Restarting, a Reality Check. What is the situation right now across several states tonight . How long until were fully back to normal . And late word coming in tonight, did the Colonial Pipeline pay ransom to that Russian Group . And what does it mean moving forward for our infrastructure . Overseas tonight, we have just learned the Israeli Military has Ground Troops in gaza now. Air strikes sending families in gaza running from their homes. And hamas firing a new barrage of rockets deep into israel. And the moment matt gutman witnesses families having to race into shelters. Back here at home tonight, the first time an active duty officer, a marine major, arrested in the january 6th capitol riot. And the republicans facing backlash tonight who claimed there was no attack on the capitol. E congressman saying itd more like a normal tourist visit. The fires were watching at this hour. The evacuations for a time. Homes destroyed by the flames. Temperatures in some areas hitting 100 degrees. The Emergency Landing on a busy highway. And america strong tonight. The Fire Department and the special delivery. Times 15. Good evening and its great to have you with us here on a very busy thursday night. And we begin tonight with that historic Turning Point in the pandemic in this country. Tonight, the cdc now saying no more masks for Vaccinated Americans both indoors and outdoors. Even in crowds. There are exceptions, buses, planes and hospitals. President biden in the rose garden late today celebrating the news, calling it a, quote, great milestone, a great day for america. Thanking americans for getting us to this point, pointing to the vaccinations. E Presidt Sayis can w wt e known an smile at o. He and the Vice President doing just that today, walking back into the white house together without masks, without social distancing. The cdc director dr. Rochelle walensky making the point today that this is based on science. More data emerging in just the last week, that vaccinations work against the variants. 12 to 15yearolds can now get the vaccine and tonight, more than 152 million adults have received at least one dose, thats nearly 59 of adults and about onethird now of all americans. But there were immediate questions. If youre fully vaccinated, can you still transmit the virus to others without knowing . And if youre in one of those crowds or back at work, how do you know if someone near you has been vaccinated or not and does that pose a risk . Dr. Jen ashton answering those questions in just a moment. We have it all covered for you tonight, beginning with abcs whit johnson right here in new york. Reporter tonight, a giant step closer to normal life for millions of americans. President biden late today in the rose garden. Its a great milestone, a great day. Its been made possible by the extraordinary success weve had in vaccinating so Many Americans so quickly. Reporter the president pointing to 250 million shots in 114 days. Fully vaccinated people are at a very, very low risk of getting covid19. Therefore, if you have been fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask. Reporter but biden then cautioned this if you are getting a twoshot vaccine and you have not gotten your you only had your first shot but not your second, or you havent waited the full two weeks after your second shot, you still need to wear a mask. Reporter it came just hours after the cdc director revealed new guidelines on masks in this country, under growing pressure to do so. We have all longed for this moment, when we can get back to some sense of normalcy. Reporter today dr. Walensky said this new guidance is based more science that has emerged just in the last week. One is the effectiveness of the vaccines in general, in real world on ffectiveness against variants, which was just published last week. And then, the effectiveness in preventing transmissibility. Reporter there are some exceptions. Masks still required for those who are vaccinated on buses, trains, planes and in hospitals. Americans reacting to the news. Ive already planned a maskburning party. I think thats fantastic. I think thats what everyone was waiting to hear. Reporter but some wanting the country to move more slowly. I think we should continue for a while until more americans have been vaccinated. Reporter tonight, the cdc is now working to update guidelines for schools, camps and businesses. Starting today, millions of teens 12 to 15 years old across the country were eligible to get the pfizer shot for the first time, like pia andrade, who lost her principal to covid. Ive seen the effects firsthand, and the more of us that get vaccinated, the better the world will be. Reporter appointments also opening up at thousands of pharmacies across the country. We were with 14yearold julia ban getting her first dose. Why was it so important for you to get the shot . So i feel like weve been in this pandemic what feels like forever and im so ready to go back to my normal life. Reporter her father, dr. Kevin ban, chief medical officer for walgreens, says the pharmacy is also allowing walkins for kids and parents, to make this as easy as possible. So, what we want to do is make sure that they can get the shot easily, that it wont interrupt their life. Reporter and late today, the president saying americans can actually start smiling at one another again. If youre fully vaccinated and can take your mask off, youve earned the right to do something that americans are known for all around the world. Greeting others with a smile. Yes, it will be nice to see those smiles that have been hiding under these masks for so long. Whit johnson back with us tonight. And whit, we know that nearly 59 of American Adults have had at least one vaccine dose, but we heard it from the president again today, that were not there yet. He said that number needs to be much closer to that 70 mark to really help get this virus under control. Reporter and david, that goal is by the fourth of july. Today, President Biden said, lets finish the work of beating this virus and getting everything back to normal. And those younger teenagers who make up 17 million americans, will also play a key role in the coming weeks. Today, weve seen many of them at vaccination sites like this one, eager to roll up their sleeves. David . All right, whit johnson leading us off tonight on this major step forward. Cdc director dr. Walensky saying today that americans should feel confident that this is based on science, that Vaccinated Americans can go without their mask indoors and outdoors. Of course, the exceptions, buses, planes, hospitals. President biden then reiterating very similar language if you listen closely, saying fully vaccinated people have a very low risk of getting covid19, therefore, they no longer have to wear a mask indoors or outdoors. And the cdc also saying that the science shows effectiveness against variants now, effectiveness in vaccinated people not being able to unknowingly transmit to others. And so many of you reacting when i tweeted the news this afternoon, some of you saying, its about time. Others saying, im not so sure about this. So, lets bring in our Chief Medical Editor dr. Jennifer ashton, because we know so many people have had questions at every step of the way. I know you talked with dr. Fauci an with dr. Walensky in recent days. You had a sense this was evolving and we heard it over and over again today to put people at home at ease, that this is based on science. It really is, david. And i have to be clear, this is not a reversal to what we heard 16 days ago. This is based on new data, new evolving science about how this Virus Transmits and how effective these vaccines are. Something called vaccination metrics. Thats going up, cases are going down. So, yes, they remained openminded and flexible to make this shift. All of that is encouraging, the new data. In the meantime, one of the very common questions among Vaccinated Americans has been, is there a chance that i can get this, without even knowing, and give it to others . Dr. Walensky seemed to indicate the new science thats coming in shows a very low chance of that. Exactly. And real world data is showing how well these vaccines are performing in real environments and, yes, theyre very effective at keeping people out of the hospital and saving lives, but now there is good data that it is also been shown to be effective in preventing the spread to others and thats what they were waiting to see before they made these changes. And one other common question, dr. Jen, when people are going back to work or if theyre venturing out into a crowd without the mask, how do they know that others without their mask, whether theyve been vaccinated or not . Well, at this point, david, its really based on the honor system, but remember, in a large setting, indoors or outdoors, any time you see someone without a mask, the risk is to the unvaccinated individual. So people can choose to take that risk. But science and good data suggest that the smart move is to get vaccinated. Which is why dr. Walensky and the president encouraged americans who havent had the shot yet to please go out and get the shot. Correct. All right, dr. Jen ashton with us again tonight. Jen, thank you. There is new reporting in the meantime tonight on the Colonial Pipeline, back up and running at this hour. So tonight, where do the gas lines stand . How many stations are seeing gas again . And how many are still waiting and for how long . Tonight, abc news has also learned that that private company, Colonial Pipeline, paid ransom to that Hacking Group, believed to be based in russia. So, what does this mean moving forward with vulnerable infrastructure here in america . And the images tonight. Tanker trucks seen filling up i long lines at some gas stations. These images tonight from costco in raleigh, north carolina. And right here in bethesda, maryland, still finding no gas at all in some stations. So, a Reality Check tonight. How long this will take . Abcs gio benitez now from atlanta. Reporter tonight, after days of long lines and empty pumps, a welcome sight for those desperate for gas. Lines tketre raleigh, filling up with fresh fuel from the Colonial Pipeline, after the company restarted operations wednesday. We expect the situation to begin to improve by the weekend and into early next week and gasoline supply is coming back online. Reporter but there are still lines at the gas pump, and hundreds of empty stations. People worried they might miss a doctors appointment or not be able to get to work. I knew i should have filled up a week ago. And then all of this starts going on and its like the toilet paper fiasco all over again. So, this is at durham. Reporter north carolina, the hardest hit state so far from the shutdown. All of these people are waiting for the bp. North carolina still hovering close to 70 without fuel. It will take several weeks to get things completely back to normal. Reporter Durham County telling their employees to work from home. Panic buying turning dangerous in citrus county, florida. One person was hurt after this humvee caught fire. Fire crews found four fivegallon Gas Containers in the back. Today, we havent seen the kind of panic buying we saw yesterday, but there are still issues. While this gas station has gas, take a look at this just across the street. Zeros on that sign. No gas. And with Memorial Day Weekend coming up, time is of the essence to get all stations up and running. Though the Colonial Pipeline remains open, it may still be a headache, a chore, to find gas stations with fuel for the next one to two weeks. Reporter and david, on the issue of price gouging, the Attorney General here in georgia is now investigating nearly 500 allegations related to price gouging. David . Gio benitez back with us tonight. Gio, thank you. As i mentioned just a moment ago here, Colonial Pipeline, its been reported, paying ransom to that Hacking Group believed to be based in russia, first reported by bloomberg. And i want to bring in our Chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas tonight, who has been following this closely. Pierre, we all saw that report from bloomberg today that a ransom was paid by colonial in the low millions . Reporter david, were still so these Ransomware Attacks are complicated and can sometimes involve third parties. But ive been told by sources that the ransom demanded was in the low millions of dollars in the attack, launched by a gang using Software Developed by darkside, a group of hackers based in russia. David, this is a stunning reminder of how vulnerable u. S. Companies are to such hacks and the limitations of the federal government to control how Companies Maintain their security and respond to such attacks. We know the fbis position was that the ransom should not be paid, david. Opening up a new round of questions on this. Pierre thomas tonight. Pierre, thank you. Overseas tonight, the battle between israel and hamas escalating and we have just learned that the Israeli Military has Ground Troops in the gaza strip now, after calling up 9,000 more military reserves. Until now, israel mainly striking gaza from the air. Targeted strikes leveling buildings. And hamas firing more than 1,700 rockets. One setting an Apartment Building near tel aviv on fire. Abcs matt gutman in tel aviv again tonight and the moment he witnessed families racing into shelters. Reporter tonight, the Israeli Military sending Ground Troops into gaza, pounding alleged targets with artillery. Fireballs from those air strikes lighting up the night sky. Palestinian Health Officials saying at least 103 people have been killed since the fighting began, including over two dozen women and children. Nearly 600 wounded. In gaza, the sabah family saying they got a call yesterday from the Israeli Military, informing them their neighborhood was about to be bombed and that they only had five minutes to leave their home. Civilians on both sides bearing the brunt. Eight israelis killed by rocket fire so far. Over 150 wounded. Hamas continuing to rain rockets on the tel aviv metro area, sending millions racing for cover. Some freezing in fear. One of those rockets packed with a hundredpound warhead, hitting this tel aviv suburb. That single rocket blast incinerated the cars below me, and just the shockwaves themselves punched a hole through this Apartment Building and everywhere you look, you can see shrapnel, but miraculously, nobody here was killed. Inside that building, residents climbing the smokeblackened stairwell to pick through their belongings. And as we were reporting as we are speaking, we hear one of the sirens going off. Its a code red. Everybody is about to run for cover, as we will. With sirens blaring, those residents scrambling out, some crying as they entered that shelter. You can hear those rockets pounding right now. You can hear the booms. All of us are squeezing into this bomb shelter right now. The shelter stifling. About 30 people inside, some of them unable to control the tears. David, just minutes ago, israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu releasing a statement saying in part that this operation intends to exact a very heavy price from hamas, end quote. He offered no timeline for when this first ground incursion into gaza in seven years might come to an end. David . Matt gutman, that code red you witnessed illustrating the devastation really on both sides of this and the fear growing tonight. Thank you, matt. Back here at home this evening and the new arrest in the attack on the capitol. The first time an active duty officer has now been charged in the attack. A marine major. Rachel scott on the hill. Reporter tonight, the first active duty Military Member charged in the january 6th insurrection. Prosecutors say the man seen here in the jacket and military backpack is marine corps major christopher warnagiris, allegedly caught on camera breaking into the capitol and helping other rioters force their way in. Warnagiris, who has spent nearly 20 years in the military, including multiple tours in iraq and afghanistan, was arrested today in virginia. Today, some republican lawmakers find themselves under fire for denying the attack even happened. There was no insurrection, and to call it an insurrection, in my opinion, is a boldfaced lie. Watching the tv footage of those who entered the capitol and walked through Statuary Hall showed people in an orderly fashion, staying between the stanchions and ropes, taking videos and pictures. You know, if you didnt know the tv footage was a video from january the 6th, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit. I dont know on a normal day around here when people are threatening to hang the Vice President of the United States or shoot the speaker. It was beyond denial. It fell into the range of sick. Reporter in a statement tonight, the marine corps making it clear there is no place for racial hatred or extremism in its ranks. So far, more than 400 people have been charged in connection to the capitol insurrection. That includes about 40 veterans. David . Rachel scott tonight. 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Im fred, this is my son jeremiah. Im christian, this is my son jack. Im justin, and this is my daughter brielle. These dads tell us theyre grateful. Big thank you to the community for supporting us during the Ups And Downs of this pandemic. While we didnt have much downtime, many of us grew stronger bonds with our loved ones. We just want to share our excitement. Thank you, david. Thank you, david thank you. The 15 little gifts. What a fathers day to come. Im david muir. Ill see you tomorrow night. Good night. 6 00, the abc7 news i. T. Talks to the family of a man shot and killed by Police Almost a year after his death. Today, he he he he he he he state Attorney General will look into the case. I think this is early. Sweeping changes to the cdcs Mao Onest Chgeanythir us he icafornia . Eryone is getting it right now because Everyone Wants to. Tween get vaccines in Fothe Live Breakinbreangs whe sk live county. Auore loin this is Happinnofar Ee the town hall. We are trying to take a better look. There is a good shot we had from not long ago. This is not far from townhall. We just got this video in. Central marin police say there is no immediate threat and the area has been been been been be people nearby have received a message to shelter in place. The department of fish and wildlife say a Wildlife Officer is on their way there. They are trying to find somebody to potentially tranquilize the bear. We will keep on top of this and keep you posted as we learn more information. Now, we want to get to todays top story. Nothing has changed for us yet in the state of california. Major Masks Changes by the cdc. It wont change what we are doing here in california, or will it . Good evening. Thank you for joining us. I am dan ashley. I am on the dates. Thank you for watching abc7 news at 6 00. Throughout this pandemic