security here, the way it was during the states of emergency during the worst of times in ferguson. >> ron allen in ferguson. ron, thank you. >>> we want to turn to the new scandal in the secret service. sources familiar with the investigation are telling nbc news that the pair of agents that crashed a car into a white house barrier after they reportedly had been drinking careened right into the middle of a potentially very dangerous security situation. nbc's chris jansing is at the white house to tell us more about it. hi, chris. >> reporter: hi, lester. well this latest embarrassment for the secret service really has people shaking their heads incredulous that experienced senior agents could become a target of investigation by the inspector general of homeland security. and it comes at a time when they know scrutiny of the agency has probably never been higher. for years he was one of the elite agents president obama trusted with his life. from ireland to arizona to ohio, but now mark connolly and senior supervisor george ogilvie are being investigated for what happened late on the night of ma

nbc's ron allen is in ferguson for us tonight with a lot more. ron, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. first, this report was not about the death of michael brown, or whether officer darren wilson show face federal civil rights charges. that investigation continues. officials have already said that those charges are not likely. this investigation looked at how ferguson's police department conducts their job. who do they arrest, who do they stop on the streets, how do they use force. we understand they've found a pattern of racial bias. >> back off! >> reporter: investigating the underlying tension and mistrust that caused so much violence and confrontation after the death of michael brown, officials familiar with the justice department report say in the two years before that deadly encounter, in 88% of the cases when police used force the suspect was african-american as were 93% of the people arrested. the probe officials say also found specific examples of racial stereotyping. a 2008 e-mail by a ferguson official saying president ob

but as ron allen reports the problems may extend far beyond ferguson. >> reporter: now backed by the findings of a scathing federal investigation renewed demands for a complete overhaul of ferguson's police force. >> who killed mike brown! >> reporter: ferguson now among more than 20 police departments the obama administration has investigated for allegedly racist practices. from albuquerque to cleveland to newark, most agree to legally binding reform plans, consent decrees. but the justice department has sued at least four jurisdictions thats have resisted. analysts say constant oversight is essential. >> where the government has simply entered into an agreement and then basically walked away, i think we've seen that doesn't work. >> reporter: but even in cities like new orleans, nearly three years under a consent decree critics say police still use excessive force, making illegal stops, searches and other misconduct. >> with more people watching, you know, i could only hope that it's going to get better. but i'm still skeptical. because the problems have been here for a very, very

nbc's ron allen with this report. >> reporter: ferguson police chief tom jackson has faced withering criticism since the death of michael brown last august. his decision to withhold officer wilson's name while releasing video of brown in a robbery, fueled calls for resignation. the justice department investigation found jackson was running a police department rampant with racial bias. more focused on raising revenue through the courts than public safety. he had resisted constant calls to step down. jackson city manager john shaw out the door. >> we expect you to do more. >> reporter: the council approved a mutual separation agreement last night. and the top judge who resigned after missouri supreme court ordered a higher ranking judge to take over. before that the city fired its top clerk and two police supervisors resigned after the doj report linked them to racially charged e-mails. the fallout may continue as federal investigators press for reforms they've said dismantling the police department is not out of the question. in a statement to nbc news, jackson said he's confident the

>> ron allen, thank you. >>> high drama at the supreme court today. a lot of eyes on this one. a legal challenge that could doom obamacare as we know it. health care coverage for millions of americans is hanging in the balance. and as our justice correspondent pete williams reports, the law's future could hinge on just four words. >> reporter: what's at stake? >> $6,000 a month just for drugs. >> reporter: ask david tedrow whose non-alcohol liver disease left him bedridden forced to sell his business. >> my liver was ceasing to function. and i was dying. >> reporter: what saved him, he says, was the launch of obamacare and the federal subsidy that came with it allowing him to afford insurance and get a liver transplant. >> oh, my gosh, i'm a completely different person today. i'm alive. >> reporter: he's one of the 7 million americans who get their insurance and the subsidy through healthcare.gov, the federal marketplace or exchange. their average premium, about $100 a month, would be nearly four times that without the subsidy. too much for many to afford. the question today fo

lester. >> ron allen tonight, thank you. >>> you're about to see for yourself how a chilling accident played out in north carolina today when an amtrak passenger train collided with a truck and sent cars flying off the rails in what is at least the third major train accident of this kind this year alone. here's stephanie gosk now with more. >> reporter: a woman in a nearby car caught the actual moment of impact on her cell phone. >> oh, my god! oh, my god! >> reporter: an amtrak train traveling from charlotte to new york barrelled through a tractor-trailer in the middle of a railroad crossing. a bystander says the truck got stuck trying to make a turn before the crossing barriers came down. ted cammerota was on the train. >> we moved out of the way, it was almost like that sudden jerk or whiplash feeling you get in a car accident. much more intense. >> reporter: 212 passengers and 8 crew were on board. at least 40 people were taken to nearby hospitals. the accident comes roughly a month after a new york city commuter train slammed into an suv killing the driver of the car and four tra

ron allen is back in ferguson for us tonight. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: without warning gunfire, at least three shots shattered the calm evening outside ferguson police headquarters. >> shots fired. officer down. >> reporter: a potentially deadly moment. >> is he hit? >> yeah, in the face. >> reporter: two officers hit. one took a bullet through the shoulder. the other hit in his face. rushed from the scene. an nbc news team right in the middle of the chaos. >> the police said get down, get down, and guns were drawn. we all hit the floor. it was a frightening moment. >> reporter: the police response was intense. scores surrounding headquarters launching a manhunt. police say the weapon was probably a handgun fired from a residential neighborhood on a hill overlooking headquarters. >> it got quiet. all he heard was the police of course shot him -- took cover and they get their guns out and riot gear out and stuff like that. it was pretty surreal. >> reporter: a stunning end to a demonstration that was winding down following the resignation of embattled ferguson police chief tom jackson ear

. >> i'm joined now from ferguson by nbc's ron allen. n, set the scene there because this ambush is just a horrible situation coming out what had been a peaceful rally. >> reporter: it's a horrible situation coming out of so many things especially because there really had never been anything like this during so many months of protests and demonstrations here. the police say they were targeted. it happened here near this parking lot. the police station is right behind me. you can see there's some activity going on over there. we've been trying to watch. this street over here to this side is where the ambush came from up that street there's a residential neighborhood you can't see behind that building. that's apparently where the shots have come from, down that street almost exactly into the parking lot is where the police officers who were hit were standing and protests were across the street back and forth. they've been out here more than 100 nights. it's been a ritual and it's gone off without -- some arrests and pushing and shoving and

nbc's ron allen is driving along i-95. ron, i wanted to curse earlier but i'll forego it. you're traveling in maryland towards baltimore, correct? >> reporter: we're a little bit above baltimore now, thomas i won't curse because i'm sitting in a car and it's nice in here. i can roll down the window and see what's going on outside. trying to do something different, it's a little sleety but not much snow. you can see in front of us here the other camera that the road is black, wet, here's a toll booth and traffic is moving. we have hit a couple of stretches where there have been reduced speeds but not a lot actually. people are out here there's some traffic and it's moving along. schools back in maryland are closed in many districts, some opened late. and people are getting on with it. and the real good news is it's supposed to be 55 degrees here tomorrow. there's that as well kind of messy, little slippery not a disastrous day. we've seen a couple of cars that have spun out here and there. but things are moving along. >> so there is hope as we wait for spring to officially

nbc's ron allen is in ferguson this morning. ron, what can you tell us? >> reporter: well good morning, matt. there have been more than 100 nights of protest out here since michael brown was shot and killed by officer darren wilson last august and nothing like this has ever happened. the police though have always warned that there could be violence. they always felt that they were under threat and that they'd been targeted throughout all these protests. there was a small crowd out here in the parking lot across the street from the police station. maybe several dozen people as the crowd was dwindling as the night wore on. eventually the crowd and the police came together. police were trying to keep them out of the street. there was some confrontation back and forth when the protesters would block traffic. protesters were trying to keep the way open but for some reason things got tense. all of a sudden out of nowhere, shots rang out. here's what happened. at least four shots rang out shortly after midnight here as officers attempted le dwindling crowd of pr

ron allen, nbc news, madison, wisconsin. >> announcer: now, you're nbc 10 first alert weather with chief meteorologist glenn "hurricane" schwartz. >> we started the day off with a lot of clouds. but now the sun is coming back and that powerful march sun, a lot of melting. the snow melting, the ice in the river is melting. you don't want it to melt too fast or else you can end up with flooding problems. you'll also get pothole weather. it's cold then it's warm then it melts, then it freeze ss. we've got rain coming in. you don't want too much rain either. it's a delicate balance when you have snow on the ground. the first rain we get tomorrow afternoon and tonight won't be that much. it will be okay. sunshine across the area. look how little ice is left in the delaware. there's still some and more in schuylkill but shrinking. 8-mile-an-hour winds, a really nice day. and the amount of snow for the winter we have now caught up to average for the winter and gone past it despite that slow start that we had in december and into january, now 23 inches in philadelphia 22 in atlantic city. wilmin

. >> nbc's ron allen has more now from madison, wisconsin. > reporter: good afternoon, thomas. emotions are very raw out here. there's a concern about more protests. things have been peaceful and nonconfrontational so far, but it's early days in this investigation. the incident happened over there in that gray house behind me. you can see the police are still out there. we've seen investigators going in and out. and there's a makeshift memorial out there. people have been coming by dropping off flowers and paying their respects to 19-year-old tony robinson who was killed here by a police officer friday night. the police have said that the officer was responding to a disturbance. it apparently start here in this gas station and went across the street. robinson went into that home which belongs to two of his friends. the officer went in saying that there was some kind of confrontation going on and he went in, and he says the police say the officer says that he was assaulted, and that's why he opened fire. but all the details of this are still be

ron allen, nbc news madison, wisconsin. >>> first at 4, demanding changes in the wake of controversy. >> the video spooshging outrage across the world and what the school's president just said about it. >>> hidden dangers in your home that could lead to tragedy. we're keeping you safe and secure. want to prevent something like this from happ >>> an amtrak train headed to our area derails in north carolina. police say a tractor-trailer stalled on the tracks right in the train's path. despite the damage no word of anyone killed. >>> also breaking we're waiting to learn the condition of a person pulled from an icy pond in brandywine in prince george's county. this is video from chopper 4 a few moments ago. our stonehill farm is headed to the scene. >>> and we'll have updates on the nbc washington app. >>> disgraceful and reprehensible. a video of university of oklahoma students singing a racist chant. >> now that fraternity is being kicked off campus and the university is threatening legal action. nbc's jay gray is live in norman oklahoma right now weather the fallout. jay? >> reporter:

back to you. >> ron allen live for us. we'll have much more of his reporting today on the "today" show. >>> also today, montgomery county police are take one step closer to starting a body camera program. the police chief and members of the county council are meeting this afternoon. the department says it's been considering a body camera program for about a year now. you could see officers wearing cameras sometime in the next 12 months. >>> new information about the moments leading up to the crash take killed a prince george's county police officer. 26-year-old brennan rabain was killed saturday morning after losing control of his cruiser. richard jordan is live outside police headquarters in palmer park with more. >> reporter: good morning. today police officers trying to locate a driver who was behind the wheel of a minivan that may have had a good perspective of the crash, may be a good eyewitness for them to get additional information. brennan rabain lost control of his cruiser early saturday morning. he crashed his ve

we have nbc's ron allen with more on the justice department's report. ron, what do you got? >> good morning, joe. first this report this investigation, whether officer darren wilson should face civil rights charges that investigation continues. unlikely he'll face those charges. this investigation looked at how ferguson police conduct their duties. we understand the investigation found a pattern of racial bias. investigating the underlining tension and mistrust that caused so much violence and confrontation after the death of michael, those familiar with the justice department report in the two years before that deadly encounter, when police used force, 88% of the time people were after can americans. it also found specific examples of that. attorney general eric holder who visited ferguson after brown's death said he was troubled by what he heard. >> what we're doing hopefully will have a positive impact. >> the report accuses police of targeting black and poor drivers drivers. >> i was horrified. >> reporter: she says she was stopped at least five times, first for a cracke

ron allen, nbc news ferguson. >> all right, ron, thank you. since ron filed the report, those officers were released from the hospital. >>> now, new at 11:00, a more highly visible way to fight crime in the east bay. b.a.r.t. police erected this mobile observation tower. it elevates up to 25 feet in the air to give police a better view of the surrounding area. the windows are darkly tinted so it is not obvious whether there's an officer up there. b.a.r.t. police say that allows them to raise the tower without a person inside and provide a visual deterrent. b.a.r.t. police they can help cut down on crimes. >> teams are searching for a military helicopter that crashed off the florida coast yesterday. bad weather is hampering search efforts in the waters near eggland air force base. mourners held a vegal for the seven marines and four soldiers onboard the black hawk helicopter that crashes in a training exercise. all are presumed dead. late yesterday, before the search was suspended for weather, crews say they did recover a number of bodies. the

but we're making a statement today that it will not happen here again. >> ron allen reporting. the investigation is in the hands of the wisconsin department of justice, not the local police. that is the law in wisconsin. the family of the man who was killed have asked for peaceful demonstrations and protests in his name. >>> vandals have struck back against an oklahoma university fraternity whose members were allegedly caught on camera singing a racial chant. that video was posted to youtube yesterday. last night the sigma alpha epsilon fraternity house was hit by vandals. the national headquarters shut down the oklahoma chapter. the university is also investigating that incident. >>> american tourists in trouble in italy. police say two californians carved their initials into rome's coliseum then took a selfie with it. authorities say the women sneaked off from a tour group right before the vandalism. police say signs were clearly posted in english do not deface the century's old site. also, you shouldn't do that sign or not. the women may end up paying for what they did. they

nbc's ron allen has more. >> reporter: this was an absolutely stunning and shocking development because for so many days and weeks and months there have been no exchange of gunfire between the police and the protesters. the police will tell you, though, they have been very concerned about this for a long long time because often there has been stray gunfire in the air, but not directed at them. >> this is really an ambush is what it is. you can't see it coming you don't understand it is going to happen, you're basically defenseless from the fact it is happening to you at the time. and that is something that is very difficult to guard against when you have a group of officers standing in a large group and then you have gunfire, certainly gunfire directed at them. >> reporter: now the police officers are looking for a gunman gun, shell casing, any clues as to who carried this out. the protests were winding down. it happened after midnight. there was a group out here after the resignation of the chief of police tom jackson. it came at a very unusual time and it could be a game changer becau

nbc's ron allen has more on the suspect. [ gunshots ] >> reporter: without warning, the shot at leastthree, rang out just after midnight early thursday morning outside ferguson police headquarters setting off a frantic scene. >> shots fired, officer down. >> reporter: today st. louis county prosecutors say this local man, jeffrey williams aged 20 allegedly fired the shots from a vehicle during what the prosecutor called some kind of dispute. authorities say williams has been charged with first-degree degree assault on the officers. >> so was he involved with the protests? >> he had -- yes. he isqpñ a demonstrator. he was out there earlier that evening as part of the demonstration. >> be you don't think he was targeting the police? >> i wouldn't go that far. >> hey hey, ho ho you shoot a gun, you got to go. >> reporter: police called the incident an ambush as protesters gather affidavit the resignation of ferguson's police chief to demand even more sweeping reform. all stemming from a justice department report that accused the police and court of widespread discrimination.6@#pv since

nbc's ron allen joins me from madison. ron, what are police saying about what happened? >> reporter: well the incident happened at this house behind me there, the gray house. you can see the police are guarding it. there have been investigators going in and out. there's a memorial to the young man killed there, and over here there are people from the community, friends, others who are mulling it over. a lot of people remember him as a recent high school graduate, guy popular in the neighborhood. the bottom line is people don't know what happened. they don't know the facts of what happened. but they're very concerned that whatever happened ended with a young man dead. >> what was his name? >> reporter: overnight, grief and sorrow for tony robinson well known in the community, recent high school grad, headed to technical school killed friday night by officer matt kenny, 12 years on the force. robinson's friends and relatives demanding to know why. >> he always knew how to make someone happy. he always -- he was always there to talk. >> reporter: the beginning of the encoun

nbc news ron allen asked prosecutor bob that question. >> so was he involved with the protests? he is a demonstrator. he was out there earlier that evening as part of the demonstration. he's been out there on other occasions part of the demonstrations. >> but protest leaders have strongly condemned the shooting and say they don't know jeffrey williams. brittany ferrell with the group millennial activists united told the associated press no one in here group knew williams. john gaskin a st. louis naacp leader said "i don't know him. i've never seen him." a man in custody, but still many questions. we go now to nbc's ron allen for the latest from ferguson. >> reporter: good evening, reverend al. as you know the suspect jeffrey williams has med his first appearance in court. and he faces some very serious charges that could land him in jail for the rest of his life if convicted. the bigger question here though, is whether he was, in fact targeting the police officers or involved in some dispute as he apparently told the prosecutors, and whether he was among the protesters or not. t

nbc's ron allen joins me now from ferguson. first, ron, let's get an update on the conditions of those two officers. what do we know? >> they are expected to survive and these wounds are very serious. one -- in one case the bullet went through the officer's shoulder and exited through his back and the other case is a bullet is still lodged in the cheek of the officer. again, both are expected to survive, but they are very serious wounds. they are in the hospital at this point, and it's -- it's a very very serious thing that has happened here. it's just -- you can't say enough about that. given how many demonstrations there have been out here over how many weeks and months. there had never been an officer shot. never been a protester shot and things seem to be winding down here generally and specifically last night but all of a sudden out of nowhere this incident happens, four or five shots fired from the crowd at the officers and things are -- may never be the same here. it's -- it's just shocking what has happened. the police r

nbc's ron allen has more on the suspect. >> reporter: without warning, the shots, at least three, rang out just after midnight early thursday morning. outside ferguson police headquarters setting off a frantic scene. >> shots fired. officer down. >> reporter: today prosecutors say this local man jeffrey williams age 20 allegedly fired those shots from a vehicle, doing what the prosecutor called some kind of dispute. authorities say williams has been charged with first degree assault on the officers. so was he involved with the propropro protest protests? >> yes. he is a demonstrator. he was out there earlier that evening as far as the demonstration. >> reporter: but you don't think that he was targeting the police? >> i wouldn't go that far. >> hey hey, hoho -- >> reporter: police have called the incident an ambush after protesters gathered to demand even more sweeping reforms. all stemming from a justice department report that accused the police and court of widespread discrimination. since the incident an uneasy truce. police and protesters keeping their distance. with the community

but let's begin here with ron allen in ferguson. >> reporter: for a second day a huge police manhunt. an exhaustive search for a gunman accused of targeting a line of police at that demonstration this week. >> i cannot tell you at this point that an arrest is imminent. there's certainly nobody in custody. >> reporter: the two wounded officers recovering at home today, one with a bullet still lodged behind his ear. president obama spoke out last night. >> whoever fired those shots shouldn't detract from the issue. they're criminals. >> reporter: overnight protesters and now missouri state and st. louis county police kept their distance. >> hands up! >> don't shoot! >> reporter: among the demands dismantle the entire ferguson police force. others want the mayor gone. since the justice department began investigating ferguson, six city employees, the police chief, city manager have left. every police officer has had mandatory diversity training. and court reforms are underway. some fees and fines eliminated, seen as targeting the poor. leslie bell sees himself as the kind of change fergus

nbc's ron allen reports. >> reporter: investigating the underlying mistrust after the death of michael brown, officials familiar with the justice department report say in the two years before that deadly encount er encounter in 88% of the cases where the police used force the subject was african-american. they found examples of racial stereotyping. an e-mail saying president obama would not be in office long because what black man holds a steady job for four years? eric holder said he was troubled by what he heard. officials also say the report accuses police of targeting black and poor drivers to raise revenue. 80% of those stopped were black. >> i didn't know nothing about being in the jail. i was horrified. >> reporter: she says she was stopped five times first for a cracked windshield then when she couldn't pay the fine court fees piled up. eventually she was stopped and jailed. >> i think the court's less likely to listen to you. >> reporter: her dream job is to join the navy but recruiters say no until she clears up her problems with the courts. >> it's stressing me out because i

nbc news correspondent ron allen reports from ferguson. >> reporter: despite months of passionate demandsrotesters in ferguson federal investigators decided not to charge former police officer darin wilson saying he feared for his life acted in self-defense, killing the unharmed teenager michael brown. close that civil rights case while demanding ferguson make sweeping reforms to end what officials i cyst is a wide spread pattern of racially biased policing and using court fines to raise city revenue. >> this investigation found a community that was deeply polarized, a community where a deep distrust and hostility often characterized interactions between police and area residence residence. >> reporter: the report found shocking incidents of alleged abuse, including police almost exclusively using dogs against black suspect, excessive force against the mental ali ill. the doj is demanding ferguson change the stop search and arrest procedures limit excessive force, and use tasers and force only if supervisor is present. recruit, hire and promote deverse officers. he says he prays change wi

nbc's ron allen has the latest from madison. >> reporter: andrea things have been peaceful and somber. there's concern about the rawness of the emotions here. people are very angry, very concerned that a young man lost his life here on friday night in this relatively peaceful neighborhood that's not far from the state capitol. it happened in that home back there, the gray building where you can still see police outside. we've seen state investigators going in and out of the building and others here along the street. it is the state that is in charge of this investigation, not the local police under wisconsin law so that there's more legitimacy, more transparency to the investigation. we know that the young man, 19-year-old tony robinson, was involved in some kind of a disturbance, some kind of situation here at this gas station, went across the street into that home. a police officer followed him in, then the facts get a bit murky. the police say -- the officer says that he was assaulted, and he opened fire because the suspect, robinson apparently assaulted him. that's what the office

nbc's ran allen has new details -- ron allen has new details about the suspect. [ gunfire ] [ screams bleep ] >> reporter: wit warning, the shots, at least three, rang out just after midnight early thursday morning. outside ferguson polic headquarte setti off a frantic scene. >> shots fired. officer down. >> reporter: today st. louis prosecutors say this local man, jeffrey williams age 20 allegedly fired those shots from a vehicle during what the prosecutor called "some kind of dispute. "authorities say williams has been chargeded with first-degree all is on the officers. so of he involved with the -- was he involved with the protests? >> yes. he is a demonstrator. he was out there earlier that evening as part of the demonstration. >> rep but you don think he was targeting the police? >> oh i wouldn't go that far. [ chanting] >> reporter: police called the incident an ambush as protesters gather after t resignation of ferguson's police chief to demand even more sweeping reforms. all stemming from a justice depa report that accuse the police and court of widespread discrimination. sinc

the community already on edge, ron allen has more on the suspect. >> without warning the shots at least after midnight early thursday morning. outside ferguson police headquarters setting off a frantic scene. today prosecutors say this local man age 20 allegedly fired those shots from a vehicle doing what a prosecutor called some kind of dispute. williams has been charged with first degree soultassault. >> is he involved with the protest? >> he is a demonstrator. he was out there earlier that evening as part of the demonstration. >> but you don't think he was targeting the police? >> police have called the incident an ambush. to demand more sweeping reform. all stemming from a justice department report that accused the police of widespread discrimination. police and proit'stesters keeping their distance. >> i'm asking all the protesters here for the wrong reason to stay out of our state. >> night allow a country to maintain a small weapons program. republicans want to put a stop to that program. congress must have a stay in any negotiation. >> this matter was calculated to interfere wit

men are expected to survive but now a manhunt is under way for the suspect or suspects. >> nbc's ron allens outside the ferguson police headquarters. ron, good morning again. what's the latest? >> reporter: we're learning more about the injuries, serious injuries these two officers suffered. in one case the bullet entered the shoulder and came out of his back. in the other case there is still a bullet lodged in the cheek of the officer. both are expected to survive. they're both hospital izeized. this is a very serious and perhaps game changing situation here. everyone is shocked this happened. it was a pro-test because of a resignation. the protesters were out there demanding more. out of nowhere after midnight as the events were winding down, shots rang out. at least four shots, police are saying. they're searching for a gunman, searching for a weapon in the area around here. it seems this may have been caused by outside agitators but it's unclear. things seemed to be better but now are getting worse. >> troubling turn of events in ferguson overnight, ron allen, thanks very much. >>> to

let's go live to madison and nbc's ron allen. ron, good morning.g about what happened? >> reporter: good morning, jose. they're not giving a lot of tail this morning yet. we hope to hear more. this is now in the hands of state authorities who are conducted the investigation. this happened in the house behind me the gray building where you can see the officers can see a memorial out front to tony robinson. the police have said that the officer entered the house because of a disturbance that started in this gas station across the street where we're standing now. the thing that the community wants to know they're not sure what the facts are but whatever happened, they still don't understand why it had to end with another young man dead. [ chanting ] >> what was his name? >> tony robinson. >> reporter: overnight grief and sorrow for tony robinson, well known in the community, a recent high school grad headed to technical school. killed friday night by officer matt kenny, age 45. 12 years on the force. his friends and relatives peacefully demanding to k

craig. >> ron allen on the streets of ferguson. thank you. >>> the newly hired attorney for the fraternity at the center of the scandal for the university of oklahoma is speaking out. nbc's gabe gutierrez is at the oklahoma university campus this morning with more. gabe good morning. >> reporter: erica, good morning. today, these campus is quiet. the local sae chapter is fighting for survival. the attorney is not ruling out a lawsuit. the local fraternity chapter kicked off campus for the racist chant has lawyered up. >> i think there was a premature rush to judgment. >> reporter: stephen jones is the high profile attorney hired by sigma alpha epsilon at ou. he represented timothy mcveigh during the oklahoma city bombing trial. >> we are interested where needed to act and protect the due process rights and first amendment rights and the 14th amendment rights of the members. >> reporter: he says members of the fraternity have gotten death threats and not all of them were involved in the chant which took place on a charter bus to a s

here is nbc's ron allen. >> stop shooting us and arrest the officer. >> reporter: monday night demonstrators death of tony robinson. >> i've known tony since i was in elementary school. >> reporter: topping off an emotional day as high school students walked out of class by the hundreds. >> it is really sad what happened. nobody thought it would happen in madison. >> reporter: marching to the gleaming state capital, all in a town that is no stranger to passionate protests. >> making me cry. it is just -- >> reporter: earlier, robinson's parents stood with relatives outside the house where officer max kenny shot and killed their son friday evening. police said robinson assaulted the officer as kenny responded to complaints the teenager was attacking people in the neighborhood. police have also said robinson was not armed. >> none of us have really experienced loss on this level. so there is no real blueprint on how to cope. i understand but i haven't really dealt with the reality of the situation. >> missouri appeals court judge has been appointed to take over ferguson's court system. this co

ron allen, nbc news, ferguson. >>> this afternoon, prince george's county states attorney in annapolisify against four separate bills dealing with marijuana in the state. one bill includes a revenue act regulating and tax pot like alcohol and set rules for manufacturing and seams. also this afternoon, you're invited to rally in an nap liss urging lawmakers to allow the terminally ill to end their lives. the bill allows people given no more than six months to have the option of -- actually fill out a request to be able to take their own lives. you'd be able to get a prescription for drugs to speed up their death. right now five states made it legal for terminally ill people to accelerate their deaths. >>> arguments have just wrapped up in a high-stakes legal challenge to president obama's health care law. protesters on both sides gathered outside the court. >> regardless of your address, you ought to be able to have the subsidyies meant for everyone. >> inside the courtroom, justices reportedly peppered opponents of the health care law with skeptical questions. noorn 9 morn that 9 milli

nbc's ron allen is live in ferguson missouri. ron, good morning. what's the very latest? >> reporter: jose the search for the gunman or gunmen is underway. it's unclear who fired these shots, and why it happened now. as you can see behind me the entire area around the police department is completely on lockdown. completely closed off. in that direction you can see those car, blocking the street. it goes sealed off area goes a few blocks more in that direction and a couple blocks in the opposite direction. it was stunning this would happen now because even this particular protest was winding down. it was after midnight. things have been relatively quiet here. and this was after chief jackson had resigned. so it's a time when you would think things would be more calm but people are still angry. they still want more reforms to the police department. so just amp midnight, here's what happened. [ gunfire ] >> [ bleep ]. >> reporter: at least four shots rang out shortly after midnight as officers attempted to control protesters outside the ferguson police definite. >> hit? >> y

the young man who was killed said they have confident in the state's investigation, but as nbc's ron allen reports, emotions are still raw. >> reporter: a lot of the young people who were friends with tony robinson and many who weren't say this is a defining moment for them as they seek justice for the young man who died here friday night in this building right behind me. the investigation continues. it's now in the hands of the state department of justice, not the local police. the law here requires an independent investigator so there's more legitimacy more transparency as well to the investigation at the appropriate time. officials are now being very tightlipped about what they think might have happened. the family speaking out for the first time expressing their sorrow expressing their deep feeling of pain for the loss of their son. they're also saying that at this point they believe the investigation will happen fairly. they're also saying that the entire madison police department should not be tainted by the actions of a single officer. they're also still planning robinson's funeral

and ron allen joins me. community members. >> well let's take them separately. but the report that the justice department will not prosecute wilson, nobody is surprised by that. that was expected. this has been hinted about all along and frankly the people here in the community, hopeful that the federal outcome would be different, just didn't believe that that would happen. there was very little faith in that process as well. now in the other report that basic lip outlines this long-standing -- long-standing pattern of racial bias people here are also not surprised by that because it documents in black and white what people have experienced in their day-to-day lives for a long time. what is stark is the high numbers. the 85% of the police stops, the 80% of the police deadly force incidents involving african-americans. those numbers bring into very sharp belief what people have seen and experienced every day here and they are not surprised by that either. and the question is where did that go. the justice dep

. >>> and nbc's ron allen is traveling on i-95 in d.c. what does it look like there in d.c.?'ve made our way north and we're in new jersey. we're at exit 7-a. trenton and lawrenceville. my family lives around here. maybe i'll stop off and say hello and see how they are doing. this is about as bad as it's been. it is snowing hard and there is accumulation on the road. we've seen plows come along and removing snow off the road. this has started in the last hour across the new jersey line. this is heading your way. if not already, i don't know what is happening in new york. very treacherous conditions which is why i'm not driving. you can see on the camera i think you can see out in front of us. the temperature is around 32 degrees so it is now freezing and i can imagine the teams will -- the temperatures will go down before they go back up tomorrow. this is a storm we've been chasing it from maryland all the way up. we've caught it despite our best efforts not to. and this is it and it is spring and got news is it won't be around for a long time but we'll deal with it for a lon