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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Deadly High School Shooting Near Seattle; Four Students Wounded in H.S. Shooting; 2 People Killed in H.S. Shooting including Gunman; N.Y., N.J. Order Mandatory Ebola Quarantines, NYPD: Hatchet attack an act of terror; Remains identified as missing UVA student

Aired October 24, 2014 - 21:00   ET

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


ANDERSON COOPER, AC360 HOST: North of Seattle, a freshman at a local high school entered the cafeteria, armed with a 40 caliber pistol. Witness says, he walked up to a table, stood behind several fellow students and shot them five times before turning the weapon on himself.

Late this evening this evening, local authorities spoke to reporters, the local police chief, making one thing very plain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF RICK SMITH, MARYSVILLE POLICE: We're not going to confirm any names at this time. By providing his name, he's background includes to his motivation would simply dramatize someone who perpetuated a violent crime, cruel act in a place where children should feel safe, and that is the bottom line.

Our kids go to school, they should feel safe going to school. I will not promote that motivation by devoting anytime on the shooter. Instead we should focus on the heroic efforts of teachers who quickly moved students to safety and the student who helped one another to move in an orderly way despite panic and certainly what was going on inside of them by shear fear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: As you watch our broadcast, you know it's also out policy not to name the killer in situations like this, not giving him in debt, to kind of public exposure that so many of this kind of murders seem to crave. With that in mind we go to Susan Candiotti for the very latest.

Susan, you've been speaking to students on the ground, what are they telling you about the attack today?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well they just, you know, they can't over it Anderson, as you can imagine they too hear about school shootings in other places, but never could have thought in a million years that it could have happen here.

So they're in shock that this happened. And they said, you know, it was a normal Friday afternoon, even -- they were looking forward to just a half day of school because there was a high school play out game coming up. But at lunch time, everything changed, they describe this gunman, one of their own classmate walking up to a table full of student, and many said it did not seem like a random act, that he aimed and he fired and then he turn the gun on himself and that is when everyone started running for cover, some under the tables in the cafeteria, some down the hall ways, some outside and some going into their classrooms where they remained on lock down.

As you said and as the police chief said, those teachers are getting a lot of credit for trying to keep those students safe and calm. Anderson.

COOPER: And they know authorities have said where the gun from.

CANDIOTTI: Yes, law enforcement sources telling me that the gun belong to the shooters father. And we've seen a Facebook page where he talks about getting a gun as a present from his as well. Apparently he talked about like, he like to go shooting and this kind of thing.

So it's now up to authorities to try to get more information about that gun or how many guns were available and what led to this.

COOPER: Of the five students who were shot, one was killed. How are the other four doing tonight? Do we know their latest condition?

CANDIOTTI: Well unfortunately not very well. We understand that some are in critical condition and one's wounds are not as bad but there's a close watch on them at two area hospitals tonight.

COOPER: And are police any close for understanding a motivation in his act?

CANDIOTTI: Well certainly by talking to a number of the students who know him personally, they're trying to find out, he was a popular kid, that's how he was describe, he was part of a home coming court. He played on the football team. They did say that he had recently returned to school from a suspension. He got into a fight, the students are telling me with someone at a football practice, allegedly making racist comments to him. They said that he was being bullied.

But just this morning, a student that we talk with said that he saw him and he looked perfectly normal, didn't look upset about anything and actually have spoken to him saying that, "I wish I didn't use an act of aggression during that fight and instead have used my words." And that's why this student said, I couldn't have predict it, I couldn't have seen this coming.

COOPER: Yeah.

CANDIOTTI: No one can believe it.

COOPER: Susan Candiotti, thanks very much. Nate Heckendorf, a junior at the school knew the shooter and one of the student who die. I spoke to him in our first hour. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: I know today has been an extraordinary difficult day for you. What do you want people to know about your friend? I understand you were friends with one of the victim.

NATHAN HECKENDORF, STUDENT AT MARYSVILLE-PILCHUCK HIGH SCHOOL: Yes. One of the victims, you know, I've know her or the victims since about fourth grade, pretty outgoing person, love to talk to people, love to get to know people. She just, you know, she's just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

COOPER: I know you were not in the cafeteria when this happen. You were at the school. You heard the gun shots. What went through you mind? What happen when you heard those shots?

HECKENDORF: You know, at first, I didn't even think they were gun shots, I heard noises louder than those shots. I was coming out of the bathroom, on my way to my fifth period class. I heard a couple loud bangs, followed by a couple of bangs. I heard a couple of screams, but, you know, I just thought it was normal high school life. And I was on my way to my fifth period, without even looking back, you know, I saw running, but, you know, that's just high school, kids running around, doing their own thing.

And I made it to my fifth period class, I was in the class room and right as I sat down, the fire alarm went off and see that half of the high school going out to the stadium for this fire alarm that everyone things it's a fire, and then you have the running back to their classroom knowing that it is a lockdown.

So while we're out of the field, thinking that it's a fire alarm, we did have teachers come out and tell us to go back into the classroom, telling us -- telling everyone -- tell us to tell everyone else that we need to go back into the classroom, stay safe, stay away from the windows and we are in lockdown.

COOPER: And you really praise the reaction of a lot of the teachers?

HECKENDORF: Yeah, I mean to reaction of the teachers, the teachers handled it well. You know, I didn't get to see a lot of them, but, you know, I think the main role that they played was just to keep it calm, calm demeanor and just let the kids know that everything was going be OK in the classrooms and just make the classroom safe.

COOPER: I also understand you knew the shooter and I know you were listening to our previous guest, we're talking about how off and we don't know what's going on in somebody's mind. And this was somebody who was well liked.

HECKENDORF: Yeah, he was well liked by the community, I mean he was a respected kid, he was come coming prince. I talked to him a couple times. I even talked to him today before school, knowing about a couple of problems that had occurred in the past. I just talk to him, said, "If there's anything you need, I'll be here for you. Come talk to me immediately." You know, he did a little handshake, he smiled and I said have a good rest of you day. I went to my first period and, you know, I didn't see any problems that were occurring, didn't look like he was -- it didn't look like he was -- had any acts toward of anger, toward any student. So, you know, it was really shocking.

COOPER: He'd been suspended recently for fighting. Is that correct?

HECKENDORF: Yes, yes. There was fight that had occurred.

COPPER: So you actually saw him this morning and it seemed normal.

HECKENDORF: Yeah, he seems pretty much content with life, you know, I saw him. You know, I was talking with him, and I just said, like I said that if you need anything just come to me, talk with me and I'll be here for you. And he said, "OK." Did a little handshake and he was on his way and I didn't see any signs of anger, any signs of aggression.

You know, he looks -- he looked like a normal high school teenager on a Friday morning.

COOPER: Is there anything else you want people to know, Nate?

HECKENDORF: I would just like to, you know, tell people that, you know, it's not always the -- but what the kids are basically like, you know, like in his case, he was well liked by the community, I mean there's still kids I do have problems and they're facing problems with their own life, you know, just, you know, to look out for them and if you see any signs of change, you know, give them the help they need.

COOPER: Nate Heckendorf, I appreciate you talking to us and take care of yourself and thanks for being with us.

HECKENDORF: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: A well spoken young man. Quick reminder, make sure you set you DVR, you can watch 360 whenever you want.

I'm going to talk more about the shooting, some of the misconceptions about shootings like these, with (inaudible) including Dave Cullen who look deeply into the Columbine tragedy and learned it was nothing like any of us thought it was.

Also tonight, New York, New Jersey get tougher about quarantining people coming back in helping fight Ebola in West Africa. And officials are revealing details on one health worker stop at an airport. The question is, are the new guidelines now put in place by politicians in New York, New Jersey, is it actually going to help to fight against Ebola in Liberia and Sierra Leone and Guinea, details ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: Well, welcome back again tonight. Four young people have

been very seriously wounded. Another has died. Their classmates have been traumatized. The community is torn.

This happens so many times over the years. You would think there's a pattern in notion that isn't -- that that is not necessarily so. At least what we think we know often turns out not to be the case.

Joining us now, CNN Law-enforcement Analyst and Former FBI Assistant Director Tom Fuentes, Former FBI Executive Assistant Director Shawn Henry and Dave Cullen who wrote really the definitive book on the Columbine shootings titled simply Columbine.

You know, and seems you -- Dave, we were talking to Nate, the student of the schools before the break, who said again that, you know, what you have been saying all along and what you write about in Columbine that what we think we know about the shooters often, you know, of a stereotypes that we think, they are bullied, they're on the fringes of the school, social structure. That is not actually the case.

In this case, this young man seemed who have been popular, some football team, goes in the homecoming court as well.

DAVE CULLEN, AUTHOR, COLUMBINE: Yeah. You know, it can affect all sort of different things. And by the way, that kid was really articulate.

COOPER: Yeah, very well.

CULLEN: Yeah. (inaudible) a subject but like go in the high schools, this -- first of all, this is like really sometimes really break my spirit and I don't know how you cover all these and people involved. And I've just got in all sort of tweets in e-mails from the teachers who tell me how hard it is for them.

The good part too is when I go talk to students, seeing kids like -- kids full of like -- sorry, that's not the subject.

COOPER: But I do. Bu it's interesting too

CULLEN: It makes me -- fills me with life that was...

COPPER: What's also interesting that Nate said and I thought it was a very kind of human compassion in thing that he does, he saw that shooter at this morning on the way to school and knew that the kid had -- I guess gotten to a fight or maybe have been suspended and (inaudible) said that according to Nate, you know, spoke to him about and kind of reach out to him about it and kind of reach out to him, which seems a very decent human think (inaudible).

CULLEN: Right and it seems fine. You know, I also read another kid who said yesterday that, he was talking to the shooter and the shooter was laughing and dancing and doing all sorts of things and then the kid said, you know, I don't know what happened today.

And I think that's the mind frame that we have to get away from -- what I took him, to me is like he assumes something awful happen this morning. The kid was fine yesterday ...

COOPER: That's not the way this psychology works.

CULLEN: Exactly. So the kid may have seemed like he was laughing and dancing and that probably was authentic, that's a part of what's going on.

We're complex, right? Just because we're smiling that doesn't mean everything about us is doing good, doing well. Sometimes, you know, you're going through the divorce, you're going through -- a parent is having an illness and you're hurting but you have moment of happiness too.

COOPER: And Tom, I mean, the kids are masters at hiding and masking what's really going on deep inside as David has reported. I mean, he spent years reporting out of Columbine and reading, you know, the journals of these one of these shooters and, you know, the torment that they were experiencing for years plays out all in, you know, in the silent pages of their journals.

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Right Anderson, this could be the situation here. He might have been the victim of racial taunting since kindergarten, you know, all the way up and then now it happens recently. He gets in a fight, he gets suspended, he comes back to school.

You know, supposedly he ask the girl for a date and she rejected him and said no. And that could have been in his mind that yet a continuation of the taunting and that's why she rejected him and yet one more piece, you know, of the anger that's building up inside of him. And what the, you know, what's your guest said about he's seeming so calm would be or possibly could be the serenity in his mind that his made his mind. He knows what he's going to do that day and he's so comfortable about that fact.

COOPER: Shawn, what if something like this happening, I mean, law enforcement schools across the country they want to try to learn how they could possibly prevent another shooting like this? Teachers want to know, the school staff.

Is there -- I mean, if there are no obvious warning signs, what can you do?

SHAWN HENRY: Well, and, you know, I think Dave has studied this and in many of these cases very not warning signs. I can't imagine though that in some of these instances we don't see some indication whether it be some social media comments or some discussions among friends of family members that would raise somebody's concern.

But I think in this case where often times you can't prevent these things, I think people need to learn how to respond to them. If the inevitable does happen, how do you react?

There's a good training video that was done recently called run, hide, or fight which really describes the methodology you would use in an instance like this if it occurred. You first want to get away from the shooter as quickly as possible. If you can't get out of a confine space, can you hide from the shooter?

And if that doesn't happen and you can't run or hide then you have to engage in fight the shooter. So being prepared and understanding from a school district perspective really training being aware and practicing certain type of tactics like the lockdown strategy. I think it's really critical so that people are able to protect themselves if this occurs.

COOPER: Dave Cullen, there was something that those two shooters plan and calling him shooters is not incorrect because actually they were wanted to bomb initially which a lot of people don't realize.

It was something they plan for a long time, is that common with these kind of incidents that were actually planed out or at least thought about often?

CULLEN: Yes, over 90 it present plan in advance. And it can be anywhere -- it's really a few hours, it's almost always a minimum, one or two days up to weeks or months, somewhere in that range of days to months.

And I think the comment about the serenity was a very (inaudible) because I've talked to a lot of psychologists, forensic psychologists where that often happens where you do reach once realized what's going to happen then you feel good about it. And I think there's one key fact in here.

We have to keep in our mind, is if this person took his own life. This was a suicide. It was a murder suicide bit this almost always and then suicide and we think of them as murders because, you know, we're -- of course we don't want to think of this guy or poor guy but they are suicide.

And they are mainly driven a suicide that's then go on to be a vengeful suicide and kill a bunch of other people too but we want to understand what lead to it. We need to look at the other side which is the suicide, which factually what happened here.

COOPER: And for folks out there who do want to totally understand this kind of events more, I really urge read Dave's book, Columbine. I've read it twice now and it's just completely open my eyes to how this should be reported on and how we should think about this and what we can learn about it.

Dave Cullen thanks very much, Shawn Henry, Tom Fuentes as well.

Up next, we have breaking news. Another healthcare worker has been quarantine in the New York area. You know by now and their new policy.

And some are saying put actually hinder the fight against the virus. We'll talk about that. We'll look at all sides.

Also, we're tracing the steps that Dr. Craig Spencer, the Ebola patient who's now in isolation in quarantine in New York, being treated at Bellevue Hospital with the steps he took retracing those. Also more breaking news, while police said hatchet attack in New York was in fact an active terror and we're going to take to Canada where there was an extraordinary show of support and respect for the fallen soldier today and we're going to talk to people who helped to try to save that soldier's life, civilians who just rolled up their sleeves and did what they could.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Breaking news tonight, New York and New Jersey have announced mandatory quarantines for high risk travelers returning from West African countries with Ebola outbreaks. Now, that's step above and beyond the CDC has zone guidelines.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced the new policy today. New Jersey has already ordered a female healthcare worker to be quarantine under the new guidelines.

Tonight, New Jersey Department of Health released the statement saying she has a fever. However Dr. Seema Yasmin, our guest in the previous is friends with this quarantined healthcare worker. She tells different stories saying that this doctor has used a more accurate oral thermometer three times since her initial temperature was taken and her temperature is normal. So we're continued to follow that story.

When Dr. Craig Spencer returns from treating from treating Ebola patients in Guinea, he followed CDC's guidelines, self-monitoring for symptoms of the virus. After spiking a fever yesterday, he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital.

Tonight he said to be in stable condition in an isolation unit and our Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no cause for alarm.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Tonight, New York City health officials are urging come as they looked for anyone who had contact with Dr. Craig Spencer, the city's first Ebola patient.

DR. MARY BASSETT, NYC HEALTH COMMISSIONER: The patient continues to be stable at Bellevue Hospital where he remains hospitalized on the isolation unit.

COHEN: The 33-year old doctor return to the U.S. last week after treating Ebola patients in Guinea with doctors without borders.

Three people who had contact with Dr. Spencer have been quarantined including his fiancee who will be monitored for symptoms over the next 21 days.

And his hazmat crews works to decontaminate his apartment, city officials are retracing Dr. Spencer's steps and alerting all who may have call and contact with him.

BASSETT: We want to find every person with whom he may have been in contact and we want to account for all of his time from the time he developed symptoms.

COHEN: On Wednesday, just one day before his diagnosis with Ebola, he was out in about in New York visiting a Brooklyn bowling alley, going for a jog and riding the subway.

The Metropolitan transit authority released the statement listing their procedures about isolating and disinfecting rail cars to help calm New York commuters, adding that it's safe to travel.

This will make good news from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Dallas nurse Nina Pham is Ebola free.

NINA PHAM: EBOLA SURVIVOR: This illness and this whole experience have been very been stressful and challenging for me and for my family. Although I no longer have Ebola, I know that it may be a while before I have my strength back.

COHEN: The NIH director said no experimental drugs were given Pham while under their care exactly when or why she turn the corner is hard to pinpoint but that the blood transfusion from cured Ebola patient Dr. Kent Brantley could have been a factor.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Certainly that could be the case but remember when you had so many separate factors at the same time going into care of a patient and the end is one for this patient is virtually impossible to say that this is the thing that did it and this is the thing that didn't do it.

COHEN: Pham was invited to the White House where she received the hug from President Obama in the oval officer.

And Atlanta's Emory Hospital reports that the other Dallas caregiver to contact Ebola Amber Vinson test no longer detect the virus in her blood, she remains under close watch.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: And Elizabeth joins us now. There seems to be right now more on unanswered questions than answers about how this mandatory quarantine is actually going to work.

COHEN: Right. Doing a quarantine Anderson is a big deal and they haven't answered simple things like how will this quarantine workers get back home. Do they get an taxi, then what happens to the taxi driver?

The point of quarantine is to keep someone away from other people. So what about the quarantine help worker's families? Are they suppose to go find some other place to live? What if this quarantine worker actually -- what if this worker actually live somewhere else. So I was talking to a doctor who's right now in Sierra Leone but he's going to be going home to New Orleans this week that he'll be coming in Newark and them going into New Orleans. So the Newark back in new work for 21 days?

You know, how is he going to take care of his patients in New Orleans? What's going to happen to his family there?

You know, so many unanswered questions. It feels a little like they kind of did this and didn't really fully think it through. And when I try to ask questions, nobody answers them.

COHEN: Interesting. I'll try to get some answers.

Elizabeth, thanks.

Dr. Richard Sacra was the third American air-lifted back to the U.S. after he contracted Ebola while treating patients in Liberia.

He knows first hands with Dr. Craig Spencer is facing. I ask Dr. Sacra earlier what he thought about the travel bans that some people are now calling for.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: There has been talk among politicians and the media about a travel ban about stopping flights. Do you think that something that that would usually hinder the fight against Ebola in West Africa?

DR. RICHARD SACRA, EBOLA SURVIVOR: Yes, and look at this ripple effects, right? It's not just the Ebola crisis. It's the economic effect and all those things. If you totally isolate a country from travel, what it's going to do the economy? It's going to hurt this people's ability that you can survive.

COOPER: Also groups -- I mean, SIM, Doctors Without Borders, they're moving a lot of personnel back and forth, they'll moving a lot of equipment ...

SACRA: Sure. You ...

COOPER: ... charter flights alone are prohibitive.

SACRA: I'm sure you'd end up with some kind of U.N. flight system coming in to replace that for humanitarian workers. You'd have too but obviously it's much easier if we just have routine commercial travel that we can take.

And people will travel anyway. You know, people will get to a different country and come here through a different route.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: I want to bring in Dr. William Fischer of the University of North Carolina, School of Medicine. He worked for with Doctors Without Borders in Guinea in June. Also Shawn Kaufman, President of Behavioral-Based Improvement Solutions. He advised Emory University Hospital and Dr. Kent Brantley and Nancy Writebol for being treated there. He's just back from training healthcare workers in Liberia.

Dr. Fischer, first of all, what do you make of this new restrictions putting place in New York and New Jersey, mandatory quarantines for health care workers returning from Liberia, Guinea or Sierra Leone?

WILLIAM FISCHER: Yeah -- I mean, I can understand their decision a little bit. I think there's an inherent attention really between what Science informs us and what fear motivates us to do.

On the one hand science tells us that this decision was a very low risk. Right, we know the viral load is very low when you have minimal symptoms and that there's very -- that the transmission really only curse through direct contact.

So I think the risk of him spreading it to other people is very low but on the other hand the politicians have to really handle the public perception of a person infected with this virus. So, I actually think that this is an opportunity to really reinforce what we know about the virus and allay fears about contracting the virus.

And so I think the policy is incredibly restrictive and we have to be careful that our response doesn't do more harm then the virus does itself.

COOPER: Well that's thing Sean. I mean do you worry to something you just got back from Liberia. Do you worry and I should point out you were training doctors and nurses not treating Ebola patients yourself but do you worry that a mandatory quarantine is going to prevent health care workers or make the health care workers decide, you know, what I just -- I can't take that much time off both to go to West Africa and then also will be quarantine when I come back. I just can't do it. It is going to actually harm the war against Ebola in West Africa which is critical to keeping us all safe here.

KAUFMAN: Absolutely Anderson. I think that the reality of the situation is that USAID is fund in 27 Ebola treatment units and that's going to take over 5,000 workers to staff units. And when we start not only deploying folks but again holding them hostage for 21 days upon their return, I think it's a very, very big issue and I think it's going to post a serious challenge to our respondents in West Africa.

COOPER: That's interesting Dr. Fisher. If mean it is 5,000 personnel and those are personnel who I mean not all of them will be foreign nationals but it's a lot of people coming and going. They only stay for maybe a few weeks, maybe a few months so it's a huge volume of people to move back and forth. Do you feel it's going to cut down the willingness of someone people to go over?

FISHER: I think it's certainly makes it more difficult and I think that, you know, I think that maybe these politicians were acting out of fear in trying to comfort the public but they actually, I think the best way to keep the people in United States safe if to really to end the epidemic where it is, in West Africa. COOPER: It would also I guess incentivize returning healthcare workers or anyone not to tell the truth to authorities about exactly what they've been doing in West Africa because again this is based on really self reporting.

FISHER: But let's not also forget that we have health care providers in Atlanta, in Nebraska, in Houston or Dallas that have provided care. So do we tell them that they can't fly after 21 days, until 21 days?

COOPER: Sean, is today's announcement, I mean they said the quarantine would apply to individuals who had "direct contact" with an individual, in fact with Ebola virus. Direct contact it seems that that could be interpreted in any number of ways, people in West Africa, in Liberia may have direct contact with someone who has Ebola but they're not trying symptoms yet and they don't know that they've had contact.

KAUFMAN: Look Anderson, the scary part about this and again my heart goes out to Dr. Spencer and his family right now, but the scary part about this is I can assure you knowing MSF protocols that doctors the answer did not probably it would all likely they did not take pick this up when they had contact with patients because in the step it has the normal protocols that make sure that every single part of his body and all portals of entry are protecting.

So, what I'm interested in is how do this happen and how do this occur and again if you look back in all the health care providers it may have, you know, that had an infection occur it typically does not occur in, you know, with an hands on patient issue. It occurs somewhere outside of that area. And so that's what concerns me is we're going to just focus on people to put hands on patients.

We're going to miss under folks as well. And again, I think I understand the political aspects of handling fear but the reality is that I think you're stigmatizing your emergency responders and the humanitarian efforts and you're going to make it much more difficult to respond with this outbreak in West Africa.

COOPER: Dr. William Fisher, I appreciate you being with us. Sean Kaufman as well, we'll back. I appreciate all you have done.

Just ahead the Hatchet attacked the New York authorities are now claiming an active terror and the latest on what happened today in Canada incredible sign of respect for the following soldier there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: That Hatchet attacking that took place in New York yesterday has been deemed a terror attack by authorities, that's what New York Police Department have said this late -- late this afternoon. The blade wielding man was caught on camera Thursday afternoon the Borough of Queens just a moment before he struck two police officers one on the head. That police officer is in critical but stable condition. The other was released from the hospital. Deborah Feyerick has more in the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBORAH FEYERICK: A violent hatchet wielding attack in New York City is the latest of three tragic attacks. Authorities in the United States and Canada are investigating this week. All were aimed and people in uniform. All seemingly inspired by terrorism, all authorities say by loners, self radicalized online.

JOHN MILLER, SPOKESMAN NYPD: Today the model here is mass marketing. They played to a wide audience on a number of web platforms with increasingly sophisticated messaging, compiling videos and outreach on the assumption that if just a few buy in to that narrative and act out independently that will be enough.

FEYERICK: Police say that what was inspired Queens New York resident Zale Thompson the unemployed loner attack four rookie cops with a hatchet critically injuring one. Two other officers opened fire killing Thompson.

MILLER: Was this an active terrorism? It appears at this point that that was the suspects intend.

FEYERICK: A friend of Thompson's believed the act came more from Thompson's feelings about police.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a lot of people that is very upset and I think he was one of them.

FEYERICK: Thompson's attack comes on hill's of Monday's incident in Quebec. Martin Rouleau Couture run down two Canadian soldiers killing one before being baggily shot by responding officers. In Ottawa Wednesday Michael Zehaf-Bibeau murdered soldier Nathan Cirillo shutting down parliament when he raced inside with this his hunting riffle. He was also shot dead.

In all three cases the men ties to ISIS or any other terror organization are very much in question but running (ph) with the law were common trait among all three attackers. At least two had a history of drug abuse in the case of the parliament shooter.

BOB PAULSON, COMMISSIONER, RCMP: That he had a very developed criminality, violence and of drugs and of mental stability combined with some of the things that he rise the radicalization, I think it is where the focus of our investigation needs to be.

FEYERICK: Where does drug abuse and criminality come in to play?

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: I think that the fact that some of these individuals had some problems with mental health can make it easier to make that lead from the belief towards action.

FEYERICK: Action that now has authorities in two countries wondering if this was one bad week or the beginning of a violent unpredictable trend. Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: We shall see on that. There is also breaking news out of Virginia. The remains found on abandoned farm are those of missing UVA student Hannah Graham. More on that ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In Charlottesville Virginia the parents of Hannah Graham got the news they certainly did not want to hear. Forensic test confirmed the remains that were found on a abandoned farm last weekend were in fact the 18 year olds. The devastated parents released statement that reads in part, "Put simply, Hannah lit up our lives, the lives of our family and the lives of her friends and others who knew her. Although we have lost our precious Hannah, the light she radiated can never be extinguished. We will hold it in our hearts forever and it will sustain us as we face a painful future without her.

Brian Todd joins us from Charlottesville Virginia with more.

So the remains were found last weekend not confirmed until today. Do we know why it took this amount of time?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, authorities had to make double ensure that they have the right match here and to do that it was very pain sticking work. They first took the skull that was found and took it to the medical examiner's officer in Richmond Virginia. That was within a couple of days of the discovery of the remains in a creek bed behind this house that I'm standing in front off, then they left the skeletal remains there.

The rest of the skeletal remains, so that they can dig underneath it to search for other traces of DNA that might have sipped into the soil. They wanted to be painstaking about this, make double ensure that they have the right match. This has in fact been the longest missing person search, the largest missing person search in Virginia State history, 41 days passed between the time that Hannah Graham disappeared and today Anderson, as you said the family got the worst news possible just the short time ago.

COOPER: Do we have an idea when will know whether Jesse Matthew is going to be formally charge with Hannah Graham's murder?

TODD: That's a little unclear because he faces other charges in Northern Virginia sexual assault and capital -- attempted capital murder charges in Northern Virginia that trial may come first but they are also -- the Albemarle County Police are asking people still even though they confirmed these remains were Hannah Grahams.

They're asking people to call in with tips. They also say they're working with other jurisdictions to try to maybe build up some more evidence against Jessie Matthew. So the investigation part is far as maybe tying him to this killing, this death goes on.

COOPER: All right, Brain Todd, I appreciate the updates, sad news indeed.

Up next, when gunshot raring out in Ottawa with this week, several people ran toward the danger not away from it. He tried to come for the soldier who was shot at Canada's War Memorial, Corporal Nathan Cirillo. I'm going talk with some of those brave people ahead and we want to remember Corporal Cirillo tonight, a devoted soldier and a single dad to a five year old boy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Today from Ottawa to Hamilton thousands of people lined in the highway as Corporal Nathan Cirillo made his finally journey home. It was an incredibly moving tribute to a falling soldier who was killed Wednesday in the shootings spree in Canada's capital.

He was shot in the back by alone gunman while guarding country's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, hollow ground. Canada's primer minister spoke that Corporal Cirillo the day it happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN HARPER, PRIME MINISTER, CANADA: Corporal Cirillo was killed today, murdered in cold blood, as he provided a ceremonial honor guard at Canada's National War Memorial, that sacred place that pay as tribute to those who gave their lives. So that we can live in a free, democratic and safe society.

COOPER: Since the attack, there had been many such tributes to Corporal Cirillo and I want to you show one image that captures Canada's pain. It's an editorial cartoon from Halifax newspaper the Chronicle Herald.

You see the bronze statues of the memorial representing the soldiers killed in World War I. And one of them stood down to pick up Corporal Cirillo and welcome him to their fold. It is the work of Artist Bruce MacKinnon.

In a moment, I'm going to talk with three people who rushed toward Corporal Cirillo, try to comfort him in his final moments. But first, what we've learned about the big hearted and brave soldier of probably served his country.

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COOPER: Corporal Nathan Cirillo was reservist with Canadian army who dreamed of being a fulltime soldier. Part of his duties included standing guard at the National War Memorial in Downtown Ottawa, a job that was an honor and a privilege.

Nathan was on duty at the memorial on Wednesday morning with his closed friend and fellow reservist Brandon Stephenson when the gunmen attacked. Nathan was shot and Brandon tried to save him, performing CPR with the help of bystanders but the young soldier died of his injuries shortly after he reached the hospital.

RON FOXCROFT, HONORARY CPL., CANADIAN ARMY: He was just an amazing man. He was loved by all his friends. He was loved by all the troops. He set an example. He was a first in for training. He was the last person to leave. COOPER: Nathan was from Hamilton, Ontario. His parents divorced when he was young and he grew up with two sisters. When he was in serving with the guard, he worked as a personnel trainer and a bouncer at the bar in Downtown Hamilton.

His manager says he would often show up to work in his fatigues straight from the armory and with joke about going from one service job to another.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was also happy. He always had a smile on his face. He is very energetic, go-getter. He always -- he was at first. He didn't shy away from my leadership responsibilities and he was just -- he was a guy that you remembered.

COOPER: Nathan was known as a proud father. His son Marcus who just started kindergarten this fall. Kind, opened hearted and generous as how his friends described him pointing to his love of animals. He once rescued an abandoned puppy and owned two dogs who still waiting for him at home next to of (inaudible) Memorial outside his house.

CARISSA PERRON, FRIEND OF CPL. NATHAN CIRILLO: I just don't want to believe it. He is such an amazing person, amazing father, amazing friend, who rescued dogs. Who is just an awesome person.

COOPER: This picture shows him with one of his dogs and his son. It's simply tagged family.

JIM CIRILLO, CPL. NATHAN CIRILLO'S UNCLE: I know no one deserves to die at a young age or whatever but he didn't deserve that.

COOPER: Nathan Cirillo was just 24 years old.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: So incredibly young. In an statement today, Corporal Cirillo's family thanked the good samaritans who tried so hard to save him. A group of strangers who saw someone in need and do not hesitate to help. Earlier, I spoke to three of them, Barbara Winters, Margaret Lerhe and Martin Magnan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: First of all, thank you all for taking the time to talk with us. I am for this been extremely difficult and thank you for what you did. It's just extraordinary.

Barbara, let me start with you. I understand you would just finish taking pictures of the guards at the memorial. What happened next?

BARBARA WINTERS, TRIED TO SAVE SHOT SOLDIER: Well, I was actually not on the scene at the time of the shooting. I kept carrying on after I took pictures towards my -- I had a meeting. And then I heard the shots. And I turned around and I saw people ducking and running.

And so, I started running towards the soldiers. And when I got there I saw other people who were working on a soldier, Corporal Cirillo who had fallen and two of those people are sitting to my left.

COOPER: So you actually run toward where the shots had come from?

WINTERS: Yeah. That's right. Yes.

COOPER: What made you do that?

WINTERS: You know, I really don't -- I don't have an answer. I don't know. I think really the simplest and the autonomous honest answer is you just want to help. You know that there's trouble and you want to help.

COOPER: And I know when you got there Margaret was already tending -- Corporal Cirillo's wounds. Margaret, you're a former nurse. Where were you when you heard the shots and tell me what you saw and heard?

MARGARET LERHE, TRIED TO SAVE SHOT SOLDIER: I was coming in the office direction. So I wasn't very far from the shooter and in fact I thought it was a drill.

And then of course, I look around and see if there were -- if it was being filmed or, observed and, you know. By then, it was very apparent. And I was actually very close, so I was able to run there. And from there are things unfolded.

You know, we all had a role. We all took an active role and, worked together in this extraordinarily tight -- at a tight team to look after the corporal.

COOPER: And, Martin, I understand you were trying to keep the corporal legs elevated to keeps the blood flowing. How did you know to do that?

MARTIN MAGNAN, TRIED TO SAVE SHOT SOLDIER: I didn't. I asked. When I arrived on the scene, the corporal was doing a compression through one of his wounds and I said, "What do I do?" And the time everyone is (inaudible) at same time. I said, "What else do I do." And he said, "Well, elevate his legs." And he is very strong fellow and he was very heavy. And I held his hand at the same time.

COOPER: And I understand there wasn't a sense of panic that you we're all just focused on helping.

MAGNAN: That's correct.

(Crosstalk)

MAGNAN: We talked to each other. There was gentlemen who approach to control the scene. The police arrived. He was very calm and we're talking to each other for (inaudible) time.

COOPER: Barbara, I understand that at some point you moved Nathan's head and did you began talking to him, you know, trying to come for him.

WINTERS: Well, what happened was I was doing chest compressions. And there was another fellow doing the mouth to mouth. And after spell I don't know if anybody done chest compressions. You know, that they can be a bit tiring. And so, I was -- somebody relieved me after few, I don't how long it was maybe five minutes. And so, I moved to the other side of the corporal's head. And I was able to speak to the corporal and speak in his ear and, you know, at one point I had his head under on my hands. And so I was quick close and able to talk to him.

If you ever ran into somebody who's injured, I think it's important to tell them that their being cared for. And that they are loved and that their family loves them. And that, in this case, it was their -- both their -- his family and his military family, that loved him.

I think it's important to comfort that person on the most personal level that you can, not knowing them. But to remind them that they are so brave and so loved and good people that he was a good man. And if anything I hope that if anybody is ever in the same situation, they would provide the same comfort to anybody that they're helping.

COOPER: It seems like-- I mean, I just think you all are remarkable in each of your own separate ways. I mean, to run toward with somebody we would run from and run away from, and to stay there and do what you could and to speak to Nathan Cirillo in his final moments. And let him know that he was loved and will continue to be loved. And I think you represent your city. I will just a really truly glorious city and your country very well. So, thank you for being with us.

LERHE: Thank you.

WINTERS: Thank you.

MAGNAN: Thank you. It's a pleasure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: By the way, I missed pronounced Margaret's last name. It's Margaret Lerhe. I just want to make sure I got that right. I think it's extraordinary what those three did. And with so many others did on that terrible, terrible day.

Also I just want to show the images that we've saw from Canada today, just thousands of people lining the road from Ottawa all the way to Hamilton where Corporal Cirillo was finally brought home. Show's respect, people there for hours just wanted to get a glimpse, wanted to come out and show their support and their love to the man who gave his life.

That he does it for us. For more and all the stories we've been covering tonight, you can go to cnn.com.

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