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Hurricane Joaquin; Mental Health & Guns; Oregon Campus Massacre. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired October 02, 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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[09:30:57] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. Our coverage of the campus massacre in Oregon continues in just a minute.

But we are following other major stories this morning. The new jobs report is out. U.S. employers added only 142,000 jobs in the month of September, with the unemployment rate remaining at 5.1 percent. Now, economists believe anything above 200,000 jobs created is healthy for the economy. This report comes weeks after the Fed decided not to raise interest rates.

Hurricane Joaquin strengthening overnight. Dangerous flash flooding now the biggest threat to the United States. The massive Category 4 storm is stalling over the Bahamas right now but, boy, is it packing power. This is what 130 miles per hour winds look like. This morning, extensive flooding swamping the island nation. The East Coast now scrambling to clear drains. And although a direct hit is not likely, another system is set to dump record amounts of rain. States of emergencies declared in South Carolina and Virginia and in New Jersey.

Chad Myers with more on this extreme weather.

Hi, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Carol.

Yes, this is turning into a rain event. And I know we talk about this in the wintertime. Sometimes we call it pineapple express, where a big jet streams comes right from Hawaii right into California and it just rains for days. Well we'll call this the coconut express or the conch (ph) shell express because this express comes from the Bahamas, where we now have all of that moisture this is still the Category 4 hurricane. It's raining now from New York all the way down into the Carolinas. It continues.

This is the future radar for the next 18 hours. It continues to rain in North Carolina. South Carolina, you really get the fill in with this rainfall because of the storm here pushing its moisture up. Now, I believe still tonight, right now, that this Category 4 hurricane will stay off shore. That's the official forecast from the Hurricane Center. And 94 out of 95 models still say off shore. Now, that wasn't the case come on Monday when only one model said off shore, the European, and all the other models said on shore. So we're going back and forth here but now I believe as we get closer to the storm pulling out of the Bahamas that it does stay off shore.

Close to the cape, close to Newfoundland, close to all of Atlantic Canada, so don't let your guard down here, still four days away, but it's close enough that you still have to watch but the models still say off shore except for that one, we call it the NAM model, the North America Model. Still maybe possibly putting it on shore because there's enough suction. There's a bit low pressure right here that could bring it back up around. It's not out of the question. The chance of landfall in America is not zero. It might be 1 or 2 percent, but it's not zero, so we'll keep watching it just in case. It will make very, very big waves, very significant wind and we could even see, even with wind of 40 to 50 miles per hour, many, many trees coming down here over the next couple of days. Here's Flagler Beach and good thing they have flags. Boy, aren't they flowing.

Now, for today we are seeing waves as well. Probably sets around four to six feet. A that's what we're going to see a lot of the East Coast, going to see winds and waves like this, maybe up to 10 feet and that will create some dangerous surf.

Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, so be careful out there. We hear you. Thank you, Chad. I appreciate it.

MYERS: You bet.

COSTELLO: Checking some other top stories this morning.

Overnight, 11 people were killed, including six U.S. service members and five civilian contractors. This after their military transport plane crashed at Jalalabad Airport in Afghanistan. While Taliban did claim responsibility via Twitter, the U.S. military denies that hostile fire was even involved. Officials are still trying to figure out what caused the crash, though.

The Vatican is clarifying the circumstances behind the pope's meeting with Kentucky clerk Kim Davis. A spokesman says Davis was one of several dozen people invited to greet Pope Francis in Washington. The Vatican's statement reads in part, quote, "his meeting with Davis should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects." Davis, as you know, spent six days in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

[09:35:00] Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the father of a journalist shot on live TV is speaking out on this latest tragedy. Why he says this isn't just about changing gun laws, it's a war between good and evil.

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COSTELLO: The tragic day and an all too familiar day. Ten families forever changed after a gunman opened fire on a sleepy college campus in the Pacific Northwest. Those mothers, fathers, sons and daughters joining the ranks of so many thousands of families who have been touched by gun violence. According to the House Homeland Security chair, though, we don't have a gun problem, we have a mental health problem. Listen to Congressman Michael McCaul earlier on "NEW DAY."

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[09:40:02] REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R), CHAIRMAN, HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: There are warning signs usually along the way that we miss. This, obviously, looks like a case of mental illness. We've seen this story way too many times in the past. I think we have a mental illness crisis in this country. I'm not sure what law could have possibly stopped this from happening.

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COSTELLO: I'm joined by two men who have been touched by gun violence. Andy Parker, who is daughter Allison was a journalist, was shot and killed during a live broadcast just five weeks ago, and Richard Martinez, who joins us on the phone. His son Christopher was shot and killed on the Isla Vista drive-by shooting in 2014.

Welcome to you both. I'm glad you're here with me this morning.

ANDY PARKER, FATHER OF ALLISON PARKER: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Andy, I just - Andy, I what do start with you. What do you think of Congressman McCaul's statement that no law could have stopped this tragedy in Oregon?

PARKER: Well, it's interesting that to contrast his comments with Senator Blumenthal, whom you had on earlier, it was - you know, one, the senator was advocating common sense legislation that most Americans want. And Congressman McCaul pulled out this tired old playbook that it's a mental health issue only. And I find it also ironic that the FBI has a thousand people on their no-fly list and McCaul was one of the congressmen and legislators who helped the NRA block legislation to keep these people from obtaining weapons.

So this man has blood on his hands. He's complicit. And, you know, frankly listening to him tap dance around the interview this morning made me want to throw up.

COSTELLO: So, Andy, you're saying McCaul has blood on his hands?

PARKER: Absolutely he does. Because if you're - you know, if you're not willing to take the steps that need to be taken, if your hands are in the pockets of the gun lobby, which I'm sure his is and so many politicians across the country, we're going the go after them - Governor McAuliffe and I are going to go after them in Virginia here this month and we're going to call them out. And they are complicit. We are in a war. This is domestic terrorism. He's supposed to - McCaul was supposed to be protecting us and he's not.

COSTELLO: Richard, do you agree?

RICHARD MARTINEZ, GUN CONTROL ADVOCATE (via telephone): Well, I don't know that I would say it in the same way, but - but I agree that we have to do - we haven't done enough in this country to protect our families and kids. And if you're - if you're not working to reduce gun violence in this country, then you're - then you're facilitating it. I mean the idea that we shouldn't be talking about solutions after a tragedy is illogical and repugnant. I mean the idea that we can't do - that that congressman's statement that we - that there are warning signs and then the idea that we can't do anything about it is just wrong.

I mean, in California, we passed what's called red (ph) flag legislation, where it allows family members, if they see signs of a person might be a danger to themselves or others, they can go in front of a judge and get the guns (ph) taken away. The idea that we can't - other developed countries in the world don't have this problem and we need to do more in this country and I think Mr. Parker's right, I mean, Andy's right, I mean, if - if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem.

And I think and believe that my son and Andy's daughter would not be dead today if we had taken steps after Sandy Hook and made changes, common sense changes in our gun laws to reduce gun violence. There's not one solution that will prevent every shooting, but we've got to do better in this country to prevent senseless gun violence. And to throw up our hands and to allow politicians to get away with throwing up their hands and saying, well, there's nothing we can do is - is just wrong. And it's a disgrace -

COSTELLO: Um -

MARTINEZ: That we haven't done more in this country after Sandy Hook. All those six and seven-year-old kids were shot dead in their elementary school and we, as a country, didn't do anything.

COSTELLO: Right. Andy -

MARTINEZ: We have a moral obligation to protect our families.

COSTELLO: Andy, in an op-ed for "US Today" published this morning you wrote, quote, "we are engaged in a war in this country. It's a war between rational, responsible people and self-interested zealots. A war between good and evil." You go on to say, "everyone knows whom I'm talking about." And that would be the National Rifle Association. Explain further for us.

PARKER: Well, it's - it's really the leadership of the National Rifle Association, you know. The vast majority of NRA members and gun owners out there, I've not spoken to any, you know, reasonable hunter or gun owner that isn't for this. You know, the background checks and the closing of the loopholes.

[09:45:10] It is - it is - you know, the NRA used to be about safety 35 years ago. And they were overtaken by zealots and people that are extremist. And they -- you know, they are being fed by gun manufacturers. And that is how they continue basically terrorizing this country.

COSTELLO: And I wanted to ask you about one more thing, Richard. The sheriff in Oregon last night mentioned an effort among police officers not to name the shooter in these killing and I want to play you what Sheriff Hanlin had to say about that.

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SHERIFF JOHN HANLIN, DOUGLAS COUNTY, ORGEON: No, I don't. I don't want to glorify the shooter. I don't want to glorify his name. I don't want to glorify his cause. And in order to prevent that, I'm refusing to state his name.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Now Andy, I know you totally agree with the sheriff. I just wanted to get Richard's thoughts on that.

MARTINEZ: Yes, he's totally right. In these kinds of situations, if the media puts the shooter's name out and puts the shooter's message out, they've just completed the shooter's plan. The shooter, when they go into these situations, mass killing situations, want the notoriety and they want people to get their message. And when the media facilitates that, they've just completed the shooter's plan.

I agree with the sheriff in this regard. And you know, we are asking people to text the words -- the word "NOW" to 877-877 if you are interested in reducing gun violence in this country and you believe that we can do more to reduce gun violence. We're asking you to text the word "NOW" to 877-877. All capitals. "NOW."

COSTELLO: All right. Richard Martinez, Andy Parker. Thanks to both of you for joining me this morning.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, students in a panic after watching a classmate get shot. We'll hear from a witness to the Oregon school shooting and talk about campus safety.

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[09:51:47] CASSANDRA WELDING, WITNESS TO UMPQUA COLLEGE SHOOTING: This classmate of mine went out to the door and she stepped outside to go see the next classroom right next door and when she came back in, the shooter shot her in the arm, the left arm, and the lower abdomen and she collapsed in front of the doorway. So then the doorway is open and her friend over there, she pulls the door open, locks it, turned off the light and then she's trying to do CPR on her friend as we're all in just panic mode.

Called 911 immediately. I tried to get 911 on the phone and the line was busy. I just called repeatedly. And they said, are you calling from the Umpqua College Shooting? I said, yes, I am. There's a woman shot in our classroom. Can you please hurry?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A horrible moment to relive. And unfortunately, we don't know yet the fate of that young woman. But we do know school shootings are far too frequent. "The Los Angeles Times" says there have been more than 142 school shootings since Sandy Hook. That's nearly one shooting per week.

With me now is S. Daniel Carter. He's a campus safety expert and a member of the Virginia Tech Victims Family Outreach Foundation. Welcome. Thank you so much for being here.

S. DANIEL CARTER, CAMPUS SECURITY ANALYST: Good morning, Carol. Thank you.

COSTELLO: First of all, your general thoughts that this has happened again.

CARTER: Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected and our VTV Crisis Response Team is waiting our offer to help any affected. They can find us online at 32ncsi.org or vtvfamilyfoundation.org.

COSTELLO: And that's what your organization does, you reach out in instances of violence like this to see if there's anything you can do. What services do you normally provide?

CARTER: We have a trained crisis response team comprising of 16 members of our organization, our volunteers and staff, that were trained by the National Organization for Victim Assistance and we stand ready to provide whatever assistance that the community may request.

COSTELLO: This community college is in a sleepy little area, very rural, not much crime happens there at all. There's no armed guards on campus. The president of that university made the decision not to have armed guards on campus. Was that the right decision, in your mind?

CARTER: Well, I think it would be preferable if you could have sworn, armed police officers on campus. They're the best equipped to respond to a threat like this, not security guards. And I think that's one of the major concerns, is you don't necessarily want to have armed security guards who don't have all of the training that a law enforcement officer has to respond to a crisis situation.

COSTELLO: Students also couldn't carry guns on campus, but Oregon law, I mean, it's kind of squishy because according to Oregon law, everybody can carry a concealed weapon if they have the proper licensing which means students were able to carry guns on campus but they couldn't take them into the buildings. I think that's how it worked. Is that an effective policy?

CARTER: Well, we look more broadly at college and university policies. For example, do they have a multidisciplinary threat assessment team that students and others can report people of concern to? Do they have an effective emergency and response and evacuation policy? And that's something -- we know that there was a lockdown. We know that there was an alert sent out. [09:55:10] And those two advancements were two of the largest lessons

that came out of the Virginia Tech shooting and have become widely adopted in higher education, particularly in four-year residential colleges and universities, and to a lesser extent at community college because they frequently have fewer resources.

But clearly, they had an emergency response process and local law enforcement was able to respond within minutes and, as I understand it, they had practiced together several times over the last couple of years and those are essential elements. Those are lessons learned from Virginia Tech that most likely saved lives yesterday. And what we need to do is continue to build on that work to make sure college and universities, whether they be large or small, across this campus are better protected.

COSTELLO: So what specifically are students told in freshman orientation about how to protect themselves in case something terrible like this happens?

CARTER: Well, it varies widely in freshman orientation. It's oftentimes a blur. So one of the important things is, yes, you have that initial orientation session but you need to have ongoing education for students. It's not just about emergency management and active shooter drills, but sexual violence, alcohol and other drugs. The research shows that one-time informational sessions aren't sufficient. There needs to be a repetition of the message so educational programming throughout the school year is an essential component for emergency management and all other campus safety issues.

COSTELLO: All right. S. Daniel Carter, thanks so much.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.

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