Clues behind a motive in ohio. The shooters family breaking their silence. In texas, the officials complete the grim task of identifying the 22 victims overnight. Plus, epidemic of abuse. The explosive new accusation against the boy scouts after hundreds come forward with their stories. Beloved. The tributes pour in overnight for legendary author Toni Morrison. And summer soaker. The new round of powerful storms that will strike from the plains to the northeast. Behind them, another heat wave. Als got the latest forecast today. Wednesday, august 7th, 2019. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Morning, everybody. Welcome to today. Thank you for being with us on a wednesday morning. Unfortunately, it is a sign of the times, people hear a certain sound in a crowded area, and they fear the worst. Clearly a country on edge. Lets get right to the breaking news, as savannah mentioned. Disturbing times after the Mass Shootings in dayton, ohio, and el paso. Overnight a false alarm of a shooter on the loose ses ot off panic in new yorks crowded times square. Anne thompson is there with the latest. Reporter good morning, savannah and craig. Times square is always crowded, but last night, when people heard a motorcycle backfire and they thought it was gunfire, pandemonium ensued. 12 to 20 people were injured in the stampede. Police say fewer than six of those went to the hospital. It is something that these people wont soon forget. Everyone thought there was a shooter coming down the street. I thought i was going to watch my daughter get shot down in front of me. Reporter terrifying moments in times square tuesday night. After a motorcycle backfiring caused panic, sending tourists and new yorkers alike running for their lives, mistakenly thinking someone was firing a gun. We were coming out of the theater, and there was a big stampede. People were screaming, crying, and climbing over each other. My daughter was pushed against the door, and i was on a pile of people inside the door. I couldnt reach her. Reporter this birds eye view of the scene from times square earth cam shows people running in all directions. Witnesses capturing the famed crossroads of the world in chaos. Youre trying to get as far away from the noise as you possibly can. You have the mentality of, oh, it is never going to happen to you, and all of a sudden, youre stuck right in the middle of it. Your adrenaline kicks in, and its scary. Reporter police trying to calm a crowd after those two Mass Shootings last weekend. Tweeting, there is no active shooter in times square. Please dont panic. The times square area is very safe. Meanwhile, across the country at a mall in west valley city, utah, another chaotic scene, after a loud noise there caused shoppers to think shots were fired. Turns out, it was a sign that fell to the ground. As you can imagine, theres a heightened sense of fear right now with things that have gone on around our country, and people were in a full on panic. Reporter frightening moments showing a country on edge. I definitely think that we shouldnt be living in a world where we think one little noise, you know, is a gunshot, but its sad because that is the world that were living in now. Reporter new yorks mayor bill de blasio also reacted on twitter following the incident, saying the panic and fear people felt tonight was all too real. Nobody should have to live in constant fear of gun violence. Nobody. A disturbing sign of our times, savannah and craig. It is. When you see the panic, people could easily get hurt just in the stampede. Thank you very much. Now to President Trumps visits to dayton and el paso today, while the push for changing gun laws in this country Gains Momentum with some members of congress. We have live reports from both cities scarred by the latest Mass Shootings. Well start with nbcs White House Correspondent peter alexander. Peter, good morning. Reporter good morning to you. Just moments ago the President Trump left for ohio this morning and texas this afternoon despite fierce pushback from some lawmakers who say the president and his rhetoric are not welcome. New overnight, President Trump, just hours before hes expected to honor the victims in el paso, took to twitter to mock beto orourke for his hispanic nickname. President trump speaking out just moments ago before heading to el paso and dayton. I think we have toned it down. Reporter fighting back over criticism to his visits to the cities devastated on those Mass Shootings. My critics are political people trying to make points and in many cases running for president. They are very low in the polls. Reporter he slammed the candidate calling beto a phony name to indicate hispanic heritage. Beto orourke hitting back saying 22 people in my hometown are deadpired your racism. El paso will not be quiet and neither will i. Reporter nan whaley said shell welcome the president. He made his bed. He has to lie in it. Hit rhetoric is painful and i think the people should stand up and say theyre not happy if they are not happy hes coming. One nice conversation with the mayor of dayton. Could not have been nicer. Then she says i tried to call him. I spoke to her. I didnt receive any call. They are trying to make political points. I dont think it works. Reporter the president is already getting a cool reception in both communities. El pasos republican mayor dee margo. This is the office of the mayor of el paso in an official capacity welcoming the office of the president of the United States which i consider is my formal duty. Reporter and veronica escobar, who said the president is not welcome in her hometown, declining to participate. Speaking out last night on msnbc. The other thing i heard, chris, totally unsolicited from victims still in the hospital, theyd grab my arm and tell me, tell him not to come here. Reporter in washington Many Democrats are unhappy demanding Mitch Mcconnell call lawmakers back from summer break to vote to expand background checks to internet and gun show purchases. A bill already passed by the house, now on mcconnells desk. Mitch mcconnell needs to get off his [ bleep ] and do something. Reporter several republican congressional aides tell nbc news they have no expectation mcconnell will bring lawmakers back indicating there is little appetite among Senate Republicans to address background checks. Republicans instead appear to be considering expanding red flag laws en fodorsed by the preside that would empower Law Enforcement to take guns from those who pose an immediate threat. And the El Paso Times posted an oped addressed to President Trump saying in part we all want the same thing. We want our country to prosper. Thats not different from your goal for america. For many of us our parents were born in mexico. We are proud of that. We are also proud americans. America is our country, it reads, we are home. The author takes issue with the president s claim during this years state of the union that el paso was one of the nations most dangerous cities before a border wall was built writing, mr. President , thats not el paso. On the south lawn moments ago the president said he thinks his rhetoric brings people together. We turn now to the investigations in dayton. The fbi has joined the search for a motive focusing on the gunmans apparent interest in, quote, violent ideology. Gabe gutierrez is tracking that. Good morning reporter investigators are digging into whether the gunman had any help planning this attack, this as a former girlfriend shares he once told her that he heard voices, urging him to hurt others this morning, the fbi has launched a federal investigation into the massacre in dayton. We have uncovered evidence throughout the course of our investigation that the shooter was exploring violent ideologies. Reporter for the first time, the gunmans family released a written statement, read by police the betts family is shocked and devastated by the events sunday m district. They offer their heartfelt prayers and condolences to all the victims, their families, and friends. Reporter lindsey doll says she dated the gunman in high school. He would confide in me a lot about the dark things he experienced himself. Reporter some of those dark things, she says, included hearing voices. The voices told him to harm others. He was afraid he would end up harming others, which is absolutely haunting now. Reporter should people have paid attention to the red flags . Yes, absolutely. Reporter another exgirlfriend previously told nbc news the gunman had shown her video of a mass shooting on their first date and performed with an extreme heavy metal band, known for sexually violent lyrics. A lot of people watching will think, why didnt someone Say Something . Teenagers, as kids, we feel pressured, i think, sometimes we think, oh, this is our friend. Oh, this is someone who, yeah, is terrifying, but thats just how he is. Reporter she wants to remember the nine people who died, including thomas mcnichols, a forther after four and lois oglesby, a mother of two, who called her partner after shed been shot and said, i need to get to my kids. Both of them are damon davenports cousins. He is devastated. It just hurts. Its a pain that will never go away. It is like im living in a dream. I want to wake up from it, but i cant. Its a nightmare. Gabe, the fbi is in this case now, saying the gunman was exploring violent ideologies. What exactly are they talking about . Reporter savannah, they didnt elaborate. Police only saying he expressed an interest in committing mass murder, and that he was not influenced by the rampage in el paso just hours earlier. However, investigators did say at this point, there is no evidence that this attack was race related. Savannah . Gabe gutierrez, thank you very much. From dayton to el paso, as that city prepares for President Trumps visit, some new stories have emerged of just remarkable heroism and survival during saturdays rampage inside that walmart. Nbc National CorrespondentMiguel Almaguer joins us with those stories this morning. Miguel, good morning to you. Reporter craig, good morning. 22 lives were lost here, and dozens more were injured, after Authorities Say a white supremacist driven by hate unloaded on a crowd. Today we are learning more about the victims and those who survived the bloodshed. As investigators search for new evidence at the scene of this terrifying rampage right here reporter were learning the identities of all 22 people who lost their lives. The oldest, 90yearold luis suarez who leaves behind more than 50 grandchildren and great grandchildren. The youngest, 15yearold javier rodriguez, a high school sophomore. Now, were learning incredible new stories of survival. I threw myself to the floor because i thought i was next. Reporter Jessica Garcia and her husband giellermo were at the walmart with their kids for a soccer team fundraiser. As the gunman approached, their children hit. Both parents shot in the legs, then played dead. I remember closing my eyes because i didnt want to see. I was shaking. When i opened my eyes, i saw him shoot a lady in the head. Reporter did you hear him say anything . Nothing. It was like a game to him. Reporter her husband critically injured is in a coma. Jessica credits him for saving her life. He took one for me, and he would have done it for anybody. Reporter hero Gilbert Serna may have saved dozens of lives. The walmart employee leading 100 people through a fire exit and hiding them in shipping containers. Ill never forget the recognition im getting from the customers reaching out to me and saying, you saved my aunt, saved my mom, you saved my dad. Reporter this Community Coming together like never before. 11yearold Ruben Martinez creating the el paso challenge, asking people to complete 22 good deeds. One in honor of each victim. I just kind of wanted to honor everyone who was killed, and also i wanted to make the world a better place. Amen to that, miguel. That 11yearold is so inspiring. You mentioned the touching ways that that community is coming together. What else are they doing to support each other . Reporter this community is coming together in a show of support for all of the victims. Local Funeral Homes are donating their services so that the 22 families who had someone who lost their lives dont have to pay for it. There will be a benefit concert later this month. Craig . Miguel almaguer for us there in el paso. Thank you. Weve got breaking news this morning out of tennessee. A woman convicted of murder when she was 16 years old, granted clemency, and released from prison after spending nearly half of her life behind bars. A group of celebrities, including kim kardashianwest, helped shine a light on this case. Nbcs ron allen is outside the prison in nashville this morning. Ron, good morning. Reporter good morning, savannah. It is an extraordinary Second Chance for a woman who is 31 years old and was serving life in prison until tennessees former governor commuted her sentence during his final days in office. She was driven away from the tennessee womens prison earlier this morning after serving 15 years. Now free to start her life all over again. Great things can happen. Reporter Cyntoia Browns release from prison a private matter. For now just releasing a statement, i look forward to using my experiences to help other women and girls suffering abuse and exploitation. And a special thanks to former tennessee governor bill haslam who commuted her sentence. Haslam explaining his 11th hour decision to set brown free. Cyntoia had done what we hope happens when people are incarcerated. In the end we decided the right thing that society was better off with her out of prison. Reporter browns case so shocking, it inspired a documentary. I just grabbed a gun and i shot him. Reporter she admits killing a man who solicited her for sex in 2004, claiming she had been forced into prostitution. Prosecutors called her a coldblooded killer. Guilty, first degree murder. Reporter her sentence, life in prison, parole possible in 50 years. On social media, alist celebrities like kim kardashianwest, rihanna, and Alyssa Milano demanded justice. Im not saying i deserve anything. Im asking for mercy. Reporter tennessees parole board divided over whether her sentence should be reduced. One of the first things she said when we walked in to see her in prison was, i wont let you down. Im assured she has her life pointed in the right direction. Reporter in prison, brown earned a High School Diploma and college degree, and mentored other young offenders. Are you confident shell be successful . Im confident. Reporter dr. Kate watkins taught brown. Ive seen it with our students. Ive seen our students be released and work in juvenile justice settings using their narrative and education to help other people. Reporter thats exactly what brown says she will do, along with advocating for criminal justice reform. There are literally thousands of inmates in prisons across the country like her. Teenagers convicted of crimes and serving life sentences. This morning, Cyntoia Brown is no longer one of them. Craig, savannah . Her whole life is starting all over again. A real Second Chance for her. Ron, thank you very much. Look forward to hearing from her, as well. Let us turn now to mr. Roker. These strong storms are facing millions of folks today, al. What do we know . Lets take a look. Thank you for getting your First National weather from us. Were looking at strong storms firing up from new york to west virginia, also back through the Central Plains. Were going to be watching that. In fact, we have seven states with 5 Million People at risk from wisconsin all the way down to kansas. 11 states in the northeast, midatlantic, and new england. 53 Million People at risk from charlotte all the way to albany. We have two frontal systems pushing their way to the east. One making its way into the northeast and midatlantic. A second one coming up through the great lakes. As this moves through, a Severe Threat tomorrow for the ohio valley. A flood threat in the Central Plains. Rainfall amounts shape up like this. Here in the northeast, midatlantic, and new england today, 1 to 2 inch rainfall rates per hour. There are going to be airport delays from boston, d. C. , new york, back to pittsburgh, and buffalo. As we move to the west, youll be looking at really torrential downpours. Locally, upwards of 5 inches or more from kansas, missouri, all the way into northern arkansas. Well be watching that very closely, as well. Were going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. Good wednesday morning. Im kari hall. Its a foggy start across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco this morning. Were all going to enjoy cooler temperatures today. In san jose, were up to 80 degrees. Antioch warms up to 87. In napa today and santa rosa, a high of 81. We will have a few more days of cooler than normal weather then heating up by the end of the weekend to the 90s. It will be a hot start early next week. Thats your latest weather. Craig . Mr. Roker, thank you. New allegations against the boy scouts of america as hundreds of former members come forward with previously unreported sex abuse claims. Were going to hear from some of the accusers. Plus, the outpouring of love and appreciation for Toni Morrison this morning. How the world is hono