. >> meagan fitzgerald, again, live pictures of pope francis in the popemobile, making his way around, through the crowd, on the grounds of the basilica. about 15 minutes to go before the historic mass begins there. vice president joe biden expected to be among those attending today, along with of course cardinal wuerl and monsignor rossi, they are expected to accompany the pope to the chapel for private prayer before the mass gets underway. >> vice president biden has been following this pope in many ways. he was there for the installation of pope francis. in fact devout catholics are given the opportunity to kiss the ring upon meeting the pope. vice president biden declined to do that. but he has spoken very, very eloquently and forcefully about his catholic faith, and especially how that has served him in light of the loss of his son beau biden. >> very meaningful to him. and this time is so meaningful to so many of this area's catholics, 6 00,000 in the washington area alone. 1.2 billion catholics around the world. and he is the head of the church, here in washington, on his first

. >> adam tuss, meagan fitzgerald and doug kammerer will catch you up on what you need to do. first to jane gray, where the pope's visit continues. >> reporter: there is a unique rhythm. and spirit to this island nation. thirsty for progress and change. and renewed hope now that the visit of pope franciscan begin to quench that thirst. thousands gathered today as francis began the final leg of his cuban tour, celebrating mass in this hitting city. although many cubans believe it's the proximity to guantanamo bay that drew the pope here. for years he's been urging the u.s. to close the prison facility there. but his homily this afternoon made no mention of politics. instead he focused on the catholic faith. he blessed the city from the hill of the cross. his final stop this evening will be in santiago for a second mass. then francis will turn his attention to the u.s. jay gray, nbc news, havana. >>> metro is experiencing big trouble on the eve of the pope's arrival. another smoke incident interrupted train service today, having people wondering whether metro can handle those bi

and tonight meagan fitzgerald got reaction from mental health experts. meagan? >> reporter: and jim, many of the experts say that natasha mckenna's death highlights many of the issues in the prison system, but they stop short in saying that those deputies should have faced charges. what happened here on february 3rd is something many mental health experts say could have been avoided. 37-year-old natasha mckenna battles with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses for years. her erratic behavior landed her in jail. the president and ceo of the national alliance on mental illness. she says jailing mentally ill people is the first mistake. >> we need to find resources in our community so that people can get the help they need. >> reporter: she says this 25-page death investigation report is a glimpse into how much help mckenna needed. deputies trying to restrain mckenna in a chair should she could be transported to alexandria. but according to the report, she thought they were out the get her, saying, quote, you promised me you wouldn't kill me.

. >> news4's meagan fitzgerald is live at d.c. fire headquarters. meagan? >> reporter: we talked to the toddler's father, and he said he is angry that it took 13 minutes for an ambulance to respond and it was too late to take his child to hospital. d.c. says the standard response time is 12 minutes, but they admit that's a problem. [ siren ] there is usually some sense of reassurance when you know help is on the way. >> for them to be so small, they could die. >> reporter: but lately neighbors are concerned the ambulance won't make it time. and with good reason. take monday, graham's neighbor called 911 after his infant stopped breathing. two fire trucks and an ems supervisor arrived within eight minutes, but they were forced to rush the child to the hospital themselves because the ambulance didn't arrive until 13 minutes after the 911 call. >> in that instance, the paramedic and the ems supervisor acted in the best interest of the patient. >> reporter: kim wilson is the spokesperson for d.c. fire and ems. he knows the ambulance response time is a problem,

meagan fitzgerald is live at the basilica shrine of the immaculate conception. >> reporter: jim, a lot of progress. people out here are excited. they've been coming throughout the day, taking pictures and marveling at that progress. you can see behind me the portrait of the missionary that will be canonized at that historic mass. along with the preps comes a lot of road closure. it's quite the sight here at the basilica. decorations are almost complete. pope francis will celebrate mass here, and the 15,000 chairs are quickly being placed on the lawn of the east portico. >> i'm excited that he's coming. >> it's fantastic, a great time for dc and for the country. >> reporter: it's certainly going to be a great experience for those who get to witness pope francis when he arrives. but if you plan on driving during that time, it's likely going to be a much different experience. you can already see warning signs that road closures are coming. near saint matthew, where the pope will be on wednesday, no-parking signs are already up, starting at 6:00 a.m. that day, to 3:00 p.m. on thursday, rho

meagan fitzgerald has more on preparations for that special event. >> reporter: there's so much anticipation around pope francis' first visit to the united states. >> i think people are excited that he's coming. he's pretty amazing. >> that's why here on the east portico of the basilica, crews are getting things ready and in order for the historic mass that will take place right here. it was hours ago that workers will raise the roof as he celebrates mass. many are wondering what pope francis will talk about when he gives his homily. of course, no one knows for sure, but we asked the cardinal as he toured the east portico to observe the progress being made and he had a few ideas. >> i think we'll be hearing a call for solidarity, human solidarity and he's going to remind us that we are all brothers and sisters on this planet. >> the cardinal will also think the pope will talk about the importance of taking care of our planet, but he was quick to point out that he doesn't believe the pontiff was political. >> whatever message pope francis delivers on wednesday, there will be anxious people aw

news 4's meagan fitzgerald is live. how are things coming together? >> reporter: they're making great progress, chris. as we know they've been planning and preparing over the last several months and crews have been out here on the east portico, working tirelessly. i want to show you what's most notable. take a look over here. you can see the roof and that's where the pope will celebrate mass. bottom line here is no detail is too small. workers have been repainting curbs, trimming trees and of course, preparing the main altar where the pope himself will be seated in less than a week. the lawn will soon be filled with 15,000 seats and just behind the chairs are these risers. this is where the media will be placed. we are even told the cell tower was installed to help ensure cell service. earlier today the cocardinal al with the monsignor toured the portico and were excited about the progress that's been made. >> the enthusiasm in this community and this city and the country for the pope's visit and there has to be a fitting place for that enthusiasm to

meagan fitzgerald was one of them and joins us with some of their stories. >> reporter: we were here,, and, you know, we spoke with many of the 25,000 people who were here, of course not all of them, but they say they waited an entire lifetime to see a pope. but they said when they knew that pope francis was coming here, they pulled out all the stops. they asked friends. they did whatever they could to try to get a ticket to be here. excitement, absolutely. but it w certainly evident just how excited they were once the pope arrived. we want to show you some of that video of moments we were able to capture. the first sight of the pope riding into the basilica on the popemobile, the crowd went running. everyone excited and anxious to not only get a glimpse of the pope but to take a picture. but not only did the pope ride past the crowd of 25,000 people, he decided he would turn around and come back for a second time. we spoke earlier with some of the folks in the crowd. they had a few things to share about the pontiff. >> he welcomes everybody. it doesn't matter what you've done in your

meagan fitzgerald just spoke with the family and she joins us live in northeast with an update on the child's condition. meagan? >> reporter: in fact, the father of that 1-month-old child says the baby is doing fine but he is frustrated that it was a fire truck that rushed his child to the hospital since an ambulance didn't arrive until 13 minutes after he called for help. now the father says monday evening at 5:25, they called 911 because the baby wasn't breathing. d.c. fire officials say four minutes after the call, a fire truck arrived. four minutes after that, another truck and an ems supervisor were on scene. they, am minuted the child and determined they couldn't wait for an ambulance so the baby was rushed to the hospital in a fire truck. neighbors around here say they are aware of the slow response time for ambulances and parents like dewayne graham say it is a potentially deadly problem. >> i find it an issue. i find it a problem. you know? a life that they are responsible for once it's an emergency. >> reporter: now, that was six months ago that mayor bowser promised to have

meagan fitzgerald has been there all day, along with a crowd that started showing up shortly after sunrisemeagan? >> reporter: jim, they were. and we were catching them as the holy father was delivering the homily. they were listening intently to every word he was saying. go out and love everyone, accept everyone. certainly something that was received here but also something that was received just because they know who the holy father is. for instance, earlier today there were some issues security, getting into the basilica, even those who had tickets, of course the only ones who were able to get in here. it took a little longer than unusual. i asked a woman who you she felt about it and she said it's important to have patience and compassion. younger people were just as excited as the adults were. they say it's pope francis's unique ability to connect with people. they say he lives the word, in other words he practices what he preaches. we asked a few children who were among the 25,000 people who were here today what comes t-- what makes the pontiff to special to them. >> i think pope fra

meagan fitzgerald is live in d.c.. >> crews have been out working since 6:00 a.m.e are monday morning and not only have they been working hard, but they've been working fast. take a look at the progress that they've been making and that roo of is almost complete and that's where they're told the pope will celebrate mass. the crowd that's expected here is one that no pope that's visited the u.s. has seen before. when the holy father is expected to give mass at your church, no detail is too small. that's why crews at the basilica are chipping away old paint and repainting curbs and they're making sure the trees are carefully trimmed and ensuring the altar where pope francis will celebrate mass is perfect. crews have been working on this roof for the last four days. they've also installed risers for the media and this lawn will be filled with 15,000 chairs, an additional 10,000 people will be starnding around the perimeter, but as the caterpillared nal e plained when touring the portico with catholic university o fishes, the crowd for the pope's mass will look differe

news 4's meagan fitzgerald reports. >> reporter: many local businesses like palace florist behind us here say they are providing a significant role as pope francis visits d.c. but they say they're only able to provide these services because they've maintained a flawless reputation and had to go through a rigorous application process. being part of pope francis' historic event is exciting but when your work will be seen by millions of people, businessowners like lee herman say it's more of an honor. >> leaves, roses, and it's a lot. a couple truck loads. >> reporter: herman is the owner of palace florist and it will be his arrangements that will decorate the altar where pope francis will celebrate mass. he says to be selected, he had to apply to the basilica, but they were already familiar with his work. >> we've done the flowers for the basilica of the national shrine for about 15 years. >> reporter: herman says that helped in the selection process. it's a similar situation for international limousine service. the owner, richard cane, also had to apply, but he says because his compan

not to be recognized for their bravery, but assing meagan fitzgerald says, to see friends and raise money. >> those who died in the line of duty were honored in the opening ceremony. >> to all those who place themselves in harm's way. >> all those heros were remembered. >> we get the line up together. >> their fellow firefighters. >> come on, let's go, chris. >> reporter: got ready to play ball. >> why am i here? for the cause. that's the only reason why i'm here. softball is secondary. >> reporter: a cause that raises money for kids with muscular dystrophy. always helping others, even today. >> well, it was one of our darkest days. >> reporter: robert, along with many other new york firefighters were there 14 years ago. >> we were part of the search-and-rescue efforts that night. >> reporter: but even though many of these firefighters lost so much that day. >> focus! >> reporter: they still come here every year. >> play the game. but the whole thing is it's all about coming here and raising money for the kids. >> reporter: because that's what firefighters do. they're constantly helping o

news4's meagan fitzgerald spoke to one victim who said she waited for results of over one year for her rape kit. >> when i was waiting for my results i felt like i couldn't make any other decisions. i couldn't decide about my future because everything rested in that rape kit. >> now, more victims may get closure. the state of virginia says they will start testing more than 2,000 backlogged kits in the next two years. they're expecting the process to be complete ahead of schedule. >>> it's a popular city restaurant right in the heart of downtown washington. we'll tell you why you're going to need to change your dinner plans if you made reservations at fig >>> you're watching "news4 today." >> maryland delegate james proctor has died. hoe represented charles counties for 25 years. we're working to find out more details about his death and funeral arrangements. governor larry hogan has ordered state flags to fly at half-staff to honor james proctor who was 79. >>> you may need to make different reservations for tonight. a salmonella scare has shut down vignola. at least six people became

news4's meagan fitzgerald is live with more on what's expected. >> reporter: that excitement continuesany people excited to see pope francis as his last day here in washington, d.c. as you take a look behind me, folks have been coming since 5:00 this morning when the gates opened rushing to the front. people cared signs. you can see nuns as well. you're going to see them watching this historic event. just above you see the balcony. that's where he's expected to come out. we want to show you some video. we were here this morning as the folks made their way through the tsa line. of course, they were scrutinized. tsa crews going carefully through those bags, making sure that those items that are not allowed in here are not here. they came out early because it was important to them to be part of history and gets a close to the uponive as they possibly could. they spoke to a woman who said she wasn't able to make it to the historic mass. so it was a top priority for her to be here today. >> to see this pope, he's the first southern american pope in the history of the catholic church. his ma

. >> reporting in northwest, meagan fitzgerald, news 4. >> the president is preparing to host a state dinner. what we're learning as they come to a compromise on cyber crimes. >> breaking tradition. now the public >> tonight we have team coverage from storm team 4. doug is outside at herndon doing his backyard weather, but let's begin with b.j. who is tracking rain on the radar. a lot of rain. >> a lot of rain well south. we've got some sprinkles and light showers around here and a little rain shouldn't stop anyone from doing what you want to do. doug is out with a big family there with backyard weather in herndon and we'll check back and see what we can expect this upcoming weekend and the weather impacts this weekend for traveling and talking about rain both saturday and sunday and just showers and i don't think we'll have anything too heavy and we'll get the green light for that, and for exercising and getting out and about, dress accordingly. you'll need a jacket and long sleeve and long pants, too, because it will be a little cool and don't forget your umbrella heading out the do

>> meagan fitzgerald, thank you. >>> firefighters were handing out smoke detectors after a devastatinglaze. three apartment building on brinkley road were destroyed saturday night and everybody managed to get out safely and the red cross is helping a hundred people who lost their home and still no word on what caused the fire. >>> now to california where 400 homes were lost in a matter of days. that's how quickly the valley fire is wiping out entire neighborhoods. the fire has scorched more than 50,000 acres north of san francisco and has already killed one person. that's just one of the 13 wildfires burning throughout the state. nbc's jay gray has a closer look at all this damage. >> a firestorm continues to rage across northern california right now. the valley fire, 50,000 acres wide moving in multiple directions and swallowing everything in its path. >> this fire just moved like a runaway train. it ran right over everybody. >> at least bonn person is dead and four firefighters have been injured and as teams continue an intense fight along the front lines of the blaze at this point t

meagan fitzgerald is live at the scene. meagan?rter: that 14-year-old boy was walking home from basketball practice as you mentioned near seed public charter school which is five blocks away from where we are here on b street. i'll step out of the way so you can see the scene behind me. that teenager was walking home. it's still unclear whether or not this is his home here, but you can see that they've taped off the area. they tell us that he went inside and was transported to the hospital. this is still an ongoing investigation, and we are told that investigators are actively looking through surveillance video around seed public charter to see if they might be able to identify a suspect, but we are told that that 14-year-old who was stabbed in the back is expected to be okay. back to you. >> thanks, meagan. >>> a young man is dead after being hit by a car in montgomery county and neighbors say this was no accident. >> clarksburg on little senecca parkway. witnesses say he argued with a driver right before he was hit. news 4's chri

news 4's meagan fitzgerald live outside a florist in dupont circle. meagan?> reporter: the owner of palace florist said he spent the last couple weeks trying to create the perfect arrangement to go on the altar where pope francis will celebrate bhas. a limousine company will be driving the pope's delegation around town as long as they're in the u.s. both businesses say planning and intense preparation is hopefully the key for a memorable experience for pope francis. since early this morning, lee herman and his florist company have been out here on the east portico of the basilica decorating the altar, a process that has taken a lot of preparation. >> the past couple weeks have been kind of preparing. we've been going to meetings, getting prepared to create the flowers for this great event. >> reporter: but there was specific guidelines that went along with how the arrangements could be made, after all, they'll surround pope francis as he celebrates mass. >> the committee then decides kind of what the flower arrangements will look like then they give us the ar

news 4's meagan fitzgerald has his story. >> reporter: for marine corporal william ferrell, a selfless decision to help someone else cost him his life. his friends who called him kyle say he always chose to serve others. >> he was down to earth. he was a great guy that would do anything for you and that's why people want to join the fire department, to help people. >>> brian tyner is the fire chief in brian's hometown of carthage, north carolina. he joined the department at 16 and left after high school. >> he joined the marine corps and we waited to see him go. >> reporter: kyle's journey led him to maryland where he was promoted to corporal and was stationed at camp david. it's when a maryland state trooper, daniel rochelle believed kyle was headed tuesday night and he stopped on the shoulder of northbound lane 15 to help a driver who was stalled. >> the suspect vehicle went off the side of the road and struck corporal ferrell's pickup truck as well as striking corporal ferrell. >> ferrell died on the scene, but his life's journey to help and provide service to others won't be forgot

news4's meagan fitzgerald spoke with one victim, and she told news4 she waited more than a year for theresults of her rape kit. >> i know when i was leaving for my -- i was waiting for my results i felt like i couldn't make any other decisions. i couldn't decide about my future because everything rested in that rape kit. >> the state of virginia says it will start testing the more than 2,000 backlogged kits in the next two years and expect the process to be complete ahead of schedule. >>> today marks 14 years since the deadliest terrorist attack on u.s. soil. here's a live look at the pentagon. nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on september 11, 2001. at sunrise, workers will unfurl a giant american flag at the pentagon and we'll bring you that live as it happens. >>> in the 14 years since the terrorist attacks, the nature of terrorism has changed. sophisticated cyber attacks have in some parts taken the place of large scale bombings. in light of that fact, governor terry mcauliffe says it's important to remain vigilant. he says he's ordered security audits of all state agencies to be

as news 4's meagan fitzgerald tells us now, all they had to do was put pen to paper. >> reporter: youdon't have to look far to see or even feel the excitement of the pope's arrival when walking the halls at st. bernadette catholic school. >> these are really good. >> reporter: and inside the classroom -- >> what do we know about the pope? >> reporter: -- it's one of the most talked about lessons since the start of school. but the highlight of the day came on tuesday morning. >> mrs. wood, whose classroom are we visiting first? >> reporter: when monsignor smith surprised three students with tickets to attend pope francis' historic mass at the basilica. >> knock, knock. >> good morning monsignor smith. >> reporter: one of the tickets went to brandon. >> congratulation, man. good job. >> reporter: the surprise left him somewhat speechless. >> i don't know. >> reporter: but his classmates not so much. >> it's like a once in a lifetime opportunity. >> reporter: even putting in a few requests of their own. >> say hi to pope francis for us, please. >> reporter: next, it was off to a fourth g

news 4's meagan fitzgerald live in northwest. >> reporter: yeah, that third double shooting in northwest that happened here monday night happened at this apartment complex just behind me here. police say a security guard was shot in the neck. he managed to fire back and detain the suspect. coming up in the next half hour, hear from the brave eyewitness who called 911. i'll have a live report. adam? >>> hey, we're live along route 7 and tyson's corner tonight. you know, most days when you drive on this road, it is pretty much unbearable. from alexandria through seven corners. on up to falls church. and here into tyson's. it is a tough ride on this road. coming up on news 4 at 5:30, the plans to fix the road. hey, are you ready for a light rail line here? wendy, back to you. >>> well, from ferguson to fairfax county, policing that's turned deadly has law enforcement leaders looking for new ways to do their work. today, virginia's attorney general rolled out a plan for special training. for officers and for deputies across the commonwealth. our bureau chief, julie carey, has details live fr

. >>> i'm meagan fitzgerald on the west lawn of the capitol where 50,000 people were here moments agoand hear pope francis. there was excitement, but after the pope ended his address, many say their sentiment turned to encouragement. there were many moments when the crowd was silent, listening closely to the pontiff's remarks and taking in his words, but there were several other times when there were loud cheers and applause. many people we spoke with say they were inspired by the pope's comments about treating everyone with compassion and love, even reminding people of the golden rule. >> to see the crowd and the support that a catholic leader of our world is receiving is so emotional just talking about it, it just makes me cry. >> reporter: the pope ended his time at the capitol by walking out on to the balcony behind us here, greeting the people and asking them to pray for him. that's something a lot of people say further shows his humility. >> one group of people who got a very up-close moment with the pope were those who were at lunch for catholic charities. it happened just outs

news 4's meagan fitzgerald found residents there guarding the man that work. >> reporter: witnesses tell us the shooting happened at the top of the steps behind us here just before midnight yesterday. now they tell us that the police tell us not only did the suspect shoot at the security guard but the man was able to shoot back and detain the suspect. we spoke with a woman who called 911. neighbors say the area around ft. stevens road is usually safe. nevertheless, having an on security guard helps neighbors to rest a little easier. but just before midnight on monday, investigators say roland thomas was shot while guarding ft. stevens place apartments. his co-workers say he was shot in the neck and shoulder but still managed to tackle and detain the suspect. 41-year-old renard hampton. they attribute thomas' survival to an eyewitness who didn't want to go on camera but quickly called 911. >> asked them to please hurry, send somebody because a security guard was shot. i saw him on the ground on top of the suspect. and they were -- he was tussling with him. >> reporter: that suspect has be

meagan fitzgerald spoke to one victim. she said she waited for more than one year for the results of her rape kit. >> i know when i was waiting for my results, i felt like i couldn't make any other decisions. i couldn't decide about my future. because everything rested in that rape kit. >> now more victims may soon get closure. the state of virginia says that i'll test more than 2,000 backlogged k kits in the next t years. >>> james proctor has died. heant ared communities -- he represented the counties in the last few years. state flags have been ordered to fly at half-staff to honor him who was 79 years old. >>> three americans who stopped a terror attack on a train in france will be honored with a parade today. skarlatos, stone and college student anthony sadler will be in a parade at noon today in sacramento. all three received france's highest honor for their heroic actions. >>> virginia's attorney general is bringing attention to unfair and deceptive loans. today, mark herring plans to announce he's changing his cons

megan fitzgerald has more. meagan? >> reporter: doreen, a very dramatic and emotional moments playing and unfolding inside that crowded courtroom. friends and family seen leaving the courtroom in tears. the jury heard that frantic 911 call made just moments after d.c. police detective joseph newell was shot, and the suspect's mother says she believes it's her fault her son is on trial. it's a case family members on both sides describe as a nightmare. antwan james on trial for allegedly killing his stepfather joseph newell after prosecutors say newell asked him and his brothers to do yardwork. james' mother bernadette newell told the jury her son was depressed and in a downward spiral after he resigned from the d.c. fire department. when questioned by the defense attorney, bernadette said, quote, antwan was very emotional about leaving the fire department. i asked him to talk to a pastor or therapist. the defense attorney asked, quote, did you ever take him to a doctor or something like that? bernadette replied, no. i f

megan fitzgerald is live with more on the preparations meagan, good morning. >> reporter: it certainlys good luck. the majority of the 25,000 tickets for those who will be able to attend mass have already been contributed. however, today, congresswoman eleanor holmes norton will have a lottery. those tickets will be distributed when they address cob. you'll be allowed to watch it on the jumbotron. no word how how many tickets will be strikted but back here at the basilica, crews have been working since 6:00 a.m. monday trying to get the east portico ready and prepared for the pope when he comes to town. we want to show you a little bit of what's been done so far. the roof is in place and almost complete. that's where the pope will be seated and celebrate mass. rierzs for where the medias will be broadcast. the next step is to sets up the 15,000 chairs for those who will be seat. workers are repainting curbs and trimming trees making sure everything is perfect for when the pontiff arrives. basilica officials say preparations are expected to be complete by sunday. they tell us anyone who

fitzgerald just got to the scene of the second shooting. it's at 46th and g street, not far from benning road. meagan, what you learning? >> reporter: jim, this call came in around 10:00. you can see behind me a very active scene. police have taped off the area here as they continue their investigation. now they tell us around 10:00 they got a call of two adult males suffering from gunshot wounds. those men have been transported to the hospital. we are told they were conscious and breathing. now we want to take you to that first scene from earlier today. show you some video there. this happening over in the berry pharmacy neighborhood at the 1100 block of eaton place. as you said, one person died. police felt they arrived on scene at around 7:35 with two adult males that were shot. one person transported to the hospital, conscious and breathing. we now understand that the second person in that shooting has died. homicide detectives are on scene investigating. they tell us they recovered multiple gunshot shell casings. now investigators are not telling us at this point if the two shootings are connected. but we do know t

news 4's megan fitzgerald joins us live from upper marlboro where the suspect's mother testified for the first time today. meagan reporter: court wrapped up moments ago, but it was a packed courtroom for family and friends for the man who killed a d.c. police officer and his stepson, a former d.c. firefighter antwan james. james' mother took the stand today testifying against her son in the murder for her slain husband. it was a very emotional day and just moments ago the jury heard a dramatic 911 recording when antwan's brother called police moments after that shooting happened. the phone taken away by his mother who told the operators that her son had just killed her husband. court documents say this all started in april of 2013 after joseph newell asked his three stepsons to help with yardwork. in court on wednesday, antwan james' mother bernadette newell testified that antwan was the only one who refused. she told the court she yelled at him and said, quote, if he didn't do the work he had to leave. bernadette told the jury antwan snapped saying, quote, he jumped up and said you're doing it because of him an