. >> there arembers blowing under my car. >> reporter: this video taken by one of the many families surrounded by flames as they tried to escape. >> we have got to get out of here. >> rorter: all around hom burning and cars trapped in blackout conditions. these images in darkness incredibly taken at around in the morning. on the outskirts of the evacuation zone an enormousd smoke clreads as this father waits for any word about his children. >> and i have a 2-year-old and a 1 1/2-year-old that i can't get home to. >> reporter: drivers stuck in gridlock as flames close ein. inferno exploding in size from 200 acres to 18,000 in a matter of hours. its dramatic growth captured by

satellite, threatening a community of 27,000. the town hospital evacuated. >> we've got four trapped in the baseme basement. e trapped in the basement. the hospital is surrounded by fire. >> reporter: those four rescued by police as whole neighborhoods were set ablaze. meanwhile, in southern california more people trapped by yet another explosive this one shutting down both directions of california's 101 freeway near newbu park. dangerous winds posing an even bigger teat as a second firestorm continues to grow. gadi schwartz, nbc news, los angeles. >>imes like this i always wish we could switch our weather around. >> hel >> help them out with the rain that we're expecting to get through the weekend. michelle, good morning. good morning. it seems so unfair. they're so, so dry. they're going to have that fire threat once again today. in contrast we are looking at a very wet friday night in parts of the east. 1ywhere from the plains to the east. million at risk for moderate soaking. likely. and the leaves clogging the drains are going to add to that. it's an area of low pressurl

that wring that rain. finally clearing out later on sunday. that's a look at the big weather ory of the day. here's a closer look at the day ahead. it's going to be a chiy day for many in the northeast. also the great lakes. we could see that lake machine going today. also look at the teens in the northern plains. i just 1 bismarck. otherwise, we're looking at lots of 20s. and you can see i some snow some spots in the midwest. so tonight might be a good m iie nighthe northeast. we're look at pretty flooding rains throughout the night. >> i know exactly what you're doing. you're going to see the mean one becauss the mean one back in theaters this weekend. >> i'm going to steal their christmas. >> he's our enemy. >> dr. strange does dr. seuss as benedict cumberbatch stars in the latest version of the grinch. the cgi animated film is expected to see plenty of green with an estimated 55 to 60 million dollars in ticket sales. "the crown's" claire foy stars as a hacker in the crime thn ller "the girle spider's web." still toti come, jus on

the mend. the update on ruth bader ginsburg after a nasty fall. and for protesters it's protect mueller time. . careful not to get it in her eyes. i know, i know what a bath is... smile honey. this thing is like... first kid. here we go. second kid. you coming in mommy? ahh not a chance! by their second kid, every parent is an expert and more likely to choose luvs than first time parents. luvs with nightlock plus absorbs wetness faster than huggies snug and dry for outstanding overnight protection at a fraction of the cost. live, learn and get luvs. they work togetherf doing important stuff. the hitch? like you, your cells get hungry. feed them... with centrum micronutrients. restoring your awesome, daily.

centrum. feed your cells. even when nothing else is. gopi's found a way to keep her receipts tidy, (brand vo) snap and sort your expenses with quickbooks and find, on average, $4,628 in tax savings. quickbooks. backing you. thdelicious.i-wheat. but it's more than that. 10 layers of crunchy wheat to fill you up on big days. whether your day involves steam, mountains, or woah- fire... ...we've got your breakfast right here. is your breakfast built for big days? what does help for heart fait looks like this. ilentresto is a heart faure pill that helped keep people alive and out of the hospital. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto.

♪ the beat goes on. yeah! in the new this morning, supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg is in the hospital recovering from three fractured ribs. she fell in her office wednesday night and went hade but to check into the hospital the next morning after experiencing rt.com ginsburg has overcome multiple health issues in the past, surviving both colon and pancreatic cancer.id her injury force her to miss a welcoming ceremony for newly ppointed justice brett kavanaugh. >> a lot of people want to wrap her in bubble wrap these days. massive show of support these days for the special counsel after a shake-up at the justice department. cities all across the country thousands of protesters marching through the streets calling for the protectn of robert mueller and his team's investigation into russian election meddling. nbc's pete williams has more. >> reporter:tt before whitaker became the chief of staff for jeff sessions he was a

conservative commentator. he said specialounsel rober mueller's team should not cross some red lines. >> it would be a fishing expedition if ty start look into essentially all of trump's financ a. >> reportend whitaker said a year and a half ago that he hadn't seen any proof of russian collusion with aie trump ca. >> the truth is there was no collusion with the russians and the trump campaign. there was interference by the russians into the election, but that is not the collusion with the campaign. >> reporter: some in congress a those comments make him unqualifie to oversee the russia investigation. >> we know he was f chosenor the wrong reasons, because of his views on the russia probe. >> reporter: but even some who quesayon at poimt whitaker may see it differently now. to comeueller is goi in and brief him on the details of the investigation. and you a in a different place at that point. >> reporter: and the husband of white house adviser kellyanne , conweorge conway, co-writes a column with former solicitor general neil catchall saying under the constitution the jpresident can't maket anyone acting attorney general.

>> principal officers like heads of departments have to be senate confirmed. and our founders put that in for a reason, because you don't want the president's lackey to be serving in such an important role. >> reporter: justice department ethics lawyers will now advise whitaker on whether he should recuse frointhe russia stigation. but there's no sign that he intends to. pete williams, nbc news, washington. (coughs) ♪ (coughs) (sneezes) for real cold and flu protection. you can't protect them from an imaginary cold. but with lysol, you can help protect them from the real one. lysol disinfectant spray kills the #1 cause of the cold and clorox wipes don't. lysol. what it takes to protect.

makeup now optional. new aveeno® maxglow™ infusion drops with kiwi to lock moisture. and soy to even skin tone. unleash dewy, glowing skin from within. new aveeno® maxglow™. unwanted odors lingering too long in your car? try febreze car vent clips! just snap the clip and insert in the vent to eliminate lingering odors for up to 30 days. try febreze car vent clips, available in a range of light to bold scents. thdelicious.i-wheat. but it's more than that. 10 layers of crunchy wheat to fill you up on big days. whether your day involves steam, mountains, or woah- fire... ...we've got your breakfast right here. is your breakfast built for big days?

it's that time of year. the rockefeller center christmas

tree is on its way here. crews took down the norway spruce in wallkill, new york about two hours north of manhattan. it's being trucked into the city where it will undergo tremendous preparation and it will be lit for all the world to see on november 28th. >> here arounder rockefe plaza. prince charles is opening up in a rare interview. in a rareocumentary he vowed to stop meddling initiates he feels strongly a ut if he becomes king. sarah hartman joins with us more revelations. good morning, sarah. >> reporter: hi, frances. hi, phillip. good morning to you. prince charles has long been known forisoutspoken views on everything from modern architecture to organic faing. he was anti-plastic decades ago, long before green causes became trendy. but now he says he'llwn tone th hen he takes the throne. following the example of his mother, the queen, who steered clear of controversy all these years. in a new documentary on bbc prince charles gave some rare ow

insight into he sees his future role as the king. and he said he's tried to make sure that his statements have been non-party political. but then he goes on to say the ideahat he's going to go on the same way he has been going is clearly -- it's going to be different. so that's the words from the bbc this morning. now, this is part of a documentary that's marking his 70th birthday next week. and imagine that. he's years old. he still doesn't have the big job. charles has wted longe than any other british heir to take the throne. guys? >> all right,ra thank you very much. up next, michelle has our weekend forecast for us. plus the throwback thanksgiving item that's an absolute must have for "friends" fans. e. i couldn't catch my breath. it was the last song of the night. it felt like my heart was skipping beats. they said i had afib. what's afib? i knew that meant i was at a greater risk of stroke. i needed answers.

my doctor and i chose xarelto® to help keep me protected from a stroke. once-daily xarelto®, a latest-generation blood thinner significantly lowers the risk of stroke in people with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. warfarin interferes with at least 6 of your body's natural blood-clotting factors. xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor. for afib patients well managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® compares in reducing the risk of stroke. don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase your risk of stroke. while taking, you may bruise more easily, or take longer for bleeding to stop. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. it may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. get help right away for unexpected bleeding or unusual bruising. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. before starting, tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures and any kidney or liver problems. learn all you can to help protect yourself from a stroke. talk to your doctor about xarelto®.

dour craftsmen begin eachay... ...perfectly seasoning our hillshire farm smoked sausage. so by simply adding the right ingredients... ...you can end each day crafting a perfectly delicious dinner. olay regenerist wipes out the competition; hydrating better than $100, $200 even $400 creams. with our b3 complex, beautiful skin doesn't have to cost a fortune. olay. for you, it's always now over later. and pause. not even in your vocabulary. so when a cold sore tingle strikes. you act on it. only abreva can get rid of a cold sore in as little as 2 1/2 days when used at the first sign. it start to work immediately

to block the virus and protect healthy cells. nothing gets rid of a cold sore faster. and because abreva acts on it... you can too. act on it, with abreva. and welcome back on this friday. happy friday to everyone. we're lookingt cold and snow in the plains to the northeast. that includes the great lakes. midwest. the we're looking at the fire danger still in the west today. and the t by tomorrow good news is we'll see the winds weaken there until they return on nday. otherwise, a cold day in parts of the midwest. also the great lakes into the northeast and some lake effect snow on the great lakes. back to you guys. >> michelle, thank you. still ahead, the "dirty dancing" fans who had the time of their lives entertaining guests at their wedding. keep it right here. we'll show you more on "early today." what does help for heart failure look like? it looks like this. entresto is a heart failure pill that helped keep people alive

and out of the hospital. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. ♪ the beat goes on. yeah! jimmy's gotten used to his whole room smelling like sweaty odors. yup, he's gone noseblind. he thinks it smells fine, but his mom smells this... luckily for all your hard-to-wash fabrics... ...there's febreze fabric refresher. febreze doesn't just mask, it eliminates odors you've... ...gone noseblind to. and try febreze unstopables for fabric. with up to twice the fresh scent power, you'll want to try it... ...again and again and maybe just one more time. indulge in irresistible freshness. febreze unstopables. breathe happy.

(alex trebek) $8,000. over8,000. now, why is this number so important? because $8,508 is the average cost of a funeral. if y've already planned how to help cover your final expenses, like this one, great. but if you haven't, i'm here to tell you about the number one most popular whole life insurance plan through the colonial penn program. if you're between age 50 and 85, the good news is it's not too late, because you castart here, right now. so call now. you wot be alone. over half a million people called last year for free information. options start at $9.95 a month, lesshan 35 cents a day. a good price, if you're on a tight budget or a fncome. there are no health questions

and no medical em. your acceptance is guaranteed. options start at $9.95 a month, roeven if you have healthems, and you cannot be charged a higher rate fohealth reason. best of all, unlike many plans, once you'rred, your rate is locked in for life and can never go up for any reason. you get a lifetime rate lock guarantee, plus a 30-day money back guarantee. soall now for free information, and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. this valuable guide is a great help for you and the loved ones you leave behind. use it to record yourmportant information and give helpful direction about your final wishes. and it's yours free just for calling. so call now.

goomorning and welcome to friday. >> friday is here.

melissa is standing b with a look at your commute. but first, chuck is here with our foreca. >> it's a thing. as i mentioned, this will be our 4th friday in a row without any real amount of sunshine around. it's seasonably chill this morning, but the clouds moving in overnight kept there from beg too much of drop in temperatures. a little colder in the solley. our weather for today is really cloudy outside. if it's not raining at your house yet, it will be in the next couple of hours. your wake up weather about a 50% chance of rain in the first part of the day but a near 100% chance of rain on your friday afternoon and frida evening. temperatures in th upper 40s and low 50s later in the afternoon. i'm optimistic you'll see plenty of sunshine this weekend. >> i like that. 395. a closure right now this