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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Church Shooting Suspect Back in Charleston; Search for Escaped Inmates Grows Cold; House Sends Revised Trade Agreement to Senate; Oklahoma Hit Hard by Tropical Depression Bill. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired June 19, 2015 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:23] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news: in just hours, the man accused of murdering nine people in a Charleston church faces a judge. New information about that shooting suspect this morning, why friends say he did. This as shooting survivors reveal how the attack played out.
Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START this Friday. I'm Christine Romans.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman, live from Charleston, South Carolina. It is Friday, June 19th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East.
And behind me is the Emanuel AME Church, Mother Emanuel as she is known here in Charleston, a congregation that dates back 200 years. This church building dates back more than 120. But today, as members of that congregation and this community wake up, they are facing new pain and a new need to come together to move forward.
Twenty-one-year-old Dylann Roof, he is back in Charleston this morning. He's scheduled to make a court appearance here this afternoon. Police say he was the 21-year-old man who opened fire inside this church Wednesday night, killing nine people in a bible study class.
He was spotted by a woman in Shelby, North Carolina. And police say he had a gun in his possession when he was apprehended. Now, it is not clear whether that was the same gun that was used in the church shooting. Family members are disputing law enforcement reports that Roof's father bought him the .45 caliber handgun for his 21st birthday. Maybe he used birthday money that was given to him to buy it.
We are also learning about final fatal moments about the bible study class where nine people lost their lives. Before the shooter allegedly opened fire, he sat with church members for over an hour. They welcomed him into that bible study. He may have even prayed with them.
Let's get more now from CNN's Martin Savidge.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Dylann Roof arrived back in Charleston, South Carolina, a little after 7:00 in the evening. And then by the time he was transported to county jail, it would have been 8:00. Almost 24 hours exactly from the night before in which authorities say that he walked into the Emanuel AME Church, sat down on the bible study meeting and when the bible study meeting was over, he opened fire.
As to where his conditions are now, I mean, he is in county jail most likely in isolation and also properly under suicide watch.
Later this morning or today, it is possible that then he will appear for a bond hearing. It is highly likely that bond will be granted. He'll also have a public defender. And it's likely this court appearance is going to be happening via a video link.
After that, what you have to understand, there are two investigations that are going on here. The federal that is one looking into this as a possible hate crime, and then, of course, you have the state and county one that is looking at nine murders. It is obviously a capital murder case, and could very well likely involve the death penalty.
For most people here in Charleston, the fear of a suspect on the loose is over, which allows them now -- well, to take up the main task at hand, which is grieving. And there's a lot of grief to go around -- John.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: So much grief to go around.
The community is what we want to focus on here. The victims are a real concern here. But we are learning more about the shooter and his past.
People who know him describe him as a shy, and quiet young man who kept to himself. He dropped out of high school after ninth grade. He was arrested in February on drug charges. In April, he was arrested again on trespassing charges. That was at a mall.
We have a photo from Roof's Facebook page. It featured a picture of him in the woods wearing a jacket with two patches, the patches depict flags from former racist regimes in Africa. One from South Africa, the former apartheid regime there, and Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe.
A friend of Roof's told ABC News how the suspect felt about black people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He wanted segregation.
REPORTER: What did he want to see happen? How was he going to do this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he wanted something big like Trayvon Martin. He wanted to make something to spark up the race war again.
RPEORTER: What kind of guns did he have?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: .45 Glock.
REPORTER: .45 Glock? Did he carry it around?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In his car.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The youngest of the church shooting victims, the 26- year-old Tywanza Sanders, posted a Snapchat video from inside the bible study class moments before the deadly attack. In the video, you can see the alleged shooter at the far end of the table.
[04:05:00] Family members say, when he began firing, Sanders stepped in front of his aunt and took a bullet that was intended for her. Tragically, she was also killed.
Sanders last posted on Instagram three hours before he was killed and it was a quote from Jackie Robinson. That quote, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
We also have a clip of an interview that Sylvia Johnson gave to CNN's Anderson Cooper. One of Sylvia's relatives was killed in the church. A woman who survived the massacre by pretending to be dead described to her the horror of what unfolded inside that bible study class.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYLVIA JOHNSON, COUSIN OF REV. CLEMENTA PINCKNEY: What I heard is after shooting a couple of rounds, her son tried to talk him in to not committing anymore acts of murder.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A person actually tried to --
JOHNSON: Yes, he did. He sure did. He tried to talk him down. And her son and grand baby had already planned they were going to just act as though they were already killed, but the son was concerned about Reverend Clementa, and he got up, and that's when the gunman said, you know, after the young man tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to finish off he said, "No. You raped our women and you are taking over the country."
COOPER: You raped our women and are taking over the country?
JOHNSON: "You're taking over the country. I have to do what I have to do."
COOPER: And he continued to shoot?
JOHNSON: And he shot the young man. His mother was there. And she was -- she pretended as though she was dead. She was shot and dead, but she watched her son fall and laid there and she laid there in his blood. And --
COOPER: She laid there in his blood?
JOHNSON: Yes, she did. When I got to talk to her, her entire dress was drenched in blood. She said that's my son's blood. He was a good boy. He was a good boy.
COOPER: And he passed?
JOHNSON: And he passed. Him along with one of her aunts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: There's so much grief. There's so much sadness in this city for those who were lost here. And that sadness, that grief is being felt around the country, six women, three men. And we're learning they shared a love of family and they shared a love of faith.
The Reverend Clementa Pinckney was the leader of Emanuel AME Church. He served in the South Carolina Senate. He is being remembered as a gentleman with a strong voice.
Sharonda Singleton was also a pastor at the church. She was a speech therapist at a high school and also a track and field coach.
Cynthia Hurd worked in the Charleston public library system, 31 years in the system. A one-time manager for the busiest branches.
DePayne Middleton-Doctor was another church minister.
Susie Jackson was at bible study with her cousin Ethel Lance. Both were long-time members of Emanuel AME. Ethel was 70, Susie was 87.
Daniel Simmons was a retired pastor. So many church leaders lost. He attended service every Sunday and bible study every Wednesday.
Myra Thompson was teaching bible study when the gunman opened fire.
And 26-year-old Tywanza Sanders was the youngest victim. Friends say he was committed to the church, his family, and was so generous.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
A.J. HARLEY, CLOSE FRIEND OF TYWANZA SANDERS: A loving friend, family -- he really loved his family. His mom, dearly, he loved -- he talked about his mom every day that he get a chance to talk to his mom, go see his is mom all the time. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. If you just -- if you met him, you knew you had a god friend on your side, regardless of anything. He made you smile even when you didn't want to smile, happy all the time, always smiling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Nine lives, nine family members, nine people who were leaders in this community. So much loss.
President Obama became emotional when he responded to the massacre here. And he used the shootings here as a chance to talk about gun control. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've had to make statements like this too many times. Communities like this have had to endure tragedies like this too many times. We don't have all the facts, but we do know once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:10:07] BERMAN: The Justice Department says it is investigating what happened here as a hate crime. South Carolina launching a murder investigation. Obviously, there will be a hearing later today.
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott tells CNN he has little doubt that race was a factor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: There's been a lot of talk today about whether this was an act of domestic terrorism. Do you see it as an act of terrorism?
SEN. TIM SCOTT (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I certainly see the terrorism component as it relates to just the senseless violence taken out on a group of innocent people in a place of worship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: And after learning of the massacre here, Senator Scott organized a prayer service on Capitol Hill attended by more than 100 members of Congress and staffers.
And, Christine, I cannot tell you the range of emotions that I have seen here since I fist arrived. I got here on the ground before the suspect had been caught. At first, there was genuine fear -- I mean, genuine fear someone was on the loose who wanted to kill black people and in fact had. When they caught him, there was a palpable sense of relief and then, people just struggling with how to deal with the sadness and frankly a lot of anger by what happened here.
And to do it all without the loss of these leaders -- I mean, the people lost here were the people needed to work through this in the coming days.
ROMANS: When I look at those pictures and you look at the pictures of the people that he killed -- you know, I just -- I can't imagine why someone would shoot those people sitting around a table, reading the bible. Why -- it just -- that's going to be the struggle for the community, and for the country really that what formed this young man and what made him turn so hateful in our very midst? That's what's really so hard to struggle and just beginning, John.
All right. Thanks for that, John. We're going to get back to you on the scene there in front of the church soon.
New information this morning in the hunt for two escaped killers. The search widening as we learn information about the plot to set them free, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: It's been two weeks now since two convicted killers escaped from a maximum security prison in upstate New York.
[04:15:02] Now, the search for Richard Matt and David Sweat is widening. Both men now on the FBI's most wanted list. This as we learn more about the prison worker Joyce Mitchell, her role in their escape and how her husband is now coping with the realization she may have been plotting with them to kill him.
We get more from CNN's Alexandra Field.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and John, Joyce Mitchell is accused of helping two convicted killers break out of a maximum security prison. Now, her husband's attorney is speaking out saying that Lyle Mitchell had no knowledge of the escape plan. He only learned about it after the fact from his own wife who also told him it involved a possible plot to kill him. Joyce Mitchell now is behind bars at the Clinton County jail.
Lyle went to visit his wife earlier this week. His attorney said he has questions that needed answers.
PETER DUMAS, ATTORNEY FOR LYLE MITCHELL: His questions are, were you really going to -- were you really part of this plot to have me hurt? Were you really part of this escape plot? What was really going on with these two individuals and you?
I mean, like I said, he was in love with her. He had no idea that she was having these conversations with other men. He's just devastated.
FIELD: According to investigators, Joyce Mitchell and Richard Matt had a sexual relationship, something that Lyle's attorney said he never suspected.
As for the possibility of some kind of relationship between Joyce Mitchell and David Sweat -- well, that had been previously investigated after there were reports of improper interactions. At the time, Lyle's attorney said that Lyle confronted his wife Joyce who denied the allegations. Later, David Sweat approached Lyle Mitchell, according to the attorney, also denying those allegations -- Christine, John.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Now. And now on the FBI's most wanted list.
Now, U.S. efforts to train moderate rebels in the fight against ISIS have hit a snag. Pentagon officials say, out of the 6,000 Syrians that volunteered to be part of the program, less than 200 have actually started training. Officials say there are a number of challenges contributing to the delay, including the very risky process of getting the fighters out of Syria to the training site.
The fate of the president's trade agenda now in the hands of the Senate. On Thursday, the House passed a revised bill to give the president fast track authority to send Congress trade deals it could you approve or reject but not change. Last week, House Democrats derailed the full package, fearing it would lead to job losses. Now, 14 Senate Democrats are withholding support until they are guaranteed the House will approve worker protection from the effects of this trade bill.
Time for an early start on your money. Asian stocks higher, China shares with the exception to that, down more than 6 percent right now on worries of a bubble in China.
European shares higher too. European officials failed to strike a deal on a bailout program yesterday. Now, there's an emergency summit of E.U. leaders on Monday to try to avert default.
U.S. stock features barely moving after a good day yesterday. The NASDAQ topping its previous intraday record of 1.3 percent. Previous intraday record set 15 years ago. A new closing high for the NASDAQ.
It has been a long road for NASDAQ, getting hit hard in 2000 when the dotcom bubble, and then again during the 2008 financial crisis. But now, the NASDAQ looks much more solid, home to companies like Apple, Google and Facebook. Record high for NASDAQ yesterday.
Eighteen minutes past the hour.
Tropical Depression Bill swamping Oklahoma. Houses and cars submerged following torrential rain, 12 inches falling in parts of the state. This as authorities in the state frantically search for a 2- year-old whose toddler was swept out of his father's arms during a flash flood.
In Texas, authorities are keeping an eye on swelling rivers. So far, the region has been spared from significant flooding.
For more on the flooding threat, let's bring in meteorologist Derek Van Dam.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good Friday morning, Christine.
The remnants of what was Tropical Storm Bill continues to churn across Missouri in to southern Illinois and even parts of Kentucky and Tennessee. We've seen a considerable amount of rainfall leading to localized flooding, especially across parts of Texas and Oklahoma, where we received the heaviest of rain.
But as the system continues to move in a northeasterly direction, we see the watches for flooding extended. And that includes the general St. Louis area, southward into Springfield and even further south than that.
Here's our forecast radar. You can see it with its counterclockwise circulation pattern, spreading rainfall, heavy at times just South of Indianapolis. We could experience anywhere between three, upwards of six inches of rainfall near the border of Ohio, Illinois and Indiana and Kentucky. That's where we anticipate the most amount of rain for the next 24 hours.
Hot across the Southeast. Look at these temperatures running well above average from Atlanta to Raleigh, as well as Nashville.
ROMANS: All right. Derek, thank you so much for that.
And we're still following this breaking news this morning.
[04:20:00] A man arrested for killing nine people in a Charleston church facing a judge, as we hear from the North Carolina couple who helped police catch the accused killer. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: John Berman here in Charleston, South Carolina.
You know, the pastor of this church, the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, who is the father of two young children. That family -- so many families going to this Sunday, this father's day, without their loved ones, just one more tragic aspect to this senseless round of killing.
Give you the latest here. The 21-year-old suspect is scheduled to make a court appearance this afternoon. He allegedly opened fire at a bible study class behind me Wednesday night killing nine people.
He was apprehended by police 14 hours after the shooting in Shelby, North Carolina. That's about a four-hour drive from here. He had a handgun in his possession at the time of the arrest and not clear whether it is the same gun used in the church attack.
Roof was spotted in Shelby by a florist. He was spotted bay florist named Debbie Dills. She said she recognized him by seeing pictures on TV. She was running late for work, immediately grabbed her phone and dialed her boss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD FRADY, DEBBIE DILLS' BOSS: When she called she said, I think this is the guy from Charleston that shot the people.
[04:25:01] She said, I'm right beside him. I told her, I said where are you at? She pulled off by then and I said, we have to call the police, I said, to notify them that it may be him.
Of course, our conversation, you know, it may not be him and she didn't want to cause a problem for someone that it might not be them, I said but, I said it could be. So, we called the police while she was on the phone and she got back on 74 to catch up with him. He had already traveled four or five miles before she could catch up with him.
DEBBIE DILLS, FLORIST: Something inside of me said it didn't look right to me. I had seen the little tag on the front of his car and everything was just -- I even noticed the hair cut that he had from watching it on the news. So, everything inside of me said it is possible but everything inside of me didn't want to believe it either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: She recognized the hair cut by watching it on the news.
Now, Debbie said she had been praying for the victims of the shooting here. She said she has no doubt that the fact that she spotted the alleged killer, she has no doubt it was a case of divine intervention.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DILLS: He answered the prayers of those people that were praying in Charleston last night that were in those circles holding hands and praying. God heard the prayers of those people and He just used us as vessels to get His work done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: It was amazing police work to catch this suspect in just 14 hours. The video they used to identify him, the video used to identify the car, the license plate, the fact that there are some reports the sister of the suspect called in to offer the name, the fact this woman Debbie Dills spotted him on the road and had the sense to call someone to report it. So many law enforcement officials here worked so hard, they're frankly also thanking the media for its role in getting the message out, getting the picture out and getting the name out. And now, the suspect is in custody.
When we come back, we have new information about the accused killer. His friends explain why they think he did. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
