the driver swerving into a van, the officer sent flying on to the road plus two tropical threats taking aim tonight and the warning before hitting the beach this weekend. this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. good evening and welcome to our viewers in the west. we begin with breaking news out of southern california. a deadly cliff collapse at a popular beach north of san diego. first responders including life guards rushing to dig out people trapped under the rubble. nbc's molly hunter has late details on the rescue. >> reporter: a perfect beach day turned tragic after a cliff collapsed on a popular surf spot just north of san diego. the collapse occurred without warning just feet away from a lifeguard tower killing one

person, injurying two others. first responders including life guards on duty rushed to dig trapped beach goers under the debris. dozens of firefighters surround the scene as beach goers looked on in shock. officials say the cliff was unstable. tonight the houses above are secure but officials have closed off the beach as the community mourns. also breaking tonight in california, new developments in that deadly shooting rampage. the coroner's office revealed late today the gunman of the gilroy garlic festival took his own life. police officially said officers engaged the suspect within a minute. the shooter killed three other people. the words i can't breathe became a mantra for protesters of excessive force by police. tonight the family of eric garner, the man who uttered that plea is applauding the recommendation of an and tonight there is sharp reaction.

rehema ellis reports. >> reporter: this was the administrative judge that the officer who held garner in a choke hold be fired. >> reporter: this was the news eric garner's family has been waiting five years to hear >> finally somebody has saidas something wrong. >> reporter: today a judge recommending that new york police of that there's some information that this cop has done something wrong. >> reporter: today a judge recommending that new york police officer daniel pantaleo be fired for his role in the 2014 death of eric garner. >> i can't breathe, i can't breathe. then announcing pantaleo would be suspended without pay for 30 days following what it called >> reporter: the nypd then announcing pantaleo would be suspended without pay for 30 days following what it called long-standing department policies pantaleo who's been assigned to desk duty was accused of using an illegal choke hold. hold. the outrage police the outrage police union president blasted the decision saying pantaleo was doing his job. >> found him guilty of recklessness because the community called and we responded and someone resisted, someone resisted, that's reckless? that's asinine! >> reporter: at city

hall protesters heckled mayor bill de blaz yo who wouldn't say whether he agreed with the judge's decision that's reckless? that's asinine >> reporter: at city hall protesters heckled mayor bill de blasio who wouldn't say whether he agreed with the judge's decision >> i hope this will bring the family closure >> reporter: the death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner and the family was awarded nearly $6 million in a settlement with the city awarde nearly $6 million in the justice department wouldn't bring charges to the officer s tonight garner's family is commanding police commission follow the judge's recommendation and fire pantaleo. >> we don't want to make no more make your decision mr. o'neal as soon as possible >> reporter: tonight pantaleo's attorney says his client is disappointed with the judge's recommendation ultimately it is up to the police commissioner to make the final decision, and that's expected to happen sometime this month. >> all right thank you. tonight the kennedy family is in mourning once again after the death of a granddaughter of robert f. kennedy. saoirse kennedy hill was found unresponsive at her grandmother's home at the

kennedy compound in massachusetts. anne thompson is there for us tonight. >> reporter: today some of the kennedy clan took to the sea as they have so many times of tragedy. the anguish visible on ethel kennedy's face as they returned riding next to her daughter kourtney, mourning the death of 22-year-old saoirse kennedy her hill, the granddaughter of ethyl and the late senator robert kennedy, the only child of their daughter kourtney and paul hill robert kennedy, the only child of their daughter kourtney and paul hill. paramedics rushed to paramedics rushed to ethel's house thursday afternoon there, local officials say they found kennedy hill unresponsive. an autopsy today showed no signs of trauma according to investigators. the cause of death is pending the toxicology report. she was declared dead at a nearby hospital. an autopsy today showed no signs of trauma according to investigators. the cause of death is pending the toxicology report. kennedy hill studied at boston college, a rising senior majoring in communication, and open about her mental health challenges mental

health challenges. writing in the high school newspaper about her struggles with depression that took writing in the high school newspaper about her struggles with depression that took root in middle school although i was mostly a happy child, i suffered bouts of deep sadness that felt like a heavy boulder on my best best. her family remembering kennedy hill as a young woman who loved volunteer work in mexico, cared about her family remembering kennedy hill as a young woman who loved volunteer work in mexico, cared about human rights, and womens' empowerment, one relative describing her as a fearless adventurer who inspired curiosity. adventurer who inspired curiosity. for 90-year-old ethel kennedy is one more chapter in a tragic life. her husband assassinated. for 90-year-old ethel kennedy is one more chapter in a tragic life her husband assassinated two sons died, michael in a skiing accident and david from a drug overdose at just 28 years old, now her granddaughter ethel saying the world is a overdose at just 28 years old, now her granddaughter. ethel saying the world is a little less beautiful today. >> ann joins us from outside the compound. this community is raying around the little less beautiful today.

>> ann joins us from outside the compound this community is rallying around the family we understand. >> reporter: they are, lester. you can see behind me that the flag is at half staff as is the flag at the boat pier. the s and throughout the day, people here in the small enclave of the town have just expressed overwhelming sadness that this family is suffering again. >> thanks. we don't know how saoirse kennedy hill died, as we noted she spoke about her struggles with mental illness, an aspect of her life she shared and is putting the spotlight on the crisis in america. kate snow has more on that spot crisis in america. kate snow has more on that. >> reporter: saoirse kennedy hill didn't >> reporter: saoirse kennedy hill didn't hide her struggles too often it feels as if i'm drowning in my own thoughts while everyone else seems to be breathing comfortably she wrote in her high school newspaper three years ago. her depression, she said, will be with me for the rest of my life >> saoirse was a real hero in about these challenges she our family for having spoken out about these challenges she faced and inviting her peers to also

speak out. >> reporter: patrick kennedy is the cousin of saoirse's mom. he pushed for he pushed for legislation on mental health and created the kennedy forum to lead a dialogue around mental health and substance abuse. substance abus. >> this affects many families in america. it's way past time we >> this affects many families in america. it's way past time we deal with this in the way we would deal with any other public health crisis >> reporter: year more than 180 people died from overdoses every depression is on the rise among all americans particularly young people, and last year more than 180 people died from overdoses every day on average >> it's a shame that we even separate overdoses from suicide addiction. frankly they're both the same. they're brain illnesses. or mental illness from addiction. frankly they're both the same. they're brain illnesses. if you added both of them together, you would be at over 110,000 americans a year 110,000 americans >> reporter: we are all either struggling or know someone battling a mental illness. >> her memory is going to be that of a very bright-eyed

illness. >> her memory is going to be that of a very sparkling loving spirit. she was just doing karaoke last week and had that joy about herr that was contagious. she was loved in my family. >> reporter: the attention on her death encouraging the conversation she that was contagious. she was loved in my family >> reporter: the attention on her death encouraging the conversation she pushed for during her short life. kate snow, nbc news. tonight president trump's choice to become the country's congressman john ratcliff has withdrawn from consideration top intelligence official, texas congressman john ratcliff has withdrawn from consideration after bipartisan backlash over his qualifications that story. >> reporter: in a stunning reversal, president trump andrea mitchell has that story >> reporter: in a stunning reversal, president trump announcing texas republican congressman john ratcliffe will not be his new director of national intelligence. intelligence. >> a lot of the republicans didn't know john, but i think he would have had good receptivity and he was getting that. >> only 24 hours early no hint the nomination was in trouble. >> i think he's just outstanding, highly respected by

>> a lot of the republicans didn't know john, but i think he would have had good receptivity and he was getting that. >> only 24 hours early no hint the nomination was in trouble. >> i think he's just outstanding, highly respected by everybody that knows him >> reporter: but richard burr warned the white house not to nominate ratcliff, still the president named him on twitter sunday the next day nbc news was first to report ratcliffe falsely claimed he put terrorists in prison and today "the washington post" reported he did not arrest 300 illegal immigrants in a single day as he claimed. ratcliffe faced partisan criticism for rarely traveling . ratcliffe faced partisan criticism for rarely to hotspots or doing his homework on his committee. sue gordon may take over for now. >> i like her very much. i've always liked sue gordon ov. >> i like her very much. i've always liked sue gordon. >> reporter: tonight this is raising more questions about the white house vetting process. more than 30 times by our >> reporter: tonight this is raising more questions about the white house vetting process. more than 30 times by our count, the president has named someone for a big job and it has not gone forward lester >> thanks andrea tonight the president is again raising eyebrows with a tweet about elijah cummings cummings after a

break in at cummings' baltimore home. >> just hours after reviving his attack on democrats for poverty and crime on america's inner cities like baltimore -- after a break in at cummings' baltimore home >> just hours after reviving his attack on democrats for poverty and crime on america's inner cities like baltimore -- >> the homicide rate in baltimore is significantly higher than el salvador, honduras >> reporter: president trump zeroed in on elijah cummings a after a report cummings' home was burglarized last saturday, today tweeting really bad news the baltimore house of elijah cummings was robbed. too bad. house of elijah cummings was robbed. too bad. that response condemned by one of the president's allies, nikki haley. that response condemned by one of the president's allies, nikki haley. this is so unnecessary, punctuated with an eye roll emoji. but tonight the president ismis. disputing criticism he was making light of the democratic congressman's misfortune >> that was really not meant as a wise guy tweet i mean, his house was robbed and it came over the news. >> reporter: the break in happened before the president launched his initial attacks against cummings and baltimore congressman cummings said he was home at the time and scared the intruder away by yelling

>> cummings is one of the top democrats heading up the investigations into president trump. we have learned that a majority of house democrats want anident. we have learned that a majority of house democrats want an impeachment inquiry, but house speaker nancy pelosi is still not on board >> thank you president trump today also vowing to draw down the number of troops in afghanistan this as the u.s. is working on a potential deal with the taliban to end america's longest war nbc's richard engel now on the new questions being raised tonight. raised tonight. >> reporter: tonight tentative progress to end the war in afghanistan. multiple sources wit >> reporter: tonight tentative progress to end the war in afghanistan. multiple sources with direct knowledge of peace talks between the u.s. and the taliban tell nbc news the administration is prepared to withdraw thousands of american troops in exchangepr for concession from the taliban including preventing afghanista a cease fire, and talks between the from becoming a safe haven for

terrorists, denouncing al quaeda, a cease fire, and talks between the taliban and the afghan government. if met, the troops could draw down from 14,000 troops to between 8,000 and 9 thousand 14 between 8,000 and 9 thousand. the president today. the president today. >> we're reducing it we've been there 19 years. we're serving as policemen we could win afghanistan in two days or three days or four days if we wanted but i'm not looking to kill 10 million people. >> reporter: there are many skeptics who worry the taliban can't be trusted, that president trump is pushing for a deal for a political win and that leaving too quickly could lead to state collapse like when president obama pulled out of iraq all right. richard thank you. tonight tropical threats are on the move. al roker is here. >> we are looking at hawaii first. it has two storms threatening there. we have tropical storm eric with winds of 45 miles per hour moving west at 13. it's dumped about four to 8 inches of rain, may dump more.

we've also got flossie the good news with flossie is even though it's a tropical storm, it should stay to the north of the island chain and not cause any problems so, that's good news now, we move to the atlantic an atlantic and we're watching this tropical invest area, 96l and that has a 40% chance of development. we're watching this tropical invest area, 96l and that has a 40% chance of development. we're watching it. it may start to strengthen into a tropical depression by the beginning of next week lester >> all right, al, thanks before your family hits the beach this weekend, there is a warning you may need to hear a number of popular beaches have been shut down in recent days after an unprecedented number o beaches have been shut down in shark sightings. >> reporter: on the beaches of cape cod massachusetts, it is shark week quite literally more than a dozen great white sightings in just the past two days, over a hundred in the past month. and the peak season is just getting started. >> i'm afraid to go in the water. >> reporter: beaches sporadically closed. as sharks approached as sharks

the massachusetts state police chopper spotted this one near where a man was killed last fall scientists say they have never tagged this many this early. >> i don't even want my toes in the water.rly. >> i don't even want my toes in the water. >> reporter: shark attacks are rare, but there's no denying the close encounters in florida more than 60 sharks spotted just off greaten beach in north carolina, a fisherman bitten when he pulled a shark . out of the water >> he got me >> reporter: and this massive ancient species bigger than the research sub caught on camera by deep sea scientists. the research sub ca >> that is amazing >> reporter: researchers like thomas expect warming sea temperatures to have an even greater impact on shark migration. >> as the temperature shifts, the prey species that they're chasing so that they come in towards shore in different patterns >> reporter: back on the beaches there's impact as well >> there's less people than last year >> reporter: the fear keeping some away.

kristen dahlgren, nbc news still ahead tonight a traffic stop turns in a matter of life and death as the suspect pulls away with the police officer hanging on it's all caught on video and a dream come true for one baseball fan, the pitch that earned him a shot at big league stardom. ♪ along the byway let's go! ♪ much more ♪ much more than this ♪ i did it my way ♪ let's see, aleve is than tylenol extra strength. and last longer with fewer pills. so why am i still thinking about this? i'll take aleve. aleve. proven better on pain.

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a wild scene in a suburb of atlanta where a police officer is recovering after being drug down the highway when a suspect drove away from a traffic stop all of it caught on a police dash cam highway when a suspect drove away from a traffic stop. all of it caught on a >> reporter: just north of atlanta, it's the video of a traffic stop that suddenly went from 0 to 60 officer nathan daily caught yesterday halfway inside a chevy malibu, the driver flooring it after being pulled over for distracted driving >> we've got an officer dragged. the car is taking off. >> reporter: his partner chases the run away driver toward the interstate, daily somehow holding on after he scraped against one car after another a somehow holding on

after he scraped against one car after another unl a until a swerve sent him crashing into a passing van >> officer down, officer down. >> reporter: the impact knocked him on to the asphalt injured but alive. crashing >> speed 90-miles-per-hour, third lane >> reporter: police caught the driver after he ditched his car. tonight derrick simpson is behind bars facing charges >> r caught the driver after he ditched his car. tonight derrick simpson is behind bars facing charges. >> it doesn't look as bad as it feels, but i >> it doesn't look as bad as it feels, but i will bounce back ten times stronger >> reporter: after surviving this, there's no doubt after al morgan chesky, nbc news. >> glad he can smile after all that up next, a dream come true for a baseball fan after the pitch of a lifetime. and they never dreamed of what they would find, how they were brought together for the first time as brothers brothers. co loguard: colon cancer screening for people 50 and older at average risk. honey, have you seen my glasses? i've always had a knack for finding things... ...colon cancer,to be exact. and i find it noninvasively...

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here's steve patterson. >> reporter: blink and you might miss t place on his field of dreams. >> reporter: blink and you might miss the speed of lightning in a bottle that's 23-year-old nathan patterson lighting up the radar gun at coors field he was a rockies game a few weeks ago and decided to give it a go throwing a 96-mile-per-hour fast ball. he was a rockies game a few weeks ago and decided to give it a go throwing a 96-mile-per-hour fast ball. a few days after, he got a call from the oakland as and they signed him to their minor league team patterson is no stranger to the game he played in high school and started training again this winter after a car crash patterson's trainer would know he pitched in the pros crash. patterson's trainer >> the sky's the limit for a guy that throws 96 because not a lot of guys do it and not a lot of guys command it when they do it. >> reporter: okay. we get it. it's rare. but how hard is it to throw a ball like that let's find out turns out really hard. i couldn't even crack 60-mile-per-hour >> speed alone doesn't mean patterson is on a fast track to the major leagues. he'll start out in the arizona

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finally tonight finally tonight they are brothers in blue and in life and how they came to realize it is just remarkable story tonigh. joe fryer has their story tonight. >> reporter: at a florida police station they held a news conference for a different kind of joint task force. >> being a cop is being a cop. >> reporter: sergeant david stallis took a dna test revealing new information about his family >> i was expecting to see

cousins and stuff like that. fa. >> i was expecting to top of the list says half brother. i hadn't considered that possibility. >> reporter: he quickly wrote an email. i was adopted as an infant and have very little knowledge of my family history. a message gla according to 23 and me we are half brothers. i was adopted as an infant and have very little knowledge of my family history a message gladly received by police officer eric reynolds >> for me, it's cool i have a big brother now i never had a big brother. i never ha >> reporter: the long lost siblings who shared a father met last month and are just getting started. >> my wife is always like you're texting your brother again and of course. because we've got 50 years to make up for. >> i was nervous about him showing up last night coming over for dinner. it's like waiting for santa it santa cl claus or something >> dna solving a mystery these officers never knew existing joe fryer, nbc news. >> they've got a lot to catch up on we wish them well. that's "nightly news." i'm lester holt. thank you for watching everyone. good night and have a great weekend.

announcer: put your hands together for your host, steve harvey. ♪ steve: yeah. thank you. yeah! i want to talk about real dads today. not fathers. i want to talk about dads. anybody can be a father. it takes a real man to be a daddy. [applause]

geter's day changes as you older. sometimes being a father just like being a mother is a thankless job. , when you are a kid, you don't necessarily understand or even appreciate what your dad is trying to do for you. it's only when you get older, you step back, you move out of the house, maybe to start a , you start to own really realize man, what that man meant to me. what he tried to teach me, all the lessons. i am going to show you a video of all of that. this is a grown-up son who gave his father for father's day a photo album of pictures of the two of them throughout the years.

now, i got to tell you, the dad was touched by the photos alone, but at the end of it, there was , and the man was asking his dad to be his best man at his wedding. you might cry. check it out. >> this is a few years ago. classic. >> love it. >> look at that. the original selfie.