cheryl jennings. >> i'm dan ashley. we appreciate your time. we'll see you again at 6:00. tonight, the toxic cloud danger, 5,000 people forced from their homes. the train carrying dangerous chemicals derails, bursting into flames, fire and black smoke filling the sky. authorities tonight warning about possible air and water contamination. the scare that put the navy yard on lockdown, law enforcement on high alert tonight for possible terror attacks. police from new york to philadelphia to l.a. fully deployed. and the unruly passenger accused of making bomb threats during the flight. holiday storms, five reported tornados in the midwest, flying debris, exploding transformers, as a record number of travelers hit the road. millions in the path of extreme weather. breaking news, the new health stunner. doctors reporting tonight the first measles death in america in 12 years. and the summer of the shark, 7 attacks in three weeks, calls to close beaches, and the danger

lurking in the water. good evening on this thursday night. i'm amy robach in for david muir. and we begin with the dangerous scene unfolding in tennessee. the toxic cloud, 5,000 people evacuated, the images coming in tonight, the freight train burning on the tracks, hauling dangerous chemicals through the city of maryville. emergency teams clearing a two-mile radius, at least 45 people rushed to the hospital, residents told not to go home this evening. abc's alex perez in tennessee with the warning now about possible new contamination in the water and the air. >> reporter: tonight, that dark cloud of toxic fumes hovering over parts of eastern tennessee, the fire from that freight train accident still smoldering. >> i can see it down the tracks burning. going to put my gear on and start that way. >> don't get too close.

>> reporter: the fumes forcing 5,000 residents to evacuate. >> sounds to me like we need to upgrade our evacuation. station check that and see if we need to go further. >> reporter: authorities going door to door, waking people up to get them to safety. >> this is kind of frightening for a lot of people. >> oh, yeah, we walked outside and we could see the smoke coming from the train in the air. it was still smoking. >> the parking lot. >> reporter: it was just before midnight. the freight train was traveling from ohio to georgia when a single car derailed in maryville and caught fire. the derailment puncturing one of 27 cars carrying hazardous materials, releasing fumes, the chemical used to make plastics, and considered a probable carcinogen by the epa. if inhaled, the fumes can cause headaches, dizziness and a rapid heartbeat. authorities establishing a two-mile vac occasion zone. >> the boundary has been set up for a reason.

we want to make sure people stay safe. >> reporter: 45 people rushed to the hospital. many more respiratory issues. ten first responders among those treated. tonight, a local high school now an emergency center for displaced residents. crews handing out cases of bottled water. authorities warning those here not to drink well water for fear of contamination. and luckily authorities say there are no serious injuries to report. officials say it could be 24 to 48 hours before the area is deemed safe. those barricades come down and residents are allowed back home. amy? >> alex, thank you. now to the terror threat for the fourth of july weekend. police and fbi on high alert. the washington navy yard put on lockdown today. s.w.a.t. teams rushing to the area. there are heightened concerns from new york to l.a. many police departments fully deployed, and one holiday celebration already cancelled. here's abc's senior justice correspondent, pierre thomas. >> reporter: a massive police response this morning at the washington navy yard, the site of a tragic mass murder in 2013.

s.w.a.t. teams, tactical units, and choppers swarming the scene. ambulances at the ready for potential wounded. it turned out to be a false alarm. a 911 caller mistaking construction noise for a gunshot, but the instant reaction showing that law enforcement is on a hair-trigger as we approach the independence day celebration. >> we are aware of the discussion and chatter surrounding the fourth of july events. >> reporter: and it's not just here. the u.s. airbase at lakenheath in england cancelling july 4th celebrations. this amid reports of worrisome social media chatter revealing specific events and locations. the threat from isis greater than ever. this year alone 40 people with suspected ties to isis arrested in the u.s. seven in just the last two weeks. the threat alert high all over the country. in new york city, the state-of-the-art command center up and running. heavily armed units patrolling the streets, the water and the skies. police departments in l.a., philadelphia, boston and atlanta

fully deployed. on the washington mall they're preparing for all contingencies. >> what isil is doing is radicalizing people that live here in the united states of america. our nation is under threat. our law enforcement, our military are under threat. >> reporter: in less than 48 hours this mall will be teeming with tens of thousands of people met by an army of police seen and unseen. amy? >> pierre, thank you. to the mid-air scare on one of the busiest travel days of the year, an unruly passenger today forcing a plane to land in columbus, ohio, accused of making bomb threats during the flight. abc's david kerley with the tense moments in the sky. >> reporter: passengers on the tarmac, their plane in an isolated area as the bomb squad responds and bags are pulled. a passenger claimed to have a bomb on the united express flight from st. louis to washington d.c. it was diverted to columbus. the passengers put on buses, the bags checked. the passenger who made the threat was questioned and then released.

but this holiday weekend, with the worry of an attack, passengers are seeing the security presence. >> there seem to be a lot more canine units out and a lot more people on the ground. >> reporter: a government official says there may be more random screenings and patdowns in security lines and plenty of additional security efforts behind the scenes. >> we've got a significant threat environment right now and we've got to continue to take protecting our aviation and transportation security very seriously. >> reporter: one airport security official tells me there is no specific threat, but they are, quote, leaning forward with additional security measures throughout the holiday weekend. amy? >> david, thanks so much. now to the severe storms across parts of america. with a record number of people traveling on the july 4th weekend, more than 40 million on the move, five confirmed tornados in 24 hours, including this twister whipping debris through the air in missouri. then fierce lightning strikes lighting up the sky in the west. 20 million at risk of extreme

weather to kick off the holiday. abc's senior meteorologist rob marciano tracking it all. >> reporter: the middle of the country hit hard by damaging storms. >> if that ain't a tornado, i don't know what is. >> reporter: that it is, a tornado confirmed in kentucky. >> look at that. >> reporter: and three confirmed in missouri in the last 24 hours. >> yeah, that's getting ready to touch down. >> reporter: terrifying moments just outside kansas city. >> dude, check that out. it just took the whole building in front of us, yo! >> reporter: in eastern missouri nearly four inches of rain falling in just two hours. a woman dying in jefferson county when her car was swept off the road in floodwaters. these residents near st. louis had to be rescued from their homes as the water rose. and during heavy rain near nashville, tennessee, this out-of-control car crushed by a tanker truck. the driver and his two children miraculously surviving. and look at his light show in central california. hundreds of lightning strikes around fresno but not a lot of rain. still so dry there that officials in bass lake are replacing fireworks with lasers

this fourth of july weekend. >> and rob joins us now. it's been so hot out west. what they need is rain. >> yeah, and they're not going to get widespread rain. where the rain is going to come is where they already had it in the past several days. this front, it stalled out. that's the mechanism for the next several days. right now strong storms are heading across south carolina and eastern georgia. big wind, dangerous lightning. be aware. across parts of northern oklahoma, storms beginning to fire up there. the next 24 hours we will see rain across the mountain west. the heaviest rain across the mid south, through the tennessee valley. nashville, you'll probably get some. could be some severe weather in there, too. stick around for the big holiday. that's going to be the focal point for some rain. might be a way to develop and get some rain as far north as new york or new england. the heat continues for the fourth of july out west. no relief in sight there, amy. stay cool. >> all right, rob, we'll try to do that. the holiday weekend will drive millions of people to america's beaches. in north carolina big concerns about the possible danger lurking in the ocean. seven shark attacks in three

weeks. some saying those beaches should be closed before another attack happens. abc's phillip mena looks at why this is becoming the summer of the shark. >> reporter: tonight the carolina coast on edge. sharks attacking swimmers at an alarming rate. >> i wouldn't go out there, not now. >> reporter: some even calling for beach closures. north carolina's governor instead warning beach goers. >> use your common sense and listen to what the lifeguards and local authorities are saying. >> reporter: a few beaches dispatching park rangers to warn swimmers to stay close to shore. all this after two attacks in two days. >> i felt just a pinge of pain in my leg and i, like, looked back and saw the shark swimming away. sglb tulg. >> reporter: ten attacks in three weeks, seven along north

carolina alone. but why so many here? shark experts say this year could be a perfect storm. a coastal drought means saltier water. factor in 80 degree water, a mix sharks love. add in a surge in fish and sea turtles. sglf sglf. >> we have lots of people in the water. we have lots of sharks and lots of food and that's a bat mix. >> reporter: while the increase in shark attacks have scared off some here in the carolinas, as you can see there are many more who weren't afraid to go in the water. it seems there's no escaping sharks this summer. this fisherman off florida capsized after he accidently hooks a shark and makes a quick escape back to his boat. but for tourists like this woman who came to north carolina for vacation, yesterday's attack just feet from here has her keeping a watchful eye. >> did you have a talk with them? >> oh, absolutely. we told them not to go past their knees and stay close. >> reporter: tonight the coast here continues to fill up ahead of fourth of july weekend. and as of right now, these carolina beaches will remain open. amy? >> phillip, thank you.

and now to those july 4th travel plans across the country. more than 3 million people flying over the holiday and more families than ever expected to be driving, encouraged by the lowest gas prices in five years. abc's rebecca jarvis shows us how to find the best price at the pump and spend less time in traffic. >> reporter: tonight a record number of americans, 35.5 million of us ready to hit the road. the highest number ever, thanks in part to that cheaper gasoline. pump prices even falling a few pennies this week in the run-up to this independence day weekend. the national average for a gallon of regular now $2.77, nearly a dollar less than this time last year. but the savings don't have to stop there. >> even though gas prices are historically low, you can still save a lot by choosing the right gas station. >> spot the cheapest gas on your itinerary with free apps like gasbuddy and aaa's triptik. >> there are credit cards that will give you bonus points for travel.

a lot of times that includes tolls and parking. >> reporter: how you pay is as important as what you pay. for example, many credit cards offer cash back and even bigger incentives when you use them at gas stations and on the road. there's even more savings. you can now download free apps like foursquare and scoutmob. to find the cheap hot spots to dine while you're on the road. finally, amy, to save yourself some time and money and your sanity, choose a navigation app like waze. it will help you stay out of traffic jams like this one. >> rebecca, thanks for the tips. overseas tonight new details about that deadly plane crash in taiwan. 43 people killed when a transasia flight clipped a bridge, plunging into a river in february. investigators blame the pilot for shutting down the plane's only working engine. the pilot's final words, wow, pulled back the wrong side throttle. realizing his mistake 8 seconds

before the crash. and we are learning more tonight about what may have brought down that military plane in indonesia. the plane slammed into a crowded neighborhood two days ago killing all 122 people on board and another 21 people on the ground. tonight air force officials there are saying an engine malfunction is to blame. back here at home, a big apology from the ceos at whole foods. those bosses taking to youtube admitting some customers were overcharged. tonight what they promise to do about it. more now from abc's mara schiavocampo. >> reporter: tonight, a fresh apology from whole foods. >> straight up, we made some mistakes. >> reporter: the company's ceo speaking directly to customers in a video posted online after accusations of routine overcharging. >> we know they are unintentional because the mistakes are both in the customer's favor and sometimes not in the customer's favor. it's understandable sometimes mistakes are made. they're inadvertent. they do happen because it's a hands-on approach to bringing you the fresh food. >> reporter: in what the

new york consumer affairs department called "the worst case of mislabelling they've seen in their careers" last month some store locations have been overcharging customers by overstating the weights of prepackaged products. it's not the first time this has happened. in 2012, a california investigation also uncovered pricing violations. whole foods agreeing to pay $800,000 in penalties. now, the company ceos putting their money where your mouth is. >> if there's a mistake that's not in your favor, we promise to give you that item for free. >> reporter: mara schiavocampo, abc news, new york. >> our thanks to mara. word tonight of a record $18.7 billion settlement in that disastrous b.p. oil spill. you'll recall that deadly deep water horizon explosion five years ago, the oil gushing out for months unchecked. the deal between b.p. and five gulf states said to be the largest such agreement in u.s. history.

the nation's unemployment rate falling to its lowest point in seven years. the government reporting 223,000 jobs were created last month and unemployment dropping to 5.3%. there's still much more ahead on "world news tonight" this thursday. the deadly shoot-out during a holiday cross-country drive. the former tv anchor and her husband attacked in their motel. what the gunman didn't know about who he was facing. and the new health scare tonight, the first measles death in america in more than a decade. and the hot air balloon that came crashing down to earth, the fourth of july tradition falling flat. ♪ i built my business with passion. but i keep it growing by making every dollar count. that's why i have the spark cash card from capital one. i earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything i buy for my studio. ♪ and that unlimited 2% cash back from spark means thousands of dollars each year going back into my business...

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familiar face on cnn, but tonight former news anchor lynne russell says she was nearly killed in a wild robbery attempt and shoot-out. >> at the motel 6, possible shooting. caller stated her husband has been shot. >> reporter: russell said she was on a cross-country road trip with her husband, former cnn correspondent and soldier, chuck de caro. >> i'm very, very grateful to my husband. he's my hero. he saved my life. >> reporter: she said they stopped for the night in this motel at albuquerque when a strange man approached her in the parking lot. >> he gave me a good shove and i was airborne and into the room and he closed the door behind us. >> reporter: she says the man demanded money. what he didn't know, both russell and her husband have concealed weapons permits and were armed. he turned around and began firing on chuck, and chuck returned fire. >> reporter: the alleged robber was killed. russell's husband chuck was shot three times but survived. police are still investigating. >> thanks to him, we'll have a

one-year anniversary this week. >> reporter: neal karlinsky, abc's, seattle. >> our thanks to neal for that. when we come back, the health stunner in the west, the deadly case of measles. and the close call in the sky, the giant balloon plunging to the ground. >> and is it a recipe for disaster? the guacamole debate, with peas or without? it seems just about everyone has an opinion. i'm jerry bell the second. and i'm jerry bell the third. i'm like a big bear and he's my little cub.

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to the "index" and the first death from measles in this country in 12 years. the infection discovered during an autopsy of a female patient in washington state. officials say she was likely exposed at a local medical facility and apparently showed no symptoms. a close call in the air, the balloon festival in provo, utah. this piggy bank hot air balloon crashing into a tree, the pilot treated for a minor burn. the fourth of july tradition deflated there. holy guacamole, the summer of 2015 may be remembered by the great guac debate. the "new york times" started the avocado rolling with its recipe suggestion to give peas a chance. fallout has been fierce with nos all the way to the white house. tonight chipotle weighing in, tweeting, "let there be peas on earth, but not in guac." when we come back, the beloved figure from millions of childhoods, why she's saying "g" for good-bye. from millions of childhoods, why she's saying "g" for good-bye.

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at creditcards.com. ♪ [music] ♪ jackie's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today her doctor has her on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. finally tonight, maria from "sesame street" is saying good-bye. after more than four decades,

"r" is for retirement. here's abc's david wright. >> reporter: this story is brought to you by the letter g for "gracias." >> once upon a time -- >> reporter: all the stories and the songs and all those vocabulary words, too. >> the spanish word for happy is feliz. >> reporter: maria, in real life, actress sonia manzano is moving on now, retiring after 44 years on "sesame street." she joined the cast in 1971 at age 22. the first latina with a major role on national tv. a gentle grown-up for generations of kids. >> just hold your knee up and i'll kiss it. >> reporter: through tough times -- >> big bird, don't you remember we told you, mr. hooper died. >> reporter: and good times, when she married her beloved luis on the show, elmo was ring

bearer. >> don't drop the rings, bob. >> reporter: maria, as essential to the cast as cookie monster, big bird and the count. >> grover, you forgot something. >> reporter: without her, sunny days won't quite be the same. david wright, abc news, new york. >> maria will be missed. thanks for watching. i'm amy robach and i'll see you tomorrow for "good morning america." good night. tomorrow for "good morning america." good night. >> shock and outrage following the killing of a bay area woman. >> tens of thousands of fire works kept off the streets. the major bust police say is one of the biggest ever. a wayward dolphin has become the talk of napa.

it's drawing a lot of attention now. >> and bay area children attending spy camp. the intelligence the nsa hopes to impart on children everywhere. >> there are a million memories and i won't ever have another one with her. >> heartache for the family of a woman killed in a random act of violence. police say they've arrested the killer but don't know why he did it. good evening. i'm dan ashley. >> i'm cheryl jennings we learned the 32-year-old was a victim in a tragic shooting along the city water front this, is her accused killer, 45-year-old francisco sanchez. >> we have live team coverage from pleasanton. >> we're going to start with vic lee with the latest on the murder investigation. vic?

>> reporter: that is where catherine steinly was shot last night. police told us at a briefing here today, that the man they detained last night the person of interest francisco sanchez was charged with her murder today. this video was taken by a person who lived nearby. you can see bystanders trying to help catherine steinly, who was mortally wounded. police say the suspect never exchanged words before he shot her. >> the victim said something to the family members to the extent she didn't feel well and realized something had just taken place and fell to the ground. a police boat cruised around the pier this morning looking for the gun used in the shooting. divers put something in a box. police would not say if that was the gun. police believe the suspect tossed the weapon into the water