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Congressional Black Caucus Calls For Stricter Gun Control; Dallas Police Chief Releases Details About Shooter's Death; Discussion On Recent Police Killings and Police Assaults on African-American Citizens. Aired 10:30-11:00a

Aired July 08, 2016 - 10:30   ET

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


[10:30:50]

REP. G.K. BUTTERFIELD (D), CHAIRMAN, CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: And that we don't leave this place until it's done. I applaud -- we applaud the demonstrators last night for telling us that the deaths of Baton Rouge -- that deaths in Baton Rouge and Falcon Heights give them the energy and determination they need to pull off the bandaid of the stain or irresponsible police killings in America.

The two acts of murder this week that we all so sadly know, must be addressed by law enforcement. It must be addressed by the Congress of the United States. If we fail to act, this will be a long, hot summer. In the rally audience last evening, a young lady held up a sign that read, "I wept more last night than I slept."

Colleagues, America is weeping, they are angry, they are frustrated. And Congress -- and when I say Congress, I mean the Republicans in Congress -- are refusing to address gun violence in America, that targets Black men and Black women, and Hispanic men and Hispanic women. And yes, even police officers.

The Congressional Black Caucus is frustrated. You want to sing (ph) we're mad? We're mad. We are determined to take our advocacy now to a higher level. This is our responsibility to our constituents and we thank you so very much for covering us today. We ain't gonna let nobody turn us around. Thank you so very much.

At this time it is my honor to yield to ...

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Representative G. K. Butterfield is the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Very strong words, calling for action in the House of Representatives on guns -- greater gun control. The Republicans are clearly resisting that call, at least for now. We'll see if anything can be done on that front. We'll continue to monitor this news conference up on Capitol Hill.

He did warn though of a "long, hot summer," a long, hot summer if no action is taken right now. Very sensitive moment here in the United States. We know now why a sniper opened fire on police officers in downtown Dallas.

They were targeted at a peaceful protest against officer-involved killings. And the Dallas Police Chief says the killer revealed that as his motivation -- he revealed his motivation before he was killed. He said he was angry over the police violence against African Americans and he wanted to kill -- white people especially -- white police officers. Ten police -- 12 police officers were shot. Five of them killed. CNN's Sara Sidner is in Dallas for us. She's got more on the latest developments. Sara update our viewers.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He also talked about the suspect, according to the Police Chief, that fact that he wasn't affiliated with any group. And that he acted alone. And that's what police are looking into now. Because they do still have three other suspects who are in custody. Or at least three other people in custody, including a woman, they said, that was roaming around the area of where the shooting was happening near El Centro College.

We can also tell you this, it is extraordinary to hear from the Police Chief the way in which the suspect was killed. I had not heard this in my many years of doing this and I'm not sure, Wolf, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. They talked about sending in a robot that had an explosive device on it. And then detonating that device in order to take the suspect out, ending up killing the suspect.

And they said that they had to take those extraordinary measures because at that time, several officers were already down. They're now talking about 12 officers hit by gunfire. Five of whom were dead. And they felt that this was the only and best way to save the remaining officers here and to keep the public safe by taking out the suspect in this way.

I really find that an extraordinary move by the police. Haven't seen that before, not very often. I certainly haven't seen it myself in covering some of these cases where you see police shootouts between suspects and police.

BLITZER: I -- quite down may (ph) that Sara. Let me ask Tom Fuentes, our CNN Senior Law Enforcement Analyst, that. Have you ever heard of a robot with an explosive device going in and killing a sniper, along these lines?

TOM FUENTES, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: No. Not within the United States. Whether that's been used as a tactic overseas during battles, I don't know. But I've not heard of that here. Having heard about it, I think it was a great idea to spare his officers and the dogs and anybody else in the public from the possibility of getting shot by this guy. With the powerful weapons, amount of ammunition that he had.

And they didn't know if he had explosives. He claimed to the negotiators that he had placed IEDs all over the garage, all over downtown Dallas. So they had to worry about an officer approaching and getting blown up themselves. So sending in that robot that way I think was a tremendous idea and the safest way to go.

BLITZER: So basically they had this mechanized robot that they could control from a distance, wheeled in, got close enough to the sniper. And then they exploded it. They had a bomb on that robot ...

FUENTES: Sounds like that's exactly what they did.

BLITZER: Yeah, that's a pretty extraordinary move. I haven't heard that. All right stand by, we're going to get more. We're told also that the Attorney General of the United States, Loretta Lynch, she'll be speaking out in about an hour or so, on these horrific events in Dallas, Texas. We'll have live coverage of that. Still to come here, I'll speak live with a reporter from the Dallas Morning News who eyewitnessed the aftermath of the deadly police ambush.

[10:35:50]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:40:20]

BLITZER: It was an extraordinary night in Dallas, Texas. A sniper shot, killed five Dallas police officers, injured seven others. The worst incident involving the loss of police officers here in the United States since 9-11. A lot of unanswered questions today about last night's deadly ambush of those police officers in downtown Dallas. Joining us now from Dallas, the Dallas Morning News Reporter, Brandon Formby. Brandon thanks very much for joining us. I understand you were there right as this incident -- or shortly after -- all of these attacks. The ambush was going on. What was it like?

BRANDON FORMBY, REPORTER, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: It was very surreal. A lot of -- there were still hundreds of people downtown. Many of them had been stranded because right after the shootings the transit system completely shut down as police started quardening off like, huge areas of downtown.

People were walking around confused. People were walking around angry. And a lot of people were just walking around in shock.

BLITZER: Brandon, how long did the sniper fire his weapon?

FORMBY: I'm told it was any -- like around 45 minutes.

BLITZER: At 45 minutes ... was he in this (ph) -- in one location? Or was he moving around?

FORMBY: We're not exactly sure of the locations. In one of the videos it does appear like he's moving from one location to another. But police are not giving a lot of information about the suspect's location.

BLITZER: And he was well-armed, we're told. He had a lot of ammunition, right?

FORMBY: It does appear so.

BLITZER: So presumably it could have gone on for much longer. Were you there or did you arrive after that robot with the bomb came up and went close to him, exploded, killing him?

FORMBY: I was a few blocks away when that happened. BLITZER: Did you hear that explosion?

FORMBY: That was ... that was -- yes, I did. You could hear it from several blocks away.

BLITZER: What was it like?

FORMBY: It was loud, but it wasn't deafening. Nothing shook. There wasn't any debris, nothing like that. It was just a big loud bang, and then it was over. It lasted maybe a second.

BLITZER: Have you and your colleagues at The Dallas Morning News learned more about this sniper, this individual? What is -- what have you gleaned, what have you learned about him?

FORMBY: We haven't. Just like you, we're waiting on police to release some more information. All we know is what they said at this morning's press conference. That he told him that he wanted to kill white people. That he especially wanted to kill white police officers. We don't know his name. They said that he wasn't affiliated with any group, but at the same time they also suggested that there might be other suspects out there.

BLITZER: They Mayor said that they've arrested -- they've taken into custody some other suspects who are not cooperating with the police. So what, if anything, can you tell us about that?

FORMBY: That's -- I mean, you're hearing the same things that we're hearing. Police are being very tight-lipped about the suspects. About the number of suspects. About the leads that they're following up on. They Mayor this morning said that the number one priority for the city is to keep all of its residents safe. And because of that, they won't be releasing any information about suspects at this time.

BLITZER: How is the community dealing with all of this, Brandon?

FORMBY: Everybody's still in shock. It's a very hard thing to kind of wrap your head around. When people went to bed last night, it was just emerging that -- how many officers were injured, how many officers were dead. Then when everybody was waking up this morning, still trying to deal with that. And then they found out what the suspect's apparent motives were.

BLITZER: And the fact is, the Dallas Police Department has a pretty diverse police force. Including an African-American Police Chief, David Brown. And by all accounts, the community relationship with the police has been very strong in recent years. Is that right?

FORMBY: Relatively speaking to other American cities, yes, I think that's fair to say. There have been some flashpoints, some racial tensions between police and the community over the years. But nothing that's boiled over into anything that's even close to this kind of violence. Not even close.

BLITZER: All right Brandon Formby of The Dallas Morning News. Brandon thanks very much for that report. Appreciate it. FORMBY: Thank you.

BLITZER: Still to come, we're following the breaking news as the nation reels from multiple days of violence. So what will it take for Americans to heal? We'll have a discussion on that, much more on the breaking news, right after this.

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[10:48:20]

BLITZER: The Dallas Police Chief says the gunman wanted to kill white people, especially wanted to kill white police officers. And he carried out his plan during peaceful marches after two black men died at the hands of police earlier in the week.

One of the men who died, Alton Sterling, tackled and shot outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I want to go to the scene. Nick Valencia is joining us now with the latest. Nick, what is the latest there, in Baton Rouge?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, things are understandably still very raw. Charged environment here in Baton Rouge underscored by the tragic events of that police ambush in Dallas. Alton Sterling's family has released a statement related to those events, through their attorney.

A part of that statement reading, "we wholeheartedly reject the reprehensible acts of violence that were perpetrated against the members of the Dallas Police Department. Our hearts break for the families of the officers who were lost as they protected protesters and residents, alike, during a rally. Regardless of how angry or upset people may be, resorting to this kind of sickening violence should never happen and simply cannot be tolerated."

They went on to say responding with violence against violence is not the way to go. On that point there is a lot of precautions being taken here by local authorities and state police. I just got off the phone with the head of the state police here, Colonel Mike Edmonson, who says that his officials, his deputies, are on high alert and taking added precautions. He says after what happened in Dallas, they know where the bulls eye is. Wolf?

BLITZER: All right, Nick, thanks very much. The outrage over the shooting death of Alton Sterling certainly intensifying when just a day later, Philando Castile was shot and killed by a police officer in Minnesota. The incident going viral after his fiancee livestreamed it on Facebook. This morning, Castile's fiancee spoke to CNN about what she hopes will happen next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND REYNOLDS, GIRLFRIEND OF PHILANDO CASTILE: Today is not only about justice and getting justice. But it's about all of the families that have lost people. This thing that has happened in Dallas, it was not because of something that transpired in Minnesota today. This is bigger than Philando. This is bigger than Trayvon Martin. This is bigger than Sandra Bland. This is bigger than all of us.

So today I just want justice for everyone, everyone around the world. Not just for my boyfriend and the good man that he was. Because I'm going to continue to stay strong for him. And I want all of you guys to do the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:50:50]

BLITZER: Joining us now, Damon Young, Editor in Chief of verysmartbrothas.com. He is also a contributor at ebony.com. Also Michaela Angela Davis, a cultural critic and writer. Michaela, your thoughts first, on these horrendous events that had happened overnight in Dallas, and earlier, Louisiana and Minnesota.

MICHAELA ANGELA DAVIS, CULTURAL CRITIC, WRITER: First, I think that Diamond is a warrior. I can't imagine her sort of live reporting the execution of her boyfriend while her 4-year old daughter was in the backseat. And for many black Americans, we are managing the trauma of that, while simultaneously managing the trauma of watching police officers being gunned down.

And I think what we're seeing is an example of what Dubois called this Double Consciousness. But as it results in trauma and terror that black Americans often having to deal with double trauma. We are still mourning what happened to Mister Phil and at the same time, mourning bodies going down in blue.

And often this complexity you see embodied in a black police officer, right? So what I think we're really dealing with is the duality and the complexity of America. And having to manage terror on both sides at all times.

You know, Charles Blow said earlier that there's this ambient feeling of terror in everyone. But for generations upon generations, we've been dealing with terror on both ends. And what we saw in Charleston, when nine people were murdered and -- an act of terrorism took nine people down in a church -- we saw amazing grace.

We saw a community respond with unbelievable grace. What we're seeing now is the other side of that, right? We're seeing amazing rage. Often when these things happen we go into our own communities and kill each other, and burn down each other's stores. This is a new -- this is a paradigm ship. This is rage going outward. And all of us are weary and angry, and having to negotiate very complex feelings.

BLITZER: It's heartbreaking, Damon, all around. I'm anxious to get your thoughts.

DAMON YOUNG, EDITOR IN CHIEF, VERYSMARTBROTHAS.COM: Yes, it's -- the trauma, having to deal with it chips away at your humanity. Where you have that rage, you have that exhaustion, you have that just surreality of not knowing how to react. And wanting to perform some type of self-care and perhaps try to avoid these conversations. Or try to avoid these images. Or try to avoid the auto-play videos of these men getting killed.

But it's unavoidable. And again, it's just a collective trauma that just continues to build up, continues to wear on you, continues to chip away at you. And you're left in a state of -- you're left in a state of consciousness where you just don't necessarily know how to react anymore. You don't know if you have anything left to react.

And again it's not a defeatist state. It's more of a -- just, it's more of a fatigue. A mental, emotional, psychological, and a spiritual fatigue. And you just try to find ways to get through it, to process it, and to try to make some good out of it.

BLITZER: Let me get Tom Fuentes into this conversation as well, our Senior Law Enforcement Analyst, former Assistant Director of the FBI. How do we heal this? I mean we have to take some major steps here in the United States to deal with this issue. Which is potentially so explosive out there.

FUENTES: I think that's a great question, Wolf. And the problem is that you have police departments trying to be progressive, trying to increase their efforts at community outrage in community policing. But all of the individuals that commit violent acts in our cities now, or across the country, aren't necessarily aware of it or involved in it.

And so we don't yet know the identity of this particular shooter. Yes, he may have nothing to do with Dallas, and may not know any of the (audio break) police department's doing. And that's part of the problem is that the people that need to be in the room having those discussions may not be there.

No matter how much the community leaders, the elected officials, and the police leaders try to communicate and set up a mechanism to heal and diffuse this violent culture that we have. The right people and all the people may not be in those discussions. And guys running around with assault rifles may not be part of those discussions.

BLITZER: Michaela, give me a quick thought.

DAVIS: I mean, I think we're also seeing this perfect storm of rage, and pain, and weapons, right? In a hot summer, and people dealing with unimaginable mental -- like, I think that what we've seen is just a combination of all of the issues coming together like hell broke loose. And now we have to manage it, and deal with it, and be thoughtful and truthful about all the complexities that we have to deal with.

BLITZER: Stand by for a moment. I think Evan Perez is joining us, our Justice Correspondent. Evan, I understand you may have gotten the name of the sniper?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. We have now confirmed with multiple law enforcement sources that the identity of the shooter, the sniper in Dallas is Micah Xavier Johnson. He's 25 years old and he's from Mesquite, Texas. Law enforcement officials we've been talking to say they've found -- that he has got no previous criminal record. No -- he was not on the radar for the FBI or any other law enforcement agency for possible extremist ties -- no ties to ISIS or any other groups like that.

So really, the first time they've heard of this guy, it appears, was when he started shooting police officers last night in Dallas. And then had that standoff at the garage at the Community College there in downtown Dallas. That's the first time they've encountered him. Again, the identity is Micah Xavier Johnson. 25 years old, from Mesquite, Texas, is the identity of this sniper who killed all these officers in Dallas. Wolf?

BLITZER: I assume they're going through his social media, his laptop, his mobile device. They're trying to find out who he was in contact with, to see if there was in fact anyone else who may have been involved, right?

PEREZ: That's right, that's right, Wolf. That's one of the things they're doing right now. They're also at his home trying to conduct a search right there. They're waiting to get in there and start doing that -- the search. And also as you said, to try to see if there's any connections. Obviously last night we -- or this morning even -- we heard from the Dallas police that they had arrested three other people who they thought might be connected in some way to this.

We still haven't heard whether or not they've confirmed any connection to those people. Obviously the gunman said that he was acting alone. And at this point it does appear that there was only one shooter. I know that there was a lot of confusion. And it's understandable with the police officers who were responding to the scene, and the witnesses who were hearing the gunshots, and the sound bouncing off all those tall buildings in downtown Dallas.

We're told right now that he was living with his mother, according to a neighbor who our Chuck Johnson, a producer, talked to down there in Texas. A neighbor says that he lived with his mother, was kind of a recluse, kept to himself. They neighbors reporting that the police are all over the neighborhood right now. Again, waiting to do a search of that home to make sure it's safe, and also to try to get more about his background.

One big question we all have, Wolf, is where -- what kind of training he had. He appeared to have -- to be a very good shot. To be able to kill all these officers -- shoot all these officers from that perch that he had there in downtown Dallas, Wolf?

BLITZER: All right, Evan Perez with us reporting of the name of the gunman. All right Evan, thank you very much. Tom Fuentes, we're going to learn a lot more about Micah Xavier Johnson in the coming hours, right?

FUENTES: I think by the end of the day we'll know a lot about him. Now that the public has the name, people that have worked with him or gone to school with him, or gone to gun clubs with him, or in the military if that's true. We'll hear all of that by the end of the day I would expect. BLITZER: Tom Fuentes, thanks very much for that. We're also standing

by to hear from Loretta Lynch, the Attorney General of the United States. She's going to be making a statement shortly. Of course we will have live coverage of that. There you see the lectern already set up. Loretta Lynch, the Attorney General of the United States. I'll be back 1:00 p.m. Eastern for our special coverage. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. AT THIS HOUR with Berman and Bolduan starts right now.

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