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Gunman Holds Hostages at Colorado School; Republicans and Democrats Tout Various Elements of National Intelligence Document; Terrell Owens Discusses Reports That He Tried To Commit Suicide
Aired September 27, 2006 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Straight to the newsroom now.
Fredricka Whitfield has more on that school lockdown in Bailey, Colorado -- Fred.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: That's right.
What's taking place now, we have learned that, now, officials are reporting that they also have a hostage situation at this Park County, Colorado, high school, which is also adjoined to a middle school. We can't tell you anything more about this hostage situation that the Park County authorities are revealing to us.
But what they are saying at this point, in addition, earlier, shots were fired at this high school, and a bomb squad from a neighboring county, Jefferson County, has been dispatched to the area. About 467 students from Platte Canyon High School have been evacuated to a gym, while about 350 of the Fitzsimmons Middle School moved to a ranch which is just adjacent to the school.
And, as far as the shots were fired and the reason for a bomb squad being sent, KUSA is reporting that the suspect, a bald man with a backpack, is also still inside that high school, and says that he has a bomb -- all this according to our affiliate KUSA.
But at least CNN has confirmed this other new information that we're just getting within the last couple of minutes, that it is a hostage situation that authorities are also handling, as well, at a high school that adjoins a middle school, where nearly 800 students attend.
And that's the latest that we have right now.
LIN: OK.
Fred, we're -- when you were looking -- doing that update there, we were looking at a scenic shot of the region there. We're trying to -- we understand that crews are getting to that location, as we look at, you know, a shot of Bailey, Colorado. It doesn't even begin to describe what's happening at the school right now.
And I'm just wondering if you know more about the suspect. You said that it was a bald man with a backpack?
WHITFIELD: Right. That's the only description that's being revealed to us right now from the reporting that is taking place on the ground and the information that authorities are willing to tell us.
Don't know if this is a student or if it was someone who was visiting the facility. That information...
LIN: All right.
WHITFIELD: ... just isn't clear, as of yet.
LIN: And you said a hostage situation. Any reports of any injuries?
WHITFIELD: No. And that doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't any. All that is being told to us from the authorities is that there is a hostage situation. They won't elaborate any further how many personnel or people or possibly students that might involve.
LIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: It would be a guessing game at this point. So, we better stick with all that the authorities are able to share with us right now...
LIN: Right. Right.
WHITFIELD: ... is that, just generically, a hostage situation.
LIN: All right.
We do have a Associated Press wire report saying, so far, no reports of any injuries. I just noticed that as it came in.
And Bailey, Colorado, I mean, of course, we remember the Columbine school shooting in Colorado. Do you know, geographically, where Bailey is?
WHITFIELD: I don't know in relation to where Columbine is.
We just know that Bailey is just outside of Denver proper. But it's still in the Denver metropolitan area. But I will have to get back with you on exactly east, west, north, south to...
LIN: Right.
WHITFIELD: ... Columbine.
LIN: You know, I mean, here we are picking your brain in a developing-story situation, Fred. I know you're waiting to get some of these pictures in. We understand that there are crews on route to the location.
Do you have any idea when this all started today?
WHITFIELD: Well, we just got our first reports within the last 30 minutes. And because, you know, these details just kind of trickling in, it's very difficult to determine right now just how long authorities have been working on this scene, and if what precipitated it was the shots fired at the high school, which then seemed to snowball into these other events that reportedly are taking place.
But I think, right now, because the priority is the safety of the children, authorities just want to convey right now that the majority of these students, whether it be in the high school or the adjoining middle school, have all been corralled into separate areas...
LIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... where authorities say they are all being held together...
LIN: Right.
WHITFIELD: ... by school. And I think that information would be very comforting for parents...
LIN: Yes. I was just thinking that. Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... or anyone who has loved ones in that school to know...
LIN: Because they have cordoned off the area...
WHITFIELD: ... you know, what is taking place.
LIN: ... as a crime scene.
WHITFIELD: Right.
LIN: The parents can't get there.
WHITFIELD: But it is still a crime scene. It is still a crime scene. This is all still unfolding.
LIN: OK.
WHITFIELD: Things are still taking place that we hope to be able to share with you as soon as we are able to get some confirmation from...
LIN: OK.
WHITFIELD: authorities there.
LIN: All right. Thanks very much, Fred.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we're going to move on with more developing news about one of the most recognizable faces, players, in football.
Joining us on the phone against to talk about this press conference coming up -- we think Terrell Owens -- Terrell Owens, I should say -- is going to talk about the reports that he attempted suicide.
Joe Trahan, WFAA, talking to us all afternoon, giving us some new information earlier.
What do you know now, Joe?
JOE TRAHAN, WFAA SPORTS REPORTER: Well, the latest is this.
I actually just showed the police report that we have been working with, I just showed it to his publicist. Her name is Kim Etheridge. And she says that she is the friend who is written up in this police report.
The spin that you will hear at Terrell Owens' press conference, inside the hour, will be the fact that he mixed these painkillers with some nutritional supplements...
LEMON: Yes.
TRAHAN: ... went into his hyperbaric chamber, and that caused this allergic reaction that caused this entire situation to happen.
She says -- and I read to her in the police report where Terrell Owens was asked if he was depressed, and he said yes. That's what's written in the report.
LEMON: Yes. Right.
TRAHAN: She told me that he wasn't in a state to give a correct answer.
So, we're starting to get, now, the spin that Terrell Owens' camp will put on this situation.
LEMON: Yes. It said that he was -- he and both of them were interviewed. And she said, if you -- had you taken all of the pills? And he said yes. Apparently, the prescription was filled, according to them, I think it was like September 18...
TRAHAN: That's correct.
LEMON: ... with 40-some-odd pills, a prescription of 40 pills that were filled on the 18th of September, and that the complainant had only taken five pills up until to this date. And, then, all of a sudden, there were no pills left.
And then he -- apparently, she saw him putting two pills in his mouth, which possibly precipitated her to call 911, because, according to the police representative that I spoke to just a short time ago, he said that there was a 911 call made, apparently 911. It wasn't made from the paramedics, because paramedics don't usually call 911. I would imagine that whoever was at the home would be calling 911.
But you said this Kim Etheridge is his P.R. person. She is the woman who is identified as being in this report that the police talked about?
TRAHAN: Yes, that is correct. She says she is that person.
And what actually is written in the report is that he was asked if he was attempting to harm himself...
LEMON: Right.
TRAHAN: ... at which time he stated yes.
LEMON: He said yes.
TRAHAN: And she said that Terrell Owens was not in a state to answer that question correctly.
LEMON: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
TRAHAN: So, that -- again, that's going to be the spin that we will see them put on it.
I also spoke with Deion Sanders, the former Cowboy great, who is an adviser to Terrell Owens. He said -- his words now -- this is much ado about nothing. And that's when I showed them the police report. And I said, well, here's why this is such a big story right now and why all of us are covering this. It's because of what's written here in this police report.
And they said that, while some of the facts may be true, the spirit of what exactly happened is not clearly identified in this report.
LEMON: Much ado?
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I guess we shall see if we -- coming up in this press conference, we are going to hear -- hopefully hear from Terrell Owens.
Joe Trahan, thank you so much for joining us all today and keeping us updated on this story.
TRAHAN: Thanks so much for having me on. You guys take care.
LIN: In other news today, it was for key government leaders' eyes only, but now all of us can take a peek, at least parts of it being a sweeping national intelligence report. And both Democrats and Republicans are finding parts to back their position in the pre- election fight over the Iraq war.
So, let's get the latest now from our White House correspondent Elaine Quijano -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Carol. That's right. One day after President Bush took the unusual step of declassifying portions of the classified national intelligence estimate, dealing partly with Iraq, Democrats are calling for even more to be declassified.
With the clock ticking down until those important congressional midterm elections, Democrats have been trying to shine the spotlight on Iraq. They argue that the NIE is proof, they say, that the U.S.- led invasion of Iraq, the continuing war there, has not made the United States any safer, something that the administration vigorously disputes.
Now, amid calls to declassify even more documents, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow outlined the administration's arguments against that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: In short, we're not going release the documents because we don't want to place people's lives at risk. We don't want to place sources and methods at risk. We don't want to compromise our ability to work with foreign governments who have been essential in helping prosecute and continue to prosecute the war on terror. And we want to make sure that the president receives the best and most honest analysis he can from intelligence sources.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: And so, expect the back-and-forth, certainly, to continue, Carol, in the days and weeks ahead -- those congressional midterms coming up in November -- Carol.
LIN: All right, but perhaps high drama tonight, when the president meets with Presidents Musharraf of Pakistan and Karzai of Afghanistan -- both of them having harsh words for each other.
What are you expecting to come out of this meeting?
QUIJANO: Yes.
Well, you know, the reason this is so important is because, without these two countries' help and cooperation, the United States, experts say, certainly cannot win the war on terrorism. So, it is crucial.
These two leaders of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, the president, as well as the president of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, have already met with President Bush before today, each one individually. Now, this will give the chance for President Bush to get the two leaders together. This is going to be an opportunity to discuss some of the tensions that have been in the air, primarily over the resurgence of Taliban activity.
Both sides have essentially pointed the finger of blame at each other about this recent resurgence of Taliban activity. So, this will be the chance for President Bush to say, look, there are mutual interests here. It is in everyone's interest for those two countries, as well as working with the United States, to work more closely together to fight the terrorist threats -- Carol.
LIN: The last thing the president needs is for the two of those to be fighting.
QUIJANO: Yes.
LIN: All right, cooperation necessary.
We're going to have complete coverage of President Bush's meeting with Presidents Musharraf and Karzai at the White House this evening.
And also this note: Wolf Blitzer will interview President Karzai this afternoon in "THE SITUATION ROOM," 4:00 p.m. Eastern.
LEMON: And back now to developing story, and our Fredricka Whitfield live in the newsroom with a hostage situation at a school in Colorado -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Right, reportedly, a series of things taking place at Park County High School and a neighboring middle school, the two of them only because they adjoined. Simply a wall separates the two.
You're looking at a Google Earth map right now of the Platte Canyon High School, which is where, allegedly, these first shots were fired, and its adjoining Fitzsimmons Middle School.
We are learning that, in addition to the fact that authorities are looking into a shooting or shots that were fired at the high school and possibly a threat of a suspect who may still be holed up inside the facility, who is threatening to have a bomb, that we have also confirmed that there is a hostage situation that Park County authorities are now looking into.
We're being assured by the authorities there that the nearly 800 students in those two schools have been gathered in two separate locations, evacuated from their classrooms, and all been gathered together in one area for each school.
And they tried to send these assurances to the parents that their kids are doing OK. Meantime, four other area schools are put on lockdown as a result of the investigation that is taking place. So, we have got an investigation that involves trying to isolate what may be a suspect, a suspect who may have shot -- fired off shots in the high school, as well as now looking into a bomb squad coming from a neighboring Jefferson County, who is coming in to look into these reports that this suspect may also have a bomb.
So, of course, when we get any more information on this investigation ongoing there in Park County, Colorado, Don, we will be able to bring that to you.
LEMON: All right, Fred, thank you very much for that.
LIN: Well, the faces are haunting, the circumstances heartbreaking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS ROGERS, ITN REPORTER: This is an institute for disabled children typical of several we saw. But, here, a nurse let us film. She's tired of hiding her country's failure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: Thousands of unwanted children in Romania. Is there anything that can be done to help these children?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM.
Just want to remind you, we're watching a developing story out of Bailey, Colorado. It's a suburb outside of Denver, Colorado, where there may be a hostage situation at a high school, and, perhaps, even a middle school may be involved. A SWAT team and a bomb squad are getting ready to respond. We're staying on top of this story throughout the day here at CNN, until it's resolved.
In the meantime, an American two-star general calls this a tough week for coalition forces in Iraq. Tough seems an understatement, given the number of civilian and military casualties reported.
So, joining me now from the Pentagon, CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, it is the beginning of Ramadan. And U.S. officials, U.S. commanders, had predicted there would be a rise in violence. That is, tragically, what has occurred.
The chief U.S. military Pentagon spokesman, Major General Bill Caldwell, speaking with reporters earlier today, offered this very candid assessment of what he sees going on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN, COALITION FORCES IN IRAQ: In terms of attacks, this week's suicide attacks were at their highest level in any given week, with half of them targeting security forces.
Last week, almost 50 percent of the vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices were suicide attacks. The clear intent of these high-magnitude attacks are to produce mass casualties. But, while we're seeing this increase in overall attack numbers, their effectiveness has not increased.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: What General Caldwell is really saying there, Carol, at the end about effectiveness, is that the military says they're not seeing the rise in fatalities and casualties and troops killed that this rise in attacks would seem to indicate. In other words, a lot of attacks, but not mass casualties in each of them -- nonetheless, of course, a very significant number of Iraqi civilians losing their lives every month, now about 1,000 civilians every month.
And, as for U.S. troops, of course, we're coming up to the end of September -- not quite there yet. But, so far, this month, 65 American troops have lost their lives in Iraq. That is the fourth highest month this year -- Carol.
LIN: Barbara, I want to follow up with you to see how General Abizaid is doing. How is his health?
STARR: Ah. Well, let's bring everybody up to date on that little matter.
General Abizaid is fine, we are told, but there is a new development there. You might recall General Abizaid was in Washington late last week and was hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Hospital here in the D.C. area -- pretty significant for a four-star general, the head of the U.S. Central Command, the man running the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he was hospitalized for symptoms of food poisoning.
That's a story all of us are hearing an awful lot about these days. And it just indicates how serious it is. Well, today, we have finally confirmed from the military that General Abizaid actually spent three nights at Walter Reed being treated for symptoms of food poisoning -- no word on exactly what he ate. But it does show, Carol, it's a very serious matter.
LIN: All right. Well, let's hope he recovers quickly.
Thanks very much, Barbara.
STARR: Sure.
LIN: All right, following a developing story here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Let's go to Fredricka Whitfield, find out what the latest is on this hostage situation at a school in Colorado.
WHITFIELD: OK.
Well, what we're learning right now is that sources are telling us that they do believe they have an active shooter at the high school. Platte Canyon High School, which is where, originally, authorities were responded -- responding -- after shots were fired at that high school, which adjoins to a middle school.
You're looking at aerial shots right now of the location. It's a pretty expansive location, where you have got almost 800 students in attendance at both the high school and the middle school.
And just to assure parents who may be learning of this for the first time, the students at both of those schools have been isolated and are in protected areas, after the reports of shots being fired and police responding on the scene. And now they believe that an active shooter -- that's how authorities are classifying this person -- to be in the Platte Canyon High School.
CNN is also confirming, according to authorities there, that they have a hostage situation also on that scene. We don't know exactly how many people it may be involving at this point. But this county, Park County, is also getting a lot of assistance from neighboring Jefferson County, which has also sent in a bomb squad.
And that's because this suspect, who is believed to have fired off the shots, is also saying that he or she has a bomb with them -- so, a lot of things taking place in this location at what was a rather placid, very quiet, mountainous community at this educational facility. Now, the students have been cordoned off into protective areas.
There is a series of roads around those schools which have been closed off to traffic. We're only getting this one kind of myopic view of the campus. But the roads that are leading to it have been closed off. And four neighboring schools are on lockdown, Carol and Don.
So, that's the latest information that we're getting out of Park County, as well as from neighboring Jefferson County, Colorado.
LIN: Fred, all right, a fast-developing story there on that school campus -- Jefferson County also the county responsible for responding to the Columbine High School massacre.
They have a lot of experience in this, Don. And it's so terrifying to see this happening so close to the Denver area.
LEMON: And we also have another developing story right now: Terrell Owens, who we were expecting to speak to reporters -- reports today that NFL star Terrell Owens has gone from the Super Bowl to a suicide attempt. We expect to hear from him live in this hour in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: All right.
Fredricka Whitfield working this developing story out of Colorado right now, where it looks like we're having -- we have a hostage situation and a gunman, an active shooter, according to authorities, in Bailey, Colorado.
Fred, any new developments there, as we are getting some new pictures in?
LIN: Well, that's right.
And, as we look at the pictures, you're also going to notice, you know, aside from the police activity taking place just outside the high school and middle school, that entire U.S. Highway 285 in both directions between mile markers 218 and 222 have been closed.
However, authorities are asking parents who have children at this Fitzsimmons Middle School or Platte Canyon High School that they can pick up their kids at the Bailey substation. As I mentioned earlier, the students, roughly about 800, in both of those adjoining schools had been collected and evacuated from the school and kind of separated into two safe areas. And now, apparently, authorities are letting the parents know that they can pick up their kids at Bailey substation.
Meantime, to elaborate a little bit more on what you were just saying, Carol, with an active shooter that police say believe is still in Platte Canyon High School, in addition to that, it is a hostage situation. The Associated Press is now reporting that at least four hostages are being held by this adult gunman. We don't know anything more about these hostages, just the number, at least four, being reported by the Associated Press.
And we have got to apologize for the visuals that you're getting there, but, clearly, a very mountainous area, a difficult area in which to transmit these live images. Now you're looking at some Google Earth images of the two schools that are adjoining and the entire educational property there.
Now, earlier, when shots were fired and police responded, they were also told, according to this suspected person, or gunman, that he or she may have a bomb on them. So, that's why the neighboring Jefferson County has also sent in a bomb squad.
We're not hearing anything more as to whether they have arrived and what they're learning from that threat. But you can see right there in the live pictures what appears to be, you know, armed law enforcement on the exterior of the school, as they try to get to this active shooter, and, perhaps free these at least four hostages that Associated Press is reporting being holed up there in the Platte Canyon High School.
LIN: All right, Fred, also another AP wire just crossed saying that the gunman took at least five people hostage at the high school. I know these numbers can shift as time goes by.
The wire also quotes a spokesmen for the state's Department of Public Safety, a guy named Lance Clem, who says that one hostage was released. He apparently describes the gunman as an adult, but no other details.
You heard some other details about the shooter. Tell us what you know.
WHITFIELD: Well, no other details about the shooter, just that it may be an adult. We don't know anything more about the circumstances, who this person is, exactly how it all played out, in terms of entry points, or anything like that right now.
LIN: All right.
WHITFIELD: It's still very early. But, you know, little bits of information are trickling out, such as the fact that police are now confirming to us that they do have an active shooter...
LIN: OK.
WHITFIELD: ... which essentially tells us the suspect is still armed, still dangerous...
LIN: All right.
WHITFIELD: ... and has these hostages.
WHITFIELD: All right.
And, as we're watching these pictures, because they are live, you know, we all want to be very cognizant of showing any positions by law enforcement officials. We don't want to endanger their lives on the ground, as they try to take positions...
WHITFIELD: Right.
LIN: ... to control this shooter.
On the telephone with me right now is Lance Clem, spokesman for the state's Department of Public Safety.
Lance, can you give us an update? The wire service says at least five people taken hostage, but one person released. Give us an update.
LANCE CLEM, SPOKESPERSON, COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: Well, that's correct. That's the latest information I have got, is that there were originally five hostages, and that one has been released. And I understand it's a little girl. I presume...
LIN: When you say little, how old?
CLEM: Well, I don't really know. I'm presuming that that could be a student. But I don't know for sure.
LIN: All right.
And the other hostages, do you have a profile of them?
CLEM: No, I do not have any information on them.
LIN: So, they could be students. They could be teachers, administrators. We don't know?
CLEM: That's correct.
LIN: All right.
The shooter, then, tell us more about this person. You know it's an adult. Adult male? Female?
CLEM: Well, yes, it is a male, apparently. And we have heard that he may be a parent. LIN: A parent?
CLEM: Yes.
LIN: Of one of the students?
CLEM: Yes.
LIN: And the motive?
CLEM: Don't know, not at this point.
LIN: What -- who is the student, then? And what would have prompted something like this?
CLEM: Again, that's information we just don't have at this point.
LIN: All right.
Do you have any idea of what is his position in the school? Is he still on the loose?
CLEM: I think he is still in the school. We have got about four different law enforcement agencies responding to the scene. It's in an area southwest of Denver by, oh, a good number of miles. So, it's going to be a while before we get more information, I think.
LIN: Do you know what he's armed with?
CLEM: No, we do not. No.
LIN: Do you have an idea of where he might be holding these hostages, I mean, more specifically, inside that building? A classroom? An office? A hallway?
CLEM: No, don't -- we haven't gotten any information back yet on any of that yet.
LIN: All right.
As we are taking a look at these live pictures, Lance, you know, we do see one of the officers positioned outside a school building. We don't want to jeopardize his life. I'm hoping that he's not involved in, you know, the tracking of this suspect.
But do you have people in position now? Would you -- would -- is it fair to say that he is surrounded? Or you really have no idea where he may be?
CLEM: I do not know where he is.
Now, this is in Park County. So, it's the Park County Sheriff's Office that is in charge of this, with the state patrol helping out...
LIN: OK. CLEM: ... and Jefferson County, as well as the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
LIN: Why is the bomb squad being brought in?
CLEM: He claims to have a bomb.
LIN: You -- and it's -- it may be credible at this point. But are there any eyewitnesses who actually saw any wires, anything strapped to him?
CLEM: Not that I know.
LIN: All right.
Early reports say that he was a bald man wearing a backpack. Anything to that?
CLEM: No, I don't -- I didn't have a description of him at all.
LIN: All right.
So, Lance, can you give us -- tell us what the response is going to be to this situation, then.
CLEM: Well, not really.
I could guess that there's going to be an attempt to negotiate with him first. And that's just an assumption on my part.
LIN: Is anybody in touch with him, do you know?
CLEM: I don't know that, either.
LIN: Because you have some information about what's happening on that campus. I'm wondering if there has been any reasonable attempt to reach him.
CLEM: I would assume so. But I don't know that for sure. Again, it's really not our investigation. It's a local...
LIN: You got it. Can you tell me what is -- do the classrooms have telephones inside?
CLEM: I don't know, either.
LIN: All right.
Lance, I hate you put you on the spot like that. But you're the guy we've got with some knowledge of the situation. Lance Clem, spokesman for the state's Department of Public Safety, saying that there are some reports that this may be a parent. He does say that the bomb squad is en route.
Fredricka, you said it was from Jefferson County, that's the sheriff's department that responded to the Columbine massacre some years ago. And the fact it could be a parent is an astonishing development, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, that's a shocking detail. But again, we don't know for certain because, you know, a lot of the information in a scene like this, an investigation like this, is bound to have some errors in it. So, with caution, we proceed on who that suspect might be until there's any real confirmation.
Meantime, security analyst Mike Brooks, someone familiar, voice and face here at CNN, to help us understand the strategy here that law enforcement might be taking.
Mike Brooks on the phone with us now.
We heard Mr. Clem, Mike, say that a number of law enforcement from various jurisdictions and levels of expertise are on the scene because you have a host of things taking place here: a hostage situation, an active shooter on the scene, and now hostages.
So what's the priority here, now that we know the children have been isolated and are in safe places? What's the priority here on trying to get to the bottom of this situation here?
MIKE BROOKS, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Well, like you said, Fredricka, priority number one is to make sure that everyone there is safe. And looks like most of the children got out. My sources out in Colorado are telling me that it looks like he has four, possibly five hostages inside the school. Now, what they want to do, is they'll go ahead and contain that school, cover all the exits. And that's why they're going to have to have a number of jurisdictions there.
Park County is a fairly small county. It's kind of a small, bedroom community outside of Denver. It's kind of a rural area also. And that's in -- and Jefferson County is right next to it, so Jefferson is there helping with their tactical team, along with their negotiation team.
They're going to try to establish communication with this person inside, while also trying to get information from the students who were inside, about what they saw, what they heard, a description of this person. Does he really have a bomb, as he said he does, in a backpack? These are all things that the investigators are working on right now.
WHITFIELD: But that's the frightening thing in this, Mike. I mean, for anyone who sees someone with a backpack and the person simply says, I have a bomb, nobody's going to get closer to investigate whether it's true. You're going to kind of believe him.
So I wonder, you know, as law enforcement authorities try to seize on this, now, is the negotiations to try to release the hostages a first priority? Is it trying to get in the bomb squad equipment to possibly detonate whatever may or may not be in that backpack? Or apprehending this active shooter?
BROOKS: All of the above. But the one priority is try to find out who this person is, why he is there at the school, you know, what is his beef with the school? And why is he there with weapons and allegedly with a bomb threatening to blow it up? That's the whole thing, is trying to establish a dialogue, trying to find out as much information as they can about this person.
And in a situation like this, negotiations is one facet of the investigation. While the investigators talk to the other witnesses to try to find out who he is, they'll also have to figure out how did this person get to the school? Did this person drive to the school? Does he have a car in the parking lot?
And they'll most likely take an explosives-sniffing dog through the parking lot, checking out the different cars to see if there's any hint of explosives residue on any of the cars that he may have possibly brought this bomb to the school with.
WHITFIELD: And so Mike, what's really remarkable here, and I think quite impressive, is you've got these adjoining schools, a total of about 800 students, and the staff and faculty managed to act very quickly and get those kids to a protected area.
We're going to continue our conversation in a moment, Mike. I need to go back to Don for some other developing information.
LEMON: All right, Fredricka. Thank you very much.
This is the press conference that we've all been waiting for. Terrell Owens, about to speak now about reports of his alleged suicide attempt.
TERRELL OWENS, DALLAS COWBOYS WIDE RECEIVER: I want to thank God for, you know, just me being here. I want to apologize to the organization for this being a distraction. This is definitely an unfortunate situation. You know, I'm just trying to be here just to clarify any of the rumors that's out there, as far as me, you know, having a suicide attempt.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE).
OWENS: There was no suicide attempt. I think I went home yesterday, after I left the facility, and I took a couple pain pills. And then, I had some treatment, I had a physician over treating my hand. And I think after that, I was groggy a little bit, and I kind of took some extra pills with my supplements.
The 911 call with Kim, you know, she made because there were some pills that I had separated and the bottles on the table and it was empty. The rest of the bills were in a drawer. And I think she felt like I had taken all the pills. And like, I was non responsive.
You know, and when she made that call, she made a call out of her judgment, you know, as far as my wellbeing. And, you know, I think the rumor of me taking 35 pills, I think it's absurd. You know, I don't think I would be here had I taken 35 pills. And, you know, just to dispel rumors that I got my stomach pumped, you know, that's definitely untrue.
QUESTION: Why did you say yes when police asked you if you were trying to harm yourself?
OWENS: At this point, I really wasn't as coherent at they probably thought I was. There was a number of people asking me a lot of questions. So, I really don't even really remember the police officers that was in there, more less the doctors that were in there.
QUESTION: What was your condition at the time that Kim called 911? What condition were you in?
OWENS: I really -- I mean, she made the call. So, I mean, she's here. She can probably better answer that question for you than I can.
QUESTION: Do you remember anything from last night after you -- I assume you took a couple of those pills?
OWENS: Right.
QUESTION: Do you remember anything after that? What happened? Or were you completely out of it?
OWENS: Once I took the pills, like I said, I had a physician to come over to kind of treat my hand. And I was on the -- I have a training table, and I was on that. And I don't even remember her leaving. And she came over around, like, 5:00 or so, and like I said, I don't know how long I was still sleeping on the table after she had gone.
QUESTION: You obviously don't remember talking to police or anything like that?
OWENS: It's very vague.
QUESTION: Terrell, you said you took extra pills. Do you remember how many?
OWENS: Like I said, it was with my supplements, and I have a couple of bottles, where I have, like, two-a-day, six-a-day. You know, I take those during the course of the day. So it could have been anywhere from maybe two to three.
QUESTION: Terrell, do you think you can play on Sunday?
OWENS: Excuse me?
QUESTIONS: Do you think you can play on Sunday?
OWENS: Yes. I mean, I just finished working out outside and throwing with Drew, and then, obviously, I had a press conference, and Romo came out and threw with me. So, you know, I feel very capable of going out there and playing on Sunday. So that's my main goal. And, you know, I'm here to try to help this team win.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to take one more question. Kim Etheridge, Terrell's publicist, has a statement she'd like to make. But we've got to get him moving along. (CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Can you categorically deny that you're depressed?
OWENS: No. I'm not depressed by any means. You know, I think I'm very happy to be here. You know, my thing is, I've come here to help this team, you know, get on a roll, get on track of getting into the playoffs and winning some ball games.
QUESTION: Can you think of any reason why you'd say that?
OWENS: Like I said, at this point, like I said, I was kind of out of it. You know, like I said, I can barely even remember the doctors, more or less the police officers that were asking me questions. So I couldn't tell you if they were the EMT or the police or a doctor. So I really -- I'm really not sure.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guys that's it. We're going to make it...
QUESTION: What did you take? What actual pills?
OWENS: I had hydrocodone, you know, for my hand. And there was a number of supplements, I mean, the list is too long for me to, kind of like, tell you exactly everything that I take. But all of them are natural supplements. So, like I said, it was just an allergic reaction, I think.
It's very unfortunate for the reports to go from an allergic reaction to a definite suicide attempt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guys, this is Kim Etheridge, who is Terrell's publicist.
That was Terrell Owens, Talking about -- this is Kim Etheridge, why don't we listen. This is the woman who called police.
KIM ETHERIDGE, PUBLICIST: ... that Terrell stated that he was trying to take his life. That he was trying to do harm to himself. And, you know, Terrell was not coherent to speak. I mean, when -- the reason I called 911 is because he was not in his normal responsive state.
He had had a long day, he came home, had some treatment. And, again, he takes many supplements. He's trying to get back on the field. And he's taking a couple of extra supplements than he normally does, and he has some pain medication. And actually, he was in a lot of pain when he came home from work.
QUESTION: The report states that you said that he was depressed. That's what you told him. ETHERIDGE: Yes. I don't know where that came from. They said I said Terrell was depressed. I did not say that.
QUESTION: Now you realize that these policy officers have sworn. These are sworn statements.
ETHERIDGE: You know what? And I'm sitting here in front of you, letting you know that I did not say Terrell was depressed. Terrell did not say he was depressed. There was a lot going on. Just like, you know, the 911 call.
Listen, when I see a man of his stature, not responsive -- this is a very strong human being. And when I ask him a question and he's not responding and I know he's not feeling well, you know, I used my judgment to call 911. It's not Terrell.
QUESTION: Kim, are you upset at the report? Are you upset at the report and will there be any recourse from you or Terrell about the report?
ETHERIDGE: Well, I'm just upset that I just feel they take advantage of Terrell. I mean -- again, had this been someone else, you know, this may not have happened. But the bottom line is, you know, hey, I called 911, Terrell was not feeling well. I'm happy that I'm sitting here before you guys today with Terrell because I made that call. He had an allergic reaction. Anything could have happened.
QUESTION: Were you trying to pills out of his mouth, or is that totally untrue?
ETHERIDGE: No, you know, again, Terrell was sitting at the stable with me and he was taking his supplements. And when I was asking him a question is when I didn't really get the response I was looking for. So, I went over to him. So, if pills had fallen -- you know, I have to tell you guys, it's been a really long night. I can't remember everything.
QUESTION: Did you take pills out of his mouth?
ETHERIDGE: No, I didn't take anything out of his mouth.
QUESTION: How would they take advantage of him? Why would you say that? How did they take advantage of him?
ETHERIDGE: Oh, I'm just -- you know, I apologize, Calvin. I think that, you know, again, this is sad. You know, Terrell had a reaction to different pills. And just to state that he was trying to commit suicide is just -- it's unfair. Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive. Thank you.
LEMON: OK. Well, there you have it. That was Kim Etheridge, who is Terrell Owens -- hang on. He's back at the microphone now.
OWENS: ... to the Dallas Fire and Rescue, and the Dallas Police Department, and also the Baylor Medical Center for attending, you know, my situation. And I definitely want to reach out to all of my friends and family that reached out to me during this course, you know, within the last 24 hours.
I mean, there were a number of people from former teammates, the Eagles and across the league, you know, that have reached out to see and care about my well-being. So I just really just want to take that time to thank all the people that reached out to me. Thank you.
QUESTION: Are you going to practice tomorrow?
OWENS: I should. I should.
QUESTION: Thank you.
LEMON: All right. There's Terrell Owens saying that he will be back tomorrow and that he is hoping to play this weekend against Tennessee. You also heard from his publicist, Kim Etheridge, who called police. And she says that they were sitting down at the dinner table. Terrell had taken some pain medication and then was taking some supplements. She asked him a question, didn't get the response that she thought she should get, and then she called 911.
Now, according to Terrell, he said that he had come back from practice yesterday. He was in pain, had a doctor there treating him, went home and took some of the pain medication, then also took some supplements on top of that.
There was some question about how many tablets he had taken, that he had, you know, taken -- gone over the amount. He says the rest of the medication was in a drawer and that's why this Kim Etheridge, his publicist, who was there with him, did not see those. He said he wanted to dispel the rumors of a suicide attempt. He said it was rumors. No suicide attempt.
He was groggy when he talked to police officers and to paramedics who came to the scene, and that may account for, at least, he says why he said that he was trying to harm himself and why he said he had taken all of those pills.
But again, Terrell Owens and Kim Etheridge both speaking today. She, of course, saying -- ending on a note saying that Terrell has 25 million reasons to be alive. Apparently, that has something to do with his salary and how much money he is making. So, again, Terrell Owens, dispelling rumors. He says that it was not a suicide attempt, and that he was simply groggy and he had taken supplements on top of painkillers -- Carol.
LIN: All right. A masterful P.R. effort there.
LEMON: Yes.
LIN: In the meantime, we do have a hostage situation, a shooter on the loose in a school in Colorado. Fredricka Whitfield working that story.
WHITFIELD: All right, this taking place in Park County, Colorado. Hostage situation, active shooter and also a bomb threat. All of these things that law enforcement authorities from Park County, as well as neighboring Jefferson County, are now trying to get to the bottom of.
They believe an adult, who was last described as a bald man with a backpack, may have opened up fire inside the high school, which also adjoins to a middle school there in Park County in this mountainous region, just southwest of Denver.
And Associated Press has reported that at least four hostages, also, are inside. And you see a number of vehicles on the exterior, representative of the law enforcement authorities who are trying to tackle this problem on every level.
Tom Locke is the editor of "The Flume" newspaper in Bailey there, which is the city where these two schools are in. He's on the phone with us right now. Tom, what are you hearing about the progress authorities are able to make to get to this quote/unquote, "active shooter."
TOM LOCKE, EDITOR, "THE FLUME": Well, we haven't heard specifically about what progress they're making on getting to the shooter. The latest we've heard, which is of interest to the parents here, is that the students from Platte Canyon High School and Fitzsimmons Middle School will be bussed to Deer Creek Elementary.
So there -- right now, as we understand, the high school students are in the gym in the administration building. And the middle school students are at a vacant property outside the building.
WHITFIELD: OK. And is this Deer Creek Elementary anywhere near this Bailey substation, which earlier, reportedly parents were allowed to go pick up their kids at that location?
LOCKE: Well, not exactly. They're all in Park County. But the Bailey substation is quite near downtown Bailey, which is where our offices are. And we heard that there are about 30 to 50 frantic parents at the substation, but they weren't getting any information.
WHITFIELD: OK.
LOCKE: There's another group of parents over by the administration building where they blocked U.S. 285 which is the main thoroughfare for this area.
WHITFIELD: And that's what's really going to complicate it for those worried parents because that 285 being closed -- traffic being closed in both directions, so that no one can really get to this campus area of Platte Canyon or Fitzsimmons.
But the reassurance that you are able to give us, Tom -- and namely to give the parents -- is that all of the kids, something like almost 800 at those combined schools, have been put in isolated protective areas and they're now being bussed to another safe area for the parents to pick them up. LOCKE: Well, we haven't confirmed that they can actually pick them up at Deer Creek. That might be a logical assumption to make. We don't know that for sure, just that they're going to Deer Creek Elementary.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, let's move on now to the bomb threat, as well as the alleged hostage situation now taking place at that school. Jefferson County authorities have brought in their bomb squad. Do you know what kind of progress they're making on that bomb threat?
And then, number two, what units have been brought in, hostage negotiations, to try to free these at least four hostages?
LOCKE: I really don't know other than what we heard at the very beginning, which was around -- the dispatch about this started about 11:45 a.m. Mountain time. And the man -- it was reported that, over the dispatch radio, that he had a black, squarish-looking gun and fired one shot when the teacher in the room refused to do what he asked.
And then, the teacher apparently left the room about -- shortly thereafter, and there was initially six kids in that room. We don't have any confirmation about how many hostages there are. We heard over dispatch that there were two hostages. So, I really don't know.
WHITFIELD: OK. So just to clarify on that scene that you were describing a little bit earlier, the teacher then left the room, you said probably about six students in the class, and then the teacher returned and what transpired after that?
LOCKE: I never -- my understanding is that the teacher did not return, that the man fired the shots when the teacher refused to do what he asked. So I'm not sure about the exact sequence. This is all coming over dispatch.
WHITFIELD: Right, and we understand that we're getting things in bits and pieces before we can actually put the complete puzzle together because this investigation is still in its infancy.
But, Tom Locke, editor of "The Flume" newspaper there in Bailey, thanks so much for that information.
And Carol and Don, we're going to continue to work our sources and try to get to the bottom of what's taking place there, exactly, Platte Canyon High School and Fitzsimmons Middle School there, in Bailey in Park County.
LIN: You got it.
Also, coming up after the break, I'm going to be talking with our very own Tom Foreman. He's up in Washington, D.C., but for years he was based in Denver, Colorado for ABC News. He covered the Columbine massacre. He knows this area like the back of his hand, so I'll be talking to him on the other side of a quick break. Be right back.
LIN: All right, while we watch this developing story out of Bailey, Colorado, which is just outside of Denver's metro area. Hostage situation, a shooter on the loose. A bomb squad on the way.
CNN's Tom Foreman is joining me now from the Washington bureau. Tom, you worked in Denver, Colorado, for ages out there. You covered the Columbine massacre. You see some fundamental differences, though, between that situation and what we're watching right now.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there are big differences, Carol. This is actually about 45 miles away from Columbine High School, which I lived a few miles away from when Columbine happened. There are some very basic differences to consider here, based on what we know so far.
One of the fundamental problems is the Jefferson County sheriff's office, which is also responding to this, and all the other law enforcement people faced at Columbine was that all the students were not able to get out of the school as the shooting started. Many, many officers, unlike the situation where we believe we have, as you've said, earlier close to 800s students, already out of the school.
That is a much better working environment for law enforcement to isolate this person, to isolate the situation. To know exactly where it is. And perhaps begin negotiations of whatever they need to do. At Columbine, so many officers told me that one of the fundamental problems that they had was they had students hiding throughout the school along with faculty.
They didn't know how many gunmen they had. And as they tried to go through the school, they were constantly having people pop up out of hallways and closets and classroom, in front of them, behind them, and for every one of them, they were all had to be on guard -- is this the gunman? Is this where the problem is?
It really complicated issues. That automatically makes this bad situation not nearly as bad as what they faced in Columbine. They have a way that tactically they can deal with this, Carol.
LIN: What lessons do they learn, tactically from Columbine? Outside of the fact that perhaps they're working with a more focused, isolated situation here. But what tactics do you suspect will be used to try to isolate and calm down this gunman?
FOREMAN: Well I think one of the things they -- I mean, it's kind of hard to put a finger on exactly the specific tactics because they did the things at Columbine pretty much by the book. Afterward, there was a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking, about did they move too slowly because the gunmen in Columbine, in fact, ended up killing a majority of people they killed in the library, after some period of time.
There was some complaint that the police should have stormed the place much more quickly. That was pretty well defended by all the authorities by saying look, we did not know where the gunmen were. We didn't know what the situation was. And if he had stormed the place, not knowing that, it could have been much, much worse.
So my guess is what you really have, that is the advantage here, is you have a law enforcement community that has dealt with one of the worst school shooting tragedies that this country's known. And I've actually covered a number of these, and these are highly experienced lawmen who -- they've just seen it before. So they know what they're dealing with and how to deal with it. How much do you push? And how much do you wait?
LIN: And, Tom, the mere fact that they have so much experience is a sad commentary on school violence and what we're seeing on campuses. I know you must feel that as a parent as well, as we're watching this and I'm sure parents are wondering how their kids are doing and who is being held hostage right now on that campus.
FOREMAN: Well and these lawmen, you should know Carol -- you know, this isn't something that's just limited to the law enforcement officers who happened to be there when Columbine happened some years ago. All over this country, law officers have trained for this kind of circumstance more and more as the years have gone by. And they've seen the school shootings and things like this. There's a whole protocol for this in most schools, among the police officers and among the local authorities that wasn't there 10 or 15 years ago.
LIN: No, it sure was not.
FOREMAN: And that makes it seem a lot more likely they can handle a situation like this well.
LIN: All right Tom. I'm so glad we could at least tap into your expertise and the knowledge of the area. Fredricka Whitfield also working more details from the breaking news desk -- Fred?
WHITFIELD: That's right. Carol, we want to underscore the importance of the lessons learned from that '99 Columbine, two students killing 13 other people.
Security analyst Mike Brooks is on the line with us now again. And, Mike, the fact that they were able to isolate and evacuate some 800 students, to avoid the potential risk that would involve, as Tom was explaining for authorities to enter the school and not really be able to know who's who.
Right now, by the way, seeing these pictures of the school buses. We talked earlier with an editor of the newspaper. We talked about school buses that were going to be able to take some of these kids who have been put in these isolated areas, a gym in one sense, and a ranch in the other, to bring them to a safer area, even further away from this school campus.
But, Mike, let's talk about how clearing the scene allows the investigators to now go in and prioritize, whether it's hostage negotiations, disarming this shooter or taking care of this bomb threat.
BROOKS: That's exactly right, Fred. And, you know, Tom was right on target with the changes that have been made. Law enforcement learned a lot. And from the Columbine incident, law enforcement agencies all over the country actually started active shooter teams to respond to instances specifically in schools.
And if you go around to a lot of schools nowadays, you'll look at doors. And from the outside, they'll have numbers on them. This is all part of the pre-planning that was done post Columbine. I mean, we just learned so much and the media learned a lot from Columbine also on covering live media events.
WHITFIELD: And there Mike, I just want to interrupt you. You're seeing the line of students and possibly even faculty members that are making their way to that bus. These looks like the kids that may have been at that adjacent ranch, which would have meant the middle school kids, going into the buses and likely off to another safe location. Go ahead, Mike.
BROOKS: I was saying, the media learned a lot from Columbine also, Fredricka. And as we've seen that we're not showing, the live coverage like we would when have when they had Columbine, when they showed Columbine, because that could put law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS people responding to the scene at risk.
And also...
WHITFIELD: ... And Mike, I just want to interrupt you, sorry about that. I know you're going to be later on throughout CNN. We've got to toss it right back to Carol and Don, wrapping up this hour now.
LEMON: Thank you Fred, we're looking at those pictures of the kids getting on the buses, very, very eerily close to pictures of what it looked like for Columbine. But fortunately, it seems in this situation, is not quite as bad.
LIN: No, it looks like a calm situation. It sounds like from people who know the school district -- we were talking with Tom Foreman, that this is organized, that they feel that the shooter has been somewhat isolated, unlike the Columbine situation.
LEMON: Make sure you keep it right here on CNN for any developments when it comes to this, but we're going to throw it now to Washington and our very own Wolf Blitzer for "THE SITUATION ROOM."
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