we'll start with nbc's gabe gutierrez in kansas >> reptee survived by huddling in the basement. this was a powerfu the national weather service says it was on the ground for a staggering 32 miles, carving a path of destruction. >> some heavy rain and quite a bit of lightning. >> reporter: the barrage of severe storms continues tonight, pounding north texas. as kansas recovers from an intense tornado. >> this is the back of our house. >> reporter: dina's house is in pieces >> it's hard, because 99% of the stuff has gone >> reporter: the violent storms overnight also sliced through the northeast. these homes in pennsylvania shredded. >> i've lived here in 71 years and i've never seen it this bad, ever. >> reporter: this is the longest stretch of severe weather since 2011 >> i lost everything i had to borrow clean u >> reporter: tonight in kansas, shock, and for some, gratitude. >> this can all go away it can all be replaced lives can't. >> reporter: gabe gutierrez, nbc news, lynwood, kansas. >> reporter: i'm kristen dahl ioklahoma it's being called a slow motion disaster parts of

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, ft. worth, texas. >> what a horrifying ordeal. >>> the surprise for hundreds of grads from the student debt crisis. man, that's a cool looking hot tub. we should check on the baby. he's so sweet. maybe too sweet? internet's down. go! your home is only as smart as your internet. get reliable at&t fiber and get speeds up to 300 megabits per second and directv. bundle for 75 dollars a month for 12 months. limited availability. may not be in your area. more for your thing. that's our thing. call 1-800-call-att. >>> we're back now with the price you pay for college. student debt is spiraling out of control, but with graduation season in full swing, one class of 2019 got a big surprise from a billionaire they will never forget. here's nbc's geoff bennett. >> reporter: an unexpected graduation gift for the moho>>his is my class. 2019. and my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans. [ cheers ] >> reporter: disbelief on students' faces, then cheers. >> mvp! >> reporter: as it sin

>> gabe gutierrez in the storm zone, thank you. >>> let's turn to our friend al roker. where is this storm headed? >> we have folks from dallas all the way to chicago, 38 million people under flash flood and flood watches. and when it comes to severe weather, we're talking about 12 million people at risk especially in central texas, tornadoes, damaging winds, hail one inch or larger. and when it comes to airport impacts tomorrow, problems in chicago, st. louis, dallas, austin, new york. and on the roads, anywhere from austin to oklahoma, i-55 from chicago to memphis and in st. louis t on i-70, we're going to have problems. lester? >> al roker, thanks. >>> to north carolina where a university is in mourning one day after a former student allegedly opened fire on campus killing two people and wounding four others. one student who tackled the gunman and lost his own life is being hailed a hero. our morgan chesky is there tonight. >> reporter: tonight, at unc charlotte a somber silence. barely 24 hours after a gunman sparked chaos on campus. >> active shooter with several p

we'll start with nbc's gabe gutierrez in dayton. gabe, what do you see there? >> reporter: savannah, the ef-3 tornado that tore through here packing winds up to 140 miles per hour was so powerful that this elementary school just collapsed. take a look at this mangled mess tonight local authorities are urging people to conserve water because the power is out to some of the pumping stations. the debris stretches for miles in and around dayton, ohio today as rescue teams frantically search for survivors -- >> fire department, anybody home >> reporter: -- people like lisa hasler struggle to cope. >> it would be better if i knew where i was going stay. >> reporter: she huddled in her bathtub as the ferocious winds ripped the roof off her apartment complex. >> we knew that the tornado was on top of us we knew it was going straight over us. >> reporter: one man was killed in nearby salina, ohio. >> tornado on the ground wait for the power flashes there you go >> reporter: at night the rapid-fire line of storms horrified those in its path. in the darkness, it was that

nbc's gabe gutierrez is there. >> reporter: tonight, two new tent cities are opening along the texas border to help handle what the border patrol calls an escalating crisis. nbc news getting a first look inside the texas.ty in donna, is it fair to say that the border patrol is overwhelmed right now? >> absolutely we're overwhelmed, yes. >> reporter: john morris is the acting deputy chief of the border patrol here. >> this is not a long-term solution. this is treating a symptom right now. >> reporter: a band-aid? >> correct. >> reporter: the facility has air conditioning and portable toilets, these are the mats migrants will sleep on. the border patrol says it can hold up to 500 people. migrant arrests have doubled this year. this part of texas is seeing 1200 a day. fabio pena made the journey with her two sons. this is the moment she realized she made it to u.s. soil. [speaking foreign language]. >> reporter: both overcome as she tells her son they don't have to go back home again. but as the government struggles to handle the new influx of migrants, there are also new details of the

>>> new jersey police officer is facing charges tonight after opening fire on a driver nbc's gabe gutierrez has the story. we should warn you the [ sirens ] >> shots fired, shots fired! >> reporter: tonight, the dramatic video that captures how a police chase in newark, new jersey turned deadly and led to a rare indictment 26-year-old jovanny crespo, now facing charges of aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and official misconduct. >> the officer's conduct was not consistent with the training that he received >> reporter: the shooting happened back in january when prosecutors say the driver, 46-year-old gregory griffin, fled after a traffic stop crespo then repeatedly fired at griffin's far at three locations, even as he pulled away at one point crespo telling his fellow officer -- >> he pointed the gun at me. g>>ffin passenger, andrew dixon. inside the vehicle police say they recovered a handgun with hollow point bullets. dixon is charged with possession of an illegal handgun. prosecutors say no other officers opened fire crespo, whose attorney declined to comment to nbc news, join

by 2 milon students a year is adding an adversity score to level the playing field but as our gabe gutierrez exains, it sparking controversy. >> reporter: this 18ear-old was about to graduate near atlanta and couldn't afford college if not for scholarships do you believe students from higher economic backgrounds have an advantage when taking the s.a.t.? do >> i believe they because of the resources they are. >> reporter: the college board is introducing an number between 1 a 100 calculate using 15 factors including the crime and poverty rate the relative quality of the high school, family income and environment. the score would not be reported to students and parents, only college offiicals. how difft is it to put a number on adversity? >> i don't think it can reasonably be done it riskstheducing someg that is veryn humato a number. >> reporter: the plan legees as the c sparks new focus on wealth and privilege and some universities face challenges to the affirmative action policies the college board says race is not factored into adversity score. >> what this tool allows us to see, there is

gabe gutierrez has the story ♪ o say can you see >> reporter: u.s.avy veteran dave baird is good at expressing himself. and at listening >> i started my career on fast attack submarines. i was a sonarman >> reporter: both skills serve him well in his civilian job as a therapist and director of the spokane vet center in washington state. its mission to help combat veterans struggling with ptsd and other health issues. baird and his team do lots of talk therapy they also arrange activities trips. retreats >> relax >> reporter: volunteer missions. >> they come in and they find that camaraderie that they have been missing >> reporter: the vet center is part of the federal government's va 300 vet centers nationwide a program that views mental health problems as natural emotional reactions to traumatic combat experiences treatable through readjustment counseling >> getting back to living again. that's what readjustment is. it's getting back to living. >> reporter: it's clear dave baird is making a big difference >> dave baird was our counselor, and our lif

s care for veterans, he believes, most effective when it's personal gabe gutierrez, nbc news, spokanell about, and seeing the outreach for those who real ill need it and for the service and thank you. >> amazing how that human connection can save lives. so inspiring >> very, very important. >> we thank you for being with us early on this memorial day. i'm frances rivera >> and i'm marlie hall we leave you with images of children placing u.s. flags on the graves of world war i veterans at a cemetery in brooklyn the news continues right here on nbc and our nbc stations >>> devastation in the midwest as deadly tornados rip through oklahoma leaving a trail of destruction. we'll tell you what's ahead on this memorial day. >>> trump diplomacy, the president meeting at this hour with japan's prime minister. on the agenda, iran, north korea and trade. >>> a rare shark attack at one of hawaii's most beautiful beaches. we've got the latest. >>> pope francis's explosive remarks saying abortion, even for a sick fetus is like hiring a hit man. >>> nike is making a major policy change after growing

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, atlanta. >>> t national zoo was swarming with adults tonight for the annual zoo farief ben. and the chefs seemed to agree. they were all excited to be back and cook up a storm for a good cause. >> i want to be part just to help out the wildlife. >> the zoo brings back a lot of childhood memories. >> news 4 is proud to sponsor me of the most buzz worthy chefs in the district on hand tonight to helpaise money for the animals of the zoo. >> i'm just imagining the damage i could haveone there. >>> well, it was a great day for baseball, and that's because it was weather day at nats park. storm team 4 and telemundo 44 ayteorologists were all over the ballpark tod helping kids understand the weather we get in our area. and then, doug, yeah he got a chance to show-off his other skill. check it out. he threw out theirst pitch and he threw a bullet across home plate there let's se it in slow-mo. all right, a great day. and the nats 1-2 tomake it even better. highlights of the game coming up in sports. it's geing hot but doug brought the heat today. >> how many times ha

nbc's gabe gutierrez is there. >> reporter: tonight water is ghing on the levee of the arkansas river. you can see the sheer power as the earth crumbles. the small town is prepared for the worst. >> that's why everybody is here is we're all sharing in the concern and trying to do the best we can do. >> reporter: to protect your town. >> to protect our town, yes, sir. ep >>ter: there is a sense of urgency here but the mayor is asking residents not to panic. mark harper evacuated last night. >> i don't think anyone has ever seen sothe river like thi yeah, i guess this will be one for the record boo. >> reporter: after two r,eeks after severe weathe rising rivers are prompting now evacuations. on the illinois border, a levee failed across the msouri river and homes around st. louis flooded. crews went door to door today urging more residents to get out. >> we're fear we'll get water and won't be able to get out. >> reporte paul wasted no time. >> as long as we get out with our lives, that's the only thing that counts. what matters, as long as we're all rig. >> reporter: a otisaster unfol

gabe gutierrez, nbc news. >>> there's news aboth e strength of the american economy. employers added 263,000 jobs 'sast month. that jobs added for ig record 103 st months. the unemployment rate at 3.6%, a 49 year low. tom costello has more on what's behind the boom. >> reporter: for graduating seniors the timing could not be better. entering the job market with the lowest unemployment rate since 1969 and wages now rising. steven is graduating from american university with a business degree and will soon start at ibm. >> i've known since late october and it made my senior year totally stress free. >> reporr: because you knew you had something lined up >> absolutely. >> reporter: rachel will be teaching mh in tes. >> i feel excited. i feel the economy is at a goolace right now. >> reporter: it's a good time to be job hunting. companies added 76,000 business and professional jobs in april. there was also strong hiring in truction and health care. the president today was quick to take credit. >> our country is doing well never probably has done as well as it's doing right

here's nbc's gabe gutierrez with more on this miracle in motion >> reporter: after a mother's franticcries for help. >> help me help me, please! my daughter just got kidnapped >> reporter: relief. >> it's every parent's worst nightmare. >> reporter: church pastor jeff king watched that video showing the terrifying moment saturday when a car sped away with the 8-year-old girl inside a man had ripped the child away from her mother. this is where it all happened. a quiet neighborhood in broad daylig daylight it was all captured on that doorbell camera. police issued an amber alert, releasing this photo of the suspect's vehicle. pastor king and another good samaritan searched for hours by chance he says stopping outside this hotel 12 miles away. >> i slammed on the brakes real quick and turned in and we started looking at all the cars in the parking lot. >> reporter: there it was. officers moved in. >> we got her, we got her, we got her. >> reporter: 51-year-old michael webb is now behind bars, facing a charge of aggravated kidnapping while questions swirl about his motive, and the young

nbc's gabe gutierrez has the story, and a warning some may find the video disturbing [ siren [ gunfire >> shots fired >> reporter: the dramatic video that captures how a police chase in newark, new jersey, turned deadly and led to a rare indictment of a police officer 26-year-old giovanni crespo now facing charges including aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault, and official misconduct. >> the officer's conduct was not consistent with the training that he received >> reporter: the shooting happened back in january when prosecutors say the driver, 46-year-old gregory griffin, fled after a traffic stop. crespo then repeatedly fired at griffin's car at three locations, even as it pulled away at one point crespo telling his fellow officer -- >> he pointed the gun at me. >> reporter: the gunfire killed griffin and injured his passenger, andrew dixon. inside the vehicle police say they recovered a handgun with hollow point bullets dixon is charged with possession of an illegal handgun. prosecutors say no other officers opened fire crespo, whose attorney declined to comment to nbc news,

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, atlanta. ♪ [ singing ] > that is the musical jib illy playing now at arenage and we're so lucky enough to have two of the incredible voices with us in the studio. lisa aarondale and sean maurice lynch. thank you for coming in. we heard some of the singing. we're talking about the traditional and old spiritual -- >> negro spiritual which have been rearranged by diane mcdowell and they are amazing arrangeme ts. >> lisa,ell us about your role in jubilee. >> i could say without spoiling it, i play more than oneole. but ella shepherd is the leader of thein sgers, the original -- the ve first which was 1871. after emancipation they wanted to maintain a school. >> that is right. >> which is still standing today. >> which is the most important thing. >> that is it. that.going to talk about and sean maurice. >>fr i play erick roland and he's a tenure and a base in ndstory and one of the actors that go through aing through story.w and tell the >> people like me, i grew up on good old gospel and southern traditional spiritual and so thisings back memories and this is q

gabe gutierrez, what's the latest on the ground there?> this is still very active it you can see the devastation here, the sheer power of this tornado. take a look at this, this is a splinter splinter splintered power pole many thousands are without power overnight. this building had its roof ripped off in the last hour. we were at an apartment complex where residents told us of these horrifying moments, they didn't know if they would make it out. they huddled inside their bathrooms and weren't sure if they would make it out. more power lines down, trees down. a lot of car dealerships on this particular street. we've been seeing this over and over again, this massive storm system tore a path of destruction throughout much of the midwest. it's been incredible to see this extended around the severe weather, we've had more than 500 tornado reports in the last 30 days or so. the governor touring the devastation inform ohio and indiana, this is going to take a while to clean up, many people here without power, and it's really tough to get arou

nbc's gabe gutierrez has made his way to dayton. gabe, what are you seeing there, what are people on the ground telling you? >> reporter: hi there, craig. we're starting to see the amount of devastation here both from the ground and also from the air, from the drone that we're now starting to get a look at all this damage. this is grafton-kennedy elementary. this is a school that was just ripped apart. the ceiling collapsed on several of the classrooms. luckily of course no one was inside. this tornado ripped through here late last night, sometime around 10:30 or so. as you mentioned, craig, this was a wide swath of severe weather that campaign through not only ohio but indiana and several other streets as well. at least 52 reports of a tornado, just last night overnight alone, as you mentioned, one person was killed in nearby celina, ohio, according to the mayor there. at least 40 people throughout ohio were injured as well. many people still without power. and authorities are now going door to door to mind sure some of the hardest

gabe gutierrez, nbc news. >>> there's news about the strength of the american economy. employers added 263,000 jobs last month. that's jobs added for a record 103 straight months. the unemployment rate at 3.6%, a 49 year low. >> reporter: for ting from american university with a business degree and will soon start at ibm. >> i've known since late october and it made my senior year totally stress free. >> reporter: because you knew you had something lined up. rachel will be teaching math in texas. >> i feel the economy is at a good place. >> reporter: it's a good time to be job hunting. companies added 76,000 business and professional jobs in april. there was also strong hiring in construction and health care. the president today was quick to take credit. >> our country is doing well. never probably has done as well as it's doing right now economically. >> reporter: the economy has been improving steadily for the past ten years with the unemployment rate dropping most dramatically with president obama and continuing with president trump. last year's tax cuts provide a sh

have it covered with you with gabe gutierrez in kansas. >> the family in this home survived by huddling in the basement.s this ian ef4 with winds up to 170 miles an hour. it was on the ground for a staggering 32 miles, carving a path of destruction. >> heavy rain and lightning. the borage of severe storms continues pounding north texas as kansas recovete from an ine tornado. >> this is the back of our house. >> the house is in pieces. >> it's hard. 99% of the stuff is gone. >> the violent storms overnight sliced through the northeast. these homes in pennsylvania shredded. >> i lived here for 71 years and never have seen this bad ever. >> this is the longest stretch of severe weather since 2011. >> i had to borrow clothes to clean up my house. >> tonight in kansas, shock and gratitude. >> this can all go away and be fereplaced. lian't. re lynwood, kansas. >> i'm kristen din oklahoma. it's a slow motion disaster. parts of the mississippi seeing the longest lasting flooding in almost a century. outside little rock, the river abpped two levies and expected to rise four feet e the crest. hun

nbc's gabe gutierrez is live for us in dayton, ohio, and also joined by bill karins. gabe, what have you been seeing out there? >> hi, jeff. good morning. we just got here a short time ago and this is some of the damage we're seeing. take a look at the power of this tornado. this is an elementary school. the roof collapsed on this. as we step around this debris. we kind of see the extent of the damage here. for a while, we had been told that there had been no serious injuries here in ohio. as you mentioned just a short time ago the mayor of salina said 40 people have been inneried inneri injured in that area, as well. this is the inside of a classroom. just imagine what could have happened if there were people inside. this happened late at night and many school districts out. there was a lot of traffic and a lot of debris on the roads and many neighborhoods are impassable because of those trees have knocked down power lines. you mentioned that 5 million people were without power overnight in ohio. crews are going to be assessing the damage overnight. huge swath of stor

joining me from mission, texas, nbc news correspondent gabe gutierrez and from our los angeles news roomt jacob soboroff. jacob, explain the discrepancy here between what you have learned for us from these emails and what the administration has been saying in public? >> well, in particular with regard to what kevin mcaleenan said today, the only reason we're on the situation in the first place -- he said around a dozen. the actual number is about 55, plus potentially thousands more that haven't been identified yet. the only reason we're in that situation today is because of absolutely horrendous recordkeeping by the trump administration when they systematically separated these throw thousands of kids from their parents. they literally didn't have a plan to put them together and didn't have the technological infrastructure to track those children despite the fact the administration was saying, okay, we're going to reunite them with a centralized database. these emails we obtained through house judiciary committee are just unbelievable to read. let me read one of them from health and human

gabe gutierrez is on the ground in texas with an exclusive reality check. there he is. he is with us after the break. t. your daily dashboard from fidelity. a visual snapshot of your investments. key portfolio events. all in one place. because when it's decision time... you need decision tech. only from fidelity. you need decision tech. i can customize each line for each family member? yup. and since it comes with your internet, you can switch wireless carriers, and save hundreds of dollars a year. are you pullin' my leg? nope. you sure you're not pullin' my leg? i think it's your dog. oh it's him. good call. get the data options you need and still save hundreds of dollars... do you guys sell other dogs? now that's simple, easy, awesome. customize each line by paying for data by the gig or get unlimited. and now get $100 back when you buy a new lg. click, call, or visit a store today. >>> we go out and we stop the separation. the problem is, you have ten times more people coming up with their families. it's like disneyland. before you get separated. people would say, le

women and police are looking into whether he's connected with perhaps hundreds more deaths here's gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: doris gleason was inside her apartment in a senior living facility in dallas when police say she was smothered to death. then her daughter made another chilling discovery. >> she had immediate suspicions that something wasn't right. there was a particular piece of jewelry that her mother always wore that was missing >> reporter: now police say she's the victim of a suspected serial killer, a kenyan citizen who officials say was living in the u.s. illegally. he was arrested last year in connection with the death of another 81-year-old woman. this week he was charged with killing at least 11 more elderly women, including dorieaso strangling r smothering them to steal jewelry and other items. >> reporter: he has impersonated maintenance personnel at a retirement community in dallas. saving animals >> my heart breaks for her family >> reporter: he has denied the first murder he was accused of they tell nbc news the charges came out of the blue and he hasn't seen any evidence

gabe gutierrez is at the scene. >> reporter: it was a terrifying sight. >> can you imagine being all the way up there >> oh, my god. >> reporter: a huge scaffold high above oklahoma city swinging out of control. two window washers hanging on for dear life. >> everyone, stop what you're the rest of this. >> reporter: the basket dangling from a crane bashing in windows as first responders rush to the scene. >> we're unsure of the injuries or the extent if there are any at this point. >> reporter: the skyscraper, the tallest in the city stretches 52 stories, 844 feet into the air major derrick and lieutenant kevin nidel were among the rescuers how did you manage to stop this thing? >> we got it lowered enough to get ropes thrown to them. >> as we threw ropes to them, they were able to grab the ropes and secured the basket and on their end while we anchored it to the building. >> reporter: it's a delicate type of rescue in 2014, two window washers were plucked from the 68th floor at one world trade center in new york city. in 2016, another was saved in downtown chicago authorities don't

gabe gutierrez from san antonio, thank you so much. appreciate it.re than 5.5 million military and veteran caregivers in this country. if you want to learn more, visit hiddenheroes.org. >>> up next, from accusing the president of engaging in a coverup to saying he threw a temper tantrum, the speaker has spoken. she's getting ready to again. nancy pelosi hits the podium as pressure builds to give the green light to impeachment proceedings. what's next? we're live on capitol hill after the break. we're live on capitol hill after the break. if you're turning 65, you're probably learning about medicare and supplemental insurance. medicare is great, but it doesn't cover everything - only about 80% of your part b medicare costs, which means you may have to pay for the rest. that's where medicare supplement insurance comes in: to help pay for some of what medicare doesn't. learn how an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by united healthcare insurance company might be the right choice for you. a free decision guide is a great place to start. ca

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, spokane, washington. >> such important work.ws" on this sunday. i'm kate snow. we leave you with a look at the flags placed along the graves at arlington national cemetery. for all of us at nbc news, have a great night. . nopbeat music] anuncer: it's a "ninja" night like no other. - oh, !ay - ♪ s that again ♪ let's celebrate - whoo! - this is the most talented ninjas doing the craziest things. ♪

gabe gutierrez has been covering the immigration crisis for nbc.s the criteria for who was held in solitary? >> people should only be put in solitary cob fine amount as last resort in rare circumstances. what the documents found according to thousands -- according to documents uncovered by the freedom of information act, it found that more than 8400 detainees were held in solitary confinement over a five year period. a third were mentally ill and d example, being held in solitary for 390 days. sometimes those detainees were held in solitary because of acting out their mental illnesses. now, what is significant here is that we spoke with a federal whistleblower. ellen gallagher currently works at the department of homeland security as a policy adviser in the office of inspector general. several years ago, she started looking at segregation reports and she was disturbed by what she saw. take a listen. >> solitary confinement was being used as the first resort, not the last resort. >> so, why are you speaking up now? >> because if i didn't speak up, i

gabe gutierrez will have more coming up on "today." think college admissions is tricky. to understand the potential of a student you ve to take in so many factors, grades, test scores, figure out if this is the next great adventurer or problem solver -- >> remember when thk were taling about getting rid of essay there's val in seeing what they could bring to the table. >>> weather day at nats park wag a bihit. >> storm team 4 and telemundoet meorologists were all over the ballpark yesterday. chuck, samarra, cl -- >> a lot. >> they were there to help the kids understand weather in our area. this is doug, you see him there. not bad. >> showing off his skills. threw out the first pitch to make the day even more perfect, the natsn wo. >> that looked low andutside to me. most important -- i was teasing him, don't one hop. it the pressure's on.t hey did move the mound a little oser. >> i would have to go alfway to home plate. >> as long as i can throw it underhanded, i'd do a good job. itis tgif dayaround here. yes, indeed. though we have a cnce for rain over the next couple o

. >> our thanks to gabe gutierrez for that report. >>> thousands of grieving students along with families and loved ones gathered for a vigil honoring the victims of the univarsity of north cina charlotte shooting. hearts still reeling after a former student fatally shot two people and wnded four others. nbc's morgan chesky has the latest on the tragedy. >> reporter: phillip, frances, good morning. it has been a tough 48 hours for the student body here at unc ut charlotte, bhe first bit of healing began last night at a vigil attended by thousands. everyone paying tribute to those two students lost, one of whom now being called a hero. at unc charlotte, a somber silence. barely 24 hours after a gunman sparked chaos on campus. >> active shooter with several neople injured. >> reporter: withiminutes, a campus-wide lockdown. the university sending an emergency message to all students,run,hide, fight. secure yourself immediately. >> i was just scared. i just couldn't believe that it actually happened. >> reporter: with helicopters above, students rushed to safety as police ran toward the shoot

gabe gutierrez joins me now from the site of the levee breach. gabe? >> reporter: hi, ali. this afternoon we were talking about the slow-motion disaster and the water is rising. this is what we're seeing now, residents, volunteers, also, these are some workers from the department of corrections sandbagging and the idea is this is going to continue for the next several days. the water continuing to rise, and as you mentioned, this brief -- excuse me, sir. how are you? this breach in the levee happened around 1:00 a.m. this morning. and authorities have been urging people here not to panic, that they have time to prepare for this but there have been evacuations under way throughout the last several hours. i was speaking just a few moments ago with this woman behind me, what's your maim? >> hi, petra davis. >> reporter: you're a local resident here. around the area. tell me a little bit about how worrieded are you right now about what could happen if the water keeps rising? >> well, the -- we are in uncharted territory. we don't know what to expect. >> reporter: right. so you'

gabe gutierrez, nbc news. >>> the faa and global aviation regulators meet tomorrow to discuss a pathway to get boeing 737 max aircraft back in the skies once the grounding order is lifted. the plane's are operated by more than in 40 airlines uding southwest, united and american,and in an exclusive interview i sat down with the ceo of american doug parker with the al chnges of flying the max again. it's somethingo rline executive wants to see, airplanes grounded ath e start of a crative summer travel season. as a customer of boeing 737 max, it is american airlines ceo doug parker's reality. how involved have you been as a customer of that aircraft in making sure they get it right? >> we've been intensely involved. we have 24 of those airplanes in our fleet. it's incredibly important to us that it's -when it does fly, that it's entirely safe. >> reporter: american was an early adopter of the max, which pp awaits faa aroval of a boeing software fix hefter two fatal crass. while the okay is expected soon, er ors of the max including three u.s. es are bracing for the inevitable headwinds to

>> gabe gutierrez, thank you. now to the nbc news investigation into vulnerable voting machines. recent study found two-thirds of america's voting districts need to replace their often decades' old systems but they simply don't have the money and now ilhe largest one has a $100 mon ten-year invasion. here is nbc's senior investigative enorrespondent cynthia mcfadd >> rorter: tonight, more evidence from the largest voting precinct in the country that t way much of america votes needs desperate attention. >> the current system ls obsolete. deanogan shows me why. >> 1968. >> reporter: 5.2 million registered voters and 42 states are voting on technology dating back to the year richard h nixon defeatedert humphry. >> the idea it would go through here but this is complicated. logan agrees. n years ago he and his team decided the voter experience as he calls it needed a total overhaul, not just because the current system isn't user friendly. >> punch cards aren' used to computers anymore. you can't release it. n >> reporter:spare parts? >> no. >> reporter: the problem is nationwide and

as our gabe gutierrez explains, it's sparking controversy. >> reporter: 18-year-old was about to graduate from banniker high school and couldn't afford college without scholarships. >> do you believe students have a better socioeconomic. >> they're introducing an adversity score, the number between 1 and 100 including the crime rate and poverty level the relative quality of the high school, family income and environment. the score would not be reported to students and parents, only college officials. >> how difficult is it to put a number on adversity? >> i don't think it can be reasonably done. it risks reducing something that is very human to a number. >> the plan comes as the college cheating scandal focuses on wealth and privilege and as they face challenges to the affirmative action policies. race is not factored into the adversity score. >> there is so much more out there than a test score. >> 50 colleges used it last year they offered to expand it to more next year >>> we've got an incredible lost and found story to tell you about tonight. a 22-month-old boy wandered away from his

gabe gutierrez, c news, fort worth, texas. >>> we turn now to a troubling story out of philalphia. a daycare is under investition and one employee has been fired after this disturbing video surfaced of a young boy being tied to a chair with shoestrings and forcefully shaken. the worker had reportedly been t tryingget the 4-year-old ready to watch a movie the boy's mother contacted police and took her son to the hospital for an evaluation that fired dayca worker has not yet been charged with a >>> turning now to the golden state warriors who are headed to the nba finals for a fifth year in a row they swept the portland trailblazer in overtime. portland's meyers leonard had 25 points in the first half, helping the home team to aidn early la but the warriors fought back and with 40 seconds left in o.t., draymond green sank a three-pointer, securing a close 119-117 win for golden state milwaukee bucks or toronto raptors on their questor the fourth nba championship title. >> they did all of that without their mvp too. >>> bill's tracking so dangerous weather today. good morning, rebill.

t gabe gutierrez hashe story >> reporter: he studied in south carolina on a state department scholarship and worked as a hospital technician there. in 2017, he was accused of visa violations and arrested by i.c.e. >> i'm just scared and confused all know, i have handcuffs on my hands, a big chain around my waist and feet. >> rn orter: in jail, he got i trouble for disobeying an orde to return to his bed his punishment, seven days in solitary. >> i'm thinking, like, what did i do wrong in my life that i get that punishment? >> we have created and continued to support a system that involves widespread abuse of human beingsor >> repter: ellen gallacher works in the office of the inspector general at the department of homeland security. in 2014, she was with a different dhs office, where she reviewed civil rights complaints and was troubledy what she saw in i.c.e.'s own files. hundreds of immigrant detainees being t in solitary confinement every week most troubling for her, cases involving the mentally ill a schizophrenic detainee sentenced to 390 days in solitary for throwing human waste at

gabe, gutierrez, thank you. >> mr. roker. >> ready for a little summertime. >> here we ego.gh pressure building, your honor fortunately, staying chilly out west. is strong high builds over the southern half pumping up, hot, humid air, that's why we will see all those storms, but the upside of that, boston, 83 in new york city, charlotte 87, tomorrow that slides to the south. tampa 93, wilmington 89, nt at 91, that's 10 degrees above average. look at the next several days, cincinnati, thursday,90, 88 in richmond. st. louis will be in the low 90s, if it isn e summerugh for you, we're talking about our possible tropical disturbance, a 60% chance that somewhere right around bermuda, it could become a tropical cyclone by tomorrow, this is the development zone so we wil watching this as well very carefully. that's what's going on around the coun here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning, everybody. we got sunshine under partly cloudy skies this morning. it sure feels an awful lot like earlyummer out there. 74 in warrenton. 73 gaithersburg.mp ature this aft

nbc's gabe gutierrez is in texas with details on this gabe, good morning >> reporter: good morning.girl snatched from her mother's arms in this quiet neighborhood in broad daylight this is where she was taken. that is the home where the doorbell camera captured it all. we are hearing from a local pastor being called a hero this morning a young girl kidnapped in texas has been reunited with her family a stranger ripping the child away from her mother while they were walking along a fort worth street saturday in broad daylight the brazen abduction caught on a neighbor's doorbell camera the footage showing this terrifying moment when a car sped away with 8-year-old salem sabatka inside her mother tossed to the ground by the kidnapper as she tried to save her daughter. >> help me, please my daughter just got kidnapped. >> reporter: the neighbor who owns the camera responded to the woman's alarming cries for help. >> a blood-curdling type scream. >> reporter: the mother called 911 prompting police to issue a statewide amber alert. investigators releasing this photo of the suspect's vehic

joining us now gabe gutierrez live in dayton, ohio, hit by two suspected twisters overnight. gabe, more than 64,000 residents are without power in ohio. you are in montgomery county. this is the hardest hit in terms of outages. help us understand the situation. >> reporter: steph, ali. we have been here the past several hours kind of taking all this devastation in. we just got to, within the past few minutes, to this apartment complex, which the roof is completely ripped off. you see the power of this tornado splintered these trees and we have talked to several of the residents here that described a horrifying scene. the national weather service says winds were up to 140 miles per hour. the damage, the insulation ripped off of here. it was just horrifying, some of the residents were telling us what they went through last night. lisa hessler, i spoke to you a few minutes ago. you road out the storm inside this apartment. what did it feel like? >> when the they tell you it sound like a 48 train, it is. we knew we knew the tornado was on top of us. we knew it was going straight o

let's start with nbc's gabe gutierrez in tornado-ravaged dayton, ohio, forus. >> reporter: good morning. ohio's governor has declared a state of emergency for several counties. ta a look at this. this tornado tore through concrete. this building came crashing down. luckily, no one was inside. not far from dayton one person was killed. all this as yet another round of severe weather marches acros the country. overnight new severe storms on the move with more reported tornados, including this monster witterer devastating parts of kansas the dangerous system sparing kansas city but injuring nearly a dozen people in a neighboring county. travelers forced to take shelter at kansas city international airport as a precaution. storm debris shu ting downhe airport for several hours and grounding flights. in the northeast a suspected tornado touching down in new jersey. >> i have never seen this ever in new jersey. >> reporter:igighin wds damaging a high school in stan hope. two people suffering minor injuries after a light post fell on their car. in the new york city area a rare tornado warning

. >> gabe gutierrez has the story. >> reporter: in pigeon forge, tennessee, a few miles from dollywooing to be something cool. is>> reporter: t the grand opening of the "national enquirer" live, a 20,000 square foot homage to the controversial tabloid. larry hailey is a fmer editor. >> the dog stories, the monkey stories, the gossip stories, the scandal stories. and the hum interest stories that made you say gee whiz after you read it. >> reporter: but one story in particul is raising eyebrows, an exhibit focussing on the death of princess diana. a 3 d computerized model chases the path by the paparazzi. >> our visitors will never get a chance to goee to paris to s it, so here this is a way they can expeence it. >> reporter: the attraction is not run by the tabloid's parent mpany, ami, though it does linse the rights. private investors are spending $25 million to open this museum and a similarne in branson, missouri, next month. >> the "national inquirer" is a household na it's something that resonates with people young and old. >> reporter: the inquirer has long been the source of c

for "today," gabe gutierrez, nbc news. >> i know people who would want to check it out. >> i want tot's get a check of weather with dylan. she's on the plaza. >> good morning, guys, it's memorial day weekend, and fleet week. we have our sailors, where did you come in from? >> may port, florida. >> are you having fun in new york? what's the big plan for this weekend? >> party. >> that's the right answer. >> came to see the city. >> and party. >> awesome, so nice to have you guys here, and thank you for your service! let's take a look at what's going on across the country and it's really back through the plains states and midwest where we have to watch for flooding today. it doesn't look like much but we are going to see an increased chance of heavy rain through this afternoon and this evening, and some of the severe storms could occur in the overnight hours. we have two areas where we're watching for storms today, the interior northeast, new york, pennsylvania, back through ohio, and a second area that extends back through especially the panhandles of texas and oklahoma. and that's wh

gabe gutierrez will havemore on "today." >>> parking meters in montgomere county have updated, and youl pay more to park on the streets of bethesda this summer. the county council voted to approve a multibillion dollar budget plan on thuday. and that plan includes raising tki cap for parng fees in bethesda up to $3.25 an hour starting in july. the parking fees in silv a spring wheaton will stay the same until construction projects in those areas are closer to completion. >>> it's 6:37. we're working 4 you to plan your weekend. >> molette green showing where you can go f a one-tank trip. hey, molette. >> reporter: hey, guys. feast your eyes on this turnout. we're ready for the spring festival, and we love eating moo thru ice cream. [ cheers ] we'veot something for g for tile, wood, and stone, come to the nationwide low-price leader: floor and decor. the prices are the lowest you will find. not only did we find lots of option but we were like, oh my gosh, it's so affordable. it's affordable no matter what your budget. i saved a lot of money at floor and decor. we came in under budget, wa

. >> we have al's forecast just ahead but let's start with gabe gutierrez he is in dayton, ohio. >> reporter: ohio's governor has declared a state of emergency for several counties and this tornado didn't just flatten wooden homes, take a look at this, it for through concrete this building came crashing down, luckily no one was inside. not far from dayton one person was killed. all this as yet another round of severe weather matches across the country. joe every night new severe storms on the move with more reported tornadoes including this monster twister devastating parts of the kansas. the dangerous system sparing kansas city but injuring nearly a dozen people in a neighboring county. travelers forced to take shemter at kansas city international airport as a precaution. storm debris shutting down the airport for several hours and grounding flights. in the northeast the suspected tornado touching down in new jersey. >> i've never seen it like this ever in new jersey. >> reporter: high winds damaging a high school in stan hope as families attended an event inside. two people suffering minor

let's go to gabe gutierrez who is driving through damage in ohio right now. he joins us by phone. gabe, residents there are describing the scene as a war zone after the tornadoes ripped through the state. help folks understand the extent of damage. >> reporter: hi, good morning. damage is extensive in dayton. the tornadoes carved a huge path of destruction through the midwest, leaving homes not just in dayton but indiana. there are no reported deaths or serious injuries in this area. it started 9:30, 10:00, that's when residents first started to get wind and severe storms blowing through. national weather service tweeted monday night that a large and dangerous tornado had hit near truckwood ohio, northwest of dayton. several apartment buildings damaged or destroyed. before midnight, 40 minutes or so after that first tornado blew through, the weather service tweeted another one was going through the same path, churning up debris. the aftermath left some lanes of i-75 blocked north of dayton, in brookville, west of the city. the storm tore roofs off schools, destroyed a barn, heavily