kendis, reena. >> megan hughes live in washington. megan, tnk you for that. >>> still ahead, much more on e shooting rampage including how investigators are digging into the suspects' lives and social media. >>> plus some new video just in, a look from inside theuilding. s.w.a.t. teams leading survivors to safety. >>> and security lapses by the secret service. a new report this morning by a the agency is, quote, in crisis. >>> checking our other top stories this morning five elementary school students have been arrested in n jersey accused of planning an attack on a local high school. allegedlylanned to set off an explosive device during an assembly. teachers uncovered written plans for the attack, teachers say. >>> breaking overnight a military helicopter has crashed in rural tennessee killing two army pilots. the apache helicopter went down during a training exercise near ft. campbell. the cause of f that cra is under investigation. >>> the british military has launched its first air strikes against isis targets in syria. it follows

kendis, reena. >> megan hughes live in washington. megan, thank you for that. >>> still ahead, much more on the shooting rampage including how investigators are digging into the suspects' lives and social media. >>> plus some new video jusus in, a lookokrom inside the buildldg. s.w.a.t. teams leading survivors to safety. >>> and security lapses by the secret service. a new report this morning by a government committee saying that the agency is, quote, in crisis.ok a flight using your airline credit card miles. and surprise! those seats metimes cost a ridiculous number of miles making it really hard to book the flight you want. luckily, there's a better y... with the capital one venture card. with venture, you'll earn unlimited double miles on every purchase, every day. just book ththflight you want, on any airline, then use your miles to cover the cost. now you're getting somewhere. what's in your wallet? i was out in the dining room, you know, meeting the resisints and i had a gentleman stop me and ask me if i made his dinner. he had

abc's megan hughes has details. supers: (mos) (:10-:12) norma jimenez / tornado survivor (:15-:19) mike springer / koat (:34-:41) moira james / traveler (1:00-1:01) megan hughes / abc news washington 1:01-end) script: the christmas twisters marched across the the twister that hit garland, texas was clocked as an ef-4. mos: "you could see transformers blowing up" the survivors count themselves on-screen courtesy: youtube/roamin' rich) in missouri, flooding like this led to several deaths-and led the governor to declare a state of emergency sunday night. in oklahoma, west texas and new k-o-a-t (cut after 'coated in snow) ""just last week it was 60 degrees in roswell now it's covered in snow." trucks out of control rest in the snowbank more than 20 motorists were national guard has been deployed to help people stranded. all of this weather impacted thousand flights in the u-s cancelled. more than four thousand delayed. sot moira james - traveler "i would call it living hell." reporter tag: and that winter weather is on

abc's megan hughes has details. washington william bratton, nyc police commissioner

abc's megan hughes reports. "campaigning nats" candidates crisscross new hampshire with the primary 50 days away?but one candidate isn't stumping. --lindsey graham announcing his exit on social media. sot - graham: i am suspending my campaign but never my commitment? the news traveled fast-christie learning about it from reporters at an event in hollis, new hampshire. sot - christie: i have great respect for sen. graham, he's a great man and a great american marco rubio in rochester-already looking for an endorsement. sot - rubio: we'd love to have their support. it's probably premature to ask for that. he just got out of the race today so let's give him some time to get through the holidays rubio, christie, and ted cruz are running tight in new hampshire polls for the am realistic to understand that that's the reason my poll numbers have taken a dip because people think that i'm a republican frontrunners-donald trump and hillary clinton--are feuding after this clinton claim during saturday's abc debate: sot - c

megan hughes tag: the new hampshire primary is fifty days away. on the republican side-- trump has a sizeable lead in recent polls, with cruz, rubio, and christie all close for the second place spot . " jessica rae: hilllly clinton will be getting a on the campaign trail... from her husband. bill clinton has behind-the- campaigning and for his wife... the office he used to hold. playing a more visible role in hillary clintotos campaign. over the weekend, she announced her husband will join her on the campaign in she said they're much ground in they can. and her main opponent for the democratic bid... tonight... but there has been a change of venunufor his visit. bernie sanders' is now being held at the sioux city convention street. at 7 p.m.... 6. sanders' camign organizers say the venue changed due to overwhelming turnout projections. jessica rae: last night blocked off parts of the vegas strip plowed into pedestrians. police say a drove up onto the sidewalk, hitting at least one person was killed. were injured, seven critically. it happened near

abc's megan hughes has all the details. good morning, megan. >> reporter: kendis, lauren, good morning, the fbi and other officials have been sifting through potential threats leading up to today. now, they've expressed particular conrn about the safety of americans overseas. in paris, the holiday street party will go on as planned but the fireworks diggs play has been called off. officials stressing the need for vigilance in the wake of nomber's attacks which left 130 dead. >> i was in paris the week after it happened and the thing is you can't let people like that dictate, you know, your lifestyle and your choices. >> reporter: this tourist is now in brussel and the mayor there also called off the fireworks display, they arrested two in connectionith the holiday plot. it won't halt celebrations at home. >> we are notware of any threat at this time we deem credible. expected to pack in 20 ocks. the nypd is deploying 6,000 armed officers there, more than ever fore, to protect the revers. >> only so much they can do. that's a

megan hughes tracking from washington. megan, good morning. >> reporter: reena,kendis, good morning. a u.s. official tells abc news a new task force being crereated could require roughly 200 personnel in iraq. the u.s. is stepping up the fight against the islamic state, defense secretary ash carter laying out the plan to congress. >> we're defending the meland, acting to defeat isil at its core in syria and iraq. >> repter: carter announced the u.s. is establishing a special operations targegeting force. it will be based in iraq and conduct raids, gather intelligence, free htages and aim to capture isis leaders. even before the attacks on paris, carter had planned for a broader role for u.s. special ops forces after a raid in iraq in late october. one american was killed. joshua wheeler, at a discussion at harvard's kennedy center he disputed boots on the ground. >> a lot don't think we're putting boots on the ground and doing a lot from the air but there are boots on the ground. >> reporter: with nearly 200 countries comin

megan hughes is following the latest developments from washington. megan. >> reporter: rick, good afternoon, donald 2ru78p is calling hill he'll a liar and the democratic front runner is on the defensive. he has kept fact checkers busy from celebrating 9/11 in new jersey and matt lauer in a phone interview with a today show he wants apology from the democratic front runner for unsubstantiated statements. >> i will demand an apology from hillary. she should apologize. >> the demand stem from this claim made during saturday "abc news" democratic debate. >> he's becoming isis's best recruiter. they are going to people showing videos of donald trump insulting islam and muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists. >> clinton's campaign unable to prove a video exhibit. >> do you have a particular video in mind. >> he's being used in social media. >> one viewer staffer and two us is spended and bernie saunders says he's sorry for campaign breach of voter database. >> yes i apologize. >> on the sgxt op size lyndsey gram announces he's out. >> i'm us is

megan hughes joins us with more. >> reporter: history certainly repeating itself. democrats in congress saying some of the exact same things, almost word for word, as they did after previous shootings. they're still facing a republican-dominated congress. and americans are reacting the same way, too. gun store owners say sales are booming. indiana mom kelly robinson bought herself a second firearm. >> i'm a widow with a severely autistic child who i will protect with my last breath. >> reporter: according to the fbi, more americans had gun background checks last friday than any other day on record. that was the same day of the shooting at the clinic in colorado. >> people are scared. >> reporter: but three votes, the senate failed to pass gun control legislation that would apply background checks to online. >> the motion not agreed to. >> reporter: the senate voted down an amendment to keep anyone on the fib's terror watch list from purchasing guns. >> just because it's not an easy problem to solve doesn't mean we should not do everything we can. >> i think the lef

kendis, lauren. >> abc's megan hughes live in washington. megan, thanks. >>> the friend of one of the shooters in the san bernardino massacre has been indicted on federal terror charges. those charges against enrique marquez include conspiring and making false statements who he bought the guns used in the shootings. >>> now to the flooding in the midwest which killed more than 20 people. the mississippi and other rivers expected to crest today but widespread damage already. many people have been told to evacuate. some had to be rescued. it's the worst flooding since 1993 but that was in the summer. >> flood in the winter is very dangerous. it's really cold out there. everybody keep a good attitude because it's be a while. no rain or snow in the flood zone today but temperatures are cold. here's justin povick at accuweather. good morning, justin. >> kendis, lauren, it's the final day of 2015 and we're finishing things off on a very cold note. you know, we're making up lost ground. couple of concern areas, lake-effect snow off the great lakes.

abc' s megan hughes has details. celebrations around the globe went off without a hitch. in paris, the holiday street party will go on as planned, but the fireworks display has been called off. officials stressing the need for novembers attacks which left 130 -- officials stressing the need for vigilance in the wake of november' s attacks, which left 130 dead. juan salines: i was in paris the week after it happened, and the thing is, you can' t let people like that dictate your lifestyle and your choices. megan: this tourist is now in brussels. the mayor there also called off the fireworks. brussels authorities arrested two men this week in connection with a suspected holiday plot. recent threats overseas wont' will not halt celebrations here at home. aware of any threat at this time that we deem credible. megan: an estimated 1 million about 20 blocks in and around times square. the nypd is deploying 6000 more than ever before to protect the revelers. >> there' s only so much they can do. that is a lot of people. >> i am kind of to the point t really feel safe megan: pase

megan hughes, live in washington. thank you. >>> tributes being poste online this morning for rock singer scott weiland. the former lead singer of the stone temple pilots. one of the most successful bands of the '90s. weiland had a long history of substance abuse. he died in his sleep. and was found last nightht in minnesota shortly before a show was scheduled to start. scott weiland was just 48 years old. >>> moving now to a shocking case of road rage that's left a miami man with a bullet in his chest. and it was all cght on camera. the driver gets out of his car and approaches a mercedes at the stoplight. when the light turns green. look at all this. you can see the mercedes driver pointing hisun and shooting the other man in the chest. the bullet barely missed his lungs. and police are on the hunt right now for the driver of that mercedes. >> incredible. >>> now, some sports. the late example of the game's not over until the game is over. >> unless you're a detroit or browns fan. the highlights from our guys at esp

abc's megan hughes has more. >> hillary, that's not a president. >> reporter: it may well be a preview of the 2016 presidential face-off. hillary clinton and donald trump going one-on-one. >> you see hillary, did you watch that -- what happened to her? no, she's terrible. >> reporter: and saturday's abc news democratic debate, hillary clinton took jab after jab at the republican front runner. >> mr. trump has a great capacity to use bluster and bigotry to inflame people. >> reporter: capped with this accusation. >> he is becoming isis' best recruiter. they are going to people showing videos of donald trump insulting islam and muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists. >> reporter: after the debate, clinton's campaign could provide no direct evidence that happened. at a campaign rally monday night, trump pushed back. >> and it turned out to be a lie. she's a liar. no, it turned out to be a lie. >> reporter: and trump is demanding that clinton apologize to which a clinton campaign spokesman replied "hell no." donald trump himself has repeatedly been accused of distorting facts.

more now fm abc's megan hughes. >> reporter: along the rising rivers an army of volunteers armed with sandbags are fighting a tough foe. >> the water has come up really fast. >> reporter: parts of the town of kimmswick near st. louis already flooded. in union, missouri, a mcdonald's nenearly subrged. a gas station under water. rising rivers causing this sewage treatment plant to exceed capacity. and many rivers haven't crested yet. water is already touching the steel on this bridge on the historic route 66. more than 500 roads are already closed. the missouri governor is calling in the national guard. >> we're dealing with an incredible amount of water coming at you here. you're talking about almost ten more vertical feet of moving water. >> reporter: flooding is being the regionon, and acss t country snowstorms are also proving deadly. in new york this crash between a fedex truck and a black sedan on slick roads killed the car's 22-year-old driver. whiteout conditions from the northeast to the midwest made travel nearly impossible. by road or by air. 850 cots were set up at o'hare ai

megan hughes, abc news, washington. >> thank you. move. slick commute for most of the northeast on the map here albany, hartford, boston, all cities in that pink icy area. mostly rain for new york city and south. 6 to 12 inches of snow from wisconsin to maine when it's all over with. okay, let's get to the other major breaking news story from overnight. the capture of the so-called affluenza teen, ethan couch. >> this is the first image of couch since he was detained in mexico. note he's dyed his hair black in an obvious attempt to avoid detection. >> couch and his mother are on their way to guadalajara eventually transferred back to texas. couch was found responsible for 20 2013. >> but his lawyers claimed his upbringing prevented him from being able to distinguish right from wrong. authorities have been searching >>> the race for the white house and donald trump is on the attack. he's taking aim at someone new. new jersey governor chris christie and mr. trump still firing shots at possible rival hillary clinton and her husband, the forme

megan hughes joins us with details. good morning, megan. >> reporter: good morning. yeah, as we've seen in a lot of other mass shootings, republicans really steering clear of gun control politics in their response. democrats on the other hand including the president demanding change. a tragic slaughter in san bernardino days after chaos at a colorado clinic. president obama who fought hard for gun control measures after the newtown shooting and lost is >> we have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world. and there are some steps we could take. >> reporter: hillary clinton calling for action at an event in orlando was the shooting was unfolding. >> it is time for us to say we're going to have comprehensive background checks, we're going to close the gun show loophole. >> reporter: as police were engaged in the suspects the house speaker was lighting the capitol christmas tree. >> please keep them in your prayerses right now. >> reporter: cruz cruz, ben carson and jeb bush tweeted prayers. a scathing report this mo

we get more now from abc's megan hughes. >>>> reporte the christmas isters marched across the texas landscape. in rowlett, they tossed trucks and tore trees from the earth. >> you can see the transformers blowing up. >> reporter: the survivors count themselves lucky. >> just very grateful we're alive and we're all safe. all this can be replaced. >> reporter: in missouri, flooding like this led to several deaths. and led the governor to declare mexico, snow created whiteout conditions on the roads. mike springer from affiliate koat. >> just last week, it was 60 degrees in ross we'll. today, everythg is covered in snow. >> reporter: trucks out of control rest in the snow bank. mo than 20 motorists were stranded on i-40 between amarillo and the new mexico border. 's western oklahoma the national guard has been deployed to help people stranded. all of this weather impacted air travel, too, more than 1,000 flights in the u.s. were canceled. more than 4,000 delayed. >> i would call it living hell. >> reporter: megan hughes, abc news, washington. >>> as megan mentioned the storm system is now headin

megan hughes, abc news, washington. >>> this is a big storm system. storm warnings and advisories are up across the midwest and upper plains. the heavy wet snow could be a problem if too much builds up. >> accuweather's paul williams gives us what to expect in the hours ahead. >> right now the same storm system that was bringing the problems with the rain to the west now changing over to snow accumulation between 6 to 10 inches in which affects target, sioux falls down towards omaha and possibly minnesota. keep in mind that minneapolis will be clipped by the snow shower activity but at the very least looking at 1 to 3 inches in that area and continues to shift towards the northeast. not done by a long stretch. aditi, kendis. >>> the suspect in the colorado planned parenthood clinic shooting has made his first appearance before a judge. robert dear appeared by video link from the county jail where he's been held since friday's attack. by his side the same public defender who represented colorado theater shooter james holmes. dear will like be charged w

megan hughes, abc news, washington. >> it is now 4:54.ion news" is coming up. >> remember you can take "action news" and 6abc.com with you wherever you go. if you received a new mobile device over the holidays load it up with the 6abc news storm tracker and events apps. they're all available on the itunes and google play storm. you can also find links on 6abc.com/apps. >> new this morning, seaworld has filed a lawsuit challenging a ruling that bans the company from breeding captive killer whales at its san diego park. the california coastal commission endorsed a $100 million expansion of the tanks that seaworld uses to hold orcas but they banned breeding and prohibited the sale trade or transfer of any of the whales. the lawsuit says the commission went outside its authority when it made its ruling on breeding. >> police are looking for the robber who stole an elderly woman's purse as she prayed at a florida church. surveillance video captured the crime last week. the robber casually took the bag from a pew at our lady queen of heaven lun