it only drilled an two feet. scientists have another year to build another robot for the next uncrewed mission. >> we'll see you at 6:00. tonight, america on high alert as the fbi warns of new threats leading up to joe biden's inauguration the security intensifying in the nation's capitol and around the country what the fbi chief says far right extremists may be planning and where they may be targeting. one of the ten house republicans who voted to impeach donald trump say he and his colleagues are buying body armor out of fear someone may try to kill them the new arrests. the man carrying a confederate flag inside the capitol and a retired

firefighter suspected of throwing a fire extinguisher at police trump in the hands of the senate. could his trial begin the same date biden is inaugurated? our new poll where do americans stand on impeachment president-elect biden unveiling a $2 trillion plan to send americans more covid relief money and the growing frustration 30 million vaccine doses distributed. why have only a third been administered? the doorbell cam capturing the moments before a police officer fatally shoots an unarmed black man in his own yard. what he learned tonight and what the family is demanding. paying tribute to one of the entertainers from the famed magical duo. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. night and w the family is de good evening, the troops and massive security blanket covering much of washington, d.c. may bring some assurance against a repeat of the storming of the capitol.

but what if it's not the target that's the worry of federal law enforcement tonight urgently spreading the word to police agencies across the country that right wing extremists may be planning attacks on state capitols timed around the presidential inauguration the alert beyond disturbing. warning of possible attempts to ignite a race war we're also covering the vaccine frustrations how are millions of covid vaccine doses sitting in freezers tonight and so many americans are struggling to get theirs a lot to report this evening. first, tom costello on a chilling domestic terror warning >> reporter: six days before the inauguration and the tension is high in d.c. the fbi urging state and local police to share any and all intel about right wing extremists targeting federal and state government buildings and lawmakers. "the new york times" reports a national intelligence bulletin warns that extremists want to trigger a race war and may exploit the aftermath of the capitol breach by conducting attacks to destabilize and force a climactic conflict in the united states

>> we're going to ensure that we have a safe inauguration. >> reporter: like today, the fbi director briefed vice president pence. >> we're concerned about the potential for violence at multiple protests and rallies planned here in d.c. and at state capitol buildings around the country so anybody who plots or attempts violence in the coming weeks should count on a visit. >> reporter: across the country, state capitols are under tight security ohio's governor closing state office buildings in columbus starting sunday. >> just as we respect and will protect peaceful protesters, we will also just as vigorously resist violence that violence will not be tolerated >> reporter: and d.c tonight looks like an expectt armed camp roads closed police on every street 21,000 national guard troops expected within days to protect the city highly unlikely we'll have a repeat of last week the barriers are up. national guard troops

are standing about six feet apart from each other. all of them carrying their m-4s this unit from virginia, but all the way down the street and all the way around the capitol, hundreds, thousands of national guard troops meanwhile, at least a dozen police departments are investigating their own officers for allegedly participating in last week's events. and members of congress want an investigation into whether large numbers of people were walking around inside the capitol with republican lawmakers on tuesday, potentially doing recon. >> to imagine that colleagues of mine could have aided and abetted this is incredibly offensive and there's simply no way they can be allowed to continue to serve in congress. >> reporter: today, police arrested kevin sefried and robert sanford, a retired firefighter suspected of throwing a fire extinguisher but not the attack that killed officer brian sicknick >> i believe the greatest threat

against the united states at the moment is us, domestic terrorism. the greatest threat to the american democracy at this time is not international. it is within our own borders, our own people. >> tom, there's a report that people on the terror watch list were at the pro trump rally in d.c. on the day of the riot. what's the latest on that >> reporter: "the washington post" reporting dozens of white supremacists on that list were here and the fact that they did come here could suggest another lapse with intelligence. >> tom costello, thanks just after joe biden is inaugurated next week, the impeachment tria of donald trump could begin in the senate. our new nbc news poll shows americans sharply divided. 50% to 48% over the issue. here's peter alexander. >> reporter: tonight, 24 hours after speeding through the historic second impeachment of president trump, nancy pelosi is still holding back on sending that incitement of insurrection charge over to the senate the earliest a trial could start is next wednesday.

inauguration day, an hour after president-elect biden's been sworn in. today, one of the house republicans who voted to impeach saying he's now concerned for his safety. >> many of us are altering our routines, working to get body armor. it's sad we have to get to that point, but our expectation is that someone may try to kill us. >> reporter: just ten house republicans voted for impeachment, while more than 90%, nearly 200 members, voted against it announcing a democratic led rush to judgment. >> there's been no investigation into this if they wanted the facts and think the facts are on their side, they would have done that. they would have held a hearing and gotten all this out there >> reporter: a new nbc news poll finds americans are evenly split over the president's impeachment and possible removal from office 90% of republicans opposed. today staffers begin removing items from the west wing in preparations for biden's inauguration

ramp up. the focus turns to the senate where democrats lead 17 republicans to join them to convict and remove the president, an uphill climb. >> no good comes from impeaching president trump when he's out of office that's an unconstitutional attack on the presidency and will incite violence. >> reporter: if convicted president trump could be barred from holding office again. a top democrat today asked whether they would get enough republican votes >> i honestly don't know i'll tell you, i think it was a shattering experience for all of us i think a lot of members of the senate on both sides of the aisle realized the gravity of the situation. >> reporter: the last impeachment trial took weeks, ending in an acquittal. democrats argue this time, it would be much shorter. >> this is a very simple allegation. it is incitement to insurrectionru's own statements it is how the violent mob reacted to those statements >> reporter: the trial

p would overshadow president-elect joe biden's first day in office hoping they could deal with the constitutional responsibilities on impeachment and working on the other urgent business of this nation. lester >> peter alexander tonight. thank you. a sobering new projection by the cdc this evening that covid-19 could kill as many as 92,000 more americans in the next three weeks. as frustration grows over the chaotic rollout of the vaccine, here's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: developed at warp speed, tonight, the vaccine rollout has been described more as slow motion with only 11.1 million doses administered after roughly three times that number was distributed. and with more americans wondering not just where and when to get the vaccine, some are questioning how it announced he works after this congressman announced he contracted the virus after being vaccinated in a statement he writes, i am feeling well and currently not experiencing any

symptoms the representative who said he follow safety protocols testing positive last night after receiving his first dose in december and his second last week >> it takes two weeks to get full protection but even then, only 95% effective and that's why we still need masks, social distancing >> reporter: as state officials turn stadiums, convention centers and fairgrounds into mass vaccine sites, there's growing confusion as a hodgepodge of states now allow seniors to get vaccinated immediately. >> i worry when i hear announcements, let's just open the flood gates and anyone over 65 who wants the vaccine could get it there's not enough vaccine to meet all that demand. >> reporter: four former cdc directors tell nbc news states need cash and resources to streamline vaccinations >> there's been a great deal of overpromising on timelines. >> as we talk about vaccines and their importance, we need to keep reminding people that that isn't the be all and end all. >> reporter: with an

estimated one in three people infected in l.a. county since the pandemic began, nationwide, more than 36,000 deaths have been reported in just the last two weeks tonight, the need for a vaccine is greater than ever and so are the hurdles to get one. >> miguel, i know we both heard from people who qualify to receive the shots but simply can't figure out how to get them. >> reporter: y >> reporter: yeah, lester, there is no uniform rollout for the vaccine. each state is handling it differently, compounding this issue, there isn't enough vaccine and people can't get a simple and clear answer lester >> all right, miguel almaguer in los angeles, thanks. tonight, president-elect joe biden is unveiling his plan to combat the covid pandemic and boost the economy. nbc's jeff bennett following this for us. jeff, what's biden's plan >> reporter: lester, joe biden said as president, he'll call on congress to pass a nearly $2 trillion coronavirus relief

package which would also boost direct payments to americans to $2,000 from $600, increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, extend unemployment benefits and help schools safely reopen. >> we didn't get in all this overnight we won't get out of it overnight. >> reporter: tomorrow the transition says the president-elect will lay out the pace to pick up the plan for covid vaccinavacci vaccinations lester >> jeff, thanks. a new sign of how devastating the covid resurgence has been to the economy. 965,000 americans filing new unemployment claims last week. the most in nearly five months. that's about four times as high as pre-pandemic levels. an exgovernor in michigan are facing new charges in connection with the flint water crisis

gabe gutierrez has that story. >> reporter: today, former michigan governor rick snyder pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges he willfully neglected his duty during the flint water crisis his lawyer calling it political persecution. eight other former officials and aides were also charged in connection with the y manslaughter do with partisanship it has to do with human decency, resurrecting the complete abandonment of the people of flint and finally, finally holding people accountable. >> reporter: after the city of flint switched from the detroit water system to the contaminated flint river to cut costs in 2014, at least 12 people died. 80 others were sickened and thousands of children exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water flint mother leann walters said she and her four children have been battling health problems for years and she has this message

for those charged. >> how did you let the cries of a whole entire city go unnoticed? why did common sense not kick in to say something was wrong? >> reporter: called the case a flimsy one and a waste of taxpayer money lester >> gabe, thanks. now our nbc news exclusive. the top disease official in china speaking about the origins of the coronavirus. and as the w.h.o. begins investigating how it first appeared in wuhan here's janis mackey frayer >> reporter: tonight, one year after the virus emerged, a world health organization team is in wuhan though two scientists were denied entry after testing positive for antibodies should look the latest hurdle with china leery of blame the chief epidemiologist telling nbc news the w.h.o. should look elsewhere. do you believe the virus started in wuhan? >> no. >> do you believes it started in china >> yeah. >> then where? >> i do not have answer yet >> reporter: chinese officials have long tried to recast the virus' history. >> we need a commitment to

transparency and openness. >> reporter: the stakes are high and tracing the origin could take months or longer. >> i don't think we'll get an answer quickly. >> reporter: theories have included wuhan's high security lab, where nbc news was granted access last year dr. lee known here as bat woman for her virus research tells nbc news by email, there is no way it leaked from here and according to lab directors, the w.h.o. will not investigate the wuhan lab as a possible source. it isn't clear what the w.h.o. experts can gather the epidemic in wuhan now just a showcase. the virus' trail presumably gone cold janis mackey frayer, nbc news, beijing. feels li ten year >> it's been a year. feels like ten years, doesn't it in 60 seconds, an officer fatally shoots unarmed black man in his home what the video leading up to it shows they square off.

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the moments leading up to it caught on video. nbc's ron allen has more let me warn you, the images are disturbing. >> reporter: the video appears to show patrick warren sr. walking out his door police a for a mental health resource officer fw toward a police officer. to the police officer. an attorney for the family who released the video said they called police asking for a mental health resource officer and that one visited warren the previous day, accompanied him to a hospital and then back home. the officer out of frame is heard telling warren to show his hands and get on the ground warren's family pleads with the officer not to shoot him a shot is heard which is later described as a taser. the video cuts from the doorbell security camera to a cell phone, warren appears to be getting up from the ground >> sit down. sit down >> don't shoot him >> reporter: warren, age 52, died later at a hospital >> what went wrong here in your opinion >> they should have sent a mental health resource officer capable of dealing with a mental health crisis

instead, they sent a hostile, poorly trained officer who resorted too quickly to the use of force. >> reporter: in a statement, the police chief said this incident is rightfully of great concern to the community. it is my duty to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted. police identified the officer as reynaldo contreras, a five-year veteran of the force now on administrative leave. the family demanding he be held accountable for warren's death ron allen, nbc news. all right, up next for us tonight, the growing crisis for america's seniors. come ye ba♪ mom, dad. why's jamie here? it's sunday. sunday sing along. and he helped us get a home and auto bundle. he's been our insurance guy for five years now. he makes us feel like we're worth protecting. [ gasps ] why didn't you tell us about these savings, flo? i've literally told you a thousand times. ♪ oh, danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling ♪ i'm just gonna...

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siegfried fischbacher, half of the magic duo the magic duo siegfried and roy died after battling cancer. it comes eight months after the passing of long-time partner roy horn due to covid. siegfried was 81 the pandemic is causing a crisis within a crisis. in new york city alone an estimated one in five seniors is going hungry cynthia mcfadden has more. >> reporter: well before sunrise, one of 30 city meal kitchens around new york city, already at full steam. on the menu today? beef stew. the delivery driver andrew smith is at full steam as well he's been doing this for nearly 20 years and he knows that 92

elders in sunset park, brooklyn are depending on him before the pandemic, there were an estimated 5.3 million hungry elderly in america. that number is rapidly growing. here in new york, city meals on wheels will deliver hot meals to 20,000 of them today and every day. >> it smells so good. >> reporter: first stop, 93-year-old doreena edwardte she lights up when she sees andrew. andrew is deeply involved with the people he brings a meal and a smile to. even timing deliveries to medication schedules. >> you intimately know these people >> when you're doing something, you have to know the people. >> there she is. >> reporter: rita is 80 and unsteady on her feet without the meals, she worries she wouldn't be able to stay in her home as for andrew -- >> is it also nice to

know he's going to check, he's going to be here and if you don't come down to get this food? >> reporter: at the next stop, andrew was alarmed when the door wasn't answered. he makes a call for someone to check on her. turns out, she was fine checking in matters. some ingenuity was needed getting meals up to the third floor for 89-year-old hector ortiz who has trouble walking. >> your invention works. >> reporter: he says the food is great and andrew is even better. since the pandemic, city meals executive director beth shapiro said the number of hungry elderly in new york city has doubled to one in five. >> it's the neighbor whose door a few doors down you don't see open >> reporter: city meals delivered 2.5 million meals since march. >> we have not missed a single delivery, a day of delivery. >> reporter: she attributes much of that to a legion of volunteers, twice as many this year

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finally, a look forward after an unprecedented week here's harry smith. >> reporter: history sometimes happens so quickly, we can barely keep up. it was just last wednesday when the unimaginable happened. the insurrection at the capitol. video has emerged that shows it was even worse, if possible, than we first believed and just one week later, the president was impeached again. no president has ever been impeached twice and some republicans joined the effort. who saw that coming? it feels as if we're being shaken upside down, regaining equilibrium is a struggle we have soldiers protecting the capitol this week, even sleeping on the floor because the republic is still under threat.

it's all quite real, unlike the fiction about the election being stolen and in just six days, joe biden will be sworn in as the new president. his task, to get the country back on his feet and maybe slow history down a bit harry smith, nbc news, new york >> that's "nightly news" for this thursday thank you, everyone, for watching i'm lester holt. please take care of yourse right now at 6:00, a mad dash to get an appointment. the confusion and frustration over covid vaccines, especially now that anyone 65 and older is eligible. >> also, it's not just tenants that need relief. >> some of these properties, some of the new ones, especially businesses, i wouldn't even

charge them a deposit right now. >> a property owner helping others through the pandemic even though he's getting no relief himself. good evening, everyone. the news at 6:00 starts right now. thanks for joining us. i'm jessica aguirre. >> and i'm raj mathai. this is all good news, we think, for the grandparents out there over the age of 65. janelle is on that story. >> reporter: yes, great news because they're more vulnerable, raj, and it means they can reunite with their kids, their families, their grandchildren. we talked with our infectious disease specialist at uscf about the best time for those reunions. >> let's get to the reality. two words to describe what's happening here. very frustrating. so many people, 65 and older, are scrambling for appointments with no luck. they're getting the runaround. nbc bay