NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - Oct. 15

Summary

• Oregon school shooting: A 16-year-old gunman opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, killing four people: three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were critically injured. Police said a community member pursued and shot the gunman, who died before officers entered the school. Authorities evacuated students and staff room by room and are investigating whether the shooter had any connection to the school.

• Flooding and fire threats: Flash flooding in Midland, Texas, prompted more than two dozen rescue calls, including rescues from rushing water and stranded vehicles. Millions of people across parts of Texas and Oklahoma were under flood alerts, with some areas facing the possibility of five inches or more of rain on already saturated ground. The report also noted thundersnow in Colorado and evacuation orders or warnings as the Peak Fire ignited in Los Angeles County. Red-flag conditions and gusty winds raised concerns that fires could spread quickly.

• Florida daycare crash: An SUV struck a daycare building outside Orlando while children were inside. Three 4-year-old children and two adults, including the 79-year-old driver, were hospitalized; the hospital system said all were in good condition. Authorities said the driver crossed lanes before hitting the building. The crash remains under investigation.

• Fort Hood shooter execution plan: President Trump halted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 in the 2009 Fort Hood attack. Trump said Hasan would still be executed by firing squad, scheduled for December 3, but the execution would not be streamed. The report said Hegseth’s proposal surprised officials, who had been planning for lethal injection at a federal facility in Indiana. The livestream idea had drawn bipartisan opposition and concern that it could serve as propaganda or recruitment material.

• Suspicious letters to officials: The FBI was tracking dozens of letters sent to public officials and election offices, including Senate Democratic offices. Initial testing of the white powder found in the letters indicated it was not hazardous. In some cases, the Postal Service intercepted letters before delivery.

• Ukraine, oil and shipping: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared an energy ceasefire over and said Ukraine had resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries after continued Russian attacks. A Ukrainian Defense Ministry source said Starlink service in Ukraine was being restored; a senior U.S. administration official said Trump had not requested the temporary reduction in service. Separately, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship sank near the Strait of Hormuz. Singapore said it was hit by an unknown projectile, while Iran said it struck a mine. The report said attacks on commercial ships were threatening global oil flows, while gas prices had recorded a new high for the number of days above $4 a gallon in a calendar year.

• White House press secretary’s credentials: Katie Zacharias faced questions after NBC reported that she did not pass the California bar exam after graduating from law school, despite repeatedly describing herself as a lawyer. She said she had consulted experts who told her that using “lawyer” for legal analysis, rather than calling herself an attorney at law, was acceptable. The White House defended her, and she said she was not being hired as White House counsel. She also described a rapid hiring process: she accepted the job on a Friday and held her first briefing the following Tuesday.

• Other updates: An ICE officer in Houston was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation after striking a man with a vehicle during an enforcement operation. In Orlando, Dale Smith Jr. was charged with second-degree murder in the 2011 disappearance of Michelle Parker; he denied involvement. Musician Billy Joel said he was unsure whether he would tour again and needed further tests before returning to the stage or driving, following a diagnosis of a neurological disorder affecting hearing, vision and balance.

Presenters and contributors

Tom Llamas, Erin McLaughlin, Priscilla Thompson, George Solis, Courtney Kube, Ryan Nobles, Gabe Gutierrez and Monica Alba.