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Omaha: Searching for Answers; A Question of Faith: Romney on Religion, Politics; President Bush Sends Personal Note to North Korean Leader

Aired December 06, 2007 - 08:59   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.

Watch events come into the NEWSROOM live on Thursday morning. It is December 6th.

Here's what's on the rundown now.

Who was Robert Hawkins? And why did he open fire at an Omaha mall? The motive, the victims, the eyewitnesses.

HARRIS: Mitt Romney, presidential candidate and Mormon. He talks about faith this morning. The speech and extensive analysis live.

COLLINS: The government's deal with subprime lenders, does it impact your mortgage?

Rate freeze, in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: And we begin with breaking news this hour, an explosion in central Paris. A parcel bomb detonating just a short time ago, killing one person and seriously injuring another, according to the French Interior Ministry.

It happened inside a law office established by French president Nicolas Sarkozy. A Holocaust Memorial Foundation is also inside that building.

Police are searching for a possible second explosive device. Several people suffering from shock right now. Officials not saying who might be behind the bombing.

We are watching developments closely throughout the morning.

COLLINS: The hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers, then frantic screams, bursts of gunfire. A tale of horror in a shopping mall in Omaha, but it could have just as easily been your town.

CNN's John Roberts is in Omaha. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The horror started to unfold just after 1:40 p.m., when a lone gunman took up a position on the third floor balcony at the Von Maur department store inside the Westroads Mall. From his perch, the first shots rang out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounded like a nail gun.

ROBERTS: But in seconds, the initial confusion quickly turned to terror as shocked holiday shoppers realized what was happening, panicked, and ran for cover.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've seen at least four or five bodies run out underneath.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We didn't know if the guy was dead or if he was still walking around shooting.

ROBERTS: Dozens of shots, seemingly fired at random.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I looked back and then I saw the guy in the children's department. A big, tall guy, real tall, and he just stood there with his arm like this, his hand straight up in the air and shooting. And then I turned and ran.

ROBERTS: Just minutes after the first bullets rang out, police stormed the mall.

SGT. TERESA NEGRON, OMAHA POLICE: The officers arrived and they began to clear the mall, searching for a suspect.

ROBERTS: But the suspect was already dead. Police say 19-year- old Robert Hawkins took his own life with the gun he used to kill eight innocent holiday shoppers. They say he left a suicide note behind saying, "Now I'll be famous."

CHIEF ROBERT WARREN, OMAHA POLICE: The suspect was located and the weapon. An SKS assault rifle was recovered.

ROBERTS: Police say they have no clear motive yet for killings that defy explanation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're in such shock. It's hard to think, and I just kept hoping God would spare us, because that's...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Boy. It feels like it could just really be any one of us.

John Roberts is outside the mall where the shootings happened.

John, tell us a little bit about the mood there today in Omaha. It's only been, you know, basically a few hours, but I wonder how people are doing. ROBERTS: Well, you can really imagine what people are going through this morning as they try to make sense of what happened to them inside this mall yesterday. People like Jennifer Kramer, who was there with her mother, hid in one of those round racks of pants in the men's store, fearing that the gunman was going to come looking for them. She said she didn't want to hide in the change rooms, the fitting rooms, like so many other people were, because she thought that would be a perfect place for him to go hunting for other victims.

And Chuck Wright, who worked in the men's store here at Von Maur, really put it well when he said it really hasn't hit home for him yet. He really hasn't begun to understand what happened. There are moments when the emotion starts to break through and he finds himself close to tears, if not actually going over the edge and shedding a tear.

And we were talking about that this morning, and he said that he figures that over the next few days, it's really going to sink in what happened. That is when he is going to try to come to grips with it. Right now I think he sort of illustrates the way that a lot of people are feeling, very numb. They still can't quite make sense of it, first of all, and they can't quite understand what happened to them yet, but definitely over the next few days that will start to sink in.

COLLINS: Yes. Which, obviously, that's going to be just as tough, when you finally start to realize how close some people may have come to death.

John Roberts reporting live for us from Omaha, Nebraska.

Thanks, John.

HARRIS: So, the question of the day, who was Robert Hawkins? The answers may raise even more questions.

CNN's Ed Lavandera with a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Just a few hours before the shooting rampage at the Omaha mall, Debora Kovac found a note from Robert Hawkins. It would turn out to be a suicide note.

DEBORA MARUCA KOVAC, HAWKIN'S LANDLORD: It basically just said how sorry he was for everything. He didn't want to be a burden to people. And he was a piece of (EXPLETIVE DELETED) all his life and now he will be famous.

LAVANDERA: Hawkins had moved in with Kovak's family a year and a half ago. She says he felt mistreated and rejected by everyone.

KOVAC: It seemed like his whole life he was kind of like a pound puppy that nobody wanted.

LAVANDERA: Kovac says Hawkins had a tense relationship with his family, that he had been in and out of foster homes, and had a history of fighting depression. But Kovac said he stopped taking depression medications because it made him feel weird.

KOVAC: When he first came and lived with us he was in the fetal position and chewed his fingernails all the time, and was unemployed and hopeless. After a while, he got a job and came out of that.

LAVANDERA: Kovac says she thought Hawkins was doing better. A few months ago, he started working at a McDonald's, but on Wednesday, he was fired from that job.

KOVAC: It might have been the straw that broke the camel's back, because he just couldn't take much more rejection and defeat.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Ed Lavandera joins us this morning.

Ed, in your report, you mention that Hawkins was getting some treatment for depression. Had there been any indication he had access to guns before this incident?

LAVANDERA: Well, Ms. Kovac had told us that he had been suffering from depression, had been on medications but had come off that. As far as the access to the guns, it's hard to say.

And, you know, Ms. Kovac had a few thoughts, didn't sound incredibly certain about where exactly the gun had come from, although she apparently had told The Associated Press last night as well that he had -- she had seen him with this rifle but didn't think much of it because it looked so old. She didn't think it could actually work.

But in the video that we saw overnight, authorities that were here at the house, this is where the Kovacs lived and where Robert Hawkins had been spending the last year and a half of his life. And also, authorities had searched his mother's home, that some rifles were taken away, confiscated from -- in those searches.

So it is possible that he had -- might have had some access, but I'm sure that's something the authorities will try to nail down more specifically at this point today.

HARRIS: Sure.

CNN's Ed Lavandera for us from Omaha, Nebraska.

Ed, appreciate it. Thank you.

COLLINS: Mass panic, screams of terror. Here is what witnesses describe inside the mall.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER KRAMER, WITNESS: I was stepping off the escalator and I heard loud booms. And she turned around and walked towards the escalator. And I grabbed her and we started running to the back. I don't think anybody believed it was gunshots. SHAWN VIDLAK, WITNESS: We were in the center part of the mall, and with all of the construction going off, it sounded like nail guns and whatnot going off. But then people just started running frantically saying there has been a shooting in there. And I gathered my wife and kids and got out as soon as possible.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you see anybody running from anywhere?

VIDLAK: I didn't see any body -- I had just seen all of the people running from the Von Maur area.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Describe that scene.

VIDLAK: You know, it was pretty confusing, because you never think it would happen around here.

CHUCK WRIGHT, WITNESS: A lot of people started running away and trying to find somewhere to hide. One of the people I worked with was standing by the atrium later -- in a few minutes -- and a gentleman she was speaking with, he was the person that was killed on the second floor.

She actually saw the shooter reach over the top of the third floor and aim the gun at the guy and shoot him. And she saw him get killed, and he was shot in the head.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Before killing himself, Robert Hawkins shot a dozen people. Eight people died. Five were women, four men. Four other people were shot. One shopper was injured as he scrambled for a safe place to hide. At least two of the shooting victims are in critical condition this morning.

The hospital has scheduled a news conference this morning. It's due to get under way at 10:30 Eastern Time. And you can see it live on our Web site. Just go to CNN.com.

COLLINS: Mitt Romney, religion and the race for the White House. The Republican presidential candidate speaking out on faith and politics coming up next hour.

Dana Bash, part of the best political team on television, is joining us now live from College Station, Texas.

Hey there, Dana. What do we expect to hear from Mitt Romney today?

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What we expect, Heidi, is Mitt Romney having an attempt here to really explain, especially to skeptical voters, those who are unsure about electing a Mormon president, who he is and what makes him tick. But it's interesting -- do not expect him talk about how he prays.

This is something that has been debated for quite sometime inside the Romney campaign, outside the Romney campaign -- should he give this big kind of faith speech or shouldn't he. But it was decided that it is the right time for him politically for a whole host of reasons to give this major address on how he feels about faith in America.

But he is also pretty clear in this speech that he does not intend to sort of uncloak the mysteries of Mormonism. In fact, I'll read you an excerpt from the speech we will hear later this morning.

He will say, "There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith."

So what we are going to see later this morning, Heidi, is Mitt Romney try to really reach out to voters of all faiths, explain that he is really one of them when it comes to his faith, when it comes to his values, his relationship with family. But he is also going to try to really reach out to those critical evangelical voters who really are skeptical of him, and it matters really a lot in states like Iowa and South Carolina politically.

What he is going to say is that there should be a role for religion, for God in the public square, but he is also going to evoke a line from that famous John F. Kennedy speech on religion back in 1960. He's going to say if he puts his hand on the bible and takes the oath of the office, that oath will be to the office and not to God -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Understood. But I'm a little fuse confused, because I believe when the announcement came out that Mitt Romney was going to do this speech, it was sort of in response to a number of people who really didn't have an understanding of just the basics of what Mormonism is.

And I have looked at the excerpts. Again, to be clear, we haven't seen the whole speech yet. It doesn't really -- it doesn't really do that. Not saying that he should be a spokesman for the religion, but just some basic understanding.

BASH: That's right. He -- you know, again, we haven't seen the whole speech yet, but certainly from what they have told us, from what his advisers have told us, this isn't going to be a Mormonism 101 speech. He's not going to get into "The Book of Mormon" and how it is or isn't different from the New Testament, the Old Testament, et cetera.

What he is going to try to do is basically make this a very personal speech, try to reach out to voters and convince them that he is somebody that they can connect with. You're right, there is a lot of skepticism.

I was just in Iowa at an event for Mike Huckabee. There was a self-described evangelical voter who I was talking to who said he would have liked to have voted for Mitt Romney, but he is going to vote for Mike Huckabee. Why? Because he says he just is too skeptical of the whole Mormon religion.

But what Mitt Romney is going to give is not give a tutorial on his religion. What he's really going to try to do is sort of give a big picture, a personal speech, really try to convince voters now, like three weeks out from the Iowa votes, just what he stands for. But it's not going to be an explicit explanation of Mormonism.

COLLINS: Understood. All right. We will be watching, of course, live right here.

Dana Bash, thank you.

BASH: Thank you.

HARRIS: Politics and religion. How much could Mitt Romney's faith impact him at the polls? Here is CNN's senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, part of the best political team on television.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): How big a problem is Mitt Romney's Mormonism? In a Pew poll taken in August, a quarter of Americans said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for president who is a Mormon. That's less than the number who say they would not vote for an atheist or a Muslim. No atheist or Muslim is running.

We do have an evangelical Christian, a Hispanic, a woman, an African-American, and five Catholics. The number of people who say they would not vote for a candidate in any one of those categories is lower than the 25 percent who say they would not vote for a Mormon.

The problem appears to be specifically religious. Those who have the biggest problem supporting a Mormon are churchgoing and evangelical Christians, particularly those who believe that Mormonism is not a Christian religion. That's just over 40 percent of Americans.

Romney understands that he faces a different problem from the one John F. Kennedy faced running as a Catholic in 1960.

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not going to be giving a JFK speech. He gave the definitive speech on -- if you will, on discrimination relating it a political campaign.

SCHNEIDER: Romney is a person of faith who will be addressing other Americans of faith, a different faith. He will defend the importance of faith in politics and stress the commonality of values across faiths.

ROMNEY: I think Americans want a person of faith to lead the country. I don't think that they care about the particular brand of faith, so much as to whether we share values.

SCHNEIDER (on camera): Romney says he will not talk about Mormon doctrine, which is a source of division, but about Mormon values, which he says is completely consistent with America's Judeo-Christian heritage.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And we will bring you Mitt Romney's speech, "Faith in America," live in the NEWSROOM next hour, 10:30 Eastern. That is 7:30 a.m. Pacific.

COLLINS: Want to get directly to the White House now. We have some information coming in here to CNN. Our Kathleen Koch is standing by to tell us a little bit more about it.

Apparently, Kathleen, President Bush has sent a letter to the North Korean leader. What is this letter all about?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, basically what this is is President Bush trying to push forward this effort to get North Korea to completely declare and dismantle its nuclear program. This was confirmed that the letter went out not only to Kim Jong-il, but to all leaders involved in the six-party talks. And this was confirmed by National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

In an e-mail that I received from him not long ago, Johndroe said, "In these letters, the president reiterated our commitment to the six-party talks and stressed the need for North Korea to come forward with a full and complete declaration of their nuclear programs as called for in the September 2005 six-party agreement."

Now, there has been some concern recently that the North Koreans were not fully cooperating. It had disabled its reactor, it was to shut down in July, as were two other North Korean facilities. That, under the watch of U.S. experts. But it was only last week that U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill said negotiations on producing a draft declaration of its full programs, where they were, where they are now, and how they're being dismantled, that that agreement had stalled.

According apparently, also, to the South Koreans, one of the problems is, though the North Koreans said we would fully dismantle everything by December, by this month, there are some 8,000 spent (ph) fuel rods in the reactor, and it's just going to take longer than they expected to remove them. But, again, President Bush sending these letters out to the North Koreans, everyone in the six-party talks, really, trying to move the ball forward -- Heidi.

COLLINS: OK. CNN's Kathleen Koch reporting live from the White House this morning.

Kathleen, thank you.

HARRIS: And still to come, the teenager who unleashed terror at an Omaha mall. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has new information about the shooter and his victims in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: We are learning more about the Omaha mall shooter this morning. There are reports Robert Hawkins was taking antidepressants but went off his medication.

Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has that, plus new information about some of the victims.

Hi there, Sanjay.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey. Good morning.

You know, we've been calling some of the hospitals in that area trying to find out what happened to some of those critically injured patients. We know about a man named Fred Wilson, for example, 61 years old, was shot in the chest, was in the operating room for six hours yesterday, is obviously still in critical condition today.

Another woman at Creighton Medical Center whose name is not being released, but in critical condition as well. Another man who was actually shot in the arm, Jeff Schaffart (ph), he was shot in the arm and subsequently released.

There's also lots of people, Heidi, who had just, in the scuffle, in the sort of rampage getting out of there, injured themselves, who have also been released from the hospital. But obviously some critically wounded people.

We are hearing some of those same reports that you heard about the antidepressants as well.

COLLINS: Right.

GUPTA: Hard to confirm right now, but some of the same things.

COLLINS: Yes. And when we talk about that, obviously, even aside from this case, he's not the only person, if, in fact, he was on antidepressants, that is taking that type of pretty high-powered medication.

What should parents know about this if they have a child who is taking these drugs?

GUPTA: Well, it's interesting. We reported, you know, not that long ago on your show...

COLLINS: I remember.

GUPTA: ... basically about this black box warning, specifically for teenagers who are taking antidepressants. And what they said was there is a small, but real, chance of an increase of suicidal thoughts and suicidal behavior when you start these medications, when you change the dose, and certainly when you stop them as well.

I think the message here for parents and for patients alike, really, is that you've got to be monitored. I mean, you think you give the medication and depression is cured. And it's not, obviously. It can change.

And what happens is people get just enough energy level or increase to actually carry out some of those suicidal thoughts, and they haven't had their depression actually treated adequately yet. That's what seems to happen, at least in those early stages. Not commonly. It's a rare thing, but they've got to be monitored.

COLLINS: Yes. And then to go on this next step of murder as well.

GUPTA: Right.

COLLINS: Wow.

GUPTA: Exactly.

COLLINS: Terrifying.

All right. So, again, we have not confirmed whether or not he was taking antidepressants, but certainly something to remind us all to watch for some of these signs.

GUPTA: Yes. We'll keep an update on those patients as well.

COLLINS: Excellent. Very good.

Thank you, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Thank you.

HARRIS: Afraid of losing your home? A new deal to rescue people facing foreclosure, but do you qualify for help?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: We're going to be bringing you Mitt Romney's speech, "Faith in America," live right here in the NEWSROOM. It will come your way next hour beginning at 10:30 Eastern, 7:30 Pacific.

HARRIS: Let's get to Ali Velshi now. A deal to rescue some homeowners facing foreclosure.

Here he is. Ali Velshi "Minding Your Business" this morning.

So, Ali, how many Americans can we expect to get anything out of this government plan? I guess it's to freeze mortgage rates?

ALI VELSHI, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's to freeze mortgage rates. We're going to hear an announcement on this from the president, from the Treasury secretary this afternoon. Here is what we know so far.

By one estimate, we're looking at about 12 percent of those people have subprime mortgages. So, about 240,000 people. Let me tell you who qualifies, first of all.

HARRIS: Oh, great. Great.

VELSHI: People who have an income and live in their homes. So this isn't for rental or investment properties. People who are currently able to make their payment on time, and people who would default on their mortgage if their interest rate went up. So, if you have an adjustable mortgage that's going to reset.

Now, this is where your mortgage has to fall. It has to have been taken between January 1, 2005 and July 31st of this year. That's when you had to take your mortgage. And the rates have to reset between January 1st of 2008 and July 31st of 2010. So, anybody who has already had a reset isn't going to qualify.

These are the people who also won't qualify...

HARRIS: Yes.

VELSHI: ... anyone who has missed a payment, anyone who can't afford the mortgage rate increase, anybody who doesn't have an income, and anybody who owns a home that is worth less than the mortgage.

So, you can see, Tony, it's a big swathe of people who don't get covered by this.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes. I can't imagine that the banks are crazy about this, Ali.

VELSHI: Well, the banks are not loving it. They seem to have been cajoled into this by the White House.

I mean, the one thing on the banks' side that's not a bad idea is that foreclosed homes are not -- banks are not in the business of owning homes. And so when they are stuck with a lot of homes, that is not really good for them either.

HARRIS: Yes.

VELSHI: So maybe it's better for them to get some interest than all of the interest that they would have gotten.

HARRIS: Right.

VELSHI: But fundamentally, the banks have -- this has been going on for a year, Tony. You haven't seen the banks rushing to make these kind of deals with people.

HARRIS: Isn't that the truth.

All right. And this announcement 1:40 p.m. this afternoon Eastern Time.

VELSHI: Yes. And I'll be here with you guys for it.

HARRIS: OK, Ali. Appreciate it. Thank you. VELSHI: OK. See you, Tony.

HARRIS: And welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Tony Harris.

COLLINS: Hi there, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.

An explosion in central Paris just a short time ago. A parcel bomb killing one person and seriously injuring another. That's according to the French Interior Ministry.

The device came in the mail to a building that contains several law offices, including the former firm of French president Nicolas Sarkozy. The Holocaust Memorial Foundation office also inside the building. The person killed reportedly was a female secretary for one of the law firms. The target of the blast still unclear.

HARRIS: Well, he says it's about moral convictions, not his Mormon beliefs. Mitt Romney speaking out this morning on religion and politics. The Republican presidential candidate has tried to ease concerns among Christian conservatives about his religion.

Romney hopes to become the country's first Mormon president, but he says he shouldn't have to explain his faith. In an excerpt from his speech, Romney says, "No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes president, he will need the prayers of all the people of all faiths."

We will bring you Mitt Romney's speech, "Faith in America," live in the NEWSROOM next hour, 10:30 Eastern, 7:30 Pacific.

COLLINS: The Church of the Latter-day Saints a mystery to many people. What do Mormons believe?

Our Kyra Phillips with a "Fact Check."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): It all started in the early 1830s in Upstate New York. That is when, according to church history, an uneducated, self-proclaimed prophet named Joseph Smith said he received visions from God to establish what is formally known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Smith claimed he found gold plates containing records of ancient people who had encountered Jesus. He translated it into English and published it as "The Book of Mormon."

Mormons believe "The Book of Mormon" is the word of God, while the bible is "the word of God as far as it is translated correctly." Smith also said God told him that church members should have more than one wife. The faith drew thousands of followers and irate critics. Smith was killed by a mob in 1844.

Facing growing persecution for their unorthodox beliefs, Mormon, led by Brigham Young, headed west, eventually setting up a church headquarters in Salt Lake City. Near the turn of the century, a church president declared that members must stop the practice of polygamy. That happened around the time the federal government demanded the territory of Utah and its endorsement of polygamy as a condition of statehood.

Another church practice that drew sharp criticism for years, the banning of African-Americans from the priesthood open to all Mormon men. The ban was lifted in 1978, but not before numerous protests and boycotts against sports teams at the Mormon owned and operated Brigham Young University.Mormons have also drawn fire from critics to their opposition to abortion and gays and lesbians. Despite its controversial past, the Mormon Church continues to grow especially abroad. Today, there are nearly 13 million Mormons worldwide and about 6 million in the U.S.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You know, NASA was to launch the space shuttle "Atlantis" later today. But there maybe a bit of a problem. John Zarrella is following the story for us. John, good to see you, good morning.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Tony, that's right. You know, things, Tony, had been going so well on this countdown. The weather is absolutely perfect here. There were no issues with the shuttle "Atlantis" getting ready to launch on an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. Well, guess what, they started tanking at about 7:00 this morning. That is filling this giant external tank here with the 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. And what's happen is, they have four sensors called Eco Sensors in here and those are engine cutoff sensors.

Well, two of those four sensors have failed. So right now, NASA is in the process of determining exactly what the issue is. Now, they cannot launch. It is a violation of launch commit criteria to launch with less than three of four sensors. The two sensors that failed are down in here in the hydrogen portion of the tank. Again, you know, they put hydrogen and oxygen, they mix it and that is what powers the main engine. Possibility that it could be something in a box outside of the tank that's causing the problem. But right now, they are troubleshooting this issue, Tony, and we expect to know very, very shortly whether they are going to be able to proceed with launch today or whether they will have to scrub for the day. It's a pretty big issue. You cannot launch with two of the four -- with any -- with less than three of the four sensors working.

Tony?

HARRIS: Hey, John, when you know, let us know. Appreciate it. John Zarrella for us.

And still to come in the NEWSROOM, startled shoppers find terror at the mall.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He just stood there with his arm like this and his hand straight up in the air and shooting. And then I turned and ran.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: The Omaha shooting. What led a young man to mass murder?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We want to quickly get you to these pictures that we are getting in from our affiliate in WTLV in Jacksonville, Florida. You are looking at what is left over of a parking garage collapse. Now, the parking garage was under construction but obviously a major problem there with something in the construction. We are now also learning that apparently one person is missing and 13 others have been injured in all of this.

We know that those 13 people were taken to nearby hospitals. Apparently, none life-threatening injuries. In fact, as of right now, two people in serious condition, two in good, and the nine remaining have minor injuries. This is all according to our local affiliates there on the ground in Jacksonville, Florida. But again, the new information here now that we are getting is that one person is unaccounted for so we will continue to follow this story as rescue crews continue to search for him. The only information I have is that he is a 21-year-old man from Jacksonville. So that is what they are working on diligently right now in Jacksonville, Florida.

HARRIS: And let's take you to the New York Stock Exchange. The opening bell just moments ago. So let's get the business day started. The Dow opens today at 13,444 after a big day yesterday. The Dow component stocks picking up 196 points and were off and running. And the Dow was down almost four points. So, just down a point, almost two in early trading. President Bush is going to announce, as you know, a plan to help troubled homeowners later this afternoon. You can watch it here in the NEWSROOM, beginning at 1:40 eastern time. Again, right here in the NEWSROOM.

One hour from now, we should learn more about the shooting mall massacre in the heartland. Police in Omaha, Nebraska say 19-year-old Robert Hawkins shot and killed eight people before killing himself. Five people were also hurt. Two of them are in critical condition this morning. Hawkins was described as troubled and depressed from recent problems, a split with his girlfriend and losing his job at McDonald's. One friend says, it's hard to believe that Hawkins was capable of this carnage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAWN SAUNDERS, FRIEND OF ROBERT HAWKINS: That's why I was so shocked when I heard about it. Like, he's a good guy, you know, a lot like me and I just never thought he'd do something like that. He was the one guy, you know, if people would be getting into a fight, he'd be the one to try to break it up. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Saunders says his friend had been on antidepressants the last couple of months.

COLLINS: As terror broke out in a Nebraska mall, our I-reporters were there capturing some of the images. Veronica De La Cruz tracking what else she found online. Good morning, Veronica.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Heidi. We've gotten lots of I-reports. Also more information on the shooter. We've been monitoring our affiliate KATV website and found an e-mail from someone who claims to have known Robert Hawkins. It reads, "I went to school for seven years with Hawkins. And he seemed to be a suicidal kid. During school, he would talk about killing or something along those lines." Kind of a different account from what we just heard from Shawn Saunders, his friend there.

Also, at KATV's website, I-witness accounts some images that capture the fear. Some pictures you probably haven't seen before. These witnesses described the popping sounds, then seeing bodies and blood. Another explains how she was taken into a holding room in an old navy store while the mall was locked down.

One of our eye reporters shot this video while she and others were being escorted out of the mall down the elevator. Here, Heidi, you can see police with their guns drawn at every corner and now, at least, 10 (INAUDIBLE) groups had popped up for the victims of the shooting. Taking a look at one of them. This one is called "In Memory Von Maur Shooting; Want for a safer Omaha." You know, when I first came across this page last night, there were about 50 members. At last check, there were about 289.

Most of the comments are reading the same. Here is one that says, "This is Omaha's 911. We thought of our town as a peaceful town in which nothing like this ever can happen." A lot of the discussion also around how to end violence of this nature. There is also information on a prayer service being held tonight. But like I mentioned, Heidi, a lot on the Internet, a lot of the blogs and those Facebook pages, they keep popping up. We're going to continue to monitor the web and see what else we come across, Heidi.

COLLINS: OK, very good. Let us know what you come across there. Thanks so much, Veronica. And just a quick reminder, you can also see Veronica every morning on AMERICAN MORNING 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. eastern.

Meanwhile, the hospital has scheduled a news conference this morning and soon to get under way at 10:30 eastern. You of course, can see it live. You can find out on our website cnn.com.

HARRIS: The work of a Mormon missionary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Mitt Romney was often on top. Handing out more books of Mormon than anyone else. Knocking on more doors. Getting more invitations to sit and chat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Gary Tuchman with a look at Mitt Romney's time as a missionary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

This is CNN. The most trusted name in news. Now, back to the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Is he done?

HARRIS: Yes, yes.

COLLINS: Well, we have some weather to talk about today. Rob Marciano was standing by now, in the weather center on almost every one of our live shots that we have seen across the country this morning. It seems like there is snow falling no matter where you look.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: They are the best of the best, proving that one person can make a difference. We are honoring them tonight on "CNN Heroes" and an all-star tribute. CNN's Alina Cho is here with a preview. Alina, we have heard some amazing stories over the last few months of people helping others. And tonight's celebration, let's face it, this really should be something special.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. It is going to be something very special. Tony, good morning to you. A really exciting night for CNN. For the very first time, we're going to be honoring CNN heroes. And really, the best way to describe it, is that these are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. People who are really rarely, if ever, in the spotlight, but, tonight, we're going to be highlighting their achievements. Whether it's building schools in Uganda, educating girls in Kenya or doing something right here in our very own backyard. These stories are really extraordinary.

Now, we're here at New York's Museum of natural history. Really, a spectacular backdrop for the evening's event. We have an all-star lineup. Our Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour will be hosting, performers and presenters include Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow and Norah Jones and Glenn Close. You can watch it all here on CNN starting at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. Now, if you're wondering how we got to this place, basically, over the course of the year, we've have asked you, the viewer, to go online to cnn.com and nominate people that you thought would be worthy of this award and the response was really overwhelming.

More than 7,000 nominations from 93 countries. We've got six categories. Everything from defending the planet to young wonder, where CNN will honor somebody who is under 18 years old for their extraordinary achievement. We'll also have a Viewers Choice Award and an Every Day Super Heroes Award, Tony, where we will be talking about somebody who carried out a spontaneous act of courage. So, really an exciting night for CNN. It all get started at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. I'm going to be here tonight as well back stage starting at 8:30 p.m. I'll be talking to the stars and the heroes and you can see that on cnn.com tonight.

HARRIS: I got to tell you something. I helped judge that Young Wonders Category and these young people, they will just blow you away tonight. Their commitment and well dedication. I can't wait to see the show tonight. It should be something special. Alina, good to see you. Thank you.

CHO: You bet.

HARRIS: And again, let us remind you, make your plans now to watch "CNN Heroes," an all star tribute. It is tonight at 9:00 eastern hosted by Christiane Amanpour and Anderson Cooper. If you would like to meet the 18 finalists up for this "CNN Heroes" grand prize, just logon to cnn.com/heroes and you can catch all the behind the scenes action as Alina just mentioned. Surrounding tonight's big event at cnn.com live. See the stars arrive on the red carpet, beginning at 7:00. Then, at 9:00 during the gala, go back stage with the stars and winners for exclusive interviews. All that streaming live at cnn.com.

COLLINS: Questions of faith. Mitt Romney speaks out on religion but don't expect him to explain his Mormon beliefs.

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HARRIS: Once again, another reminder that we will bring you Mitt Romney's speech "Faith in America" live in the NEWSROOM next hour 10:30 eastern, 7:30 pacific.

COLLINS: It's a technique or practice that can help you focus. CNN medical correspondent Judy Fortin has more on the benefits of meditation in your 30s, 40s, and 50s.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUDY FORTIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You may think meditation is just for monks but Dr. Charles Raison says don't discount it so quickly. The health benefits of some focus relaxation can be great.

DR. CHARLES RAISON, EMORY UNIVERSITY: Meditation can be very useful as across a life span.

FORTIN: So, how can you harness the power of Zen? Let's start with your 30s.

RAISON: One of the things that meditation is likely to especially useful for in a person's 30s is helping cope with mild to moderate depression.

FORTIN: During meditation, a person controls their thoughts and emotions. Scientists theorize it's this focus that changes the body's fight or flight response, causing the heart and breathing rates to slow. This may help lower blood pressure, relax tense muscles and can help restore normal sleep routine after having children. In your 40s, a little Zen might go a long way.

RAISON: People that practice meditation can reduce ways that their bodies respond to stress. So, actually working to prevent things like cardiac disease and diabetes through meditation in ones 40s, were very, I think a very good way of thinking about what meditation may do for people at that age.

FORTIN: Edging into your 50s? Stress, high blood pressure and heart disease are just a few things on your plate that meditation may help with and for women, it may even soften the blow of menopause.

RAISON: Meditation might be helpful for handling physical and emotional changes that go along with menopause.

FORTIN: It doesn't stop there. Possibly the world's most famous meditator, the Dalai Lama, says he is doing it well into his 70s.

DALAI LAMA, PRACTICE MEDITATION: I usually get up 3:30 morning. Then meditation starts. Then some yoga exercise.

FORTIN: He makes a good point. Try a little yoga, along with your meditation, to get added punch from the benefits. Judy Fortin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Mitt Romney asking voters to have a little faith. His speech on religion shortly. Earlier, Romney reached out to skeptical evangelical Christians. Here's CNN's chief national correspondent John King, part of "The Best Political Team on Television."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is invitation only. No media allowed. Mitt Romney's guests, students, faculty and alumnae of the ultra-conservative Bob Jones University, southern Baptists and other evangelicals, some of whom consider Mormonism a cult and not a religion. Romney is a Mormon who needs their vote.

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: "I get good support for evangelical Christian leadership around the country, you know, despite any difference in religion."

KING: An audio recording of the event was obtained by CNN producer Peter Hamby from an invited guest who asked not to be identified and provides a rare glimpse at Romney's determined effort to overcome skepticism in the Evangelical Community.

RICK BELTRAM, SPARTANBURG, CO, S.C. GOP: I would say that if we didn't have the Mormon issue, that he would be the clear front-runner and almost the race would almost be over. KING: And asked about religion at the closed door luncheon, Romney touts endorsement by Bob Jones III, a prominent evangelical leader of the state.

ROMNEY: "We don't talk about doctrine of churches, all right, because he says, "look your church is wrong and I say fine. We all have different viewpoints on religion."

KING: He also quotes prominent southern Baptist leader Dr. Richard Land.

ROMNEY: Who said we're not electing a pastor in chief and so, I appreciate that support and you just remember that when you go to vote. I am king (Laughter).

KING: Bob Jones' dean Robert Taylor urged the group to lobby other evangelicals worried Romney is a Mormon.

ROBERT TAYLOR, DEAN, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, BOB JONES UNIVERSITY: You can probably be the encouragement to that neighbor or other church member that's a little concerned."

KING: As he does in public, Romney stresses what he calls shared values, things like opposition to abortion and same sex marriage. The luncheon in Greenville was the latest in a series of Romney private sessions with southern Baptist and other evangelical leaders worried about backing the Mormon.

JOE MACK, SOUTH CAROLINA BAPTIST CONVENTION: Theologically, they are not on the same pages, its Baptist but in the value issues, I think, very mostly, he maybe right there where we are on those issues that are important to us.

KING: There is no doubt, Romney, is making the in routes but also no doubt some can't be persuaded. The luncheon participants who provided the recording to CNN, says he is upset some evangelical leaders are backing Romney though he says his opposition stems from Romney's one time support of abortion rights, not his Mormon faith. John King, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Good morning, once again, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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