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San Bernardino Shooting Massacre; Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired December 03, 2015 - 10:00   ET

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


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:01:37] JARROD BURGUAN, SAN BERNARDINO POLICE CHIEF: We have not ruled out terrorism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got into chaos, and who knows, it's just boom, boom, boom, boom, and then, you know, I'm just like wow, right in the middle of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Try to relax. I'll take a bullet before you do. That's for damn sure. So just be cool. OK?

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: Fourteen people were killed, 17 others injured.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the tips we were following up on gets us to a house in Redlands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One guy down. One guy in the back of a car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Suspect is married. Has a six-month-old baby. You wouldn't expect -- they have no reason what made them snap.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shots rang out. Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Oh my gosh.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world.

FARHAN KHAN, SYED FAROOK'S BROTHER IN LAW: I have no idea why would he do that. Why would he do something like this?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello reporting live from San Bernardino, California. Thank you so much for joining me.

Another mass shooting this here in Southern California. Investigators are searching for a motive this morning and they're poring over what clues they do have. This is new video of the scene where they wage their deadly gunfight with police. Every scrap of evidence like bullets and shell casings being numbered and examined. Sources tell us that the couple, the married couple at the center of this massacre were not on law enforcement radar. So why was Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik carry out the nation's worst mass murder since Sandy Hook?

He was a U.S. citizen born in Illinois, she was his wife. Police say they both opened fire at a Christmas party for his fellow county employees. Fourteen people killed, 17 wounded. Was it workplace violence or was it terrorism? Before they can be questioned, both shooters die in that gunfight. Listen to the explosion of gunfire captured by a neighbor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED) guys. Shots rang out. Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Oh, my gosh.

Guys, this is shot at my house right now. There's cops all over the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) yard. Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Just got shot at in my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) yard. No (EXPLETIVE DELETED) way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Both suspects shot dead after a police chase through the streets of San Bernardino. We have pictures of that SUV. It's absolutely decimated by gunfire. Supposedly, according to police, the wife was driving the car. The husband was in the passenger side of the car. He was shooting out of the window. They were throwing what appeared to be explosive devices from the car. And as you can see, this is how it ended.

Victor Blackwell is in that neighborhood in Redlands, California, with more.

Good morning, Victor.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning to you. The FBI here at the scene now going in and out of that home searching for, as you said, clues to why this happened. We know that late last night bomb technicians gave the all-clear saying there were no explosives inside the home.

Let's take a closer look at a car parked outside. You can see the doors, the hood, trunk open. Bomb technicians in full gear searched that vehicle for any explosive there. They found none. Now we are getting a clear picture of what happened during those terrifying hours, but still so many questions about why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[10:05:17] BLACKWELL (voice-over): Breaking overnight, two shooters in San Bernardino's mass shooting identified. Police say the shooters, 28-year-old Syed Rizwan Farook, and 27-year-old Tashfeen Malik, were shot dead in this black SUV at the end of a massive manhunt. Overnight a SWAT team sweeping this Redlands home for explosives.

BURGUAN: Well, until we know the motive or we really have a clear -- something clear evidentiary based on that motive, I just don't want to weigh in on that right now. We have not ruled out terrorism. BLACKWELL: The massacre began around 11 a.m. at the Inland Regional Center. Authorities say the county's health department was having a holiday party at the time. Police say Farook was an inspector for the department. He abruptly left the holiday party after a dispute and came back, they think, alongside Malik, opening fire.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard rapid shootings. Just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

BLACKWELL: Armed with AR-15 style rifles and two semiautomatic handguns, investigators say the shooters came equipped, dressed in tactical gear. Family members receiving gut-wrenching messages from loved ones that an active shooting was taking place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Shooting at my work. People shot. In the office, waiting for cops."

BLACKWELL: This was the frightening scene inside.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready? If you're not cool, I'm not walking a bit.

BLACKWELL: Dozens of employees being led to safety by police officers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Try to relax. Try to relax. I'll take a bullet before you do, that's for damn sure.

BLACKWELL: The shooters killing 14, wounding 17 more. The pair fleeing in a black SUV, prompting police, FBI and SWAT teams to launch a massive manhunt. Hours later, a tip leading authorities to the Redlands home, where they spotted a suspicious SUV, resulting in a wild police chase.

About two miles from Inland Regional Center police engage in a bloody shoot-out with this black SUV. Both shooters now dead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's your exact location?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're at San Bernardino and Shedden. San Bernardino and Shedden. There's one guy down and one guy in the back of a car. Going to need that BearCat.

BLACKWELL: Law enforcement sources tell CNN Farook is a U.S. citizen, and a relative says he and Malik had a 6-month-old baby girl.

KHAN: I spoke to Malik a week ago.

BLACKWELL: His brother-in-law at a loss for words.

KHAN: They saw the people lost their lives with guns out there. I speak directly to them, and again, I am in shock. Why would he do something like this? I have absolutely no idea. I'm in shock myself.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLACKWELL: Those agents have been inside and outside this home for several hours today. We've not yet seen them remove any evidence from the home. Again, this is very early in this investigation. So we can expect this neighborhood to be shut down for quite some time -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Victor Blackwell reporting live from Redlands, California.

In the meantime, new discoveries could help investigators piece together more information about this terrible shooting. Officials say -- officials tell CNN Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, were armed with assault rifles and handguns. Two of the handguns were purchased legally and traced to Farook. Officials also say that explosives were found inside the building where the suspect shot and killed 14 people. Investigators believe the suspects were going to detonate them remotely but they either didn't work or they decided not to do it in the end.

So let's talk about all of this with retired ATF explosive enforcement Anthony May and CNN law enforcement analyst Jonathan Gilliam.

Welcome to both of you. I want to take our viewers back out to that neighborhood where that SUV was shot at because there are yellow post- it notes all over that vehicle and police are examining every piece of evidence that they put a Post-It note on.

So, Jonathan, can you just sort of take me through what investigators are doing at the scene right now?

JONATHAN GILLIAM, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Sure. And can I just say one thing, Carol, before I answer that question? Anybody who sees or is in the vicinity where they can actually hear gunshots like that should not risk their lives to go out and take a video of it. You're in the death zone there. And that kid is lucky that he's still alive. With those high-powered rifles they could have gone through cars, through body armor and still through him. Even through a house. They need to be very careful and I don't want to see that repeated. So with that being said.

Right now what investigators are looking at in this particular place right here, every little single thing that comes out of this vehicle is an evidentiary piece that can help identify the movements of these individuals. If it's something that they bought, a piece of equipment that they had. And maybe there's -- you know, there's things that they used in the attack.

[10:10:06] They'll start to pull those things out, as well as possible DNA of other people that could have been in that vehicle. Anything that they can use to help gather pieces for this investigation is very critical. So last night you saw a very rapid response. Now you're seeing a very slow and methodical investigation. That's the way it has to be done because, ultimately, you have to remember if there are other people involved, this is going to have to go to court. And that's one of the big reasons why we go through this.

The picture not only helps us determine what else could happen, but it also prepares in case there's support mechanisms or other people involved that we can take to court.

COSTELLO: And, Anthony, there were explosives involved in this case. Some of them were fake pipe bombs. Some of them were real. There were supposedly some explosives that was going to be set off by a remote controlled toy car. So perhaps that is also why police are moving very slowly to collect evidence in this case.

ANTHONY MAY, RETIRED ATF EXPLOSIVES ENFORCEMENT OFFICE: Well, that's correct. And that was why they were moving slowly last night. Working through this vehicle, working through the house because they had no idea what they were going to be coming upon. Now the issue of remote control of a device, especially in this case, remote control cars, toy cars, that's really old technology. That's something we've seen for years. Obviously, in this last decade, remote control means or better initiated with cell phones.

Now the issue of whether these things worked, whether they chose not to initiate them, is really immaterial at this point. I have been told that there was some manufacturing flaws to the devices as to why they did not work. But the real issue here is the fact that there are devices at all. These mass shootings are evolving to a situation now where we're seeing explosives routinely. In this particular case, we're seeing explosives with an attempt to initiate them.

What does that mean? Well, our plan or our procedure for these active shooter situations is to hunker down in place, barricade in place. This could be an evolutionary process to counter that. If I can't shoot you, if you won't come out of hiding, I'll leave explosive devices behind. And when I'm outside the building I'll initiate these explosive devices. So this could be an evolutionary process in this whole mass shooting scenario, you know, the cat and mouse game has been played out, unfortunately, on American soil.

COSTELLO: Just so sad. Anthony May, Jonathan Gilliam, thanks to both of you.

Want to bring in Tim Hilliard right now. He witnessed the shooting yesterday at the Inland Regional Center. That's the social services center where that shooting took place.

You were in the building next door, correct?

TIM HILLIARD, TOOK VIDEO OF SHOOTING AFTERMATH: Right. I was in Building Two at the regional center. Right above those --

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Take me through your day. I know you have video to share, too. We're going to watch that as you talk. So take us through the day.

HILLIARD: I got a text. I was actually in my office, doing paperwork, listening to music, doing what we're usually doing there. Arguing with my co-worker, just having fun. Heard a lot of stampeding and running and since we're on the third floor, a lot of shaking that usually goes on here and there. There was more and more, and I have a lot of bubbleheads on my desk and they were shaking and shaking, and at that time I got a text from one of my colleagues saying there's an active shooter on the ground. And my instincts, like, maybe somebody is walking around with the gun or something happening. Who knows? I mean, it's regional center, everything may happen or may not happen.

But anyways, I got out of my office and went out to the hallway, and I see people running down the halls going here, going there, heading towards the conference room, and so I directed myself to the conference room to go in, I saw a few of my program managers, directors and colleagues looked inside and they're screaming, crying, panicking. At that time I realized it's a little bit more serious than the leads. So I'm asking what happened, what's going on? I don't know anything, I'm in my office. As well at that time --

COSTELLO: Could you hear the gunshots?

HILLIARD: No. Unfortunately I was in my office on the north side of the building. The shooting was on the south side outside. Didn't know what was going on.

COSTELLO: So you're completely flummoxed by this, it's like why are people running and crying, and screaming.

HILLIARD: I'm like, why are you crying? It's not that much. What's going on. They said there's bodies on the ground. And me being me instinctly I wanted to see, I want to be accurate on what's going on, as well I do a lot of photo journalists myself and I work with the task force in San Bernardino for the school district so I wanted to see exactly --

COSTELLO: So you ran outside of your building.

HILLIARD: No, actually I went to the other side on the third floor office windows to look down at the situation because I'm on the third floor. So I head over to the window and I look and I don't see much. So I go further down a few more offices and I look and I see two bodies. One hunched over on a bench, looked like a male to be deceased and another female about 15 feet away laying in a pool of blood. At that time --

[10:15:07] COSTELLO: This is a county office building. That had to be surreal.

HILLIARD: Yes. Different. I knew at time there was a function down there. So I knew that it was maybe not our regional center per se but our buildings. Other countries and facilities use that facility for the auditorium. It feels (INAUDIBLE) because I had people down there.

COSTELLO: So, at this point, police are not letting you out of your building, correct?

HILLIARD: Right now they're concentrating on building three because of active shooters. So they're storming -- SWAT team is going in the back and in the front doors. There's about four doors, at least, to get into that auditorium. So they're just going for an active shooter, going on the roof, raiding that building, mainly, to get it. As well, they're at that time --

COSTELLO: Did you ever think of taking cover in your own building?

HILLIARD: No.

COSTELLO: Or we you just watching this scene unfold?

HILLIARD: I just want to -- I was recording it and just watch it unfold. Instincts --

COSTELLO: Could you believe at what's happening?

HILLIARD: In ways, yes, because of the training we've been going through since Sandy Hook with the school district. We've been going through training, active shooting as well. Every quarter we have a seminar to work with Homeland Security, FBI. So, to me, it's just instinctual making sure everything is OK. I'm that kind of person if something is going to come at me I'd rather see it come. My colleagues are barricaded in conference rooms at that time.

COSTELLO: Well, that's good you went through that training. But -- OK, so now the next day, you know, the morning has come.

HILLIARD: Hasn't set in yet really. Slept an hour so far and then on the bus ride that we had going over it was a little surreal with everything hitting. Watching the news last night for four hours. Just comparing it to the biggest since Sandy Hook.

COSTELLO: Does this -- how it went down make sense to you? This married couple? The guy goes to his Christmas party and leaves, and comes back?

HILLIARD: In way -- the stuff I was hearing, I mean, I was in my head going through certain things and just thinking disgruntled employee, other situations, other scenarios. Everything just working out to see that it had to be planned out. The way they came in armored, the way they had situations. It was planned in my head and just working every angle I could. My major psychology. So I was just working every angle that I could to go through. But just overall, I mean, people asking, like what do you think this or what do you think that. Do you think it's -- I don't think it's related to anything around that. People were assuming. I think it was just personal vendetta. Not towards anyone personally. Just towards his colleagues in general and --

COSTELLO: Police are trying to work on a motive, they haven't come up with one yet.

HILLIARD: Yes.

COSTELLO: Tim Hilliard, thanks for sharing your story.

HILLIARD: Thank you.

COSTELLO: I appreciate it.

The reaction from the campaign trail. What the candidates are saying about this mass shooting. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:22:07] COSTELLO: The shootings here in San Bernardino resonating on the campaign trail as the men and women running for president speak out about the tragedy. This morning several Republicans gathering in Washington at a presidential forum hosted by Jewish leaders, among them Senator Ted Cruz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our prayers are with the families of those who were murdered and those who were shot. And all of us are deeply concerned. That this is yet another manifestation of terrorism. Radical Islamic terrorism here at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Cruz's rivals also weighing in with the focus on the first responders and the victims. Donald Trump tweeting, "Congratulations on the great job done by police and law enforcement on the California shootings. Give credit where credit is due."

Rick Santorum adding, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and all those impacted by today's tragedy in California, #sanbernardino."

And on the Democratic side, responses from Hillary Clinton and her rivals urging tighter gun laws. Clinton tweeting, "I refuse to accept this as normal. We must take action to stop gun violence now."

President Obama also speaking out about the shooting. In an interview with CBS, he talked about the frequency of gun violence in the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Our senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns is at the White House with more on this.

Good morning, Joe.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. The president did talk about that in that interview here at the White House. He also talked about one of the gun control issues he's pushing that notion of not allowing people on no-fly lists, on watch lists to be able to purchase guns. Very important to the president who seems quite frustrated right now with the inaction on Capitol Hill.

Administration also getting a chance to weigh in on the San Bernardino shootings this morning with the attorney general speaking at the old executive office building right next to the White House. Speaking to a group of federal and state leaders. Talking about criminal justice reform. Here's what she said about the situation in California.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LORETTA LYNCH, ATTORNEY GENERAL: And let me simply say that whatever the results of this investigation, we don't know a lot right now. But one thing is clear that violence like this has no place in this country and in this nation.

(APPLAUSE)

This is not what we stand for. This is not what we do. This is not what we stand for. This is not what we do. This is not what we work for. It's not what we live for. It's antithetical to our values.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: The president is expected to meet later today with members of Congress. And also going to talk about criminal justice reform in that meeting, but there is certainly a possibility that he will be able to express some more of his views about gun control at that time -- Carol.

[10:25:07] COSTELLO: All right. Joe Johns reporting live from the White House. Thank you.

I'll have much more from San Bernardino. An update on those injured in the attack. We're expecting a live news conference at one of local hospitals shortly. We'll take you there, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm reporting live from San Bernardino, California, where they're searching for answers here in Southern California.

Today investigators are combing the scene where those two accused killers die in a shootout with police.

This is new video into CNN. You can see every scrap of evidence like dozens of bullets and shell casings are being numbered and examined. Sources tell us that the couple, the married couple at the center of this massacre were not on law enforcement radar. We've learned that neither -- local authority weren't aware of these people either.