the shocking video, a man allegedly armed with a knife, the officer firing nine shots into his back and side. and time to shine. your front row seat for tonight's beloved holiday tradition right here in rockefeller center this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt. good evening, the omicron covid variant has now officially been identified in the united states. the white house toe kay discovering the variant in california of the country's first known infection of the puzzling, highly concerning strain. here's what we know. the infected person identified as recent traveler from south africa, fully vaccinated and having suffered only mild symptoms tonight the biden administration, which for days has been braced for the arrival of this variant, is set to tighten covid testing requirements for arriving international travelers, including americans. much of the focus tonight remains on the effectiveness of vaccines 197 million americans, 59% of the population, are considered fully vaccinated, but officials strongly urging booster shots as a stronger line of defense against omicron. 21% of vaccinated americans boosted so far. let's get late detailed now from tom costello >> reporter: the cdc says the first confirmed case in the u.s. of the omicron variant has appeared now in san francisco traveler who returned from south africa on november 22nd, then started showing symptoms >> the individual is self-quarantining and all close contacts have been contacted, and all close contacts thus far have tested negative the individual was fully vaccinated and experienced mild symptoms which are improving at this point. >> reporter: california health experts concede they have more questions than answers. >> we don't know how infectious it is, although there is a strong likelihood that it is more infectious than delta we don't know how sick it will make people, but that is being studied furiously right now across the world. >> reporter: with health experts still researching the omicron threat, the white house is set to require every international traveler, including americans, arriving from foreign airports, to test negative no more than 24 hours before departure the u.s. currently requires a negative test within 72 hours of flying. the white house has already banned non-americans from flying to the u.s. from southern africa where omicron is spreading fast the cdc today ordered airlines to share contact information for anyone traveling from the region for future contact tracing. despite the omicron threat, the delta variant remains the most dominant and dangerous strain the cdc's most recent transmission map showing 66% of america's counties reporting high transmission rates the upper midwest and northeast most affected southern states report the lowest transmission rates while nearly 60% of americans are fully vaccinated, it's not clear how effective those vaccines will be against the new strain vaccine makers are looking into catering another booster to omicron, but dr. anthony fauci says people should not wait for those boosters. >> get boosted now we may not need a variant-specific boost. >> reporter: the good news, most people who contracted the omicron variant have demonstrated mild symptoms tonight the world health organization says banning only certain international travelers will not stop the spread of omicron. >> does the virus read your passport? does the virus know your nationality or where you're legally resident so, therefore, there are contradictions in this >> tom, there's late word tonight that the transportation mandate may be extended. what can you tell us about that >> reporter: multiple sources tell nbc news that tomorrow the biden administration will extend the mask mandate probably until mid-march. it was going to expire in january you will have to keep the mask on. airplanes, trains, busses, probably until mid-march, lester. >> thank you dramatic arguments at the supreme court today as it considers the most significant challenge to abortion rights in at least three decades. this case is a direct challenge to the case of roe v. wade. with more here's pete williams >> reporter: hundreds gathered outside the court. both sides vividly demonstrating what's at stake mississippi defended its law passed in 2018 but blocked by lower courts that would ban virtually all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, at odds with nearly 50 years of supreme court rulings. >> life is so precious, and these babies have a chance now. 48 years ago they may not have >> reporter: starting with roe v. wade, the supreme court ruled states can't ban abortion before the age of viability, around 24 weeks into a pregnancy. that's why mississippi's law is a direct challenge to roe. >> this is an individual liberty interest for women because it has such a profound effect on our health and our lives and our future >> reporter: the more liberal justices warn today that overturning roe would undermine public confidence. >> will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the constitution and its reading are just political acts >> reporter: chief justice john roberts suggested he would uphold the mississippi law without explicitly overturning roe. >> if it really is an issue about choice, why is 15 weeks not enough time? >> reporter: but several of the court's conservatives appeared willing to rule for abortion opponents who say roe was wrongly decided and should be overturned even though abortion rights have been the law of the land for almost 50 years. >> if we think that the prior precedents are seriously wrong, why then doesn't the history of this court's practice with respect to those cases tell us that the right answer is actually a return to the position of neutrality? >> reporter: if the supreme court did overturn roe, it wouldn't ban abortion. it would leave it up to individual states experts on local law say 24 states are either certain or very likely to make the procedure illegal. some already have bans that would go into effect the moment roe is overturned. >> pete, when can we expect a decision? >> reporter: we probably won't get it until late june, lester and if the court does uphold the mississippi law and say that abortion can be banned after 15 weeks, then other states will try to ban it under even shorter periods. we're also waiting on lawsuits against the texas law that bans abortion after six weeks. lester >> pete williams at the supreme court, thank you. if the supreme court does make a change to the precedent of roe v. wade after today's arguments, the impact could be felt quickly. kate snow explains. >> reporter: as supreme court justices were hearing arguments today, nurse sarah hader was busy seeing patients. >> i would say there was probably 15 protesters outside today. >> reporter: that happens every wednesday at the red river women's clinic in fargo, north dakota, a state that already has some of the strictest abortion laws in the nation north dakota is one of five states that has just a single abortion clinic operating, and it is one of 12 states with a law already passed that would ban abortion if the supreme court over turns roe. what would happen if the supreme court overturned roe >> for us, that would mean that we would be closing within the next 30 days no more patients in 30 days. >> reporter: how high are the stakes for you? >> unbelievably high um, the reason why i do this work is i believe strongly that women deserve to make their own choices. and if women are not allowed to do that, they become second-class citizens. >> reporter: hader started working at this clinic after having an abortion here in her late 20s as a kid she attended demonstrations against abortion with her grandparents she understands what advocates like carol tobias at the national right to life committee think. >> unborn babies are human beings, and they should be protected as any human being would. there are a couple thousand pregnancy resource centers around the country who will help a woman with a difficult pregnancy. >> reporter: one of hader's patients today asked what could be done to keep the clinic open. that decision is in the hands of the highest court. kate snow, nbc news. in michigan a 15-year-old became the fourth to die from the shooting at a high school in a detroit suburb as new details emerge about the teenage suspect and the victims. meagan fitzgerald is there. >> i'm going to confirm the name of the suspect this one time only during this press conference and it's ethan crumbley, age 15. >> reporter: authorities say the 15-year-old suspect opened fire in michigan yesterday, killing four and injuring seven others. >> charging this person as an adult is necessary. >> reporter: he's been charged with one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of first degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder, 12 counts of possession of a firearm. his father allegedly purchased the gun. prosecutors say they're considering charging crumbly's parents. the victims being remembered, 17-year-old justin shilling was a member of the bowling and golf teams hana st. juliana was just 14 years old. she was on the volleyball team 17-year-old madisyn baldwin wanted to be an artist, set to graduate this spring and 16-year-old tate myre, a high school running back. >> four kids are gone. four kids don't get to go home tonight and see their parents. four kids don't get to take that math test that they dread. >> we don't know how to move on from a shooting >> reporter: chilling video of the shooting emerged, showing students barricading themselves inside a classroom. >> i shouldn't be living here as, you know, going to school. >> reporter: logan sweeney was inside another classroom where he did the same >> i didn't know if i was ever going to see my parents again it was truly terrifying. >> reporter: tonight the suspect pleaded not guilty prosecutors allege he planned the attack long before it was carried out. lester. >> meagan fitzgerald in michigan, thank you. in 60 seconds, a deadly encounter, a suspect in a wheelchair shot to death by a police officer. let's get to the stunning new revelation about former president trump. nbc news confirming he tested positive for covid just three days before his first debate with joe biden last fall, though another test that same day was negative peter alexander has details. >> reporter: it was an explosive presidential showdown. >> why won't you answer that question >> the question is the question is -- >> radical left. >> will you shut up, man. >> reporter: tonight the new revelations from president trump's former chief of staff mark meadows that mr. trump first tested positive for covid three days before the debate against then candidate joe biden. in his upcoming book, according to "the guardian," meadows writes nothing was going to stop trump from going out there meadows adds that mr. trump received a negative test three hours later. and tonight three sources familiar with the matter confirmed that timeline to nbc news after those results, mr. trump continued to a rally, met with gold star families and hosted a covid briefing weeks later repeatedly pressed by savannah guthrie, mr. trump denied testing positive before the debate. >> did you test the day of the debate? >> i don't know. i don't even remember. i think it was thursday evening, maybe even late thursday evening, i tested positive. that's when i first found out about it. >> reporter: president biden today dismissed a question about whether his rival put him at risk. >> i don't think about the former president. >> reporter: tonight in a statement mr. trump said the story that he had covid before or during the first debate was fake news, but he didn't address whether he received a positive test. lester >> peter alexander, thank you. in beverly hills police are searching for suspects in the home invasion that left the wife of a music legend dead. 81-year-old philanthropist jacqueline avant was fatally shot inside her home overnight avant is the wife of clarence avant, known as the godfather of black music, also the mother-in-law of netflix ceo ted sarandose. police are asking anyone with any information to come forward. another shocking case, a police officer in arizona was terminated after he was captured on body cam fatally shooting a man in a wheelchair suspected of shoplifting. miguel almaguer has more first a warning, the video is disturbing. >> i have a male suspect that just shoplifted i confronted him he pulled a knife on me. >> reporter: the shoplifting suspect police say had a knife was in a motorized wheelchair moving away from officers as he began to make his way into a home improvement store. moments later, with the suspect's back still to officers, the deadly encounter captured on body cam [ gunshots ] >> reporter: richard lee richards was shot nine times in the back and the side officer ryan remington opened fire. >> to be very clear, i am deeply disturbed and troubled by officer remington's actions. >> reporter: moving quickly to terminate the tucson, arizona police officer, the chief says the pima county attorney's office will review the case which has the authority to pursue charges. shortly before the shooting, police say richards was accused of stealing a toolbox from a walmart, then pulled a knife when confronted by remington who followed him through a parking lot. the officer's attorney says there shouldn't be a rush to judgment. >> and at every moment this officer was trying to use the least amount of force as possible, which is verbal commands, talking with this individual, trying to deescalate it. >> reporter: still the mayor calls the incident unconscionable and indefensible now the shocking shooting in the hands of local prosecutors miguel almaguer, nbc news. up next, as we continue tonight our inside look at the critical supply chain link you might not know about and how automation could be a game-changer ♪ i see trees of green ♪ ♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪ (music) ♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪ back with our series "race to deliver," and a rare look at how one of america's largest railroads has been impacted and the high tech solutions to prevent future gridlock. we get more from jacob soboroff. >> reporter: if you're waiting for something to arrive that you bought online, there is a good chance it's sitting parked at a container right here, at the union pacific terminal in joliet, illinois, just outside chicago. but locomotive engineer tomo tom moses says it's not because his trains are late >> it's because the other processes have us have to slow down or pick up we're always ready. >> reporter: for you to get there on time, you need the other pieces working. >> exactly >> reporter: luke who runs operations gave us a tour to explain. >> are we looking at more cargo containers in this parking lot than normal. >> current state, we're a little bit above average right now. you want to turn a parking spot just like you would at a table at a restaurant. >> reporter: and are they being turned as fast as possible these days >> not as fast as possible >> reporter: union pacific's kristen south says there aren't enough truckdrivers or spaces or room in warehouses to get cargo out fast enough >> almost 50% of national cargo will hit chicago on its journey at some point. >> reporter: that's not always how things happen here. a generation ago, this area was a manufacturing hub employing thousands of workers. but the factories closed as manufacturing moved overseas this place wouldn't exist were it not for the contraction of domestic manufacturing and the move to international trade. >> you're exactly right. >> reporter: 40% of goods traveling long distances in the u.s. move by rail the department of transportation expects total freight demand to grow by 30% by 2040 which is why they're banking on new autonomous technology, including this 75-foot-tall crane >> this is it. going to be 100% humanless operation. >> i'm actually grabbing the rails right now. the trains will come in right below here? >> correct it will continuously move around all day long. >> reporter: the only humans to work on the crane won't be anywhere near it. you're telling me the potential solution to the supply chain crisis could look a lot like playing a video game >> maybe not the full solution, but more efficient. >> reporter: just as the factories went overseas and the supply chains lengthed, the changes here have their consequences eric pulley has been hauling cargo as a truckdriver since his grandfather taught him the trade. >> they want to automate they want to get you guys in and out as fast as possible. >> you want to hear the bad side you lost your job. >> reporter: right inside locomotive trainer tom moses, has faith everything will work out what do you want the american people to know that are thinking about their christmas presents showing up on time. >> i would say they're on their way, as soon as possible, have no fret. >> tom is on his way >> we're on our way. >> reporter: jacob soboroff, nbc news, joliet, illinois. up next, the great light show about to happen here at 30 rock well, i've stepped outside where a joyous tradition that began long ago at 30 rock returns tonight with the lighting of the rockefeller christmas tree joe fryer has a close-up look. >> reporter: sure, it's a great setting for a picture but this 79-foot norway spruce is more than a backdrop it's rock center's rock star. >> it's just famous. everyone wants to see it every year. >> reporter: everyone from everywhere. >> vienna, austria >> reporter: aways >> chicago, seattle. >> reporter: and every age. what do you think of the tree >> i think that it looks sparkly. >> reporter: it does look sparkly, doesn't it >> and i like the star >> reporter: that star covered in 3 million swarovski crystals and beneath it a 12-ton tree wrapped in 50,000 multicolored lights that will be lit up tonight. >> three, two, one, light it up. >> i think it really just brings everybody -- puts everybody in the christmas spirit >> reporter: this tree tradition has deep roots, started in 1931 at the height of the great depression by construction workers building rockefeller center, a custom that continues. i wanted to make sure you could see me most of all, i wanted to make sure you could see this tree. i was also on board and also sparkly when this year's tree pulled into the heart of manhattan, donated by the price family. >> we never thought a tree on our property would be selected for rockefeller center nope not in a million years. >> reporter: now adored and adorned, this rock star is ready to shine. joe fryer, nbc news new york and as you can hear, they're warming up for the big moment. our special coverage of the tree lighting begins minutes from now right here on nbc. that's "nightly news." thank you for watching, everyone i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night this is elodia. she's a recording artist. 1 of 10 million people that comcast has connected to affordable internet in the last 10 years. and this is emmanuel, a future recording artist, and one of the millions of students we're connecting throughout the next 10. through projectup, comcast is committing $1 billion so millions more students, past... and present, can continue to get the tools they need to build a future of unlimited possibilities. ♪give my regards to broadway!♪ ♪remember me to herald square!♪ ♪tell all the gang at forty second street♪ ♪that i will soon be there!♪ ♪whisper of how i'm yearning♪ ♪to mingle with the old-time throng!♪ ♪give my regards to old broadway♪ ♪and say that i'll be there, 'ere long!♪ was coming is here. the omicron variant confirmed in the bay area. we are going to take you inside the san francisco lab that detected it. also talking to a covid expert about what you should know if the omicron virus continues to spread. by the time i looked back, somebody was shattering the window. >> a gutsy smash-and-grab robbery in san francisco. tourists were inside their car when thieves broke the window and took their stuff. good evening. i'm jessica aguirre. so, we knew it was coming and now we know it's here. the first confirmed case of the omicron variant is in the u.s. found right here in the

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