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Deadly Georgia Fire Claims 6; Missouri Shooter Left Suicide Note, Police Say; Democratic Battle Brewing Over Florida, Michigan

Aired February 08, 2008 - 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: A city council meeting in the heartland, a college classroom on the bayou, a sugar plant in the Deep South. Two of those are the scenes of deadly violence, the third, a violent and deadly explosion. We're tracking all three in the CNN NEWSROOM right now.
Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the world headquarters here in Atlanta. Don Lemon is at the refinery blast near Savannah. He'll join us just seconds from now.

Well, just a short time ago we got some pretty awful news from firefighters digging through the smoldering remains of the Imperial Sugar plant in Port Wentworth, Georgia.

Don, what's the latest?

DON LEMON, CO-HOST: Very sad news. Six people, we have learned just a short time ago, Kyra, have died in all of this so far, and possibly more. The fire commissioner of Georgia tells us that they found six bodies, many of them -- three of them were found in a tunnel, and then three others also in a lower portion of the building. He said to me apparently they were trying to seek shelter in that lower portion of the building.

I want to talk to you real quick, though. The newest information that we have, of course, the families are being housed behind us. And we have some video of the families there, many of them talking on cell phones. Just -- they've been hanging around all evening and showing up even earlier today, awaiting word on their loved ones.

When they come in, police usher them right into the church, right into a place, a sort of sanctuary that they have set up for them. And then, when they come out, we try to talk to them, and the police try to shoo us off from talking to them.

But I got a chance to speak to a family just a very short time ago about what they want -- I told them that the nation was wondering how they were doing and what they wanted the people in America to know about how their families are doing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: How's everybody today?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As well as about to be expected.

LEMON: What are they telling you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd rather not discuss that right now.

LEMON: The whole nation is watching, wondering how you all are doing. What do you want the nation to know about how the families are doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That God has a way of waking people up. That's all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And we interviewed some people last night when we got on the scene about 1 a.m., also, Kyra. And you know, it was sad. They said that they hadn't heard from their loved ones at this point. At that point, it was just six people unaccounted for.

One woman we spoke to, her 56-year-old dad was in the plant, working very closely to where they believe that that fire started. They believe it started in a room where the men were packing sugar.

Seven p.m. last night, the explosion so intense that one person who was on the scene here said it was six or seven times higher than the tallest tree here in Savannah, Georgia.

One of those people, that was a lieutenant for the Port Wentworth Police Department. He and his wife just happened to be across the street at city hall when this explosion happened, talking about emergency and safety issues when it happened. They ran right into the plant to help. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was like going straight into hell. The fire, and the men coming out, and they were burned so badly. And the only thing they wanted to know was "Where's my friend?" It was just amazing people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Just unbelievable stories coming out of here. And you know, this sounds pretty awful to say, but I think you have to say just to know how intense this blaze was, this explosion was. She said that she -- you know, being someone who teaches safety and teaches -- teaches people how to rescue other people, she said that people had skin hanging from their body and that they were bleeding.

Here's the very latest that we have from officials here. Six bodies, of course, found, possibly more; 62 people, at least, injured, some of them critically; 17 people, Kyra, with burns to more than 30 percent of their bodies; 8 people with burns to more than 60 percent of their bodies. And of course, some people with burns so intense they had to be helicoptered to one of the best burn units in the state.

PHILLIPS: We will follow the investigation. Don Lemon there outside of Savannah. Thanks so much.

Now to Baton Rouge, where police say that two college students are dead, shot by a young woman who then killed herself. Both victims are female, their identities not yet released.

It happened about 8:30 this morning inside a classroom at Louis Technical College. The shooter's name, or whether she was also a student, is unknown. We're going to update you as soon as we learn more.

And in a small town in Missouri, a deadly assault on city hall. At last report, the mayor of Kirkwood was in serious condition while the town mourned the death of five city officials, including two police officers. The gunman reportedly left a suicide note and was also shot dead.

With the latest for us now live, Jim Acosta -- Jim.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

His name is Charles Lee Thornton. He is the man considered to be, by witnesses, the shooter behind one of the worst acts of violence in recent memory here in Missouri.

While police have not officially named their suspect in what happened here last night, people at this city council meeting yesterday evening know Thornton all too well. Thornton appeared regularly at these city council meetings to protest what he considered to be harassment by local officials.

And Thornton's brother has told CNN that the man known to relatives and friends as "Cookie," quote, "went to war with this town last night."

Investigators say the gunman shot his way inside the city council chambers, killing five people, including two police officers, two city council members and one public works director. It all ended when Kirkwood police finally took him down.

Gerald Thornton, talking about his brother, said he had serious grievances with town officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERALD THORNTON, BROTHER OF GUNMAN: My brother went to war tonight with the people that were -- the government that was putting torment and strife into his life. And he had spoke on it as best he could in the courts, and they denied him all access to the rights of protection. And therefore, he took it upon himself to go to war and end the issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Now as for that long-running beef that Thornton had with local officials here in Kirkwood, it apparently had something to do with his asphalt and paving business. He was repeatedly getting tickets and fines for not having the proper permits for that business.

Thornton tried to air his grievances at city council meetings during the public comment period at those meetings. But eventually, city officials here started blocking those appearances, saying Thornton was basically just ranting at city leaders.

Thornton, by the way, then took that matter to federal court, claiming that his free speech rights were being violated, but a federal judge sided with town officials.

And, as for the mayor of this town, as you mentioned, Kyra, he is listed in serious condition. A local reporter, who was also hit and wounded during what happened here last night, is also recovering but is expected to survive.

And, just -- just as an aside, I should say that I was just overhearing some people talk about what happened last night before coming to the scene here. And you could hear people in this town talking about it. I was in a store just a little while ago, and people -- I overheard saying that they still feel like they live in a decent community, despite what happened here. So people are obviously very shaken up by what happened yesterday, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And we'll follow up on the condition, of course, on the mayor and also that reporter. Jim Acosta, thanks a lot.

And if Kirkwood, Missouri sounds familiar, then here's a face you probably remember. Convicted molester Michael Devlin, who held two kidnapped boys at his Kirkwood apartment. The pizza parlor Devlin managed was right around the corner from Kirkwood City Hall. Devlin was sentenced to three life terms plus 170 years on federal charges.

Let's get straight to the newsroom. T.J. Holmes is working details on another developing story for us right now -- T.J.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, they're trying to track down a couple of tankers missing in a Virginia area. A couple of tankers from a construction company were stolen, apparently, overnight. That's a picture of one of them. The other one pretty much looks the same, just with different numbers on the side, but S.W. Rodgers Company Incorporated.

Two of these things are missing now, reported stolen overnight. Police are now going through video surveillance of the lot where these two trucks were stolen and having everybody just keep an eye out for them. Not really hard to miss, if you pass one of these things along the road. But they don't know why they were stolen and what purpose somebody might have stolen them for, but they're both capable of carrying about 3,500 gallons of fuel.

However, they were carrying old oil and used hydraulic fuel, not carrying anything that would motor a vehicle or the operation of any equipment. But these are used to service construction equipment out in the field, in highway construction projects and things like that.

But an eye out right now for these two things that are missing. Hard to miss but they are missing right now, and they've been missing since first thing early this morning. So kind of a strange case here. We're keeping an eye on it. If we get any details, of course, Kyra, we'll bring them to you.

PHILLIPS: All right. T.J., thanks.

HOLMES: All right.

PHILLIPS: He came to lift their spirits, and people in tornado- ravaged Macon County, Tennessee, said President Bush did just that. He saw the damage from the air and later toured a neighborhood.

Even before he landed in Lafayette, he declared major disasters in five counties in Tennessee and more in Arkansas. That's going to help with the cost of cleanup and starting over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No doubt in my mind this community will come back better than before. Macon County people are down-to-earth, hard-working, God-fearing people. You just give them a little help, they'll come back stronger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: CNN's Rusty Dornin is still in Lafayette. She'll join us next hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And in the terrifying hours after tornadoes swept across the South, a searcher in Tennessee stumbled across what he thought was a doll, but the tiny figure, face-down in a muddy field, turned out to be an 11-month-old boy.

Kyson Stowell had been snatched from his mother's arms and tossed the length of a football field. Amazingly, he suffered only a few cuts and bruises. Kyson's mother, who was tossed in the other direction, didn't make it. She was one of the six people killed in Castalian Springs, northeast of Nashville.

David Harmon says that he's no hero; he was just in the right place at the right time when he stumbled on little Kyson. It was pitch black, he said, and all he could see with the help of his flashlight was mounds of rubble when he came across a baby stroller, and he knew had he to take another look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID HARMON, RESCUED BOY: I shined the flashlight across and said, "I've got a baby doll." Before I got "I've got a baby doll" out of my mouth, it moved.

He'll always have a special place in my heart, and I hope I continue to -- to stay in contact with the grandparents. And I would like to get to know the kid as he gets older.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Aww. Harmon was one of the first people that President Bush met when he landed in Lafayette. The firefighter from nearby Wilson County was one of many rescuers who responded after those tornadoes.

Leading our political ticker, a big endorsement for Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

James Dobson, who heads Focus on the Family, says that Huckabee is the best remaining choice for president. On Super Tuesday, the evangelical Christian leader said that he couldn't, in good conscience, vote for John McCain. And yesterday, as you know, Mitt Romney dropped out.

Today Romney's back in Massachusetts with a major dent in his bank account. He spent more than $40 million of his own money to capture fewer than 300 delegates in 29 contests.

The delegate count is key to each party's nomination. And here's where things stand on the Democratic side. Hillary Clinton has 1,033 delegates; Barack Obama, 937; John Edwards, 26. That includes pledged and super delegates, who can sign with whomever they wish.

And on the Republican side, John McCain, 714 delegates; Mitt Romney, 286; Mike Huckabee, 181; Ron Paul, 16. That includes pledged and unpledged delegates.

The next round of presidential contests is now just hours away, the Louisiana primaries, Washington state caucuses, Republican caucuses in Kansas, and Democratic caucuses in Nebraska, all happen tomorrow. Democrats in Maine will caucus on Sunday. And then coming up Tuesday, both parties hold primaries in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

Lots of political what-ifs going on right now. We're going to check in with two political experts, Donna Brazile and Amy Holmes, for their views on how the races are shaping up.

And if you'd like to watch any of the candidates today, just go to CNN.com/live to watch their rallies and events live and unfiltered. Again, that's CNN.com/live.

And it could have been a disaster. A planned massacre at the Super Bowl averted. We're going to tell you why investigators say the plot wasn't carried out.

And just months after devastating floods, some folks in Ohio get hit again.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: One-fifteen Eastern Time right now. Here are some of the stories that we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Once the most popular method of capital punishment, the electric chair continues to fade into the past. A state Supreme Court ruling today banned using the electric chair in Nebraska, the last state that used the chair as its sole means of execution.

Baseball superstar Roger Clemens making the rounds on Capitol Hill again today, denying that he's used steroids. He's scheduled to testify before a House committee next Wednesday.

A laser inspection is under way aboard the Atlantis Space Shuttle. Astronauts are trying to determine whether Atlantis was damaged during yesterday's liftoff. Several pieces of debris came off that fuel tank, but so far there's no evidence that they hit the shuttle.

With the race so close, Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are fighting for every single delegate. So what happens if neither can claim enough delegates to clinch the nomination before the convention? We could see a huge fight over Florida and Michigan. Both of those states were stripped of their delegates for moving up their primaries.

Listen to what Florida Senator and Clinton supporter Bill Nelson said this morning on the Senate floor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL NELSON (D), FLORIDA: So what do we do? Well, I am certainly amenable for anyone who has a suggestion to get us out of the potential train wreck, because the potential train wreck could well be that, if the Florida and Michigan delegations are not seated at the national convention, in August, those are two key states that, only two months thereafter, would be voting on who is going to be the next president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Joining me now from Washington, CNN contributor and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile and CNN contributor and Republican strategist Amy Holmes.

OK, guys, what about Florida and Michigan -- Donna?

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: It's clear that Florida, as well as Michigan, violated the rules. The Democratic National Committee would love to seat those delegates, if the state party leaders would come up with a plan that the rules committee could review before the convention. Absolutely.

If not, the credentials committee, selected by the voters themselves, along with the potential nominee, will have an opportunity to figure out a plan to -- to seat those delegations.

Look, this is a democracy, and we all have to play by the rules. And Senator Nelson, I understand, it's because he sued the Democratic National Committee and lost in court.

That we would like to see every vote count, but we also need a plan to apportion though delegates. We need a plan to ensure that we can select those delegates. So I would hope that Senator Nelson, the party chair in both Florida, as well as the party chair in Michigan and the governor there, will work with Governor Howard Dean, work with the DNC, work with the eventual nominee to ensure that Florida has a seat at the table, along with Michigan.

PHILLIPS: Amy, potential train wreck? What's the answer?

AMY HOLMES, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, everything that Donna is saying makes sense, and far be it from me to tell Democrats how they ought to be running things.

What I found interesting about Senator Nelson's remarks there on the Senate floor was that he's anticipating a train wreck, that he's anticipating a protracted battle that could lead all the way up to the convention.

You know, for the Republican side of the aisle, that is great news. It means that Republicans can coalesce around John McCain and, while Hillary and Barack are going at each other and fighting all the way to the convention, Republicans can frame the debate. They can attack both of those candidates as liberal and to be getting their message out there.

So I thought it was very interesting that Senator Nelson is already anticipating this big, huge battle.

BRAZILE: Amy -- Amy, I want to say something. This is not about liberal or conservatism. I understand that the conservatives and the Republicans would like to frame this as the liberal, left-leaning conspiracy. This is really about -- about changing the political landscape in America so that people can get something done in Washington, D.C.

If you want to talk about liberal, why don't you ask your conservative friends why they have a problem with John McCain's support for, you know, comprehensive immigration reform? Ask about John McCain's opposition to Bush tax cuts. What John McCain will Democrats campaign against? That's what they should find out.

PHILLIPS: Amy?

HOLMES: Well, it's certainly true that John McCain has a long way to go to finally close the deal with those conservative voters and the evangelical voters, as well.

You know, I've been at CPAC for the past two days and kind of getting the temperature and seeing how conservatives are reacting to him. One thing he can do is he can pick a vice-presidential nominee who would appeal to those voters.

You know, James Dobson's endorsement of Mike Huckabee strengthens Mike Huckabee's chances of being that nominee, particularly if Huckabee does well in these upcoming states.

But, you know, I'm just warning Democrats that, if they don't rally around a nominee now, they certainly can expect incoming fire from the Republican Party.

BRAZILE: We're -- we're not going to rush to judgment based on some timetable that the Republicans establish. We're going to allow the American people to vote. We're going to give them a choice this election.

This is an unconventional election on the Democratic side. People are enthusiastic. We have been able now to essentially register new people to participate in the process. We should not close this down just because Republicans have closed down their process.

PHILLIPS: Speaking -- and Donna, speaking of unconventional, because I really want to ask both of you about this. The buzz lately is Al Gore. It's on the blogs, it's on the wires. What do you think, Donna? Could we see him coming forward, making an endorsement, jumping in? Is there an Al Gore factor here that we're not paying attention to?

BRAZILE: You know, Al Gore has made it very clear that he is now doing what he -- is the passion of his life, which is warning the world about the growing threat of climate change. I don't see Al Gore making an endorsement in this race. He's a super delegate, so he will get an opportunity to vote. But right now, Al Gore is doing the work that he's committed to.

PHILLIPS: And real quickly, Amy, because of time, I want to get you to respond to this. Recently Bill Clinton, a lot of talk about him, as well. Could he take a position if, indeed, his wife wins the presidency? This is what he said just a little bit ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will not be in the cabinet. I will not be on the staff full time. I will not in any way interfere with the work of the strong vice president and a strong secretary of state, strong secretary of the treasury.

I will do what we've always done for each other. I will let her bounce ideas off of me. I'll tell her what I think, and we'll talk through things. And I'll be available for whatever specific assignments as seem right. You know, I'd do that for President Bush.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Amy, do you believe that?

HOLMES: Well, I heard a Clintonism there. "I won't be on the staff full time."

PHILLIPS: He didn't say, "I won't be on the staff." He just said, "I won't be on the staff full time."

HOLMES: Exactly. And you know, this is a question that I think the Democratic voters need to ask themselves: what will be the role of Bill Clinton? This could be causing real constitutional issues in terms of, you know, is this a co-presidency? He's trying to reassure the voters that it's not.

But you've got Bill Clinton roaming the halls. He's a former president. When those staffers have an idea, do they go to Bill Clinton first? Do they go to Hillary? How do they work this relationship? When they're talking with Clinton in the hallways, you know, do they have to be on eggshells? How do they have -- how do they have to deal with this. These are very big questions for Hillary Clinton to answer and for Bill Clinton to answer, as well.

BRAZILE: I'll answer it! I'll answer it.

PHILLIPS: OK. Go ahead, Donna.

BRAZILE: Hillary Clinton will be in charge!

PHILLIPS: OK. Yes, and -- and will Bill Clinton be the vice president? That's the question.

BRAZILE: It certainly worries me when Bill Clinton says, "I'll be the way just like I was back in the '90s." Like -- wah.

PHILLIPS: He's never in the back, you know, so to speak.

All right, real quick, we got to hit the Republican side. James Dobson coming forward, endorsing Huckabee. Donna, how big is this?

BRAZILE: Very big. Look, the evangelical conservatives came out in large numbers this past week in Alabama and Georgia. This endorsement will give Huckabee a leg up in Louisiana and Virginia and a couple of other states.

PHILLIPS: Mitt Romney, quickly, Amy, is -- will we see him as a VP possibility? Will he just come out and endorse McCain? Is he thinking about the next presidential election? What's going on?

HOLMES: Well, when I was there and listening to this speech, it struck me as if this was him laying the table for a potential 2012 run. I think that it was significant that he gave his -- what they now call a "suspension" speech -- I don't know where the politicians (ph) came up with that -- when they're withdrawing from the race.

What I thought was interesting is that he did it at CPAC and not in Massachusetts. That he went to the conservative belly, and he asked for their support. He pitched himself as a conservative's conservative, and I think he was laying the groundwork for a potential future run.

PHILLIPS: Amy Holmes, Donna Brazile, my diva strategists. Thank you, ladies. Great to see you.

HOLMES: Thank you.

BRAZILE: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Get all the latest campaign news on our Web site: CNNpolitics.com. For the latest headlines, our ticker, blogs, and live campaign events.

Well, it could have been a real life Black Sunday. The feds reveal a frightening threat at the Super Bowl.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE BROOKS, CNN ANALYST: When you have a special event like this, especially a Super Bowl, lone wolves are one of the things that scares us the most.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: A massacre averted? We'll have it right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The president is expected to sign the new stimulus package into law next week. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with what you can expect, but first we can check the markets.

Hey, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been a rough week, but it's actually getting rough today, as well, on the final trading day of the week. I was going to tell you that stocks are mixed, but we have all three major averages in the red right now.

The NASDAQ had actually been holding its head above water because of Amazon.com. Its shares are up 3 percent on word that it will buy back up to $1 billion of its stock over the next two years. But that's not helping the NASDAQ out much right now.

Check out the Dow, down 102 points. It's been quiet most of the session, but now the sell-off is starting to accelerate. The NASDAQ is pretty much flat, but it has given up some of its modest gains.

Of course, fears of a recession still in the marketplace, the federal government hoping a $168 billion stimulus package will help prevent that from actually happening.

If you made more than $3,000 but less than $75,000 last year, are a disabled veteran or receive Social Security, you qualify. So do couples making up to $150,000. The amount will be reduced or phased out for people earning more than that.

The overall plan is bigger than President Bush first envisioned, but he says he'll still sign it. The hope is people will spend the money quickly and give the economy a shot in the arm.

The biggest winners could be some homeowners. The package also raises the maximum size of mortgages government-sponsored mortgage companies can purchase. So Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will have access to loan in excess of $700,000, well above the previous $417,000 limit. That means those with more expensive homes will get a lower interest rate. That would be helpful, Kyra. PHILLIPS: All right. Let's talk about these tax checks. There's been a lot of confusion. Is it an advance or a rebate?

LISOVICZ: It's been a lot of talk about this today, that's for sure. Whatever you call it, Kyra, it is a one-time cut of your 2008 taxes that you're getting early. It will not affect how much you owe on your taxes, or how big your refund will be.

With the checks in the mail by the summer, there won't be any unpleasant tax surprises next April 15.

Since the IRS will be sending out checks based on estimates of your '08 taxes, if you don't make as much as they estimated, you still get to keep the cash. No penalty. And I hope that clears that up.

Coming up, more fuel for thought. Food for thought. Biofuels. Good for the environment. Right? Well, a new study questions that. That story in the next hour of NEWSROOM.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: See you in a little bit.

A massacre at the Super Bowl. It sounds like super fiction. Remember the thriller "Black Sunday"? But investigators say a would- be mass murderer got within sight of the stadium in Glendale, Arizona, before changing his mind.

CNN's justice correspondent Kelli Arena is on the case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This could have been the scene of a massacre, if not for an apparent change of heart. On Super Bowl Sunday, Kurt Havelock allegedly planned to open fire on fans near the Arizona Stadium, according to law enforcement officials, with an assault rifle and more than 200 rounds of ammunition.

MIKE BROOKS, LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: He could have wreaked havoc wherever he went. He could have taken out a lot of people, a lot of civilians, innocent civilians and a lot of law enforcement, and it could have been worse than Virginia Tech.

ARENA: So what set him off? Court documents show he'd been denied a liquor license for his restaurant. The FBI says it was all spelled out in an eight-page manifesto. He wrote, ""I will test the theory that bullets speak louder than words. Perhaps the blood of the inculpable will cause a paradigm shift." Officials say Havelock has no criminal history and they say he was evaluated and declared mentally sound.

BROOKS: When you have a special event like this, especially a Super Bowl, lone wolves are one of the things that scares us the most.

ARENA: Havelock's lawyer had no comment, but his father testified in court that he convinced his son to turn himself in, even though he didn't go through with the shootings, authorities would have tracked him down anyway. That angry letter he wrote? Authorities say that he mailed copies to friends and the media.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: So far, Havelock is charged with mailing threatening communication, but officials say the investigation continues. Kyra, just to give you an idea of what was going on in his head at the time, he wrote another note that the FBI says was found in his car, and that note read, "Do not resuscitate." So he was obviously preparing for the worst, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: The scariest part, no rap sheet or indication he had any mental issues. You never know. Kelli Arena, thank you.

The brother of the man behind a deadly shooting spree calls it an act of war. Today the mayor of Kirkwood, Missouri, is in serious condition and five city officials are dead after last night's assault on a city council meeting. Charles Thornton had a long-running grudge against the government over code violations and business-related permits. Police shot him dead. Here's his brother.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERALD THORNTON, BROTHER OF GUNMAN: My brother went to war tonight with the people that were -- the government that was putting torment and strife into his life, and he spoke on it as best he could in the courts and they denied him all access to the rights of protection, and therefore he took it upon himself to go to war, and end the issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Charles Thornton was known to act out at city council meetings. He sued the city unsuccessfully after authorities banned him from speaking. He reportedly left a suicide note.

Now to Baton Rouge where police say two college students are dead, shot by a young woman who then killed herself. Both victims are female. Their identities not yet released. It happened 8:30 this morning inside a classroom at Louisiana Technical College. Shooters name or whether she was also a student is unknown. We'll update you when we learn more.

Natalee Holloway's parents want justice. The Alabama teenager disappeared in Aruba in 2005 and Joran Van Der Sloot had long been a suspect. In a recently-aired hidden camera interview, Van Der Sloot declared that he was with Holloway when she passed out. He says he assumed she was dead and had a friend dump her body at sea. In an exclusive interview on CNN "HEADLINE NEWS," Holloway's father spoke to Nancy Grace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Later on in his confession, this secretly-taped video, he says, "I hope they never find her body, because if they do, I'll be in deep -- expletive." so if finding her body would land him in jail, why? If he hadn't done anything wrong?

DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S FATHER: Well, you and I have discussed that before. When you go into a panic, which he said he did, first thing you think of is calling an ambulance. With him choosing the alternative of getting rid of her, something else happened. I believe -- I believe it was possible date rape drug he used and a possible rape and murder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Natalee Holloway's mother appeared on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETH HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S MOTHER: When I hear Joran, what I'm hearing though is he doesn't know, Larry, if Natalee was alive or not when he decided to dispose of her body. So, yes, he is a murderer to me. No way a 17-year-old can make a decision whether a young woman is alive or not. She could have been in a coma easily.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Aruba's chief prosecutor wants permission from a judicial panel to re-arrest Van Der Sloot. Van Der Sloot's lawyer denies the videotaped remarks were a confession.

Something new from our friends at CNN.com and Tru TV. They've teamed up to bring you the best crime coverage on the web. CNN.com/crime.

Ohio towns under water and residents brace for more bad weather. We have an update for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: President of the United States leaving Nashville, Tennessee. These pictures thanks to our affiliate WKRN. He's getting ready to head to Camp David. He was meeting with workers from FEMA, also the Salvation Army, construction workers, he toured the damage, the tornado damage, there in Nashville. He also had a chance to talk to a number of residents from Lafayette, Tennessee. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES: I looked in their eyes and saw incredible sadness and worry. And I know the governor joins me in sharing our concerns with you, but hope a couple of things come out of it to you. One, there is a lot of people that care but total strangers showing up here in this community. They'll help you get back on your feet. And the government has got a role to play.

I want to thank the senators and congressmen for being here. Because they know that there is programs available for you. One of the things that people have got to do is call upon them. Your life has been turned upside down here. You've been affected. Call 1-800- 621-3362; 1-800-621-3362. And that's where you can find out the help that is available.

What happened is that the governor in his team quickly moved as this storm moved through this state of Tennessee and he made an assessment and he sent the paperwork up to me. Because he moved so fast, I was able to sign it disaster declaration. That then frees help. We want the folks to know that there is help from the federal government and there is also going to be a lot of help from a lot of neighbors.

We're sorry you're going through what you're going through. You know, life sometimes is unfair, and you don't get to play the hand that you wanted to play. But the question is when you get dealt a hand how do you play it. I've come away with this impression of folks from Macon County. One, down-to-earth, good, hard-working people, they have a respect for the almighty and this community is going to be strong as ever. That's what I think.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.

BUSH: I bet you feel the same way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir. If it weren't for my friends, I don't know what I'd do.

BUSH: You'll find you got some new friends, too. People you've never heard of. They don't know who you are, total strangers. But when they know there is a neighbor in need they'll come help you. I appreciate you giving me a chance to come by. I know folks traveling with me are appreciate, are so sorry you're going through what you're going through but there is help. That's what you got to know. Anyway, god bless. Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: President of the United States there in Lafayette, Tennessee, talking to victims there of the tornado damage promising help, you heard right there with his one-on-one conversation with one of the victims by his side. Rusty Dornin is actually there. We're going to talk to her live and get an update from ground zero.

Meanwhile Ohio's governor says we're all in this together and he is pledging the state will do everything that it can for people whose homes and businesses are knee-deep in water right now. CNN's Rob Marciano shows us around the town of Defiance.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Heavy rain here in northwest Ohio have brought many of the rivers up and over their flood banks. We are in Defiance next to the river here which today, one and the same. This shot gives you an idea of the expanse of the flooding. You say where the river tries to make its way into Lake Erie well downstream. You also see snow on top of rooftops of houses surrounded by water. Surreal scene for sure. 69 homes here evacuated. Power, gas, has been cut off. Many are in shelters with friends and family. River is forecast to crest today and slowly fall below flood stage over the weekend. We'll get a tremendous amount of cold air so we want the river to get out of here before that bitterly cold air moves in here Saturday and Sunday night. Either way it will be a long cleanup for sure after this historic flood. Rob Marciano, CNN, Defiance, Ohio.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Our political views, are they passed down from one generation to the next? Our genetic codes? We'll tell you about a fascinating new study.

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PHILLIPS: It's been one of our top stories throughout the day. Now we're getting a new video, thanks to the U.S. Coast Guard here giving us a bird's-eye view of the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Savannah. There was an explosion that took place overnight. Six reported dead now. At least 62 injured. We are following all the new developments on this story. But wanted to bring you this new videotape of not long after it had happened. We are following the investigation and of course, any leads into others that may have been hurt or lost in this explosion.

When Americans or anybody else votes or caucus or campaign, what really guides our decisions? Researchers may be on to a pretty surprising discovery. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins me now with this interesting connection.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is fascinating this new kind of research. Traditionally, Kyra, people thought our political views were shaped by the parents we have, where we grew up, our environment, the school that you went to, the friends that you have, the company you keep. But then researchers a couple of years ago started noticing something interesting about identical twins. We actually visited with a pair of identical twins, John and Charles Robinson. Let's listen to what they had to say about their political views.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've had conversations before elections. We can tell we're both agreeing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd say I am probably pretty liberal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could probably paint us with the same brush. My viewpoints are pretty liberal as well.

COHEN: They looked at thousands of twins like the Robinsons, and they found that identical twins are much more likely to share political points of view than fraternal twins. So all of these twins are raised in the same household, same parents, but identical twins share all of their genes. And Kyra, this "street sweep" has made researchers at many different universities start to try to look at how our brains work and see what is going on here, what exactly is shaping our political points of view.

PHILLIPS: Is there any harder evidence than this that our views are based in our DNA?

COHEN: Yes. It is very interesting that scientists have actually looked at how people make decisions. What they've done is they actually put people in front of a computer game and they have them play it and they looked at activity at a very specific part of their brain called the ACC. Then after the game, they looked at whether these people were conservative or liberal. And conservatives and liberals, you saw very different activity in this particular part of the brain. You see it there in the light blue. They saw very different kinds of activity in this part of the brain that processes information and processes what to do when there are conflicts. So right there in the brain they saw a different between conservatives and liberals.

PHILLIPS: Do you think it really matters where our political views come from in this regard?

COHEN: I'm like, so what if it is in our genes or so what if it came from our college roommate? Does it really matter? He said, look, I am hoping if people realize to some extent, not completely but to some extent that our political views are in our DNA, people will be less hostile when they have political arguments, there won't be as much animus between the democrats and republicans. They can sort of look at each other and say, you know what? You are entitled to your view, to some extent you were probably born with that point of view, let's move on. Because you don't get mad at someone for being left- handed. Right? That's just the way they were born. To some extent it may be the same for our political views.

PHILLIPS: Are you left-handed?

COHEN: No. But I am creative.

PHILLIPS: You are very creative. A new warning about botox is coming across the wire.

COHEN: This is very interesting. Something people really need to look at. There are dangers in botox. The FDA keeps a handle on what's happened to folks who have had botox. This is information you got to know if you want botox.

PHILLIPS: We'll see you at 2:00. Thanks, Elizabeth. You can also see more of Elizabeth Cohen's report on the fascinating study with regard to your political views and your DNA, coming up, 4:00 p.m. eastern on "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer.

Dazed and confused. We'll tell you who's playing and who isn't. Misunderstandings out there. It surrounds Led Zeppelin or should we say Lez Zeppelin.

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PHILLIPS: Here's what's hot at CNN.com right now. An unexpected take from a Mardi Gras parade in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Cheap colored beads? Hardly. You see the nice bling thrown the way of an elderly woman. Also, from Baton Rouge, college campus shooting video of shocking killings at Louisiana Technical College.

And for Savannah, George at the sugar refinery blast, six bodies were found this morning. All making top ten lists from the front page of CNN.com.

Another Hollywood starlet has reportedly gone into rehab. Celebrity websites say Kristin Dunst is being treated in Sundance, Utah. The same center that hosted Lindsay Lohan. People.com quotes an unidentified friend as saying the 25-year-old Dunst has been partying hard and may have been shaken by the death of Heath Ledger.

Your favorite TV shows could be back in production soon, according to former Disney CEO Michael Eisner. He says there is an agreement now to end the Hollywood writers' strike which will be presented to the rank and file tomorrow. Other reports call the process fragile and say it could still derail. The writers' guild went on strike three months ago demanding a bigger share of the windfall from new media. The walkout brought most TV and movie productions to a standstill and threaten this year's Oscar ceremonies.

Have you heard? Zeppelin's playing, the all-female group, goes by Lez Zeppelin. There is some disappointed fans of the recently re- united originals. But critics say the Zeppelins are no lead balloon. They totally rock.

From the air and ground, President Bush gets an earful or an eyeful as well. The horror tornadoes can cause.

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PHILLIPS: A city council meeting in the heartland. A college classroom on the bayou. A sugar plant in the Deep South. Two of those are scenes of deadly violence, the third a deadly explosion. We're tracking all three of them in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Hello, everyone, I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Don Lemon is near the refinery blast in Savannah.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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