americans 65 and older and those at high risk but who is not included we'll have the late developments. also tonight the deadly shooting in a super market in tennessee. multiple people injured. what we're learning. just in, the federal arrest warrant issued for gabby petito's fiancée. as the search for him intensifies and the new clues on what may be the last time the couple was seen together the case shining a spotlight on other missing person cases family members say have been forgotten. severe storms and flash flood watches up in the northeast and the new tropical storm expected to be the major hurricane. al roker with the track. the major change on the border horse patrols suspended in a migrant camp in texas after these images drew outrage. the biden administration under fire the top diplomat resigning over, quote, inhumane treatment. the recall of millions of popular baby loungers linked to several infant deaths.

and she's 100 years young. the park ranger inspiring america. this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt good evening tonight some clarity on exactly who gets a place in the front of the line for the covid booster shots of pfizer's vaccine which were okayed by the fda last night for certain americans. tonight, a cdc committee endorsing the shots for those 65 and older and for certain adults with underlying medical conditions 182 million or 55% of americans are now considered fully vaccinated almost 100 million with the pfizer vaccine but for now it appears most of them, including front line workers will not be eligible for the boosters, which have been shown to increase covid antibodies miguel almaguer has late details. >> reporter: the cdc advisory committee signed off today for the roughly 100 million americans fully vaccinated with pfizer well over 11 million can now get a booster after fda

authorization last night. today the committee gave a green light for the third dose after six months to those 65 and older. residents of long-term care facilities and people 50 to 64 with underlying medical conditions. >> the decision today is critical because it is answering a question all americans are asking: who should get boosters and when >> reporter: but tonight the cdc advisory committee voted against boosters for those at greater risk of infection because of their jobs so health care workers, teachers and grocery store employees who hope to qualify for that third shot will have to wait for now. not the news josh was hoping for. he's a teacher in arlington, virginia. >> my vaccine is months old and it's just -- i think it just makes me wonder when is going to be the day that maybe my mask wasn't quite right in the classroom with a student that winds up testing positive it's just the anxiety level, i don't know how long we

can keep this up. it is exhausting. but there is still no clear booster time line for adults under 65 vaccinated with pfizer or for the 45% of americans inoculated with moderna or johnson & johnson. >> today's decision only addresses some americans. but in other countries where they are offering boosters, they are mixing and matching vaccines why aren't we doing this in the u.s. >> yeah. this is something where we really wanted to let data lead because we want to make the most safe recommendations for americans. >> reporter: the staggered roll-out of boosters will happen at pharmacies, health care clinics and doctors' offices. many are still anxious about when it will be their turn. >> one family said that they're living like hermits now waiting for the booster. so there is a lot of anxiety. >> reporter: tonight for many americans an added shot of protection while millions more are left with another dose of frustration and confusion. >> and, miguel, as you know, there is a lot to sort through here there are some people between 18 and 49 who do qualify

for a third shot. >> reporter: yeah, lester for those between 18 to 49 with chronic health problems like asthma, diabetes or obesity, they can get one after consulting with their doctor. rester >> miguel almaguer, thank you. while infections from the delta variant may have peaked, there is concern about new strains of a virus, like the new variant called mu. first identified in columbia earlier this year and now here in every state gabe gutierrez has more. inside this hospital, the fight against covid has been raging this patient lying facedown told us he put off getting vaccinated and got sick in columbia, the predominant covid strain is the mu variant. it was discovered here in january. >> we can conclude that the new variant can transmit one or two times more than the original variant spread in wuhan, china >> reporter: now mu has been identified in all 50 states

it's not nearly as contagious as delta. but several weeks ago, the world health organization labeled it a variant of interest. right now it makes up less than 1% of covid cases in the u.s., so experts say it is slightly more common in places like south florida because of travel to and from columbia. >> we take everything like that seriously, but we don't consider it an immediate threat right now. >> reporter: still preliminary data suggests mu might be more resistant to covid vaccines than other strains. how concerning is that >> well, i think the idea of variants that have certain mutations that make them able to evade the protection that the vaccine currently offers us against delta is a real possibility with variants. >> reporter: this week the w.h.o. reclassified three other variants eta, iota and kapa to monitoring status saying they no longer pose a major added risk to global public health should we expect to see variants after variant for the foreseeable future

>> i do think it's something we have to get used to while there is unmitigated community transmission around the world, around the country. >> gabe, now the cdc believes that mu is on the decline. >> reporter: yeah, lester it hasn't been able to compete with the delta variant. experts say no matter what vaccine you get and if these variants might end up being either slightly more or less, getting the shot is the best way to protect yourself long-term against the virus. >> all right gabe gutierrez great to have you here thank you. just breaking, late today in a suburb of memphis, tennessee, a shooting rampage at a grocery store left one person dead and a dozen others injured steve patterson has late details for us >> reporter: tonight, terror rippling through small town tennessee after a gunman opened fire in broad daylight at a grocery store in suburban memphis. officials say 12 people were wounded, and one killed the shooter taking aim inside this kroger's about 40 minutes

east of memphis. >> and he kept on shooting, shooting, shooting he shot one of my coworkers in the head and shot one of the customers in the stomach. >> reporter: authorities say the first calls came in around 1:30. the s.w.a.t. team on scene clearing aisle by aisle, discovering terrified customers and employees huddled in offices, hiding in freezers police later identifying the shooter found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. >> we have 13 victims. our hearts go out to those that were injured we do have one fatality, and our thoughts and prayers are with those family members. >> reporter: the wounded rushed to the hospital. some with injuries described as critical tonight authorities are investigating a possible workplace shooting and whether or not the shooter was fired this morning as the community wrestles with how this could happen here. >> i have been involved in this for 35 years and i have never seen anything like this. >> reporter: a community consumed by grief after another

american mass shooting shattering all semblance of peace. steve patterson, nbc news. we're watching a powerful storm tonight in the mid-atlantic and northeast where millions are under a flash flood threat al roker is following it all for us what are we expecting? >> well, lester, we're already watching for these flood threats. we have flood watches, flood warnings up for 27 million people in the northeast up to new england. you can already see the radar starting to really fire up. we are watching this system push through a line of heavy rain stretching all the way into new england. areas of flash flooding possible then we move into friday it advances up the coast. showers from maine to new york finally drying out but storm totals anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of rain and we're watching the formation of tropical storm sam 60 miles an hour winds moving west at 16 miles an hour 18th named storm of the season only 2020, lester, had more storms at this date. it is predicted to become a major hurricane and we will be watching. >> all right, al thank you for that update i want to turn to the migrant crisis at the

border a top diplomat quitting today over biden actions at that bridge, while the white house says agents in del rio will no longer ride on horse back to control the border morgan chesky is there tonight. >> reporter: tonight more than 4,000 haitian migrants packed under this bridge, survived on so little for more than a week. while back in haiti, some who have been deported speaking out one of them apologizing to the american people but saying he and his family hope to make the journey yet again. the rising deportations resign in protest slamming the biden administration's inhuman counter productive decision to deport thousands of migrants. meantime, the white house under fire of these images of border patrol agents on horse back announcing horses will no longer be used in del rio tonight new questions over where many of the 15,000 migrants who were under that bridge

have gone the department of homeland security announcing 1,400 migrants have been deported and 3,200 are in border patrol custody. still no details on how many were released into the united states dhs officials told nbc news that number is in the thousands. >> they had an idea that life would be better for them here in america. >> reporter: so many of the migrants released to wait for asylum hearings coming to tiffany's nonprofit shelter. this time last year how many people would you help a week >> 25. >> reporter: and today? >> in the last three days, over a thousand. >> reporter: now her concern isn't running out of supplies but attention. >> numbers will go down the media attraction of it will disappear. and -- and then we'll be hit with another wave. >> reporter: this problem never goes away for you. >> right. >> reporter: and an update on those government records suggesting some of the

migrants across this river may have been headed to guantanamo bay. tonight the white house says there was some confusion and that was never the case lester >> all right morgan, thank you. tonight a new warning about a potential government shutdown that could start one week from today. peter alexander is at the white house. peter, that warning coming from the biden administration. >> reporter: yeah, lester that's right the white house budget prepare for a possible government shutdown that could happen in one week if lawmakers cannot reach a deal to fund the government the white house says the shutdown will be disruptive and damaging, especially during a pandemic though, public health efforts are largely exempt tonight house speaker nancy pelosi says the government will not let government funding expire, but that sets up another standoff over extending the debt limit to stop a government default with republicans tonight trying to force democrats to vote alone to pay for spending that both parties approve. lester >> peter alexander at the white house. thank you. in just 60 seconds, breaking news a federal arrest warrant issued for the fiancée of

gabby petito as the man hunt continues for him in florida

a major development tonight in the gabby petito case an arrest warrant just issued for her fiance as the man hunt for brian laundrie continues. here's catie beck. >> reporter: tonight a federal arrest warrant has been issued for brian laundrie after a grand jury indictment. investigators now five days into the massive man hunt earlier today, brian's parents seen leaving their florida home under police escort. the ford mustang they say their son drove to the reserve and left there returned after police towed it away earlier this week. with an extensive search coming up empty, mounting questions about what direction authorities will go next. >> to never get caught, he has to be absolutely perfect, make no mistakes.

for law enforcement to find him, he just has to make a mistake once. >> wyoming where the couple dined on september 22nd. possibly a valuable time line marker for the fbi also following a complaint, the city of moab is launching an independent investigation in the way officers handled this august 12th incident captured on body cam between gabby and brian. the city says it's unaware of any breach in policy at this time interest in gabby's death and brian's disappearance has stretched coast to coast, sparking conversations about domestic violence. attached to a tragedy miles away >> gabby could be your sibling. gabby could be your friend. >> reporter: but for many hitting close to home. catie beck, nbc news north port, florida. the intense and heavily followed effort to find gabby petito finds a sharp contrast the families of so many of those missing in this country, many people of color feel forgotten. antonio hilton has that story. >> reporter: as gabby petito's case grips the nation, families of color with missing loved ones remind the nation

they're hurting too. >> the first 24 to 48 hours are the most important and critical >> reporter: david robinson's son daniel is a 24-year-old geologist who disappeared after work one day this past july in buckeye, arizona police found his car in a ravine, but three months have passed no sign of him or his body why do you they that is that cases like your son's go unheard. >> as much as i really hate to say this, sometimes i think racism is a factor they say that it is not an urgency for us >> reporter: david had to hire his own private investigator. >> he's my son he's a person. >> reporter: in 2020, more than 500,000 people were reported missing. nearly 40% of them people of color. hundreds of black and brown families waiting to get word of their loved ones, waiting for a news story, who are waiting for a moment to step into the spotlight and shine some light on their stories. >> reporter: this year 25-year-old graduate student jelani day disappeared.

on august 24th his body identified late today 30-year-old melissa cho went last seen in california communities pleading for attention. the same painful patterns among indigenous women homicide is the third leading cause of death among native women who are murdered at a rate more than ten times the national average. as we reported, tribal leaders of the indians take comfort in the federal government launching an investigation into the abuse and death of native american school children and a new task force to find the missing. >> it's the kids the kids are telling us you have to look and you have to look everywhere. >> reporter: for now david robinson says all he can do is pray. >> i still don't want to proceed and say anything that my son i just know i'm going to find him, and that's my goal and that's my goal i'm keeping strong. >> reporter: and hope that gabby's story will shed light on their own.

antonio hilton, nbc news. there is more to tell you about tonight. up next, the urgent warning about a popular baby lounger.

working at recology is more than a job for jesus. it's a family tradition. jesus took over his dad's roue when he retired after 47 year. now he's showing a new generation what recology is all about. as an employee-owned company, recology provides good-paying local jobs for san franciscans. we're proud to have built the city's recycling system from the ground up, helping to make san francisco the greenest big city in america. let's keep making a differene together. if you're a parent with a baby, there is a major safety alert you need to know about. boppy is recalling three million of its popular newborn loungers after they were linked to the suffocation deaths of eight years. if you own one, you are advised to stop using it right away

now to our series climate challenge. and california's historic drought. the water level of one reservoir dropping so low they had to shut down its hydroelectric plant. the new attention that's bringing to renewable energy challenges >> reporter: on california's lake oroville, this boat operator is discovering a world not seen for decades >> this is the first time this set of trees here has even seen the light of day in probably 15 years. >> reporter: so in your lifetime, these trees have never been above the water line. >> exactly. >> reporter: the water level at the state's second largest reservoir is the lowest its ever been droughts aren't new to this part of california. but what is different is the intensity and duration of the current droughts brought on by the effects of climate change john yarbrough helps oversee water management what happened to all the water? >> last year was one of the lowest precipitation years we have on record this year even lower. >> reporter: these droughts are only affecting california's water supply, but also the renewable energy infrastructure

that depends on it usually generates clean energy but the leaks and the water level here has been too low to power it >> this is kind of what i imagine walking on the surface of mars might look like >> this is very dramatic we shut the power plant down until we get enough precipitation and enough runoff to bring the reservoir back up. >> reporter: with hydropower compromised by environmental change, other environmentally friendly power sources become that much more important. in the mojave deserts, we met alicia knapp of all the sources of the renewable energy, is it fair to say that solar might create the most >> absolutely. solar is the most abundant resource we have, particularly here in california. >> reporter: but even energy sources as abundant as the sun and wind come with their own potential challenges >> the sun does not always shine. the wind does not always blow. there is more solutions that are needed to truly achieve our renewable energy goals. >> reporter: a future powered by

clean energy visible on the horizon but now challenged by the intensifying realities of climate change jacob soboroff, nbc news coming up, a milestone for the country's oldest park ranger

finally tonight a remarkable life and a powerful message of inclusion from the country's oldest park ranger who just turned 100. here's anne thompson >> reporter: for park ranger betty reese. history is not just

something in a book, it's her life. >> i'm generally looking to find ways to fill in the blanks of the people i might come in contact with. >> reporter: 100 years old now working remotely, she still captivates visitors at the national park on san francisco bay, telling the story of the women who built ships and airplanes during world war ii the white women personified by the famous poster and the black women like betty whose contributions were once overlooked >> it was nowhere in site not one minute of it >> reporter: the granddaughter of a slave, during world war ii, betty worked as a file clerk in a segregated unit. married twice, she became a business owner, an activist, a musician, a mother, and at 85, a national park ranger. >> because what gets remembered is determined by who is in the room doing the

remembering. >> reporter: she's now a celebrity, having a school named after her, relishing in the signal her uniform sends. >> i still love this uniform. partly because there is a silent message to every little girl of color that i pass on the street. >> reporter: making sure america knows all its history so it doesn't repeat it. anne thompson, nbc news. >> what a gift she is. that's "nightly news" for this thursday thank you for watching, everyone i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other good night

i'm raj mathai. if you want to come on campus, you have to be vaccinated. one of the biggest change in rules, but what do you do if you don't want to be vaccinated? what his new plan includes and how it impacts the bay area. plus more problems as the sewer backs up and the skyscraper sinks and leans. we have the exclusive