>> blayne alexander in texas tonight, thank you. >>> also tonight, 26 million people are under winter weather alerts ahead of the new year's holiday as a massive storm moves through the midwest to ice are bad st an enough, but add a whipping wind and life quickly comes to aandsll, whics exactly what happened to millions from the upper midwest to the east coast in the dakotas, a blizzard sent cars skidding off the roads. forcing officials there to actually shut down parts of the interstate in minnesota, icy conditions led to a head-on collision between a car and a garbage truck. the danger of downed power lines on display just outside of detroit. high winds in ohio left tens of thousands without power. in some places gusts surging to 70 miles per hour while in the northeast, the rain hit freezing temperatures on the ground, turning to a thick coating of ice. combined with the wind, tree branches and power lines didn't stand a chance a driving rain in new to preparations for new year's eve the annual test of the times square ball went off without a hitch. i have some good news for the e

blayne alexander shows us the spectacular display of lights, all for a good cause >> reporter: even fromanta's sleigh, christmas on the moody family's lawn is enough to stop you in your tracks. >> i love everything, that, everything it's so colorful ♪ you better watch out ♪ >> reporter: more than just twinkling lights, this is a full-on production, with thousands of people filling the streets in a single night. >> my favorite part about this beautiful house is all the people that come here to celebrate christmas. >> reporter: for decades, it's been a must-see holiday tradition in columbus, georgia, all thanks to one christmas loving couple, jerry and edith moody. >> we tell everybody it's love at first light. >> reporter: derek keith has been helping since he was old enough to walk >> when they're relaxing on the beach, we're hanging up lights on the roof. >> so christmas is year round >> reporter: 20 miles of cords and 500,000 lights, the festivities are free, but with one request, help brighten another child's life. >> thank you, merry christmas. >> reporter: the moodys collect donatio

second mass shooting on an american navy base this week our team has it covered starting with blayne alexander. >> reporter: the urgent calls came before 7:00 this morning. >> i need to try to find an ambulance or the closest hospital, please. >> reporter: an active shooter inside a classroom building at naval air station pensacola. deputies were on the scene in less than five minutes, law enforcement officials tell nbc news the shooter was mohammed al sham rani a saudi national on base for training. officers engaged him in a gun battle ultimately killing him. >> walking through the crime scene was like being on the set of a movie police say he killed three and injured eight more including two deputies, all rushed to the hospital. >> all these brave warriors who wear the wings come here through for flight training and so this is a dark day for very great place. >> reporter: chief deputy chip simmons was one of the first to arrive on scene. >> stepping over broken glass you're stepping over bloody broken glass and there is bodies you're seeing and going past. >> reporter: today responders in al

jose >> blayne alexander in atlanta, thank you >>> coming up next, under water invasion the unusual predator putting sea life in danger and the efforts to help solve the problems >>> plus, special delivery the instagram pizza-spinning star taking his talents to people in need >>> we're back now with an environmental pactg our oceans an unexpected predator is disrupting a fragile ecosystem off our west coast gadi schwartz went under the sea with a group trying to make a difference before it's too late >> reporter: you'd never notice from along the coastl of california, but below these picturesque waters an ecological emergency is unfolding >> we're going to show you under water. >> reporter: to see this hidden crisis, you have to go deep with a small scuba army of volunteers all the way to the sea floor where purple sea urchins are invading and destroying what were once vast kelp forests. these act like lawnmowers >> exactly like lawnmowers they will form feeding lines and sweep the area >> reporter: the sea you a urchants, a piece of the catastrophic trifecta destroying california's sea life

gabrielle union amid reports of a behind-the-scenes racially charged conflict here is nbc's blayne alexander. >> so incredibly proud. way to go. >> reporter: tonight nbc's "america's got talent" is under growing scrutiny after actress gabrielle union's abrupt exit. the actress's team is meeting with nbc representatives this week as the network through counsel investigates reports of a toxic work environment and racially insensitive situations at the show variety, the first to report union's departure afjuy union was told over half a dozen times that her hairstyles were too black for the audience the magazine describes a different instance with guest judge jay leno according to the article, union was present when leno told a joke about asians that union argued might offend the staff and audience of "agt." she urged producers to report it to human resources at nbc, but it was never escalated. the joke never aired the comedian this week -- >> i love gabrielle union. she is a great girl. i really enjoyed working with her. >> reporter: julianne hough, the show's other female judge is also leaving

blayne alexander nbc news, jackson, mississippi. >> a fascinating idea. >>> we'll take a break, just ahead, outrage after a group of high school students of students on a field trip find cameras in their hotel rooms. >> if you haven't sent holiday packages yet, where you should look for the cheapest deals on shipping to still get the deals there on time. >>> well, it has happened again. hidden cameras discovered in hotel rooms this time by high school students on a field trip in minneapolis here is miguel almaguer. >> reporter: students discovered hidden cameras in their hotel room tonight madison school district staying tight-lipped on details but confirmed a school staff member accompanying the students was put on administrative leave as a precautionary measure the sky cams were only hidden in the teen's rooms the hyatt says no other devices were found and no one associated with the hotel was involved. minneapolis police are actively investigating while students and parents remain on edge spying on hotel guests is becoming alarmingly common. >> i'm so angry. >> reporter: most famou

blayne alexander just spoke to one of those parishioners, jack wilson, a member at the church.e is some of that binterview. >> reporter: take me back to yesterday if you can. i know so many people have seen that live stream. when did you first realize that something was wrong? >> when the individual first entered the building, there was concerns, red flag went up. the security team members are aware and they turn it on him from that room and watching one of the individuals that was shot. he was four feet to his right. the individual sitting in the middle of the back on the far side of the building. i made sure one of the other team members were in position outside the area and went in d and -- he never saw he did a lot with his left hand. >> he got up and went to the restroom and came back and sit back down. he got up on two occasions and talked to the fellow. then when he sat back down the second time, he stood up and turned and released his shotgun and richard and i both drawn our weapons. richard did get his ring out of the holster. he ended up going in the wall. the shooter

he got the weapon, and news about a recent trip to saudi arabia we get the very latest from blayne alexander in pensacola. >> reporter: tonight, as we get our first look at the building, chilling new details about the man investigators believe carried it out [ sirens ] law enforcement officials tell nbc news in the past week, the shooter, mohammed saeed alshamrani, a saudi national, invited three other saudis to his home for dinner where he showed them videos of mass shootings. officials say he regularly socialized with the three. but after a recent trip to saudi arabia, he returned more pius and was no longer interested in hanging out with them. [ sirens ] officials do not believe they were involved and say alshamrani acted alone. the same officials confirm the handgun used in friday's attack was legally purchased from a gun dealer in pensacola. typically illegal for a noncitizen, but alshamrani exploited a loophole that allowed him to buy it because he has a hunting license. officials are not confirming this as an act of terrorism but believe a social media post declaring america's love fo

blayne alexander, nbc news, noonan, georgia. >> love this story what a beautiful act i'm lester holt. ♪ >> ♪ the snow's coming down ♪ i'm watching it fall ♪ christmas ♪ lots of people around ♪ christmas ♪ baby, please come home ♪ the church bells in town ♪ christmas ♪ all ringing in song ♪ christmas ♪ full of happy sounds ♪ christmas ♪ baby, please come home ♪ they're singing ♪ "deck the halls" ♪ but it's not like christmas ♪ at all ♪ 'cause i remember ♪ when you were here ♪ and all the fun we had ♪ last year ♪ christmas ♪ christmas ♪ but it's christmas day ♪ please, please, please ♪ please ♪ please, please ♪ please, please ♪ baby, please come home ♪ baby, please come home ♪ baby, please come home ♪ oh, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ baby, please come home [cheers and applause] >> kelly: all right, y'all. welcome to "the kelly clarkson show." happy holidays. that is literally one of my favorite christmas songs of all time. you hear it and you cannot be happy about christmas. you should be happy about christmas anyway. it's really messed up if you're not but whatever. darlene love saying that clas

amid reports of a behind-the-scenes racially charged conflict here's nbc's blayne alexander. >> i'm just so incredibly proud. >> reporter: nbc's "amers undeg scrutiny after actress gabrielle union's abrupt exit. >> i think we're seeing -- >> reporter: the actress's team is meeting with nbc representatives this week as the network through counsel investigates reports of a toxic work environment and racial lly insensitive situations at the show "variety" the first to report union's departure after just one season cite multiple sources who say union was told over half a dozen times that her hairstyles were too black for the audience. the magazine describes a different instance with guest judge jay leno according to the article union was present when leno told a joke about asians that union argued might offend the staff and audience of "agt." she urged producers to report it to human resources at nbc but it was never escalated. the joke never aired julianne hough, the show's other female judge, is also leaving but describes her time at the show as wonderful. now former judge howard stern is

blayne alexander, nbc news, noonan, georgia. >> love this story what a beautiful act i'm lester holt. that's our broadcast >>> right now at 6:00, rallying for impeachment. hundreds of people across the bay area protesting against president trump. >> plus a possible explosion and then a fire. the new details we are learning about an investigation on the peninsula. >> but first, the storm is rolling in. we're tracking what cities will get the most rain and the possibility of thunder. the news at 6:00 starts right now. good evening and thanks for being with us. i'm raj mathai. >> i'm jessica aguirre. the rain just hours way from hitting the bay area. let's take a live look at the skies above san francisco. atop san bruno where storm ranger is picking up the first signs of the storm rolling. chief meteorologist jeff ranieri is tracking it. jeff, here we go again. >> we're definitely looking at another round of rainfall. you'll see right now the storm is just offshore, producing some light to moderate rainfall. as we get a closer look, i wanted to put this on a loop so you can see the dire

but a new program in mississippi is providing a spring board to a better life for some nbc's blayne alexanderissippi, 1200 miles and a world away from the records being set on wall street in a state where only 10% own stock, she knows here -- >> this used to be a thriving shopping complex >> reporter: strong markets don't mean much. when people talk about a booming economy but you see this, do you believe people are being left behind >> i definitely believe -- i know people are being left behind >> reporter: nationwide nearly one in four black women live below the poverty line in mississippi it's one in three. >> most folks, particularly black women, are pigeon holed into these low-income poverty level jobs that do not create a pathway out. >> reporter: that's why she created spring board to opportunities. programs to help single black mothers. she's testing a new idea gaining national attention >> that's two in one >> reporter: giving out cash privately funded, no strings attached, to see how the women choose to spend it without government requirements. a concept called universal basic incom

nbc's blayne alexander shows us the spectacular display of lights, all for a good cause >> reporter: the moody family's lawn is enough to stop you in your tracks >> i love everything it's so colorful >> reporter: more than just twinkling lights, this is a full-on production with thousands of people filling the streets in a single night. >> my favorite part about this beautiful house is all the people that come here to celebrate christmas. >> reporter: for decades it's been a must-see holiday tradition in columbus, georgia all thanks to one christmas-loving couple. jerry and edith moody. >> we tell everybody it was love at first light >> reporter: their son keith has been helping since he was old enough to walk >> when they're relaxing on the beach, we're hanging christmas lights up on the roof. >> so christmas is literally year round >> yeah. >> reporter: 20 miles of cords and 500,000 lights the festivities are free but with one request help brighten another child's life >> thank you, merry christmas. >> reporter: the moodys collect donations for make a wish foundation so far raising

blayne alexander, memphis, tennessee. >>> blayne, thank you very much.hile running moon shine through the foothills of north carolina. he was born into a bootlegged family during the depression. junior learned to drive and was running moon shine for his dad by 14. he tried out legal driving for the first time in 1953 and won his first car sanction race that year. >> his first full nascar season, junior won five races. his promising career hits a snag the next year when he was arrested on charges of bootlegging and spent a year in federal prison. 30 years later, president reagan would grant junior a full pardon. >> he won the daytona 500 with an aggressive driving style. he won 50 races before retiring to his successful career. junior was immortalized in 1995 when tom woods dubbed him. when nascar open its hall of fame in 2010. junior was a member of the inaugural class. later in life, he became part owner of a distiller whose selection includes a moon shine that uses his dad's old recipe. junior johnson who turned the family's business into a legendary c

nbc's blayne alexander is outside the base in pensacola. blayne, good morning. >> reporter: sheinelle, good morning to you fbi agents have been working through the night to process what they're calling a very large crime scene that's work that still continues this morning here and so far officials have not released a motive this morning questions swirling about the fatal attack at naval air station pensacola. was it a terror attack >> we are not prepared at this hour to confirm what may have motivated the shooter to commit this horrific act today. >> law enforcement sources tell nbc news the shooter was mohammed al shamrani, a saudi national on base for training. a twitter account with the name of the shooter posted a message writing that america is a nation of evil. nbc news has been unable to verify whether the account is real the fbi says its investigation is just beginning. >> their work is going to be methodical and it will not and cannot be rushed. >> reporter: overnight officials would not release the names of the three people killed

joining me now, blayne alexander and pete williams. let's start with you blayne, what do we know at this point? >> reporter: we are expecting to hear that press conference with the latest from the escambia county sheriff's office, we know the base is closed for the rest of the day. only essential personnels allowed in and out. we know that the shooting that we are learning more about where the shooting happened and how it unfolded. it happened in one of the classroom buildings. the briefing earlier, officials would not say which room, they did not want to give too many details. it happened at the naval air station. the call came in around 6:30 this morning, calling for an active shooter. we know three people have been killed zand others taken to the hospital near by. two departments were aluties wee shootout. we are waiting to hear from officials. >> when we listen to the previous news conference, they were squasked about the shooter they did not get any information. what can you tell us? >> reporter: the suspect, the person that carrie

joining me now, nbc news correspondent blayne alexander. blayne, get us up to speed on the latest. what have we learned about what transpired in that courtroom? the lieutenant govern of the state really praising those parishioners who were packing heat themselves who were able to take down the gunman. >> yeah. in fact, david, they are saying that because there were parishioners who were armed and trained to use those firearms, officials are saying that they believe that they saved untold numbers of lives. now, we're learning a bit more about this investigation and learning a lot more about the shooter himself. just within the past few minutes or so, officials have identified him as 43-year-old keith thomas. he is from here in texas. now, we do know that he has actually a criminal record. he's been arrested in at least three different states on charges ranging from gun possession to aggravated assault. now, as for a motive, there is not one that officials are at least releasing publicly right now. but we do know that when he walked into this church yesterday, he sat amongst the cong

blayne alexander is live in the town of white settlement, texas. so, blaine, how is the community rea reacting to the shooting and what more are we learning? >> reporter: well for so many people here in this community, this is just a devastating day. i talked not too long ago with the son of the pastor here at west freeway church. we talked for a few minutes and you talked about the fact that so many people in the church have been going there for years. they know each other and attended kmch camp together. so the death of the two parishioners is hitting so many so hard. we know later this evening they're having a private prayer service after which we're expecting to hear from the pastor himself. but win thing that is so shocking about all of this is that it was captured live on youtube. the church services were streaming yesterday and that is why we're able to see the really disturbing video. you see a person sitting there in the back, officials say that he had actually been sitting among the congregation and listening before he got up and walked t

let's go to nbc's blayne alexander who continues to follow this story from pensacola for us. blai blayne, who whom has the fbi spoken to in their investigation? >> reporter: well, alex, that's certainly one of the questions we'll be asking them when we expect to hear from officials, possibly within the next hour, hopefully at some point today. we're standing by at the county public safety office to get more information and find out exactly where fbi officials are in what they already say is going to be a very lengthy and very involved investigation. so, here's what we know. the last briefing we received was late last night. we know that throughout the night agents were working last night into today to process what they're calling a very large crime scene there on base. they say that they have to go and get a lot of evidence. and to that point, the base is now only partially open. we're told that only essential personnel along with those who actually live on base are ala allowed on throughout the weekend. otherwise, it's restricted access. so that's certainly one thing we'll be

that's where we find nbc's blayne alexander. what's the latest on the investigation?porter: we still have so many pressing questions about that shooter and what unfolded yesterday, how he was able to get the gun on base, certainly questions about the vetting process and more about the shooter and those hours before the deadly massacre. we're also learning more about the people in the gunman's pougt. joshua caleb watson was originally from alabama. i want to share a touching facebook post his brother put up. he describes him, as so many people are, as a hero. he says his brother was shot multiple times inside that classroom building on base but was able to make his way outside and tell first responders where the shooter is, possibly saving countless lives before he died himself. so those are just one of the stories that we're hearing. as we seek to learn more about the victim, we know the fbi is still at the very beginning of what they say is going to be a long, extensive and very intense investigation. we know they've had investigators on base combing through evidence

nbc's blayne alexander joins us now with the latest. good morning, blayne >> reporter: frances, good morning to you the church goer who brought the shooter down said he walks into this church every day armed and prepared for a possible threat that he never dreamed he would have to acon >>> it took less than 6 seconds to shatter the peace at west freeway church of christ police say 43-year-old keith thomas kinnunen walked into the sanctuary and sat among the congregation you see him exchange words with someone, then pull out a shotgun and fire twice just seconds later, he is fatally shot by armed members of the church's volunteer security team >> i fired one round the subject went down. >> reporter: jack wilson trains that team here at his home gun range. he said the shooter immediately raised a red flag. >> the wig, the fake beard, and he kept trying to adjust there was concern that there was a possible threat. >> reporter: from the moment he walked in? >> from the moment he walked in, yes. >> reporter: officials are not releasing a moti

he recently traveled to new york with fellow students here's blayne alexander. >> reporter: the fbi has a long investigation ahead. they want to question any associates of alsamrani and are asking for background information about him. meanwhile, people in florida are beginning to say good-bye. as pensacola gives a final salute to its fallen sailors, more questions are swirling about the shooter, 21-year-old saudi national alshamrani. >> our main goal right now is to confirm whether he acted alone or was this ae pahe a part of a network? >> reporter: officials are investigating it as an act of terrorism.uts, walked into this building with a block 9 millimeter handgun and was the only gunman, investigators say there have been no arrests in the case law enforcement sources tell nbc in the week leading up to the shooting, alshamrani showed three fellow saudi classmates videos of mass shootings over dinner. >> do you believe the students or others knew about this attack beforehand >> i'm not prepared to answer as we continue to investigate there are several students cooperating and providing

we begin with blayne alexander in pensacola. >> reporter: as pensacola giving a final salute, more questions are swirling about the shooter. mohammed alshamrani. >> our main goal is to confirm if he acted alone or was he a part of a larger network? >> reporter: while officials have yet to determine a motive they are investigating it as an act of terrorism. alshamrani walked into this building with a glock .9 millimeter hand gun and head the only gunman, investigators say. there have been no arrests in the case. but law enforcement sources tell nbc in the week leading up to the shooting, alshamrani showed three fellow saudi classmates videos of previous mass shootings over dinner. >> do you believe that those students or anybody knew about this attack before hand? >> i'm not prepared to answer that as we continue to investigate. there are several students that are cooperating and providing information. >> reporter: several known associates of his have been restricted on base by their saudi commander. as officials investigate why alshamrani opened fire, we are learning more about those in his

>> blayne alexander, thanks. >>> bill karens joins me now. it is getting worse, not better in the northeast right now. >> kate, everyone has a story to tell about delays or a family member. ending in the midwest and the great lakes and the northeast for the next 24, maybe take this into tuesday morning with delays. so, so far philadelphia, all of new york city airports and that's where the major delays are tonight and syracuse and buffalo haven't been pretty and as we go into monday. we see improvement in a few spots. this storm lingers. rain to snow in philadelphia, new york city, stillbost proble sections of new england driving is extremely difficult. >> which of those cities get the worst of the snow? >> one burst of snow and then the second round of the tail end of this storm. you notice from boston northward up into maine 6 to 12 inches by the time we're said hartford, philadelphia, new york. they mix in the rain and sleet. monday night into tuesday morning. when the storm is gone, the rest of this week looks quiet. >> bill, thank you. >

church there one of the men who stopped the rampage seconds after it began spoke with nbc's blayne alexander about the terrifying ordeal she's in white settlement, texas with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. so far officials are not saying why this man walked into west freeway church of christ and started shooting we do know acoring to the pastor that he has been inside the church before. and again, a warning that some of the video we're about to show you is disturbing. ♪ >> reporter: for a shattered community, moments of peace amid their pain. >> the hope we have in jesus still remains. >> reporter: members of the west freeway church of christ near ft. worth, texas, gathered near the sanctuary where 43-year-old keith thomas walked inside sunday and sat among them. you can see the terrifying moments that happened next play out on the church's live stream. the shooter gets up and after a few words pulls out a shotgun, firing twice >> he was headed to shoot more people. >> yes, there's no question in my mind on that. >> reporter: jack wilson was armed too, as head of the c

nbc's blayne alexander is there with the latest on this new report. ing about the victims and learning about this dinner that took place? >> reporter: yes. start with that very dispushing piece of information confirmed by our pete williams through a source close to this investigation. a question we'll ask when we hear from officials expected wi within three hours. what that means. unclear who exactly was present but that will be one of the big questions as we work to learn more about this shooter. this person who was on base, a saudi national, but on base, as part of a training program. so one of the big questions also we'll have, contends is, about the security around base. you know, guns are not allowed on base. yet he was able to make his way on there with a handgun. an official confirmed he did use a handgun in that attack. we're going to ask about security protocol and what, if anything, could be changed in the wake of this shooting that happened yesterday. you're right. as you mentioned, we're learning more about the victims in this. the people s

nbc's blayne alexander joins us with more details on the story. >> guys, good morning to you absolutelys been an outpouring of love for edward aschoff. he was a reporter who had a passion for college football when he got pneumonia, he tweeted that he never gets sick and has a very good immune system less than three weeks later, he was gone >> this morning, tributes are pouring in for edward aschoff, an espn reporter who died unexpectedly on his 34th birthday christmas eve. >> espn executive lauren reynolds called him one of the quote smartest, brightest reporters i ever had the pleasure of working with. >> the bruins held a players only meeting on sunday and i asked quarterback dorian thompson robinson what the main takeaways were. >> ashcoff was a rising star after transitioning from whiting for espn website to on-air college football reporting he passed away fwlollowing a brief battle with pneumonia. he got sick during what he called a bucket list assignment covering last month's game between michigan and ohio state. on december 5th, he tweeted, so i had a virus for two weeks. fever a

blayne alexander. >> reporter: we are looking they're speaking to people who are associated to the shooter come forward of any information they may have. we are learning more of the three service members who were killed. people in florida begin to say good-bye. >> reporter: as pensacola gives a final salute to its fallen sailors. more questions are southwesterlyisouthwesterlwirli about the shooter, mohammed alshamra alshamrani. >> our main goal was to confirm whether he acted alone or was he apart of a larger network. >> reporter: officials have yet to determine the motive. they are investigating it as an act of terrorism. alshamrani walked into this building with a glock 9 millimeters handgun. alshamrani showed three fellow classmates videos over dinner. >> do you believe any students knew the attack beforehand? >> there are several students that are cooperating and providing information. >> reporter: saudi students have been restricted on base by their saudi commander. >> reporter: as officials investigate why alshamrani opening fire, we are learning more of his past. a high school track

>> blayne alexander for us there in atlanta, thank you. >>> dylan is in for al once again with more on what we can expect, as that winter storm starts its march across the country. what are we looking at >> a good way to describe it, craig. it is starting its march and we are seeing winter weather advisories winter storm watches and warnings from the southwest all the way into the upper midwest we have the snow falling in the higher elevations. we've got rain in phoenix. this is going to continue to strengthen and become the storm that makes a mess across the country. on the north and northwestern side of the storm, that's where we will see mostly snow. one to three inches in denver before it really starts to rank up across the dakotas and also in northwestern minnesota, too on the eastern side of this, from minneapolis, to chicago, to st. louis, it is mostly rain but stretching down into mississippi, we could see some severe storms. because temperatures have been more spring-like so we could get that spring-time severe weather out ahead of this cold front and then as we go into sunday

nbc's blayne alexander shows us how it works. >> reporter: jackson, mississippi. 1,200 miles and a worlddoro knows -- >> so this used to be a thriving shopping complex. >> reporter: strong markets don't mean much. when people talk about a booming economy, but you see this, do you believe that people are being left behind? >> i definitely believe. i know people are being left behind. >> reporter: nationwide, nearly one in four black women live below the poverty line. in mississippi, it's one in three. >> most folks, particularly black women, are pigeonholed into these low-income poverty-level jobs that do not create a pathway out. >> reporter: that's why she created spi ed springboard to opportunities, opportunities to help single plaque mothers. she's testing a new idea gaining national attention. >> oh, that's two in one. >> reporter: giving out cash, privately funded, no strings attached, to see how the women choose to spend it without government requirements, a concept called universal basic income. ynondoro chose 20 mothers at woman. >> why am i calling you? >> i was picked? >> you w

. >> for more on all of this, let's turn to blayne alexander. >> reporter: the shooting happened at one of the busiest times of the day, early in the morning as people were arriving here to work at the base. now, the sheriff says that there were hundreds of people inside the building who could have been hurt. the urgent calls came -- an active shooter inside a classroom building at naval air station pensacola. deputies were on the scene in less than five minutes. law enforcement officials tell nbc news shooter was know hachl mid al shamrani, a saudi national on base for training. officers engaged him in a gunbattle ultimately killing him. >> walking through the crime scene was like being on the set of a movie. >> reporter: police say al shamrani killed three and injured eight more including two deputies. all rushed to the hospital. >> all these brave warriors come through here for flight training and so this is a dark day for a very great place. >> reporter: the chief deputy was one of the first to arrive on scene. >> you are stepping over broken glass, you're stepping over bloody broke

. >> thank you, blayne alexander for that.et's turn to monsey, new york, where kathy park is following the investigation into saturday's attack. what are you hearing from community members there and investigators as well? >> reporter: geoff, i'll start with some new information regarding the suspect. we got a statement from the family who said that the suspect grafton thomas, 37 years old, actually had a long history of mental health issues and hospitalization and that he had no ties whatsoever to any sort of hate groups. and officials actually went through his home and didn't find any sort of threatening notes or any sort of weapon and they're also combing through his laptop for more answers. but senior law enforcement officials also mentioned to nbc news that currently he is in custody right now and is being watched, a suicide watch has been placed on him. now, this community, largely orthodox jewish community has definitely been shaken by this brutal stabbing. there has been heightened security here and across the country.

and blayne alexander has been covering this since friday in pensacola. and so, we have new information, but still plenty of unanswered questions, right? >> absolutely, alex. those are some of the things that are going to be asked. this is first time that we will get a chance to ask questions of the fbi officials since friday evening, and so we have a number of questions. since friday, we have learned a good deal of information about the shooter mohammad al sharmani. and some of it through our colleagues through their law enforcement sources, and we have been learning disturbing details about the hours and days leading up to the event. they were able to confirm that he hosted three fellow saudi students and invited them over the his home for dinner where he showed them videos of mass shootings, and we know that these were people who he used to run closely with, but after a recent trip back to saudi arabia he returned here to the u.s. in february and we are told that he was considerably more pias and no longer wanted to associate with them. so when the off