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Military Says Iran Feeding Violence in Iraq; Leaked Intelligence Briefing Raises Controversy; Afghanistan, Pakistan Leaders Have Tense White House Meeting; Manhunt on in Florida After Gunman Shoots Deputies
Aired September 28, 2006 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
DON LEMON, CO-HOST: And I'm Don Lemon.
The Colorado school shooting. Who was the gunman, and why did he take six students hostage? We have new information.
PHILLIPS: They're designed to make life better, but the wrong combination can also kill you. Antidepressants and painkillers, what you need to know about the power of your prescription.
LEMON: The Energizer bunny of outer space. The little rover that just won't quit. We have new views of Mars.
We're working all these stories for you right now from the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: A loner, a coward, the picture authorities are painting now of Duane Morrison, identified as the gunman who burst into a Colorado classroom and held police at bay for hours. When it was over, he was dead.
Police say 16-year-old Emily Keyes was shot as she tried to get away when the SWAT team entered. She died at the hospital. Her friends, her community heartbroken and angry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF FRED WEGENER, PARK COUNTY, COLORADO: As you have alluded to, we have confirmed he did traumatize and assault our children. This was the information that was being fed to me from the SWAT team. This is why I made the decision I did. We had to go try and save them.
You know, looking at what has happened, and I know we talked about the Columbine connection, seven years ago, this is -- this something that has changed -- has changed my school, changed my community. My small county is gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The sheriff says that Morrison's motive is still a mystery. And he won't speculate on how the gunman is able to get into a normally locked school. Classes have been canceled for the rest of the week, but crisis counselors are there.
More on this story straight ahead. Our Jonathan Freed will join us live in Bailey.
LEMON: Thousands of terrorists killed in Iraq. So says a voice purporting to be the leader of Iraq's al Qaeda contingent. The audiotape surfaced today. In it Abu Hamza al-Muhajer said they have paid with their lives, waging holy war in Iraq. Apparently, the first major statement by Iraq's jihadists qualifying their losses.
Abu Hamza also urged an escalation of violence during Ramadan.
Dozens more bodies found in the past 24 hours in Baghdad, apparent victims of the relentless sectarian warfare. Bombs also targeted Iraqi police officers and soldiers.
CNN's Arwa Damon is in Baghdad with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sixty more body bodies were found in a 24-hour time period in the capital of Baghdad, all believed to be victims of sectarian violence. They were blindfolded. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
Many Iraqis right now are saying that they fear being the victims of sectarian violence more than they fear insurgent attacks. Many of them have neighbors that have been victims of sectarian violence, even family members.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Let me apologize. Apparently we're having some audio problems with that. We'll get to Arwa Damon a little bit later on in the NEWSROOM -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Meanwhile the U.S. military is calling out Iran. A senior unnamed officer speaking today in Baghdad said that Iran has sent arms and millions of dollars to an Iraqi Shiite militia.
For this story, we go to the Pentagon now. CNN's Barbara Starr is working it.
Barbara, what do you know?
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, a senior U.S. military intelligence official did conclude a background briefing for reporters in Baghdad. The transcript of that now becoming available, and an awful lot of hint about what U.S. intelligence actually sees happening on the ground in Iraq. Some indicators of why the violence is at the level it is at.
Now, this senior official saying that the Mehdi Army, that militia that is loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr, one of the more radical clerics in Iraq, that that Mehdi Army is now receiving millions of dollars in support and aid and weapons from Iran.
These militias, of course, being some of the major influences the U.S. believes behind the sectarian violence that is tearing a good deal of the country apart, especially in Baghdad.
What this intelligence official says is that weapons are coming in from Iran, including advanced IEDs that can penetrate U.S. armor, C4 high explosives. And one of the most interesting things they are saying is they are now noticing some of the explosives, some of the weapons have labels printed on them on English that are identical to some of the weapons that Israel has seized in the past destined for Hezbollah.
So a lot of new indicators about Iran's growing influence in the violence in Iraq, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So what are U.S. military leaders telling you about how they plan to stop the violence?
STARR: Well, clearly, there is a new push on from top military commanders to try and pressure the Iraqis to deal with this, to pressure Iraqi minister Nuri al-Maliki, to pressure the ministry of interior, the military forces of Iraq, a lot of pressure growing on them.
General Correlli (ph) talking to reporters earlier this week. He, of course, one of the top U.S. commanders in Iraq, saying that really the Iraqi government has got to start dealing with the militias.
So a lot of public statements about all of this. And a lot of work going on behind the scenes, a lot of background information coming out. All of it adding up to try to pressure the Iraqi government to move its forces out and start dealing with the sectarian violence situation -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr, live from the Pentagon. Thanks.
LEMON: President Bush on Capitol Hill pressing Senate Republicans to approve a White House plan for dealing with terrorism suspects. In a private meeting, the president urged the senators to follow the lead of the House, which approved the bill yesterday. Afterwards he spoke with reporters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I just had a really constructive and interesting session with Republican members of the United States Senate. I am impressed by the leadership in the Senate. I'm impressed by the caliber of people that serve our country.
I want to congratulate the House for passing a very vital piece of legislation that will give us the tools necessary to protect the American people. And that's the Hamdan (ph) legislation. That's the legislation that will give us the capacity to be able to interrogate high valued detainees and at the same time give us the capacity to try people who -- in our military tribunals.
Speaking to the Senate, I urged them to get this legislation to my desk as soon as possible. Senator Frist and nor McConnell committed to that end. The American people need to know we're working together to win this war on terror.
Our most important responsibility is to protect the American people from further attack. And we cannot be able to tell the American people we're doing our full job unless we have the tools necessary to do so. And this legislation passed in the House yesterday is a part of making sure that we do have the capacity to protect you.
Our most solemn job is the security of this country. People shouldn't forget there is still an enemy out there that wants to do harm to the United States. And therefore, a lot of my discussion with the members of the Senate was to remind them of this solemn responsibility.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: If the Senate approves it today, the bill could find its way to the president's desk by the end of the week.
PHILLIPS: A leak of classified national intelligence report on Iraq has resulted on both parties trying to score points before the midterm elections. But even more important may be its impact on future intelligence reports.
CNN's Brian Todd has more on the leak fall-out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The White House holds firm. It will not release the bulk of a classified national intelligence estimate on terrorism. That would risk the lives of agents, officials say, compromise sources and methods and...
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Would you want our intelligence analysts, who are going to be ale to give you free and full -- free and full views of what the situation is, if they think that their work is constantly going to be released to the public, they're going to pull their punches.
TODD: The damage has already been done say intelligence experts.
JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I think having a political food fight about this estimate will have a chilling effect on analysts. They write these things as serious documents for serious deliberation, not to be cherry-picked by both sides to score political points.
TODD: John McLaughlin and other former CIA officers we spoke to agree. This document doesn't reveal much sensitive information.
MCLAUGHLIN: A lot of it comes as no surprise such as the point that the global jihadist movement is decentralizing.
TODD: Or the finding that the Iraq war has rallied jihadist groups to their cause. But analysts say this leak shows a chink in America's armor. An intelligence process that's become heavily politicized, thus more vulnerable.
MCLAUGHLIN: Friendly countries begin to wonder whether their sensitive information passed to us is secure.
TODD: There's also the spin factor. As one former CIA officer put it, Al Jazeera will get this material, and the jihadists will use it for propaganda.
And there's cumulative damage. This is the fifth leak of a major intelligence operation in recent months, after the warrantless wiretapping program, the monitoring of terrorist financing, the collection of phone records, and the CIA secret prisons leak.
(on camera) The result of all those leaks put together, former CIA officers say terrorist networks now know more about how they're monitored than they've ever known before.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Brian Todd is part of the team covering the world for "THE SITUATION ROOM". Join Wolf Blitzer weekdays, 4 Eastern, again at prime time at 7 Eastern.
LEMON: Well, they're not adversaries, not exactly allies. The leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan have a lot of air to clear between them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: President Karzai's interests to see bin Laden brought to justice. It is in President Musharraf's interest to see bin Laden brought to justice. Our interests coincide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The main interest, what to do about a man believed hiding in one of their countries. Details on last night's White House dinner conversation coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: Plus, millions of Americans take them. Anna Nicole Smith's son died when he combined them. Coming up in the NEWSROOM, more on the death of Daniel Smith and the potential risks of prescription drugs.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: The president of Afghanistan, the president of Pakistan, they share a border. Many of the same problems and distrust of one another. President Bush's dinner last night had a purpose: urge these two leaders to make nice.
CNN's White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The body language said it all: stiff and distant. President Bush standing between them like a referee. The presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan shook Mr. Bush's hand but not each other's.
The two leaders have been bickering very publicly while visiting the United States, pulled together at the White House by President Bush for dinner.
Mr. Bush was frank about the need for cooperation.
BUSH: We've got a lot of challenges facing us. All of us must protect your countries. But at the same time we all must work to make the world a more hopeful place.
MALVEAUX: At the very least Mr. Bush hopes these two leaders will help him find Osama bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding along their border, and that they continue to support his war on terror.
Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf and Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai each visited the White House separately this past week, each accusing the other in interviews with CNN's Wolf Blitzer of not doing enough to fight the terrorists thriving in their countries.
HAMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan is doing all it can, together with the international community. We're losing people every day.
MALVEAUX: Afghanistan's Karzai accuses Musharraf of providing a safe haven fir the Taliban, allowing them to cross the Pakistan border to conduct daily raids. But Musharraf says Karzai's at fault, refusing to take responsibility.
PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN: But he's purposely denying, turning a blind eye like an ostrich. He's finding it more convenient to throw the blame on Pakistan.
MALVEAUX: Musharraf says the problem is his neighbor is weak.
MUSHARRAF: Pakistan is a very, very stable country. We have a strong government. We have a strong military. We have a strong intelligence system. And everything in Afghanistan had broken down.
MALVEAUX: Karzai responded to Musharraf's comments, saying he was aware of his country's problems.
KARZAI: We are a state that was weakened by years of destruction and war, and it interferes (ph).
MALVEAUX: But he says Musharraf is making conditions worse, by supporting breeding grounds in Pakistan for would-be terrorists and by cutting a cease-fire deal with tribal leaders who have close ties to the Taliban.
MUSHARRAF: This is the political strategy which is the right direction.
MALVEAUX: The White House says it was a very productive meeting but no breakthroughs. The two leaders did address each other directly, clearing the air. And they ended the evening with a handshake.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Fresh threats from al Qaeda in Iraq. The leaders of nearby nations blaming each other for helping terrorists. And every day, bombings, shootings, fear is high or higher than ever. What will it take to finally turn things around?
Let's ask journalist and author Eric Margolis, who's joining me from Toronto.
Eric, great to see you again.
ERIC MARGOLIS, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR: You bet, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Taking a look at this dinner and these two leaders. Obviously, Suzanne Malveaux laid out the tensions between these two. How do you think it's affecting the overall fight against terrorism?
MARGOLIS: Inevitably, for sure, the whole overall war in Afghanistan is not going well. The U.S. and NATO, at times, appear to be on the defensive. It's producing tension. These are reflected in the finger pointing between Musharraf and Karzai.
Interestingly, both of the -- the accusations that they're both making are valid. But they're valid for a whole bunch of reasons that ought to give us a great deal of concern.
PHILLIPS: And of course, the talk is still out there. So many analysts with regard to terrorism say that they believe Osama bin Laden is hiding somewhere in Pakistan.
Is that what is contributing to this tension? Do these two not trust each other? Does Karzai think that U.S. troops, allied troops should be able to come in and hunt for Osama bin Laden?
MARGOLIS: Kyra, it's much more complicated than that. It's not really about Osama bin Laden; it's about tribal politics of the region.
The Pushtun tribes are the largest tribal group in the world. There are 30 million of them. Half of them are in Pakistan, and half of them are just across the artificial border, as they call it, inside Afghanistan.
Pushtun -- the Pushtuns produced al Qaeda. They support al Qaeda strongly. So these pro-al Qaeda groups and other members of the al Qaeda coalition move back and forth over across this border in tribal territory.
And neither Afghanistan nor Pakistan can move too harshly against its Pushtuns, because they represent half the country. And in Pakistan particularly, they also threaten to secede from Pakistan if pressed too hard and create an independent state of Pushtunistan that would upset the apple cart of the whole area.
PHILLIPS: As you know, these two leaders met, but also our Wolf Blitzer had a chance to sit down with both of them and interview them.
I just want to take a bit of that interview between Hamid Karzai and Wolf Blitzer and get you to react to the discussion about madrasahs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARZAI: It is extremely important to pay serious attention and take action against some of the places called madrasahs that are not madrasahs but are training extremists full of hatred for the rest of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Do you believe in what he's saying? And do you think there are more madrasahs training terrorists versus teaching religion?
MARGOLIS: I don't think they're boot camps for terrorists, but they are certainly training young children to adopt very extremist attitudes and extremist faith.
But the problem is this: that these madrasahs, many of which are supported by Saudi and Gulf money, are the only schools that there are in Pakistan. Pakistan is a terribly poor country. It spends most of its money on the army. Can't afford schools. If you close these madrasahs run by charity there will be no schools.
And President Musharraf, who I think has one of the toughest jobs in the world, simply cannot go to Pakistani parents and say, "Listen, we're closing the schools that your children go to. They'll become illiterates, because we don't like the politics or the move that these schools are inculcating."
PHILLIPS: Once again, how do you stop the training of terrorists? Some say let U.S. troops into other countries, specifically Pakistan. That was addressed with Pervez Musharraf with Wolf Blitzer. Let's take a listen to the second.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUSHARRAF: People compare Pakistan with Afghanistan. Pakistan is a very, very stable country. We have a strong government. We have a strong military. We have a strong intelligence system. And everything in Afghanistan has broken down. So how can you compare the two? (END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Do you believe that there is a big difference between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Pakistan doesn't have nearly the problems that Afghanistan has with regard to training terrorists and supporting terrorism?
MARGOLIS: Well, exactly, Kyra. I mean, Pakistan has a fully functioning government. It has a crack army and intelligence service. The army really is the biggest and main institution in Pakistan. Can't compare the two.
But you know, there's enormous support for anti-American groups in Pakistan. There's enormous support for Osama bin Laden. Musharraf is completely isolated and unpopular in his own country because he's been following pro-American policies.
So the problem is the more he does this, the more isolated he becomes. We're dealing now -- we're not just dealing with a group of terrorists. We're dealing with the majority of Pakistani people and about half of Afghan's population who are hostile to us right now.
PHILLIPS: Eric, it's always great to talk to you. Look forward to the next discussion.
MARGOLIS: Thank you, Kyra.
LEMON: First he's in the hospital. Then he's catching passes. Coming up, just another day in the life of Terrell Owens. He says he is ready for Sunday. But what about that supposed suicide attempt?
PHILLIPS: Plus a computer giant under congressional scrutiny. Hewlett-Packard officials testify about the spy scandal. Another executive calls it quit. Details from the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Well, folks are still talking about the New York City Health Department's plan to prohibit restaurants and other eating establishments from cooking with artificial trans fats. Trans fats, used in everything from French fries to piecrusts to doughnuts, have been linked to heart disease.
Restaurant owners say a ban would be unreasonable, but health professionals like the idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. NIECA GOLDBERG, CARDIOLOGIST, LENOX HILL HOSPITAL: I think people need to know what's in their food. And when you go to a restaurant, you can kind of ballpark healthy items, fruits, vegetables, but you don't really know a lot about the ingredients that are used.
I think this will ultimately lead to longer and healthier lives in the city. And considering heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in men and women, not only in New York City but in our country, it's really important to take a public stand to improve heart health.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, yesterday, we asked you to e-mail us with your opinions on a trans fat ban. But due to breaking news -- we had Terrell Owens yesterday and the school shooting -- we ran out of time to read the response.
PHILLIPS: Well, here's what some of you had to say. Did you think government should police how much trans fat you eat?
Well, George from North Carolina writes, "As a person living with heart bypass and a stroke, I say yes to government requirements!"
LEMON: But Jenny, Jenny who is from Los Angeles, says, "Where else is the government going to intrude? They're all into our business. Granted, trans fats are bad for your health, but I am an adult and I can make that decision for myself."
PHILLIPS: And we got a lot of responses from people in the medical field, as well.
Dr. Douglas Taguichi says, "With this epidemic of obesity, government has a role in protecting the people. Saturated fats and trans fat are cheap. Government controls use of narcotics, why not trans fat? It makes certain foods taste good but really stalks as a silent killer."
LEMON: You can imagine a lot of folks do not agree with that, like Dave in Fresno. He says, "I'm an adult. Let the government tell me what they think. Let the government tell me what's good and not good for me, but let ME make the final decision."
Reminder, you can e-mail us about whatever you think, whatever's on your mind.
PHILLIPS: The address is CNNnewsroom@CNN.com.
LEMON: Well, current and former Hewlett-Packard executives getting grilled on Capitol Hill today. Cheryl Casone joins us from the New York Stock Exchange to tell us how they're responding.
Hi, Cheryl.
CHERYL CASONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi, Don.
Many not responding at all. That may not be a big surprise to anyone. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is trying to find out who approved the use of pretexting or lying about who you are to get someone else's private records. HP used the method to discover who leaked company strategy to the press.
But the Congressmen are not getting much help from many of the witnesses, including Ann Baskins, who resigned her post as the company's general counsel just before the hearing, literally two hours before they began.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICIA DUNN, FORMER HP CHAIRMAN: I am neither a lawyer nor an investigator. And in this matter, I relied on the expertise of people in whom I had full confidence, based upon their positions with the company and my years of experience in working with them.
I deeply regret that so many people, including me, were badly let down by this reliance. I would like you to know that I was a full subject of this investigation and I, too, was pretexted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CASONE: Guys, my apologies. That was the wrong -- that was actually Patricia Dunn, the former chairwoman of HP, speaking there. That was not Ann Baskins.
Two other former HP officials, chief ethics officer Kevin Huntsaker and global security manager Anthony Gentilucci, also took the fifth, along with Ann Baskins, along with several of the private investigators the company hired to conduct that investigation.
So Kyra and Don, a lot of people, 10 total, taking the fifth today with these hearings.
PHILLIPS: Sorry about the mix-up with the sound there. But maybe we can talk about what HP shares are doing.
CASONE: All right. The stock is actually really kind of somewhat stable which has been one of the more interesting things that's happened with this story. Right now shares of Hewlett-Packard are trading up about .70 percent or so. So there's not -- there's actually -- the stock is actually trading higher -- Don and Kyra.
LEMON: All right.
PHILLIPS: Cheryl Casone, we'll talk more in a little bit. We'll get our stuff right. I promise.
LEMON: Thank you very much, Cheryl.
Our top story: angry, brokenhearted.
PHILLIPS: A community looks for answers in the wake of a deadly day at Colorado high school. A closer look at who was behind it, straight from the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: Also ahead, millions of Americans take them. Anna Nicole Smith's son died when he combined them. Coming up in the NEWSROOM, more on the death of Daniel Smith and the potential risks of prescription drugs.
PHILLIPS: At the half hour now. We want to get straight to Carol Lin, working a breaking story for us out of Lakeland, Florida.
Carol, what are you working on?
CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra.
Right now, two Polk County sheriff's deputies are involved in some kind of a shooting in a neighborhood. We're getting pictures in of the scene there. As you see law enforcement gathering, people in the area are asked to stay in their homes.
Kathleen High is in a lockdown right now as they're still searching for a shooting suspect. According to an eyewitness at the scene, she describes it as being chaotic with deputies and Lakeland police all over the place. The search for a suspect on the ground right now as two deputies are involved in this shooting somehow. We need to get more details. We want to find out if there's any injuries regarding those deputies.
But Kyra, that's the scene right now as you're seeing law enforcement walking through what appears to be some kind of a field, almost like a vacant lot there, with protection, obviously, from the bulletproof shield as they carefully make their way down through a row of trees.
PHILLIPS: You know, Carol, it's amazing when you watch the SWAT team move in on a situation like this. They have to be -- I mean, basically it's like a 360 -- they have to have eyes, you know, in a 360 motion, just watching everything from sides to behind them. If you watch them work, you'll actually notice how the guns, you know, stay off to the right, stay off to the left. You got the guy from the back, you know, watching from behind.
We're losing our live picture there, we'll see if we can get it back up. but its's pretty amazing to see that in action, and how carefully they have to be.
LIN: It has to be military precision right there, through the field because the suspect could be anywhere, hiding behind a tree or a bush. They are far more exposed at this point than he is. So we'll be watching the situation and let's hope no more officers get hurt.
LEMON: You did say this is a residential neighborhood, right, not a business district, this is a residential neighborhood?
LIN: No. It looks almost rural, Don, because there was a house in a previous shot there, or what looked to be a house or shed.
And now they are making their way into the shrubs.
So that's all the information I have for you right now. If anybody is familiar with the Lakeland area, let me give you a couple of streets here. North Wabash Avenue and West Tenth Street in Lakeland. And people are being asked to stay inside their homes as they're looking for a shooting suspect.
LEMON: And probably, obviously, because, you know, they're out there with guns, law enforcement out there with guns. These are live pictures from WTVT in Lakeland, Florida. As our Carol Lin is reporting, there are reports of a shooting there and people are being asked to stay in their homes. A search, as you can see, by law enforcement on the ground in these woods, for a suspect.
PHILLIPS: We'll keep on the story, watching live pictures. Carol is working the details. We'll keep talking about it.
Thanks, Carol.
LIN: Sure.
PHILLIPS: We're going to take a quick break.
More from the NEWSROOM straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Carol Lin with us again, continuing to follow those live pictures out of Lakeland, Florida. A hunt on for a shooter right now.
Do we know if there's more than one, Carol?
LIN: No. We don't know right now. But I want to share with you some early reports from WTSP, a local affiliate down there, saying that early reports are that this is , Kyra, with a vehicle stop. And then there were shots fired. No information, specific information on any injuries, but we do know that two Polk County sheriff's deputies were involved in the shooting, probably in the traffic stop. Let's hope they are not injured. But we don't have any confirmation of that.
Two schools now are in lockdown, Kathleen High and McKeel Academy, in lockdown according to affiliate reports. As we're looking at this picture there, a Google map that gives people an idea of the location of where this went down.
So, people who are familiar with the area, apparently this traffic stop happened near North Wabash Avenue and West Tenth Street. Surrounding neighborhoods are being asked to stay inside, do not come out of your homes as these authorities are searching what appears to be almost like an orchard or, you know, just a sort of shrouded area. It's very green in there.
And Kyra, you don't see much right now, but we saw officers moving through these trees in military precision. It was like a SWAT team. They were heavily armed. They were, as you described it, in a 360 motion, trying to cover their backs as they move forward with a bulletproof shield as they try to find this guy.
PHILLIPS: And just imagine, as we look at the live pictures, you're seeing how wide of an area this is. And it would be very easy for a gunman to hide. And this is even better, to get, kind of, an idea where it is from the road there. But just imagine, they really don't have a lot of officers there on the scene. You're right, got the SWAT team that moved in, gradually, they're getting more. But hopefully they have been able to pinpoint a certain location where they saw him run. Otherwise they are going to have to bring in helicopters, dogs, my guess is all of that is in motion right now. And they are calling in additional help because they don't want this guy to get away -- there we go, there's the dogs right there -- and they won't want him to get away. They'll want to keep him contained in the area.
And you never know what a suspect like that is going to do, hiding up in the trees, or if he's already been involved in a shooting as you know, these men are at risk as soon as they go in there and try to locate him.
LIN: And anybody in that neighborhood. I mean, we don't know anything about the suspect, or how desperate he or she may be. You know, earlier in the commercial break, Kyra, I did see officers -- now this is tape that we're looking at, we're looking at this a few minutes ago in live pictures.
But during the commercial break, I saw on the monitor here that officers appear to be honing in on a particular area. They have slowed down. They were kind of searching through the shrubs, so it seemed like they were focusing in a particular area. We don't have those live pictures right now, but this really, tape just came in a short time ago.
PHILLIPS: Now I don't know the Lakeland area, and I know Jen, our producer is from Florida. What big city is that -- OK, it's between Tampa and Orlando, she says. So between Tampa and Orlando, along the I-4 corridor.
Very good, thanks Jen.
And you were saying that two schools are in lockdown, Carol?
LIN: Two schools in lockdown. The Keel Academy and Kathleen High. Also people in the area, asked to stay inside the homes as the authorities are searching for the suspect. And a woman -- trying to see what the source is for this, because this was on our internal wire service -- a woman in the area said the scene is chaotic with deputies and Lakeland Police all over the place.
Naming a couple of streets: Memorial Boulevard at Chestnut Road has been blocked off, so drivers are advised to avoid that area. Once again, fresh tape just coming in CNN Center, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And here's the video we saw earlier of the SWAT team moving in. You can see them doing the 360, looking all around them, keeping their guns in low ready, so of course, that keeps them from using their weapon on each other, but it's pretty -- like you said, I mean, whether it's law enforcement, like a SWAT team, or military. A lot of times, they train with the military, so they know how to carry out these type of searches for these suspects.
And as you can see now from the live pictures they're bringing in -- now, obviously they're going to have the ambulance there on stand by in case they do get into a shoot-out with this suspect.
If he's already opened fire on two deputies, then you know that this guy is not going to hold back especially if he's got a SWAT team going in on him. It's not to -- he's definitely, more than likely, unless they can convince him to put the weapon down and negotiate with them. But you know, you're dealing with someone who's hostile, no doubt has a lot of adrenaline rushing through his head. You just don't know what's going to happen. So they're prepared.
LIN: No, and you saw that -- you know, they had the gurney out. And looks like they're putting the gurney back into the ambulance right now. And just seems by their body posture that things might be winding down. Does it appear that way to you, Kyra?
PHILLIPS: I'm told we have another developing story coming out of Detroit. Don is going to bring us up to date on that. Carol, stay with us and we'll follow the search for this gunman. We'll talk about it more in a second.
LEMON: We've had schools on lockdown in Florida, and we also have several schools on lockdown in Detroit, as well. It's Oak Park, Michigan, which is a suburb of Detroit. Now, here's what we're being told. It was an attempted purse snatching. This is from our affiliate WDIV. An attempted purse snatching at a Farmer Jack grocery store. That's about a ten mile road on Coolidge Highway in Oak Park, anyone who's from that area.
Apparently it prompted a police chase. And then that chase caused a roll-over crash that eventually closed part of the interstate there, Interstate 696, which goes on to Interstate 75. Now, police are searching for a man -- I believe he's 25 to 30 years old. So if you're in that area, you need to know this information. He's wearing a green sweatshirt, black sweatpants, baseball cap.
Several schools, as we said, in the Hazel Park School District, are in lockdown as police search for a suspect. And our your story, Kyra, I believe there's stuff coming over the wire from Florida. Police suggested that the lockdown of these elementary schools after again that suspect, the purse snatcher, ran away and then causing a roll-over accident, happening on the interstate there. One of those is an early childcare center that's being shutdown.
So you're looking at live pictures. This is from our affiliate WDIV. It's in Oak Park, Michigan, is where this is happening, which is a suburb of Detroit. So we all remember yesterday, we had the schools on lockdown and we've got these two schools here in Detroit. A couple of schools in Detroit on lockdown.
And then let's talk about the schools and what's happening in Florida -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: As you're monitoring what's happening there in Oak Park, Michigan, also we're following the search for a gunman in Lakeland, Florida. What I can tell you right now is that police are searching for a suspect that was involved in a shooting with sheriff's deputies not too long ago after a routine traffic stop. The shooting occurred in North Lakeland, near a high school. So that high school has now been put on lockdown, in addition to another school in that area.
We're told that they possibly have contained the area. They know where the area is. These are live pictures now, via our affiliate WTVT. You can see SWAT teams working with the canine units and also other officers. There's deputies and police officers there on the scene. And it looks like the dog may be on some type of scent. They're moving pretty quickly.
They seem focused, moving directly to a certain area. You can see the dog moving off to the left in a brush, sort of well hidden area. It's very possible that the suspect could be in this specific part of the brush. The dog obviously on to a scent. The SWAT team is also there. You'll see as -- once we move into a wider picture -- just how big of an area this is. And -- but it looks like it could be -- they could be narrowing in on where this shooter is.
We're following this breaking story out of Lakeland, Florida. Also, a story out of Oak Park, Michigan. More info straight ahead from CNN NEWSROOM.
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LEMON: We got a lot happening in the NEWSROOM here this afternoon. We are monitoring two stories, one of them from Lakeland, Florida. We're hearing that there's a shooting that happened there, and police have asked everyone in this area to stay in their homes as they search for a suspect.
Earlier, we saw law enforcement on the ground with dogs and with rifles, trying to check out the area to look for the suspects. We've got schools on lockdown.
On the phone with us, we've got Polk Country Emergency Management representative Pete McNally.
Pete, what do you know?
PETE MCNALLY, POLK COUNTRY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, not much more than you just told us. I kind of came into the story a little bit later, with regard to the shooting and so forth. But you're exactly right. Right now we have the schools in lockdown, the area. They think they have located the area where the suspect is, or at least the general area. So they've got that surrounded by law enforcement to deal with fire, EMS and law enforcement here to try to get the deputies out there.
LEMON: OK, and Mr. McNally, we're hearing that this all stemmed from a traffic stop. Two Polk County sheriff's officers, sheriff's deputies, were involved in a traffic stop. Tell us what precipitated after that and if there are any -- first, are there any injuries?
MCNALLY: Well, unfortunately I can't really tell you any details. I just learned about it a little bit later after that the shooting had taken place. So I'm not sure what precipitated it, but I know that what you said other than that is true. They're in that West Lakeland/Kathleen area, where the suspect is located right now.
LEMON: Again, do you know of any injuries? Are these officers injured?
MCNALLY: From what I understand, there has been some injuries to the deputies, but I'm not sure to the extent right now.
LEMON: You don't know the extent. What about the suspect, injured?
MCNALLY: I have heard nothing on the suspect at all.
LEMON: OK, do I have these schools right? Kathleen High and is it McKeel Academy?
MCNALLY: Right. Those are -- Kathleen looks like it's the closest to the incident. McKeel is also in the area.
LEMON: OK. So we're looking for one suspect, right? A male? Is that what's happening here?
MCNALLY: That's to the best of my knowledge. That's the information I've received. Just a lone suspect.
LEMON: So you don't know what happened to precipitate this. Tell us what area -- tell us about this area. Because we're looking at pictures of very heavy brush and forest here. Tell us about this area in Lakeland.
MCNALLY: Well, it is fairly well populated, just to the south and east of that location. However, just north of the school, where this area is, between the school and Interstate-4, which is probably about maybe a mile or half mile north of the school, does have some heavy woods in it. But south of that area and again to the east and west, is fairly populated.
PHILLIPS: Pete, quick question for you. I'm with Mike Brooks, one of our law enforcement experts. He used to be a member of the SWAT team. And did you just say you believe the injured deputies are somewhere in there? The ones that were involved in the shoot-out?
MCNALLY: That's correct. I'm not sure if they've actually got them out of there or not. I think they have located one and are looking for the other at this time. But they're in that area as well, yes.
PHILLIPS: OK, Mike, you wanted to ask something.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERT: Yes, Pete, I saw -- this is Mike Brooks. I saw the paramedics in there, and that's what -- why I asked -- wanted to ask that question. Do we know what condition the two deputies are in?
MCNALLY: I've heard there's gunshot wounds to both. I'm not sure the exact conditions of either, to be sure. PHILLIPS: Now how did the deputies get into -- did they chase the suspect into this area, and that's when the shoot-out happened? He jumped out of the car at the -- let me try to piece it together. The traffic stop happened, the deputies got out. The gunman started shooting at the deputies, or did the deputies start chasing him into this area, and that's when the shoot-out happened?
MCNALLY: Unfortunately, again, I don't know that information. I haven't heard, except for follow-on incident, that the shooting had taken place. So I'm not sure what precipitated or what followed that immediately. That probably sounds most likely what happened, something like that.
PHILLIPS: So the deputies, did they radio in? Are they -- they both called in and said we're both injured, suspect on the loose?
MCNALLY: Again, I'm not sure exactly if that happened or not, but sure, they did radio in about the incident.
LEMON: You said the deputies' gunshot wounds again. You don't know the extent of the injuries? Are they...
MCNALLY: That's correct.
PHILLIPS: All right, so who's been called in there? We saw the SWAT team. We saw deputies and police officers. We saw canine.
MCNALLY: Right. We've got Polk County Sheriff's Office, Polk County Fire, Polk County Emergency Medical Services. I'm sure the city of Lakeland is also responding with mutual aid with law enforcement and fire. That's part of the extent right now.
PHILLIPS: We also saw, through the live pictures, that the medics were actually with the officers moving in. Do you know if those medics got anywhere near those deputies?
MCNALLY: I'm not sure if they have or not. I know that they're working with the sheriff's law enforcement folks to get as close as they can to where they would be located. But whether they've actually made the retrievals or not, I'm not sure.
LEMON: Mr. McNally, you said that you believe that the dogs that are on the scene there have picked up the scent and they know the general area where the suspect is.
MCNALLY: I had heard that the -- not necessarily the dogs, per se, but I heard that they had located an area where the suspect was. Exactly how narrow an area, how confined it is, I'm not sure. It was just a wooded area or it's a smaller location than that.
LEMON: So the suspects and the sheriff's deputies in the same general area?
MCNALLY: I would say that's what they're assuming right now, right.
LEMON: Do think that they're still in harm's way from this suspect?
MCNALLY: Hopefully not. Hopefully they can get to them fairly soon, but they're probably fairly close proximity.
BROOKS: Pete, did it start off with just a routine traffic stop or was there a chase following another incident?
MCNALLY: Again, I have not heard that, so I can't answer that question for you. I just came in, again, after I heard the gunshots to the deputies. So that's the first I heard of it.
PHILLIPS: Do you know if those injured deputies are still on coms with their cohorts?
MCNALLY: I have not heard on the radio I'm listening to now, so I'm not sure. They could very well be.
PHILLIPS: Do you want -- do you need to listen -- if you listen into that radio, will you be able to give us a little more information, if we vamp a little bit, if you can tune in to see if there's any communications going on the radio?
MCNALLY: I'm not hearing too much right now. It's looks like they're just probably in the situation of trying to stage their vehicles, stage their equipment and get folks ready to go in or get them out. Again, I haven't been able to listen for the past ten minutes or so. So if they already pulled them out, I haven't heard.
BROOKS: Pete, they said there's two schools, Kathleen High School and McKeel Academy, that are both on lockdown. Is this right adjacent to the area where they're searching?
MCNALLY: Kathleen High School is very close. It's probably about maybe a quarter of a mile away from the area. McKeel's a little bit further away.
BROOKS: Do they have security officers in these schools to lockdown? I'm asking this as a result after the incident yesterday in Bailey, where it didn't seem like there was any security at all. Are there security officers in these schools?
MCNALLY: Well each of these schools has a sheriff's deputy or city police officer assigned to them. And so they're responsible for the lockdowns and anything that may come from that. So, yes, they have folks assigned to them.
LEMON: All right, Mr. McNally, don't go anywhere. We want to update our viewers, because some people may just be joining us. If you're just joining us, this is happening in Lakeland, Florida. Apparently police are searching for a suspect there who was involved in the shooting of two sheriff's deputies this morning or this afternoon after a routine traffic stop, what we believe is a routine traffic stop.
I think they ran into -- at least chased the suspect into a wooded area. The deputies were both injured. The deputies are believed to be in the area with the suspect. And we've got SWAT team members, we've got police officers, we've got all kinds of personnel and apparatus on the scene there, looking for these guys.
PHILLIPS: All right, Pete McNally with Polk County Emergency Management. Appreciate it. We're going to keep checking in with you and stay on top of this story, as police are searching. Now we see helicopters -- airborn sheriff's helicopter. So you've got canine, helicopters, SWAT, deputies and police, looking for a man that was involved in a shoot-out with two -- or with two deputies, all injured, somewhere in this wooded area. It's all happening out of Lakeland, Florida. We'll come back to that.
In addition, wildfires raging out of control in southern California. Live pictures from Los Padres National Forest. We're following this, as well.
More from the CNN NEWSROOM, straight ahead.
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