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News Conference on Newtown Murders; Tragedy Renews Gun Control Debate; Gun Control and Mental Health

Aired December 17, 2012 - 09:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. Thanks so much for joining us this morning. I'm Carol Costello in Atlanta.

And with me today, Don Lemon in Newtown, Connecticut.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Carol.

We're still awaiting the news conference from Newtown. Lieutenant Paul Vance expected to brief reporters at any moment now. You see they're getting ready. We'll carry that for you live right here on CNN.

In the meantime, we want to give you the latest on the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Today, the first of funerals, they get underway. This afternoon 6- year-olds Jack Pinto and Noah Pozner will be the first of the 27 victims laid to rest.

And we're also learning more about the remarkable acts of heroism. One teacher, Anne Marie Murphy, she died while shielding students with her body. Another read to her kids to distract them from gunshots exploding outside the room.

And last night in Newtown, President Barack Obama met with survivors and the families of those killed. He vowed to prevent another massacre and called for a national discussion on gun violence.

COSTELLO: And right now, we want to continue the conversation we started with talk back. What can we do to prevent another Newtown? It's not a Republican or a Democratic problem because we're all subject to gun violence. But merely saying we need more gun control, that's way too simplistic. We have many other problems.

So, let's bring in CNN contributors Will Cain and L.Z. Granderson.

So, I mean, just hash this out and maybe come up with some ideas and at least -- oh, I'm going to have to interrupt you guys. We're going back to Newtown because the news conference just started. Lieutenant Vance.

(BEGIN LIVE FEED) LT. J. PAUL VANCE, CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE: We'd like to deliver to you a message from the superintendent of schools relative to educational process here in the town. So, we'll start off with Lieutenant Sinko about the schools right now.

LT. GEORGE SINKO, NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT, POLICE: Good morning.

As you know, the healing is still going on. The schools are working very closely with all the faculty, students, and parents to try to be respectful and resume what normalcy we can after a tragedy such as this. All the faculty is meeting today at Newtown high school to try to plan further on how to handle it best and address the needs of the students and faculty involved in this horrendous, horrendous tragedy.

There will be no school today. The plan is to try to resume normalcy for school classes tomorrow, except for those members of the Sandy Hook School. They will be excused, of course, until further notice, and they're developing plans on how to best handle that as we speak.

VANCE: Thank you, Lieutenant.

We're continuing the line of communication with the troopers and officers assigned to the families as we begin the services. Additional troopers have been assigned to work each one of the funeral services with local officers and other police partners. We're asking the media again, at the families' request, to please respect their privacy as they go through this extremely difficult time.

As I stated, state police major crimes detectives have been working 24 hours a day since this tragedy occurred and will continue to do so indefinitely as they continue to answer questions surrounding this tragedy and how and why it occurred. They're continuing to interview witnesses, as I've stated previously, and I cannot overstate there are many, many witnesses that need to be interviewed. We will not stop until we've interviewed every last one of them.

We are holding both crime scenes -- the school and the secondary crime scene -- indefinitely. We've seized it under search warrants, and we're going to hold those locations until we've completed our work and we feel it is appropriate to let them go. So as not to read anything into that, it is common practice to do that, to hold on to the crime scene as long as it's needed for investigatory purposes.

We had begun processing the evidence, analyzing the evidence. As I stated yesterday, just to use an example, the weaponry, every single facet of the weapons will be analyzed. Every single round of ammunition will be looked at and examined for any kind of physical evidence.

I alluded yesterday to the volume of rounds, for example, that, in fact, were seized or recovered. Each singular round will be examined. It gives you an idea of the painstaking length of that process.

All the evidence will be processed. We'll continue to analyze every single piece, and, again, I cannot detail the content of any evidence or even what that evidence is for public consumption. I want to restate again, thank you for helping us in this, but any threats, any information intended to mislead investigators in this case will, in fact, be completely and thoroughly investigated, and if appropriate, prosecuted if anyone attempts to threaten or mislead this investigation.

As you know, there were a couple yesterday, and those too are active criminal investigations. Teams of state police detectives and Newtown detectives have been assigned to investigate those as ancillary criminal cases, if you will.

The crisis teams are still in place. I want to give you that phone number again. There are many people in the town, and this phone line is open to anyone, anyone who needs to discuss anything or needs support from professionals. They're staffing this line from Yale-New Haven Hospital. The number is 203-270-4283.

At this time, I will entertain some questions. Again, please keep in mind that there are certain areas that we just cannot go down at this point in time.

Yes, ma'am?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Ridgefield schools are currently under lockdown. Please comment on that. Is it all related to Sandy Hook?

VANCE: OK. What I'll do is I'll address that. I'm aware of that situation in the town of Ridgefield. The local police department is handling that situation.

There's a report of a suspicious person -- a suspicious person -- that may, in fact, be armed. We're not sure what the situation is. We sent appropriate personnel in that direction to assist Ridgefield, but Ridgefield is handling that situation. There's been no updates other than that.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do the schools feel safe right now?

VANCE: The schools, again, are safe with the Ridgefield officers and Ridgefield Police Department, they're handling that.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You mentioned that you're interviewing every witness. Obviously, that includes children. Can you talk about how you're approaching that, how you're handling that?

VANCE: I don't want to get into detail. It's a very, very tender, tender issue. I can tell you that any interviews with any children will be done with professionals, with parents, and with investigators, as appropriate. The investigators will determine how, when, where, and why we'll do this. Again, understand we will handle that extremely delicately when the time arises.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Lieutenant, have you had any medical or mental health professionals come forward to say whether they were treating Adam Lanza? And if there are any out there with such information, would you ask them to come forward?

VANCE: Well, certainly, we would encourage anyone with any information to come forward that can assist us in this investigation. When I talked about the weaponry and the historical analysis, all the weaponry involved, the same thing holds true with the suspect. We will go back to the date of birth. We will continue on through.

We will answer every single question determining any kind of medical condition, any kind of issue whatsoever that may have been involved in. I am not at liberty to discuss medical content. I'm not at liberty to discuss any of the information so far uncovered. But suffice it to say, I want to make sure you understand, we will cover every single facet.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: There are reports that law enforcement was concerned about Adam Lanza previous to this. Do you have any insight into that?

VANCE: No. We've been in discussions with Newtown police, and there was no previous contact or concerns prior to this tragic event.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you tell us what --

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: More detail on how he proceeded to get in the school and what he did once inside.

VANCE: I can't do that. It's too difficult to discuss. I'm not going to lie to you, it's too difficult to discuss.

I can tell you, as I've been telling you -- the suspect forced his way into the school before and as he began to take human life therein. I simply don't want to -- and it's not appropriate for us to go any further with that.

Yes, ma'am?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are officers still talking to gun shops and gun ranges to find out information about whether or not Lanza tried to possess other firearms?

VANCE: Very, very good question. The question is, are we checking? Yes, we're not only checking the weaponry, but ATF is working with us. Newtown police is working with us. Other state agencies were working with us, searching every database, searching every record, searching everything we can possibly uncover.

And again, if anyone in fact had any contact with the suspect at any range or any location, we want to talk to them if we haven't reached them yet.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Has any progress been made in trying to ascertain some information from the computers you found smashed?

VANCE: I can tell thaw our computer crimes unit, working with the forensic laboratory, are working nonstop examining any evidence that was seized at any location, literally -- whether it be cell phones, computers. And I'm not naming anything that was seized. I'm simply saying all that electronic evidence will, in fact, be analyzed. We certainly will dissect it, if you will.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What about the ID --

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did Adam leave any evidence at his home?

VANCE: I can't discuss the evidence, sir. I'm sorry, I cannot do that.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE)

VANCE: I'm sorry?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is there a separate survivor? There are some reports that there are two survivors.

VANCE: Yes, there are two adults that were injured in the facility, in the school, that suffered gunshot wounds and are recovering.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why did he have his brother's ID?

(CROSSTALK)

VANCE: I don't have any information about what he was carrying in his person at all.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: So, there's no indication how he got his brother's ID?

VANCE: Again, I have no information about anything that he was carrying at all.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was there a surveillance system inside that school?

VANCE: I'm not aware of that. I'm sorry. I don't have that information.

In the back there -- sir?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) about what should happen with the school after it's no longer a crime scene? (INAUDIBLE)

VANCE: That will a town decision, the town leaders. Again, we are possessing that school. We are holding that school as a crime scene indefinitely.

And I can't even tell you what that means. I don't know how long that will be. I'm suspecting months. At that time, it's up to the town officials to determine exactly what's appropriate with that facility and with that building.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you talk about how the two survivors are helping at all if in this investigation?

VANCE: We provided these survivors with the same conduit we provided all the other victims in this case, and that is law enforcement escort, if you will. Our investigators will, in fact, speak with them when it's medically appropriate, and certainly they will shed a great deal of light on the facts and circumstances of this tragic investigation that we're undertaking.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Lieutenant, would you talk about the tremendous amount of ammunition that he had with him. You alluded to that yesterday.

VANCE: Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The governor talked about that yesterday as well.

Do you now believe that he had much wider intentions inside that school that were thwarted because of the efforts of law enforcement?

VANCE: I think what's important is that I can't speculate what would have occurred. That would be wrong on my part. I can tell you that the faculty, staff in that school did everything that they possibly could to protect those children. I can tell you that the first responders that got to that scene with the active shooter team entered that school and saved many human lives, and I can tell you it broke our hearts we couldn't save them all.

So quite frankly, you know, there are the victims, the families in this situation that really are a focus of our attention right now. We'll leave that there, please.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is there any added police presence in other schools around this state?

VANCE: That's what we've done with the -- under the leadership of the governor and the educational commissioner and law, all the local officials. Many, many schools are showing law enforcement support and security.

And I must state very emphatically, very emphatically, that it is not funny. It is not a joke. It is not acceptable for anyone to make any kind of inner threat or make any statement relative to the security and the individual schools, respect what's occurred here. I would ask people to respect what's occurred here.

And, certainly, we're going to do our best to ensure security statewide. Law enforcement will do so, as well as the professionals at each and every educational institution in Connecticut.

What I'd like to do now is tell you that I don't want to keep coming. We'll come here every day. Lieutenant and I come here every day if it's necessary. I don't want to come and just tell you everything's under investigation.

Our next briefing we'll have will probably be about 12:00 noon today, just before 12:00 noon, if we can get here to bring you up to date with anything we have. But we're going to -- we're going to start scaling back the briefings, and we'll put everything that's necessary applicable to this investigation on our Web site.

We'll talk more about that in noon time. But I just want to give you a heads up that we truly believe that keeping you here is, you know, probably somewhat counterproductive.

I would restate again, please, the families have requested privacy during the services, and I know you folks have been great. I would ask you to continue to do so. We'll see you just before noon. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you give us some numbers on investigators and staff involved in this investigation?

VANCE: I can tell you significant. Well over a couple hundred troopers and detectives and local police officers. In addition to local police officers, Newtown police, federal agencies, federal agents. A total number, I would just be grasping a number out of the sky literally.

Thank you.

(END LIVE FEED)

COSTELLO: All right. Lieutenant Vance from the Connecticut State Police.

You heard that he said there's increased security in part provided by the educational system of Connecticut and in part provided by police departments across the state. Extra security at all of those schools, which leads us back to our question. You know, how do we prevent another Newtown? Because front and center, how do we protect our children in schools these days? So let's bring back our contributors. Will Cain, L.Z. Granderson and Don Lemon who is Newtown, Connecticut.

L.Z., I want to start with you because you had a very touching column on CNN.com about how parents can keep their children safe. And what conclusion did you come to?

L.Z. GRANDERSON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know sadly, the conclusion I came to as a parent was that it's virtually impossible to ensure that my son or anyone's child will be protected from any harm that can happen once they're out of our sights. You know as I was dropping my son off this morning, I watched him walk all the way into the building. And it literally took every effort in me not to get out of the car and walk him personally to the building, and he's 16 years old.

You know, when you see something like this, and you see the little lives that were taken, I don't know how any parent can have peace when their child is not near them. And so it's very, very distressing. And we're really hoping that the conversations that have begun to happen this weekend don't end once all the funerals have been held. That actually the true legislative power comes from this.

COSTELLO: We'll see. Will, I'm going to ask you a tough question. I know at least two school districts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have given security officers in schools permission to carry guns today. Is that the answer? Is that how we keep kids safe? Do we arm school security guards? Do we arm the principals?

WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: No I mean, Carol, that doesn't -- from a common sense, instinctual level, no that doesn't ring as appropriate to me. But here is the deal. Just like L.Z., I dropped my son off at school this morning. My son is five years old. He's right in this age range. It's impossible to escape the emotion of this moment. It's impossible to look at this in strictly rational terms.

That being said, I think that our focus on guns, it just -- it's too narrow. It doesn't stand up to critical thought. Here is the deal, Carol. You know gun violence is, quite honestly, it's down from a peak in the 1990s. And yet these mass killings are up. Six of the -- of the deadliest 12 have happened since 2007.

So if guns are -- are somewhat constant, what -- what is the determining factor? What has changed? And we must I mean figure out a way to address mental health, analyze mental health. Something has changed in our country in the last 40 years. We're now at the process of deinstitutionalizing mental health or the rise in psychotropic drugs, this seems to be the only thing that -- that I can pinpoint now that is the delineating factor and that's where we must focus.

COSTELLO: Well let's head to Newtown, Connecticut and Don Lemon, what are people there saying?

(CROSSTALK)

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol -- Carol -- Carol and Will, can I -- can I -- let me -- let me listen, for the past three days, I have been on the verge of tears every second and most of the people here have been crying 24 hours straight. Yes -- yes, we need to address mental health, but mental health in this particular issue -- let's not get it twisted -- is a secondary issue.

If someone who has a mental issue did not have access to guns that should only be available in war zones, we would not be dealing with this. Who needs a bullet piercing -- bullet piercing, armor piercing bullet to go hunting? Who needs an assault rifle to go hunting? You can't even use the prey that you kill with an assault rifle if you indeed do it.

No one needs an assault rifle to go out and shoot a deer. No one needs an assault rifle that's capable of shooting 10, 20, 30 rounds off at a time to shoot a duck or to shoot quail. It does not make sense.

Our first -- the first thing that we need to do, and according to everyone who is here, even gun enthusiasts, is talk about what we're doing with assault rifles. Why should guns that should only be available in war zones, why are they available to people who are mentally healthy and people who are not mentally healthy? That's the issue that we need to deal with.

So to say that gun violence is down does not make sense. And to me, it's insulting to everyone who lost a loved one here and who is dealing with that. It doesn't matter if gun violence is down. 26 children or 20 children are dead here and six adults are dead, and the mother of a person who -- who was not mentally -- who is mentally challenged in some way is -- she's dead.

So to say that gun violence is down -- that we need to talk about mental health, yes. Mental health is a secondary issue. We need to get guns and -- and bullets and automatic weapons off the streets. They should only be available to police officers and to hunt al Qaeda and the Taliban and not hunt elementary school children.

COSTELLO: All right, we're going to have to wrap this up.

Don Lemon, L.Z. Granderson, Will Cain thanks so much.

CAIN: Thank you Carol.

COSTELLO: Well have a quick check on some of the stories making news today. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We'll have more coverage on the Connecticut shootings in just a minute. But first a look at other "Top Stories".

Independent review board will present a report today to the State Department on Benghazi.

The report expected to contain the most detailed explanation yet on the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate on September 11th.

A gunman has escaped after shooting and killing two police officers in Topeka, Kansas. The officers responding to a report of suspicious vehicle outside of a grocery store last night. Speaking of the suspect Topeka's police chief said, the community will help us give up this guy.

And in fiscal cliff negotiation talk, House Speaker John Boehner has offered to extend the debt limit for a year. Republicans have been opposed to raising the borrowing cap. Boehner has also proposed higher tax rates on the wealthiest Americans in order to reach a deal.

We're back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right. The "Talk Back" question today is a tough one. What can be done to prevent another Newtown?

This from Ryan, "We need to encourage the family setting that has washed away in our society. A loving home is the best thing you can do for a child."

This from Stephanie, "One, God belongs in church not in public schools. Two, mental health professionals should be available to everyone. And three, there should be more control over who has assault-type weapons."

This from Jay, "First we stop riding a stage for manipulators who would distract us from decisive legislative action to protect our children."

This from Cara, "This is not a gun control issue. Guns don't kill people. People kill people. This needs to be about mental illness and what our country can do to keep that under control."

This from Margaret, "A lot could be done but nothing will be done because of the gun lobby. The NRA and the Republicans who are supported by these groups. They're gun mongers and they enable mass murderers."

And this from Will, "Ban guns and criminals or people with intent on killing others will have easy access to guns in the black market. Ban guns and you leave me, a law-abiding citizen defenseless."

Keep the conversation going, Facebook.com/CarolCNN.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM begins after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Happening now in the NEWSROOM. How can we prevent another Newtown? Gun control? Better mental health services? Putting God back in our schools? We will talk with Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.

Also this morning investigators dig for answers. Just who was the man police say was behind these deadly shootings?

This tragedy could have been, if you can believe it, a lot worse if not for the teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School. They're being called "heroes" this morning for their actions when the shooting began. You will hear from one of them.

A special edition of NEWSROOM starts now.