test. test. test. test. test. tonight, five fired memphis police officers charged with murder in the death of tyre nichols. the d.a. announcing all five ex-officers are charged with second degree murder, aggravated assault and several other counts. nichols, a 29-year-old black man, died days after he was pulled over and violently arrested. the reaction from his family, and when will the public see the video? jurors in the alex murdaugh camera hearing the 911 call. what the officers say they saw.

an isis inspired attacker killed eight people in new york city. russia launching deadly missile strikes hours after the u.s. pledged to send tanks. our team on the ground. my conversation with the ceo of southwest airlines as the transportation department launches an investigation into the airline's meltdown over the holidays. i ask him, did southwest deceive passengers? the asteroid the size of a delivery truck having a close encounter with earth tonight. grin and bear it. the selfie snapper and one wild photo shoot. this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. memphis, tennessee, awaits tomorrow's release of video that officials say will underscore why they have moved to charge five former

memphis police officers with murder. they are accused of being part of a violent confrontation earlier this month that led to 29-year-old tyre nichols being severely injured. it happened after a traffic stop. he died from his injuries a few days later. the d.a. saying the actions of all of them resulted in tyre nichols' death. the five black defendants face multiple charges. including second degree murder. they expect videos to be released publically by the city tomorrow evening. tonight, president biden acknowledging tensions in advance of the tape's release. in a statement saying tonight that outrage is understandable but violence is never acceptable. priscilla thompson leads us off tonight from memphis with more. >> reporter: tonight, five former memphis police officers have been charged with second degree murder in the deadly arrest of 29-year-old tyre nichols. >> while each of the five individuals played a different role in the incident in question, the actions of all of them

resulted in the death of tyre nichols. and they are all responsible. >> reporter: all five officers also charged with aggravated assat, aggravated kidnapping and official misconduct charges. >>hat happened here does not at all reflect proper policing. this was wrong. this was criminal. >> reporter: the announcement comes amid rising tension ahead of tomorrow's release of video from the deadly traffic stop. >> he was a human pinata for those police officers. it was an unabashed, nonstop beatinof this young boy for three minutes. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: his mother heartbroken. her son was a dad and loved to skateboard. you had an opportunity to view this video. >> i watched a minute of it. i couldn't -- once i

heard my son say, what did i do? i lost it. i couldn't -- >> reporter: police stopped him for reckless driving and two confrontations ensued. after which, nichols complained of shortness of breath. he was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died three days later. >> we are better than this. we are better than the egregious conduct and actions of those police officers. >> reporter: nearly two weeks after the incident, all five officers were fired, after an internal investigation found they violated multiple department policies, including excessive use of force and duty render aid. >> no one out there that night intended for tyre nichols to die. no one. >> reporter: two

memphis fire department personnel who helped care for nichols have been relieved of duty pending an investigation. the district attorney's office, the fbi and department o justice are all now investigating. >> how is the city preparing for the release of thivideo? >> reporter: lester, we have seen a heightened police presence here as officials continue to call for calm. meanwhile, the family of tyre nichols says they are hopeful the officers will be held accountable. let's bring in laura jarrett. what will prosecutors need to prove? >> the law is clear. prosecuts don't have to show these officers intended to kill nichols. the state does have to prove that the officers knew that their behavior was likelyo cause his death and possibly should have intervened to stop a fellow officer from hurting nichols. usually, these cases are hard to win.

officers claim they acted reasonably. juries tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. in this case, as in so many others, much will come down to what we see in that video tomorrow and the jury's reaction to it. >> laura, thank you. in south carolina, dramatic testimony today in the trial of alex murdaugh. the jury saw police bodycam video from the scene and heard his call to 911. catie beck is there tonight. >> permission to publish this exhibit. >> reporter: the jury heard the chilling 911 call. >> reporter: from first responders recounting a gruesome crime scene. standing near it, a distraught alex murdaugh. >> did you see tears? >> i did not. murdaugh. >> did you see tear snz. >> i did not.

>> reporter: the body camera footage from that night and murdaugh became emotional, especially as witnesses described his son's injuries. on tape, almost immediately he tells police the reason he believes his son was a target. >> reporter: he also mentioned that theory to the 911 dispatcher, referring to the 2019 boat crash that killed mallory beach. paul charged with three counts of boating under the influence, had pleaded not guilty and was awaiting trial. the defense on cross highlighting the lack of blood on his clothing. questions about preserving evidence. >> do your best not to contaminate anything. >> this is your best? >> reporter: both the prosecution and defense using the lack of blood on his

clothes to bolster their case. the defense saying if he had done it, he would have had blood on his clothes. prosecutors inferring if he had checked for signs of life as he said he did, he wouldn't have been so clean. lester? >> thank you. in new york city today, the verdict handed down for an isis-inspired truck attack on halloween in 2017. the jury finding the attacker guilty on all counts. prosecutors say he drove a rented truck along a busy bike path, striking and killing eight people in the deadliest terror attack in new york since 9/11. he could receive the death penalty. the u.s. military killed a top isis leader in somalia. the raid took place in the mountains of northern somalia where he and ten isis fighters were killed. the defense secretary lloyd austin said he guided the growth of isis in africa and its funding worldwide, including in afghanistan.

in ukraine, a massive and deadly russian military assault. one day after the u.s. and germany said they are sending tanks to ukraine. raf sanchez is there and has late details. >> reporter: tonight, russia's revenge. just hours after the u.s. and european allies announced they will send tanks to ukraine, russia unleashing air strikes targeting ukraine's power grid and ripping apart these homes. my life is broken. why has it happened to us, she says? ukraine says at least 11 people were killed with thousands more fleeing to shelters. this blast in kyiv captured by sky news cameras. president zelenskyy saying today we withstood another massive missile strike by terrorists. the strikes come just a day after president biden announced the u.s. will send abrams tanks to ukraine. they won't arrive for many months.

germany's tanks could be here by the end of march. this bridge was the lifeline for villages on the far side of the river. destroyed during the war and now the only way across is this narrow walkway. donated food, fuel and winter clothes carried on foot. this woman's parents live on the far side. seeing them now, a journey over icy water. this is scary to walk across. >> yes. >> reporter: families divided by war but finding a way to stay together. the kremlin saying today, the u.s. and european decision to send tanks means nato is now directly involved in the war here. ukraine isn't stopping at tanks. officials say they hope the next step will be for the allies to provide american made f-16 fighter jets. southwest airlines said today that

holiday meltdown cost the airline hundreds of millions of dollars. the transportation department announced an investigation. with that in mind, i spoke with the ceo of southwest. it was a december debacle for southwest airlines. the cancellation of nearly 17,000 flights causing millions of missed vacations and celebrations. the airline today announcing an $800 million price tag for the ten days of canceled flights. at the same time, southwest finds itself in the government's crosshairs with an investigation into whether the number of flights scheduled was realistic. let me begin by asking, do you think the department of transportation investigation into december's debacle is warranted? >> number one, we want to cooperate and collaborate with our oversight committees, the department of transportation and their goals -- if you think the dot is to make sure our customers are taken care of, we share those goals.

>> this will look at the possibility the airline deceived passengers, unrealistically scheduling flights it knew it was impossible to fulfill. how do you respond to that? >> if you looks at our flight schedule, we were fully staffed to fly our december flight schedule. if you look before the event and since, we have been operating really, really well. in january, we are number one in terms of on time performance. >> but you have to understand -- i think you will agree most people will measure you on what happened on your worst days, last few days of december. >> you know, i have to start with, we really messed up. i almost cannot apologize enough to our customers and our people at southwest airlines. we let them down when they needed us the most. we had a huge storm that impacted so much of the country. that led to an incredible number of cancels, more than we have ever seen. that led to an incredible number of aircraft rerouting.

an historic level. that led to a huge level of crew rerouting, for more than we have seen. that overwhelmed our systems and processes. >> you have talked about and others talked about the software used for scheduling flight attendants and pilots, crews, it wasn't up to task given the circumstances that you were facing. have you fixed that? >> the technology, it's sky solver, it performed as designed, as did our processes. you are trying to solve a routing that occurred hours ago. the software was never designed for that. they have a new version of the software that is developed, it's in test right now. that will fix that problem. >> we are in winter for at least another couple of months here. granted, there's no major holidays on the immediate horizon. i think what people wonder when they book with you now, will you be able to fulfill the obligation? >> we will do everything short-term, now, immediate, long-term to make sure

this does not happen again. we put things in place like an extraordinary level of monitoring. we spun up a group of about 100 extra crew schedulers that we can use on demand. we are looking at our de-icing procedures top to bottom. extra engine covers in case of tremendously cold weather. we have a 51-year track record of being a terrific operator, delivering for our customers, loving on our customers and our people. we are going to fulfill that. >> part of my conversation with the ceo of southwest airlines. in 60 seconds, the crackdown on a ransom wear gang that targeted schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure. do good, eat . that's our mission. we chose our spark cash plus card from capital one because it gives us unlimited two percent cash back on everything, we buy. and it has no preset spending limit, so our purchasing power adapts to our business needs. we use our two percent cash back to help cover our employees' healthcare costs.

that's how we take care of our most valuable asset, our people. it may sound cheesy, but we like it that way! what's in your wallet? ♪♪ ♪3, 4♪ ♪ what's in your wallet? ♪hey♪ ♪ ♪are you ready for me♪ ♪are you ready♪ ♪are you ready♪ when it was time to sign up for a medicare plan mom couldn't decide. but thanks to the right plan promise from unitedhealthcare she got a medicare plan expert to help guide her with the right care team behind her. the right plan promise only from unitedhealthcare. tonight, the national archives taking the dramatic step of asking former presidents and vice presidents to re-check their personal records for classified documents. the agency made the request in a letter sent today following

revelations that president biden, former president trump and former vice president pence all had government materials labeled as classified in their homes. tonight, the justice department announcing an fbi crackdown on one of the world's most notorious hacker groups. we get more from gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: the major ransomware attacks targets schools and hospitals. the fbi says it infiltrated one of the most prolific hacker gangs and shut down its site on the dark web. >> simply put, using lawful means, we hacked the hackers. >> reporter: investigators say the group, known as hive, would partner with independent hackers, extorting more than $100 million. for years, there have been headlines of them going after school districts in the u.s. and a network of hospitals and had to

cancel urgent surgery while staff moved to paper charts. >> this network targeted more than 1,500 victims since june of 2021. >> reporter: they extort victims by breaking into the online network then encrypting files, making computers the files and tealing threatening to leak them. the victims are told they can only get their files back by paying a huge ransom. still, with no arrests in this case, cybercrime experts question the long-term impact. >> the criminal marketplace is extremely resilient. they have competitors who are waiting in the wings to replace them. >> reporter: hackers linked to other attacks have been based out of russia. today, the attorney general declined to comment on whether this group was. citing an ongoing investigation. >> gabe, thank you. up next, the asteroid in one of the closest encounters ever with planet earth. the newest sign of a resilient economy. how long will it last?

jardi? ♪ ♪ we're the ones getting it done. we're managing type 2 diabetes and heart risk. we're on it with jardiance. join the growing number of people who are on it with the once-daily pill, jardiance. jardiance not only lowers a1c, it goes beyond to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death for adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease. and jardiance may help you lose some weight. jardiance may cause serious side effects including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, (that can lead to sudden worsening of kidney function), and genital yeast or urinary tract infections. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, ketoacidosis or an allergic reaction, and don't take it if you're on dialysis. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. a once-daily pill that goes beyond lowering a1c? we're on it. we're on it. we're on it with jardiance. ask your doctor about jardiance.

it's very common to have both sensitivity and gum issues. dentists and hygienists will want to recommend sensodyne sensitivity and gum. you get the sensitivity relief as well as improved gum health. all in one. bravo! you used the quicksilver card from capital one with no annual fee and unlimited 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase, everywhere. that makes you the hero of every purchase. what's in your wallet? this cough. [sfx: coughs] this'll help. vicks vaporub? vicks vaporub's ...medicated vapors go straight to the source of your cough... ...so you can relieve your cough to breathe easier. vicks vaporub. fast-acting cough relief.

okay everyone, our mission is complete balanced nutrition. together we support immune function. supply fuel for immune cells and sustain tissue health. ensure with twenty-five vitamins and minerals, and ensure complete with thirty grams of protein. when dry eye symptoms... keep... coming... back... inflammation might be to blame. over the counter eye drops can provide temporary relief. xiidra... can provide lasting relief. it targets inflammation that can cause dry eye disease. xiidra treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. don't use if allergic to xiidra. common side effects include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when applied, and unusual taste sensation. why wait? ask your doctor about a 90-day prescription and pay as little as $0. xiidra. oof!

xiidra. when a truck hit my son, oof! i had so many questions about his case. i called the barnes firm. it was the best call i could've made. call the barnes firm now and find out what your case could be worth. ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ tonight, newest tonight, new evidence the economy continues to show resilience, despite higher interest rates and so many high-tech layoffs. the economy grew almost 3% at the end of last year. so is a recession off the table? here is tom costello. >> reporter: it's the economy that just keeps on kicking. americans were still spending heavily at the end of 2022,

helping to drive an annual gdp rate of 2.9%, better than expected. more good news. lower than expected weekly jobless claims. the unemployment rate remains at a 50-year low. the economy is slowing. >> i think we are living in two worlds. the world of the present, which has pretty strong economic growth right now. we are living in the future, which is a future of a really lackluster, lame forecast of a stalling economy. >> reporter: in virginia today, president biden was highlighting the good news. >> wages are up. they are growing faster than inflation. >> reporter: the solid stats come even as the federal reserve has made borrowing more expensive. hiking interest rates seven times to tame inflation. while inflation is cooling, ibm and dow are among the latest to announce layoffs, even as walmart raises its minimum wage by $2 to keep workers. in chicago elaine's

store profits tripled. the future is uncertain. >> reporter: i'm optimistic. didn't sign a five-year lease to really understand what's happening. i signed a one-year lease. >> reporter: the concern from main street to wall street, recession. >> this is a mild correction. as opposed to deep and dark. >> reporter: if the fed keeps hiking rates, the economy could go negative. >> you will figure out a way to be recession proof. >> reporter: they will raise rates another quarter point next week. some worry, future gdp numbers could go negative if the economy slips into a recession sometime this year. >> tom costello, thank you. nasa is calling it a very close encounter for earth. an asteroid about the size of a delivery truck passing within 2,200 miles of the earth's surface this evening over south america's southern edge. scientists calling it one of the closest approaches to earth recorded.

selfies like you have never seen, by the bear that can't stop hogging the camera. and if you're taking a multivitamin alone, you may be missing a critical piece. preservision. preservision areds 2 contains the only clinically proven nutrient formula recommended by the national eye institute to help reduce the risk of moderate to advanced amd progression. "preservision is backed by 20 years of clinical studies" "and its from the eye experts at bausch and lomb" so, ask your doctor about adding preservision. and fill in a missing piece of your plan. like i did with preservision" [coughing] hi, susan. honey. yeah. i respect that. but that cough looks pretty bad. try this robitussin honey. the real honey you love, plus the powerful cough relief you need. mind if i root through your trash? robitussin. the only brand with real honeyand elderberry. ♪limu emu & doug♪ hey, man. nice pace! clearly, you're a safe driver.

you could save hundreds for safe driving with liberty mutual. they customize your car insurance... ...so you only pay for what you need! [squawks] whoo! we gotta go again. only pay for what you need. ♪liberty liberty liberty♪ ♪liberty♪ with the venture x card from capital one, you earn two times miles on every purchase. they're noise-canceling! you're being too loud. good choice! my lucky number! plus earn five times miles on flights... and ten times miles on hotels through capital one travel. what's in your wallet? now adt professionally installs google nest products... cool. you're all set. so your home is safe and smart. we're gunna miss you. you can check in on your home. arm the system, we should go. manage your system from virtually anywhere. (thump) (scream) and get intelligent alerts, like when a package has arrived. - bye. have a good night. -boo! when the most trusted name in home security

adds the intelligence of google, you have a home with no worries. brought to you by adt. i'm managing my high blood pressure, you have a home with no worries. but i'm still a target for chronic kidney disease. and my type 2 diabetes means i'm also a target. we are targets too. millions have chronic kidney disease and 90% don't know they have it. so ask for your kidney numbers and farxiga. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ if you have chronic kidney disease, farxiga reduces the risk of kidney failure, which can lead to dialysis. farxiga can cause serious side effects including dehydration, urinary tract or genital yeast infections in women and men, and low blood sugar. ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may lead to death. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this bacterial infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. and don't take it if you are on dialysis. take aim at chronic kidney disease-- ask your doctor for your kidney numbers

and ask for farxiga. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ finally, we can barely contain ourselves over the last story about a selfie star that never saw a camera he didn't like. here is miguel almaguer. >> reporter: people come to boulder for

its rugged beauty and views. a picture perfect landscape for a selfie or perhaps a few hundred of them. clearly, not shy and maybe a little vain, this black bear likes his angles. have you ever seen anything like this before? >> i haven't. this bear seemed curious, a little playful perhaps. >> reporter: goofy, provocative and even pensive, the photo shoot, 400 selfies, triggered a range of reactions, headlines and love online. >> people are excited about all of the bear images that we captured. >> reporter: the bear put in legwork for the head shots, finding one of nine motor sensor cameras. hoping to snap birds and mountain lions, this bear barely left any room for photos of other curious critters. >> people being aware of what's out there is very important. being able to coexist. >> reporter: to be fair, animal selfies aren't just monkey business. the most famous of

them all ended up in a lawsuit over who owned the rights. while we all love a good selfie, it turns out, even a bear can be a camera hog. miguel almaguer, nbc news. that's "nightly news" for this thursday. thank you for watching, everyone. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night.

speaking from behind bars, in a one-on-one interview the man suspected of carrying out the half moon bay mass shooting talks to our janelle wang. good afternoon. i'm audrey asistio. welcome to nbc bay area news at 4:30. we are tracking several new developments in the half moon bay mass shooting. our damian trujillo is learning more about the victims by talking to friends and family. there is a renewed push to tighten gun laws. the specific action california senator alex padilla among others is calling for. let's begin with the exclusive jail house interview. the accused