tonight -- breaking news as we come on the air. the department of justice, just moments ago, revealing they will appoint a special counsel. former fbi director robert mueller will now serve as special counsel overseeing the fbi investigation into russian meddling in the 2016 election, and any possible collusion with associates of the trump campaign. the department saying it's in the public interest, and it comes as many republicans now join democrats in demanding that james comey testify before the american people about the notes he took during his meetings with the president. also breaking, millions now bracing for severe storms at this hour. after a deadly tornado outbreak already. entire neighborhoods wiped out. new watches across several states tonight. and the disturbing video now emerging. new questions over who was behind these beatings not far from the white house.

americans protesting the president of turkey and his visit to the white house. men in suits moving in. the bloody clash. good evening and it's great to have you with us here on wednesday night and we begin with that breaking held line -- the white house wliendsided tonight as the department of justice reveals that they'll appoint a special counsel to now oversee the fbi investigation into russian meddling and any possible collusion. former fbi director robert mueller will now lead the investigation. democrats and some republicans had been calling for this move, the news coming just 4 hours after we learned that former fbi director james comey who was fired by president trump kept notes about his meetings with the president. the department of justice saying just moments ago, a special counsel is necessary for the american people to have full confidence in the outcome pierre thomas leading us off. >> reporter: tonight a bombshell

announcement -- the department of justice appoint onning a special counsel to take over the investigation into russia's interference with the 2016 election. including possible collusion with the trump campaign. the man now leading the investigation, former fbi director robert mueller. he'll have all the authorities of a u.s. attorney, including the ability to take the matter before a grand jury and the ability to issue subpoenas the announcement of a special counsel comes after attorney general jeff sessions recused himself. >> therefore, i have recused myself in the matters that deal with the trump campaign. >> reporter: president trump has called the investigation into possible collusion with members of his campaign a char raid. former fbi director james comey was in charge of the investigation until he was fired last week. tonight's dramatic announcement coming after that other bombshell, 4 hours ago, the memo coming to light about president trump's meeting in the oval office in february raising concerns mr. trump allegedly

wanted the fbi to go easy on former national security adviser michael flynn. a president who warned the fbi director after firing him that james comey better hope there are no tapes of our conversations before leaking to the press. what we know according to sources is that memos do exist. james comey had a documented history of keeping notes especially when it came to controversial matters. tonight after it was revealed he wrote a memo saying the president pressured him to drop the flynn investigation. just as he documented his meeting in the oval office in february, one day after general flynn resigned. president trump acollegedly asking vice president mike pence and attorney general jeff sessions to exit the room after a briefing leaving the president alone with the fbi director. according the now-i famous memo described by a source close to

comey, trump allegedly said i hope you can see your way of letting this go, he's a good guy. >> the president has been very clear that the account was published is not an accurate description of how the event occurred. >> reporter: but sources close to comey expect comey will testify before congress and the american people and that his memos will be made available. >> let's get to pierre thomas live in our washington bureau. pierre, back to this notion of a special counsel now, the fbi director james comey fired just last week, he was leading this investigation. this means former fbi director robert mueller steps in, this question tonight, what does it mean? does he start from scratch here? >> reporter: david, it's totally at the decession of mueller. he has 60 days to put together a team of lawyers to work with him on the case.

a reminder about mueller, after serving ten years as fbi director he was asked by president obama to re-up ped. i want to get to jonathan karl tonight, you were telling me that the white house was blindsided. what have you learned tonight. >> reporter: they were completely taken offguard by this. as a matter of fact, i'm told the senior staff of the white house didn't get word of this until 30 minutes before the news was shared with the news media. it shouldn't have taken all that much by surprise. given the developments of the last few days. i'm starting to hear even from some republicans on capitol hill, welcoming this news, including jason chaffetz, he said mueller is a great selection, impeccable credentials. should be widely accepted. >> all right, 30 minutes' warning as you point out, jon

as you could imagine, this news traveling quickly to capitol hill. where some republicans began joining some democrats calling for this move. both sides want james comey on the hill testifying before the american people about what he wrote about his meetings with the president. abc's mary bruce tonight on the hill. >> reporter: with his white house consumed by crises, president trump today venting to the coast guard graduation class. >> look at the way i've been treated lately. especially by the media. no politician in history -- and i say this with great assurety -- has been treated worse or more unfairly. >> reporter: back in washington, even members of the president's own party say we may be at a tipping point. >> i think it's reaching the point where it's of watergate size and scale. >> reporter: the latest allegations rippling through the

republican party. that news the president may have asked then-fbi director james comey to shut down his investigation into fired national security adviser michael flynn. do you want comey to testify? >> i want facts! >> reporter: both parties are clamoring for comey to testify. mitch mcconnell telling the wall street journal -- i think we need to hear for him as soon as possible in public and leaders of three congressional committees say they want to see the moment know comey wrote, documenting his conversations with the president. >> on the surface that seems like an extraordinary use of influence to try to shut down an investigation being done by the fbi. >> do you want comey to testify? on the hill, a doesy day of dodges. >> republicans can't be okay with this. >> reporter: tonight, one republican congressman justin

amash reportedly saying if the allegations in the comey memo are true it could be an impeachable offense. >> mr. speaker do you still have full confidence in the president? >> i do. >> reporter: 118 days into the new administration, republicans had hoped to be plowing ahead with their agenda, health care, tax reform, deregulation. instead they're careening from crisis to crisis. on the campaign trail, trump warned this would happen under a hillary clinton's presidency. >> if hillary clinton is elected she'll be understo investigatio. the investigation will last for years. to nothing will get done. >> that was the prediction had hillary clinton been elected. mary bruce on capitol hill tonight. we could see former fbi director

james comey testifying next week. >> reporter: the house oversight wants the former fbi director to testify at a hearing here next wednesday. the senate intelligence committee is also eager to hear from comey. the top democrat on that committee telling me he's as confident as nick he'll be tefl soon. i want to bring in dan abrams, we heard from pierre thomas off the top there. he said mr. mueller can step in here and months after this fbi investigation, even before the election and he could start over. >> that's what an independent counsel means, it means he can now decide what he wants to do with all that information. i think it's really important that he bring in some of his own people. he doesn't want to be seen as just using the fbi people who are already there. expect him to put together his own team to draw his own conclusion. >> meantime you heard from lawmakers on the hill. some are beginning to use the

term obstruction of justice. pointing to the memo that james comey reportedly wrote. many legal experts say this memo in and of itself doesn't mean obstruction of justice. >> the memo itself doesn't. you need the context. some of the other things that mueller will be looking at, are the reports, the demand of loyalty at a dinner, the fact that the president admitted that russia was on his mind when he fired comey. the fact that he was alone in the white house, asked jeff sessions and vice president pence to leave the room when he made these comments that were in the memo. take all of that together and most importantly, with james comey's account and then you assess -- is this obstruction or is not. >> a long summer ahead. dan, as always, thank you. i want to bring in cecilia vega tonight. she's set to travel with president trump on his first foreign trip. this white house was hoping this

trip help them turn the page or reset. but the world leaders are watching this, too. >> they are. they were out toing how well this white house feels the president has been doing with foreign leaders ahead of this visit, especially heading into the muslim world. this will undoubtedly hang over president trump's head as will that conversation in the oval office where he's accused of giving highly classified intelligence to the russians. white house hoping to turn a page in this trip. they start in saud arabia, he head to the vatican. david, this is a white house now that heads into a foreign trip with a major crisis. the turmoil in white house blamed for the stock market suffering its worst losses this year. the dow falling 372 points. in the meantime, we're following other news at this hour. the deadly tornado outbreak in

the heartland. another difficult night ahead and a state of emergency now declared in wisconsin. more than two dozen tornadoesed reported. and these pictures coming in to us just stunning out of wisconsin. severe storms moving east. abc's alex perez tonight from the storm zone. >> tornado warning. take shelter! >> reporter: tonight, a dangerous system on the move. >> the tornado completely all the way on the ground. >> reporter: twisters reported in six states. our clayton sandelle is in hard-hit elk city, oklahoma. >> this twister tore through here just after dinnertime. some 100 families' homes are severely damaged or destroyed. one person were killed but officials say the advanced warning saved many lives. >> reporter: driving dangerous, too -- this pickup hydroplaning on i-40. north of eau claire, wisconsin,

another twister making a direct hit. >> the trailer park looks like it might've been leveled. >> reporter: one killed and dozens injured. first responders hearing their cries for help. >> when our officers arrived, >> they were pulling walls off of people and getting them out of their trailers. >> reporter: darla rutledge was standing in her home when the walls collapsed on her. >> didn't have a chance to do nothing. >> reporter: and david, hard to believe, but there were ten mobile homes here on this block, but this is all that's left. this area bracing for more storms tonight. david? >> bracing for another round, alex, thanks. to rob marciano with the track. >> four reported tornadoes tonight. we got watches up. look at the radar, all of iowa, part of wisconsin, chicago the western suburbs you may get a rumble of thunder or strong storms tonight. as this rotates off the great lakes. the big show back in the plains, again, western kansas, oklahoma and texas, could see long-track damaging tornadoes tomorrow. >> rob, thank you. in the last 24 hours, there

have been some new and startling images emerging from washington, d.c., it all happened as the highly controversial president of turkey was visiting here to meet president trump at the white house. protesters in the nation's capital allegedly attacked by president erdogan's own security. some of the people attacked in this video were americans who were protesting. here's martha raddatz tonight. >> reporter: tonight, washington police are analyzing this video, to identify the men who started this violent melee. peaceful protesters, some americans, attacked, allegedly by pro-government supporters and turkish security personnel guarding the visiting turkish president. watch those men in dark suits and ties, and brown shirts who are armed, charging the protesters, kicking them to the ground -- men and women -- again and again. police trying to pull them off. the security guards racing to

the next protester while others walked around dazed and bloodied. 11 people injured. police making two arrests. >> it appears to be unprovoked and it appears to be very brutal. >> reporter: the violence coming just hours after president trump welcomed erdogan at the white house, calling it an honor. the crowd there to protest a man who has tightened his grip on power by jailing thousands of political opponents at home. tonight the state department saying, "we support the rights of people everywhere to free expression and peaceful protest." >> let's get to martha live with us in d.c. tonight. martha, these guards are tied to the turkish embassy. could they diplomatic immunity. >> they could. they're still pursuing this case in case anybody lives here. >> that was a stunning scene. there's still much more ahead on within wouldn't tonight this wednesday -- the alarming video raising questions tonight. high school students pepper

sprayed for extra credit. apparently they volunteered, their parents gave the okay but did the school go too far tonight? also, the violent hit and run crash involving a school bus, overturning on an american highway, one student ejected and the search for the driver who caused the crash. alarming scene off the east coast. summer scene is almost here. memorial day approaching and where the sharks have been spotted now. young people when they thought they should start saving for retirement. then we asked some older people when they actually did start saving. this gap between when we should start saving and when we actually do is one of the reasons why too many of us aren't prepared for retirement. just start as early as you can. it's going to pay off in the future. if we all start saving a little more today, we'll all be better prepared tomorrow. prudential. bring your challenges. there'try phillips' fiberway to ggood gummies..

they're delicious... and a good source of fiber to help support regularity. mmm. these are good. nice work, phillips'! try phillips' fiber good gummies! (dobreak-n-bites are great.ul they'll break off a couple if you sit, you stay. but if you want all four, mmmm... you gotta get cute. you gotta let a baby sleep on your belly. (vo) new beneful break-n-bites, with real beef as the #1 ingredient. essential for him, but maybe not for people with rheumatoid arthritis. because there are options. like an "unjection™". xeljanz xr. a once daily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. xeljanz xr can reduce pain, swelling and joint damage, even without methotrexate. xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. don't start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and

cholesterol levels have happened. your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. tell your doctor if you were in a region where fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. needles. fine for some. but for you, one pill a day may provide symptom relief. ask your doctor about xeljanz xr. an "unjection™". next tonight here, a new video seen by millions on the internet now is raising questions. on it, you can see students screaming after being pepper sprayed at an ohio high school. it turns out they volunteered, their parents gave the okay. but did the exercise go door far? here's abc's gio benitez. >> are you ready? >> reporter: tonight, the video going viral -- students at an ohio school being pepper sprayed. [ screaming ] >> reporter: the kids screaming in pain.

but barberton high school says the kids not only volunteered for it, they got permission from their parents as part of a criminal justice class. the school district tells abc news the instructor is a former police chief. and this is the waiver the school says parents signed, describing the pepper spraying "it will cause irritation and a burning sensation to the eyes and nasal area for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour." a popular law enforcement blog calling it or the tors you. >> if he's going to be a police officer and if he's going to have these weapons, to use on people, he needs to know how they feel. >> reporter: and david, tonight the school district says over over again that added supervision was provided. the new headline about the age where most women are having babies here in the u.s. the search for a hit and run driver after a school bus overturned. the brawl breaking out at high school graduation between parents right there in the

crowd. hidden in every swing, every chip, and every putt, is data that can make the difference between winning and losing. the microsoft cloud helps the pga tour turn countless points of data into insights that transform their business and will enhance the game for players and fans. the microsoft cloud turns information into insight.

i was thinking around 70. to and before that?re? you mean after that? no, i'm talking before that. do you have things you want to do before you retire? i'd really like to run with the bulls. wow. hope you're fast. i am. get a portfolio that works for you now and as your needs change with investment management services. oscar mawe went back toig the drawing board... and the cutting board. we removed the added nitrates and nitrites, by-products, and artificial preservatives in all of our meat. every. single. one. why? for the love of hot dogs.

if you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis like me, and you're talking to your rheumatologist about a medication... ...this is humira. this is humira helping to relieve my pain... ...and protect my joints from further damage. humira has been clinically studied for over 18 years. humira works by targeting and helping to... ...block a specific source... ...of inflammation that contributes to ra symptoms. it's proven to help relieve pain and... ...stop further joint damage in many adults. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas... ...where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flulike symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. talk to your doctor and visit humira.com this is humira at work.

to the index and thor is. for a hit and run suspect who may have caused a violent school bus crash. they're searching for a driver of a white sedan hit the back of big rig escort vehicle, forcing the escort vehicle to sideswipe a bus. 15 students and the bus driver suffered injuries. an ugly brawl marring a high school graduation in tennessee. the dispute escalating in the aisle with punches thrown inside the church there where arlington high school graduates were sefik their diplomats. it's believed it was a dispute over seats. in south carolina, a pair of sharks spotted just feet from the shore near garden city. not the first time we have seen a shark scare this year in south carolina. a woman suffering a bite two weeks ago. and women in the u.s. are having babies later in life, according to the cdc mothers

between the ages of having. when we come back tonight -- the 75-year-old who lost her job and what her son is now doing about it. ♪ predictable. the comfort in knowing where things are headed. because as we live longer... and markets continue to rise and fall... predictable is one thing you need in retirement to help protect what you've earned and ensure it lasts. introducing brighthouse financial. a new company established by metlife to specialize in annuities & life insurance. talk to your advisor about a brighter financial future. itthe power of nexium 24hr protection from frequent heartburn. all day, and all night.

now packed into a pill so small, we call it mini. new clearminis from nexium 24hr. see heartburn differently. how do you become america's best-selling brand? you make it detect what they don't. stop, stop, stop! sorry. you make it sense what's coming. watch, watch, watch! mom. relax! i'm relaxed. you make it for 16-year olds... whoa-whoa-whoa!!! and the parents who worry about them. you saw him, right? going further to help make drivers, better drivers. don't freak out on me. that's ford. and that's how you become america's best-selling brand. brtry new flonase sensimists. allergy relief instead of allergy pills. it delivers a gentle mist experience to help block six key inflammatory substances. most allergy pills only block one. new flonase sensimist changes everything. it's about moving forward, not back.t. it's looking up, not down.

it's being in motion. in body, in spirit, in the now. boost® high protein it's intelligent nutrition with 15 grams of protein and 26 vitamins and minerals. for when you need a little extra. boost® the number one high protein complete nutritional drink. be up for it you need one of these. you wouldn't put up with an umbrella that covers you part way, so when it comes to pain relievers, why put up with just part of a day? aleve, live whole not part. tell you what, i'll give it to you for half off. (nathan) secondhand smoke caused measthma attacks, infections and lung damage. and i never smoked. (announcer) if you or someone you know wants free help to quit smoking, call 1-800-quit-now. will you be ready when the moment turns romantic? cialis for daily use treats ed and the urinary symptoms of bph. tell your doctor about your medicines,

and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, or adempas® for pulmonary hypertension, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have a sudden decrease or loss of hearing or vision, or an allergic reaction, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis. america strong, the mom who at 75 last her job and the son not wasting any time. here's linsey davis. >> reporter: for 50 years, rebecca danigelis worked as a housekeeper. >> are the blinds clean? are the blinds operating properly? >> reporter: when she was unexpectedly fired, she left this message for her son. >> i just got fired. just want you to know that.

call me, bye. >> reporter: it was then rebecca realized how much she had missed. >> i never made it to my sister elsie's funeral because i was working. >> reporter: a single mom, she raised two sons in boston. >> three of us on one paycheck. wasn't easy. >> reporter: one of rebecca's sons helped her realize her bucket list, and the journey began, chronicled in his documentary, "duty free." taking a hip-hop lesson with a dancer from "hamilton." a return home to england. she even joined instagram. >> just press the heart. there you go. >> reporter: after being alive for 75 years, it's just in the last year rebecca started to truly live. ♪ ♪ >> can i come? an incredible mother and son. i hope to see you right back here tomorrow. good night. >> announcer: now from abc7, live breaking news. >> good afternoon, thank you for

joining us. i'm alma daetz. >> i'm larry beil. breaking news on capitol hill this afternoon. the deputy attorney general has named a special counsel to investigate the trump campaign's ties to russia. >> former fbi director robert muller will over see the investigation into russia meddling and ties to the trump campaign. muler is appointed head of the fbi difficult george w. bush. he served from 2001 to 2013. >> deputy attorney general rod rosenstein made his announcement with the official order issued about an hour ago. the white house did not even know this has happening until 30 minutes beforehand. in the statement accompanying it, rosenstein said, my decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted. i have made no such determination. >> he made this appointment because attorney general jeff sessions has recused himself from the ongoing investigation beause of his role in the trump campaign. muller will have 60 days to put together a budget for resources to conduct the investigation. he will have subpoena powers.

>> now, as it turns out, robert mummer does have bay area roots. >> abc7 news anchor kristen sze is in the newsroom with that part of the story. kristen. >> we were doing that research, he cut his teeth in san francisco. he worked as a litigator here. fresh out of law school until 1976, muller's career took him to u.s. attorney offices including the san francisco office where he became chief of the criminal division. and then he again left the bay area in 1982, but came back in 1998 as the u.s. attorney for the northern district of california. and he held that position until 2001 when, as you mentioned, president george w. bush named him fbi director. muller gained fame leading the agency through the aftermath of the september 11th terror attacks. finally retiring in 2013. and after that muller was again back in the bay area working with stan ford university on issues of online networks