where hundreds of civilians are believed to have been killed about 15 miles from the bucha massacre the u.s. sing all russian forces have now withdrawn near kyiv and the u.s. imposing new sanctions against russia, including on putin's adult daughters. also our exclusive with secretary of state antony blinken we ask can putin be held accountable without a trial. also tonight, new reports of tornadoes touching down today in the south, on the heels of a deadly outbreak al roker standing by no charges in the fatal shooting of amir locke during a no-knock raid. the new body cam video. what it shows and the reaction from locke's family new developments in the deadly mass shooting in sacramento police say at least five gunmen opened fire what they believe spa sparked it big oil ceos on the hot seat how they responded and inside the bitcoin boom

the mayor hoping to make his city the crypto capital of america. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt good evening, everyone the further our cameras travel along the bloodied, gnarled path of the russian war machine, the more the apparent russian strategy reveals itself: destroy everything arriving at the kyiv suburb of borodyanka, it becomes clear there was no safe place and no regard for civilian lives. destroyed buildings in the kyiv suburb now sitting atop the remains of hundreds who may have taken shelter, their bodies still to be unearthed. tonight, the russian forces after leaving their grotesque calling card in places like this may be now heading to join in the destruction of mariupol where the mayor says more than 90% of the city's infrastructure has already been destroyed. today the white house announced more sanctions, including against some of vladimir putin's adult

children and the head of nato offering a blunt reality check. the fighting, he said, could last many months or years richard engel has the latest from ukraine. >> reporter: their destroyed tanks are all that remains of russia's occupation of the town of borodyanka outside kyiv and the holes in the skyline. yawning gaps in rows of apartment buildings. today, ukrainian rescue workers weren't digging for survivors here they were trying to recover bodies local officials believe hundreds of civilians, many of them women and children, were hiding in shelters beneath these buildings, entombed under the remains of their homes. residents today came back to salvage mostly memories photos were all that could be saved president biden today imposed new sanctions on russia for

atrocities like this banning new american investments in russia and sanctioning putin's daughters and other elites >> our sanctions have wiped out the last 15 years of russia's economic gains >> reporter: though u.s. actions so far have done nothing to stop putin's assault here in nearby bucha, russian troops killed civilians up close, shooting people in the head in borodyanka, most were killed by air strikes. but as many or perhaps more civilians died here tatiana and her husband came back today. they had escaped to another town what is it like to come here now and see your home like this? "i have no words my husband is a builder," she says "30 years we were making this house for our children now we have no future here." we went up to their apartment. how many of your friends and neighbors died in these attacks? "we just buried our colleague and her

family there were three of them," she says. another of her friends, ilona, and her father and her brother-in-law, are under this rubble next door deliberately attacking civilians is a war crime, unless russia can somehow prove these were military targets. today a u.s. military official says all russian forces have left the areas surrounding kyiv and moved north to resupply for a possible move to the east to cities like mariupol the scale of the devastation in that city is expected to be even worse than what's been uncovered so far. >> richard, we're all still trying to process the images you've shown us from around the kyiv area but what's happening in the east part of the country? >> reporter: lester, we've only been able to learn about the massacres around kyiv because russian troops have left this area. but russian forces are still encircling and attacking the city of mariupol and tonight, the mayor

of mariupol says at least 5,000 people have been killed there, including 210 children, lester >> okay, richard, thank you. tonight from the same devastated town we saw in richard's report, a deeper look at the toll this war has taken on just one of so many families. molly hunter is there with a portrait of grief. [ crying ] >> reporter: marina waved us down as we arrived in borodyanka. "it was horrific here," she says, "you have no idea my neighbor had to bury her son in our backyard," she says, "you have to come see. she takes us through the back gate to the shallow grave, then goes to get her neighbor taisa 80-year-old taisa has now buried both her children she says her son roman was 57 she'll rebury him in a cemetery when this is all over she tells me roman was

shot in the back by russian troops as he was walking away the next morning he was dead "the russians are liars," she says, "they're all liars." had he grandson dmitro comes over he returned, but it was tolate how did you find out your father had died >> when i go here. >> reporter: so you came back expecting to see him? >> yes, yes. >> reporter: he's angry. >> it's bull [ bleep ]. all this thing is bull [ bleep ]. >> reporter: heading east to fight for his father [ crying ] >> reporter: and taisa, taking my hand. "you need to have a happy life." she wants to show us pictures in her apartment. that's roman when he was little what was he like "he was smart," she says "he spoke english. he brought me tulips on my birthday."

she says she doesn't have any recent photos so this is how she'll remember her boys. lester, because there's no cell service in much of the country, many people are just learning about the deaths, lester >> molly, thank you. what more should the united states do to stop this war and to hold vladimir putin responsible for it today in brussels, andrea mitchell put those questions to secretary of state antony blinken in an exclusive interview. >> reporter: the h horror the russians left behind prompting cries for justice as america's top diplomat rallies nato to embrace for a long war. president biden has called putin a butcher, a war criminal you have said that the people responsible for the crimes in bucha and those who ordered them will be held accountable. >> that's right. >> reporter: how can that happen without vladimir putin standing trial >> the wheels of accountability can move slowly, but they move and some day, some way, somewhere, those who committed these

crimes and those who ordered the crimes will be held accountable. >> reporter: today, president biden got personal, sanctioning putin's two adult daughters. >> his family members are not allowed to hold on to their wealth in europe and the united states while children in ukraine are being killed, displaced from their homes. >> the images from bucha, as you describe it, the atrocities you have small children what do you tell your children what would you tell them >> thankfully, they're too small to be able to see that and digest it >> some day they will know >> someday they will you ask yourself, what if this was happening in my town, to my kids, to my family it only reinforces our determination to bring this to an end as quickly as possible. >> reporter: but president biden is not punishing other countries helping putin by buying his oil. >> why aren't we sanctioning these countries that buy russia's oil >> there are loopholes

that piece by piece, one by one, we're trying to close. sometimes that takes time >> reporter: time the ukrainians don't have. andrea mitchell, nbc news, brussels now to another big story we're following here at home no let-up tonight in the severe and deadly weather that has ripped across the southeast. new tornado watches in effect morgan chesky in south carolina on the damage already done >> reporter: tornadoes, hail, and drenching rains lash the south for the third time in three weeks. >> that's a tornado right there. >> reporter: storms from texas to south carolina spawning more than 50 reported twisters since monday. in alabama, residents rushing to recover from a potential double tornado that left a path of destruction. >> look at this thing go >> reporter: tonight, in leslie, georgia, funnels form as the massive system continues to move south. nearby, in black greek, georgia, stunning video capturing a

fast-moving twister tearing through the county where one woman died the outbreak of storms so intense, it prompted a rare tornado emergency in south carolina >> hits you in the gut. >> reporter: ronald scat still can't believe it the twister threw his garage into the woods, left his vehicles untouched, but shredded his entire home have you thought about what if you were inside there >> there's no telling. no way i could have made it if i was in there. >> reporter: now as storms intensify across the southeast, millions bracing for what could be another uneasy night morgan chesky, nbc news, allendale, south carolina and let's get right to al roker. al, where is the threat tonight >> lester, we have expanding tornado watches tonight. eastern tennessee, central and southern georgia, on into south carolina, with strong storms firing up right now we've got 26 million people at

risk damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes likely, especially going into tonight. and then tomorrow as the system moves off, 12 million people at risk from norfolk all the way down to fort myers. rainfall amounts are going to be heavy as we get into the northeast. we're talking some places picking up 2 to 3 inches of rain and lester, the models are suggesting we could be looking at this all over again starting early next week >> oh, boy al, thanks in minneapolis, no charges will be filed against the police officer who shot and killed amir locke while carrying out a no-knock warrant in february the case drew massive protests tonight, the family outraged here is miguel almaguer we have to warn you, some of the video is disturbing >> reporter: after police quietly unlocked this minneapolis apartment, then startled and killed amir locke who was under a blanket, sleeping on a couch, and reached for his gun.

[ sound of gunfire ] today state officials announced the officer who fired his weapon, mark hanneman, will face no criminal charges. >> to charge a case like this would simply be wrong >> reporter: after a two-month review and now the promised release of all body cameras including hahnemann's, investigators say the officer followed the law after video shows locke holding his registered gun aimed toward hanneman, though his finger was not on the trigger hanneman told investigators, i felt if i did not use deadly force, i would be killed. >> it would be unethical to file charges in a case in which we know we would not be able to prevail. >> reporter: as protests erupted after the shooting, police came under intense scrutiny for killing the 22-year-old, who was not a suspect in their case, while executing a no-knock warrant, a practice now banned in the city >> this is not over. you may have been found not guilty, but

in the eyes of me, being the mother who i am, you are guilty >> reporter: calling his killing an execution, locke's family, who is still pursuing a civil case, says what happened today is just another police coverup miguel almaguer, nbc news and there are new developments in the mass shooting that killed six people in sacramento this past weekend. police now say it was a result of gang violence with at least five gunmen in two separate groups exchanging fire downtown three men have been arrested in connection with the shooting. in 60 seconds, big oil executives on defense amid huge profits and charges of price gouging, as so many americans feel the pain at the pump test. test.

the pain of record gas prices led to some heated moments in washington today big oil ceos appearing before congress. but it quickly turned into a blame game. tom costello has more. >> reporter: with pump

prices up $1.34 in a year, big oil ceos were today getting a congressional earful >> it's time for the big oil companies to lower prices rather than pad your bottom line >> it feels like gouging. it even feels like profiteering >> reporter: the ceos all reiterated that prices are set globally and with russian oil under partial embargo, prices have surged >> the price of oil, gasoline, and other refined products are driven by international markets. >> and we have no tolerance for price gouging. >> reporter: in tyler, texas, florist julia hassel has had to increase her delivery charge >> making multiple trips to the hospital isn't an option anymore. we try to make one trip a day >> reporter: under shareholder pressure to preserve profits, many oil companies have been reluctant to return to pre-pandemic pumping levels republicans blame president biden's policies to wean the country off oil and canceling the never-completed keystone pipeline. >> the president

walked in with an agenda to kill american energy. >> president biden should consider his own culpability for higher energy prices >> reporter: analysts say both sides may be right. >> oil companies need to make a profit after a couple of poor years and they need that higher price to produce more to meet the consumers' demand. >> reporter: with the u.s. and other countries releasing oil reserves, analysts say prices could drop ten cents nationally over the next two weeks, lester. >> thanks. up next for us tonight, the future of money. we'll take you inside the city that wants to be the crypto capital.

oh, wow barbara corcoran! good morning. sorry, but we don't need any business help now. we're gigillionaires. what? we're gigillionaires now. i don't get it we have at&t business fiber with hyper-gig speeds. -but i just... -so thanks, we're doing great. i'm so happy for you! but i'm just here for my order. oh. entre-pin-eurs? yeah, my bowling team. i like it. there's money in puns.

do business like a gigillionaire at&t business fiber, now with speeds up to 5-gigs. limited availability. we're back now with our new series, "crypto universe," looking at the digital currency craze that's generating both excitement and some skepticism tonight, cnbc's kate rooney takes us to one city hoping to become america's crypto capital. >> reporter: this is no ordinary pickup basketball game. >> founders, ceos, entrepreneurs, creators >> reporter: it's an elite networking group, acquiring crypto is necessary to join. >> i must get ten calls a day from people who are new to miami. >> reporter: investor chris adammo, an investor, co-founded the basketball group, now a ten-year resident of miami. >> miami is our home base, everything comes

to us. >> reporter: that energy is spilling into local businesses. restaurant freehol just started accepting bitcoin as payment >> it's something that people wanted. they want what's new, they want what's cutting edge >> our biggest crypto sale is a 133-footer >> reporter: others are accepting it for bigger purchases how many yachts have you sold using bitcoin? >> a dozen transactions >> reporter: part of th draw of florida, low taxes, friendly legislation, and a mayor who has gone all in on crypto >> i realized there was a unique moment for us to change dramatically the perception of miami, to a real place of tech and finance, which i think will define the future of our country and our world. >> reporter: 44-year-old mayor frances suarez even takes his salary in bitcoin. >> it's creating hundreds if not thousands of high paying jobs. >> reporter: jobs brought in by people like jack abraham, who moved his company's headquarters to miami. >> in some ways it feels like the first

week of freshman year, when people know there are a lot of passionate, interesting, smart people if you can get into this community now while it's in somewhat of a formation phase, you can play a really big role going forward. >> reporter: miami is even experimenting with its own cryptocurrency, miami coin it's value has gone from six cents to a fraction of a penny. but the mayor is undeterred any worry about a bubble and the idea that this could be like the dot-com boom and bust >> we've had real estate bubbles here in the past it's been kind of a boom and bust kind of a city over time what i think is different about this is i just don't see people going back. when you want to create a business, you want to go to places where you can get access to capital to scale and then of course grow your company. >> kate rooney joins me now from the bitcoin conference in miami beach. kate, what is your sense of how miami's efforts are working? >> reporter: lester, if you just follow the money, one analysis

shows investment in miami area crypto startups jumps from $6 million in 2020 to $745 million last year it's still a ways off from the bay area and new york city. but the growth here is undeniable, lester >> okay, kate rooney, thank you. up next, he's flying high and inspiring america with a high note.

finally tonight, the airline captain whose hands also fly

across the piano keys. catie beck and how he's the life of the layover on "inspiring america. >> good morning. >> reporter: on an early flight departing norfolk, virginia. >> nice to have you with us. >> reporter: passengers board into good hands united airlines captain beau brant has flown all over the world for the airline for 18 years but brant's hands are more capable than most travelers know ♪ they may learn on a layover how this pilot manages to start and end most days on a high note. do you look forward to the airports where you know there's going to be a piano waiting for you? >> i really do i like layovers where i can play the piano >> reporter: brant spends his downtime lifting the mood in the terminal he started playing at age 3 and by 12 he was playing restaurants. >> high school,

middle school, college, i was playing numerous nights a week that helped pay for a lot of my flight training >> reporter: when airports are without a piano, a local venue does the trick ♪ the flight crew gets priority seating, of course in his time working as a pilot, he's also produced seven albums. ♪ 80 original songs. >> and it's just about enjoying where you are but also keeping home base >> reporter: at home, his wife and three kids watch dad soar. >> the best message i can give to them is to follow their passion >> and you don't have to choose just one >> absolutely. >> reporter: key advice to reach great places catie beck, nbc news, norfolk, virginia. and that's "nightly news" for this wednesday thanks for watching. take care of yourself and each other good night

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i'm raj mathai, coming up on nbc bay area news tonight, spring just started. why does it feel like summer? rob mayeda explains this mini heat wave and rain in the forecast. also a covid milestone worth celebrating, big drop in severe cases even as new variant spreads. plus 2,000 ukrainian refugees at u.s./mexico border, bay area lawyers helping them and other asylum seekers get into california. assault on board. >> don't want more flight workers punched in the face. >> stiff penalties for unruly passengers.