>> the paper staff called it the proudest moment of their careers. and in this industry, that is a proud moment indeed. tonight, the new fallout. roseanne barr, back on twitter. less than 24 hours after her show was canceled, blaming ambien for her racist tweet. tonight, the maker of ambien saying the drug does not cause racism. and what the president has now tweeted. also breaking at this hour, the urgent manhunt right now. the suspect who murdered a veteran sheriff's deputy. residents being warned to stay indoors. the suspect is armed and dangerous. tonight, the body cam just released, in the case making national headlines. the violent arrest. what the new video now reveals, amid outrage tonight. did the officer go too far? the severe weather threat this evening. a state of emergency already in one region, with major cities now in the path. from oklahoma city to indianapolis, chicago bracing,

too. and the televangelist under fire tonight, asking for donations to buy a $54 million jet. he says god gave him the message. the message tonight he's now getting from many in his own community. and breaking developments at this hour involving harvey weinstein. good evening and it's great to have you with us here on a wednesday night. and we begin with the firestorm surrounding roseanne barr and her racist tweet. the star firing back on twitter, today blaming her words on ambien. the maker of ambien was not having it. and there were other tweets. the actress, whose show has been canceled by abc, taking aim at some of her costars who called her words reprehensible. tonight, what the president is now tweeting, in the wake of the roseanne uproar, and the white house was pressed on why, in his own tweet, the president did not address what roseanne said. abc's matt gutman leading us off again tonight. reporter: fer than 24 hours

after roseanne barr'rast tweet that led to her show being canceled -- >> what's up, deplorable? >> reporter: -- comparing president obama's former top aide to an ape, roseanne was back on twitter. now blaming that tweet on a sleeping pill. "it was 2:00 in the morning and i was ambien tweeting. i went too far." tonight, the maker of ambien firing back -- "while all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect." but today, even after trying to blame ambien -- >> after my nighttime meds kick in, i'm legally dead until 7:00 a.m. >> reporter: -- roseanne then retweeted images of characters from "planet of the apes" with valerie jarrett's image next to them. tonight, president trump, who celebrated roseanne before -- >> look at roseanne, i called her yesterday. look at her ratings. look at her ratings. >> reporter: -- has so far not condemned her racist words. instead, the president tweeting about disney ceo bob iger, the head of abc's parent company,

after iger called jarrett personally to apologize for roseanne's racist tweet. and this morning, the president tweeting, "he never called president donald j. trump to apologize for the horrible statements made and said about me on abc. maybe i just didn't get the call?" ignoring roseanne's words completely. and when pressed on this today, the white house, at first, complained of a double standard, before eventually saying no one is defending roseanne. >> the president is simply calling out the media bias, no one's defending what she said. >> reporter: roseanne firing off more than 200 tweets since losing her show and vowing to leave twitter. even turning on some of her costars. writing to actor michael fishman, who called her tweet, "reprehensible," "you throw me under the bus. nice." and to sara gilbert, who called the comment "abhorrent," she replied, "wow, unreal." >> she's been all over the map with it. i wish she had just said, i'm sorry, or, like, you know, valerie jarrett said, this could be a learning moment. >> reporter: and tonight, the

executive producer of the show, david caplan, telling "the hollywood reporter" he and the writers had just returned to work on the next season. it was their first day back. stunned by roseanne's tweet. and now many of them out of a job. even so, when asked their reaction, caplan said, "the reaction was universal disgust." adding, "we were horrified by it and we also knew what it meant for the show." when it came to racism, "there was no longer any way to accept what she was saying." tonight, roseanne saying, "i feel bad for potus. he goes through this every single day." and even today, as she retweeted that "planet of the apes" image next to valerie jarrett, roseanne barr still insisting she's no bigot. "i'm not a racist, i never was and i never will be." >> and matt gutman back with us tonight. and matt, as you point out, roseanne barr lashing out on twitter. the writers, producers in the meantime, have expressed disappointment, because the original mission of the show, and why it was a comeback hit, has now been lost in all this.

>> reporter: that's right, david. as roseanne's message turned from contrite to combative, those cast and crew who worked on the show that we have spoken with say that what is most crushing to them is that the original mission of the show was all about inclusivity, showing the plight of middle class families across america. they now fear that that has been lost amidst all of this controversy. david? >> matt gutman leading us off again tonight. matt, thank you. also developing at this hour, the urgent manhunt for the killer of a sheriff's deputy in tennessee. authorities say deputy daniel baker, a husband and father, was responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle. he was then shot and killed confronting the suspect. tonight, police now identifying the alleged gunman as steven wiggins. they are warning that he is armed and dangerous. and abc's alex perez with news coming in on the search tonight. >> reporter: an intense manhunt just outside nashville tonight. investigators urgently going door-to-door, looking for a suspect they say gunned down a deputy sheriff trying to pull him over.

>> anyone that would murder a deputy sheriff protecting our community is a threat to anyone. >> reporter: the ordeal unfolding about 7:00 this morning in dickson county, tennessee. >> nashville all units. prepare to copy on a polo out of dickson county. >> reporter: authorities say sergeant baker was responding to a suspicious vehicle report when he spotted wiggins. investigators then say baker's radio went silent. using gps, they later tracked down his vehicle, finding his body inside. according to a police report, wiggins was wanted for assault and theft after police responded to a domestic call tuesday and were told he slapped a woman, put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her if she called police. later, stealing her car. as authorities work to zero in on wiggins, sergeant baker's colleagues tonight are praying for justice. >> it is my prayer to god that our court will be a terror to him on the -- on the punishment he receives.

>> and alex perez with us now. and alex, we know the veteran sheriff's deputy was beloved by his colleagues there. >> reporter: yeah, david. they are heartbroken. he was a ten-year veteran of the force. he leaves behind his wife and a young daughter. law enforcement across tennessee tonight searching for that suspect, who is believed to be armed and dangerous. david? >> alex perez tonight. alex, thank you. and next this evening, we have new images of the violent beach arrest on the jersey shore that made national headlines over the memorial day weekend. just a short time ago, police now releasing body cam video, showing officers struggling with a 20-year-old woman. one officer accused of punching her in the head as he tried to restrain her. the woman is now facing several charges, including assaulting an officer, and the two officers are now placed on administrative duty. here's abc's gio benitez. >> don't touch me! >> reporter: tonight, new body cam video released by wildwood police, revealing the moments leading up to, and during, this disturbing cell from video from memorial day. police taking down an underage

young mother on the jersey shore, punching the woman in the head. police say they spotted 20-year-old emily weinman with a bottle of alcohol in plain sight on the beach. they ask her to take a breathalyzer test. everything appears calm until police ask for her last name. >> i'll give you one more chance to give me your last name. >> you're not going to lock me up. >> okay, what's your last name? >> you don't need my last name. >> that's it. i'm done with you. do you have cuffs on you? >> no! >> reporter: while attempting to place her under arrest, police say weinman struck one of the officers. >> don't pull my hair! >> reporter: and that's when officers, seen here, restrained her, punching her in the head. >> whoa, whoa! >> reporter: and david, weinman faces several charges, including assaulting an officer. her attorney calls this excessive use of force. and those officers have been placed on administrative duty as the department investigates. david? >> gio benitez tonight. gio, thank you. we're going to turn now to the dangerous storms hitting tonight. heavy rain effecting the evening commute in chicago, as well. there's a new state of emergency in north carolina at this hour. we are watching it all.

thousands of residents on alert to evacuate in case of possible flooding. homes and businesses under water in asheville. flooding also washing away the road near a school in marion, alabama. you can see the rescues playing out. let's get right back to rob marciano with us tonight. and rob, a very active radar you're watching. >> reporter: very saturated ground, too. a lot of this is from alberto. we still have flash flood watches that are posted across the south. look at the spin, the center in northern indiana, but chicago getting kind of a squeeze tonight. so, a dangerous night ahead for them. and we're looking for storms to initiate across the plans overnight, after dark. potentially damaging winds along the i-35 corridor, along the kansas/oklahoma border. so, a dicey night ahead for a lot of folks. >> and the saturated grounds are the real concern, too. rob, thank you. next tonight, president trump pushing forward with his claim that the fbi spied on his campaign, infiltrated the campaign. he's provided no proof yet. republican trey gowdy, a member of the house intelligence committee, who went after hillary clinton often, shooting down trump's allegation. the white house says there is still reason to be concerned, though, and here's abc's chief white house correspondent jonathan karl.

>> reporter: the president has turned an unfounded allegation into a campaign rallying cry. >> so, how do you like the fact they had people infiltrating our campaign? can you imagine? can you imagine? >> reporter: but there is no evidence of that. and now, a prominent republican with access to the information on what the fbi was doing says there was no spying on the campaign, and the fbi did nothing wrong. >> i am even more convinced that the fbi did exactly what my fellow citizens would want them to do when they got the information they got. and that it has nothing to do with donald trump. >> reporter: trey gowdy isn't just any republican. he led the investigation into hillary clinton and benghazi. he is a trump supporter, and he was one of a handful of congressional leaders to receive a classified briefing last week on the fbi's tactics during the russia investigation. gowdy says they were doing just what president trump wanted them to do. >> he said, i didn't collude with russia, but if anyone connected with my campaign did,

i want you to investigate it. >> reporter: given what trey gowdy has said, is the president prepared now to retract his allegation that the fbi was spying on his campaign? >> clearly there's still cause for concern that needs to be looked at. let's not forget the deputy director of the fbi was actually fired for misconduct. the president's concerned about the matter and we're going to continue to follow the issue. >> reporter: but gowdy was in the briefing. he knows what was done. and he's saying these allegations are baseless, that there was no spying on the trump campaign. >> certainly, the president feels that there is cause for concern and it should be looked at. we'd like to see this fully looked into and we'll continue to follow that matter. >> reporter: but based on what evidence? what evidence does he have? >> sorry, jonathan. we're going to keep moving. >> reporter: but the deputy fbi director was fired for an entirely unrelated matter. it's not just gowdy who is calling the spying allegation baseless, so is another outspoken trump defender. fox news analyst andrew napolitano. >> there's no evidence for that whatsoever. >> let's get to jon karl, live

at the white house tonight. and president trump also tweeting about his attorney general jeff sessions. suggesting he wishes he had picked someone else for the job. we've heard this before, jon, but back at it? >> reporter: that is a harsh condemnation of the president's own attorney general. he is still outraged that sessions recused himself from the russia investition. and david, while it doesn't appear the president actually plans to fire sessions, the two men baly sak to each other anymore. >> jon, thank you. one more headline out of the white house, jon, as you know. president trump will meet with families of victims of the santa fe high school shooting tomorrow. and there was this moment today. 13-year-old journalist benje choucroun of "time magazine for kids" with a question about preventing school shootings that clearly affected press secretary sarah sanders. >> we recently had a lockdown drill. one thing that effects mine and other students' mental health is that we worry about the fact that we or our friends could get shot at school. specifically, can you tell me what the administration has done and will do to prevent these senseless tragedies?

>> i think that as a kid, and certainly as a parent, there is nothing that could be more terrifying for a kid to go to school and not feel safe, so, i'm sorry that you feel that way. this administration takes it seriously. >> clearly an emotional sarah sanders in the briefing room today. we turn next tonight to major new developments invol s g president trump's former attorney and personal friend, michael cohen. the judge issuing his attorneys a deadline in the case. here's abc's kyra phillips. >> reporter: the clock now officially ticking in the fight over millions of documents seized in those raids of president trump's personal attorney, michael cohen. high stakes on both sides. the judge today giving cohen until june 15th to get through 3.7 million documents seized in those raids to make their case for attorney/client privilege. but cohen's attorney saying they still need to get through two-thirds of that material. today, pleading for more time. "we have people sleeping on couches. we are working around the clock."

the government also under pressure to bud their case. prosecutors today revealing for the first time that among items seized in those raids, cohen's shredder. normally, when we shred documents, we think they're gone. >> right, but they're not. if they're in strips, you can put them back together, and potentially produce new criminal evidence. >> reporter: other potential evidence? secret tape recordings allegedly made by cohen, according to stormy daniels' attorney, michael avenatti, who argues they could be explosive. >> when those recordings are disclosed, they're going to pose a host of problems for michael cohen and for the president. >> reporter: avenatti appeared in court, but withdrew his request to join the case after receiving a swift slapdown from the judge. "you will not be able to use this court as a platform." now, if cohen doesn't meet that june 15th deadline, the review of all this material will be left to the government, and they will have to decide if they have

a criminal case against president trump's long-time lawyer and fixer, michael cohen. david? >> kyra phillips live in washington. kyra, thank you. overseas, and to ukraine tonight. a stunning twist, 24 hours after authorities claimed a russian reporter was gunned down inside his home. that reporter suddenly surprised everyone today, appearing before the cameras alive and well. he had helped foil the plot. here's abc's chief foreign correspondent terry moran. >> reporter: police surround a crime scene in kiev. arkady babchenko, a veteran russian war correspondent and crusading anti-putin journalist living in ukraine, gunned down, police said. shot in the back. this sketch of a suspect on the loose. ukrainian authorities blaming russia. and then, this. babchenko, very much alive. it was all staged, the authorities said, including a picture of babchenko playing dead on the ground, all part of an operation to foil what they claim was a real russian assassination plot.

look at how his grieving colleagues reacted as they watched the news live. at the press conference, babchenko apologized for the pain he caused them, and to his wife. "olechka," he said, "forgive me, please." and they released this video, the takedown, they claim, of the plot's mastermind. the kremlin denies it all, and many of babchenko's colleagues, while glad he's alive, are criticizing him for undermining the credibility of all journalists by participating in this police sting. david? >> terry moran, our thanks to you. there is still much more ahead on "world news tonight" this wednesday. the televangelist under fire, asking for donations to buy a $54 million jet. also, the deadly plane crash. the aircraft slamming into a residential neighborhood. investigators on the scene. the crane collapse late today. the massive construction equipment toppling over, crashing into a home. there are injuries reported tonight. and breaking developments as we came on involving harvey weinstein tonight. a lot more news ahead.

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we turn next tonight to the televangelist under fire. asking for donations to buy a $54 million jet. he says god gave him the message. here's abc's linsey davis. >> reporter: the bible does say, "ask and ye shall receive." so televangelist jesse duplantis is asking -- for a $54 million private jet. >> i really believe that if jesus was physically on the earth today, he wouldn't be riding a donkey. think about that for a minute. he'd be in an airplane preaching the gospel all over the world. >> reporter: last week, the new orleans-based minister posted this video, now getting backlash, asking for donations so he can purchase his fourth private plane, in cash. >> we believe in god for a brand new falcon-7x so we can go anywhere in the world one stop. >> reporter: he says the plane will help him save on exorbitant fuel prices around the world. online, there is gnashing of teeth, with people calling him a "hypocrite" and "false prophet." one person simply writing, "con-air."

duplantis, who lives in a $3 million, 35,000-square foot home, has said that he's not, quote, living lavishly, but biblically. he did not return our calls for comment. david? >> linsey, thank you. when we come back here, the major medical headline tonight involving screening for colon cancer. the age has changed. also, more on that crane collapse. and the breaking headline here in new york city tonight involving harvey weinstein. we'll be right back. plus, the breaking headline here in new york city tonight. involving harvey weinstein. we'll be right back. ffness are signs of joint erosion. humira can help stop the clock. prescribed for 15 years, humira targets and blocks a source of inflammation that contributes to joint pain and irreversible damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions,

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tonight for colonoscopies. the american cancer society now advising americans as young as 45 years old to undergo a colonoscopy. it had been 50 years old. the revision is in response to a 51% increase in the number of colorectal cancer cases among those under 55. when we come back here tonight, the national spelling be. could you spell what they're about to?

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>> reporter: the 91st scripps national spelling bee in national harbor, maryland. ages 8 to 15 and the pressure is enormous. >> ah, i'd say i was fine, but then i'd be lying. >> reporter: and there was honesty. >> how are you? >> pretty good. how about you? >> we'll see in a minute. >> hello. >> reporter: we also noticed 12-year-old atman from illinois. >> correct. >> reporter: it turns out spelling runs in the family. "world news tonight" meeting his father in 1985, when dad won it all. his son, atman, today did not survive all the rounds, but he says he'll be back. and then, there was liam. his first spelling bee, and when liam heard this -- >> lambency. >> bless you. >> reporter: it made us laugh, too. and he got it right. >> correct. >> bless you, he said. the final rounds tomorrow. we love it. i hope to see you tomorrow night.

hundreds of fires burn hundreds of acres in contra costa. >> we of a chilly breezy, windy weather pattern right now and it is not changing any time soon. accuweather forecast coming up. how you can help river otters rebound in the bay area. breaking news is out of san francisco. a family member just told abc news that the body found on the ground of

hospital. several agencies are investigating her death. the hospital and sheriff's department wouldn't comment on this. good evening, thank you for joining us, i am ama daetz. >> and i am dan ashley. we are just a few weeks into the fire season and already california has been put to the test. >> seven grass fires. >> some structures were destroyed. you can see the rubble of cars and buildings. still burning in this picture. even a windmill farm was caught in the flames. >> not far away, sky 7 captured cows moving away from the flames. spencer christian will update the conditions on the fire lines in just a moment.