Chinas great wall. Nightly news begins now. Announcer from nbc news World Headquarters in new york, this is nbc nightly news. Reporting tonight, Thomas Roberts. We begin tonight with jawdropping moments at the cincinnati zoo gorilla exhibit after a 3yearold boy somehow got through its fencing, falling at least ten feet into the pen and then getting cornered by a 400 pound silver back all as the childs mom watched in horror. At times the massive primate violently dragged the boy at lightning speeds and other times appeared to demonstrate a protective concern. With no time to spear, zookeepers acted with lethal force against the able to save the boy. Our Gadi Schwartz has the terrifying moments all caught on camera. Reporter ten minutes of terror. Mommys right here. Reporter this cell phone video showing a 400 pound gorilla and behind him in the corner of his exhibit, a 3yearold boy. Suddenly screams. [ screaming ] reporter the gorilla dragging the boy through the water then stops. You can hear the mother talking to her son, trying to keep him calm. Mommy loves you. Im right here. Reporter at one point, the boy looks up, and the two briefly touch hands. The gorilla standis him up, then drags him away. Zookeepers say they had no choice. A tranquilizer would have taken too long, and they had to put the gorilla down. We have rescued the child. Youre talking about an animal thats over 400 pounds and extremely strong. So the child wasnt under attack but all sorts of things could happen in a situation like that. Reporter the gorilla, named ha ram bay, an endangered silverback. Cincinnati zoo was celebrating his 17th birthday the day before he was killed. The boy was taken to the hospital but is expected to be okay. Witnesses say his mother was watching several children when he slipped through a barrier and fell into the moat. The little boy himself had already been talking about wanting to go in, go in, get in the water. His mother is like, no, youre not, no, youre not. Reporter the zoo now reexamining the barriers around the exhibit. Meanwhile some mourning ha ram bays death are questioning the killing, pointing to other examples of gorillas protecting children who fell in exhibits like this incident in england 30 years ago or this gorilla in 1996 in chicago who cared for an injured boy and carried him to zookeepers at the exhibit door. But this case, much more unpredictable. A boys life in danger. A risk zookeepers wouldnt take. Gadi schwartz, nbc news. A gunman is dead tonight and another wounds after police say the pair went on a shooting spree in a houston neighborhood. Morgan radford has the late details. Reporter shots fired. Backtoback. Smoke rising and a scared neighbor running away. Police cars rushing to the scene where eight people were shot, two of them killed. We do not know what started this, but we do know they were shooting randomly. Reporter Authorities Say around 10 50 a. M. Two gunman started spraying bullets, striking four civilians, kidding one of them. One bullet had a gas station causing a fire. Residents were asked to stay inside while the gunman opened fire on a Police Helicopter and responding vehicles. The Police Department saying two of their officers were shot, but both expected to recover. One gunman was killed. The second now in critical condition. When asked whether this was an act of terror everything is open at this time. Reporter leaving a once Quiet Community in shock. And authorities searching for clues. Morgan radford, nbc news. Severe weather that has killed at least five people in recent days remains a problem tonight with rivers rising in parts of texas while tropical depression bonnie is bringing flooding and drenching rain to much of the east coast. Janet shamlian is following it all for us from charleston, South Carolina, and has this report. Reporter a weekend washout, bonnie coming ashore near charleston as a tropical depression. A drenching for the South Carolina coast. The water was so high to where that it was almost covering the mailboxes. Reporter a portion of interstate 75 south of charleston impassable. So many driving through the high water, officials flienlly closed a stretch of the road, all on a busy holiday weekend. Just a few passing szczurs in mirtdle beach, although the sun did come out, the lifeguards only ayou loed surfers in the water beyond their knees because of the droung rip currents. Im very concerned about my kids being out there. I get nervous when they get further than their knees. Reporter rescuers tonight still searching for a 21yearold man who went missing in rough surf saturday in north carolina. The remnants of the storm will move slowly up and inland along the east coast into monday. In texas, more Severe Weather as the death toll now rises to five and floodwaters forcing a mandatory evacuation in rosenberg near the braz us river. Its just scary, you know. You got all your belongings. You dont any what to take. You dont know what to leave. We knew it was coming but at the same time you dont prepare for Something Like this. Reporter more than a thousand inmates in the area evacuated to higher ground, and First Responders helping horses grazing in pasture land where waters are rising. Aheed of the halt, more storms in the forecast for already hard hit regions. Tonight the threat of even more rain and with all these storms tomorrow could end up being the first beach day of the weekend for many people. Authorities are cautioning that the threat of rip currents continues. Thomas. Nothing to mess with there with those. Janet smam leeian in charleston for us tonight. Thanks. We move on to politics now and more tough talk today from donald trump who found a sympathetic audience at at annual biker event in washington, d. C. Known as rolling thunder. Kelly odonnell was there and has our report. Reporter revved up with an unmistakable swagger and a deafening sound. That gave this annual mission to washington, d. C. Its name. Rolling thunder. Today the tribute to american prisoners of war and those missing in action turned political. This was not a campaign rally. Rolling thunder. Look 59 all these bikers. Do we love the bikers . Yes, we love the bikers. Reporter but donald trump made it feel like one. We cant have Hillary Clinton be our president. That i can tell you. Reporter trump, who did not serve in the military, plugged into this National Veterans gathering to say that he and not Hillary Clinton would better provide for veterans needs. Thousands of people are dying. Hard to believe even, of our vets, our most cherished people. Thousands of people are dying, waiting on line to see a doctor. That is not going to happen anymore. Reporter but trump, who often boasts about attracting huge crowds, seemed disappointed by the turnout and made a striking comparison to an iconic historical event held here in 1963. Ill tell you what really amazes me. I thought this would be like dr. Martin luther king where the people would be lined up from here all the way to the washington monument, right . Reporter the secret service had blocked off sections to screen those closest to trum, leaving some open spaces. Trump was well received but supporters had differing reactions. I think he has a plan. I think hes going to go into washington and change washington. Reporter you called him a lunatic but youre going to vote for him . Yes, i am, but hes a lunatic. Reporter and today trump promised a Big Press Conference on tuesday to answer a question that has dogged his campaign for months. He will account for which Veterans Charities received the almost 6 million he claims he raised back in january, when he skipped a gop debate to hold a veterans fundraisers. Thomas. A lot of people looking forward to that answer. Kelly odonnell in a rainy washington for us this evening. Growing pressure on Bernie Sanders today to drop out of the democratic race and turn his support to Hillary Clinton. But sanders continues to march to his own political beat. Kristen welker is in chappaqua, new york, where clinton is spending the weekend. Reporter secretary clinton has been off the campaign trail all weekend as senator sanders has barnstormed in critical california. But clinton surrogates were out in force today. In fact, senator Dianne Feinstein said today that the race is, quote, all but over, a not so subtle attempt to urge sanders to get out. But today on meet the press, sanders defiant, saying hes in this race till the very end. And when asked about party unity, he said thats up to one person, Hillary Clinton. So my job is to make sure that trump does not become president , and i will do that. But if secretary clinton is the nominee, it is her job to reach out to millions of people and make the case as to why she is going to defend working families and the middle class, provide health care to all people, take all wall street, deal aggressively with climate change. That is the candidates job to do. Reporter sanders didnt rule out running as clintons v. P. Nominee but also warned her pick should be progressive. He has vowed to stay in california until the primary. As for secretary clinton, shes going to participate in the memorial day parade right here in chappaqua, and she is saying that she will then head to new jersey, a state that could give her enough delegates to win the nomination before all the votes in california are counted. Thomas. Kristen welker in chappaqua, new york, kristen, thank you. Overseas, the u. N. High commissioner for refugees says at least 700 migrants died at sea this past week while another 14,000 were rescued in the mediterranean, most trying to cross from libya to italy. Keir simmons is following this new surge of migrants making a desperate and deadly journey. Reporter crammed with terrified migrants, a fishing boat overturns in the mediterranean sea, in full sight of the italian navy. Many trying in vein to stay out of the water, others swimming for their lives. The boat capsized wednesday in just 30 seconds. 100 lives bebelieved to be lost. Too many people on board that were scared. They were not sitting. They were not listening. They were simply scared for their life. Reporter according to aid workers, three of the 45 bodies found were newborn babies, a 9monthold nigerian girl was saved by this doctor. Her future uncertain. Her pregnant mother did not survive. It was a deadly week even for these dangerous waters. 700 dead or missing in seven days. Bodies lifted one by one in southern italy today. One of the shocking things that we have seen in recent months is the number of children, some of them very young, embarking in these flimsy vessels. Reporter the u. N. Estimates so far this year, 200,000 migrants from africa and the middle have attempted to cross the mediterranean, thousands of them children arriving without their parents. Keir simmons, nbc news, london. Back here in america for the last time today, members of a Roman Catholic church in massachusetts attended its sunday mass, giving up a battle that has gone on for more than a decade to keep that church open and alive. It became a casualty of a common problem with the American Catholic church. Fewer priests plus fewer practicing members and a die oh cease with too much real estate. Anne thompson has that story from outside boston. Reporter an extraordinary act of faith and defiance came to an end today. 11 years, seven months and three days. Reporter thats how long mary ellen and onrogers and pa rischers occupied this church in massachusetts. Holding around the clock vigil despite a decision by the boston archdiocese to close the church as part of a reorganization. We took this all the way to the Vatican Supreme Court and we took it to the United States supreme court. Reporter marty obrien joined the parish when it opened in 1961. Im not going to die until i can get buried right in front of that church. Im stickin around. Did you hear that, god . Im still here, but i guess i wont get buried from here. Reporter the 86yearold spitfire sat in these pughs up to five days a week. Do you feel your faith has gone unrewarded . Not my faith in god. My faith in hierarchy at least in this archdiocese, yes. Reporter time has not tempered the fury towards bostons Cardinal Sean omalley. He has welcomed the people back to the archdiocese but few plan to accept. I think we were naive in thinking that we could change the church from within. Reporter with the quilts they made for each year of vigil, the parish heads to the local masonic lodge. Reporter looking forward to building their own church to house the spiritual one they forged. Anne thompson, nbc news, massachusetts. Still ahead tonight, why replacing a famous california bridge went billions over budget and cost american jobs. Also how one nba with my moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, the possibility of a flare was almost always on my mind. Thinking about what to avoid, where to go. And how to deal with my uc. To me, that was normal. Until i talked to my doctor. She told me that humira helps people like me get uc under control and keep it under control when certain medications havent worked well enough. 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 youve been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if youve had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flulike symptoms or sores. Dont start humira if you have an infection. Raise your expectations. Ask your gastroenterologist about humira. With humira, control is possible. Dont bring that mess around here, evan whoo dont do it. Dont you dare. I dont think so [ sighs ] its okay, big fella. Were gonna get through this together. [ baseball bat cracks ] nice rip, robbie. Raaah when you bundle home and Auto Insurance through progressive, you get more than just a big discount. Im gonna need you to leave. You get relentless protection. [ baseball bat cracks ] what backache . Ntless protection. What sore wrist . 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But tonight Josh Mankiewicz tells us about a bridge building project in california where they actually outsourced thousands of those jobs overseas and still went billions over the original estimate. Reporter collapsing bridges. Flooded subways. Leadcontaminated water. And while politicians talk a great game about americas decaying infrastructure, they havent always been so great at coming up with solutions. Take california, for instance. The state needed to replace the eastern span of the San Francisco oakland bay bridge after the 1989 loma prieta earthquake. But the project was held up for decades by politicians, all with an agenda. I could envision reporter San Franciscos then mayor demanded new off ramps while politicians in oakland wanted a design with a beautiful tower. The state had originally proposed a vie adduct bridge. The tower is not necessary. Reporter u. C. Berkeley professor cairn trappen berg frick. Reporter the tower is not essential for the bridge. Its there because it looks good. Yes. Reporter political infighting over the design led to years of delays. Meanwhile, the original 1. 2 billion estimate expanded like the fog in summer. I found in point of fact they had decided and never wanted to teal anybody it was going to be 5. 3 billion. Roland dewalk worked for the California State Senate investigating the bridges cost overruns. Nobody knew where this was going to end. Reporter desperate to rein in costs, managers. Project outsourced a major component of the bridge. In one of the most Union Friendly states in the country, the decision was made, lets bypass american workers. All we have to do is go to china. China is booming. China builds stuff all the time. Reporter still the bridge became the most expensive public works project in the history of the state. Our job when we started was to get this bridge built before the next earthquake. We did that job. Now, did it take too long . Yes. Did it cost too much money . Yes. Reporter it turns out you get what you pay for. In this particular case, i dont think we got what we paid for. I think we got completely ripped off. Reporter a feeling many commuters say they get every time they pass through a toll booth. Josh mankiewicz, nbc news, oakland. You can watch much more about this story in our series on assignment, tonight at 7 00, 6 00 p. M. Central time. We are back in a moment with a flight that you dont want to thanks for the ride around norfolk and i just wanted to say, geico is proud to have served the military for over 75 years roger that. Captains waiting to give you a tour of the wisconsin now. Couldve parked a little bit closer. Its gonna be dark by the time i get there. Geico®. Proudly serving the military for over 75 years. Try cool mint zantac. Hey, need fast heartburn relief . It releases a cooling sensation in your mouth and throat. Zantac works in as little as 30 minutes. Nexium can take 24 hours. Try cool mint zantac. No pill relieves heartburn faster. Introduces new, easytoswallow tablets. So now, there are more ways, for more people. To experience. Complete protection from frequent heartburn. Nexium 24hr. The easytoswallow tablet is here. Hes known as the human arrow, and today jeb corliss lived up to in name once again, dropping out of a helicopter wearing a wing suit and attempting to hit a target over the great wall of china. Kelly cobiella has more on a wild ride. Reporter the starting line, 6,000 feet up. The finish, a paper bullseye the size of an apple suspended over the great wall of china. Rock my world. Reporter all judd corliss had to do to make history, hit the target at 120 miles an hour. This was a project about precision. This was a project about doing something that was really, really hard. Reporter the 40yearold has made a name for himself Cheating Death with jumps from the worlds tallest buildings. The sky park in singapore, malaysias patronis towers, and flights barely squeezing through the smallest gaps. Todays challenge, no cliffs, but fierce tail wind. The tail wind was like gusting. So it made it really difficult to hone in. Reporter corliss fighting to stay on target and coming in fast, covering 6,000 feet in 46 seconds. You got it, dude, you got it. Reporter the human arrow mere inches from a direct hit. I barely got up and got the target, and i was like, it was super scary. Reporter close enough and alive. Yeah reporter to tell the tale. Kelly cobiella, nbc news. Makes it look easy. And another kind of spectacle. Klay thompson keeping the Golden State Warriors hopes for the nba finals alive last night in dramatic fashion. Thompson scored 11 threepointers, the most ever in the nba playoffs. Golden state edged out the Oklahoma City thunder 108101. Theyll meet again in game seven tomorrow night. And the people who make their living studying sponges are all excited tonight. Take a look at this. A giant sponge found by scientists some 7,000 feet down in the waters off of hawaii. In fact, its being described as the Worlds Largest known sea sponge. The creature, 11 feet long and roughly the size of a minivan, could be hundreds if not thousands of years old. What a discovery. Up next, after 23 years, a mothers words of love finally ooh. Psst. Hey. Where you going . Weve got that thing you know. Diarrhea . Abdominal pain . But we said wed be there. Woap, who makes the decisions around here . Its me. Dont think ill make it. Stomach again. Send if youre living with frequent, unpredictable diarrhea and abdominal pain, you may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome with diarrhea or ibsd a condition that can be really frustrating. Talk to your doctor about viberzi. A different way to treat ibsd. Viberzi is a Prescription Medication you take every day that helps proactively manage both diarrhea and abdominal pain at the same time. So you stay ahead of your symptoms. Viberzi can cause new or worsening abdominal pain. Do not take viberzi if you have or may have had pancreas or severe liver problems, problems with alcohol abuse, longlasting or severe constipation, or a blockage of your bowel or gallbladder. If you are taking viberzi, you should not take medicines that cause constipation. The most common side effects of viberzi include constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain. Stay ahead of ibsd. With viberzi. Is it keeps the food out. For me before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. Just a few dabs is clinically proven to seal out more food particles. Super poligrip is part of my life now. A woman in colorado got to read those words two decades after her mom passed away. Reporter for the longest time, among da lemond didnt have much of her mother to hold on to. I wouldnt give her up for the world. Reporter thats how amandas mom felt about her daughter. She used to brush my hair for me at night, 100 strokes on each side. Reporter barbara was a loving mom. She was one of the most loving people in this world. Reporter bone cancer took her life 23 years ago. After my mom passed away, i was shifted around all over the country from Washington State to texas to louisiana to texas. Reporter amanda was lost without her mother. Im trying to find the right word. Reporter until the right words dear amanda. Reporter found her. You know i really miss you and not being able to get up with you every day. Reporter two letters. Youre very special to me, honey. Reporter two decades old. You have a special little light that glows like a star. Reporter messages of love, hope, and inspiration. You are the bravest little girl ive ever known. Reporter sent to amanda from the executor of her moms estate, a woman amanda briefly lived with after her mom died. They reconnected on facebook and then came the package in the mail. Its a connection to her that i didnt think i would ever have again. Reporter pictures, medals, even amandas birth certificate, memories of her mom shell never let go. Honey, i love you very, very much. Please keep smiling. Love, mom. Reporter memories amanda will now keep in picture frames and scrapbooks forever in her heart. Reporting from es tuesday park, colorado, noel brennan, nbc news. On that note, that is nbc nightly news for this sunday. Im Thomas Roberts reporting from new york. Thank you for watching tonight, nbc news goes on assignment. You feel like you are in the air fleet to fly a mission. Whats the difference . You are not. Richard engel in the desert outside vegas where the top secret war on terror is really being waged. Ready to launch left ssile. Drones. Targeting terrorists with deadly efficiency. Al qaeda was very methodically dismantled. But tonight the Drone War Program comes under fire from the inside. I lost a piece of my humanity. Being able to press a button from the opposite side of the world and kill another human being is way too easy. Josh mankowitz with an investigation