capital. >> o'donnell: good evening, and thank you for joining us. there are two major headlines as we come on the air, including that severe weather in the south where tornadoes have already touched down and millions are under watches and warnings right now. tonight, the national weather service is calling it a particularly dangerous situation with the threat level higher than it's been in a decade. we'll have more on that in just a moment. but first, there is breaking news tonight in that deadly massacre that happened overnight at three asian spas in the atlanta area. tonight, 21-year-old robert long is under arrest, charged with murdering eight people in what is now the deadliest mass shooting here in more than a year and a half. six of the victims who died were asian women, a chilling detail leaving many in the asian american community worried that the shootings could be the latest in a disturbing string of hate crimes, falsely blaming asian americans for the pandemic. well, tonight, police say it is still too early to rule out that possibility, but they say the suspect is talking, and even admitted he would have continued his killing spree if he hadn't been caught. we've got a lot of news for you and your family tonight. our team of correspondents is standing by to cover it all. and cbs' mark strassmann is going to lead off our coverage tonight from atlanta. good evening, mark. >> reporter: good evening, norah. police say suspect robert long has confessed. his bizarre explanation, he's a sex addict, not a racist and killed his victims to eliminate a temptation. this rampage began here-- young's asian massage in cherokee county, georgia. a gunman with a 9-millimeter shot four people dead, two of them asian women. 52 minute later, another 911 call. >> they have a gun, you said? >> yeah. >> reporter: more gunshots 30 miles south in atlanta. the gold spa advertises 24/7 massages and police say operates legally. three more asian women were murdered here. >> it's not really making any sense how this happened at a massage spa. >> reporter: responding police then got this call: >> after hearing shots fired. >> reporter: yet another shooting, a third homicide scene, right across the street, inside the aroma therapy pa, the final victim was another asian woman. eight people murdered in roughly one hour, six of them asian women. two victims were white, including margaret rushing's daughter, 33-year-old delaina ashley yaun. >> this is the hardest thing i've ever... ever in my whole life... had to deal with. >> reporter: 21-year-old suspect robert aaron long, once active in his southern baptist church, tried to explain his killing spree to police. >> was this racially motivated? >> we believe that he frequented these places in the past, and may have been lashing out. >> reporter: the working theory is a sexual addiction issue, rather than a racial profile. >> during our interviews, we asked that specific question, and-- and that did not appear to be the motive. >> reporter: but the atlanta shootings alarmed asian american communities across america. police stepped up patrols in los angeles, seattle, and new york. president biden was briefed twice today about the atlanta- area murders. >> i've been speaking about the brutality against asian americans for last couple of months. and i think it's-- it is very, very troubling. >> reporter: long's family helped catch him. they recognized him in this surveillance photo posted on social media and alerted deputies who arrested him 150 miles south of atlanta. when police finally arrested long, he was heading to florida, and, norah, he told detectives when he got there he was planning more shootings. >> o'donnell: mark strassmann, thank you. we're going to turn now to that outbreak of tornadoes, hail and violent thunderstorms threatening tens of millions across the south. tornadoes touched down today in several states, causing some serious damage. watches and warnings are posted in more than half a dozen states from oklahoma to alabama. cbs' david begnaud reports tonight from the danger zone. >> reporter: there was a tornado in whistler, mississippi that tore through this chicken farm today, shredding almost every building in sight. it was part of the massive front that's affecting nearly 40 million people from the state of texas to the state of georgia. twisters touched down in rural communities throughout mississippi and alabama. there were hundreds of kids at the university of alabama in tuscaloosa, who were forced to shelter in place today. >> literally, like a tornado. >> reporter: this driver got quite the surprise in his rear view mirror. >> something crazy going on in waynesboro, man. >> reporter: as he drove past the tornado that touched down right after lunchtime. meanwhile, the powerful storm produced heavy rains that shut down schools and vaccination sites across the gulf coast. >> reporter: tonight we are in central alabama. the woman who lives in this home told me she was on her phone watching a live stream as the tornado got closer to her house. she heard them say, "take cover," so she went in the bath tub with her baby and boyfriend put a mattress on top of them and literally watched as the storm approached and blew out their windows and the vehicle. they told people, folks, this is just the preshow. the main force of this dime, weather event rolls in tonight. >> o'donnell: all right, be safe out there, david begnaud. thank you. now let's bring in cbs' lonnie quinn. he's tracking these storms for us. good evening, lonnie. it sounds like it's going to be dangerous tonight. >> it's going to be really bad out there tonight. david is right when he said today was the pre-show, everything so far in mississippi and alabama is prefrontal. it gets more intense as the front comes through and that takes place later tonight. let's go to the radar picture. you can see lots of colors. the brighter the color, the more intense the storm. we're focusing our attention on mississippi and alabama. look at the number of tornadoes that have already touched down. like i said it will get more active as you go into the night time hours. we have well over a dozen in four states. the question is where is this going to go from here? we currently have seven states that are at risk. when we say "at risks" it as high a risk as the national weather service will issue. as you get into the night time hours tonight, we will focus on alabama for a second round. in this round, the tornadoes are bigger and more intense, stronger winds blowing out there. i think they can do more damage. it's not just tonight, though. this will continue into your day tomorrow. tomorrow it's into north carolina. north carolina the risk tomorrow is running maybe a four, but it's uncanny to have two days in a row where you're going from a level five to a level four. this will be an active 24-hour stretch. norah, that's the very latest help let's go back to you. >> o'donnell: today homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas faced tough questions from republicans on the surge of migrants on the southern border but he refused to call the situation a crisis. cbs' mireya villarreal was given rare access inside a private shelter where migrant families are staying. she reports tonight from brownsville, texas. >> reporter: cbs news was allowed inside catholic charities in mcallen, texas, a first stop for migrant families after processing before moving on to stay with relatives or sponsors while their requests for asylum linger. roberto is here with his six- year-old daughter, dulce. the two were among thousands who received comfort from sister norma pimental. what makes this time different from previous years? >> there are several components that are different. the fact that we have a president, an administration that is very open to respond in a very caring, compassionate, and a very respectful way to human life. >> reporter: migrants seeking a new life are emboldened by a false belief that the borders are open. we saw a steady flow entering the rio grande valley illegally, some as young as 10 traveling along. alone. 60% of family unit apprehended are being allowed to stay while their cases are processed, a big increase from the 38% permitted in january. unaccompanied minors can stay, and now more than 13,000 children are in u.s. custody. homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas testified before lawmakers a day after saying the u.s. is on pace to reach the highest number of apprehensions at the border in 20 years. >> the border is not open. >> reporter: but republicans point the finger at president biden. >> the biden administration has created chaos where there was order. >> reporter: last night, president biden warned would-be migrants to stay home. >> so don't leave your town or city or community. >> reporter: and, yet, sister norma says compassion must be part of any solution. >> it is about making sure we find solutions. why? these families are coming and take care of the border correctly. >> reporter: and let's not forget, all of this is happening during a pandemic. these migrant families get dropped off here at a bus station in brownsville. the city of brownsville is now working with nonprofit organizations to give them covid tests right out here in the open. before they go anywhere. so while the feds continue to try and sort things out, local leaders, they are responding as quickly as they can with the limited resources that they have. norah. >> o'donnell: mireya villarreal, thank you very much. and you know the old saying, there's two things certain in life, death and taxes. well, you're getting a delay for one of them. the i.r.s. just pushed back the tax filing deadline from april 15 to may 17, giving taxpayers an extra month to file returns. and we also learned today that the u.s. so far has issued 90 million stimulus checks worth more than $242 billion, as part of president biden's american rescue plan. we're going to turn now to the coronavirus pandemic. health officials are warning tonight about new covid hot spots. 18 states where new infections are rising rapidly. and the c.d.c. is signaling tonight that there may be a change in its recommendation on those social distancing rules in schools. here's cbs' carter evans. >> reporter: tonight, pressure is ramping up to reopen schools, one of the biggest hurdles-- six-foot social distancing. the c.d.c. is now considering reducing the distance in classrooms to three feet. is that too close? >> well, three feet is manageable, as long as you have masks in place. >> reporter: there appears to be some evidence that opening windows in classrooms can help prevent the spread. >> absolutely. the more you can bring the outdoors in, the safer you can be. >> reporter: new data shows infection rates are highest between the ages of 12 and 17 in at least 34 states. the biden administration is announcing tonight they'll distribute 10 billion in federal funds for coronavirus testing in schools as 18 states report at least a 10% rise in new cases. this comes as 17 states are now allowing most or all businesses to reopen with no capacity limits. perfect timing for a potential st. patrick's day surge. >> my concern is that we prematurely pull back and don't give the vaccines time to continue to protect the country. >> reporter: now, former president donald trump is publicly encouraging his supporters to get vaccinated. >> i would recommend it, and i would recommend it to a lot of people that don't want to get it. >> reporter: and a dose of good news tonight in california: after being shut down for more than a year, disneyland will reopen on april 30 at 15% capacity. now, the mass vaccination site behind me here in los angeles is run by the federal emergency management agency, and today the government opened up another site just like it in cleveland, with more planned in atlanta and detroit. they can vaccinate up to 6,000 people a day. norah. >> o'donnell: carter evans, thank you. and now to the issue of vaccine equity, making sure that everyone who is eligible gets a covid shot. north carolina ranges among the best-performing states on this, thanks in part to a group of determined doctors. cbs' jericka duncan continues our series "women and the pandemic." >> reporter: have you had any more thoughts about medications? >> reporter: for psychiatrist nerissa price, helping the most vulnerable on the streets of raleigh, north carolina, is a calling. >> i haven't seen you in a while! >> reporter: answering it more urgent than ever. >> why do you think the others aren't wearing masks? >> haha-- they don't care. >> reporter: with the rush to treat those at greatest risk. vaccinate those at greatest risk. >> it just became so clear to me that this was going to be a population that was going to be ignored if i didn't do something about it. >> reporter: they call themselves "the sister circle." six african american doctors from wakemed health, chipping away at the vaccine inequities in north carolina's hardest hit zip code. >> we've watched people in our community suffer. we've watched people die needlessly. >> reporter: dr. rasheeda monroe is a pediatrician who led the charge. would you say there are actually more people within african american communities that do want he shot and don't have access to it than those who are afraid of getting it? >> absolutely. vaccthat's what we found. >> reporter: including sheryl pepples-bin, who lost her brother to covid. >> i just couldn't believe it when it happened, and i just wish he was still here. >> we'll do this in memory of him, and god bless you all for coming into the community to take care of people. >> reporter: so far, the sister circle has given out 9200 doses and vaccinated 8,200 at 17 churches. >> easy breezy, right? >> i'm so happy! it's going to make me cry. >> reporter: for these sisters, it's about redeeming the soul of america. how important is your role as a woman during this pandemic? >> it's just kind of this galvanizing force. like, this is, indeed, what we came into medicine for. this is why we're here. >> reporter: sisters who care encircling those in need. >> lift it up for me. >> reporter: jericka duncan, cbs news, new york. >> o'donnell: and god bless the sister circle. and there is still much more news ahead on tonight's "cbs evening news." we're actually following some breaking news. there's been an arrest near the vice president's official residence. also, a message from tiger woods on his recovery from that horrible accident. watch cbs in bay area with the kpix 5 news app. >> o'donnell: and we want to update you about some breaking news. a texas man has been arrested near the vice president's official residence. police say he was experiencing paranoid delusions. paul murray allegedly just purchased an ar-15 and texted his mother this morning that he was going to washington to take care of his problem. vice president kamala harris is not currently living at the naval observatory. in minneapolis today, two jurors were dismissed from the murder trial of former officer derek chauvin after telling the judge they heard about the city's $27 million settlement with george floyd's family and it signaled to them that chauvin was responsible for floyd's death. also tonight tiger woods is recovering at home after three weeks in the hospital with a shattered leg and foot. in a statement, the golf legend thanked the medical staff and says he's working on getting stronger every day. all right, coming up next, the moment families, including our own chip reid's, have been waiting for as covid restrictions are finally lifted. >> o'donnell: like a lot of good sons and daughters, cbs' chip reid has spent a lot of time zooming with his mom. well, finally, mother and son have been reunited through a hug. here's chip reid. >> reporter: it had been a long time. >> oh! >> reporter: hi, mom! >> reporter: over a year since i last saw my 90-year-old mother in person. does it seem like a whole year to you? >> no. >> reporter: we talked by phone and zoom. hi, mom. >> oh, goodness. oh! >> reporter: how are you? >> i'm good. oh! so glad to see you! >> reporter: but there's no substitute for being face to face. >> i like your hair! even if her nursing home still requires six feet of distance, though we've both been vaccinated. across the nation, families painfully separated for so long have been reuniting after last week's new government guidelines for nursing homes that encourage in-person visits. frank demarinis is executive director of forwood manor, my mother's nursing home, in wilmington, delaware. what does it mean to you to have us, the visitors, back again? >> it brings spirit back into the community. i'd like to think we're a community again, not just a facility. >> reporter: soon, he says, they hope to allow hugging. and after that, maybe even travel. i'm hoping that we can do our annual trip to the beach this summer. >> oh, hallelujah. wouldn't that be wonderful. >> reporter: yes, it would. chip reid, cbs news, wilmington, delaware, and soon, hopefully, from the jersey shore. >> o'donnell: no doubt they are going to make it. we'll be right back. >> o'donnell: on tomorrow's "cbs evening news," a big story. hundreds of pet owners say their pets died as a popular flea and tick collar to blame. we'll have exclusive new reporting. if you can't watch us live, don't forget to set your dvr so you can watch us later. that is tonight's cbs evening news." on this st. patrick's day, an irish blessing, may your troubles be less, your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door. we're going to leave you with the white house where the overnight news.ight >> i am chip reid in washington and thanks for staying with us. former president trump growed the growing chorus calling on americans and particularly his supporters to get the coronavirus vaccine. 33% of republicans do not plan to get vaccinated and 10% of democrats say they won't take the shot in the arm either. mr. trump and melania trump got their vaccines before leaving the white house in january and while the vaccine effort in the suzuki gaining steam, europe is in the grip of a third wave of infections and lock downs. >> reporter: it seems like yesterday i was ording a c cappacino but around italy they are locking down again. new cases and deaths are climbing due to new variants and a shortage of vaccines. >> we have less than 50% of the expected doses at the present time. i think the same has happened everywhere. it is i think a european problem. another european problem, people letting down their guard. to make matters worse, italy can't use one of the available vaccines, astrazeneca, after a growing number of nations temporarily suspended it amid reports of patients dying of blood clots shortly after getting the shot. they say there is no evidence of causation and it is strictly a precaution. the latest set-back in a country that already suffered so much. today amid the biggest recession since world war ii and $100,000 fatalities the military has gone from trucking away the dead to innoculating the living, if only there was enough to go around. since the start of the pandemic things that happened in italy had an eerie way of repeating themselves in the united states. if you are worried about the latest wave coming across the ocean, americans should feel very lucky that country is vaccinating so
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