Kindergarten student in southeast washington. Today the school sent letters home informing parents that grief counsellors will be available for any students who need help dealing with his death. How will you help your children cope with this news . Im going to talk to them. I havent talked to them about it. And ask them their feelings. I told them they can come to me if they have any questions or they just want to grieve, cry, anything. Reporter today we found party hats on the ground by a picnic table where the family came yesterday for a cookout. It was a party to celebrate xavier luckeys 6th birthday. He was such a good boy. He was so full of life. He was always excited, full of joy. He was a happy little boy. It was just such a tragedy that it happened on his birthday. I heard a boom and i heard a holler. Reporter Shannon Smith said she saw xavier hit by while crossing the road. There were other kids that crossed before him. He thought that maybe he could make it. He was only 6. There was no adult helping him cross . There were adults out here, but hes 6 years old. Hes a little boy. Its not up to xavier. Its up to you coming down the street. Slow down, look where youre going. Reporter Police Worked late into the night investigating the accident. My cousin had to lose his life because someone was careless behind the wheel. All i can do for his mother was just hold her. Reporter chris gordon, news4. Police say a driver accused of running down pedestrians in times square told officers he was hearing voices, and expected to die. Im jim handly here on the the live desk. Take a look at these pictures of Richard Rojas, the man investigators tell us was behind the wheel. Authorities say he tried to run away from the scene, but police and civilians caught him. Say rojas tested negative for challenge, but drug tests are still pending. One teen was killed. Nearly two dozen people injured. Coming up here at 6 15, eyewitness accounts of the crash and a live report from the scene. Tracking Severe Thunderstorm Warning that just came out across our region. Lets get right to the radar. You can see where it is, back towards the west, north and west of d. C. , but this includes clark county and parts of Loudoun County and jefferson county. Back to the west, east of winchester here. Ill zoom in, show you where it is. Right around the berryville region, along 340, in towards jefferson county, west virginia. Loudoun county as well, until 6 45 tonight. This is one of numerous storms. Other storms have fired up north of thunderstorms around barnsville and all part of a wider scale. Even more to the south of winchester. Also continuing to develop and move off. D. C. Metro, i think these will all stay to the north and west, but a much bigger chance of storms during the day tomorrow. Ill see you back here in about 15 minutes. Thank you, doug. Now to a white house in crisis. A stark editorial comment today on the cover of time magazine. The image depicts the kremlin taking over the white house. This is the first time in ten years that time has published an issue without a cover line. This as the white house reelz from a series of explosive leaks while the senate gets a briefing on the russia investigation. Our team is tracking all the angles and we begin with blayne alexander on capitol hill. Reporter and doreen, for the very first time, were hearing directly from the president on that special counsel. Over the past 24 hours, weve seen two very different responses from the prent approach. He said he looked forward to ending the matter quickly. But today, not once, but twice he likened the investigation to a witchhunt. A lot of time reporter President Trump today welcoming the colombian president to the white house, but hes firing back on his critics here at home. The entire thing has been a witchhunt. Reporter this after the Justice Department appointed former fbi director Robert Mueller as special counsel, leading an investigation into possible Trump Campaign ties to russia. I think it divides the country. I think we have a very divided country, because of that and many other things. Reporter the americ the American People have a right to know the tuth truth. The appointment of a special counsel helps assure people and the Justice Department that theyre going to do their jobs independently and thoroughly. Reporter Deputy Attorney general rosenstein briefing senators on the comey where the investigation is now headed under mueller. The biggest legal change seems to be that mr. Mueller is going to proceed forward with the idea of a criminal investigation, versus a counterintelligence investigation. Reporter it comes during a turbulent week for the white house, still feeling the backlash from the abrupt firing of fbi director james comey. Now the New York Times is reporting, former National Security adviser Michael Flynn told the Trump Transition Team he was under investigation before he was appointed. Raising questions about why the president gave him the job in the first place. Blayne alexander, nbc news, washington. Now, just because justice appointed a special counsel does not mean any crimes have been committed. So what is a special counsel . He or she is a lawyer from outside the government who is appointed to lead an independent investigation. And if the evidence warrants, they have the power to prosecute people suspected of crimes. Now, theyre normally brought in when the usual investigators like the fbi have a conflict of interest, democrats have argued that anyone appointed by President Trump cannot be in charge of investigating whether his president ial campaign has ties to russia. Normally the special counsel would answer to the attorney general. But obviously in this case, the a. G. Has recused himself from any investigations related to russia. Robert mueller, hes going to report to Deputy Attorney general rod rosenstein, and although he does have the authority to fire mueller, rosenstein would have to Tell Congress why. Were inviting you to weigh in. Do you think it was a good idea to appoint a special counsel . Most of you say yes so far. 90 , its not even close. Theres still time to cast your vote on the nbc washington facebook page. Leon . Thanks, chris. Developing now, nbc news has learned that former connecticut senator Joe Lieberman is President Trumps top choice to lead the fbi. The official announcement could come before the president leaves tomorrow on his first trip. Lieberman is a democrat, he was al gores running mate in the 2000 president ial election. But he also has close ties to republican senators john mccain and lindsey graham. Lieberman, in fact, backed mccain in the 2008 president ial election. Its been widely reported lieberman was mccains first choice for running mate in 2008. To other top stories, a man shot by police in arlington has died. Daniel bulk refused to stop for Police Yesterday on 395. He hit rush hour traffic, giving officers a chance to approach him. But police say he put his truck in drive, pinning an officer against another vehicle. He was shot by police and died at the hospital. Were told he was shot in the head and the chest. The medical examiner has ruled his death a homicide. The injured officer is going to be okay. Two people are dead and a toddler in the hospital after a wrongway crash on route 50. Laura murphy slammed into a mercedes yesterday. The driver of the mercedes died athe her 14monthold son was among those injured. Investigators still dont know why she was driving into oncoming traffic. The water main break under macarthur avenue is still snarling traffic and also highlighting just how old our citys pipes are. Mark segraves explains how every d. C. Customer pays to help maintain and replace old infrastructure. Reporter this is how d. C. Water crews had to get to the underground valves in order to turn off the flowing water. The leak started breaking through the surface yesterday afternoon in the 4500 block of macarthur boulevard northwest. It didnt take long for a trickle to become a gusher, with thousands of gallons of water on the streets, nearly trapping cars and causing this sink hole. It took d. C. Water crews time to locate the correct valve to turn off the water. Because there are five lar boulevard. We went to the 12 inch initially. We isolated that, the water didnt stop. We isolated the 48 inch main, drained it, the water didnt stop. We then went to the 30 inch main. Reporter the main that broke yesterday was installed in 1860. Since 2015, d. C. Water customers have paid an added fee on their monthly water bill to help repair, maintain, and replace these old pipes and water mains. For homeowners that monthly fee ranged between 6. 30 and 9. 67. For larger buildings like apartments and businesses, it can be more than 6,000 a month. The monthly fee generates about 40 million a year. We use that money to invest in some of our older infrastructure, some of it is a hundred years old or more. So that we can avoid failures like what happen reporter so we just got off the phone with d. C. Water officials, who told us that while they had hoped to have macarthur boulevard reopened in time for tomorrows rush hour, thats looking not likely. Its more likely it will not reopen until monday at the earliest. Not good news for folks who use that corridor. But quickly, just how long are customers going to be seeing that added fee on their bill . Is that forever . Reporter well, as far as you and i are concerned, yes, it is forever, leon. They are doing this replacement and repair work. They get about 1 of the pipes underground done per year. So that math works out to at least 100 years that theyll be working on this project, and that fee will remain on the bill that entire time. Thanks, mark. Weve been reporting on allegations of favoritism in the system. Well, now the investigation is expanding. A d. C. Inspector general report says former schools chancellor Kaya Henderson improperly reassigned the children of some high ranking city officials in 2015. D. C. Council education chairman david grasso wants a review of all four years of the lottery under hendersons term. Not just 2015. Well, i certainly am willing to work with the council, but for our point of view, moving forward is whats important. And i want the public to have full confidence in our system. Tom sherwood has been following this story for a few weeks now. Is there reason to think that theres a widespread problem here . How do you know unless you look . The i g. Looked at one year, but there are four years of this lottery system. It has wide support among parents who think they have an honest chance to get into the school they want. Butt we dont know. What about the election coming up . The mayor may be announcing if shell be running again. Is this going to be an issue . I think it could be an issue. The mayor has put in place, asked that any appointee go to the ethics board if you want a special favor from the chancellor. And shes postponed any changes in the lottery system until she can put new ethics rules in place for the chancellor to go by. Thats all good. But we have thousands of parents who desperately want to get their kids in one school or another, and they dont get to go to the chancellor and say, would you fix my problem. How will they play it out in the campaign . Well have to see who runs against muriel bowser, maybe when she announces, well hear more about it. But she wants to get this past her, by putting ethics rules in place. Skoolds are so important and people need to have confidence. And the schools are improving. Theyre better run, new schools there are more people in the schools. So you dont want the lottery to have question marks around it. Keep the questions in the classroom. Thank you, tom sherwood. We are staying on top of the big news that happened in new york earlier today. A driver plowed into a crowd in the middle of times square. We are live at the scene with more on the suspect, his past too as police are figuring out what happened in the moments before the crash. Im adam tuss, flying high above northern virginia. Tonight were giving you a Progress Report on the silver line, phase two. A lot of you wondering whether its going to be done. Ive got the answer coming up. And i continue to track some strong to severe thunderstorms. Another Severe Thunderstorm Warning. This one, including warren county, frederick county, shenandoah county. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 7 00. This storm in jefferson county, moving into loudoun, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning there until 6 45. Co updates for are you actually about to scratch it rich at Mgm National Harbor . Of course you are. Because everyone who plays is an instant winner. So before you win your share of 1. 5 Million Dollars in prizes and free slot play. Take these last few seconds to remember what life was like as a normal, everyday person. Because in an instant, that all could change. Join mlife rewards and play scratch it rich for your share of 1. 5 Million Dollars in prizes and freeplay®. This is monumental. Developing right now, police just identified the woman who was killed in times square today. Shes from michigan. It comes amid new reaction from friends of the suspect who reportedly plowed his car into the crowd. Killed a teenager and injured 22 others. One friend told reporters that rojas hasnt been the same since he returned from active duty in the navy. He said rojas was posting, quote, crazy stuff online. Nbcs Chris Pollone continues our coverage from the scene. Chris . Reporter yeah, and doreen, its an eerie and surreal quiet in time squire. Look behind me. You can see the only people allowed in times square, Police Officers and a handful of reporters. Normally this would be teeming with activity. After this happened, police were quick to say they dont believe rojas had any ties to international terrorism. They say, as a matter of fact, courses who were there when he was arrested, indicated that it appeared he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he was arrested. Chaos and panic in the cross roads of the world. We got a car running people over. With tourists and workers on one of the hottest days of the year. Witnesses say a car turned the wrong way on seventh avenue, went up on the sidewalk and plowed into everyone in its path. I didnt hear any brakes or any screeching sounds. The driver made it three blocks before slamming into barriers. All i hear is like a little bit of scream and the people saying sit down, sit down, do not move. Reporter in all, 23 people struck. One person, an 18yearold woman, killed. Police say a traffic cop tackled the driver as he tried to get away. Hes 26yearold Richard Rojas of the bronx. In 2008 he was arrested in queens for drinking and driving. And also in 2015, he was arrested in manhattan for drinking and driving. Reporter rojas is being tested for drugs and alcohol. As word of the incident spread, many wondered if it was terrorism. Thankr thank god, based on what we know indication this was an act of terror. Reporter despite that, new york Counterterrorism Police are protecting sensitive sites in the city as a precaution. Yeah, and tonight we have learned that that woman, the 18yearold woman was actually a tourist from michigan. Were told there were four people who suffered critical injured, but they are expected to survive. And wnbc has learned from its Police Sources that rojas heads undergone an alcohol test and his blood tested negative for alcohol. No alcohol. So hes undergoing a drug test at this hour. Im chris poll own, back to you 37. Thank you, chris. Another close call on metro as workers have to get out of the way of a moving train. The safety violation happened around noon today on the yellow train. Workers were on the railway when they saw a train approaching. They cleared the track in time, and no one was hurt. But the controller and the workers have been removed from service as officials try to figure out what went also tonight, new details that will help you navigate metros final safetrack surge, that will take place next month and it will impact the red line in Montgomery County for eight days. The surge starts on june 17th. It will shut down the shady grove and rockville stations. Metro will provide shuttle buses, but theyre asking you to start at twin brook, white flint, or grosvenor instead. Chopper4 is up over Metro Silver Line tonight, with a birds eye view of the big construction for phase two of the silver line, which will take metro farther out into Loudoun County. Six new stations will be added, including one at Dulles Airport. Adam tuss is in chopper4 where you can see things starting to take shape. Whats it look like from up this, adam . Its a beautiful view, doreen, 100 . This is why we have chopper4, to give you shots like this. Look at this station under construction here. This is the Innovation Center from Dulles Airport. But you can see its starting to take shape there in the middle of the dulles toll road. As we zoom out, you can follow the rail lines all the way through the dulles toll road. As it zips around, its amazing to see the construction. And look right here, where it stops. This is what we have been talking about for so long in this region, the Dulles Airport station, which is starting to take shape right here at Dulles Airport. If we zoom out a little bit, you can see text proxi