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Egyptian Official: No Conclusion for Cause of Crash; Carson Slams Media over Coverage of His Past. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired November 07, 2015 - 11:00   ET

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

[10:59:50] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good to see you guys.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: You, too.

WHITFIELD: Why do I feel like it's been a long time? Actually a long week.

PAUL: It has been a long week.

WHITFIELD: There's been so much going on.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, it has been a long week.

PAUL: You're right, and I know you've got a lot to talk about today.

WHITFIELD: I know. We do indeed. All right. Good to see you, have a great day.

PAUL: Thanks Fred.

BLACKWELL: You too.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much.

[11:00:05] All right. It is the 11:00 Eastern hour. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. NEWSROOM starts, now.

And let's begin with this breaking news in the deadly crash of that Russian airliner in Egypt. Egyptian aviation officials are now revealing what they heard on those flight data recorders. Here's what they said just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AYMAN AL-MUQADDAM, HEAD OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY: The flight recorders were recovered on the first day of the accident, and they were successfully downloaded. The preliminary review of the FDR -- flight data recorders indicates the following.

Date of time UTC time is three hours, 50 minutes and six seconds. With recording stopped at UTC time four hours, 13 minutes, and 20 seconds. So duration from takeoff to the end of recordings is 23 minutes and 14 seconds. Last recorded air speed is 30,000 and 888 while the aircraft in climbing mode. Last recorded airspeed is 281 knots with autopilot 1 was engaged until the end of recordings.

The TVR was successfully downloaded and the first listening was done. Although the TVR team is still in the phase of writing, the transcript which will take time to finalize, a noise was heard in the last seconds of the CVR recording.

A spectral analysis will be carried out by specialized labs in order to identify the nature of this noise. The committee noted, media reports and analysis, some of which claim to be based on official intelligence, which favors a certain scenario for the cause of the accident. The committee was not provided with any information or evidence in this regard.

The committee urged the sources of such reports to provide it with all information that could help us to undertake our mission.

Six, the committee is considered, considering with a great attention all possible scenarios for the cause of the accident.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So the media reports that officials referenced there, Affiliate France 2 says the noise heard on that cockpit recording is the sound of an explosion. And that explosion is not from an accident. The report also said the recordings reveal there was no sign of mechanical malfunction.

This as ISIS is doubling down on its claims of responsibility releasing a new propaganda video, in fact. And Egypt's foreign minister is saying, the international community did not heed Egypt's call to seriously deal with terrorism.

We're also learning that this is not the first time a passenger jet has been threatened in those skies. Just last August, a Thompson Airlines plane narrowly avoided a missile when heading into Sharm el Sheikh. The day the Department of homeland security in this country says it'll tighten security for U.S.-bound flights from Cairo, Amman, and Kuwait.

All right. Let's get to our coverage now: Nic Robertson in St. Petersburg, Russia; Ben Wedeman is at the press conference in Cairo, Egypt; and Erin McLaughlin is in Sharm el-Sheikh.

So Ben, let me begin with you, there appeared to be some frustration expressed at that news conference. Explain what happened at that moment.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that was a question asked by an Egyptian journalist there who was asking why there were not other members of the investigating team at that press conference. There was just one person, Ayman al-Muqaddam who's the head of the investigation. And he suggested that there was some sort of disagreement within the committee and quickly jumped to the conclusion that there was some sort of conspiracy which is something we're hearing quite a lot of these days.

I was listening to a call-in show on Egyptian television this morning where somebody, the anchor suggested that there's a media war against Egypt.

Nonetheless, this press conference was significant because it was the first time we've received specific details, numbers, times, about this accident -- the fact that after 23 minutes and 14 seconds in the air a noise was heard as Mr. al Muqaddam said.

[110512] And that does sort of dovetail with what we heard from via France deux, a CNN affiliate from a member of the investigating team that after 23 minutes of flight, there was a noise, a blast, and their conclusion, this source quoted by France Deux was that indeed that it was not a mechanical failure, it was some sort of blast.

Now what was interesting was that at the end of the press conference, Mr. al-Muqaddam did, for a moment, entertain the possibility that the blast, if there was a blast, could have been caused, for instance, by an exploding lithium battery. So that's the first time wave heard that.

But as I said, we had some specific details. He said that the debris was spread over a length of 13 kilometers in the desert. We've heard of proper breakdown of the investigating committee, 47 members, including 29 from Egypt, seven from Russia, six from France, two from Germany, and three from Ireland. And he promised that there would be regular, similar such press conferences to provide information as the investigation continues.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ben, we're going to get back with you.

Nic, let me ask you in St. Petersburg, you know, the Russians are involved in the investigation, but it says another thing now that the Russians are also suspending their flights into Egypt. What more can you say about the Russian government? Their standpoint, the investigations, and what's next, what are they telling people in that country?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're telling people, anyone that's in Egypt right now, and there are an estimated 79,000 Russians there on vacation that they will be flown home. They will be looked after, but they won't be able to bring any luggage with them that would normally go in the cargo hold, just personal items and hand baggage, things like medication, things like baby food, baby milk, those sorts of things.

President Putin spoke on the phone overnight with President Sisi of Egypt, the Egyptian ambassador in Moscow came to meet he deputy foreign minister who's responsible for the Middle East. We're told that both of these -- the phone call and that meeting both involved the welfare and safety of Russian citizens inside Egypt at the moment. Both about safety and skirt at airports, but also we're told both these conversations expressing the hope that a normal flight service can be resumed. But I think it does speak to the concern that Russia now has

following the information it received from both Britain and the United States that, that there is serious international concerns, even if Egypt doesn't share them entirely yet about flying in and out of that country -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right -- Nick. Let me bring in Erin now. So Erin, you just heard Nic talk about 79,000 Russians who are in Egypt, there are many from the UK as well, when all of our reporting is that many special flights are allowing many of these tourists to leave with only carry on, but how their luggage, eventually making it out of the country or, you know, explain, if this is going over smoothly or if it's a real mess there in Sharm el Sheikh.

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi -- Fredricka. Well, there has been confusion at times, certainly plenty of angry passengers are arriving at the airport yesterday, only to find that their flights have been canceled, but today, we've been watching a number of planes arrive into Sharm el Sheikh International Airport, empty planes from the United Kingdom as well as from Russia. They land, they pick up passengers, turn around, to take them home.

But you're right, the tourists who arrived here for holiday only allowed to take their hand luggage with them. They have to leave their bags behind, and that is an issue. They are arranging for cargo planes to fly into the airport as well to pick up the bags. Passengers before boarding the planes leave with Egyptian authorities their contact information, their names, addresses, so in the hopes that eventually those bags will be able to be returned to them.

But this is really a nightmare scenario for Egypt. One of the key concerns in all of this of course is the tourism sector. Tourism is the lifeline of this area. And people who work here, people who live here -- Egyptians expressing their concerns about how this is going to impact their livelihood.

WHITFIELD: All right. Erin, Ben, Nic -- thanks to all of you, appreciate it.

So today's new conference there in Egypt is raising so many more questions. I want to bring in our panel now, joining me from New York is Jonathan Gilliam a former FBI Special Agent and Air Marshall; CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo as well.

[11:10:06] So Egyptian officials saying it's too soon to declare that this was a bomb, despite European investigators implying that there was some sort of bomb or explosion on-board. And the question of this noise at the end of that recording still needs more investigation, according to the official that we just heard from.

So Mary, does this fill in some blanks for you or does this simply open up more questions in your view?

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, there was some important takeaways from the press conference, and yes, they're right to center in on this noise because deciphering the noise and the acoustic fingerprints if you will of such a noise has been a task that investigators have faced in TW 800, the plane that exploded off of New York and was mechanical. Pan Am 103 over Scotland which was a bomb, and several other flights. And so it's possible to analyze that, that takes a long time because not only do you have to carefully separate all the lines of sound out, But then you have to compare it with other cases from the past that you knew were either mechanical or a bomb, and then try to compare those and come up with that.

But what we didn't hear from the press conference which was a little, you know, I expected to hear more about this, is the investigation on the ground. Because for every, you know, hour spent looking at acoustic signatures of blasts, law enforcement, like in Pan Am 103 and TWA 800 spent tens of thousands of hours interviewing everybody at the airport. Surveilling just, you know, anything that you can with investigative leads, and we didn't hear anything about that.

WHITFIELD: And so it's peculiar that that wouldn't be publicized or does that make you feel like those things haven't even been done?

SCHIAVO: Well, if I was the investigator, I guess I would want to reassure the public, especially when they've come under criticism that they're covering everything, including much, you know, literally old fashion investigative gum shoeing on the ground. I probably would have mentioned it, but you know, they may not want to because they're still in the process of doing it, but that part of investigation is hugely important. More clues will come from that than from the plane.

WHITFIELD: And then Jonathan, how worrisome or concerning is it to you that there would be this last august, you know, incident that officials are saying that there may have been some sort of missile targeting another flight, but people didn't necessarily know about that.

I mean, do you -- you come from a law enforcement and special ops military, kind of point of view, but at the same time, the thing for Egyptian officials, they want tourism to continue. So perhaps they don't want the public to know everything, but do you think from your point of view, that's a mistake to not share publicly that there was this other type of reported incident?

JONATHAN GILLIAM, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: You know, Fred, it's interesting, I also have a degree in political science, and I see a lot of that in play right here. And I think what Mary was pointing out is exactly right.

You know, an investigation goes so much further than just the cockpit recording. It really has a lot of detail, thousands of man hours on the ground. In this case what we hope is on the ground, but when you put together the fact that there's -- this is tourism, you know, Russia's been awfully quiet, if they're even involved in this investigation which I'm assuming that they are.

But everybody's very, very quiet because they have a lot of stuff at stake here whether it be, you know, tourism or whether it be the fact that Russia's war in Syria. If there was this attempted missile attack, that is very important for the world, not just that particular region because we need to know what type of munitions that was. What type of surface to air --

WHITFIELD: They worry about where that evidence may have gone.

GILLIAM: Sure.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jonathan Gilliam, Mary Schiavo we're going to leave it right there. I'm sure we'll be talking to you again later on, thanks so much.

SCHIAVO: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, let's talk American politics -- the race for the White House. Ben Carson scoring extremely high on the issue of honesty and trustworthiness in recent polls but now there are questions about his accounting of his childhood stories. And that is infuriating the candidate. That story, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Republican presidential frontrunner Ben Carson says the media's questions about his past are a witch hunt. During a Q and A with reporters last night, Carson slammed the press for asking questions about childhood stories that he tells in his autobiography. The stories include an incident in which he tried to stab a friend, and another incident in which he tried to attack his own mother with a hammer.

Last night during an appearance in Florida, Carson commented on how he thinks the media scrutiny will impact his campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And, here's my prediction, my prediction is that all of you guys trying to pile on is actually going to help me. Because when I go out to these book signings, and I see these thousands of people, they say, don't let the media get you down. Don't let them disturb you, please continue to fight for us. See, they understand that this is a witch hunt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And Carson's visible frustration stems in part from an interview CNN's Maeve Reston conducted with people who knew him growing up in Detroit who say they never saw a violent or angry side of the candidate. Here's Maeve's report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARSON: I'm Doctor Ben Carson and this is my story. Poverty.

MAEVE RESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Dr. Ben Carson has captivated voters with the story of his rise from an impoverished youth in Detroit to a famed pediatric neurosurgeon.

CARSON: I picked up a large rock, hurled it at his face, broke his glasses -- almost -- RESTON: Central to his appeal to the evangelical voters who have

fueled his surge to the top tier of the Presidential field. His account of a religious epiphany that changed him from a violent, angry young man to the composed figure who stands before voters today.

CARSON: Another time, fellow was trying to close my locker at school but I didn't want to close. I struck him in the forehead with my fist. I would go after people with rocks and bricks and baseball bats and hammers.

RESTON: A version of the most serious attack is portrayed in a 2009 television movie, based on his autobiography, "Gifted Hands".

CARSON: Had it not been for a belt buckle under their clothing, they would have been killed or seriously injured.

[11:20:01] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel I should move my chair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was not his demeanor around here.

RESTON: CNN set out to find a classmate to Carson who says we're victims of the attack. But so far has been unable to locate any of them. The Carson campaign declined to provide names of those involved, or eye witnesses, calling CNN's examination into Carson's past, a witch hunt.

CNN interviewed nine of Carson's friends, neighbors, and classmates. And all say the violent impulsive person Carson has described himself as is unrecognizable to them. A tenth person said he might have heard a rumor about the knife attack at the time, but couldn't be sure.

All of those interviewed recalled Carson as quiet, bookish, and nerdy. A kid who wore thick glasses, and a pocket protector for his pens.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was just smart. A bookworm.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With us, he was always kind, easy, a lot of fun. Always.

RESTON: Sibling Steve and Marie Choice (ph) grew up next door to the Carsons.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was surprised when I read he tried to stab someone. I was like, what? You know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You never saw the police over here or anything?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does it fit with a guy who you knew? That kind of activity?

No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was shocked. I was surprised because he was just, he was quiet and calm -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You never saw any sort of violence.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No I did not. No, I did not. Very nice young man.

I did not witness those things. I don't have really any independent knowledge of those things.

RESTON: Tim McDaniel is a former classmate and lifelong friend of Carsons. He sails that the behavior Carson describes on the stump is totally out of character with the academically-driven young man he knew growing up.

TIM CDANIEL: As long as I had known Ben, I associated him with a lot of things, but never stooping to the level of a common street thug. I was a little surprised by it.

RESTON: Still, McDaniel says he believes his old friend and said Carson may have kept them secret all those years out of embarrassment.

MCDANIEL: I think he tried to hide it for as long as he could. Until he realized that in order to really, really clear his conscious, that he had to make a confession, he said that honestly, I believed everything he told me.

RESTON: while all of the friends and classmates interviewed by CNN are perplexed by the stories of violence Mr. Carson describes, most of them still expressed admiration for him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right that was Maeve Reston. So, why talk to Carsons old friend and neighbors? Well, Carson's life story has been a huge part about his popularity and campaign.

So we ask our panel, how can he now expect the media to back off?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARSON: I do not remember this level of scrutiny for one President Barack Obama when he was running. Can somebody tell me why? Please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

All right. Is there a double standard? A Republican presidential frontrunner Ben Carson telling the media to back off from questions about his childhood accounts that he has written about and he's talked about on the campaign trail. This from the candidate on his latest book tour who has been reminding people, largely about his unique life story. So can you have it both ways?

Matt Schlapp is a Republican strategist who worked in the George W. Bush White House as political director, thanks for joining us. And attorney Bacari Sellers is a CNN contributor and former Democratic member of the South Carolina legislature. Good to see you as well.

All right. So Matt, you first -- Carson contends it was 50 years ago, he can't remember every detail, even though he wrote about it and even though he's talked about it a lot. But, you know, wasn't it Carson who's actually brought all of this up in the first place? So hasn't he been willingly running on his own biography? So what's changed?

MATT SCHLAPP, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Yes, no, I agree. The outsiders who are running, Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, three candidates who have never held political office, they have to expect that journalists and the American voters are going to go back to that part of their background, that they're claiming is so important to them being president.

So for Ben Carson, it is this rags to riches story about how he grew up in poverty and how he became one of the most acclaimed surgeons on the globe. It's fair to go back and ask the questions. And he has to be careful that he doesn't look too thin-skinned as journalists do this.

WHITFIELD: Haven't we already seen that? Did we just see that perhaps since last night?

SCHLAPP: Yes, I think you do. I think you saw a candidate that looked too defensive and too thin-skinned. I think he should let you in and let you see behind the scenes and help you because I think his story rings true, and it's going to be shown to be true.

WHITFIELD: So what is happening Bacari? I mean here he has been proud to reveal this part of his history. Say that there was a turning point in his life, and that's why he is expressing to people, you know, that he had this moment of rage is how he put it. But now he's being probed now CNN has talked to people who knew him, closely as you saw in the piece earlier, and he's bristling at having to talk about it over and over again and says he's being treated differently. Is there a double standard? Is he being treated differently?

BACARI SELLERS, CNN COMMENTATOR: I don't think he's being treated any differently. What you see is an American hero. Let's face it. As much as I think that Ben Carson's rhetoric today sounds more like Rush Limbaugh than it does (inaudible) Mays or (inaudible) others, Ben Carson at one point was viewed as an American hero. And it's based upon "Gifted Hand", it's based upon that story, his life story --

WHITFIELD: But then why is he rattled in your view. I mean what's happening that now he's rattled by these questions when he set the table? He said, here's the material, and if you're running for president, and he doesn't have policy that he's running on, but he's running on his persona, who he is. Why would he now be upset about people asking, dissecting, wanting to know more about how he set the table?

SELLERS: What we're learning is a lot about Ben Carson's temperament. Throughout this process, we're going to learn a lot about each person, each candidate's temperament. Right now as the frontrunner, you have to expect this. You have to expect to be prodded. You have to expect for your background to be exposed, and right now we're finding out that there are leaks in this story known as "gifted hands".

Now the way he's handling, you know, is it is leaving a lot to be desired. His campaign has pushed back successfully, but he as a man is showing a lot of cracks in his armor.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and it's amazing because up until this point, he has seemed unflappable, maybe you and others saw this interview that our Alisyn Camerota did with him Friday morning on "NEW DAY." If you haven't seen it, this is a taste what have he says and his point is, he's being treated differently, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): One of the tactics that is used by you guys in the media, particularly when someone is doing very well is, let's find a way to get them distracted and get all the people distracted so that we can get away from the real issues. And I'm simply not going to allow that to occur.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Look, Dr. Carson, I know you call this tactics, it's called vetting politics, you know it well just from the short time that you've been involved --

CARSON: Is that what was done with the current president? Is that what you guys did with him?

CAMEROTA: Yes, as a matter of fact --

CARSON: No, you did not. Give me a break.

CAMEROTA: President Obama's autobiography "Dreams of My Father" was also vetted. You will recall, Dr. Carson --

CARSON: Give me a break. Are you kidding me?

CAMEROTA: Don't you remember that there was a whole question about his girlfriend? And that people went back to try to find the president's girlfriend, and it turned out that she may have been a composite character, and that was revealed and the president had to talk about that.

CARSON: You all did with the President Obama doesn't even come close. Doesn't even come close to what you guys are trying to do in my case, and you're just going to keep going back, trying to find -- he said this 12 years ago, you know, it is just garbage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So on trustworthiness and honesty, he polled very high, and I wonder, quickly, if either one of you feels like seeing this side of him, the portion that's gotten a little frustrated with all these questions will in any way impact that and that poll.

MATT SCHLAPP, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: He is the highest numbers and with Republicans, there are about 82 percent. Here's the thing, there is a double standard, no question that there were more people in the media who are liberal and there's a double standard with Barack Obama, but Dr. Carson is leading the race, and he should invite the scrutiny. This is what happens when you're number one.

WHITFIELD: We'll have another segment to dispute that one, but go ahead, Bakari.

SELLERS: Just briefly, I mean, you do remember that there were people who didn't even think the president was American. They were asking for his birth certificate, talk about vetting. But, in any --

SCHLAPP: Well, they knew he was American, that wasn't a question about whether he was American.

WHITFIELD: My gosh, yes, there was a question. We know, and then I think everybody will have to go back and look at the tapes --

SCHLAPP: We don't need to go to that.

WHITFIELD: But in terms of this -- this moment and how this impacts Ben Carson moving forward on trustworthiness because that has been in large part what his supporters have embraced about him, and that's why they're following him and like him so much, Bakari?

SELLERS: In any other year, I would say that this would be devastating to his campaign, but each week, we have a new story about the Republican frontrunner, whether or not it's Donald Trump or Ben Carson. I really don't think this is going to knock him down. In fact, I think this is going to prop him up.

WHITFIELD: All right, and that's been his prediction too, Dr. Carson's prediction. All right, Matt Schlapp, Bakari Sellers, we'll talk again, thank you so much.

SCHLAPP: Take care.

SELLERS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, now let's again talk about overseas, that plane crash, investigators still not knowing the cause of that Russian plane crash, but the United States is already responding with security changes. We'll tell you what's being done, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:36:45]

WHITFIELD: All right, air travels bound for the U.S. will soon see an increase in airport security. The new security measures come after suspicions that a bomb may have brought down that Russian plane, Metrojet Flight 9268, bound from Egypt to St. Petersburg. Russia, Ireland, Ukraine, and Germany's Lufthansa group have suspended all flights to Egypt.

Let's bring in CNN's investigation correspondent, Chris Frates. CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATION CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fred. So travellers from airports in the region with direct flights to the United States will likely see additional random searches, hand swabbing of passengers, and possibly more bomb-sniffing dogs.

Now, a source with knowledge of the situation tells CNN that airports in Cairo, Amman, and Kuwait, will see tightened security for U.S.-bound flights. In all, the beefed up security will affect fewer than ten airports.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said yesterday that the precautionary measures included more screening of items on planes, assessing security at foreign airports, and offers to help some foreign airports with their security.

Now, U.S. officials stressed that there are already multiple layers of security to screen passengers before they ever even get on a plane bound for the United States including checking all passengers and crew against the terror watch list.

But Fred, vulnerability still exist especially the threats from inside the security perimeter. Intelligence officials say if the downing of Metrojet was in fact an inside job, authorities worldwide must zero in on airport and airline workers with secure access to those very sensitive areas -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Frates, thanks so much for the update in Washington.

All right, another story we're following, a 6-year old child killed, shot several times by police during a car chase. Now the two officers are under arrest, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:42:16]

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. We have new developments on the 6-year-old boy shot and killed in Marksville, Louisiana. CNN correspondent, Nick Valencia, has been following this tragic story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Late last night, two police officers taken into custody, charged with killing a 6-year-old boy in Marksville, Louisiana.

COL. MICHAEL D. EDMONSON, LOUISIANA STATE POLICE: Tonight, that badge has been tarnished by the two following individuals.

VALENCIA: City police officers, Norris Greenhouse Jr. and Derrick Stafford are facing second degree murder charges in the death of Jeremy Martis Tuesday night. They are also facing attempted murder charges. Both were working secondary jobs as marshals.

Investigators say the two were pursuing a vehicle driven by the boy's father, Chris Few when the chase stopped on a dead-end street. Police say that's where the officers opened fire. The 6-year-old was apparently buckled in the front seat.

EDMONSON: Jeremy Martis, 6 years old. He didn't deserve to die like that and that's what's important.

VALENCIA: CNN affiliate, WAFB, said Martis was hit five times in the head and chest. His father was critically injured. State police say no gun was found in Few's car. Circumstances surrounding the chase are unclear.

MEGAN DIXON, CHRIS FEW'S FIANCEE: I don't know what he was thinking. I don't know why he wouldn't just stop.

VALENCIA: The incident was captured on police body cameras. Footage which has not been released left state investigators shocked.

EDMONSON: I'm not going to talk about it, but I'm going to tell you this. It is the most disturbing thing I've seen. I will leave it at that.

VALENCIA: Nick Valencia, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And coming up, hundreds of kids in middle school and high school caught in a sexting ring. How they could face felony charges for child pornography, and guess what, their parents too are at-risk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:47:55]

WHITFIELD: All right. This next report is alarming. I want to show you something now that I actually hadn't seen until this morning. Look. See that, looks like a calculator app, right?

It's a decoy in fact meant to trick others, like parents, so when you type in a password, you unlock secret folders where photos, videos, and files are hidden.

And it's actually apps like that that many high school students in Canyon City, about 90 miles outside of Denver were using to share nude photos. That's according to the city's police chief.

CNN national correspondent, Polo Sandoval, has more on what is now being called a sexting ring. A whole lot of people are in a lot of trouble. This is really potentially very damaging.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And this is why this is definitely raising a red flag for authorities and parents. We have seen sexting cases before with respect to students all across the country.

But what makes this unique here and what really is being described as something somewhat alarming here by the superintendent is the fact that some of these pictures possibly were, not only shared on campus, but possibly even taken on school grounds as well.

This investigation initially started on Monday, somebody came forward to school officials saying that they felt, quote, "uncomfortable about something that was being done to them." That immediately launched an investigation with the school district.

They were able to confiscate one phone that revealed at least hundreds of inappropriate images on that device alone. And we're still trying to dig for details on possibly really what those pictures, at least where those pictures were taken and in who they believe they were taken of.

But at this point, we know that police are now involved, the school district turned to investigators to actually help them in following through to this case as they try to find out exactly how widespread this sexting scandal truly is.

Now there is a sign that potentially would see some football players even involved. But the last Canyon City High School football game of the season was actually canceled, that's because the superintendent of schools couldn't say with complete certainty that at least some of those students weren't involved. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[11:50:03]GEORGE WELSH, SUPERINTENDENT, FREMONT SCHOOL DISTRICT: We'll give you about 24 hours if you can tell us you can field a team that you could guarantee to us that would not include anyone who may have participated in this.

We would be happy to go ahead and play and the answer we go from the team and the athletic director was we don't believe we can do that. And so we made the decision to cancel the game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: It's important to note here, school officials and police are looking at several students, not necessarily just members of the football team here.

Now, the school district will then turn their findings over to the district attorney. They will then determine if any charges will be filed. One of the questions we have here, Fred, is could we see any potential charges filed against any parents?

Oftentimes, some of these devices are either owned or paid for by some of the parents. So there are so many legal factors here as police will have to turn over their findings and then it will be up to the district attorney to determine --

WHITFIELD: Even if the parents didn't know about this activity?

SANDOVAL: That's one of the questions here. Exactly, some of their findings would potentially reveal any possible adult involvement. Were any of these students forced to take some of these pictures? There are so many questions that still have to be asked. Really, this is just the start of what's going to be a very lengthy legal process.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Polo Sandoval. Sorry, my child, you're not getting a cell phone anytime soon. All right, thanks so much.

All right, Greg Hardy, one of the NFL's most feared pass rushers. Well, he's been haunted by past allegations of domestic abuse and now the Dallas Cowboys player is making headlines again for the same alleged incident. We'll have details and some disturbing photos, next.

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[11:57:10]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Some other top stories at this hour, the cybercriminals that hacked CIA Director John Brennan's personal e-mail accounts are at it again. Hackers have broken into an FBI website and the private e-mail accounts of the FBI deputy director and his wife.

Officials were confident they would make an arrest within days of last month's attack, but the investigation has proved more complicated than first thought. The FBI has declined to comment.

And a Texas judge gunned down outside her own home is in the hospital with extremely serious injuries. But officials say they are not life threatening. Travis County District Judge Julie Kocurec was shot last night in Austin. Police are still searching for the shooter and a motive for that attack.

And domestic abuse allegations are once again haunting the NFL. "Deadspin" posted dozens of graphic images apparently showing Cowboy's defensive end Greg Hardy's beaten and bruised ex-girlfriend.

CNN has not independently verified the photographs which show a woman with swelling marks and contusions across her body. A warning the pictures there are disturbing. CNN's Coy Wire has the latest.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Back in 2014, Hardy was convicted on domestic violence charges against his then- girlfriend, Nicole Holder, by a judge in a bench trial. He repealed and requested a jury trial and the case was eventually dismissed this past February because the ex-girlfriend stopped cooperating with authorities.

Prosecutors say they have reliable information that Holder and Hardy reached a civil settlement out of court. Hardy went on to sign a one-year contract with the Cowboys in the off-season. Many questioned this move by the team, even though charges against Hardy were dropped.

The NFL seemingly did its part. They suspended Hardy for ten games for violating the league's personal conduct policy, but the player's union appealed and got it reduced to four games. Now here are the pictures.

I'll remind you, they're disturbing. Deadspin.com released these photos, showing Holder, battered and bruised, with red marks on her body, including her back. She also had bruises on her chin. Still, Cowboy's owner, Jerry Jones is sticking by his decision to sign Hardy.

He released a statement yesterday saying in part, quote, "While we did not have access to the photos that became public today, we have given Greg a second chance. He's a member of our team and someone who is grateful for the opportunity he has been given to move forward with his life and career," end quote.

Disturbing photos, questionable decisions, the release of these photos may cause more to question whether or not the Cowboys should have ever signed Greg Hardy in the first place and whether they should continue to employ him -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Coy Wire, thank you so much. So much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, it all starts right now.

Hello, again, everyone. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We begin with breaking news in the deadly crash of that Russian airliner in Egypt. Egyptian aviation officials are now revealing what they heard on those flight data recorders.