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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Details on Dallas Police Shooter; Rallies, Protesters Clash with Police in Minnesota; Protests and Prayer in D.C. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired July 11, 2016 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:11] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Protests rage across the country. Hundreds arrested demonstrating against deadly police shootings.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: This as we learn new disturbing details about the gunman who killed five police officers in Dallas. What else he may have been planning?
Good morning. And welcome to EARLY START. I'm Alison Kosik.
BERMAN: Nice to see you today.
KOSIK: Good morning.
BERMAN: I'm John Berman. It is Monday, July 11th, 4:00 a.m. in the East.
New details this morning of a killer who murdered five police officers in Dallas. Officials say the gunman acted alone and that he'd been practicing for this attack for months. Dallas Police Chief David Brown tells CNN that he believes the shooter had an bigger and deadlier assault planned for the city. Chief Brown also revealed disturbing details about the hours long standoff with the gunman. The chief describing the killer as obviously delusional, singing to himself, even writing messages on the wall in his own blood.
CNN's Ed Lavandera has more from Dallas.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, in the CNN interview with the Dallas police chief, David Brown provided some of the most chilling and descriptive details of the standoff in the tragic shooting from last Thursday night. The chief says that after the shooting erupted his officers started following Micah Johnson inside the El Centro College building, at one point following him through a stairwell before he was cornered inside the second floor of a building there leading to that multi-hour standoff.
The chief says that Johnson wrote on the ground or on a wall with his own blood, the initials -- the initials R.B. And investigators are still trying to figure out what that is a reference to. They haven't figured that out yet. There was also some other writing that he had left in his own blood as well.
And then the police chief also says that Johnson requested that he would only speak with a black negotiator there at the scene. All of this while Micah Johnson continued to fire rounds of shots at the officers who were there inside the scene.
The police chief describes Micah Johnson as someone who was very much under control, yet delusional at times, singing and laughing at the officers, asking about how many of the officers he had been able to kill throughout all of that scene.
And the police chief also says that there is clear evidence that Micah Johnson was mounting an arsenal and perhaps had an even bigger planned attack but for some reason switched and decided to make his attack last Thursday night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF DAVID BROWN, DALLAS POLICE: It appears that our search of this suspect's home in Mesquite leads us to believe, based on evidence of bomb-making materials and a journal, that the suspect had been practicing explosive detonations and that the materials was such that it was large enough to have devastating effects throughout our city and our north Texas area.
We're convinced that this suspect had other plans and thought that what he was doing was righteous and believed that he was going to make law enforcement and target law enforcement, make us pay for what he sees as law enforcement's efforts to punish people of color.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Those are some of the details revealed by the police chief in an extraordinary interview with CNN -- John and Alison.
KOSIK: All right. Our Ed Lavandera, thanks for that.
And President Obama and former President George W. Bush will be in Dallas on Tuesday to speak with an interfaith memorial service for the slain officers. The president, cutting short a European trip to be in Dallas, will also meet with the families of the fallen officers. Before leaving Spain Sunday the president condemned attacks on police officers, physical or verbal, as a disservice to the cause of criminal justice reform.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: First of all, any violence directed at police officers is a reprehensible crime and needs to be prosecuted. But, even rhetorically, if we paint police in broad brush, without recognizing that the vast majority of police officers are doing a really good job and are trying to protect people and do so fairly and without racial bias, if our rhetoric does not recognize that then we're going to lose allies in the reform cause.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The five officers killed last Thursday include military veterans, fathers, and newlyweds. 43-year-old Brent Thompson was a seven-year veteran of the Public Transit Police Force. He was married just two weeks ago to another officer. [04:05:02] Forty-year-old Michael Krol whose family says his lifelong
dream was to become a police officer. Lorne Ahrens started out as a sheriff's dispatcher in Los Angeles before moving to Dallas to become a police officer 14 years ago. 55-year-old Michael Smith, an Army veteran and father of two girls who friends say did his best to keep his home and work life completely separate. And Dallas Officer Patrick Zamarripa, a Navy veteran, father of two. Zamarripa's mother and sister spoke to CNN's Rafael Romo, describing their shock at hearing just the awful news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIE ZAMARRIPA, OFC. PATRICK ZAMARRIPA'S MOTHER: I screamed. I said no. No, not my baby. Not my Patrick. They told me, yes, that it was him. But it can't be.
LAURA ZAMARRIPA, OFC. PATRICK ZAMARRIPA'S SISTER: Yes, he survived three deployments and then to come home and happened at home, but -- I mean, my brother loved his country and community. So I guess this is his way of showing. I just can wrap my mind around it. It's just so unreal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Survived three deployments overseas, killed in Dallas.
One challenge faced by police during the attack was trying to find the shooter among the dozens of protesters who showed up carrying AR-15s and other military-style rifles, all perfectly legal under Texas Open Carry Law.
The Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings says he would support a change to that law restricting people's right to carry rifles and shotguns in public.
KOSIK: Breaking overnight, protests in Baton Rouge are growing bigger and more violent six days after the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling. Forty-eight demonstrators were arrested last night for blocking streets and throwing chunks of concrete at police in riot gear. None of the officers were hurt. More than 130 protesters in Baton Rouge have been arrested since Sterling's death.
BERMAN: The most violent protests over the weekend happened in Minnesota where demonstrators trying to shut down an interstate clashed with police, leaving 21 officers injured and more than 100 protesters under arrest. This is just miles from the place where Philando Castile was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop.
CNN's Rosa Flores has more now from St. Paul.
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, for the most part, this is what protests have been like here in Minnesota after the death of Philando Castile. Very peaceful. People just coming together to express their concerns because of officer-involved shootings. Now all of that changed overnight. Twenty-one police officers were injured, according to authorities, and 102 protesters were arrested. Now here is how the situation escalated. There were multiple protests
happening at the same time. Now the situation escalated overnight when, we're told by the police, that protesters threw Molotov cocktails at police officers, rocks, pieces of rebar, pieces of concrete. Now that injured multiple police officers from what we're told. Those are non-life threatening injuries and they're expected to be OK, but as you might imagine, community leaders here are very concerned. Here is what the police chief had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD AXTELL, ST. PAUL POLICE CHIEF: We had 21 police officers last night that were injured as a result of rocks, bottles, rebar, Molotov cocktails, and other items that were thrown at our public servants, and it's a -- I just can't believe that this occurred. This is something that just doesn't happen in St. Paul.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: Now protesters have been demonstrating in front of the governor's mansion since the killing of Philando Castile. They're asking for justice for Philando Castile. Now we know that the governor is also asking for the U.S. DOJ to get involved to have a separate investigation, other than the one that is being held by the state agency.
Now the latest that we know from the U.S. DOJ is that they are monitoring and assisting the state -- John, Alison.
KOSIK: All right. Rosa Flores, thanks for that.
And meantime Philando Castile's mother is pleading with protesters in Minnesota and nationwide to keep things peaceful. Valerie Castile said her son would want it that way. She released a statement over the weekend saying this, "When demonstrations become violent it disrespect my son and his memory. Philando was a man of peace and dignity."
Diamond Reynolds who live-streamed the aftermath of her fiance's fatal shooting called into a Dallas church service on Sunday to share her outrage in grief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[04:10:07] DIAMOND REYNOLDS: When the officer was scared, I heard it in his voice. And he was -- when I heard it in his voice, it instantly clicked to me that this was something that was much bigger than myself and Phil. And if I can change anything from that night, it was never to take that route because if we wouldn't have been in the wrong place in the wrong time, none of this would have happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: In total, at least 300 people were arrested across the country this weekend protesting the deadly shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge. In Atlanta, a fourth straight night of demonstrations saw thousands taking to the streets. There were 10 arrested there. Protesters in New York marched through midtown Manhattan with raised fists. Not seen here. Later, they sang a chorus of the Sam Cook classic, "A Change is Going to Come."
In Washington, D.C., thousands turned out for several marches, including one outside the White House. Protesters there told reporters, "I'm tired of being so sad." More than 20 arrests this weekend in Chicago, most of them Saturday night when demonstrators tried to disrupt a Taste of Chicago festival. Several officers were hit by thrown bottles but luckily there were no serious injuries.
KOSIK: All right. We are less than one week from the Republican national convention and new this morning, a first look at big changes coming to the party. That sounds a lot like Donald Trump. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:15:45] KOSIK: With less than a week to go before the -- the Republican convention, we are getting our first look at the first draft of the party's 2016 platform. And it calls for better trade deals that put America first and in a major shift on gay marriage. Past demands for a constitutional amendments declaring marriage to be between one man and one woman have been dropped. The GOP's position on abortion, that remains unchanged with no exceptions for rape or incest. Exceptions, though, that are favored by Donald Trump.
And listen to Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. One of the frontrunners to become Trump's running mate. He is breaking ranks with the party when it comes to a woman's right to choose.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. MICHAEL FLYNN (RET.), ADVISER, TRUMP CAMPAIGN: Abortion, I think it's a -- I think, for women, and these are difficult issues but I think women have to be able to choose what they -- you know, that's sort of a right of choice but I think that that's a -- that's a difficult legal decision that -- and I think that women are so important in that decision-making process.
MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Same-sex marriage?
FLYNN: They are -- they are the ones that have to make the decision because they're the one that's -- the ones that are going to decide to bring up that child or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Tuesday looks like unity day for Democrats with Bernie Sanders expected to formally endorse Hillary Clinton at an event in New Hampshire. This comes after the Democratic Platform Committee adopted some of Sanders' key positions. Democrats agreed on a $15 per hour minimum wage, punishing companies for greenhouse emissions and a government-run alternative to private health insurance, the so-called public option. KOSIK: Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has suffered extensive second
and third-degree burns on both legs and feet, and may miss the Republican National Convention next week. A spokesman for Abbott says the governor was vacationing with his family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, last week when he was scalded in an accident involving hot water. He was treated for several hours at a local hospital. No other details are being released.
BERMAN: The prosecution resumes its case this morning. The latest trial of officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray. Baltimore Police Lieutenant Brian Rice is the fourth of six officers charged in Gray's arrest and death to stand trial. The state is focused on Rice's rank claiming he was ultimately responsible for the safe transport of Gray who died a week after suffering a spinal injury while in a police van. Two Baltimore officers have been acquitted in the Gray case. A jury deadlocked on a third.
KOSIK: Time for an EARLY START on your money. We're seeing Dow futures in the green. Following strong gains Friday after the solid U.S. jobs report that came out. European stock markets, they are posting gains as well and looking at a huge gain in Tokyo overnight the Nikkei jumping almost 4 percent. Investors there are cheering at U.S. jobs data and are trading on hopes of more stimulus following elections there. We are seeing oil prices slipping now back below $45 a barrel.
And thanks to Friday's big jump, the S&P 500 is now just one point away from hitting an all-time closing high. Right now the average is at 2,129. We're watching that level because if we see gains today, it's going to break the all-time record that was set in May of last year. Now since the lows hit in February of this year, the S&P 500 has climbed 16 percent.
You know it's up 4.2 percent for the year so far? The Dow is awful gaining more than 4 percent for the year. And the Nasdaq has really struggled this year, now just 1 percent away from turning positive. So that big freak-out after the Brexit is just a distant memory.
BERMAN: I know.
KOSIK: Right?
BERMAN: So much, so much for the world coming to an end after the Brexit.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: All right. Millions in the Midwest facing the threat of severe thunderstorms. Meteorologist Derek Van Dam with the latest.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: : Good morning, John and Alison.
(WEATHER REPORT)
[04:20:31] VAN DAM: Back to you.
KOSIK: All right, Derek. Thanks for that.
And hundreds arrested this weekend in protests that showed a country divided over race and police practices. How some church leaders are taking on the controversy. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:25:11] KOSIK: Welcome back. Calls for peace and justice echoing across the nation's Capitol in the wake of the police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota as well as the ambush of officers in Dallas. Washington residents took part in rallies, protests and prayer on Sunday. One gathering brought religious leaders and law enforcement community together.
CNN's Sherisse Pham was there.
SHERISSE PHAM, CNN REPORTER: Good morning, John and Alison. Now this was the first Sunday following what has just been a horrific week for this nation and pastors had the difficult job not only of consoling their parishioners, but also offering them something of a way forward, and that's what this rally was really meant to do.
We talked to Reverend Howard John Wesley. He's the pastor of a historic Baptist church in nearby Virginia, the same church the Obamas have celebrated the last two Easters. And during his sermon he quoted from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s letter from a Birmingham jail.
We asked him why and here's what he told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. HOWARD JOHN WESLEY, PASTOR, ALFRED STREET BAPTIST CHURCH: And I wanted our congregation to hear that what he wrote in 1963 is as real and relevant in 2016 as it was back then. And there's some real specific principles in there that brought us through civil rights that will also bring us through this moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHAM: Volunteers handed out pledge cards to everybody at this rally and I just want to read to you one of the pledges, something that organizers have highlighted as very important. It says, "I commit to express my support and appreciation for the sacrifices that most law enforcement officers make on my behalf."
So D.C. police leaders also spoke at this rally and this really did seem like an event -- an opportunity to bring two communities that are so divided just a little bit closer together -- John, Alison.
BERMAN: All right, Sherisse, thanks so much.
We have disturbing new details this morning on the gunman who killed five Dallas police officers. What else he might have been planning. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
