>> rachel: matt gutman reporting tonight from los angeles.nk you. >>> when we come back, a shooting at a grocery store leaves a community in mourning for a hero officer. >>> and mystery solved, after dozens of amazon packages were found in the woods in massachusetts. >>> next tonight, a >>> next tonight, a north carolina community is in mourning after the death of a police officer and father. greensboro police officer michael horan, a father of two, was responding to reports of a man with a gun inside a grocery store, when he was killed in the line of duty. police say the suspect was caught after a high speed chase about 150 miles away. >>> when we come back, scientists are monitoring air quality after the eruption of a hawaiian volca >>> to the >>> to the index now, with authorities in massachusetts saying they know how dozens of amazon packages wound up in the woods. police say an amazon driver later reported that they had left the packages on the side of the road because they were stressed. no charges are expected to be filed. >>> official

>> rachel: matt gutman on the continued fallout. matt, thank you. >>> we turn now to a groundbreaking abc news investigation. there are estimates that millions of abandoned gas and oil wells could be threatening communities across the country. many of the so-called zombie wells are leaking, posing a risk to groundwater and spewing dangerous chemicals into the air. some even blamed for home explosions. here's abc's kayna whitworth. >> reporter: tonight, a warning about a potentially dangerous and deadly threat that could be lurking in neighborhoods all over the country. abandoned oil and gas wells left to rot. many of them leaking. they can contaminate groundwater and spew cancer-causing, even flammable chemicals into the air. experts say there are more than 3.5 million of them in more than 25 states. >> we found that around 14 million americans live within a mile of an abandoned well. >> reporter: abc news, along with six owned and affiliated stations, tested more than 70 abandoned wells across five states, and over half, 40 of them,

>> rachel: matt gutman reporting tonight from los angeles. matt, thank you. >>> when we come back, a shooting at a grocery store leaves a community in mourning for a hero officer. >>> and mystery solved, after dozens of amazon packages were found in the woods in massachusetts. t loss. for so long, i felt stuck. but zepbound means change. zepbound is for adults with obesity, to help lose weight and keep it off. activating 2 naturally occurring hormone receptors in my body, it works differently. it's changing what i believe is possible when it comes to weight loss. it's changing how much weight i lose. up to 48 pounds. and changing what happens. don't take if allergic to it, or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. stop zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. tell your doctor if you are

matt gutman with the latest. >>> our abc news investigation. the potentially dangerous and deadly threat lurking in neighborhoods across the country. so-called zombie wells. abandoned oil and gas wells left to rot. >>> the mega millions billion. the jackpot reaches a new december record, with now winner since september. will a lucky ticket mean a christmas miracle? >>> the news tonight on former president bill clinton's health. the latest on his condition. >>> the fda raises the alarm over previously recalled costco organic eggs. >>> nasa waits for word on its daring mission to the sun. the spacecraft faster than anything that's gone before. >>> and america strong tonight, on this christmas eve. norad has its eyes in the skies, while many of santa's elves send holiday cheer to our nation's troops and veterans. >>> good evening, and thank you so much for joining us on this busy christmas eve. i'm rachel scott, in for david. we begin tonight with the holiday winter blast causing headaches for last minute travelers, especially along the busy i-95

matt gutman tonight, thank you. >>> when we come back, back here in the u.s., the pregnant woman, her frantic call to 911, saying her car wouldn't slow down, her brakes were failing. how police then saved her. and you'll see this in a moment. >>> and what elton john revealed on stage about his health to a very moved audience. (♪) when your child has moderate to severe eczema, it's okay for them to show off. show off their clearer skin and noticeably less itch, with dupixent. because children 6 months and older with eczema have plenty of reasons to show off their skin. with dupixent, the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, they can stay ahead of their eczema. it helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your child's skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue, or throat swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection

thanks to matt gutman for that. >> gio: coming up next, the holidays are over, but let the shopping begin gma." ♪ ♪ gma! ♪ ♪ toys or chronic kidney disease, farxiga can help you keep living life, because there are places you'd like to be. (♪) serious side effects include increased ketones in blood or urine and bacterial infection between the anus and genitals, both which may be fatal, severe allergic reactions, dehydration, urinary tract or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. stop taking and tell your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, rash, swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing. tell your doctor about lightheadedness, weakness, fever, pain, tenderness, redness or swelling between the anus and genitals. ask your doctor about farxiga today. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ (♪) celebrate up to 50% off savings ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ with the clearance event at target. ♪ celebrate, celebrate ♪ ♪ oh, everybody, everybody celebrate ♪ hurry in. clearance deals go fast. shop in stores now for up to 50% off only at target. luis fonsi: in this family, we take care of every

. >> reporter: our matt gutman in california. >> you can see picketers are blocking this amazon facility here. they say they'll stay as long as it takes because they are overworked and underpaid. >> reporter: the teamsters union is accusing amazon of insatiable greed, saying the company ignored a december 15th deadline to come to the bargaining table for better pay and working conditions. faith abubey in georgia speaking to driver thomas hickman, who says he fractured his ankle on the job. >> they didn't care about the well-being. they was more worried about the packages being delivered. >> reporter: amazon does not recognize the teamsters as a union representing their employees and says it won't negotiate with them, accusing many demonstrators of being outsiders. while most of the drivers we spoke with do work for third party delivery companies hired by amazon, they say they wear amazon uniforms, drive amazon vehicles, and many exclusively deliver boxes from amazon. >> i dress in amazon uniform. i ride in an amazon van. and i deliver amazon packages. >> reporter: amazon tonight insists

matt gutman from the middle east. >> reporter: just a short time ago, the family of austin the americanrnalist kidnapped in 2012 saying they have a significant source who they claim was vetted by the u.s. government who says that austin is alive and doing well. this is happening as syria is in chaos. multiple rebel groups are con vernl converging in damascus. the administration is demanding his release. the family are hopeful. they said the u.s. government asked them not to reveal more about this source. the u.s. government sources telling us they have very little intelligence about tice or his whereabouts. >> david: let's hope it's true and they get him out. president biden celebrating the news on the economy and american jobs. the u.s. adding 227,000 jobs in november, adding health care, leisure and hospitality. the unemployment rate ticking up slightly, 4.2% now. when we come back, the news on the missing grandmother in a sinkhole outside pittsburgh. what authorities have revealed. the new fbi warning about the text messages on your phone. dick van dyke about to turn 99. his new vide

here's matt gutman. >> reporter: tonight thousands of workers at some of the nation's largest companiesstrike. >> no contract! >> reporter: starbucks baristas here in los angeles as well as chicago and seattle, where the company is headquartered, kicking off a five-day strike today, demanding better pay and benefits. >> we know our worth. and we know how to get there. >> reporter: starbucks says the demands are, quote, unsustainable. why are you striking now just a few days before christmas? >> well, consumers may next time they look at their phone and push something try to empathize and recognize that when they hit that order button that there's a person on the other end of it. >> reporter: amazon says it has 800,000 operations employees and disputes the teamster's claims that 10,000 people have walked off their job. they say most of those protesting with amazon employees, insisting the strike is having no effect on deliveries. moments ago the teamsters union announcing that workers in the facility in staten island are joining this nationwide strike beginning at midnight. >> whit: now

he spoke with matt gutman. matt?attorney for most of the menendez family telling me the new d.a. is turning this case political and spent more time talking to the media than family members and victims. more on that coming up, guys. >> michael: also ahead, from shipping deadlines to travel delays, we've got you covered with just seven days until christmas and hanukkah. >> george: our exclusive about the plexiglas barriers you see in drug stores. they slow down shopping. now a chain has a way to make it faster. first back to ginger. >> ginger: i always feel bad for the employees. who's dreaming of a white christmas? two of four. okay. that's not bad. [ laughter ] if you're in the twin cities you get an early white christmas. you haven't had a full inch plus of snow yet this season. nearly a foot behind schedule as far as average goes for the season. but look what's coming with the next couple storms. 3 to 6 inches in the white color there and the coalest air of the season. anybody into the teens next week for wind chil

abc's matt gutman is in israel with the latest for us. ning, matt. >> reporter: hey, good morning, gio. those rebels have just blitzed through the countryside, and at this point it appears that the dictatorship of bashar al assad is crumbling. those rebels have made enormous gains in the east in the south and now islamist rebels are right on the doorstep of the key city of homs, and if they do, the entire regime could collapse. they took down statues of bashar al assad's father and droves of people fleeing the cities of government troops just surrendering, and the two main sponsors of syria, russia and iran, have reportedly been telling their personnel in damascus to get out. and it's not just russia that has a major base in syria. the u.s. also has multiple bases there, about 900 troops have been fighting isis in the east of the country, and amidst all of this chaos, the family of austin tice, an american journalist kidnapped at a checkpoint in damascus in 2012, now says they have a significant source who they claim has been vetted by the

one striker speaking to our matt gutman this is not the peak of what we're doing right now. >> this isthe beginning. >> amazon claiming most of those protesting are not amazon employees and insist there's been no impact on deliveries. but the teamsters union says if your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame amazon's insatiable greed. >> with hard working individuals. you work hard every day, and i think $1 billion company could afford to give us the benefits that we're looking for. >> the teamsters union does not have a contract with amazon. they are employed by other companies. but the workers on strike say every aspect of their work revolves around amazon, and the company should take responsibility. zohreen shah, abc news, los angeles. >> taking a live look at the nation's capital this morning, where lawmakers avoided a holiday crisis at the very last minute. the house and senate passed a funding bill keeping the government open through mid-march. president joe biden signed the bill just moments ago, and despite pushback from president elect donald trump, both partie

one striker speaking to our matt gutman. >> this is not the peak of what we're doing right now. only the beginning. >> reporter: amazon claiming most of those protesting are not amazon employees and insist there's been no impact on deliveries, but the teamsters union says, if your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame amazon's insatiable greed. >> we're hard-working individuals. we work hard every day, and i think a billion dollar company could afford to give us the benefits that we're looking for. >> reporter: the teamsters union does not have a contract with amazon. they're employed by other companies, but the workers on strike say every aspect of their work revolves around amazon, and the company should take responsibility. gio? >> gio: so much going on there. all right, zohreen, thank you so much. >>> now to the man convicted of the brutal murders of two teens in delphi, indiana, in 2017. we've learned that he'll spend and now the girls' families are speaking out. here's abc's alex perez. >> reporter: this morning after almost eight grueling years justice for

>> this morning, the attorney representing 24 menendez family members is speaking out to gma's matt gutmanhis recent media appearances. >> he's decided to go on every national news program and to be able to talk about, you know, his own viewpoint of this. and he has a ton of leverage because we have family members who've been injured and have been, you know, overlooked in this process. >> what you're saying is he hasn't actually made the time to talk to the victims and the family members themselves. >> they suffered loss. they've also seen the rehabilitation. they are the best people to talk to. >> and coming up at 7 a.m, we'll have the very latest on the menendez brothers case and how the da is responding with your gma first look, i'm andrew dymburt, abc news, new york. >> the santa cruz based joby aviation is one step closer to having their air taxis take off. joby recently completed a series of test flights, which were approved by the faa as part of the certification process. it's expected to launch in 2026, in san francisco, los angeles and new york. >> sunnyvale one of the best ways t

good morning america, matt gutman, new hampshire. >> gio: what a demo there, if you encounter an obtackallyhe thing you don't want to crash into. >> whit: black ice, above temperatures freezing temperatures, important to remember that.t, o coming up nthe "play of the day" day. maybe rich is less a coming up next, in the "play of the day" we are back with the "play of the day", it's all about the bulls, andrew is back with this, your team is not in, but you are all-in for the excitement? >> they're not in the college football playoff. holy toledo what a game, the longest game in bowl history, heading to detroit for the six, count them six overtime thriller between the toledo rockets and the purg purg -- pittsburgh panther. overtime, overtime, overtime, overtime, overtime, overtime. you get the picture. and, got going to o t #4 á toledo appears to get the game-winning sack, it's over, or is it? no, a premature celebration toledo rushing the field again, thinking they had won, wait there's more. football. finally after overtime #6, toledo wins this instant college classic. watching these highl

chief national correspondent matt gutman has the latest. morning, matt. >> reporter: good morning, george. it was a chain reaction crash of sorts, a semi seems to have been stuck on the tracks. it was t-boned by that union pacific train which caused a pileup of derailed cars which slammed into the vacant chamber of commerce. as you just mentioned there was one fatality and others were injured. this morning video capturing the moment a union pacific train slammed into a tractor trailer that got stuck on the tracks. the deadly crash happening during rush hour in west texas. you can see a line of cars waiting at the rail road crossing when the train t-bones into the truck. over a dozen cars derailing, some bent sideways and perpendicular to the tracks. some of those mangled cars carrying hazardous materials. >> two have lithium ion batteries. one was leaking diesel from one of the engines. all of those have been contained. there's no threat to the community. >> reporter: one person was killed, four others injured. one seriously. the driver of