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Details Emerge of Colorado School Shooter; Wisconsin Student Shoots Principal; Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Highway; Suspected Cop Killer Gunned Down
Aired September 29, 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. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
DON LEMON, CO-HOST: And I'm Don Lemon.
Another school shooting, this one in Wisconsin and the principal is the target. More on the investigation from the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: You know his name from Deep Throat. Now Bob Woodward is in the headlines again. His new book and the controversial quotes from President Bush talking body counts, to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, called an SOB by top military brass. A general who was there talks about the allegations.
LEMON: And incredible pictures out of California. Flames nearly 200 feet high. The latest efforts to gain ground. We're working all these stories right now from the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: Working a story for you right now. We're just getting these live pictures from KTTV out of Los Angeles. This is actually Palmdale, California.
Nine people injured in this collision between a school bus and a car. We're told those nine people, one of them critically wounded, was from a school bus carrying special needs students, collided with a car at this intersection in Palmdale. That's just north of Los Angeles.
We're told the person who was critically injured had to be actually cut from the wreckage. The person was flown to a children's hospital in Los Angeles. It's not known how many of the injured passengers were actually on that bus, though, and how many were in the car. But you can see right now firefighters working diligently.
There's the critically wounded right there -- videotape, not live -- being taken to children's hospital. The live pictures, once again, firefighters and paramedics working on those that have been injured.
We'll bring you more on this school bus accident out of Palmdale, California, later in the newscast.
LEMON: And Kyra, another developing story. Another school shooting today, this one in Wisconsin. The principal of the Weston School shot this morning several times. There is a suspect in custody. Details are still unclear as to the principal's condition. Stay with CNN. We'll keep you updated. And we want to tell you, we expect a live news conference on this Wisconsin shooting, a principal shot there, a live news conference this hour.
PHILLIPS: What's inside a killer's mind and what were his motivations? We learned today the Colorado school shooter was also armed with a list of potential victims, all teenagers, all girls. That's not the only thing that he put on paper before he terrorized the town of Bailey.
CNN's Jonathan Freed is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Park County sheriff says that investigators learned last night that a suicide note was sent to a relative of the shooter, someone who lives in Colorado.
Two guns were found on Duane Morrison on Wednesday after he killed 16-year-old student Emily Keyes and then killed himself at Platte Canyon High School. Investigators say one of the guns was traced to the same family member who received the suicide note.
Now, the sheriff says the note sent to Morrison's relative appears to answer the question of why this happened. A suicide, but investigators, he says, are still examining the note.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Bailey, Colorado.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And we're expecting live pictures from a press conference in Colorado this hour. For more on the developing story, let's get to Fredricka Whitfield. She's working the story from the CNN newsroom -- Fred.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Kyra, two days after that incident where so many students were terrorized at that Platte Canyon High School in Colorado, among the six official hostages being taken is now talking in an interview with the "Rocky Mountain News".
Lynna Long describes feeling terrorized, being afraid for her life and also being molested. We're going to bring you some of the quotes now from the "Rocky Mountain News".
She says he -- meaning Duane Morrison, the suspect, the gunman, "began talking to our teacher, Mrs. Smith, and told her, 'If you don't do what I say, I'll shoot you.' He told us to get up and line up against the blackboard, our faces toward the wall. Then he fired a shot. I think it's because some people weren't complying fast enough, and he was trying to scare us."
In her quote she goes on to say, "All the things he said were so random. He asked us, 'Do you have water? What's your last name?' He asked us if we had cell phones. You could hear the rustling of clothes and elastic being snapped and zippers being opened and closed."
The newspaper describes that Lynna Long says she knew the other girls were being molested, even though she was facing the wall and was afraid to turn around.
She goes on to say, quote, "I felt incredible relief, but I also felt guilty because I got to go free and there were three girls still in there." She was allowed to leave by this gunman. She doesn't know why, but as you just saw in her quote, feeling guilty that she left the other girls behind. And as we know, one of those girls was eventually killed by Duane Morrison.
Back to you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And think about being that age. She can't feel guilty, Fred. She's got to extend herself some grace and understand the circumstances. Totally intense.
WHITFIELD: Sure. But, you know, in their classroom, Room 206, you know, they were all in this together. So it's conceivable, it's understandable why, even while this was transpiring, these kids would feel, you know, a certain sense of, you know, team. And...
PHILLIPS: Sure, connection to everybody.
WHITFIELD: Right. Exactly.
PHILLIPS: Fred, thanks, we'll keep talking about it -- Don.
LEMON: All right, Kyra. Thank you very much.
A lot of stories we're working. Let's take a look now at a press conference that's about to get underway. It is in Sauk County, Wisconsin. This is where a school principal was shot this morning. They're introducing the folks that are going to speak there. One of those people will be Randy Stammen, who is the Sauk County sheriff. And also Patricia Barrett. She was a district attorney.
Why don't we listen in to see what they're talking about?
SHERIFF RANDY STAMMEN, SAUK COUNTY, WISCONSIN: At this point in time, we're really in the middle of the investigation, and there's a lot of information that hasn't been relayed to us yet. So...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At approximately 8 a.m. this morning, a Weston High School custodian observed a 15-year-old student enter the high school carrying a shotgun. The custodian attempted to restrain the student and take the shotgun away. After doing so, the student broke free, entering a main corridor in the building.
Principal John Klang approached the student, who proceeded to display a handgun and shot three times, hitting the principal all three times. The principal was taken to Reedsburg Area Medical Center for surgery. The principal has now been transferred to U.W. Hospital in Madison.
STAMMEN: The district attorney and I will try to -- and superintendent will try to answer any questions that you might have.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ... biggest shock in the world.
STAMMEN: This is a bit unusual for us, absolutely. It truly is a shock. It's an extremely unfortunate situation, not one that we haven't anticipated and trained for. But it's truly, truly unfortunate. Our hope and prayers go out to the principal. We hope he recovers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have any idea of the condition?
STAMMEN: At this point, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How was the shooter taken into custody?
STAMMEN: The shooter was disarmed partially by the custodian and by other staff and students.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any motive?
STAMMEN: At this point, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was the principal believed to be the target or someone else?
STAMMEN: We don't know who the target was.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What can you tell us about the shooter?
STAMMEN: He's 15.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he a current student?
STAMMEN: He is a student at this school.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is a student at this school?
STAMMEN: That's correct.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has he had any prior disciplinary problems?
STAMMEN: I can't answer that at this point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What grade is he in?
STAMMEN: Do you know what grade he was in?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ninth.
STAMMEN: Ninth grade.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where is he currently?
STAMMEN: In custody at the sheriff's department.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody else injured?
STAMMEN: I'm not aware of anybody else being injured, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anyone else threatened?
STAMMEN: I have no idea at this point. We're interviewing everybody that was in or near the area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many students were near where the confrontation took place?
STAMMEN: Don't have a clue.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What was the procedure (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't hear.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What was the procedure with students today when this happened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The students from grades -- the students from in the grades pre-K through 8 were, after the police arrived and secured the building, they were sent home on school buses. The 9 through 12 students were taken to the -- what we call the high school -- or the elementary gym.
And at that point, we had crisis counselors come from neighboring school districts, and then students who were able to go home and wished to, were allowed to do that, those high school students. And others that wanted to stay and continue counseling were allowed to do that.
Witnesses are -- were, of course, still with the authorities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many witnesses were there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where did the shooting take place?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not sure of that either. Exactly -- it's in the -- I would say that would be for the sheriff.
STAMMEN: The shooting occurred in a hallway near the main entrance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
STAMMEN: The main entrance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this complex at all pre-k through high school, is it one building or in a multitude of buildings?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are two buildings, but it is connected by an atrium, so we consider it to be one site.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So he came in the main entrance, the high school entrance?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct -- well, I better -- better leave those questions -- please direct those to the sheriff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the status (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it was at 8 a.m., which the sheriff said, it would be before classes started officially.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So the halls would be crowded as a routine?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That would be my thought. No?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was after.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Classes had started?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Okay.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's the status of your homecoming activities and football game?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. The football game has been postponed, as has the dance tomorrow night and the parade today. All activities are canceled or postponed for a future date.
We will have school open on Monday with crisis counselors here for people -- anyone who likes -- who would like to come and make themselves accessible to that. And it will be deciding on reopening as soon as we have a chance to talk to over a little further.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So on Monday...
LEMON: You see several members of Wisconsin law enforcement there speaking about a school principal who was shot this morning, apparently. Here's what they said during this news conference.
About 8 a.m. just before classes started, a 15-year-old who is a student at the Weston School entered the school. A custodian observed him with a shotgun, carrying a shotgun, tried to wrestle the gun away from the student. The student got away and then proceeded down the hall, apparently approached by the principal and then shot the principal three times.
And at the press conference, they said he shot the principal three times with a handgun. So I'm assuming that the custodian was able to wrestle the shotgun away from him.
The principal was taken to the hospital in Weston there and then later taken to Madison, Wisconsin, to be treated by a specialist.
He said it's unusual for that community. And the student was disarmed. He's in custody now. He is at the sheriff's department. And this school, this Weston School, K through 12, some of the students bussed away, others left there to talk to counselors. But again, a school principal was shot. Not exactly sure of his condition now. Authorities in Wisconsin just now holding a press conference.
More developing news happening now -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Don. Another story developing, actually, here in the Georgia area. Macon, Georgia. Fredricka Whitfield working it for us.
A plane had to make an emergency landing?
WHITFIELD: Yes. Something you've seen before, albeit very unusual and unique when it happens. Let's show you some pictures of the result of this emergency landing, because this Beach Bonanza plane, with two people on board, simply lost power while it was flying, by the way, over Interstate 75. It was able to use the southbound lanes as a runway. It did so successfully, of course crashed into the guardrail there.
But the two people on board escaped any sorts of injuries. So right now, they are been interviewed by Macon police, and you can see traffic going rather slow because people can't believe their eyes -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: That's a rubber neck. They have to...
WHITFIELD: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Just to see what it looks like.
WHITFIELD: That deserves a rubber neck.
PHILLIPS: Absolutely. The pilot did a pretty good job there, taking it down in the right place.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he sure did.
PHILLIPS: Not getting any cars. All right. Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right.
LEMON: Well, he's believed to have shot two sheriff's deputies, killing one of them. Up next, a live update from Lakeland, Florida, on the suspect's deadly face to face showdown with a SWAT team.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAFAL ABBAS, VICTIM'S NIECE (through translator): He said to her, "Are you Umm Luma?"
She said, "Yes, dear, what would you like?"
The first shot hit her in the arm and she fell to the ground. When she fell, he got out of the car and shot her four times all over her body. (END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: First the death threat. Then a stranger called. An Iraqi grandmother targeted. Questions and grief, straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: We are waiting for a live event right now out of Bailey, Colorado. You remember the school standoff yesterday. That school gunman, Duane Morrison, that sent a long suicide letter to his brother in Colorado before he took six girls hostage in that high school classroom. You remember, he killed one of them and then he took his own life. Also sexually assaulted some of those girls.
We are waiting for a live press conference. Evidently, investigators have been analyzing that suicide letter. They have not released any bits and pieces of it yesterday. But it looks like they might have more details and make it public later in the day. So we're waiting to hear from authorities there out of Bailey, Colorado.
Well, a suspected cop killer meets a deadly end. The suspect in yesterday's shooting of two Florida sheriff's deputies was shot and killed this morning at point blank range.
CNN's Susan Candiotti is in Lakeland, Florida, with more -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.
Police say a suspected cop killer who had a gun in one of his hands refused to put both hands into the air as ordered. And when he didn't, police shot him dead. And that's how a 22-hour manhunt ended here for the man who allegedly gunned down a Polk County sheriff's deputy. The fallen deputy's name is Matthew Williams of Lakeland, Florida, near Tampa.
Police don't yet know the identity of the dead suspect, because he used a few different aliases. They found him after an all-day, all-night manhunt. He was hiding underneath a huge fallen oak tree.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF GRADY JUDD, POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA: They were walking shoulder to shoulder through this 150 acres when they walked literally up on top of him, saw him. They announced to him, "Let us see your hands." They only saw one hand.
One of the other SWAT team members saw the firearm, and that's when the shooting occurred. We shot him numerous times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: The gun that was found on the dead suspect, police say, is a .45 caliber handgun, the same type used by the fallen deputy. Now the manhunt started when the alleged shooter was stopped for speeding in Lakeland, Florida. He took off into the woods. Police gave chase. That's when he shot and killed the police deputy, as well as his police dog and also wounded another deputy, who will recover.
Of today's shooting, the sheriff says, "God will be the judge and jury of what happened."
Back to you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Susan, can you tell me a little bit more about the deputy that lost his life, his family? I think what really hit all of us was the fact that it was the wife's birthday, as well, yesterday.
CANDIOTTI: That's one of the saddest aspects of this, yes. Matthew Williams had been with this force for about 12 years. And as you indicated when this happened yesterday, his wife's birthday.
He has three children. And a little bit later this afternoon, some family members are expected to come and meet with the news media to talk about the loss of their loved one.
PHILLIPS: We'll wait for it and bring it live. Thanks so much, Susan.
LEMON: Is Iraq in a civil war? Nearly two out of three Americans now say yes. That's up nine points from April. Twenty-nine percent of the respondents through the CNN poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation say it's not a civil war. That is the oft- repeated view of President Bush, asserted again this month.
Violence strikes a family of the new presiding judge in the trial of Saddam Hussein. Today gunmen in western Baghdad shot and killed the judge's brother-in-law. It remains unclear whether the killing is connected to the trial of Hussein for alleged genocide against Iraqi Kurds.
Twice this week, the judge expelled Hussein from the courtroom for being disruptive.
Iraq police report finding 30 bodies in Baghdad and other parts of the country. Some of the bodies showed signs of torture, the calling cards of Iraq's sectarian death squads.
Also today, Iraqi officials say an Iraqi police and army operation netted 60 suspected -- suspected insurgents north of Baghdad.
The death threat came with a bullet. But her family figured no one would harm a beloved grandmother. Well, apparently, they were wrong.
CNN's Arwa Damon has the story live for us from Baghdad -- Arwa.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Don. That's right; no one really imagined that this could ever happen. And so often we don't have the opportunity to know who these victims of the sectarian violence really are. Their families are just too frightened to speak, too frightened to have their problems made public out of fear that they, too, might be eventually targeted.
But there was one family that wanted to share their story with us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAMON (voice-over): For the family of Umm Luma, pain and anger.
OSAMA RUMANI, VICTIM'S SON (through translator): They killed my mother. I saw my mother on the street. I picked up her brains with my own hands and wrapped it. Picked up her brains.
DAMON: Umm Luma's killing left her family haunted by fear and a question many Iraqis ask, why? So far, no answers.
She was a grandmother; grew up in a middle class family; married the man she loved and lost him to illness two years ago.
ABBAS (through translator): She had a strong personality. She was a leader of us at home, but at the same time, she had a kind heart. She stood by me, stood by us.
DAMON: She had lived a simple life, raising a family of four boys and two girls. But then one day, the so-called Brigades of Death filled in her name on the dotted line. The death warrant was left at the house.
"Where will you escape, Umm Luma?" it read. "Await the rage, the slaughter and the murder. Our swords are on the necks of every traitor, agent and coward."
(on camera) The Brigades of Death, like many Sunni extremist groups, view the Shia as being conspirators with the Americans. This is actually the second threat the family received over the course of a year, but wrapped in this one was a bullet. The family fled.
But no one, least of all Umm Luma herself, thought that they would really kill a woman. So after about a week she went back home.
(voice-over) On September 16, she went to buy bread for breakfast. Her niece heard the killers call her by name.
ABBAS (through translator): He said to her, "Are you Umm Luma?"
She said, "Yes, dear, what would you like?"
The first shot hit her in the arm, and she fell to the ground. When she fell, he got out of the car and shot her four times all over her body. The killers could not have been more than 18 years old.
RUMANI (through translator): Shoot her once, shoot we are twice, break her leg, her arm, but why this? Why -- why hurt us like this? We ask you, why?
DAMON: Within minutes of the shooting, a stranger pulls up on a motorcycle, checking to make sure Umm Luma was dead and asking for her sons.
ABBAS (through translator): We are now living in extraordinary fear. If I'm home alone, I get terrified. Yesterday, for example, was really windy. The door blew open. I fainted, because I thought they had come for us.
DAMON: The niece said Umm Luma dreamed of a secure Iraq. Now the other members of her family fear they, too, may not live to see it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DAMON: And becoming a victim of sectarian violence is really what many Iraqis, especially in the capital, Baghdad, fear the most. In fact, the U.S. military says that there are now more deaths that are due to sectarian violence than are caused by insurgent attacks -- Don.
LEMON: Arwa, tell us about the investigation into this?
DAMON: Well, Don, to put it quite simply, there is no investigation.
First off, the niece said that when the incident first happened, even though her aunt was already dead, they tried to contact the police. They tried to contact emergency services. No one would respond.
Attacks like this are so common here that the police force is literally overwhelmed. They don't investigate every single incident or are unable to investigate every single incident.
And add to that the fact that the police force here has come under sharp criticism by all Iraqis, because they say that, quite often, when they dial 911, when they dial an emergency response unit, they just don't respond to them at all, Don.
LEMON: And in your story, you mentioned the Brigade of Death. I think that's -- Brigades of Death. That's who's taking responsibility for this? Who are they?
DAMON: Well, to put it quite simply, they're best described as being a gang that decided to form a death squad. They are not a known name on the street. They're not a name that causes fear in people like, say, for example al Qaeda in Iraq. Like the niece described them, they were -- she said that they looked like they were barely 18 years old.
And this just highlights the state of chaos that this country is in right now, where you have a group of young men who get together, decide to form a death squad and then end up slaughtering innocent people like what we just saw, Don. LEMON: Awful, awful situation. Thank you very much, Arwa. Nice story, though. Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: Well, the faces are haunting, the circumstances heart breaking: thousands of unwanted children in one country. Is there anything that can be done to help them? We're asking the questions next from the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: Plus he left a note, a suicide note. What drove a man to his final violent act? And why forever scar a mountain community in the process? The latest from Bailey, Colorado. We're expecting a news conference this hour. We'll bring it to you live, right here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Want to take you straight now to Bailey, Colorado after that shooting at the high school, taking the life of one student after the gunman, Duane Morrison, took the life of his own. We're going to hear more details of a suicide letter hopefully to why this man did what he did.
Let's listen in.
SHERIFF FRED WEGENER, PARK COUNTY, COLORADO: Good morning. I apologize for not getting out here sooner.
I had made some statements earlier regarding the letter from the suspect. I'm going to go into that now.
I have Steve Johnson, who's the agent in charge of this investigation. Also other members of CBI, and Park County Sheriffs Office and ATF here with me. And Jefferson County. Thank you.
The letter was handwritten. It was received via U.S. mail. The letter was postmarked September 27th, from the Shawnee Post Office.
For those that don't know, that's Shawnee.
This letter was delivered September 28th to a relative of the suspect. The relative has been cooperative in turning the letter over to law enforcement. This is not a suicide note or diary as referenced in the letter.
However, many times, the letter references suicide. This letter also clearly acknowledges his pending death. It also apologizes to his family for his actions that will occur. There is no reference in this letter to Platte Canyon High School or any other school. The only reference to early school days are of the suspect. No reference to harming anyone is mentioned in the letter. There's no reference to students' names or contacts of anyone in this Platte Canyon area.
It also appears that the letter was written over several days. And also refers to the fact he was living in a motel in the Denver metro area. At this time, I'd also hike to talk preliminary indications are that Emily was shot one time by the suspect. The .357 magnum revolver and the Glock are tied to the suspect. The AR, as of yet, which was the AR was the assault rifle found down the road, has not yet been determined who that belonged to. ATF is working hard on doing that now.
QUESTION: What kind of assault rifle was it?
WEGENER: It was an -- I don't know what type of assault rifle. I don't know the exact brand. It was an AR-15, which is -- for those of you who don't know, an AR-15 is what we call the civilian version of an M-16 out of the military. It's a single shot version of the automatic version.
Hold on. Say it again.
It doesn't tell me a lot of why, but it does maybe tell me that the conclusion of the events of the 27th may have been my worst fears, that he probably intended to kill both the young ladies and then kill himself, or have us shoot him.
Actually, no, I apologize. At 44 years old, my memory is not what it should be when it comes to reading some things, so I have to refer to some bullet statements about what was in the letter.
Steve may be able to answer some questions directly about the letter. But I don't know how much he would like to say about that.
QUESTION: Just to clarify, though, you said, this is not a suicide letter?
WEGENER: That was his reference. He's saying it is not a suicide note. However he references suicide in the letter.
QUESTION: Did he specifically say, this is not a suicide note, this is (INAUDIBLE)? Could you give us a sense of what he was trying to communicate?
STEVE JOHNSTON, INVESTIGATOR: I don't know at this point whether or not we'll be able to say what all he was trying to communicate in the letter, just due to the fact it takes a lot of different directions, some of which we're exploring right now and we're looking into. But as the sheriff told you, that this is not a suicide note, quote, unquote, that's what it is.
It is 14 pages.
It was delivered via the United States Postal Service.
Well then, as the sheriff has told you, there are other references to his suicide in there.
Yes, we were.
No, we really don't at this point. No. The letter was mailed as the sheriff told you, on the 27th, and it was found in the mailbox of the recipient on the 28th.
Yes, they did.
Well, yes, as a matter of fact, we did. The ATF, as part of this joint investigation, has been working very hard. And they were in the process, as the sheriff told you, about the guns. And running down the registered ownership of these guns. In speaking to this same relative, they were notified of the letter.
QUESTION: So they called police yesterday, the day after?
JOHNSTON: They did.
QUESTION: Did they have a chance to read this before the shooting occurred?
JOHNSTON: They have been 100 percent cooperative, and they turned the letter over to us in a sealed fashion. That's why we are reluctant to release quotes and specifics from the letter. Not only are we for the investigation digesting the information, but for his surviving relatives, we want to be able to sit down with them in the spirit of cooperation and provide them with information from the letter.
QUESTION: Would you characterize this as a suicide note, or how would you interpret this? What do you think about this?
JOHNSTON: In part, I would say this is a suicide note.
All I'll say at this point is they're just relatives of his.
I will say there's no specific time reference or date reference in the letter, and that's all I'll say.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
JOHNSTON: I don't think that I can comment on that and put that into specific, other than what the sheriff's already mentioned to you.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
JOHNSTON: No, once again, the relative received the letter, the letter was sealed. The relative has been extremely cooperative with us and turned the letter over to us in the sealed container.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
JOHNSTON: You know, I think that's very subjective. So, well, I haven't had the chance to read it completely. So it's hard to comment, really, on the tone of the letter.
QUESTION: Do you think the difficulty for SWAT officers going into a situation where you have a man with two guns, two hostages and now you know he wanted to end his life? What does that do to the officers responding?
JOHNSTON: I don't think it changes anything for them. You know, they knew they had a job and a responsibility, and as you have heard over the last couple of days, they took care of that responsibility that they had.
Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Interesting back and forth. The sheriff saying this was not a suicide note or any type of diary, but then you heard the agent in charge there say it is in part a bit of a suicide letter. We're talking about what happened there in Bailey, Colorado. The school gunman, Duane Morrison, writing this letter, sending it to a relative. And then you saw what unfolded on Wednesday, opening fire, killing a student, molesting a group of female students. He then took his own life.
Finally hearing some details about this letter. It was handwritten, it was mailed to his brother. It does reference suicide, according to the sheriff. He apologizes to his family for the acts that are about to occur. There's no reference to Platte Canyon High School or any other school, but he does talk about his days in school. He doesn't mention any student specifically, no students' names. Mentioned that he was living in a motel in Denver, Colorado.
We've also learned Emily Keyes, the student that was shot dead in that school, the one that was able to text message her family with the final words, "I love you guys," police did confirm she was killed by Duane Morrison's gun. One bullet took her life.
We'll continue to update the story as we get more information.
LEMON: And, sadly, another school shooting to tell you about. This one happening today in Wisconsin. The principal of the Weston School shot this morning several times. A 15-year-old student at that school is a suspect who's in custody. Details are still unclear as to the principal's condition.
We heard from the Weston School District superintendent just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUPT. TERRY MILFRED, WESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT: He isn't the kind of principal who sits behind a desk to run the school. He is visible throughout the school and participated in many activities. He was injured because he was trying to maintain control and protect the students and staff at Weston, all of whom are grateful and safe as a result of his efforts.
As his staff, we are praying for his recovery, and we hope that many people will join us. We are anxious for his return so that we can thank him in person.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Very emotional superintendent of schools in Weston School District, Terry Milfred, there talking about the school principal it was shot. Helping out with this was a school custodian this morning after that 15-year-old student burst into the school before classes -- that may have helped out since it was before classes -- with, we're told, a shotgun, and then had a handgun with which he shot that student -- I mean, which he shot that principal.
We're getting some reaction in now from students at Weston School.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it wasn't for Mr. Klang, we don't know how many people would be shot. So Mr. Klang...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's a hero?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we just want everybody to keep him in their prayers and their wishes until -- just to make sure he's OK. Because he is a really big part of this school. And even though sometimes we may get mad at him, he's just a really big part of this school.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You had mentioned this boy was troubled. Had anything happened in the last few days since the start of school?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had threw a stapler at a teacher. He got mad at him because he told him -- I don't know all that happened. But he got mad at him and threw a stapler at a teacher and then almost hit Mr. Klang with a chair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And was he suspended or did anything happen to him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I think he was suspended for a couple of days.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And had he been back from his suspension or do you think his...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was back, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did he seem when he came back, to you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw him last night, actually. And he seemed really happy. Like there was nothing wrong. So I mean...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think he intended to do if Mr. Klang didn't stop him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To be honest, I have no idea. I mean, I never thought Erik (ph) was capable of shooting anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Students are talking about the 15-year-old student accused of shooting the school principal there, saying that he appear troubled at times. But, again, unbelievably, you're looking at pictures from the Weston school in Wisconsin. He burst in this morning -- according to a news conference this morning, authorities in Wisconsin -- with a shotgun, stopped by a school custodian, wrestled him to the ground. But then that student did escape, made his way down the hall and then, confronted by the principal, shot the principal with a handgun. That 15-year-old student is in custody. And you just heard the latest word from authorities in Wisconsin and also from students at the Weston School -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And more now from southern California, that wildfire that's been burning out of control since Labor Day. Fred, up to $53 million fighting this fire? More than 4,500 firefighters?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a costly, costly battling of this fire. But we're talking about a month now it's been burning, since Labor Day. It's called the Day Fire. And we're talking about 160,000 acres burned, 70 miles west of Los Angeles. And you mentioned the cost of trying to fight this blaze in part because you've got 4,800 firefighters who are assigned, trying to get some kind of control of it.
is 63 percent contained right now. But it is a tough battle, in part because of these Santa Ana winds. And today it's being reported that somewhere between 15 and 25-mile-per-hour winds from the west, northwest seem to be helping to fan those flames. However, firefighters are optimistic. They believe that they just might be able to have this fully contained by Monday. But of course, I'm sure it is in part weather permitting
You're looking at aerial shots of some of the properties there. There is not a mandatory evacuation order in place right now. It is strictly voluntary. People are being asked to proceed with caution and simply pay attention to the fire fighting efforts and the winds, because the winds very much are very much playing a part in fanning the flame or helping or -- in part helping the firefighters to contain this blaze -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Fred, thanks so much.
Well, it's been more than 15 years since Romania's deplorable orphanage system shocked the world. You might think it's cleaned up its act since then.
LEMON: But you would be wrong. After an undercover report exposes a grim reality, we're asking an international adoption expert, is there any way to help these children?
Join us in the CNN NEWSROOM for more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Since the fall of communism, many former Soviet bloc countries have struggled to catch up with other European nations. One of those countries is Romania, and they just learned this week it will be allowed to join the European Union next year, a major economic and social accomplishment.
But what's good news for Romania isn't necessarily good news for its most vulnerable citizens. Now, to get into the E.U., Romania shut down the squalid orphanages that shocked the world more than 15 years ago. But the horror still exists; it just goes by a different name. Many hospitals have become dumping grounds for thousands of unwanted children, and that isn't the worst of it.
When Chris Rogers of Britain's ITV news went undercover, he found many Romanians eager to sell their children to complete strangers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS ROGERS, ITV REPORTER (voice-over): Has five children, but only one is for sale, the three-month-old in the hospital who should be under the care of her local authority. "You can take her," she says. "I haven't signed papers for fostering. She is the most beautiful of my children. You will like her. She has blue eyes like you."
(on camera): What would she expect for her child. I need to know.
(voice-over): Eva says the money she received from Americans for another daughter bought her house. "I was paid in cash," she says.
(on camera): She's telling us to name the price. She's telling us to name the price. Well, certainly there's been talk of $20,000 U.S. changing hands, but maybe we should say $10,000 U.S. for a chile.
We would be prepared to pay $10,000 U.S. for one child.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $10,000 would be OK.
ROGERS: $10,000?
(voice-over): Sold, a three-month-old baby for the price of a new car.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: That was Chris Rogers from Britain's ITV. His report hit a nerve in the CNN NEWSROOM, and with many of our viewers. We wondered what, if anything, can be done to help out.
Let's go to Gary Gamer. He joins us from Eugene, Oregon, home base for Holt International, an agency founded on the belief that every child deserves a home.
Gary, we need to state right up front that Romania's case, in that case, international adoption is not an option. Why?
GARY GAMER, HOLT INTERNATIONAL: Well, Romania shut down and slammed the door to intercountry adoption with a law that came into being in January of 2005, and that had to do with an unsavory mix of politics related to accession of Romania to the European Union and incidents like what you just saw of impropriety in adoption.
Unfortunately, this was a gross overreaction to the alternative of reforming intercountry adoption, which is what should have happened and I think what can happen in the future in Romania.
LEMON: As we're looking at these pictures -- and for many of us, and many of our viewers, these are really, really tough to look at. The last time you were there, last summer, am I correct?
GAMER: That's right.
LEMON: What did you see? Explain to us what it's like to witness this.
GAMER: You know, there are pockets of institutions in Romania, particularly those that have disabled kids, that have the kind of tragic conditions that your viewers have seen and your correspondents, but what I saw was something very different.
I walked into what was formerly an orphanage full of kids, you know, who were facing great difficulty, and the building had been transformed into a building that was filled with social workers that had been trained by Holt International to go out into the community and work with families that were in crisis.
LEMON: Gary, we're seeing this in Romania. But is this just in Romania or is this happening in a number of other countries? Are the incidences higher in Romania?
GAMER: The incidences of children who are in difficult situations in orphanages? Is that what you're asking about?
LEMON: Yes.
GAMER: Yes, there is a global crisis around the world where there are tens of millions of children that are out on the street or in orphanages or in very difficult situations who are in need of families, adoptive families, and families that need support who are in crisis. This is a big global problem.
LEMON: And although we cannot -- we can't go there and adopt a child internationally, you do say that there's some good happening there, especially with organizations like yours. Tell us about that.
GAMER: No question. You know, after the world viewed the crisis that existed in Romania after Ceausescu's fall, the European governments, the United States government, allocated resources to help reform the child welfare system in Romania.
And, of course, what we wanted to do was get those kids out of institutions because institutions are so bad for children, and alternative services were developed. And to this very day, organizations like Holt International are preventing the institutionalization of about 1,000 kids a year, and other organizations are doing this work as well.
Romania also was able to develop a foster care system. And although it needs greater support, children are now in these kinds of families as opposed to being in institutions. But there's still a lot of work that needs to happen, including getting its adoption house in order.
LEMON: All right, thank you very much, Gary Gamer, for the work that you do. As we told our viewers, you can't go over there and adopt a child legally, but here's what you can do. Holt International helps children in countries who need it around the world. And to find out how you can help through donations or maybe if you want to be a sponsor to a child, just go to the Web site. It's called holtintl.org.
And we're going to be speaking with a member of the Romanian government for a response to this. They've got one of the highest rates of pediatric AIDS in Europe. We're going to speaking to a member of the government in our next hour.
PHILLIPS: Sounds good. Also, a new book hit the headlines before it hits bookstores. Reporter Bob Woodward makes new claims about the war in Iraq. We expect it to be -- well, we expect it to be a topic at today's White House briefing. We'll bring it to you live as soon as that happens.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIE MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gabriella Amarine (ph) is having a tough time facing retirement. After raising three children and getting divorced, she entered the workforce for the first time at age 41. Today, despite savings and investments, Amarine, now 65, says she can't afford to retire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's scary to think about it because every year, the cost of living goes higher and higher. If God gives me good health, I'll keep working until I'm 80 years old.
MORRIS: Amarine is not alone. A recent retirement risk study by the Society of Actuaries finds most women will not be able to support themselves over a lifetime.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Women earn less. They spend time out of the workforce for caregiving and then the biggest issue is that they live longer.
MORRIS: Despite these obstacles, experts say women need to take an active approach to saving for retirement.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have to think about this early. Live beneath your means. Save as much as you can. You need to know what you have, which is one of the biggest mistakes, is people not knowing whether they have a retirement benefit.
I think it's never too late to start. Social Security pays you eight percent a year when you reach the full retirement age, but you don't take your benefit until age 70. So that's a great way of getting a lot more income. The most important thing is to not throw your hands up in the air and say, I can't do this.
MORRIS: Valerie Morris, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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