Tell nbc news hell prepare for more the next one, possibly bringing in a debate consultant. Their next showdown in nine days. And hes back. Former football star tim tebow hits a home run on his very first pitch in professional baseball, sparking a brand new wave of tebow mania today, thursday, september 29th, 2016. With matt lauer and Savannah Guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. And good morning, everybody. Welcome to today. 7 00 a. M. On the west coast on a thursday. Its commuter time, rush hour here in new york city. Weve learned theres a commuter train in new jersey that crashed into the platform. This is right across the river from manhattan, new york city. Its about 2 1 2 miles from where we are. That train went through the end of the tracks right into the a pretty high rate of speed. Nbcs rehema ellis is there. What can you tell us . What i can tell you is that emergency vehicles are still rushing to the scene. Most of the streets in the area have been blocked off. Ive been diverted around the exact entrance to the train, so im walking as we speak to try and get a better view of the damage. New jersey passenger train on its way into the hoboken station. Eyewitnesses have said what happened is that the train simply did not stop. It kept going and ran into the end of the platform and right into the reception area. We do not know at this point exactly how fast was this train going. We dont know how many passengers were on board the train or how many passengers were standing in the waiting area. But as you can imagine, this was jersey. So there had to be a lot of people. The question now becomes, one, the extent of the injuries, beyond the damage. Authorities are calling this a mass casualty incident, but we do not know yet whether everyone has been taken off of that train and whether all of the passengers who were inside waiting area, in the train reception area, have been removed from that area. As you point out, theres been extensive damage of the area and what theyre trying to do right now is assess the extent of the damage and the extent of the injuries. A number of people who may have been injured. Matt . Rehema, thank you very much. Lets talk to somebody who was on the train at the time. On the second train car when it crashed. He joins us on the phone. Sir, first of all, were so glad youre okay and able to speak to us. Can you tell us what you saw and what you experienced . Been trying to slow before the impact . No. Hi. It didnt slow down. It was at the usual speed. No one was looking out. Everyone was doing their thing. Next thing you know, were plowing into the platform. Can you hear us . I can. If you can do me a favor, try to shield the phone a little bit. Were getting a lot of wind noise. Yeah, im sorry. And so how fast would you say the train was traveling . It was at its normal speed. The train doesnt go that fast. It was at its usual speed. That it just kept going. I was thrown out of my seat. App lot of people were thrown out of their seat. Next thing you know, were plowing through something, probably the pillars over there. And when it came to a stop, i could see part of the roof two feet from me. I was actually at the end of the first car, between the first and second car. Did you see a lot of injuries . Were there ppl yes. I even saw a woman who was thrown off, i think, and she was under part of the roof. People, probably seven or eight people, they tried to pick that piece up to get her out. Im pretty sure she was badly wounded. So did it appear to you that most of the injured were on the that train came barrelling in . So the place where the first car hit on the platform is usually a busy walkway because its right next to the entrance. So im not sure if something happened to people over there, but the people in the first car were definitely there were a lot of injuries there. I saw a lot of people get out, t real quickly, the engineer, was there any loud speaker announcement to brace for impact . Was there any warning whatsoever . No warning at all. No warning. What a terrifying morning for you and your fellow passengers. Thank you for sharing your time with us and we wish you the best, sir. Thank you. All right. Nbcs tom costello joins us now with what hes learning about the crash and the investigation. Tom, its early. We dont know whether this is or Something Else. No, thats absolutely right. The priority, as you would expect, is to not only evacuate everybody off of those trains, treat the injured, and try to preserve the evidence as fast as they can. But one concern automatically is that federal authorities are telling us that this line of track on the new Jersey Transit system does not have positive train control. Thats the automatic braking system that will slow and stop a train if it is approaching an area that is either congested or there is a slow down speed limit or something on the tracks. This does not have it. You may recall in the case of chatworth, california, a number of years ago, 20plus people were killed. That train did not have positive train control. The engineer was distracted. They since put positive train control on those train systems out in california. They have been working hard to put it on the entire northeast corridor, but not on this new thats going to be a very big part of the investigation. Yeah, but tom, even without that technology, is there nothing in place on a track as it gets close to the end of a track that would slow a train if it was approaching too quickly . It is literally up to the engineer to do his or her job, abide by the speed limit signs, and hopefully abide by their training because they should know where they are at all times and know that track by heart. Listen, heres the other thing. I used to travel that route everng city when i lived in new jersey. And that is usually a crawl into hoboken. Its not a fast train into hoboken. Youre crawling the last stretch. So for this train to be moving that fast into the train station is a real puzzle this morning. I think among the many concerns people have is whether the engineer suffered some sort of a medical issue or was distracted or what happened because this train moved in there so fast. All right. Reporting one person has died, up to a hundred people injured. Tom, thank you very much. Tom, thanks. Lets go to an employee, actually, of nbc and was also on that train. Good morning. How are you doing . Good morning. A little shaken up. Where were you on the train . I was on the platform oh. Walking. It was a normal commute turned to a nightmare. The sounds of screeching and people yelling run. Thank god that person yelled run. I missed it by ten seconds. People were falling over each other. It felt like i was running for my life. I just ran as fast as i could, and when i looked back and saw injured people and blood and the ceiling collapsed, water gushing were at, people were running and falling. There was a man with a toddler over his shoulders and his wife walking in front of me. They fell as they ran. Me and some other people helped them up to run out, and we got out of the building as we saw it was collapsing. We didnt know what was going on at that point. Did you feel have a sense of how fast that train was going at the time of impact . Not sure how fast it was going. Normally the platform is really busy and the trains arent usually going fast. You dont hear that screeching. The train was derailing down on people. People were running for their lives. It was just a lot of chaos going on. Im just grateful somebody behind me yelled to run. I had my headphones on. Going forward, i wont have my headphones on as im commuting, just to be aware of whats going we thank you for joining us. Thank you. Thank you. The new Jersey Medical examiner now confirming at least one death in this accident. Again, confirming between 75 and 100 people have been injured. Were going to have the latest throughout the morning. Another big story were following, the search for a motive in that Elementary School shooting in south carolina. A teenager suspected of fatally shooting his father at home and then opening fire at the school where two students and a teacher were wounded. Nbcs Gabe Gutierrez is there for us. Gabe, good morning. Reporter good morning. Overnight, the suspected gunman was questioned at length, and were hearing incredible stories of heroism and survival. It was an unarmed volunteer firefighter who took the suspect down and teachers who prevented him from getting inside the building. This morning a desperate search for a motive after shots rang out at recess. Townville school road, law reporter at townville elementary in south carolina, police say a 14yearold opened fire, wounding two students and a teacher before an unarmed volunteer firefighter stepped in and tackled him. We got a gun on the playground. Were going to try to keep everyone away from here. Reporter first police say the teenager shot his father at a home two miles away, then at 1 44 p. M. They say he called his grandmother in tears. She could not make out what he was saying because he was crying and upset. Reporter a minute later, police say the young gunman had already given up to the schools parking lot, near th toward the school, and started shooting. The superintendent says one class was at recess. A teacher, megan holingsworth, was hit in the shoulder. She and other employees rushed students inside and locked the doors. Courage. I mean, these teachers and Staff Members love those children. They put their lives on the line to protect them. Reporter this morning, 6yearold jacob hull is in Critical Condition after being shot in the leg. The teacher and another student who were injured have been is the motive here . We really dont have we dont have any information right now. Reporter this Community Shaken as terrified parents scrambled to pick up their kids. Jamie merediths daughter is in kindergarten. She just told me they went to the bathroom. Im just so scared. I dont even want her to go to school now. Reporter police have not identified the 14yearold suspect, only saying hes home schooled. Right now its unclear what his connection was to this school. Rest of the week, and authorities are crediting active shooter drills theyve practiced before with saving lives. Matt and savannah . Wow. Gabe gutierrez, thank you very much. Let us turn to politics now and the race for the white house with just 40 days to go until the election. Hillary clinton will spend the afternoon in iowa, encouraging people there to cast their ballots as early voting begins in the hawkeye state. Donald trump has a rally planned in new hampshire. State as a republican nominee. And our latest nbc News Survey Monkey poll has clinton emerging as the winner of the first debate. 52 of likely voters said she won. 21 going with trump. 26 saying neither candidate won. Nbc News National correspondent Peter Alexander begins our decision 2016 coverage. Peter, good morning to you. Reporter hey, matt, savannah. Good morning to you. There are conflicting opinions within the Trump Campaign this reset before the next, the second debate. Perhaps as telling as the polls are the pundits, the fact hes lashing out at bill and Hillary Clinton. Also new this morning, for the leading thirdparty candidate, another major blunder. Donald trump again attacking Hillary Clintons health and stamina, referring to this moment at the 9 11 ceremony earlier this month. All those day offs, and then she cant even make it to her car. Clarifying a Pivotal Moment from the debate about whether he paid federal taxes. They showed he didnt pay any federal income tax. That makes me smart. I think a lot of people say thats the kind of thinking that i want running this nation. Reporter still, multiple trump sources concede to nbc news that trump was unprepared monday night. One calling his performance a disaster, another insisting hes finally going to do mock debates and may even get professional coaching. Trump himself remains unfazed, telling nbc ease katy tur, hard clinton getting an assist from bernie sanders, courting young voters. It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president. The next 40 days will determine the next 40 years. Reporter clinton hoping to energize millennials who remain lukewarm about her. Our latest poll showing her lead with millennials evaporating. First lady offering this warning. The stakes are far too high to take that chance. Too high. Remember, its not about voting for the perfect candidate. If you dont vote, thats a vote for trump. If you vote for a thirdparty candidate whos got no chance to win, thats a vote for trump. Reporter meantime, thirdparty candidate libertarian gary johnson in the morning for all the wrong reasons after struggling to name a foreign leader he admires during a town hall on msnbc. Whos your favorite foreign leader . Whos my favorite just any one of the continents, any country. Name one foreign leader you respect, look up to. Anybody. Mine was shimon peres. Im talking about living. Go ahead. You got to do this. Anywhere, any continent. Canada, mexico, europe, over there, asia, south america, moment in the former president of mexico. Im giving you the whole world. Anybody in the world you like. Anybody. Pick any leader. The former president of mexico. Which one . Im having a brain well, name anybody. Fox. Whos your favorite foreign leader . Get him off the hook. Any foreign leader. Merkel. Okay, fine. Reporter angela merkel, of course, the german chancellor. Also new this morning, the Arizona Republic is rert that its receiving Death Threats and countless subscription cancellations after its endorsement of Hillary Clinton this week, the first time the paper has supported a democrat for president in 126 years. Matt, savannah . Peter, thank you very much. An unfortunate update now. Three confirmed dead in that train crash in hoboken, new jersey. Al . Sad story. All right. Next half hour, were going to look at Tropical Storm matthew. Whoa. Why are you looking at me . Just ahead, a verdict in a murder case thats ripped a small town apart. Well take you inside a dramatic day in court. Then, passengers behaving badly. 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Come in to village inn every wednesday for free pie wednesday and enjoy a free slice of pie with purchase. This is an nbc news special report. Heres matt lauer and Savannah Guthrie. Its 10 30 here on the east coast, 7 30 out west. This is an nbc news special report. Theres a chaotic scene unfolding right now in hoboken, new jersey. A new Jersey Transit train crashing into the terminal there. At least three people confirmed dead, more than 100 others injured. Were told that a number of them are critically injured. This of course happened at the height of rush hour earlier this morning. Were already seeing images of terrible destruction. Witnesses are speaking out this morning and sharing stories of chaos and panic. There wasnt enough space for everyone to get into the first car, so fortunately i was stuck in the middle. Myself and about six other people were in between the cars. We approached the station, and the train just felt like it never stopped. It didnt slow down. It didnt it didnt brake. I mean, i dont know for sure if it didnt brake or what was happening. So as soon as the train just lights shut off. People started yelling. And the people that were standing in between on the other side, on the second in the second car, getting ready to come out of that door, were thrown on to our side. A young lady actually that was thrown from that, her legs caught between the doors j