escalate far beyond word. hoping to temper those fears? mayor deblasio at a muslim center tonight. >> reporter: muslim americans here in queens say they see those anti-muslim attacks on social media and say it feels like they're being wrongly targeted, wrongly blamed and that's why this visit from the mayor is an important step from them. it's the most high profile outreach to this community since the paris attacks and shooting in san bernardino. mayor bill deblasio reaching out to the muslim american community in queens addressing about 100 worshipers packed into the muslim center, some watching from an overflow room next-door. deblasio assured those >> we also have an important mission to deepen the relationship between the muslim community and the city government. we believe that is important for all. we believe that wasn't done enough in the past. >> reporter: the mayor making a veiled reference to the nypd's conducting of surveillance in muslim communities after the september 11th attacks. after religious and racial profiling the nypd suspended that practice. community leader

by criticism he wasn't doing muff to solve the homeless problem in new york city, mayor deblasio seems to be in a full court press. a new way of dealing with the homeless begins next month and a way to get them into housing and the beefed up outrage begins tonight. the question, will it work? political reporter dave evans with the story at city hall for us. david? >> reporter: you remember this summer when so many new yorkers became awfully angry with the mayor when he refused to acknowledge a homeless crisis in the city. and now the mayor admits we have a problem with the homeless in new york and now he is trying to do something about the 58,000 men, women and children who live in city shelters as well as the three to 4,000 people who sleep on city streets every night. homeless crisis. he responded. dismantling homeless encampments across the city. and today, some of those affected complained bitterly. >> we are homeless people. we need help. we don't need to be stepped on. >> we are here to ask for humanity, and how we treat homeless people, especially this holiday season. and

the homeless crisis. new at 5:00, mayor deblasio's new campaign to attack the homeless problem in new york city. the beefed up outreach begins tonight. the mayor trying to jump start his drive to handle the problem after enormous criticism of how he handled the problem the first two years in obvious. david evans has more. >> reporter: every night there are about 58,000 men women and children who sleep in city shelters and on tof top of that number, there are 4,000 who sleep on the street every night. they faced a lot of complaints about the new program and a lot of questions here at city hall. >> this is part of the mayor's new effort in trying to solve new york city's growing homeless problem. an outreach team in tom pkin square park trying to convince on the street and melissa bishop has more on how difficult the problem has begun. >> my father kicked me out at a young age and i have been here in new york for a long time. i have been on the streets since 12 years old. >> there are homeless encampments across the city. but it infuriated many homeless who protested near today. the

. >> it's a shame for the family. but he's -- i guess he'll be missed a lot. >>reporter: and mayor deblasio expected to pay his respects at the wake which resumes at 7 to 9:00 p.m. tonight funeral mass tomorrow at saint patrick's cathedral. and the death of another cop. it happened at some training exercise. commissioner bratton said 44-year-old juan was on duty when he suffered an apparent heart attack. he was rushed to the hospital but doctors there could not save him. he was described as a loss. a 20-year vet. >>> crews are working to repair a gas main after a small explosion hurt 3 people there. repairs were going on when something triggered a series of sparks. two con ed workers and a private contractor suffering burns taken to a hospital with what we're told were non life-threatening injuries. >>> chrissy jackson, turning herself into police today. cops say she slashed a man and woman earlier this month during an argument on the train. passengers who were taunting her with antigay slurs. >>> police in brooklyn tracking down a child rapist. releasing photos of 24-year-old edwin. accuse

tonight, according to a rabbi in this community, will be mayor deblasio. members of the jewish community say a menorah was knocked over, two nights in a row. and then damaged near 86th street and east end avenue, on the upper east side. >> the symbol of light, it has brought hundreds of people together, to celebrate. and enjoy, it is now lying on because someone did something so terrible. >> they toppled it over. and in an act of violence, of hatred. >> now the menorah has been put back together and the situation is being investigated as a possible bias incident by the hate crimes unit. >> here you have the menorah, nine feet tall. >> the rabbi says the menorah is sturdy. >> and everything is hammered and nailed and drilled in so that it remains secure. so that wind won't blow it down. inclement weather won't take it down. for the last seven years, we haven't had an issue. and as you can see, this planter is not so simple to work. >> the rabbi told him they received a report that the menorah was tipped over saturday night but no significant damage. the next day, after hundreds gathered i

today. the goal is to strengthen ties between law enforcement and communities, mayor deblasio said clergy members have a connection with their constituents and a unique opportunity to help young people who may go down the wrong path. >> whether it is a young person who might join a gang, or a young person who might be swayed by extremist violent mission either way. help us find them, to help us connect their family. >> we need you. crimes targeting community members or houses of worship. >>> word tonight that criminal charges will not be filed against a second chicago police officer in a deadly shooting that was caught on camera. as an investigation is started in the police department. 25-year-old ronald johnson, after he got out of a car, it shows the video of him running away from police and george hernandez is seen firing five times and johnson is hit twice video. authorities say they recovered a loaded gun from mr. johnson. >>> it is our determination that no criminal charges should be filed in this case, against officer hernandez, because a crime cannot be proven beyond a reas

but the idea is to reduce those emissions by 30% over the next decade. it's part of mayor deblasio's carbon challenge program. the city hopes greenhouse gasses by 80% by 2050. >>> and it's 4:51, coming up on eye witness news this morning tens of thousands of people are signing up for a tiny apartment in manhattan. hear how much space they want. >>> also ahead three climbers are back on solid ground after >>> it's an accuweather alert day. we have sleet to the north, rain to the south, a big commuting mess this morning and it's 4:55 good morning i'm meteorologist bill evans. this morning what we really want to focus in on is the fact that to our south this rain/snow line keeps creeping north across long island and through new brunswick so as that creeps northward we'll see this rain overtaking everything and creating what will be less in the way of the sleet to the north but the damage is already done here this morning across the area as far as the sleet goes. so today, we will be looking at what's going to be the sleet up here above i287 right here around kent corner you'll see newbe