our kayna whitworth is there in thousand oaks, ventura county, california. kayna, what is the scene now? >> reporter: it's been a terrible night here, kendis. i have to tell you when we learned a total of 13 people are dead including sheriff's deputy, it was highly emotional for the ventura county sheriff to talk about that. what i'm seeing right now is something i have to tell you, though, kendis, pretty incredible. i'm watching right now as deputies, as witnesses, as the victims have now gathered in the middle of an intersection, some of the young girls have bandages on their legs and have joined in a prayer circle together right now. they're trying to tell us tha tyoi t come back stronger than ever after a horrifying night at the borderline bar and grill. it's located just off the 101 which is a major thoroughfare in eriff's ofci the that there is blood everywhere. it's absolutely tragic and this investigation is just beginning. when asked if they believe the suspect killed himself, they said it appears that way, although it is currently under investigati

and as you reported there, kayna, at the borderline bar, it was college night here. the sheriff tonight saying those active shooter drills that so y are growing up with, might have saved lives last night. >> reporter: yeah, david, it's a sad reality, but the sheriff saying, this could have been so much worse if not for the heroes inside. people i spoke with called this their safe place. but david, this is now a place marred with violence and death. >> kayna whitworth leading us off on the air here in the west tonight. kayna, thank you. >>> all morning long here, families and parents were arriving, waiting to hear. one father with that photo of his son i mentioned, hoping someone had seen him, and then he learned the news. the heartbreak. so many lives lost here, so many parents losing sons and daughters. for so many families tonight, an agonizing wait, as we're now hearing about the lives lost. so many of the victims young. including 18-year-old alaina housley, a freshman at pepperdine university, there at the restaurant, line dancing with her friends. tonight, her f

kayna whitworth is with us right now. kayna, what are you learning? have 11 victims that were shot inside. we have a sheriff sergeant who was killed. they've told us that he died at the hospital about an hour ago and then they also ut the suspect found inside dead. when asked if they believe it was a self-inflicted gun wound, they said it y bu tre not confirming that at this time. we know that the sheriff's sergeant was hit multiple times, actually one of the first to respond. he responded along with a highway patrol officer. the two went inside. he was hit multiple times and the highway patrol officer pulled him out. the sergeant's name was ron helus. he is survived by his wife and son. it was really emotional. really hard-working man and died a hero and telling us they have no idea if it's terrorism. the investigation is just beginning but telling us it is a gruesome scene. >> just an absolutely horrific scene and the sheriff who was sharing that information got choked up talking about sergeant helus saying he was a personal friend. >> it was his gy

abc's kayna whitworth on the scene, she's been here all night long, and she has the video now emerging from inside that bar tonight. >> reporter: breaking glass. an empty dance floor. as the camera shakes, that piercing sound. gun fire. silence. for six endless seconds. then listen as people run for their lives. >> guys, run. he's coming out this door. >> reporter: it's 11:20 p.m. wednesday night. police say a gunman dressed in black started shooting before he went inside. >> he shot the doorman, the bouncer. just a young man. and then he shot the cashier. just a young girl. >> the subject was at the front shooting at everybody. think he's still inside the bar. >> reporter: witnesses say the bar quickly filled with smoke. >> the gunman but throwing smoke grenades. >> we got multiple people down. we need a lot of ambulances. >> reporter: amid the chaos, the voice of a young man calling home. erbe shooting at is max. bordline. please wake up. >> repfiter: the gunm kring o t. i looked back. and plit second later, everybody yelled, "get down." >> reporter: sheriff's sergeant ron helus is t

and kayna, the parents of the pregnant wife that was killed, they did not want the death penalty? >> reporter: david, that's true. they don't believe in it. but it was a horrific day in court as they learned about their granddaughters' final moments. they now know that bella was found in an oil-soaked pajama top, pink with hearts and butterflies on it. and celeste wearing a pink and black top. it was so hard to hear, david. >> this is an impossible story all the way around. kayna, thank you. >>> we're going to turn next here tonight to the concerns over the roads, as a clipper system now moves in, just as millions begin to travel this thanksgiving kweek. there is record travel expected. millions of americans are bracing for an arctic blast for thanksgiving day. wind chills in the teens for washington, d.c., philadelphia, new york, single digits in boston. chief meteorologist ginger zee is live at the george washington bridge tonight tracking it all on a holiday week. hi, ginger. >> reporter: hi, david. let's go ahead and start with that clipper system. that's going to get you slip

abc's kayna whitworth was in the courtroom in greeley, colorado. >> reporter: for the colorado man who pled guilty to murdering his entire family, judgment day. chris watts first facing his agonized in-laws. >> this is the heartless one, the evil monster. i trusted you to take care of them, not kill them. and then, you take them out like trash. you disgust me. >> he was the one for me. and he is amazing. >> reporter: their daughter, shanann, who once gushed about her husband, brutally killed, along with their two granddaughters and unborn grandson. ♪ my daddy is a hero >> reporter: watts' mother-in-law blasting him for the ultimate betrayal. >> your children adored you and they also trusted you. your daughter bella marie sang a song proudly, it was, "daddy you're my hero." >> reporter: as police searched for watts' missing family in early august, he went on tv, begging for their return. >> shanann, bella, celeste, if you're out there, just come back. >> reporter: today, watts' parents saying their son needs to atone for what he's done. >> i'd like to begin by recognizing the absolute h

i want gun control. >> kayna, authorities are telling abc news they believe the gunman was aware of lawnforcement, the response on the way. you were telling us, he was waiting for their arrival? >> reporter: yeah, david. authorities telling us it's possible the gunman heard the siren of sergeant ron helus, and was waiting there to kill him. >> kayna, thank you. >>> we turn to the new and growing outrage over the president's pick for acting attorney general. here's jonathan karl tonight. >> reporter: today, the president told reporters he doesn't even know matt whitaker, the man he just named acting mrent, wt sm of matt ak, anth recuse himself given what he's said abt wl,ati don't whitaker matt whitakeed for. high tught of, and he still tt whitaker. >> reporter: but listen to what the president said just last month. >> i can tell you, matt whitaker's a great guy. i mean, i know matt whitaker. >> reporter: but again, today, the opposite. >> did you talk with matt whitaker at all about the mueller probe? >> i didn't speak to matt whitaker about it. i don't know matt whitaker. >> reporter:

>> kayna whitworth tonight. kayna, thank you. >>> there are new 911 calls coming in tonight, revealing the moment a young man called police to say his college friend had too much to drink and needed immediate help. that fraternity pledge at ohio university later died. abc's david wright with that 911 call. >> reporter: this was the frantic phone call in the early hours of the morning. >> athens county 911, what is your emergency? >> hello, i think my friend drank a little too much. >> rfriendfcollin wiant, an 18-year-old pledge at ohio university's sigma pi fraternity. >> okay, is he responsive? >> he was, and then he, like, kind of laid back, started passing out. >> okay, is he still breathing? >> yes. >> reporter: the 911 call suggests wiant was so inebriated he couldn't even stand up. >> we'll carry him out. he's pretty in and out, so like -- >> well, let's not carry him out yet, because it's really cold outside and the squad takes a little bit. so, let's just leave him there and i'll send and officer down, t

>> kayna whitworth for us tonight. kayna, thank you. >>> next, to the scare at sea. a carnival cruise ship listing to one side. chaos in this dining room, take a look. dishes smashed all over the floor. the crew righted the ship, but some passengers cut their trip short. here's abc's gio benitez. >> reporter: tonight, drama on the high seas. these images coming in from a carnival cruise ship still at sea, showing utter chaos in the dining room. plates broken on the floor, bottles on the floor, too, in the ship's stores. passengers say it happened just hours after their caribbean cruise started. carnival cruise lines saying a technical issue caused the ship to list on sunday. that means it leaned to one side. some passengers so afraid, they reportedly got on the next plane home when they got to the dominican republic. tonight, passenger david crews calling abc news from the ship. >> glasses were coming falling off the table, the bottles of water, the plates. everything is shattering. and the ship is still leaning and people are now starting to get very chaotic. very s

>> kayna whitworth with the new developments tonight. kayna, thank you. >>> and we move on now to unfinished business in the midterm elections. the senate showdown in mississippi. the runoff election set for this coming tuesday. republican cindy hyde-smith apologizing to anyone that was offended. that apology doing little to silence critics, including some of her biggest donors. here's abc's mary bruce. >> reporter: with days to go before the special election in mississippi, republican senator cindy hyde-smith is now expressing some regret after a string of racially charged controversies. the latest, these pictures from 2014. hyde-smith in a confederate cap posing in the home and library of confederate president jefferson davis. her caption, "mississippi history at its best." and earlier this month, hyde-smith was caught joking with a supporter about public hangings. >> if he invited me to a public hanging, i'd be on the front row. >> reporter: initially, she dug in, saying in a statement, "any attempt to turn this into a negative connot

kayna, thanks. >> nowhere is safe. nowhere is.ou. >>> now we turn to that urgent search for a 13-year-old girl snatched at her north carolina home as she was waiting to go to school. overnight, the fbi released new surveillance video of the suv speeding away with her inside. linsey davis is here with that story. good morning, linsey. >> reporter: good morning, robin. it happened on monday just before 7:00 am the teenager was waiting for the rest of her family to come out of the house to drive to school when she was abducted. the fbi is now offering a $15,000 reward for information that helps to get her back. this morning, the clock is ticking as the urgent search for a kidnapped 13-year-old girl grows more desperate and now the fbi is joining the case. >> they're going door to door with our agents and our investigators and task force officers in the search for hania. >> reporter: hania aguilar was last seen monday outside her home in lumberton, north carolina, waiting for relatives to take her to school. that's when authorities sa

>> all right, kayna whitworth tonight. kayna, thanks. >>> there is an alarming new headline about that mystery outbreak affecting children, now spreading across the country. the cdc tonight confirming 116 cases now in 31 states. they're investigating 170 more cases. as we've reported here, it can start like the common cold, then the rare condition brings on polio-like symptoms, partial paralysis among them. here's abc's erielle reshef tonight. >> reporter: growing concern tonight over that rare but mysterious illness striking mainly children. the number of cases of acute flaccid myelitis, or afm, nearly doubling in just the last month. it can start like the common cold, but lead to polio-like symptoms like paralysis and trouble breathing. 8-year-old tahi toya first had a sinus infection, then lost strength in his left arm. >> tahi had a droopy face, he lost his core strength, so he was unable to sit up without assistance. >> reporter: there's no cure for afm, and half of patients don't fully recover. but tahi tonight is ge

kayna whitworth, abc news, los angeles. >> our thanks to kayna. >>> concern is growing over the mysterious polio-like illness that mostly targets children. >> the cdc reports ten more confirmed cases of acute flaccid myelitis in the past week. the disease known as afm leads to sudden paralysis and more than 90% of the patients are children under the age of 4. afm has been confirmed in 31 states but only one or two children in a million are likely to get afm. >>> and bruce springsteen is speaking candidly about his family's struggle with mental health issues. the boss tells "esquire" magazine that he and his first breakdown -- had his first breakdown in 1982. springsteen's father was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia before his death 20 years ago. the rock legend believes his contentious relationship with his dad played a part in his own condition. bruce says he's on a variety of medications that keep him on an even keel. >> good for him. >> yeah. >>> well, when we come back, spongebob's secrets revealed. >>> and the brutally honest reason why a heavy metal band says it's breaking up. "

here's abc's kayna whitworth. >> times is up! >> reporter: in new york city, the sign "time's up tech." in san francisco, "don't be evil." a reference to google's former motto. >> coverups have got to go! >> reporter: the scene repeated as employees in the majority of google's offices around the world protested the company's handling of sexual misconduct allegations. >> if we don't lead the way, nobody else will. >> reporter: the walkout coming exactly one week after "the new york times" reported on a $90 million severance package for andy rubin, the creator of android software. the report says the payout came after credible sexual misconduct allegations against the executive. he denies alabama games and says "the new york times" story contains inaccuracies. protesters want the company to endinequity, issue reports on sexual harassment and create a better process for reporting clom mra complaints. tom, google saying tonight they're taking all their ideas in. tom? >> kayna, thank you. >>> next to the scare at sea. a carnival cruis

kayna whitworth is on the scene tonight. >> reporter: tonight, authorities reviewing disturbing messagesrom the gunman posted to social media as the attack was unfolding. at 11:24 p.m., he wrote, "i just thought, life is boring. so, why not?" authorities tell abc news, preliminary information indicates the gunman appeared to be texting or posting during the pauses in the rampage. at 11:27, he posted, "the only thing you people do after these shootings is hopes and prayers, and wonder why these keep happening." today, the names of all 12 people who died in the attack revealed. many, local college students. telemachus orfanos, a bouncer at the club, survived the carnage in las vegas last year, only to die here. his mother, with this message. >> i don't want prayers. i don't want thoughts. i want gun control. and i hope to god nobody else sends me any more prayers. >> reporter: authorities telling us it's possible the gunman heard the siren of sergeant ron helus, and that was waiting there to kill him. david? >> kayna, thank you. >>> we turn now to the new and growing outrage over the presi

here's abc's kayna whitworth. >> is it in the school? >> yes! >> reporter: tonight, this police body cam footage showing the frantic moments -- >> get in the classroom now! >> reporter: -- moments after a teacher tackled a pit bull that ran into a playground where students were outside for recess. >> this wild put bull got loose and it's like attacking the kids. >> there's four, maybe five kids that said they were bit. >> reporter: more than a dozen children were injured. five taken to the hospital by ambulance. 8-year-old alexander bit in the leg. >> he was like kind for a minute but then he got rough and he started biting people. >> hold on, hold on. just in case it slips out. >> reporter: officers finally able to leash the pit bull and lead it out of the school. tonight, police still looking for the dog's owner. david, all of those children are going to be okay. officials think the pit bull got onto school grounds through a gate that had been left open. david? >> kayna whitworth, thank you. >>> there is an alarming new headline about that mys

abc's kayna whitworth from california tonight. >> michael, what happened? what happened, michael? >> reporter: michael avenatti, defiant, walking out of a los angeles police preprecinct. >> i have never struck a woman. i never will strike a woman. i have been an advocate for women's rights my entire career. >> reporter: the come bbative attorney became a household name, representing porn star stormy daniels, now finding himself on the defense, after he was arrested wednesday on suspicions of domestic violence. the alleged incident taking place a day earlier. >> i'm not going to be intimidated from stopping what i am doing. >> reporter: his first wife reacting to the accusations, "he has never been abusive to me or anyone else. he is a very good man." and the lawyer for his estranged current wife, saying her clif has never known michael to be physically violent towards anyone. david, authorities haven't released the identity of the woman making these allegations. avenatti is set to appear in court next month. david? >> kayna whitworth tonight, thank you. >>> there are new 911 calls

kayna, thank you. >>> when we come back here tonight, the new health alert about women and snoring andthe effect on your heart. >>> and then that family swimming with nurse sharks. the little boy suddenly attack. we do have news on his condition right after the break. ix. i tried cold turkey, i tried the patch. they didn't work for me. i didn't think anything was going to work for me until i tried chantix. chantix, along with support, helps you quit smoking. chantix reduced my urge to smoke. i needed that to quit. when you try to quit smoking, with or without chantix, you may have nicotine withdrawal symptoms. some people had changes in behavior or thinking, aggression, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, or suicidal thoughts or actions with chantix. serious side effects may include seizures, new or worse heart or blood vessel problems, sleepwalking or allergic and skin reactions which can be life-threatening. stop chantix and get help right away if you have any of these. tell your healthcare provider if you've had depression or other mental health problems. decrease alcohol use whil

kayna whitworth, abc news, los angeles. >> our thanks to kayna. >>> that severe storm system that we'vern u.s. the system stretches from the gulf coast all the way to the canadian border. it's bringing downpours, local damaging winds and even snow in some higher elevations. the storm system spawned tornadoes in the deep south, including this one in eastern alabama. no major damage reported here. overnight, the storm system is moving to the atlantic coast, as you can see there, bringing more rain and a few strong thunderstorms. and tomorrow it wi be a washout for new england. yay. the weekend's gone. >> good news. thank you for that. >> yeah. >>> as we mentioned, a certain campaign worker is leaving some georgia voters speechless. >> yeah. she's quite the volunteer worker here. some surprise residents are opening their doors and finding themselves face-to-face with oprah winfrey. she went door-to-door campaigning for the democratic gubernatorial hopeful stacey abrams, who is facing georgia secretary of state brian kemp. oprah may be winning over a few people. >> hi. >> oh, my god! >> hi,

kayna whitworth has more on that. kayna, good morning. >> reporter: hey, whit, good morning. so the thanksgiving previews alone, those tuesday night showings bringing in millions proving we're headed for a record-shattering weekend at the box office and as you mentioned "ralph breaks the internet" leading the way. "ralph breaks the internet." >> cool. >> reporter: and box office records. >> holy cow. >> reporter: wrecking through previous titleholders, bringing in $3.8 million, the most in a thanksgiving preview audience ever for a disney release. and the company estimating a record-breaking domestic launch of $90 million by the time the weekend is over. battling for the top spot with "creed 2," gobbling up its own lion's share of tickets this thanksgiving. >> listen to me, this guy is dangerous. >> you don't think i can beat him? >> reporter: the rocky franchise spinoff hauling in $3.7 million on tuesday. its star recently on "gma." >> i put on about 20 pounds. my opponent in this one is huge and i just wanted to look close. i just wanted to look close. >> reporter: already

abc's kayna whitworth has the latest. good morning, kayna. >> reporter: yeah, george. good morning. agents near the border, of course, on high alert. the crash happened in rural san diego county and most of the 11 people in the pickup truck were in the back without seat belts. three people killed and nearly everyone else recovering from injuries. a high-speed chase ending in a fatal crash near the san diego/mexico border. this new video showing the terrifying aftermath. at 4:30 thursday border control agents attempting to pull over a white pick-up truck. but instead of stopping, the driver taking off, leading agents on a hundred-mile-an-hour chase, and they laid out a spike trip to stop the truck but the spikes sending the vehicle airborne, the pick-up truck flipping over with 11 passengers, many of whom were laying in the truck's flatbed. the crash ejecting all of the passengers, killing three. the rest transported to the hospital with injuries. now, the driver who is a u.s. citizen was not injured and is currently in custody. george. >> thanks very much, kayna. >>> all right, geor

kayna whitworth is there in thousand oaks with more. good morning, kayna. >> reporter: robin, good morning. the sheriff saying this could have been so much worse if not for the heroes inside that bar and grill, but for those who didn't make it, their family, friends and community is mourning this morning, and today one mother is calling for action. this morning, newly obtained cell phone video shows what happened in those terrifying moments when the former marine stormed a popular country music bar shooting everything in his path. six endless seconds of eerie silence between rounds. >> he's coming out this door! >> reporter: 12 killed including a sheriff's deputy. hours after the shooting, the fbi arriving at the home of the shooter, ian david long. he lived here with his mother. these images on facebook show long in what appears to be happier times, but police confirming they responded to a disturbance at long's home in april. >> he was somewhat irate, acting a little irrationally, felt he might be suffering from ptsd, basing that on t

>> kayna whitworth, thank you. >>> next, to what's being called a humanitarian crisis in tijuana, mexico. the mayor of that city aski ini the u.n. for help, dealing with 5,000 migrants there. all this, as the president threatened to shut down the border, if necessary. abc white house correspondent tara palmeri with the president, reporting from west palm beach tonight. >> reporter: in tijuana tonight, mothers and their children huddle under blankets, just feet from the border. the mayor declaring a humanitarian crisis, as nearly 5,000 central american migrants wait to apply for asylum in the u.s. president trump threatening to shut down the border completely. >> we will close entry into the country for a period of time, until we can get it under control. >> the entire border? >> the whole border. i mean the whole border. >> reporter: the president says the military stands ready to stop the migrants. >> i've given the okay to use lethal force. i hope they don't have to. >> reporter: but james mattis insists u.s. troops are there to simply back up border patrol and will likely be armed wit

kayna whitworth has the details from thousand oaks. >> reporter: this video capturing the moment. as the camera shakes. that piercing sound, it's gunfire. 12 killed, including a police sergeant. >> he died a hero. because he went -- he went in to save lives. >> reporter: jason coffman, his son cody, one of the victims. >> last thing i said was son, i love you. that was the last thing i said. >> reporter: the shooter, now identified as 28-year-old ian david long, a veteran. >> he turned to the young cashier, and he shot her. >> in a split second, everyone yelled "get down". and everyone pretty much piled on top of each other. >> we tried to get behind something. >> we tried to take cover. >> by the grace of god, i was able to get to the front door. i saw him at the front door. i'm lucky enough to be alive. >> reporter: lucky to be alive. a sentiment once again shared by far too many young people. >> i'm too scared. >> reporter: nellie wong's night was all about celebrating. it was her 21st birthday. the alleged shooter's motive unknown. long, a marine combat veteran served for five

abc's kayna whitworth has more. >> reporter: chris watts stared ahead as his in-laws spoke tearfullybout losing their daughter and two grandchildren. >> this is the heartless one, the evil monster. i trusted you to take care of them. not kill them. and then you take them out like trash. you disgust me. you don't know what love is because if you did, you would not have killed them, you monster. >> reporter: the confessed killer wiping away tears as his own mother spoke. >> i hate what has happened. your father and sister and i are struggling to understand why. we love you and we forgive you, son. >> reporter: it was last august watts' family disappeared. he went on tv begging for their return. >> shanann, bella, celeste, if you're out there, just come back. >> reporter: prosecutors revealing gut-wrenching details about how watts killed his family hiding the girls' bodies in oil storage tanks. his wife and unborn child in a shallow grave. a key piece of evidence cracking the case, a sheet from the couple's bedroom not far from where shanann's body was discovered. >> he was the one for

kayna whitworth is in montana this evening. >> reporter: yeah, george, i think you're right there whenst-favorite senators. he really blames jon tester for blocking his nomination of the veterans administration nominee. and so president donald trump has really taken a personal interest in the senate race here in montana. he has visited montana an unprecedented four times in the last four months. that is more than any other sitting president. but despite all of his support for his republican candidates here, matt rosendale, 54% of voters are saying that trump was not a factor in their votes. and jon tester is leading this race. he is the incumbent democrat. he is seeking his third term. and in preliminary numbers, he is winning votes from women by 19 points. he's winning votes from people under 30 by a whopping 70%. but one of the numbers that really stood out to me, george, is that tester is winning gun owners. 52% of gun owners actually voted for tester. that's incredibly significant. considering the hundreds of thousands of dollars that the nra dumped into anti-tester ads here in mar