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New Day
Pressure On President Obama; Filner Reaches Deal In Sex Harassment Suit; Fake Cancer Scam; School Shooting 911 Call; Woman Hailed As Hero
Aired August 22, 2013 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: That's good, a little pep in your step, a little coffee, breakfast, a little NEW DAY. That's how it works. It's Thursday, August 22nd. I'm Chris Cuomo.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kate Bolduan. I love this song. We're here with news anchor, Michaela Pereira. I want to say Michaela's name but I want to listen.
Coming up in the show, good story to tell you about, the school worker who kept calm under unthinkable pressure, she convinced a gunman with 500 rounds of ammo into giving up. You'll hear that incredible 911 call. You don't want to miss a minute of it.
CUOMO: Plus I'll say this slowly so you get it. A man who died and lived to talk about it, he was dead for 45 minutes before he shocked everyone by coming back to life. He's alive, well, here with his family. We're going to try and figure out what happened here. A lot of news as well, right over to Michaela.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's look at the headlines right now, even more pressure on the Obama administration to take more decisive steps in Syria and in Egypt especially after claims of Syria's opposition that Bashar Al-Assad's government used chemical weapons against its own people reportedly killing more than 1,000.
Meanwhile President Obama's national security team continuing to deliberate on how to handle Egypt and unrest and aid. Tomorrow, do not miss our NEW DAY exclusive. Chris will have a conversation with President Obama that will cover a wide range of topics.
Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak may soon be a free man. Two years after he was overthrown, Egypt's military government ordering his release from prison. The plan now is to place him under house arrest. All of that could happen today. Mubarak led Egypt for 30 years and has been behind bars for the past 17 months.
Embattled San Diego Mayor Bob Filner reaching a tentative agreement involving a sexual harassment suit against him. We won't know if the deal hinges on Filner resigning until tomorrow when details are presented to the city council. In the meantime, an 18th accuser has come forward to accuse Filner of sexual harassment. Local businesswoman claims the mayor touched her inappropriate when she posed for a picture with him.
A Utah woman under arrest for allegedly making up a story about her 4- year-old having cancer. Police say this woman, Abbey Winkler, told people that her daughter had leukemia in order to collect donations. She even lied to the daughter and to the girl's father about it. Winkler collected more than $3,000 in cash from people who simply wanted to help. She's now facing felony fraud charges.
This is a video, I know it's not nice of me to like this so much, but this cat is like just torturing the Pomeranian, brutalized. Won't leave the poor pooch alone. It may be her way of playing but what's funny is she doesn't give up. Comes from all over different angles the house and takes pot shots. The poor dog is trying to have a nap.
BOLDUAN: You see the pillow says chill out.
PEREIRA: Chill out, right.
CUOMO: Dog loves it.
PEREIRA: Very athletic cat.
CUOMO: The dog loves that. Look at his tail.
PEREIRA: No, it's not upset. It makes me giggle.
CUOMO: Cat does own it though.
PEREIRA: Yes, we know who runs that house.
BOLDUAN: Thanks so much, Michaela.
Let's get back to the story of calm under pressure. A school clerk is getting credit this morning for saving lives by risking her own. She did it by talking down a gunman who barricaded himself in her office with an AK-47. Antoinette Tuff spent close to an hour trying to calm Michael Brandon Hill. The suspect fired at least half a dozen shots at police, but Tuff eventually convinced him to surrender. Here with minimal edits the heart stopping 911 call that captured it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANTOINETT TUFF, BOOKKEEPER (via telephone): Yes, ma'am. I'm on Second Avenue in the school and he says he's going to start shooting so tell them to back off.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK, hold on.
TUFF: They let anybody in the building, including the police. Do not let anybody in the building including the police.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Stay on the line with me, ma'am. Where are you?
TUFF: I'm in the front office. He just went outside and start shooting. Can I run? UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Can you get somewhere safe?
TUFF: Yes, I got to go. No, going to see me. He's coming back, hold on.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Put the phone down.
TUFF: She's getting the police, telling them to back off for you, OK? Tell them to stop all movement now. OK, stop all movement on the ground. Stop all movement on the ground. If it's not an emergency, please, do not use the radio. If it's not an emergency, do not use the radio.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Are you talking to the shooter?
TUFF: That's what he's telling me to tell them on the radio. What did you want me to tell her, sir? OK, he's telling me put -- you want me, I'm trying to find the number for Channel 2. You want know tell them -- hello?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am.
TUFF: Police, he said tell them to back up right now.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK.
TUFF: Hello?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Ma'am?
TUFF: OK, he said to tell them to back off. He doesn't want the kids. He wants the police. He doesn't want the kids. He wants the police so back off and -- what else, sir? He said he don't care if he die. He don't have nothing to live for and he said he's not mentally stable.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK, stay on the line with me, OK? Put the phone down if you have to but don't put it on hold so I can't hear.
TUFF: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Can you tell me where you are?
TUFF: In the front office with him. He said send in one of your radios with an unarmed officer.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK.
TUFF: She said OK, she's getting ready to tell them. Hopefully I can talk to the police. Or some way that he can talk to the police. He said but if they come armed he's going to start shooting again, only one officer.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK.
TUFF: He said if you have to go ahead and evacuate them homes right there in the front of the building.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK, ask him is he willing to give his name?
TUFF: She said are you willing to give your name? He said no.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK.
TUFF: He said no. He knows that if he gives his name he's going away for a long time. He said he knows he's going away for a long time. He's on probation. "Tell them to stand down now," he said.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Tell him I'm giving them the instructions.
TUFF: She said they're giving them instructions. He said he should just shoot himself. He said call the probation office in DeKalb County and let them know what's going on.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK, who are we to ask for?
TUFF: She said who is she asking for?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: I don't know.
TUFF: He said he thinks it's Officer Scott. You want me to tell her to let her come, sir? She sounds like she loves you a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Are you on the phone with a relative?
TUFF: Yes. What did you say, sir? He said he should have just went to the mental hospital instead of doing this because he's not on his medication. OK. Do you want me to try -- I can help you. You want me to -- you want to talk to them? Want me to talk to them and try to -- OK, well let me talk to them and let's see if we can work it out so you don't have to go away with them for a long time. It doesn't matter.
No, it does matter. I can let you know you have not tried to harm me or do anything with me. But that doesn't make any difference. You didn't hit anybody. Let me ask you this, ma'am. He didn't hit anybody. He just shot outside the door. If I walk out there with him, so they won't shoot him or anything like that. He wants to give his self up. Is that OK and they won't shoot him?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Yes, ma'am.
TUFF: He said he wants to go to the hospital. OK, hold on one moment. She said hold on, she's going to talk to the police officers and I'll go out there with you. Well, don't feel bad, baby. My husband just left me after 33 years. But -- yes do you. I'm sitting here with you and talking to you about it. I got a son that's multiple disabled. Can I speak to her? Let me talk to her and let her know that I'm going to go with you. You want me to talk to her? No, doesn't, baby. This is all going to be well. The lady is going to talk to the police. OK. OK, hold on a second, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Don't hang up the phone. TUFF: OK, hold on. He wants me to go over to the intercom. Hold on for me. OK, wait a minute. Can you talk to the police and let them know I'm going to walk out there with him and he wants to give himself up?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: I am. Let me get an OK from them, okay?
TUFF: And you let me know what we need to do. He wants me to go on intercom and let everybody know he's sorry. OK?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK. Hold on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CUOMO: Wow. It's like nothing we've ever heard before. Sometimes you hear a 911 operator who has that kind of poise but a victim. We're going to take a break. When we come back we're going to play the rest of this 911 call, because it's an amazing illustration of grace under pressure.
And it's also a window into what we're dealing with, with these school shootings, somebody who is mentally ill, off their medicines, who people weren't watching. What does it mean? We'll have an FBI expert come in and talk about this call, the genius behind it and what it means for us in a larger sense.
Also an amazing story, doctors had already counted him out, imagine 45 minutes, no heartbeat. They say that you're dead, your family comes in to pay last respects and then you come back to life. What happened to this man? He'll tell us himself.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Welcome back to NEW DAY. We want to return now to more of the dramatic 911 call made by a very brave school clerk who may have prevented a massacre with her actions. Antoinette Tuff spending a tense hour on Tuesday trying to calm down a man who planned to gun down police with an AK-47. Here's more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TUFF: Ma'am?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Yes, ma'am.
TUFF: OK, he's going to come on now, but he wants to know what do you want him to do with the gun?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK.
TUFF: Or you want to send a police officer in and he said he'll be on the ground with his hands behind his back and I'll take the gun from him and put it on the other side over by me.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK, one moment.
TUFF: OK. Here, put that over here so they won't see it. OK, put it all up there, OK.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: He's put the weapons down.
TUFF: Yes. Hold on before you come. He's putting everything down. He's going to get on the floor so tell them to hold on a minute. So let him get everything together. He's getting it all together. OK. Tell me when you ready and I'll tell them to come on in. He wants to drink his bottle of water. Let him get it together.
OK, did you need to call somebody, talk to somebody for you? OK, we're not going to hate you, baby. It's a good thing you've given up. We're not going to hate you.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Ma'am, you're doing a great job.
TUFF: So let's do it before the helicopters and stuff like that come. You hear them? OK. So you want to go ahead and want me to tell them to come on in now? OK, he's getting everything out of his pockets now. OK, he said the gun may come back and say it's stolen. It's not. He knows the story about the gun and he'll let you all know that. Do you all want him to take his belt off?
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: That's fine, just take all his weapons off.
TUFF: She said that's fine, just take all your weapons off. He said he don't have no more weapons. He's on the ground now his hand behind his back. Tell the officers don't come in shooting anything so they can come on in and I'll buzz them in.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK.
TUFF: So hold on, just sit right there, I'll buzz them in, so you'll know when they're coming, OK? OK. So just stay there calm. Don't worry about it. I'll sit right here so they'll see you didn't try to harm me, OK? OK.
It's going to be all right, sweetie. I just want you to know I love you, OK, and I'm proud of you. That's a good thing you've given up and don't worry about it. We all go through something in life. No, you don't want that. You're going to be OK. I thought the same thing. You know, I tried to commit suicide last year after my husband left me, but look at me now. I'm still working and everything is OK.
Your name is Michael what? Michael Hill? When the what is not in the harbor? The people came from in the harbor and planted a gun? The drum from harbor? OK, so you came with the kid that played the drums for the inner harbor? So you were actually in there doing all of that with them? How awesome. That means I've seen you before then. OK, you all play them drums and stuff real good. They say they can come on in now. He needs to go to the hospital.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK.
TUFF: He doesn't have any weapons on him or anything like that. He's laying on the floor and he doesn't have any weapons and he's got everything out of his pocket. The only thing he has on is his belt. Everything is out of his pockets and sitting on the counter so all we need to do is they can come and buzz them in so he'll know they're here and take him to the hospital.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: OK, one moment.
TUFF: OK. She said she's going to let them know. She's going to let them know to come on in and take you to the hospital. OK? No, you stay right there. You're fine. You said you want him to go out there with his hands up.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Stay right where he is.
TUFF: She said stay right where you are. He wants to know if he can get some of his water Michael Hill. Guess what, Michael, my last name is Hill. My mom was a Hill. He said, what are you all waiting for? What is taking so long? She said she is getting to them now. They're coming. They're coming. Go ahead and lay down. Don't put your phone -- OK, you just got your phone. OK, that's fine. Tell them to come on. Come on. OK, he just got his phone. That's all he got is his phone, just him. OK, just him.
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: You did great. You did great.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CUOMO: Just amazing. You know, reminded by how incredibly poised Antoinette Tuff was. They are nervous and anxious and it gives us a better illustration of how she was so calm under a situation that most of us would never be. All right, now that we heard the 911 call. Let's bring in Chris Voss. He is a former FBI lead international kidnapping investigator and negotiator.
He is also the managing director at Insite Security. He is joining us from D.C. Thank you very much for joining us, Chris. You heard the call, as well. Let's talk about, first, have you ever heard a regular person respond this way under these circumstances?
CHRIS VOSS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INSITE SECURITY: I really haven't. She did, especially at the very beginning. Everything that we train hostage negotiators to do in terms of tone of voice and respect and being calming, but not being ordering and she did all that naturally. She was amazing.
CUOMO: I was going to say, maybe make a call over to your buddies over at the FBI and see if there is a job. I don't think you can do it much better than she did.
VOSS: She was phenomenal. Normally it takes quite a bit of training to get somebody to do as good of a job as she did. She was settled and the beginning was absolutely critical.
CUOMO: That's what I want you to break down for us because the uninitiated. Well, she's just acting every day. That's what you do in that situation, but it actually isn't. Tell us what mattered so much in the situation that Antoinette Tuff was able to accomplish. VOSS: Well, from the very beginning she didn't act like a victim. She didn't say, please, don't hurt anybody. She was very direct. It's hard to hear it, but she had a downward inflecting voice. She actually calmed the dispatcher down. She was respectful. And she listened to him. She was very direct with him. I think it was completely her tone of voice and approach that connected with him in the beginning. She called him sir early on. By not acting like a victim, she did not encourage predatory behavior.
CUOMO: What did we learn about the mindset of the mad man? We want to know what these shooters were thinking and why they did this. What do you get a sense of by hearing his responses to her and what he wants and where he's headed?
VOSS: Well, anybody that comes in and creates a situation like this, they have a vision in their mind of how it's going to go down in the beginning. He clearly came in with some ambivalence and came in, in a position where somebody can talk to him. He didn't expect to have someone deal with him very directly, very respectfully and not like a victim. It really caught him off guard. She connected with him as a human being. That triggered something inside him. He finally found some sort of a connection with someone who would actually listen to him and talk with him.
CUOMO: So, now, at once we saw something that we saw too often and something we had never seen, a person who had been arrested before but still out there. That's him. That's the painful part of the equation. But then Antoinette Tuff, somebody who went under the worse of circumstances, acted in a way that almost none of us would. Just to be clear, Mr. Voss, if she had been different, if she had been excited and said get out, get out, get away. Do you think this situation would have ended differently?
VOSS: I think it easily would have spun out of control. He may have fired some rounds and escalate things and end things. Quite clearly could have spun out of control with the wrong reaction from her.
CUOMO: All right, thank you very much. Appreciate it, Mr. Voss for the insight. Kate, back to you. Sometimes they say we throw the hero around, but couldn't apply more than it does to this woman.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely right. Thanks so much, Chris.
Coming up next on NEWS DAY, in her first interview since being kidnapped, Hannah Anderson calls herself a survivor. We'll bring that to you in just a moment.
But, also, we have some breaking news this morning, a bombshell announcement from Bradley Manning, the man just sentenced for leaking military secrets. Hear what life-changing decision he's just made.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANNAH ANDERSON: I consider myself a survivor. My mom raised me to be strong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: Hannah speaks. Hannah Anderson rescued after being kidnapped. Her mother and brother killed. She is now speaking out in her first interview. What she says about those days in captivity.
BOLDUAN: Decision time. Syria accused of using chemical weapons. The U.S. now facing more pressure to act, what will President Obama do?
PEREIRA: We have a deal. San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has come to an agreement with the city. Does this mean he is finally stepping down?
CUOMO: Your NEW DAY continues right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This represents an escalation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Good morning. Welcome back to NEW DAY, everyone. It is Thursday, August 22nd, 8:00 in the east. I'm Kate Bolduan.
CUOMO: I'm Chris Cuomo. Here, as always, with our news anchor, Michaela Pereira.
Coming up, breaking news, a bombshell announcement. Bradley Manning says he wants to live his life as a woman named Chelsea. This comes just one day after he was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking military documents. Much more on this truly stunning story in just a few moments.
