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Stocks Surge; Mesa Suspect in Custody; Day Two of Charles and Camilla in D.C.; Nine Arrested in Tunisian Terror Attack; March Madness Round of 64. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired March 19, 2015 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:30:31] BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now in the NEWSROOM, an arrest in a shooting rampage in Arizona. Cops take down the guy they say shot and killed one man and wounded four others after a motel room argument.

Plus, it's just a few moments after the opening bell, but will stocks continue their surge after the Fed signaled an interest rate hike is on the way?

And the royals take over D.C. Prince Charles and Camila's highlight today. Not too bad. It's a trip to the Oval Office.

NEWSROOM" continues now.

Good morning and thanks so much for joining me. I'm Brianna Keilar.

New information about that deadly terror attack in Tunisia. Nine people have now been arrested. We are told this includes four individuals believed to have direct links to the gunman. This is according to the president of Tunisia. It's believed that 23 people were killed, including at least 17 tourists, after attackers stormed into a museum in the capital city of Tunis, then they opened fire. Two attackers described as Islamists were killed on the scene. The attack coming just days after a jihadist from Tunisia pledged support to ISIS.

And the opening bell just moments ago. Stocks looking at a fairly flat open this morning after surging yesterday as the Feds signaled that a rate hike is on the way. Investors eyeing Apple stock as it prepares to make its debut on the Dow.

Let's get now to our business correspondent, Alison Kosik. She is there on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

What's going on there, Alison?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Brianna.

And with that ringing of the opening bell, Apple shares, the biggest company in the world, began trading on the Dow. That exclusive club of 30 stocks. Out of the Dow 30, AT&T. In comes Apple. We are seeing shares of Apple a bit higher this morning despite the overall market in the red.

Also in focus today for investors, what the Fed said yesterday, that it basically opened the door to hiking interest rates for the first time in nine years. But it seems like the Fed isn't entirely sold on the idea of hiking rates so soon simply because Janet Yellen said it's not going to happen in April. And once they do start raising rates, they will continue their go slow approach and only if the U.S. economy still remains healthy. You're seeing the Fed not entirely sold on the fact that the economy is ready, saying that the labor market is strong but inflation is still weak.

So those are the two issues on the minds of investors. Also, very quickly, with those interest rates, that could wind up affecting Americans greatly because if you're a borrower it means that it could be more expensive for you to take out a mortgage or take out a car loan. But if you're a saver and have interest-bearing accounts, higher interest rates could wind up working in your favor.

Brianna.

KEILAR: Maybe it's time to be the saver and not the buyer. Maybe that's where we're headed.

KOSIK: Maybe.

KEILAR: All right, Alison Kosik, thanks so much. Have a great morning.

KOSIK: You've got it.

KEILAR: And to politics now and a new CNN/ORC poll that's just out this morning. It shows that Americans are almost evenly split over whether Barack Obama's presidency has been good for the country. You have 50 percent who are saying that Mr. Obama's time in office has been a success. Then you have 47 percent calling it a failure.

The president might like these numbers a little better. In February 2009, right after he took office, just 21 percent of Americans said things in the country were going well. Now, 53 percent say things are going well. I'm sure he likes that.

Both parties in Congress fairing worse than the president in the public's opinion. What's new, right? Seventy-four percent do not like how Republican congressional leaders are doing their job. And you have almost as many, 63 percent, disapproving of the Democratic congressional leadership.

Kim Jong-un, he's taking a little trip, going to Russia. A Russian official says Kim has formally accepted President Vladimir Putin's invitation to attend a celebration to commemorate the end of World War II in May. This trip will be Kim's first foreign outing as North Korea's leader.

And a Mesa, Arizona, man is in custody this morning following a deadly shooting rampage that led police on a manhunt across the Phoenix suburb. Police say that 41-year-old Ryan Giroux shot and killed one man. This is the suspect here. They say he then wounded four others following an argument that started in a motel room. Stephanie Elam live for us in Mesa, Arizona, following this story.

[09:35:01] And, Stephanie, this is someone who is not -- you know, he's not a new face to police officers.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not at all, Brianna. From what we're understanding, Giroux is a patterned criminal. He's a felon, a convicted felon, with drug and theft-related charges, numerous of them. But when you take a look at what happened yesterday, it started here at this motel here in Mesa and they said that there was an argument within the room and they believe that he knew these three people who he later shot. One of those men actually died. Two other women there were wounded. But they say after that everyone else that they think was sort of in the wrong place at the wrong time as he was trying to seek cover.

He left from here. He went and shot another person at a nearby trade school that's right by here, shooting one person there, then breaking into an apartment complex and -- into an apartment, shooting one man there. They go into the apartment complex over, shooting another man inside his apartment. Both of those men are expected to live. But when you look at the one person who lost his life, this is what a good Samaritan had to say about what he saw.

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NATHAN LOWREY, TRIED TO HELP MESA GUNSHOT VICTIM: He was laying flat on the ground, trying to -- trying to breathe and he had a hole in his neck. She was screaming. She was beside me. She was trying to help me get his legs up. I was talking to him, Dave, come on, Dave. And he responded. But then, just too much blood coming out from his -- I don't know if it hit an artery or whatever. It's worse than a movie. It's the real thing, you know? It's -- I had blood everywhere on me, you know? He's not a mean guy. He's a nice guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And they're also saying that Giroux car jacked a Honda as well as he was trying to flee. Eventually Mesa SWAT was able to surround him in a vacant condo, a second floor condo, where they Tasered him and took him into custody and began to interview him.

Now, if you take a look at his picture, you can see that he has lots of tattoos. One that says "skin head." What's not clear is if any of this had anything to do with what his belief system may be. But at this point, this is not someone that they didn't know, that's for sure, Brianna. This was a patterned criminal they're saying.

KEILAR: Yes, it sounds horrible that description there. Stephanie Elam for us in Mesa, Arizona, thanks so much.

Still to come, could a new murder investigation into millionaire Robert Durst give us some clues into what happened to his first wife? Why his former brother-in-law believes that Durst did indeed kill his sister.

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[09:40:38] KEILAR: Robert Durst is awaiting extradition to Los Angeles to face a first degree murder charge in the death of a close friend. Durst appeared to be getting ready to flee before he was arrested on Saturday. And according to court documents, he had more than $40,000 in cash, he had a loaded gun, he had a neck to head latex mask apparently to disguise his face, and he's currently being held in the mental health unit of a Louisiana prison on drug and weapons charges. Durst's first wife, Kathie McCormack Durst, vanished in 1982. And in the HBO documentary "The Jinx," a really fascinating documentary, he is heard saying, "killed them all," which many have taken as a confession that he killed his wife and his friend, as well as another man that he was acquitted of killing for reasons of self-defense. Kathie's brother believes Durst is responsible for her death and he spoke last night to CNN's Anderson Cooper.

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ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, CNN'S "AC 360": Jim, is there any doubt after all these years, any doubt in your mind that your sister was murdered by Robert Durst?

JIM MCCORMACK, KATHIE DURST'S BROTHER: Absolutely no doubt at all.

COOPER: I'm wondering what your reaction was when, at the end of "The Jinx" you heard him say to himself, "killed them all, of course."

MCCORMACK: Basically it was a confirmation of what I believed for so many years, what other people believed for so many years. And kind of like you had that long exhale and said -- and you're saying to yourself, finally. We can finally go to closure.

Kathie had, like I said, loved him at the beginning and then as his true self started to emerge, he started becoming abusive on at least six levels that I can remember, or have reflected upon and have defined. And as that abuse escalated, Kathie said, well, I'm going to move on, especially after the abortion was forced on her. She got the nursing degree. However, she fell in love with the health care industry and -- because it fed into her caregiver personality. Next thing you know, she was going to be a doctor, self-reliant, you know, finally able to take care of herself, not really in need of his economic support, and he just couldn't deal with that loss of control.

COOPER: Do you believe that there's some part of him that wants to fully come clean?

MCCORMACK: I think he's been searching for his own version of closure for quite some time. What was telling to me at the early part of "The Jinx," when he used the word "mommy," although he was speaking in a past tense, you know, situation, kind of mimicking his childhood reaction to his mother being loaded to the grave, it's almost like he was really bringing it forward. You know, "mommy, why is mommy in that box? What are they doing to mommy?" And I'm listening to this and I'm saying, my goodness, this guy's soul is bubbling up. He's showing us what he once was and maybe now he wants to show us what he is now. On that note, I think he does, to your point, seek to release the demons and give it all up.

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KEILAR: Well, the FBI is now looking into other unsolved murder cases for possible links to Durst. And a law enforcement official tells CNN that investigators believe Durst planned to flee to Cuba before he was arrested in Louisiana.

Still to come, royalty heads to the Oval Office as Kate slips some baby news back in London.

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[09:47:38]

KEILAR: Day two in D.C., Prince Charles and Camilla are seeing the sights in our nation's capital, of course, getting the royal treatment as fans graciously greet the future king. And on the couple's docket today, a trip to the Oval Office.

Let's chat now with royal correspondent Max Foster. He's been following the story for us. Max, I mean, where haven't they gone in Washington on this trip?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: I know. It's a real sightseeing trip, isn't it? And visiting the White House, they'll be meeting with President Obama and Joe Biden, but also then heading over to Capitol Hill to meet congressional leaders. So a real opportunity at a very high level to push Prince Charles's agenda, which on this trip is very much about sustainability, though no doubt there will surely be questions about the royal baby as well.

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FOSTER (voice-over): They may not know the sex of the new royal baby, but they do know when it's due, and she just let slip.

KATE, DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE: Good morning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).

FOSTER: Kate at a charity event said she's expecting in the second half of April, just before the British election. Wondering which one will get the most headlines.

After a bout of morning sickness, she's felt well enough for a flurry of public appearances, her last one planned for the end of next week.

Meanwhile, stateside, Grandfather is on a four-day tour with his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. They took in the sights in Washington, D.C., and met national icons. They were swarmed by delighted tourists at Mount Vernon and at the Lincoln Memorial, a very different tone to their visit ten years ago when Diana fans with abusive placards greeted them not so warmly. It was just after they married and Diana played on the minds of royal fans.

On this tour, no such scenes so far. The public may be warming to Camilla.

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FOSTER (on-camera): Certainly not the crowds that many people were expecting, Brianna, over there in the U.S., they don't have the pulling power of those younger royals, but I think they're pretty pleased with the turnout so far and the positivity of the crowds. And as you say, extremely busy.

KILEAR: So busy. It is nice to see that they're getting a warm welcome.

[09:50:00] But, yes, everyone wants to know about the royal baby, even if it is No. 2, we're still so keen to learn about it.

Max Foster, thanks so much.

And, you know, still to come, for a lot of sports fans, this is -- I mean, today, it's like a national holiday, right? March Madness tipping off. Productivity in the office is just going to, let's be honest, it's going to take a slam dunk, isn't it? A preview of some of the best games on tap next.

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KEILAR: I want to update you again on that deadly terror attack in Tunisia. Nine people now arrested; this includes four individuals believed to have direct links to the gunman. This is according to the President of Tunisia. It is believed that 23 people were killed. That includes 11 tourists after attackers stormed in to a museum in the capital city of Tunis and opened fire. Two attackers described as Islamists were killed on scene and this attack comes just days after jihadists from Tunisia pled support to ISIS.

Some other top stories that we're following. A U.S. Navy SEAL died in a military training accident in California. This happened after his parachute apparently failed to open during a planned jump. The man was part of a West Coast-based Navy SEAL team. His name will be released once next of kin is notified.

[09:55:02] Police in Austin, Texas, wants to know who's vandalizing with these racially charged stickers. They read "Exclusively For White People" and they feature the city's logo. Austin officials, who call the incident hateful, say they're not behind it and whoever is will be charged.

Actress Liza Minelli has checked in a rehab facility for substance abuse. This is according to a spokesman who says the actress has sought treatment over the years and is, quote, "making excellent progress." The 68-year-old has struggled with addiction to alcohol and painkillers.

Crews say they'll do more flyovers this morning before deciding whether to reopen a Hawaii beach after a shark attack. This attack happened just before noon yesterday when a man was bitten on the arm when he was out snorkeling with his family. Swimmers were forced out the water. Officials closed the beach and the man treated at a nearby hospital.

And it is not just cats that have nine lives. More than 30 dogs are waking up this morning with a new leash, that's a pun, on life. The pups were rescued from high kill shelters in Roswell, New Mexico, where the city's mayor has reportedly ordered dogs to be put down due to a high population of strays. The dogs were flown to Colorado where they'll be up for adoption now. Aw, that's sweet.

And let the madness begin. It is a big day for college basketball fans. The NCAA tournament Round of 64 tips off later today. And you know what that means -- only a couple hours left to finish filling out your bracket. Andy Scholes joining us now.

I'm assuming yours is done, right, Andy?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: Oh yes, I spent hours on it, Brianna, and it is finally done. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I guess we'll see after the next 48 hours, which really are the best two days in all of sports.

We got 16 games today, 16 games tomorrow. Nothing really comes close to the excitement you get all day long during March Madness. But before you get to today's action, there were two play-in games last night. Dayton and Boise State were playing for an 11th seed. Now, Dayton, the first team since 1987 to play a tournament game on their home floor. Funny moment in the second half, Dyshawn Pierre goes up for the rebound and his the teammate accidentally pulls his shorts down. Now he held on to the ball and pulled his shorts back up at the same time. That's skill right there.

Under 40 seconds to go, Jordan Sibert's going to hit a three for the Flyers. That capped off a 10-2 run. Boise State, they get one last shot at this. But the last second attempt no good. Dayton gets the win, 56-55. They're going to get to play on Friday.

And the other match-up last night, Robert Morris taking on North Florida. Steven Putnam, North Florida's baritone player and Internet sensation for what he does during the song "Turn Down For What". Not going to call it a dance but that is what he does. And that was pretty much all North Florida fans had to cheer about last night. Robert Morris, they had a big second half to come back to win this game 81-77. They're now going to play Duke tomorrow.

And a popular pick by pretty much everyone to win it all in this year's tournament is Kentucky. The Wildcats, of course, a perfect 34- 0 on the season right now, looking to become the first team since Bobby Knight's '76 Indiana Hoosiers to run the table. Now, if you want Kentucky play tonight, you're going to have to stay up pretty late. Their game against Hampton tips off at 9:40 Eastern and the Wildcats, they are a 34 point favorite in that game. So you might actually only need to watch the first five minutes before that one gets out of hand. Now, if you're still filling out your bracket right now, don't pay

attention to the seeding in these two match-ups. Why? Well, because Las Vegas actually has the lower seed as the favorite to win the game. 11th-seed Texas? A 2 point favorite over Butler, while 10th-seed and Ohio State, they are a 4 point favorite over 7th-seed VCU. So some last picking tips right there if you're still filing out your bracket.

Now the Round of 64 going to tip off just in a couple of hours and the action is going to continue throughout the day on CBS, TruTV, and TNT. So still a little bit of time to fill out your bracket if you're working on it, Brianna. If you want to play along here at CNN, go to CNN.com/brackets. It's going to be a lot of fun of course. March Madness never disappoints.

And Brianna, I want to know, are you like everyone else? Are you picking Kentucky to win it all?

KEILAR: I'm going for Duke.

SCHOLES: Duke, OK.

KEILAR: Because that's such a fan favorite.

SCHOLES: They're top seed, so that they're not much of an underdog, but Kentucky is just such an overwhelming favorite to win it this year. There hasn't been a favorite like this in decades. Let's see, it's going to be fun.

KEILAR: Is that who you're picking? You're with Kentucky?

SCHOLES: I'm picking Kentucky along with 99 percent of the rest of the country I think.

KEILAR: All right, I'm going to be contrarian. I'm going to stick with Duke. We'll see. We'll see, Andy Scholes.

SCHOLES: All right, have a good one.

KEILAR: have a good one. Good luck with your bracket.

And the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM begins righ tnow.

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KEILAR: Good morning, I'm Brianna Keilar sitting in for Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me.

We begin with some breaking news as the death toll rises in the wake of that vicious terror attack in Tunisia.

[10:0:01] Authorities have now arrested nine people, and this includes four individuals believed to have direct links to the gunman, that's according to the President of Tunisia.