Transcripts For WUSA Wusa 9 News At 5pm 20140916

At 7 00 this morning, she d her family got justice. Cops finally arresting the man who shot and killed bibb of northwest d. C. On august 10. A stray bullet piercing through this home where the bright little girl was visiting. When wallace happened to come back to the neighborhood to settle a score. Premise was, he had an argument with someone in the house, a 16yearold over clothing. Ill never be happy with my baby. I want to say thank you all for helping get the killer. Her mom saying words she never thought shed have to say at a News Conference today at Prince Georges County headquarters. Police say in the 38 days wallace was on the loose, they searched for clues from new jersey to North Carolina and this investigation is far from over. Anyone who helped this individual is going to get charged. Is going to get charged. It is unimaginable that people would support him and help him after this type of crime. She would have turned four last week and while todays news brings some level of closure, brenda says tomorrow is missing an angel. Everybody loved kanijah. Everybody knows her. For her to be such a young child, she was loved by the world. And the latest is wallace is facing murder charges and awaiting extradition from d. C. To here. There was a reward out for his capture. At this point, the investigation is on going. There is no word on who might be getting that, if anyone. Were live here at police headquarters, wusa9. We come together to remember our shipmates who were lost in the service of their nation and their navy. Im lesli foster here in canal park in southeast where a vigil to remember the 12 victims killed in that massacre will take place in just over an hour. Tonight, were going to share stories about those victims, about the survivors, about the heros. Earlier today, there was a ceremony to remember the victims on the ground of the navy yard. A bell tolled while the names of each of those members killed were read aloud. Former reservist and contractor, aaron alexis, went room to room firing shots before police shot and killed him. For some survivors of the attack, coping and moving forward comes from talking about what happened. And for others, we learn what this can teach us. What good can come from evil. And scott broom talks with a group of survivors today that called themselves the rooftop gang. It is like being in the matrix. Navy yard survivor describes the moment she came face to face with shooter, aaron alexis, in a stairway. He blinked. I watched his furrow brow. His brow was completely furrowed. I saw a very angry person. I watched his decision, watched him pull the trigger. Watched the blast. Watched it go into me. We didnt know what was going on in the building. None of us knew there was a shooter until jen was shot. The captain found the way out. He was below us. The only way we had to go was up. Coworkers scrambled at the sound of gunfire. Jen was alone in the stairwell badly wounded. So i looked at my wound, i tried to move my fingers. He shot my arm off and my jacket is keeping it in place. I told myself to stop screaming. I took a couple more steps back on the landing and said, well, if he comes back up, i cant defend him with one arm, so i need to go. She moved up the stairs. I called out verbally, lord jesus, please come help me. Guided them to the exit, he found. I took the jacket and stuffed it into her wounds as best i could. A fourth coworker scrambled up, too. The rooftop gang was born. We could hear more gun shots during our time up on the roof. You have an immediate dependency in an emergency situation, or anything like that, where its the four of us. And thats all there was. The captain emerged as the leader for what would become an hour and 20 minute ordeal of hiding in place, trying to get help and keeping jen alive. But it was jennifer that forged them into a group with a remarkable prayer. I said youre going to do two things. First, youre going to pray with me and make sure im breathing. I knew it was important for me to have my eyes open and be in communication. So i led us in prayer and i first prayed for the shooter. I prayed for i knew he was not going to make it out. I asked god to watch over him. And then i prayed for his mother and their family. Because our society and i said, our culture is not nice to the people of the families who do these kinds of things. So please protect her. Then i pray for our safety. Rescue eventually came by air. The rooftop gang appeared for the first time in public together as eob, bennett, and jackson threw out the first pitch. But the ending is not nearly so tidy. Bennett is still in a lot of pain and may need more surgery to reconstruct her shoulder. When i come back, some reflections from both bennett and zuizlack about recovering from terrible shooting events like this and how the rooftop gang is leading the way for the rest of the navy yard to recover as well. At the navy yard, scott broom, wusa9. And scott is going to tell us more about the remarkable story of that rooftop gang coming up at 6 00. You know, after the victims and the survivors, there are, of course, the heros. Those who put their lives on the line. Heros like park Police Officer, carl hayat, who along with his partner, went into building 197 to take down aaron alexis. Nikki caught up with hayat today who is as humble adds as he is brave. Do you feel like a hero . I dont. I did what i needed to be done. All the officers in that building would have done the same thing. You know you are, right . Something i wont claim. Once again, we step up to protect the public and thats what were going to do. Hayats partner in taking out aaron alexis has been notoriously reluctant to talk about that shooting, but bruce leshan is just the guy to draw him out. And he has quite a story, bruce. He has quite a story. Metropolitan Police Officer actually took a round right in the center of his chest from aaron alexis weapon. And he didnt even realize that he had been hit for days. The only time that reporters had a chance to talk to officer disantis was three months ago when the Washington Police Foundation Named him officer of the year. How do you feel about this guy here . Hes a hero. The guys that raced in to stop the navy yard cooler are shy. Its almost like you are more afraid of the tv camera than you are of the gunman. Thats true. After four tries, we finally convinced dorian to talk to us about the moment he killed aaron alexis. He opened fire on you. Correct. Desantis took a round in the middle of his bullet resistant vest, returned fire, and went to searching for another gunman. You didnt realize you had been shot . Im a little slow. As long as you are not leaking, still have work to do. Days later, he checked his vest again. Sure enough, there was a round in the plate. So, i was very fortunate. You know. That vest saved your life. Absolutely. Officers left out one detail. The first thing that they saw when they rushed in was the body of murdered security officer, richard ridgel and the first thing they heard was the sound of gunfire echoing through the open atrium as though it was coming from all around them. But still, they pressed on. Aaron alexis could have hidden for days. The Washington Police foundation honored the officers who ended the massacre in one hour and 9 minutes. To go inside of a building, and to search for an individual that his main mission is to kill individuals and then you have to go in there and search for them, you know and it is way scarier than a tv camera. Now, d. C. Police chief, kathy lanier is going to talk about Lessons Learned from the shooting response. One of those lessons, the cops may need shorter rifles. They found it very hard to ma newscaster through these offices with their long assault rifles. So maybe something smaller will allow them to get in there more quickly and save lives. They went in there and they were so heroic, all of them. They didnt know the landscape that well and they had to go in there and try to figure their way out of that huge maze. And as the police chief said, he could have hid out for days. There were cubicles everywhere. You can imagine that massive building. Its the biggest building at the navy yard. And everywhere there are desks and cubicles and officer hayat was wearing regular uniform, not even a bullet resistant vest. I take it back p. I think he had a bullet resistant vest, but not the tactical gear. Without thinking twice about it. All right, bruce, thank you. That is it from here for now. Jan and derek, back to you. Thank you so much. Like you said, makes the hair on your neck stand up. Officers in Montgomery County were out searching around again today looking for those missing children. Its part of wusa9s missing children campaign. We are following this story very closely. We have the latest on the investigation and we head out to gaithersburg for more. Reporter im Stephanie Ramirez in Montgomery County where police hit more search areas in teams. Todays search started off with a meeting at Germantown Park where 35 Montgomery County Police Officers got their assignment, split up, and hit the road again combing through the different areas they narrowed it down to to find threeyearold sarah and two yearold jacob. Their missing person search is transitioning is into a homicide investigation. As far as where police go, their spokesperson says it doesnt make a difference. Our is to locate them and thats what we are doing at this point. The mission focus in these soccer plex area. Police searched acres and the family continues their own work passing out fliers. I caught up with turner and Germantown Park. Shes the childrens aunt who came to the park. She talked to me about the toll the search is taking on her family. Its surreal. Its like im in a movie and the tape is rolling by slowly. Turner is asking everyone to stay vigilant. If you see anything, help. If not, step away and call police. In Montgomery County, Stephanie Ramirez, wusa9. Thank you. We also have new information on that missing university of virginia student from alexandria. 18yearold, hanah graham has not been seen since early saturday morning. Right now, youre looking at surveillance pictures from the night she disappeared. Charlottesville police say graham was drunk when she left a party alone and texted her friends that she was lost. Investigators say her phone has been off ever since. The Virginia Supreme Court will now be appointing a judge to handle the alexandria murder trial after all of the judges and alexandria recues themselves. All those judges have connection to people involved in the case. Made his First Court Appearance this morning. Hes accused of killing three prom prominent residence. Trending now, ray rice needs some support to get back into the nfl. Well talk about that and more at 5 30. Em meteorologist, topper shutt. Another glorious evening. Well stop at 9 30. 60 at 9 30. Well come back and talk about a weak cold front coming through tomorrow night. Well tell you what that means. And as we head into break, we remember the life of one of the navy yard victims. Married to his wife for more than 0 years and had two grown sons, eric and christopher. Dropping off, working hard. And if theres a problem, they dont blame others. They try to solve it. Thats also the story of this virginian. After working his way through college, mark warner started two businesses, failed at each. He didnt blame anyone else, he tried again. And that Company Became nextel. As our governor, he brought democrats and republicans together, to turn a six billion dollar defecit into a surplus. And when we sent him here, this senator chose not to shout, but rather to work with republicans, to bring maufacturing and tech jobs back to virginia. To improve veterans healthcare, and find a bipartisan solution to cut the national debt, even if it means taking on his own party. Whether youre starting a business, leading a state, or making everyone has the same fair shot i had, i know you get a lot more done, when you work together. Im mark warner, and i approve this message. Always watching. Always tracking. Wusa9s first alert weather. Okay, live look outside. Its our live michael and son weather cam. Were in a nice groove here. Temperatures running below average and well take it. Right now, 79. The dew points are in the 40s. Open the windows. Not too far and turn the ac off. Winds will calm down overnight. Another perfect evening, but it will be cool. Temperatures will fall quickly. Dry air masses cool off quickly. Bus stop temperatures 52 to 65. That is 6 00 a. M. To 9 00 a. M. At sweatshirt for the kids. Grab a sweater is and sunglasses for yourself and yes, we are in a nice groove. For tonight, clear to partly cloudy, cool again. 52 to 62. Winds out of the northeast at 5 to 10. By morning, mostly sunny. Grab your shades, 52 to 72. Winds turn a little bit more easterly at 10 00 and by afternoon, partly cloudy, pleasant, high temperatures around 75. Winds out of the southeast at about 10. And not much wind tomorrow. Not the breezes that we had today. So, next three days. Yes, we have a sprinkle or shower early thursday. Will not impact the morning commute. 99. 9 of the day will be great. Temperatures 76 on thursday. Friday, nice finish. 74. Going to be cool for high school football. Keep that in mind. Temperatures will fall quickly again. Prepare for the 60s if you see a game. Over the weekend, clouds come back. Keep it dry. Mid 70s on saturday. Low 80s on sunday. Cold front goes through ulate sunday night. Could generate a shower or thunderstorm. And then a little bit cooler, but nice on monday. Mid 70s and cooler still next tuesday, highs in the low 70s. Thank you, top. As we head into break. We remember the life of another navy yard victim. Just an all around great, friendly guy. Thats how many people describe 54yearold of anondale. He lived here with his wife, melanie, and his three daughters. He was a surface war fair officer in the navy. The husband and father was active in the church, loved his boston brew ens and he was the first to shovel out elderly neighbors when snow came. In cases of rape and incest, just like the rightwing republicans on they want to overturn roe v. Wade. So does she. I think roe v. Wade should be overturned. Barbara comstock even voted with rightwing republicans to require women seeking an abortion to undergo transvaginal ultrasounds. Thats all i need to know. Im john foust and i approve this messge. We have breaking news to tell you about. Georgetown University Just revealed that a student died after contracting meningitis. The victim, andrea jamie was a sophomore in the school of nursing and health studies. Georgetowns Vice President says proper medical precautions have been taken and members of the Campus Community do not need to take additional action at this time. If we get more information, well bring that to you. I have. My heart goes out to each and every one of the family members. But i am very concerned about my man of 18 years. I want him to call my, let me know hes okay. How could we forget jacquelyn . Her plea to find her man of 18 years was incredible. And she really gave a voice to the thousands of families, bruce, who came down after the Navy Yard Shootings in search of their loved ones. In search of any information and bruce, you were there for hours. They werent getting very much information. They werent getting very much information. It gives you a picture of when you have one of these tragedies, all those families that were terrorized and cant get information, you know, you think about the massacre up in connecticut. At the school and all those parents who couldnt get word about their loved ones, their children, same thing here. The people gathered at nats park down the street. Jacquelyn austin gave us a window into the sense of that. Her story came out great. She actually went home and there was her husband at home. But for 12 people, for 12 families, the story was tragedy. And they got that when they went down to Nationals Park. I actually know that douglas gardy, whose wife was killed, he went down to Nationals Park in the morning. And he found out hours and hours later at 7 30, that kathleen was among the dead. Your heart just, you know, goes out to all of them and those are agonizing hours. Every minute is agonizing. But, when you have to wait for hours to get the worst news possible. You know. And the president talked today and put out a statement and he said this cannot be the new normal. Yeah. And it is shocking that a year later, so many of us havent thought about the family. But, the horror continues and the scary thing is, the things happen, we focus on them and sometimes, some of us seem to forget. Youre right, but they live with this every single day. And we know just like september 11, september 16 will be a day that is a jolt to the lives of so many families who loved ones didnt come home that night. Bruce, thank you so much. And as we go to the break, we remember another victim of the navy yard shooting. Arthur daniels worked hard at his job installing furniture. The 51yearold married his high school sweetheart. Was the father of five and a grandfather of 9. Ready for a great career . Devry universitys meritbased career catalyst scholarship can help you get started with up to 20,000 for qualified new students. Apply now and start working toward your career, like devry grad, shelly joseph. As a student at devry, a Business Career was my goal. This was my Career Training ground. My professors, were also my coaches. Their guidance helped me find career success. At microsoft. Find your success with our career catalyst scholarship. Classes start october 27. Get started now. Visit devry. Edu were back here at canal park where a vigil to remember the 12 victims will take place around 6 00. Now greg toms was working on the second floor of building 197 at the navy yard when aaron alexis embarked on a killing spree. His daughter, melissa, remembers those anguished minutes waiting to find out whether he survived. Well, greg, a mechanical engineer did survive and his daughter, melissa, is now one of our producer colleagues at wusa9. And i sat down with him earlier today to talk about life after the navy shootings one year later. Youre at work, thinking its going to be just an ordinary day. My office mate did come in. He was saying hey, i think theres a shooting inside the building. And please dont go outside the room. Eventually, greg toms did leave his office to try and get to safety. What did you see . I got to the area where the elevators are located and the calf fear cafeteria and theres an atrium. A saw a Police Officer with a gun and pointed a gun up into the atrium area. So that was on my right side. On my left side, another person yelled at me. Get out of the building fast. Run. Has it hit you that this is happening for real . Didnt really grab me until i actually saw the police there. And, you know, with guns pulled. Thats when it hit me. And melissa, you are hundreds of miles away producing a newscast and you hear about a shooting at the navy yard. I said, its at the building and i said, oh my gosh, thats my dads office. You try not to assume the worst. But you know thats a possibility in the back of your head. So, just for those moments, you know, they feel like an eternity. Why arent you picking up . And you assume, i dont have an answer, something is wrong. When you finally did reach your dad, what did he say to you . What did you feel . I think the first thing he says is, im okay. He said, were safe, were in a museum, everything is okay. We dont know what is going on. And its just like a big sigh of relief. The news of 12 people were killed still haunts greg one year later. He has seen some of those victims in meets and holds memories of a day marked with tragedy. Are you ready to go back to what was once building 197 . I dont think i am yet. Like i said, its about six months away from now, so i have some time to think about it and prepare for what i know im going to see eventually. And it will be good in some respects to be back with the rest of the family. And, with his family at home, melissa left tennessee and moved back to maryland, spurredded in part, by the actions of an awful day. When Something Like that, you know, happens. It kind of makes you really appreciate, you know, the smaller things, like getting to see your family and stuff like that. So i moved back here, you know, for a number of reasons. What do you hope happens Going Forward . Its going to take some time for everyone doing their jobs. I hope that does happen here over the next six months, a year from now. So, we can be, you know, the best again. Greg says he and his team are likely to go back into the building that will be renamed. By february or march of next year. By the way, september 16 was an agonizing day for gregs entire family. His sister worked on the same floor. They were separated by a wall. Lisa heard the shots that day. She got out safely. Greg got out safely, too, but as you can imagine, it was a day of horror and agony for the toms family. Greg expects the first day back in the building to be pretty nerve racking, but it is something that he is prepared to do, something he needs to do. Jan and derek. Thank you, lesli. You never know when Something Like that can happen. My goodness. Trending now, new developments in the ray rice and Adrian Peterson saga. We talk with ray rice who has the Player Association against his league. Saying the nfl violated the collective bargaining agreement. Remember, it wasnt until after the video surfaced that they suspended him indefinitely. Radison hotel chain cut ties with Adrian Peterson for this sundays game. Peterson accused of child abuse for whipping his fouryearold son with a switch. Minnesota governor, mark dayton, said peterson should be suspended until his case is resolved in court. Photo shop experts nfl commissioner, roger goodell. You can see the woman posing for the photo. Cover girl is the official beauty partner of the nfl. For what purpose . For the players . Whats going on . This morning, the Company Released a statement say ting is encouraging the nfl is taking swift action. That is a picture you will not forget. All right, coming up next, find out what president obama is doing to stop the spread of the deadly ebola virus in africa. Also ahead this is Bruce Johnson and rachels center in northwest washington has been treating victims of Domestic Violence and other social ills for more than 30 years. Right now, this place is running out of money and looking at closing its doors. Well take you  one year ago, the Washington Navy yard was transformed into a horrific scene when aaron alexis stormed in and took the lives of 12 people. D. C. Mayor, vince gray, was there in the moment, in the hours, and the days and the months after that awful tragedy. He is going to make remarks to remember the victims. Thank you so much for stopping by. You were touched in a personal way by that awful day one year ago. Well, i was, because there were District Residents who were shot inside the navy yard. There were first responders, officer scott williams, who was one of the early ones on the scene, went in and demonstrated just incredible bravery. He was shot in both legs, and i remember being at the hospital with him and the hours thereafter with chief lanier and i have never seen them upbeat, more positive attitude. He said he was making jokes. And he was shot in both legs. And you know, here we are to comfort him. He was comforting us. What have we learned in the years since this all happened . I dont think we learned enough. We dont seem to have learned that we need to do something more to be able to exercise better gun control. This whole scene is dominated by a Second Amendment advocates who no matter what seems to happen, it could be virginia tech, columbine, or sandy hook and the navy yard. You know, theres a lot of uproar and the aftermath of those incidents. Then when the opportunity to do something meaningful, like background checks and ensuring the people with Mental Illness dont get their hands on guns, nothing that happens. Do you worry that there could be another workplace shooting with these kinds of tragic results at another place in the city . I worry a lot, lesli. You know, we had this case that was handed down recently which means we are going to have to change our gun control laws once again in the district of columbia. It will allow people to carry and you know, they will be able to carry concealed guns. Concealed weapons if they choose to, and who knows. I cant predict who will wind up with a license or a permit. But yeah, it could happen again. Somebody snaps and carries a carries and shoots up the place. What will you tale tell the people who gather here tonight . We need to continue to mourn, the tragedy that happened at the navy yard. We simply cannot forget. What we need to do is use it as the catalyst to be able to the kind of change that can prevent this from happening again, when we have not done that. That will be the best way to honor the lives and families touched by that awful day. Thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you. Good to see you. And our coverage of the remembrance ceremony for those 12 victims taken on this day one year ago will continue on 9news at 6 00. John johnson or j. J. As his friends called him was at 73, the oldest victim. My husband was wonderful, wonderful man. He was always happy. Always positive. Loved the world. Loved life. Loved his faith. And just proud to be an american. Dropping off, working hard. And if theres a problem, they dont blame others. They try to solve it. Thats also the story of this virginian. After working his way through college, mark warner started two businesses, failed at each. He didnt blame anyone else, he tried again. And that Company Became nextel. As our governor, he brought democrats and republicans together, to turn a six billion dollar defecit into a surplus. And when we sent him here, this senator chose not to shout, but rather to work with republicans, to bring maufacturing and tech jobs back to virginia. To improve veterans healthcare, and find a bipartisan solution to cut the national debt, even if it means taking on his own party. Whether youre starting a business, leading a state, or making everyone has the same fair shot i had, i know you get a lot more done, when you work together. Im mark warner, and i approve this message. In our health alert, the latest on the ebola virus outbreak. President obama got a briefing and while he announced he is ramping up the fight against the disease. So far, ebola claimed 2400 lives in africa. Marley hall reports from new york. Sending 3,000 troops to west africa to stop the spread of ebola. Making an investment here early is critical to trying to snuff out the problem before it becomes a much more widespread problem. Nearly 5,000 people in west africa have contracted the virus since march, with the biggest outbreak in liberia. The number of new cases could start doubling every three weeks. This is a very large epidemic. Its going to take a lot of effort over a long period of time. This is not going to be over quickly. The United States also plans to send an additional 88 million for equipment and supplies. Set up 17 treatment units with 100 beds each, and train up to 500 medical workers per week. What we say is train the trainers. Train the local people so they can do it, do all the work. But it may not be enough. International aid groups like Doctors Without Borders say, the Global Response has fallen short of what is needed. Marley hall, cbs news, new york. World Health Organization says it could cost nearly 1 billion to contain the outbreak. In an effort to encourage more international support, the u. S. Called a rare Security Council meeting this thursday to discuss the crisis. High fat Dairy Products may lower the risk of diabetes. Those who ate the most high fat Dairy Products had a 23 lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least amount. Unlike animal fat, dairy fat may offer some kind of protection against the disease. Generic stattens are more effective. The study found patients had an 8 lower rate of cardiovascular problems than patients that took the brandname drugs to lower their cholesterol. More affordable, making it easier for patients to fill their prescriptions and take their medicine without interruption. Always watching. Always tracking. Wusa9s first alert weather. I tell you what, top. This weather. We really cant beat this weather right now. Sunny, theres no humidity. Its funny, i got an email a week ago. Hes like, when are we going to have a stretch of five days without anything going on . Here it is. We can do this occasionally in september and october. Lets take a live look outside. Its our live michael and son weather cam. Its as high as it has been so far. Incredible 49, which translates to 35 relative humidity. That is pretty darn low. Winds out of the north, northwest at about 13. Pressure falling just a little bit. Another perfect evening. Although well be cool. Temperatures will fall quickly. If youre out for a walk, jacket or sweatshirt, bus stop temperatures, 52 to 65. Thats 6 00 a. M. To 9 00 a. M. The kid wills need a sweatshirt again tomorrow morning. You will need a sweater. Youll need your sunglasses as well. Were in a nice groove, which will continue through the week. There is a very weak cold front that will push through tomorrow night, not going to have a huge impact on us. So, 10 00 tonight, want to walk the dog, you have temperatures in the 60s. In the suburbs, barely 60. 63 in leesburg and manassas and 69 downtown. And then by morning, were not low 50s in the suburbs. Thats your sweatshirt. 61 downtown. And again, this is at 6 00 a. M. In the morning. So, it will be a cool start, but a great finish. 8 00, were still 50s in the suburbs and low 60s downtown. Low 70s, upper 60s. Can you believe that . Some folks not out of the 60s. Thats refreshing. It puts a spring in your step. By 4 00, mid 70s downtown. Low 70s in the suburbs. That includes la plata. By 6 00, almost 24 hours from now, were in the mid 70s. Low 70s in some of the suburbs. We get into tomorrow night, youll be cool again. Temperatures low 60s by 10 00. And upper 60s downtown. So a sweater tonight and tomorrow if youre going to walk the dog later. By 11 00, we have 50s showing up. 59 by 11 00 tomorrow night in gaithersburg. So tonight, clear to partly cloudy, cool, nothing crazy. 52 to 62. Well stay out of the 40s tonight and by morning, mostly sunny a cool start. Grab your sunglasses. 52 to about 72 by lunchtime. And then by afternoon, partly cloudy and pleasant. High temperatures around 75. Winds light out of the southeast at 10. Thats pretty sweet. So, its going to be cooler in the mountains. 61 oakland. Back in the 60 s for hagerstown and martinsburg. Upper 70s for culpeper and mid 70s for reston. Downtown, well say 76. 75 rockville and gaithersburg as well. So, well break this down. Were talking low 60s to start, even downtown. 61 at 9 00. 67 at 11 00. And only 72 by 1 00. We need a sweater everywhere. Not just in the suburbs as you head on out. By thursday, theres a little drop. 76. Nice finish on friday. 74. Get ready for a cool night on high school football. Weekend dry and warming up. 82 on sunday. We are talking a shower or thunderstorm, but sunday night, that will not interfere with your morning plans. And our live coverage of tonights memorial for the 12 victims of last months shooting continues when we come back. Mary Francis Knight got to see her 25yearold daughter walk down the hall. The 51yearold Information Technology specialist lived in reston with her 20yearold daughter who was going to college. The mother of two just started teaching Information Technology at Northern Virginia community college. Knights mom said everything was going marys way and she was very happy. The Domestic Violence issue on the front burner nationwide. Here in washington, a small nonprofit has been treating abused women for nearly three decades. A story you will only see on 9. Bruce johnson reports that rachels Womens Center is out of money and preparing to close its doors. If you are able to show hands, how many of you have been physically abused . Each day, 50 women arrived at this row house, a few miles from the white house. Rachels Womens Center has been opening its doors for more than three decades. I had to run away, because the abuse you were assaulted physically. Yes. And how did you learn to deal with it . What did you do about it . Pray. How important is this to you . Means everything, even during the physical abuse, i had a safe haven. Staff and volunteers have provided counseling and support groups and seeing abused victims transform into advocatessed for others. I got rid of the person out of my life. I didnt send anyone to jail, and i dont necessarily think that you have to send anyone to jail. There is free breakfast and lunch and for those with no fixed addresses, they have their mail sent here to rachels. Some of the women have experienced, you know, trauma to themselves in their life. Some of the women simply meless. Dawn, executive director for the past 12 years, she says rachels Womens Center has been on Financial Life support for months. Unless new funding is identified, the small nonprofit will be forcedded to close its doors. I havent slept well for weeks and weeks. Trying to come up with ideas and things to stop the progress of this. And it is just been sad. This nonprofit is some 200,000 in debt, they tell us. They say the donations are still coming in. They are a lot smaller. The plan right now is to close down a lot of the programs by the end of september. Shortly after that, the entire building will be boarded up. Volunteer, Michael Giles is a civilian employee for the d. C. Police department. He delivers donated panera bread to rachels. If the door is closed, im not sure what these women are going to do. The client haves been told, this safe haven is about to disappear. What are you going to do when this place closes . Have to get it together, im going to miss it, but i have to keep it going. Bruce johnson, wusa9. In addition to the day program, rachels operates two small apartment buildings for women. Rachels is hoping another nonprofit will take over those facilities. They are the survivors of the navy yard attack called the rooftop gang. Im scott broom. Coming up, these powerful reflections they have. What they heard is i called out, jesus, please come help me. On the events a year ago and how they and the rest of the navy yard will move forward. Police are combing areas in teams and Stephanie Ramirez with the latest for missing sarah and jacob. Thanks for being here, im derek mcginty. Well get to the rest of todays top stories in a minute. Tonight, we are moments away from a vigil honoring the 12 people fatally gunned down at the Washington Navy yard one year ago today. Lesli foster is at the park in southeast d. C. Where that vigil is about to get underway any moment now. Theres a lot of activity here. This is a moment for the city to pause and remember with the community here. Those victims, the survivors, the heros both civilian and military who rushed in on that awful day one year ago. This is the program. It says quite simply, navy yard, 9 16 13 and handing out pens with a simple n on it to remember what happened one year ago today. There will be a number of speakers, but this is really for the community to come together to have an opportunity to pause and recall what happened one year ago. Now earlier tonight, scott broom told us a bit about this group called the rooftop gang. They were the survivors who were on building 197 and they were literally rescued by a helicopter on that day. Whether we left off, survivor jen bennett described going face to face with shooter aaron alexis and being hit by a shotgun blast to the shoulder. Captain chip told us how he found an escape route to the top of the roof and directed first aid to keep bennett alive and how bennett had led a remarkable prayer for shooter aaron alexis. Now scott is back with the rescue and the remarkable lesson the rooftop gang has to teach the rest of us. Im wounded and im really needing these three guys to really be who they are. Jennifer bennett recalling the hour and 20 minutes she spent isolated on out building 197. While below, aaron alexis continued to shoot, dying in a gun battle with police. Everyone says i was calm. I was as scared as everybody else. Captain emerged as the leader of the rooftop gang. I felt safe with him. And thats all there was, the four of us. That immediately requires the four of us to lean on each other in our strengths and our beliefs and our character. Helicopter lifting jen and the other three survivors to safety. A rescue that came only after the gang scribbled a note and threw it down to the ground. After 911 calls on a cell phone proved fruitless in the chaos. Probably been there for 45 minutes before they had a notebook. Odds are, somebody is going to pick it up and low and behold, that happened. No one but family and friends knew who the gang were until opening day of the nats season. Threw out the first pitch, by coworkers, michael jackson. Jens wounds required three surgeries so far. A trial of pain that continues. But heres what they want you to know about the power of caring for each other, moving forward, and the aftermath of a mass shooting. A person has their mind set that they will do something evil. They will find something to do it. And society, i think, has to come to grips with that. In terms of, okay, how do we help folks . How do we help each other . Ingly think you become the person you are made inside that you didnt know was there. When emergencies happen, that person shows up. I think god makes each of us very specifically, and you become the