with more here's abc's phillip mena. >> reporter: simone biles is doing things no other gymnast has everlost a competition in three years. she even has her own move, the biles. amy is her coach. >> she flips back with a straight body two types on the second turn she does a half turn and lands forward. >> reporter: the 19-year-old is a three time world all-around champion. the first woman to win the title three types in a row. she's earned 14 medals in the world championships, ten of which are gold. >> there you go. >> reporter: we sat down with her before the team trials to find out what it takes to make gymnastics history. how many hours a week do you work. >> 3 hours. >> all those countless hours forced her to miss out on moments most teenagers cherish. >> since i was homeschooled so i could do what i do i thought that like i was missing out on like public school and going to all the football games or prom or homecoming but then once i think back to it i'm like well, yeah i can say i've missed a prom but i've been to three world championship. >> split and wrap, good. she is a major roc

>> phillip mena for us tonight, phillip, thank you. abc's rob marciano is in central park with more on the extreme heat. rob, any relief on the way? >> not for a while, tom. this is a widespread nearly coast to coast heat wave under way, dominating the weather map. a dome of high pressure, almost pressure cooking the atmosphere across the lower 48. we've got thunderstorms underneath and above it. severe thunderstorm watch for chicago and parts of the northeast this evening. meanwhile, the hot west continues. a couple degrees cooler tomorrow but still tough for firefighters. the heat and humidity continues oppressive across the midsection of the country. feeling nearly 100 everywhere and the heat only builds across the northeastern cities. look at monday, tuesday into wednesday. these are actual high temperatures. this is a long duration heat event that's going to take a toll on people and infrastructure for the northeast. like three-day stretch or five-day stretch i should say in nearly three years. tom? >> people got to be careful out

>> phillip mena with us in texas tonight. thank you, phillip. >>> when we come back here, the noah's ark replica, built here in america, opening now, and the controversy tonight. you'll see it here. >>> also, late developments coming in involving bill cosby tonight. what he and his lawyers were demanding today in court and what that judge has now decided. we'll be right back. ♪ i'm free to do what i want and have a good time.♪ the ford freedom sales event is on! and zero for 72 is back! on 2016 ford focus, fusion and escape. plus specially tagged vehicles get an extra $1000 smart bonus. that means freedom from interest... and freedom to choose... with ford, america's best selling brand. ♪ i'm free, baby! now get 0% financing for 72 months. plus, specially tagged vehicles get a $1000 smart bonus. only at the ford freedom sales event. ♪ feel free... this dog treat called max and dentalife.covered it's really different. see? it's flexible... ...and it has a chewy, porous texture, full of little tiny air pockets that gives dogs'

>> phillip mena for us tonight, phillip, thank you. abc's rob marciano is in central park with more on the extreme heat. rob, any relief on the way? >> that depends where you live, tom, but for most, this heat wave is just getting under way. it's widespread coast to coast. a dome of high pressure, almost pressure cooking the atmosphere across the lower 48. we've got thunderstorms underneath and above it. severe thunderstorm watch for change and -- chicago and parts of new england. another hot day tomorrow, might cool a little bit towards the beginning of next week but the central and eastern part of the country is not going to cool. another oppressive day. sunday's temperatures will feel once again like they're up and over 100 degrees. for the northeast, the big cities, d.c., philadelphia, baltimore and new york only will get worse, the heat lasts through wednesday, the longest and hottest stretch of weather that we've seen in three years. tom? >> people got to be careful out there. rob, thank you. >>> next tonight we move overseas and

abc's phillip mena is on the scene there with the latest. good morning, phillip. >> reporter: robin, good morning. this city is in shock. it started as a peaceful protest but in the end it turned into a targeted attack on police officers. the deadliest in dallas' history. the mayor here simply saying, our worst nightmare has happened. at 6 p.m. hundreds gather peacefully in downtown dallas to protest the two recent fatal shootings of black men and some protesters taking pictures with dallas pd showing their solidarity. at 8:45 a mile from city hall shots rang out. >> shots fired. >> officers scramble to secure the scene. >> shots fired. >> r out of harm's way. >> we got shots fired. >> get out of here. >> reporter: the shots grow louder. as at least two snipers fire on police from elevated positions. patrick cooper filming this video inside el centro college, where one of the snipers appears to be shooting from above. >> somebody is shooting. >> reporter: this chilling video shows one of the gunmen taking aim at a police officer. he misses tw

we start with phillip mena on the ground in texas. >> reporter: dan, paula, good morning. in a few hours, a full team of ntsb investigators will report here. witnesses reported h seeing a fireball in the sky. this morning, investigators on the the scene of the deadliest balloon crash in u.s. history. 16 people killed when this hot air balloon plummeted to the ground. this photo showing it just moments before the crash. the balloon taking off just before sunrise saturday, 30 miles south of austin. near lockhart. investigators believe the balloon struck high-tension power lines then came crashing to the ground. the first 911 call coming in at >> looking for a vehicle fire fully engulfed. jolly road just off cistern. >> reporter: rescue crews responding to what they thought was a vehicle fire. >> the popping sound was the balloon connecting with the electric lines. then, by the time i turned and saw the fireball go up, the basket was on the ground. >> reporter: the ntsb quickly sending a team to the scene. >> it's much like a crime scene. you only get one chance. so we want t

phillip mena is in sand diego. >> reporter: a massive man hunt. police officers shot multiple times. s.w.a.t. teams and helicopters rushed to the j.d. deguzman killed. >> a loving husband, father. i know him. and this is gut-wrenching. >> reporter: the other officer, wade irwin, expected to survive. the shooting comes as police are on high alert in the country, following the targeted killings of officers. weeks. >> reporter: police are still investigating, but they hope that body cameras provide crucial evidence. >> thank you. >>> we turn next to the dangerous weather. in kansas, powerful winds, up to 85 miles an hour. and in brooklyn, heavy rain and flash flooding combine. here's ginger zee. >> several headlines, let's go straight to the map. the severe thunderstorm map, parts of wyoming, nebraska. the monsoon in full swing. you go to the east, three inches minutes. so, the northeast drying out, but still in severe drought. buffalo, syracuse, getting rain saturday night. central pennsylvania, bull's eye. and watching the atlantic, it's a 50% shot

. >> phillip mena is in dallas with the latest. good morning, phillip. >> reporter: george, good morning. this city is in shock. it started out as a peaceful protest but it turned into a targeted attack on police officers. the deadliest in this city's history. dallas' mayor simply saying, our worst nightmare has happened. >> no justice, no peace! >> reporter: at 6:00 p.m. hundreds gather peacefully in downtown dallas to protest the two recent fatal police shootings of black men. some protestors even taking photos with dallas pd, showing their solidarity. then at 8:45, just a file from city hall, shots ring out. officers scramble to secure the scene. >> shots fired. >> shots fired. >> reporter: moving protestors out of harm's way. >> get out of here! >> reporter: the shots grow louder. a sniper firing on police from an elevated position in el centro college. patrick cooper took this video from inside the college. >> somebody is shooting. >> reporter: police tried to negotiate with the shooter. he tells them he was upset about the rec

here's phillip mena. >> reporter: tonight, families waiting for word, coming to grips that their loved ones may never come home. >> it's a lot to take in. >> reporter: jan stewart's husband matthew, sent snapchat pictures the morning of the disaster. she hasn't heard from them since. >> she started snapchatting with me, then all of a sudden, they came to an end. >> reporter: the couple from san antonio, newlyweds, married only six months ago. >> always saw the best in everything and in everyone. she lived life to the fullest. >> reporter: the family of joe and teresa shaffer also fear they are among the deceased, telling abc news the couple cherished spending time with their kids and grandchildren. owner of the company that operated the balloon, tonight being remembered by friends. >> he loved what he did. his utmost, utmost priority was the safety to his passengers. >> reporter: tonight, authorities telling us that many of the victims will need to be identified by their dental records, a process that could take weeks, even months. a manhunt under way in austin, after one person was ki

here is phillip mena. >> reporter: this mother hailed a hero shielding a son from a hail of bullets.i didn't do anything any other mother or father would not have done. i want to show them that we can be unified. >> reporter: gunfire. >> he said he has a gun, run. >> reporter: three of taylor's sons scattered, the fourth, 15-year-old andrew, pinned under his mother. >> i just stand there covered in my mom's blood and i dropped down crying. >> she took a bullet for you. >> she truly did. you couldn't ask for anything more than a mother. >> reporter: but through tears, taylor says it was the fast acting police who protected both of them from a fatal bullet. >> so thankful. i had never seen anything like that, the way they just came around us and just guarded us like that. >> reporter: taylor says her 12-year-old son, her youngest, now wants to grow up to be a cop. phillip mena, abc news, dallas. >> we'll have more from dallas later on, but first to other news including wildfires in the west near los angeles, a fire now 1100 acres, but it is 49% contained. the 2,000 residents ordered to

here's phillip mena. >> reporter: this mother hailed a hero tonight, shielding her son from the hail of bullets. >> i didn't do anything that any other mother or father wouldn't do for their own child. >> reporter: shetamia taylor bringing her four boys to the black lives matter protest thursday. >> i wanted to show them we can be unified. >> reporter: but then, gunfire. >> he said, "he has a gun, run." >> reporter: three of taylor's sons scattered. the fourth, 15-year-old andrew, pinned under his mother as a bullet hit her leg. >> i was covered in my mom's blood. >> reporter: she took a bullet for you. >> truly. you couldn't ask for more in a mother. >> reporter: but through tears taylor says, it was the fast-acting police who protected both of them from a fatal bullet. >> so thankful. i have never seen anything like that. the way they came around and guarded us like that. >> reporter: taylor says her 12-year-old son, her youngest, wants to grow up to be a cop. >> thank you. >>> still ahead tonight, the major airline slapped with a massive lawsuit. what one young girl says happened

they're fathers, husbands, veterans and phillip mena tells us about who they were and the families they left behind. >> reporter: tonight rick's only comfort telling his son's story. >> that's in kuwait. >> officer patrick leaving the military to become a police officer. >> we were so proud of him. >> his little girl now without her dad. >> officer brent thompson remembered by his kids and fellow officers as a hero. >> he was running through the danger when other people run away from the danger. >> he was married two weeks ago. his wife also an officer. >> she's having a real hard time. and understandably so. you know, because we thought he was going to make it. >> senior corporal laurel ahrens known for his crooked smile. >> this is -- he's a big guy, big guy, incidence vincible. >> and officer michael krol described as a big gentle giant. >> it's numbing. you know, you just can't accept it. >> michael smith, a 26 year veteran of the force and father of two, seven more shot but alive tonight including officer misty mcbride. her daughter with this message to mom. >> i love you and i'm g

phillip mena is in san diego. >> reporter: a massive manhunt. >> we have two officers down. >> reporter: two san diego cops assigned to the unit dealing with gangs shot multiple times when making a stop. s.w.a.t. teams and helicopters rushed to the scene. 16-year veteran j.d. deguzman was killed. >> a loving, caring husband, father. i know him. and this is gut-wrenching. >> reporter: the other officer, wade irwin, expected to survive. residents told to shelter in place as police scoured the neighborhood for suspects. the shooting comes as police are on high alert throughout the country, following the targeted killings of officers in dallas and baton rouge. >> we've seen this happen way too many times in the last few weeks. >> reporter: police are still investigating, but they hope that the body cameras the officers were wearing provide crucial evidence. tom? >> phillip, thank you. >>> we turn next to the em extreme weather at the end of a very hot week. the heat fueling severe storms. this moving across parts of the midwest. in kansas, powerful winds, up to 85 miles an hour. this driver

phillip mena is on the fire lines. >> reporter: tonight, the massive wildfire raging just ten miles north of los angeles turning deadly. officials discovering a body inside the charred vehicle in this driveway. >> unfortunately that fire came through and blasted the backside of some of those homes. >> reporter: 1,500 homes evacuated. 18 now destroyed. fire sweeping down into the valleys, flames 40 feet high. >> there's a lot of devastation as you can see. around the hillsides here. >> reporter: 1,700 firefighters, even modified jumbo jets brought in to attack the blaze. choppers grabbing any available water to douse the flames. hollywood productions. but today, firefighters are putting out the flames after it was burnt to rubble. this fire, just one of more than two dozen burning in ten states out west. david, the people living in this home, thankfully, able to escape with their lives. but tonight, no help for firefighters. it is hot and dry and no sign of rain ahead. david? >> thank you. >>> and the heat stretching from coast to coast tonight. the unrelenting heat and sun, heat indices i

but we begin tonight with abc's phillip mena. >> reporter: tonight, severe storms marching across kentucky, sending trees into homes. dangerous displays lighting up the night skies, alongside the fireworks this holiday weekend. lightning setting homes ablaze. in plano, texas, homeowners salvaging what they could after this suspected strike. another bolt sparking a fire at an apartment complex near dallas. >> and suddenly, there was a bolt from the blue, i've never heard such a large bang in my life. >> reporter: it's all part of a wave of storms punishing the planes and now marching east. in colorado, hail the size of golf balls shattering windows. >> i thought there was a tornado coming. so, i ran to the windows, and the hail was just busting through the windows. >> reporter: from nine inches of rain in kansas, to this twister in stillwater, oklahoma. state troopers there searching tonight for a woman after her car was swept away in floodwaters. across the country, another threat. 16 wildfires raging across eight states. some officials warning backyard fireworks could easily spark fires,

and abc's phillip mena is at l.a.x. tonight. >> reporter: tonight, hundreds of southwest planes all over the country grounded. southwest says the problem is an outage affecting "multiple technology systems" and it caused a ground stop at multiple airports. >> hey, southwest, you got all these people sitting here waiting on you guys to fix your little outage. >> reporter: the pictures now coming in. planes parked at l.a.x. >> the lines keep getting longer and longer. >> reporter: long lines in baltimore. and from dallas love field to san francisco, flights going nowhere. passengers airing their frustration on twitter. these passengers tweeting, they've been delayed for 13 hours. david, here at l.a.x., southwest says the ground stop has been lifted, but as you can see, there are delays and long lines. southwest can't tell us exactly when things will get completely back to normal. david? >> all right, phillip, a messy night ahead. thank you. >>> and this travel nightmare comes as dangerous heat now moves in across much of

on the move and hundreds have already been forced from their homes and abc's phillip mena is right there on the ground in santa clair receipta. good morning, phillip. >> reporter: paula, good morning to you. about 300 firefighters are working this fire right now and all night louisiana county helicopters have been dropping water on it but still no containment. and this morning, evacuations are under way. overnight, walls of flames lighting up the southern california skies. the sand fire burning 2500 acres. the blaze forcing hundreds to evacuate from their homes and this morning, it is zero percent contained. >> they gave us a voluntary evacuation and then shortly after that they gave us a mandatory evacuation. >> reporter: this fire truck battling the flames along the 14 freeway near los angeles as cars come perilously close. from the ground and the air. video shot inside this l.a. county fire chopper capturing the daunting task. >> eight helicopter, two fixed wings flying today and we do have some flying at night. >> reporter: over 300 firefighters combating the inferno. one injured in

> lives cut short in a senseless act of violence leaving distraught families behind, and abc's phillip mena with that part of the story. phillip, good morning to you. >> reporter: dan, paula, good morning. this is just what rips your heart out seeing these flowers and balloons and these messages of love and gratitude to the fallen heroes of this city. overnight a growing memorial outside police headquarters in dallas, a tribute to the heroes. five officers killed in the line of duty, police say, at the hands of a sniper. this morning, we're learning their names. 32-year-old patrick zamarripa, a young husband and father to a 2-year-old girl. he survived three tours in iraq. 40-year-old michael krol, his mother saying he was living a dream of being a police officer. he knew the danger of the job, but he never shied away from his duty. 55-year-old michael smith, a 26-year veteran of the force. lorne ahrens, he served for 14 years and brent thompson, the first dallas transit cop to die in the line of duty. he was a newlywed married just two weeks ago. his wife also a d.a.r.t. officer now a wido

ultimate sacrifice, fathers, husbands, veterans, leaving behind heartbroken families, and abc's phillip mena has more on these men who gave their lives for another. phillip. >> reporter: paula, good morning. we are at baylor university medical center where we know that at least one wounded officer is still being treated here. this community is still reeling from thursday's horrific attacks. this morning, the mood in dallas and around much of the country somber after the deadly ambush on police during the protest thursday night leaving five officers dead and seven wounded. two civilians also injured in the attack. overnight, president obama speaking in poland about the horrific events. >> this has been a tough week first and foremost for the families who have been killed but also for the entire american family, the american people are grieving with them, and we stand with them. >> reporter: processions under way for the fallen officers, patrick zamarripa, michael krol, michael smith, lorne ahrens and brent thompson. thompson's children sharing in a statement that their dad joked about being b

phillip mena, california. >> the firefighters are also battling high temperatures as are americans throughout the country. it'll feel like 108 degrees for any democratic national convention delegates who venture outdoors in philadelphia. >> east coast will set records today. paul williams joins us with the forecast. >> good morning. serious heat feeling like 110 degrees throughout the mid south including nashville, memphis, down throughout mississippi and louisiana. same kind of heat in d.c. and philadelphia areas. feeling like 110 or nearly 1 0 0 to 105 surrounding areas. on the west coast as well, a high pressure system strengthening, forcing the jetstream north. challenging record highs and dangerous sun shine, uv index high. everybody will need sun block. >> all right. keep the sun block handy. thank you. >>> turning to the controversy surrounding the start of the democratic national convention. >> this morning has democrats descend on california, debbie wasserman shultz has announced her resignation. leeked e-mails showed party e-mails favored hillary clinton in the primaries. a charge b

suspect is in custody and officers across the country on alert after the recent shooting abc's phillip mena has the latest. >> reporter: a massive manhunt under way this morning after a san diego police officer killed and another critically injured overnight. >> we have two officers down. >> reporter: the shooting took place at 11:00 p.m. as the officers made a routine stop. >> officers are working on getting the downed victims out of here. the shot is definitely a handgun. >> reporter: s.w.a.t. teams and hs rushed to the scene. >> the suspect is going to be start look for somebody hiding. >> reporter: one taken into custody. others sought as residents are urged to stay in their homes. the shooting comes as police on high alert throughout the country following the killing of officers in dallas and baton rouge. we've learned the officer who was killed was a father of two. the other officer is out of surgery and is expected to survive. this morning the massive search under way for a possible second suspect, george. >> okay, phillip, thanks very much. >> the northeast, flooding already in penn