Are sharks in the water. You are paddle boarding next to approximately 15 great white sharks. Good evening, everyone. Its great to have you with us here on a thursday night. Tonight, President Trump explaining why he fired james comey, and getting personal. Calling the fired fbi director a showboat and a grandstander. We learned today, the president says he asked james comey, who was leading the invest gags into russian meddling, if the president himself was under investigation. Tonight, some asking, should the president be asking the fbi director a question like that at all . Abcs chief White House CorrespondentJonathan Karl leading us off. Reporter contradicting white house officials from the Vice President on down, President Trump today said he decided on his own to fire james comey. Look, hes a showboat, hes a grandstander. The fbi has been in turmoil. You know that. I know that. Ever you take a look at the fbi a year ago, it was in virtual turmoil. Less than a year ago. It hasnt recovered from that. Reporter the president said he decided to fire comey well before the Deputy Attorney general weighed in. He made a recommendation, but regardless of recommendation, i was going to fire comey. Reporter in his letter firing comey, the president claimed the fbi director had told him he was not under investigation three separate times, including during a dinner at the white house, a dinner he said he believes comey requested. He wanted to stay on as the fbi head, and i said, ill, you know, consider it, well see what happens. But we had a very nice dinner. Reporter the president said comey also assured him he was not under investigation in two separate phone calls. I said, if its possible, will you let me know, am i under investigation . He said, you are not under investigation. I know that im not under investigation. Me, personly else. Im not under investigation. Reporter isnt it inappropriate for the president of the United States to ask the fbi director directly if hes under investigation . No, i dont believe it is. Reporter one of these conversations the president said happened at the dinner, where the fbi director, according to the president , was asking to stay on as fbi director. Dont you see how thats a conflict of interest . The fbi director is saying he wants to keep his job and the president is asking whether or not he is under investigation. I dont see that as a conflict of interest and neither do the many legal scholars and others that have been commenting on it for the last hour. So, no, i dont see that as an issue. Reporter the president s words tonight, that he decided on his own to fire comey, stand in stark contrast to what Top White House officials from the press secretary to the Vice President have been saying for days, that the president decided to fire comey was triggered by the recommendation of Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein. He provided to act on the recommendation of the Deputy Attorney general. Jon karl with us live from the white house. And jon, that was the Vice President yesterday. Clearly pointing to the Deputy Attorney general on this decision to fire james comey. Today, the president said he was going to fire comey regardless of that recommendation, an apparent shift from what we heard from the Vice President yesterday. You pressed the white house today on this. How do they explain it . Reporter well, its a dramatic shift, david, over the last 48 hour. I asked repeatedly about this and remarkably, the spokesperson for the white house said, and this is a direct quote, our story is consistent. Jon karl tonight, leading us off. Jon, thank you. Meantime, as the president was talking today, so was the new acting director of the fbi. Testifying before the Senate Intelligence committee today. He was asked about what the white house said, that the rank and file of the fbi had lost their confidence in james comey. And he was very clear today he disagrees with the white house. Abcs senior justice correspondent pierre tho reporter less than 48 hours after his boss james comey was fired, the new acting director of the fbi, andrew mccabe, was thrust into the spotlight. Could you do your microphone please . Rookie mistake, im sorry. Reporter appearing before the Senate Intelligence committee, taking comeys place, and taking on white house claims that the fbi rank and file had lost confidence in the former director. It is accurate that the rank and file no longer supported director comey . No, sir, that is not accurate. Director comey enjoyed broad support within the fbi and still does to this day. Reporter in the last 24 hours, the white house also insisted the fbi investigation into russian meddling and any possible collusion with the Trump Campaign was, quote, one of the smallest things the fbi is doing. Is that an accurate statement . Ah is it a small investigation in relation to all the other work that youre doing . Highly significant investigation. So, you would not characterize it as one of the smallest things youre engaged in . I would not. Reporter as for the president who insisted again today that james comey told him three times that the president himself is not under investigation . Mccabe was asked, is it normal for the fbi director to tell someone if theyre under investigation . Im not aware of that being a standard practice. Reporter outside the hearing, another drama playing out. After the white house initially said it wasnt President Trump, instead pointing to a review of comey written by the acting Deputy Attorney general, rod ros rosenstein, as the primary reason for comeys firing. That review said comey overstepped his role in the handling of the clinton email investigation. When comey revealed no criminal charges, but still went on tv and delivered scathing words about clinton. Overnight, reports the deputy a. G. Was on the verge of resigning because of the firing did you threaten to quit . No. Reporter rosensteins sudden appreance on the hill today forcing Top Committee members to leave their own hearing. Mr. Chairman, are you able to talk about why the Deputy Attorney general is here . Well answer questions after the hearing. Reporter but back in that hearing room, the acting director of the fbi made it clear that even with james comey now out of a job, the investigation into russian meddling will go forward. You cannot stop the men and women of the fbi from doing the right thing. Pierre thomas with us live tonight from the capitol. And pierre, as you reported there, so much attention on that Deputy Attorney general who overnight it was reported was on the verpg of resigning because the white house put much of this on him. So, heres what they said yesterday, and then today. First telling us it was the a. G. And the deputy a. G. Who came to the president with concerns about comey. Take a listen. They had come to him to express their concerns. The president asked they put those concerns and their recommendation in writing. Assertion that Rod Rosenstein decided to review comeys performance . Absolutely. Was it a mistake for the white house to try to pin the decision to fire james comey on Rod Rosenstein . I dont think there was ever an attempt to pin the decision on the Deputy Attorney general . So, thats what the white house said today. Pierre, that deputy a. G. Telling you in that hallway, hes not quitting . Reporter david, we caught up with him on capitol hill today, where you as you heard, he told reporters he did not threaten to quit after the white house blamed him. Tonight, his spokesperson confirming, he has no plans to resign. David . All right, Pierre Thomas on the fastmoving developments for us. Pierre, thank you. Now, to the fallout on the hill tonight. Republicans and democrats listening to the president today and we asked them, should the president be asking the director of the fbi if hes being investigated . Abcs mary bruce on the hill. Reporter for republicans tonight, President Trumps claims about his conversations with the former fbi director are forcing them into a delicate dance. Is it appropriate for the director if hes under investigation . It wouldnt be who asked the question, the legitimacy would be based upon whether the person that was asked the question should answer it. Reporter and if comey answered the question . Well, all we know is what the president said about that. Reporter democrats are skeptical of the president s claims. I question whether he was told definitively whether he is not under investigation. Reporter why do you think the president then would describe those conversations that way . Let me put it very simply. I want to hear from james comey. Reporter and its not just on capitol hill. Town meetings, voters are venting their frustration. We need an independent prosecutor. We need a Bipartisan Select Committee to investigate this. Reporter in new jersey, congressman tom mcabout thank you fielding questions for five hours on a range of topics, including the russia i am also concerned, i have a president who does not know american history. Quite frankly, if he did, he wouldnt have fired the man investigating him. How long are you and your fellow republicans going to defend this american nightmare . You, Mitch Mcconnell, how long . Open your eyes. I didnt come here to defend our president tonight, i came to answer your questions. Tension in the country tonight. Mary bruce live on the hill. And we heard that voter there, calling on Senate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell tonigh. Tonight, an announcement from mcconnell . Reporter david, hes invited Rod Rosenstein to brief all 100 senators on the firing of comey. Tonight, still no word on whether hes accepted this investigation. And mary, as i understand it, its not just the deputy a. G. , but the fired james comey has also now been invited to the hill to testify . Reporter yeah, david. Members of the senate spoken with are eager to hear directly from comey. They have invited him to testify here next week. Still no response from the former director. David . All right, mary bruce, thank you. Next tonight here, breaking developments in the deadly standoff in trenton, new jersey. A neighborhood on lockdown for 35 hours. A bystander killed in the cross fire. Abcs gio benitez at the scene. Reporter a s. W. A. T. Team and snipers scrambling in a new jersey neighborhood on lockdown. Heavily Armored Vehicles moving into position during the deadly 35hour standoff. Police now reviewing this video capturing the heated first exchange, three local deputies injured, a bystander taking fire. Police officers trying to pull him to safety. But he later died. The chaos erupting wednesday morning. U. S. Marshals executing a warrant to tyleeb reese. Immediately after you heard that second knock, it was boom, bang, bang, bang. Reporter s. W. A. T. Teams and negotiators trying to get the suspect out without more violence. Theres nothing we cant fix. Reporter and overnight, Police Firing tear gas to try to get him out. Tonight, after nearly two days on edge, reese sure renders to authorities. And david, police tried everything to get reese to come out. Even using sound cannons. Now, hell likely face some very serious charges after this 35hour standoff, especially after that bystanders death. David . Gio, thank you. Next, this evening, we are tracking a mothers day storm. It could develop into a noreaster. Its already moving up the coast tonight. Reported tornadoes in the heartland. A twister spotted today in oklahoma. A severe thunderstorm threat now from texas to North Carolina at this hour. Its moving north. So, lets get right to rob, who is tracking it all for us tonight. Hey, rob. Reporter hi, david. That hail you mentioned, were getting reported of some of it being softballsized. That is damaging and certainly dangerous. Look at the radar. It is lit up tonight. We have severe thunderstorm watches across several states there. Some of these storms have winds to 78 miles an hour. So, wind damage, too. That threat exists across and the Tennessee Valley through tonight and tomorrow, the storm will develop and eventually hit the coastline. Could develope into a fullon noreaster. D. C. , philly, new york by saturday. Rain and wind. And then to boston by sunday, if it tracks the way we think it will, mothers day is going to be a mess across new england. David . All right. Rob marciano tonight. Thank you. Were going to turn now to an abc news investigation tonight. The growing and potentially dangerous mystery surrounding one of the most popular carmakers in the world. Dozens of bmw owners claiming their vehicles suddenly caught fire while parked and turned off for hours. Whats causing them to burst into flames . Heres abcs chief investigative correspondent brian ross. Reporter the people who lived in this house outside washington, d. C. Were lucky to escape alive. I think this was a fivealarm fire. Reporter it all started according to the Fire Department when the familys bmw, parked in the garage, caught fire, even after being parked and turned off. Crackle pop and boom, a flame. Reporter it is just one of dozens of such mysterious bmw fires, all described as parked and turned off, discovered in an investigation by abc news and our stations around the country. Thats not supposed to happen . No. When a car is off and it catches fire, youve obviously got a problem. Reporter bmw says its invest gase shows no problem or defect and that such cases are rare. But watch what happens in this remarkable home video, as first smoke, then flames erupt in a parked bmw. Wow. Im looking at it. Reporter in nine minutes and 15 seconds, the luxury car is enveloped in flames as firefighters struggle to put it out. I definitely feel like theres something that should be investigated as to why this is occurring. My car is on fire. Reporter it is a question being asked by dozens of bmw owne just like, oh, my god, i cant believe this. How did it happen . What kind of car is this . And a question from Fire Departments, too. Its a bmw. The car thats exploded is right next to the house. Reporter including this case in gloucester, massachusetts, earlier this year where a fire in a brand new bmw, parked for a full five hours quickly spread to the house. I think most people think once they turn the key of their ignition, the vehicles off and thats it. It cant accidentally catch on fire. And in this case, thats what happened. Thats what we all think when we turn the car off. Bribe ross is with us now. What are we hearing from bmw tonight . Reporter bmw executives in a statement to abc news said, outside factors could be a cause, including poor maintenance or rodents nests. But david, tonight, its a mystery with some very dangerous implications. All right, brian ross, our thanks to you tonight. There is still much more ahead on world news tonight this thursday. The deadly standoff after a triple murder. A sheriffs deputy is killed. Tw well have more in a moment. The new headline at this hour involving the amtrak engineer at the controls when that train derailed here in the northeast. What weve learned tonight. Attention in the water. Attention in the water. That is the warning that went out today. Used to tell beachgoers, swimmers in the water, that there were 15 great white sharks swimming nearby. Much more ahead. [boy] cannonball [girl] dont. [man] not again [burke] swan drive. Seen it. Covered it. We know a thing or two because weve seen a thing or two. We are farmers. Bumpadum, bumbumbumbum fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Got any ideas . Ting you . Not all products work the same. My owner gives me k9 advantix ii. It kills all three through contact. Required. So they dont have to bite . Thats right. No biting required. K9 advantix ii. Wise choice. Next tonight, the warning from a helicopter above, to alert swimmer s that there were several sharks swimming around them in the water. Abcs Senior National correspondent matt gutman tonight. Reporter the warnings, blaring up and down the california coast. Dozens of great white sharks feet from some of the nations most popular beaches. You are paddleboarding next to approximately 15 great white sharks. Reporter Orange County sheriffs using a helicopter loudspeaker. Exit the water in a calm manner. Reporter sightings from long woman nearly lost her life from a shark bite just two weeks ago. I dont think ill ever go in again. Reporter we join shark labs professor chris lowe on a mission to tag as many as he can. I never thought id actually see the day where i would see that many in one morning. Reporter in one 400yard stretch, we have 20 sightings. Right here reporter researchers daringly sneaking up on the sharks to get that tag on. Scientists believe the ocean has been so unusually warm the past 18 months that the sharks havent needed to migrate to mexico as they normally would in winter. The good news, these sharks would rather eat stingrays than humans. Matt gutman, abc news, long beach. Matt, thank you. When we come back, that deadly standoff with police. One deputy killed. Other bodies also found. And then, the Late Development today involving that amtrak crash in the northeast. Were back in a moment. Sfx engine revving silence yet up 90 fall short in getting key nutrients from food alone. Lets do more. Add one a day 50 a complete multivitamin with 100 daily value of more than 15 key nutrients. One a day 50 . Essential for him, but maybe not for people with