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Josh McGill Helped Save Others After Orlando Club Shooting; Survivors Feel Guilt for Being Alive; Eddie Sotomayor's Passion Was Travel; Orlando Shoot "Cased" Pulse Club, Disney Springs; Orlando Realtor Reaches Out to Help Victim Families. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired June 14, 2016 - 14:30   ET

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


[14:30:00] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Can you talk about that and why this is so absolutely atrocious?

JOSH MCGILL, HELPED SAVE OTHERS AFTER ORLANDO CLUB SHOOTING: Because, like, it depends on the area. Orlando's like a big community with the gay scene and the LGBT so like going to the club, you know, a gay club for that matter, we feel comfortable. We can be ourselves. Hold hands. We dance on each other, kiss, whatever. So like it's a very comfortable scene to be in and then see someone come and randomly shoot it up, it's like are we really that hated? It is like dumbfounding.

BALDWIN: My final question is, friends of mine and I'm sure of yours saying this could have been me.

MCGILL: Exactly.

BALDWIN: This could have been me. How might this change you?

MCGILL: For now, I'm dealing with it emotionally. I do have my -- I'm starting to have nightmares. But and also psychologically major, as well. I'm trying to deal with it the best way I can and the more I talk about it is --

(CROSSTALK)

MCGILL: Makes me feel better. It's easy for me to talk about it. Rather than cuddle up in a bedroom.

BALDWIN: I'll let you go cuddle your service dog friend.

I appreciate you. Thank you so much.

MCGILL: Not a problem.

BALDWIN: So sorry this happened. I can't wait for you to meet Rodney.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Thank you very much.

MCGILL: Thank you. BALDWIN: Thank you.

Coming up here in Orlando, we have much more of CNN's special live coverage, including we have new developments about the madman's possible motive, the why factor here. And a visit he apparently made recently to a Disney property, what the FBI is learning about that.

Also, moments ago, harrowing stories of what happened inside. Survivors speaking out from hospital bed here in town describing the terrifying moments as they hid out in a bathroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGEL SANTIAGO, ORLANDO SHOOTING SURVIVOR: At one point, everyone was just like, shh, shh, be quiet, be quiet. That's when bullets started going through the stall wall towards us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:36:30] ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Anderson Cooper, live in Orlando. We are getting in new sound of two more survivors of the shooting here. They shared their account and the burden of guilt that one survivor is now carrying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANTIAGO: Everyone in the stall where we were, we were all trying to be as quiet as possible. We didn't want to attract attention but the bullets start going through the stall wall towards us. So I can't recall exactly how many bullets but it sounded like whomever -- it sounded like he unloaded initially. And I was hit in my butt, left foot, my right knee. I thought I was shot a third time but it was a graze. My friend who was with me was hit, as well. And he's -- his injuries were worse than mine. Overall, there was just a lot of blood, a lot of people were hit. And even some fatalities which were apparent almost immediately. But I'm just grateful to be alive because there's -- after seeing what occurred, I don't even know how I'm alive today.

PATIENCE CARTER, ORLANDO SHOOTING SURVIVOR: The guilt of feeling grateful to be alive is heavy. Wanting to smile about surviving but not sure if the people around you are ready. As the world mourns, the victims killed, and viciously slain, I feel guilty about screaming about my legs in pain because I could feel nothing. Like the other 49 who weren't so lucky to feel this pain of mine. I never thought in a million years that this could happen. I never thought in a million years that my eyes could witness something so tragic. Looking at the souls leaving the bodies of individuals, looking at the killer's machine gun throughout my right peripheral, looking at the blood and debris covered on everyone's faces, looking at the gunman's feet under the stall as he paces. The guilt of feeling lucky to be alive is heavy. It's like the weight of the ocean's walls crushing uncontrolled by levies. It's like being drug through the grass with a shattered leg and thrown on the back of a Chevy. It is like being rushed to the hospital and told you're going to make it. When you laid beside individuals who lies were brutally taken, the guilt of being alive is heavy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Extraordinary courage and strength.

We want to -- we're trying to get as much as possible in the dark and difficult days to tell you as much as what we're telling you about the people that lost their lives.

Take a look at Eddie Sotomayor, 34. He died in the nightclub. His passion, I'm told, was traveling. He was often wearing a top hat on a trip. It was his nickname, Top Hat Eddie.

Eddie worked at a travel agency that catered to the gay community. The owner called Sunday, "one of the saddest days of his life."

One of Eddie's good friends, Braden Chapman, joins me from Philadelphia.

I appreciate you being with us and I'm so sorry for your loss and sorry we're talking under these circumstances.

Tell us about the Eddie you knew. What was he like?

BRADEN CHAPMAN, OWNER, TRAVEL AGENCY: Well, the thing about Eddie and I think anyone who knew him would tell you the same that he just loved life an he constantly went out of his way to make sure that everyone was having the best possible time and enjoying every adventure for the most it could give you in life. And he just really strived to make sure everybody was having the best possible moment at every possible time.

[14:40:27] COOPER: We've got pictures of the two of you together we're viewing. Are you on a trip?

CHAPMAN: Yeah. We traveled all over the world together. You know, we worked together for the travel agency and we didn't know each other and I remember very distinctly having to share a room with him in Venice, the first time before we ever met, and I had social anxiety about rooming with someone I had never met before and we went quickly from strangers to best of friends and whenever there was a trip together, we traveled together, we roomed together. We would sneak away on adventures away from, you know, guided tours because we were curious about something. We always seemed to find a way to have a good time.

COOPER: I got to ask you about the top hat. When's that about?

I don't even know where it started. Or how it started but it just kind of became a thing and he would not take it off to the point that he was wearing a top hat in the Caribbean and, you know, 100-degree heat. But it was just his thing. And you know, everyone who knew him knew about the top hat. COOPER: Yeah.

Braden, I'm -- again, just so sorry for your loss. And I appreciate you taking sometime to just tell us a little bit about Eddie.

Thank you so much.

CHAPMAN: Yeah, I really appreciate it. You know, it's crazy. We traveled the world together and we're frequently visited places where you could be persecuted for being gay or violence against you being gay. And I don't think we thought it would happen here in the U.S. And a reflection of how we as a country need to be better guardians of each other and the laws and what we ask aft lawmakers. Thought is could not happen here. This is crazy.

COOPER: Well, I wish you strength and peace in the days ahead. Thank you so much.

Brooke, back to you.

BALDWIN: It shouldn't have happened here at all.

Anderson, thank you so much.

By the way, we were talking the law enforcement here just in front of the nightclub and he was saying the governor's on the premises right now. Homeland Security is here. He told us that was reportable in anticipation of the president's visit here the upcoming Thursday.

Next, the latest on the investigation in Orlando. What the shooter doing in the hours and weeks and days before this attack here Sunday morning? We are learning this was not the first time this killer visited the Pulse nightclub.

Also, ahead, volunteers reaching out how to help families of the victims of this heinous massacre inside the nightclub in Orlando. Many of them need a place to stay. More on how you can help coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:48:14] BALDWIN: Welcome back. You are watching CNN's special live coverage here, from Orlando. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you for being with me.

We are just down the street from that Pulse nightclub where 49 innocent people lost their lives. They were of all ages, one as young as 18. A dancer, an accountant, a pharmacy tech. We heard from a nursing student here, out for a night of fun. It was Latin Night. Turned into an absolute and total nightmare for all of them.

We are not naming the shooter. You will not see his picture here. But we are learning more about him. Investigators believe he actually conducted multiple surveillance trips both at this club and over at Walt Disney World earlier this month. The dates apparently of the different surveillance trips coincided with gay theme celebrations going on here in Orlando and so he made the same visits at the same time purchasing the weapons and then go on to use and murder dozens of people.

So let's bring in James Copenhaver, a retired major case investigator here in Orlando and a former FBI task force officer.

James, thank you so much for popping out of court for me.

I want to begin with the wife. I know that investigators -- and apparently, she is being cooperative. He was married. What kind of questions are they asking you?

JAMES COPENHAVER, FORMER ORLANDO POLICE MAJOR CASE INVESTIGATOR & FORMER FBI TASK FORCE OFFICER: It is a question of when did she find out he was planning the plot.

BALDWIN: If she did know.

COPENHAVER: If she did know. What she knew, what she saw. Was he texting her communications in terms of, I'm in Orlando doing this or that? They want to know everything she was told by the shooter to help them establish a timeline.

BALDWIN: Apparently, she wept on a trip to Disney world end of April. What she knew at the time we don't know. If she was well aware, she could be affiliated.

[14:50:02] COPENHAVER: That would be part of the master plan and drove him to the location to, quote/unquote, "case it out," she would be charged in the crime.

BALDWIN: He had gone to the clubs a couple of times. You even have friends here in Orlando who he tried befriending over social media who owned other gay clubs?

COPENHAVER: Absolutely.

BALDWIN: What do you make of that and the fact he visited this club multiple times?

COPENHAVER: Make no mistake about it, we are hearing that he was deranged and had mental issues but I take notice with the fact that he had the methodical acts of going to these clubs and, quote, unquote, "casing them out."

BALDWIN: He knew the bathroom door was to hold hostages.

COPENHAVER: Maximum body count, if you will. And, you know, instead of an outside venue, Brooke, he chose inside to literally a shoot house. It's a slaughterhouse for the victims.

BALDWIN: The fact that police investigators trying to figure out who else knew, they grabbed his cell phone, I know, apparently covered in blood inside the nightclub. They went to his home, looking through any sort of electronic device. A treasure trove, I imagine, for investigators. What are they looking for there? COPENHAVER: Absolutely. His digital footprint. Looking at every

site he looked at, the cookies, everything in his computer or phone. And the feds are currently looking at this now trying to go back and rebuild that timeline to establish what he was planning prior to the attack.

BALDWIN: It's the why. It's the motive. It's the planning. The going over and over to the club. And being in these also some of social media, dating apps. All forming pieces of a puzzle that investigators are working on figuring out.

COPENHAVER: Right.

BALDWIN: James, thank you so much.

COPENHAVER: Thank you.

BALDWIN: James Copenhaver here in Orlando.

Anderson, over to you.

COOPER: Yeah, Brooke, thanks.

Families of those killed and wounded face a daunting task of getting here, travel, a place to stay, and through the grief, arranging funeral services. They're getting a lot of help from Orlando-based realtor, Christian West-Howard, who is reaching out to help people as much as possible.

How did this even begin? You just took it upon yourself to try to help?

CHRISTIAN WEST-HOWARD, REALTOR HELPING ORLANDO SHOOTING VICTIM FAMILIES: I donated blood immediately. I started volunteering and that night we had a private candle light vigil of me and my friends. We were there on the dock with the laptop and it's 12:30 at night and hits me. I'm like, I have vacancies in the rental properties. I'll post them. Out a couple of times and filled. And then 12: 30 at night to 1:30, I think shared like 200 times or so and it was just like first instinct is I need more rooms.

COOPER: You're trying to help family members, loved ones get rooms, places to stay if.

WEST-HOWARD: Absolutely.

COOPER: People at the club that don't have cars because the cars on sight.

WEST-HOWARD: Absolutely.

COOPER: There's all these details you don't think about it.

WEST-HOWARD: This is what it started. It's started as housing. I was just going to provide housing but it's grown into a tremendous response of just humanity. Every time this gets posted, if we're not getting the victims families, we are getting people offering what they can to help. We have gotten offered caskets, flowers for the funeral services, food to the doorsteps finding accommodations and bedding, everything, lawyers for the people having visa troubles, top lawyers here in Orlando. And it's just been incredible.

COOPER: The outpouring is -- we have seen this in times, the gay community coming together and helping each other, and people support the gay community, and not just gay people, but all people coming together.

WEST-HOWARD: Everybody.

COOPER: Yeah. What is the -- where do people find you and get in touch with you?

WEST-HOWARD: The best way of contacting is Facebook messenger. Find my Facebook under Christian West-Howard and message me and people answering in real time. I have about eight people logged in as me and they're answering in real-time coordinating this.

COOPER: Let's ask you personally. I mean, how are you dealing with this? Does it help you to just keep moving forward?

WEST-HOWARD: I don't know. You know, I've taken-- a couple times, I cried a lot at first and now kind of maybe it's not super healthy but I don't know if this is just maybe distracting but I can't stop moving, and I'll take time to have it looked at the victims list.

COOPER: You don't want to look at the names. You don't want to know?

WEST-HOWARD: We have work to do. We have work to do as humanity. And I think we need to come together and we -- religion, creed, everything aside, you need to we need to help.

COOPER: Thank you for what you're doing.

WEST-HOWARD: Thank you. Thank you.

COOPER: Christian West-Howard.

Brooke, back to you.

BALDWIN: Wow.

Anderson, thank you.

Next, the president of the United States furious. Without saying his name, he went off on Donald Trump. Here is message, coming up next.

Also ahead, raw emotion from the survivors here in Orlando.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[14:55:05] CARTER: He said, "Hey, you," to someone on the floor inside the bathroom. And shot them. Shot another person. And then shot another person, who happened to be directly behind me. (END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We are now top of the hour. Thank you for being with me. I'm Brooke Baldwin here live in Florida, for special CNN breaking news coverage of the deadliest mass shooting in American history.

The question, one of many for investigators, is exactly how much the gunman's wife knew about her husband's plans to massacre dozens of people in this Pulse nightclub just down the street from me.

COOPER: Yeah, Brooke.

I'm Anderson Cooper outside the Orlando Regional Medical Center. 27 patients still being treated at this hour, six of them in intensive care. Survivors are inside the hospital describing their escape. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGEL COLON, ORLANDO SHOOTING SURVIVOR: I was able to peek over and I can just see him shooting at everyone. And I can hear the shotguns getting closer. And look over and he shoots the girl next to me.