king canyon. the chp chase of what they think is a shooting suspect who is armed. and this began in santa rosa, and now it's on 80 eastbound american canyon. and you can see lots of chp vehicles in pursuit. the driver had evade them despite them putting out the spike strips. again the driver wanted for freeway shooting. so we'll have the latest for you on abc seven news at four. take >> david: tonight, breaking news as we come on the air this friday night. authorities just moments ago saying, get out now in a key area outside houston. mandatory evacuations, the rescues amid horrific flooding. the extraordinary images coming in. in new york city, the biggest witness yet in donald trump's criminal trial, hope hicks crying on the stand. outside new york tonight, the deadly explosion, the home

destroyed. first, that urgent plea from authorities in texas for some to get out now and the images coming in now. devastating flooding across parts of texas. first responders and the water rescues. >> oh my god, he's going in the water. >> oh my god. >> a tractor-trailer floating away after trying to drive through deep water. a massive tornado, a family trying to run to safety. >> oh my gosh. get in get in the car, get in the car! >> david: a tornado touching down in holly, texas. a family of five hiding in their home. they survived, the home did not. in new york city, once one of donald trump's closest aides, hope hicks takes the stand for the prosecution. what she said and the moment she started crying. the judge calling for a break. outside new york city, that deadly home explosion. a retired police officer killed in the blast in new jersey. a second victim tonight in critical condition. burns across 90% of his body. the blast felt blocks away. at this hour, massive new protests breaking out here in

new york city just hours after police cleared out encampments at nyu. tonight, the texas congressman, henry cuellar, and his wife indicted on federal conspiracy and bribery charges, prosecutors accusing them of taking nearly $600,000 in bribes from foreign businesses. what they're saying tonight. in turks and caicos, yet another case. an american husband and father facing a possible 12 years in prison after what airport security found. the chilling discovery in the search for a missing american and his two friends, two brothers in mexico. what authorities have now revealed tonight. a high school student here in the u.s. hit with a bullet while sitting inside her high school. the bullet coming through the window. tonight, president biden honoring 19 people with the medal of freedom. the woman known as the grandmother of juneteenth honored tonight. also, bird flu. authorities on the symptoms after that dairy farm worker came down with it. and there is news on the part of i-95 shutdown here in the northeast after that

explosion. >> david: good evening, and question begin tonight here with the breaking news. authorities just moments ago warning residents to get out in areas outside houston amid an unfolding emergency there. the devastating flooding getting worse tonight. mandatory evacuations, high-water rescues in shepherd, texas, north of houston. this 18-wheeler washed off the highway. the driver in that yellow shirt climbing out through the window. nearby in huntsville, texas, a man rescued with ropes after clinging to trees for hours. tornados striking central texas. a storm chaser capturing this one in hawley, that's near abilene. that tornado leaving a trail of devastation. at least 30 homes completely destroyed. tonight, a tornado threat across that region for the third straight night as authorities

warn the dangerous floodwaters in some places are only going to rise. our chief national correspondent matt gutman leading us off. he's outside houston tonight. >> reporter: tonight, mandatory evacuations and water rescues in east texas. first responders in boats pulling people out of neighborhoods north of houston. >> it pushed me up into the trees, and i got on top of my car, and i called for help, and that's when i heard him screaming back there, and i let the police know that he was back there too. >> you live back there? yeah, i did, i lost my home. >> oh my god, he's going in the water. oh my god. sgrb are. >>? in ship peshds, texas, that 18-wheeler veering 0 into a creek. the driver in the yellow shirt climbing out of the cab as the truck bobs and sinks. outside huntsville, good samaritans spotting this man clinging to a tree. they used ropes to pull him to safety. he had been stuck there for hours. >> this threat is ongoing. and it's going to get worse. >> reporter: while the rivers rose near houston, tornados threatening parts of texas again tonight.

with a massive twister on the ground just outside abilene in the town of hodges, storm chaser freddy mckinney spotting a family, bloodied, running from the wreckage. >> get in! get in the car, get in the car! >> please, god, help! >> reporter: mckinney rushing kasey and wes lambert and their kids, lane and allie to the hospital. kasey, holding her injured son, lane, recounting the moments to our station, ktxs. >> wes at one point reached up to cover my head, and he -- at that point, the suction became so strong, it sucked lane from wes' arms. >> reporter: not far from there, this massive twister leveling homes in hawley, texas. joseph torres telling our mireya villareal his pregnant girlfriend and the rest of his family are lucky to have survived. >> reporter: this is your home. how tough is it to see over your shoulder now looking back? >> my dad and my mom, they worked so hard to give us

everything, to give us this house, you know, blood, sweat and tears into this house. this is really heartbreaking to see. >> david: just an awful scene unfolding tonight in texas. look at that picture right there with matt gutman. he is north of houston, cleveland, texas, tonight. authorities are warning this flooding could actually worsen in the coming hours? >> reporter: it's not nearly over, david. our weather team has been tracking tornados and severe weather across texas, from lubbock all the way down to san angelo. there is that tornado watch, and of course a severe thunderstorm watch all the way down to del rio. that could bring giant hail and damaging winds. you may be able to make out the tops of those rvs behind me, but there are also about a dozen cars almost entirely submerged. just south of here, city officials from houston are now warning people have only several hours to get out of the those homes because these floodwaters are going to continue to rise, and they're saying they could

have hundreds of homes and businesses completely flooded out in the next 24 to 48 hours, david. >> everyone should take these warnings very seriously. here in new york city tonight, at donald trump's criminal trial, one of the most high-profile witnesses yet. hope hicks taking the stand for the prosecution. once one of donald trump's closest aides, what she said today and the moment she started crying. the judge calling for a break. aaron katersky at the courthouse again tonight. >> reporter: she was donald trump's most-trusted aide. >> where's hope hicks? the great hope hicks. >> reporter: and today on the witness stand, hope hicks taking the jury back to the final weeks of the 2016 campaign and the release of the explosive "access hollywood" tape. trump bragging about groping women. >> when you're a star they let you do it. you can do anything. >> reporter: hicks testified the tape left her “a little stunned.” she said she knew immediately it would be “a massive story,” a “damaging development” to the campaign and “a crisis.” the jury saw a video trump recorded, trying to contain the damage. >> i said it, i was wrong, and i apologize. >> reporter: prosecutors say the

damage control didn't end there. that trump quickly directed a $130,000 hush payment to former porn star ,stormy daniels, so voters wouldn't hear about their alleged affair. michael cohen, trump's fixer at the time, wired the money and was later reimbursed by trump who prosecutors charge illegally falsified business records to make it look like an ordinary legal expense. today, hicks testified trump told her cohen paid daniels on his own “out of the kindness of his own heart.” but she didn't believe it, telling the jury “that would be out of character for michael. i didn't know michael to be a particularly charitable person or selfless person.” trump denies the affair with daniels. his lawyers insist his only interest in keeping daniels quiet was to protect his family, not his campaign. but hicks testified trump later told her, "it would have been bad to have that story come out before the election." and that was the moment hicks broke down, dissolving into tears. judge juan merchan calling a brief recess as she walked out to compose herself. trump barely looking up.

when she returned, a brief and gentle cross examination. hicks spoke glowingly of trump, saying “i don't think he wanted anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed by anything that was happening in the campaign.” when she finished, trump turning to watch as hicks exited the courtroom, and after, this was all he had to say about her testimony. >> i was -- i was very interested in what took place today. >> reporter: hope hicks gave the jury a lot to think about. michael cohen, who will soon take his place here at the witness table, and she said that michael cohen often went rogue and was only trump's fixer because he first broke things. but when trump told her that cohen paid stormy daniels out of the kindness of her own heart, she didn't believe it, telling the jury, david, cohen wasn't that kind of guy. >> david: a lot for the jury to take in tonight. aaron katersky, thank you. the horrific scene outside new york city. the deadly home explosion tonight. we have learned a retired police officer was killed in the blast.

a second victim is in critical condition tonight, burns across 90% of his body. abc's ike ejiochi is in south new jersey tonight. >> reporter: tonight, authorities are investigating what triggered a massive blast that flattened this suburban home. killing a former police officer and leaving another man in critical condition. >> it was just a big boom. the whole ground shook. >> reporter: first responders in south river, new jersey, called to the scene just after 7:00 p.m. arriving to find the residence engulfed in flames and in ruins. >> two and a half story, wood frame structure completely leveled. possible gas leak. >> reporter: firefighters quickly containing the blaze. wreckage strewn across the neighborhood. >> a lot of debris on the roadway, a lot of debris on other lawns. >> reporter: nearby homes and vehicles sustaining damage. the garage doors of this house caving in. neighbors say the explosion could be felt for blocks. >> we were astonished by the debris. the explosion was loud, but we just saw the debris and could

not comprehend. >> reporter: 62-year-old retired newark police officer, kevin gilbert, killed in the blast. the department today offering their condolences to his loved ones, saying he served the force for 26 years. david, it's still an active scene at the home behind me. officials say the second man injured in this blast is related to the retired officer who died. he's in critical condition with burns to 90% of his body, david? >> david: ike ejochi with us tonight, ike, thank you. in new york city, the demonstrations hours after police had cleared out encampments at nyu. stephanie ramos is there. >> reporter: tonight, massive new protests just outside nyu, hundreds of pro-palestinian protesters now gathering on the streets. >> i think student movements historically have brought a lot of change. >> reporter: it comes just hours after the nypd had arrested more than 50 people and cleared out tents at nyu and the new school. tonight, the president of columbia university is speaking out in a video statement for the

first time since calling in police to clear that campus building seized by protesters. >> it was a violent act that put our students at risk. as well as putting the protesters at risk. >> reporter: and tonight, across colleges campuses, confrontations between protest groups now flaring. >> see my face. show me your face! >> reporter: at the university of chicago, counter protesters facing off with pro-palestinian protesters. >> usa, usa! >> nobody wants to see escalation, nobody wants to see students and peers pitted against each other. >> reporter: and a disturbing turn at ole miss, after this video surfaced showing a pro-palestinian demonstrator subjected to racist taunts. reports of offensive behavior at that protest. after weeks of turmoil, college campuses on edge as several push for graduation ceremonies this weekend. students at ohio state say they're relieved after seeing

peaceful protests on campus this week. >> it was good to see last night both sides cooperating with each other. i think that's a really good sign going into sunday. >> reporter: here outside nyu, despite nypd officers clearing tents, there are still protests in this area tonight. officers escorting the group to ensure the demonstration remains peaceful, david? >> david: all right, stephanie ramos on this all week long for us, stephanie, we appreciate it. we turn now to a well-known member of congress, texas congressman henry cuellar and his wife, imelda, have been indicted, prosecutors accusing them of taking nearly $600,000 in bribes from foreign businesses. the congressman insists they're innocent. there's rachel scott. >> reporter: two years after fbi agents raided his texas home, tonight, democratic congressman henry cuellar and his wife imelda indicted by the justice department on charges of conspiracy, bribery and money laundering. prosecutors allege cuellar was behind an elaborate scheme, accepting $600,000 in bribes from an energy company in

azerbaijan and a mexican bank. money that was allegedly laundered though “sham consulting contracts.” in exchange, cuellar allegedly agreed to use his position as a u.s. congressman to push policies that would benefit the bank and azerbaijan, which borders iran and russia. prosecutors obtaining these text messages which they say show a diplomat referring to cuellar as “el jefe” or boss after the congressman said he “submitted language.” tonight in a statement, cuellar writing, “i want to be clear that both my wife and i are innocent of these allegations.” if convicted on all charges, cuellar and his wife could face decades behind bars, david? >> david: rachel scott live in washington, rachel, thank you. tonight, is that ri searching for a missing american. authorities won't say how many bodies and won't confirm identities. american jack carter on the right and brothers disappeared several days ago.

they were on a surfing trip. a source telling abc news the bodies were found near a burned white pickup truck. in turks and caicos, another case of an american husband and father facing a possible 12 years in prison after what airport security found. abc's matt rivers is there for us. >> reporter: tonight, bryan and ashley hagerich entering a courthouse in turks and caicos hand in hand. hoping for a lighter sentence after he was charged for having ammunition in his suitcase. hagerich, a father of two from outside of pittsburgh, facing what could be 12 years in prison. >> i feel like i'm a failure to them. i feel like i've let them down in the worst imaginable way possible. >> reporter: back in february, the couple and their children were wrapping up a vacation, when authorities found a small box of hunting ammo in hagerich's luggage during a random airport security check. >> how did you not know that the ammo was in there? >> it's a quite, quite large bag. multiple, multiple compartments. um, it was overlooked when packing. but a tough new amendment to the

law in turks and caicos mandates a minimum sentence of a dozen years for any illegal ammo or firearms brought to the islands. hagerich pleading guilty but forced to remain on the island for 80 days, separated from his family, while he awaits sentencing. he is now one of four americans facing jail time on similar charges. including oklahoma father ryan watson who was detained in april after police say loose rounds were found in his carry-on bag. tonight, after more than four hours of arguments, hagerich leaving court with his wife. he says while he takes full responsibility for his actions, he is praying for leniency. >> i'm a man of character, integrity. you know did not have intent in this. there are ways can be dealt with without separating my family for 12 years. i really hope that that's considered. >> reporter: david, the judge did not hand down a sentence earlier today, which means that bryan haguers will have to learn until the end of this month to

learn his fate. david? >> david: matt rivers in turks and caicos tonight, matt, thank you. when we come back, a high school student hit with a bullet. she was in the classroom, the bullet coming through the window. we have news on bird flu tonight. symptoms revealed for that dairy worker in a moment. it's amazing that a tiny device can provide 15 years of relief - and you can try it out first. get started at findrealrelief.com ask a bladder specialist if axonics therapy is right for you and to discuss potential risks. results and experiences may vary. let's get your life back! nice to meet ya. my name is david. i've been a pharmacist for 44 years. when i have customers come in and ask for something for memory, i recommend prevagen. number one, because it's safe and effective. does not require a prescription. and i've been taking it quite a while myself

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to the index, we have learned more tonight about that very rare human case of bird flu in the u.s. a dairy farm worker in texas contracting the virus from an infected cow in march. lur researchers say his only major symptom was pink eye. when we come back here tonight, at 89, she pledged to march 1,400 miles to washington for a reason. what's happened tonight. positive, season to season, and why

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>> david: finally, our "persons of the week." the medal of freedom. tonight at the white house, an honor a long time coming. >> today we honor major evers and his family's pain and purpose. >> david: president biden posthumously awarding the medal of freedom, the highest civilian honor in our country, to civil rights giant medgar evers. his daughter rina at the white house. after serving in world war ii, medgar evers came home to face discrimination here. >> we're going to keep the pressure on the downtown merchants -- >> david: he was assassinated in 1963. his daughter reena just a little girl, right there in the white dress, wiping away tears at his

funeral. >> medgar evers' actions cast a light on our nation. >> david: also, the grandmother of juneteenth. for decades pushing for the country to recognize juneteenth as a national holiday. juneteenth commemorates the days slaves in texas were told that they were free, two years after the emancipation proclamation. >> this hopefully will make history, not erase it. we're a better nation because of you. >> david: it was 2016, 18 years old, opal pledging to walk from texas to washington, 1,400 miles, to deliver a petition to congress for that holiday. in 2020, at 93, in the middle of the pandemic, still delivering a petition. >> i thought if i did, people would take notice that juneteenth was special. that it meant freedom for everybody. >> david: opal by the president's side as he signed the juneteenth national independence day into law. tonight, opal telling us,

"although i've received many honors and awards in my 97 years, none can compare to getting the nation's highest honor." >> under our skin, we're all the same. so we need to be and that breaking news is in solano county, where interstate 80 is shut down in the eastbound and westbound directions. because the chp has stopped a driver in that car on eastbound 80 at green valley road. this is really close to the cordelia junction, and this after chase that we've been watching, right. >> the chp tells us the driver is armed. they've been following the driver for about an hour before the car just stopped about 30 minutes ago. this was a wild chase. it started in rohnert park. it all stems from a freeway shooting that occurred

around 11 this morning on highway 101, in windsor. the chp tells us the driver shot at someone and shattered that driver's back window, but they were not hurt. chp officers found the wanted driver parked at a rohnert park shopping center around 230, and that's when the chase began. >> yeah, the pursuit wound through sonoma. marin contra costa and solano counties before it got to fairfield. look at this. chp officers tried several times, actually to use spike strips to stop the driver, but look, no success. he evaded them. >> yeah. i want to give you a live look now from sky seven at the situation at green valley road at the exit in fairfield. the chp is shut down interstate 80 there in both directions. now. the car stopped after losing a tire. and the police want you to be cautious if you're anywhere in that area where you know somebody who's driving around there, it's at a standoff at this point, and we'll certainly keep you posted and see how this gets resolved as we continue here on abc seven news at four.