Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Latest from the Campaign Trail; US Ground Troops Helping Turks Clear ISIS Out of Syrian Border Areas; Examining Challenges in Syria; Woman Escapes Killer, Calls 911; Trump Finally Admits Obama Was Born In U.S.; Clinton, Obama Attend Black Caucus Dinner; Woman Killed Cops Injured In Philly Shooting Rampage. Aired Noon-1p ET

Aired September 17, 2016 - 12:00   ET

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


[12:00:11] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, again, everyone. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Washington, D.C. today.

The clock ticks down, the campaign trail heats up, the presidential election now less than 52 days away. So the candidates and their trusted surrogates are on the road.

This hour, Bernie Sanders is on the stump for former rival, Hillary Clinton. He's in Akron, Ohio, and then headed to Kent, Ohio. Fellow Senator Elizabeth Warren will also campaign in the key battleground state of Ohio. She'll be speaking in Columbus, a few hours from now.

Hillary Clinton speaks tonight at the Congressional Black Caucus here in the nation's capital. She'll be joined my President Barack Obama.

And in Texas, Donald Trump attends luncheon for families of those killed by undocumented immigrants and he faces blowback over his comments last night that Hillary Clinton's Secret Service agents should be disarmed and adding, quote, "Let's see what happens to her," end quote.

CNN's Jim Acosta is in Houston for the Trump event. So, Jim, how much do we know of what could potentially happen or be said?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's safe to say, Fredricka, that Donald Trump will be talking about his plan for dealing with the undocumented of this country. He is obviously speaking to that group you just mentioned here in a couple hours.

This is a group of people that say they are the victims of undocumented criminals in this country. We have seen a number of them walking around this hotel. Some will be telling their stories during this event with Donald Trump later on this afternoon.

But as you mentioned, yes, Donald Trump is facing a lot of blowback after a comment that he made last night. Not the first time that he's made this remark as to what would happen to Hillary Clinton is she goes after gun rights in this country. Listen to how Donald Trump described it in Miami when he suggested that the weapons be taken away from Hillary Clinton's Secret Service detail. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She's very much against the second amendment. She wants to destroy your second amendment. Guns, guns, guns, right? I think what we should do is she goes around with armed body guards like you have never seen before. I think that her body guards should drop all weapons. Right? Right?

I think they should disarm immediately. What do you think, yes? Take their guns away, she doesn't want guns. Let's see what happens to her. Take their guns away. OK? It would be very dangerous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Donald Trump tweeted about this overnight, Fredricka. He did not apologize for that remark. Basically, he said the same thing that he said during that rally in Miami.

The Clinton campaign fired off a statement condemning what Donald Trump said. We have been through this pattern before. This is a statement from the campaign manager for Hillary Clinton, Robby Mook.

It says, "Donald Trump has a pattern of inciting people to violence. It is an unacceptable quality in anyone seeking the job of commander- in-chief. This kind of talk should be out of bounds for a presidential candidate.

Fredricka, we should point out, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service is not commenting on all of this. One thing that should be pointed out, Donald Trump said during the remarks she has armed body guards like nobody has ever seen before that you wouldn't believe.

Donald Trump that has same kind of protection out on the campaign trail. We are at a hotel in Houston right now where he is going to be speaking in a few hours.

The Secret Service are here. The Houston Police Department is here. They are all providing the same layer of protection that Hillary Clinton receives day in and day out on the campaign trail -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim, let's bring into this conversation, Josh Rogin, a CNN political analyst and a columnist for "The Washington Post."

So Josh, you know, Secret Service detail, that really is, you know, part of the pattern for any presidential candidate. This goes back many, many years, '70s and '60s.

So first off, how much does this up stage this kind of dialogue up stage everything, everything the campaign of Donald Trump said has been progress of being scripted, more presidential, someone who shows he does have the temperament for the White House.

JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMMENTATOR: Right, right. On your first point, let's stipulate here that Donald Trump is not really trying to incite violence. He's joking. What he's joking about is about Hillary Clinton getting assassinated --

WHITFIELD: That's an explanation for him all the time, but then it's about appropriateness.

ROGIN: It's not funny when you're joking about Hillary Clinton being assassinated. It is out of bounds and should be out of bounds and in very poor taste.

Setting that aside, what is he doing here? He is trying to take over the debate again. He is not trying to get into a policy detailed discussion over gun rights and safety and how to balance those two things.

[12:05:01]He's simply trying to take over the media, take over the discussion. He's done that by saying some outrageous. If you talk to Trump campaign, people will tell you that this is their intention.

They take over this sort of discussion. They sort of mock the debate and in that way, they avoid a serious debate about the real tradeoffs between sort of the rights of gun owners and the rights of people to feel safe in the community.

WHITFIELD: So that outrageous, that kind of pattern might be what kind of provoked the messages coming from the former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who wrote in an op-ed in "The Wall Street Journal" and dismisses Donald Trump as a quote, "beyond repair."

He went on to say that Trump is, quote, "Stubbornly uninformed about the world and how to lead our country and government, and temperamentally unsuited to lead our men and women in uniform."

Jim, I want to bring you back into the conversation. You know, Donald Trump has already responded by way of tweet. Essentially kind of dismissing the importance of the words coming from Robert Gates.

ACOSTA: He has. But, you know, I think it's important to note something that Bob Gates, the former defense secretary said in that column and I think Josh Rogin would agree with this. He focuses on national security quite a bit.

And that is that the number one crisis that will likely hit the next president of the United States will not be something that is happening inside the United States, a domestic issue. It will likely be a foreign crisis.

The question that Robert Gates lays out in that column is that, you know, which candidate is better prepared to deal with these foreign crises and he ultimately says in that column, while he is not happy with Hillary Clinton.

While hopes that she provides more details as to what she would do with a number of issues that are happening around the world, he comes to the conclusion in this op-ed that Hillary Clinton is best prepared to be president of the United States.

That Donald Trump is too much of a loose cannon to be trusted in the oval office. That is a compelling argument that a lot of Americans are going to have to be dealing with.

I agree 100 percent with Josh Rogin, what he said, having covered Donald Trump day in and day out for the last eight or nine months out on the campaign trail, you sort of have this OMG moment from Trump on a daily basis that sort of eclipses the previous day's OMG moment.

We are talking about what he said about guns and Hillary Clinton instead of the birth certificate. Some of that is by design and some of it just comes out of his mouth and sort of takes care of itself.

But you are right, what Josh Rogin said is exactly right, it does give Donald Trump almost on a daily basis, the opportunity to avoid a serious debate on the issues because of that dynamic.

WHITFIELD: Josh, you want to take credit on Robert Gates op-ed now? You challenged him in "The Washington Post." Where is he and here he is.

ROGIN: So what happened was dozens of GOP national security officials said "never Trump." They can't vote for Trump. He's not serious. Even though Hillary Clinton is not what they want, they have to stand on principle.

The people who had not done that were Robert Gates, Condoleezza Rice, Steven Hadley, James Schultz, sorry, George Schultz, James Baker, the biggest most famous, most senior GOP statesmen have often silent.

So I wrote about why are these guys silent and the reason was two folds. One, they wanted to keep it powder dry. They don't want to be seen as pro-Clinton. They think that will hurt them after Trump losses, if he losses.

Two, they wanted to wait for the right time. So what we see now is Robert Gates stepping up, coming out publicly saying, yes, Hillary is bad but Trump is worse. He's ignorant and doesn't take this stuff seriously that's a big thing in Republican foreign policy circles.

WHITFIELD: If Donald Trump loses, seem that it's neck in neck, if Donald Trump wins, at least Robert Gates, he's put himself on record as saying this is what I think about his leadership.

ROGIN: I think most of these people expect Donald Trump to lose, although, they are not sure and what they see is a fight to come inside the Republican Party after he loses. Because half the party is pro-Trump, half will be the establishment and there will be a debate and they want to be positioned and say when it was time to stand-up, I stood up and said what I felt.

WHITFIELD: All right, Josh Rogin, thanks so much. Jim Acosta, we'll check back with you in Houston there as Donald Trump addresses the crowd at that luncheon. Appreciate it, Gentlemen.

All right, President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be speaking tonight in the nation's capital to the Congressional Black Caucus at the dinner there.

Can Clinton take minority voters for granted even with Donald Trump's support so low among minorities? Next, we will talk with a woman who will be there tonight when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:12:42]

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Hillary Clinton is back on the campaign trail for one event today. Clinton and President Obama will speak at the Congressional Black Caucus Dinner here in Washington tonight.

The dinner will be friendly territory for Clinton and she's expected to hit Donald Trump again, for finally admitting that President Obama was born in the United States.

The Democratic members of the Black Caucus tore into Donald Trump on Friday flat out calling him a racist and deplorable in a 40-minute press conference. Members demanding an apology from Trump for repeatedly questioning Obama's citizenship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPRESENTATIVE HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D), CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: Donald Trump is nothing more than a two-bit racial arsonist.

VAL DEMINGS (D), FORMER ORLANDO POLICE CHIEF: Donald Trump is doing everything that he can to divide. He's a hater. He's a bigot and he's a racist.

REPRESENTATIVE BONNIE WILSON COLEMAN (D), CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: Trump acted in a way that suggests he's a bigot.

REPRESENTATIVE G.K. BUTTERFIELD (D), CHAIRMAN, CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: By any definition Donald Trump is a disgusting fraud.

REPRESENTATIVE SHEILA JACKSON LEE (D), CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: We will not elect a cheap bigot of the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. So, that sets the stage, perhaps, for what should be a very interesting evening tonight. My next guest is someone who will be attending tonight's Congressional Black Caucus Dinner and she has been for the past 30 years been an incredible commitment. Suzan Johnson Cook is a former U.S. ambassador at large for International Freedom. Good to see you.

SUZAN JOHNSON COOK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. WHITFIELD: Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state nominated you to that position. President Obama appointed you also and his administration and you worked for President Bill Clinton.

COOK: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right, so your commitment is deep, it is strong.

COOK: It's very deep. It's very strong. It's consistent. What an honor to work for the first African-American president. The sentiments are what many of us feel. The caucus was packed yesterday led by Honorable Gregory Meeks.

Many of us are feeling it because Donald Trump shouldn't have started in the first place, but he's not only insulting our first African- American president, he's insulting our fathers and mother and those who worked hard to get here.

[12:15:03]But you know, the president represents the highest office in the nation. If you go after him, you are going after all of us. It's deeply emotional.

WHITFIELD: So even if Donald Trump is to verbally apologize, take it a step further than his admission that he recognizes that the president was born in the United States and if he were to come out and further explain why the epiphany, why now, and why in the first place leaving -- you know, leave that campaign for upwards of five years and beyond.

How might that make a difference for Donald Trump in the eyes of voters who have already decided they are not willing to elect him?

COOK: What it will do is you can close a chapter and you are honorable enough to admit your mistakes. For those of us in the African-American community, most of us are not going to be swayed by that. We want the closure and the respect in terms of not dehumanizing our president or us.

It's interesting, they are students of history. There was a movement called a Know Nothing Movement or the Native-American Movement. Republican white males wanted to purify our country. It ran for about a decade.

What Donald Trump is doing is repeating that pattern. He wants to purify the country. It was ability immigrants then. That time it was Irish and Catholics. Right now, he's saying, I don't want anybody other than pure, white males running this country. I'm going to build a wall for the Mexicans.

WHITFIELD: But he didn't say that. He didn't verbalize it that way.

COOK: Yes, but I'm just saying his sentiments are that. People are rejecting the rudeness and the ignorance, and really the disrespect of the highest office. So he needs to apologize to put closure to that so that the country can move on. WHITFIELD: So Donald Trump has been in at least two churches in a public place, African-American churches predominantly black churches trying to appeal to minority voters in that respect.

Hillary Clinton has made it very clear even though her commitment can span many years, a record of having a commitment to non-white communities, all communities, she said she's not taking the African- American vote for granted.

What do people want to hear from either one of these candidates to feel that their vote will transform into something, some benefits for them?

COOK: Two things. One is, that it is really late in the game for Donald Trump to be there. It's about relationship that is lifelong. Hillary Clinton has been in our community for a long time. What people want to hear is that the least of these, the scripture, the least of these is going to be taken care of.

It's not just the 1 percent or the 47 percent. It's a whole nation that is suffering. If we take a pledge of allegiance that says one nation under God indivisible, we want a leader that is not going to divide.

We want a leader that's going to make sure that every one of the citizens of the United States is taken care of, regardless of ethnicity, race or class. Looking at the whole socioeconomic picture, we want a president that is going to be a president for all Americans.

WHITFIELD: You talked to Hillary Clinton yesterday?

COOK: I did not speak with her personally. She was at a black women's agenda. Many are excited to support her. We are cheering her on that she's strong again and we want to prayerfully, carefully uphold her.

She is ready. I have known her for 25 years. She was in my church when I was a pastor before she became U.S. senator of New York. She's been visiting us many years. Not just as an elected official running for office, but she's been there as a worshipper, parishioner with us.

We have a track record and history. That's going to be very important. Who has been with us in the past? Who will stand with us now? It's a very important time in our history of America.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzan Johnson Cook, thank you so much. Enjoy the dinner this evening.

COOK: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: We look forward to the news that's going to result from this evening and today, quite frankly.

COOK: Yes, thank you for having me. We look forward to what's going to happen for America. We are going vote and most of us are going to vote with Hillary. WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

COOK: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, you can see the full coverage of President Obama and Hillary Clinton's remarks at tonight's Congressional Black Caucus Dinner starting at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

Coming up next, a shooting rampage in Philadelphia, one woman is dead, two officers injured. Why police say the gunman had a hatred of cops. A live report, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:23:18]

WHITFIELD: All right. We are following breaking news now out of Philadelphia. A gunman opens fire killing a woman sitting in a car. She had been shot seven times. At least five other people including two officers were injured. The gunman is dead.

CNN's Nick Valencia is following the story for us. So Nick, police say they found a note from the shooter. What more are we learning about the circumstances?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police did say they found a note on the gunman who is now deceased. That note, apparently a rambling message according to the police commissioner expressing hatred toward police officers in Philadelphia as well as probation officers.

It was just a little while ago that local media did name a suspect. CNN is working to independently confirm that name. But here's what we know about the details.

At about 11:30 last night, this individual approached a police officer as she was sitting in her car, opened fire more than a dozen times according to the police commissioner injuring that officer.

He went on to injure another officer from the University of Pennsylvania as well as four civilians. It was a few hours after the shooting the commissioner of the police department addressed what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD ROSS JR., PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER: Don't know what his ideology is or thinking so I'm not going there. But, it's just a hatred of police officers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So there was no mention of religious logistics --

ROSS JR.: Nothing like that. We have no reason to believe it's related to any beliefs of a religious nature or things like that. Just his feelings about police departments, police officers and probation officers. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: You heard the commissioner there answer questions about ideology, religious ideology. It was in January that there was another separate ambush on police officers. The suspect in that case saying he was inspired by ISIS.

There is still no official motive in this case, the shooting that happened yesterday, but six people shot in all. Two officers listed in stable condition, two civilians listed in critical condition.

As you mentioned at the top of the broadcast for this report, Fred, one of the civilians that was shot was pronounced dead -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much, Nick Valencia. Keep us posted. Appreciate it.

VALENCIA: You bet.

WHITFIELD: We are also following breaking news in Seaside Park, New Jersey. We are told an explosive device went off in a garbage can near the site of a Marine charity 5k run. The FBI, ATF and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating.

The blast happened along the board walk. The Ocean County prosecutor say a second suspicious device was reportedly found and bomb sniffing dogs are searching for additional devices now.

The office adds that most of the charity runners were not in the area at the time and there are no reported injuries or damage to surrounding structures. Nonetheless we'll keep you posted on that developing story.

We are also waiting for Senator Bernie Sanders now back on the trail, but stumping for Hillary Clinton. You are looking at live pictures of the event. The senator is making a campaign stop for Hillary Clinton in Ohio there and, he's not the only big name surrogate out today. Something for Clinton. Details on that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hello again and thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Washington, D.C., today. It's a busy day on the campaign trail. Bernie Sanders just took the stage at a Clinton event in battleground Ohio. Live pictures out of Kent, Ohio.

In addition to Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren will be stumping for Clinton in Columbus, Ohio, a very important state. With the election less than 52 days away in critical states like Ohio on the line, every day becomes more critical for the candidates.

[12:30:05] Let's bring in CNN's Chris Frates. We heard -- We see Senator Sanders they are already stumping. This is a very important pivotal, potentially, day.

CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it's an important day. And you're exactly right here, Fred. You know, we're in this final sprint and Hillary Clinton surrogates are out in force starting with Bernie Sanders. Now, Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are in Ohio working to turn out two key groups that haven't been real huge fans of Hillary Clinton, young voters and progressives. This is what Sanders told the crowd at the University of Akron just a moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I) VERMONT: So when you go out and you talk to your friends and they say, "Oh, God, I'm not going to vote, it's a waste of time, everybody is terrible." Ask them how much they're going to leave school in debt with. Ask them about that. And tell them that Secretary Clinton, number one, is going to make public colleges, universities tuition free for all those under $125,000. And second of all has a very significant and important plan to lower student debts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRATES: So Sanders trying to fire up the Democratic base in Ohio where the most recent CNN/ORC poll shows Clinton has some work to do. She's trailing Trump by five points, 41 percent to 46 percent. Now, Warren's going to bring her liberal fire brunt speech to Columbus, Ohio a little bit later today. Sanders and Warren capping off a real busy week of campaigning for Clinton surrogates. Let's take a look at the map here.

And on that map, you'll see on Monday, Vice President Biden, he's in North Carolina. Tuesday, President Obama in Philly. On Wednesday, former President Clinton went to Vegas, Nevada, a big swing state there. And yesterday, First Lady Michelle Obama made her first solo campaign stop in Virginia.

So, Clinton surrogates are fanning out in swing states throughout the country. And if you look at the polls, you can start to understand why. Clinton is edging Trump nationally by just two points, 43 percent to 41 percent in the latest CNN poll of polls. So, a lot to watch today, Fred. And certainly I think, this is going to continue, they're going continue they're going to spread out, hit those battleground states hard for Hillary Clinton.

WHITFIELD: Wow, it's going to continue to be a very exhausting eight weeks.

FRATES: Yes. No rest for the weary here.

WHITFIELD: For everybody. That's right, including you. All right, Thanks Chris for the visit.

FRATES: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: All right, meantime, overseas, the ceasefire in Syria is barely holding. Just ahead, why much needed aid is not getting through to those who desperately need it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [12:36:07] WHITFIELD: Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Washington, D.C.

So right now, U.S. Special Forces are on the ground with Turkish troops as they clear ISIS from Northern Syria. The Pentagon says they will be doing the same kinds of it, advise and assist missions they've been doing with rebel groups in other parts of Syria.

Elsewhere, the U.S. and Russian-backed ceasefire in Syria appears to be barely holding and humanitarian aid still isn't making its way through after being blocked by Syrian government forces. I want to bring in CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen who is in the besieged city of Aleppo. And CNN Global Affairs Analyst David Rohde who is in New York.

So Fred, let me begin with you. What are the conditions in Aleppo like right now?

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're still very difficult Fredricka. We we're seeing -- We've actually just been on a place that's in the front line is that there is really a big level of destruction there and very little in the way of food and in the way of water, also the way of electricity as well.

We were in that front line just bit earlier today at the rubble because of a ceasefire. They are able to do that. A lot of people that we've been talking are very grateful for the ceasefire to be in place. It is a lot more calm here than it would be if the ceasefire were not in place. But you still have that big issue of humanitarian aid simply not getting through.

On the one hand, it's of course an issue of safety that the United Nations still wants from various rebel factions to actually get that aid all the way through Aleppo. And then appointee permission from the Syrian government. And so far, those have not been forthcoming either. The U.N. trucks to bring that aid here to Aleppo are still stuck in customs are on the border between Syria and Turkey. And you know, we've been here for the past four days. Every single day we've saying that aid could arrive very soon. At this point and time, it's really unclear when it actually will. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And David, let me play you what Russian President Vladimir Putin just had to say not too long ago about the challenges in Syria.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIA (Interpreted): I think everyone in the world understands that our American partners have a difficult task of separating the opposition from terrorists. I would like us to be honest with each other and only in this case can we move for the common goal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So David, what do you interpret from his comments there, admitting yes, challenges but even injecting, you know, how much more challenge it is for the U.S?

DAVID ROHDE, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: I think it's, you know, Putin is very good at this, the short term tactics and he is essentially blaming the U.S. for the ceasefire not being fully implemented. As Fred has mentioned the aid convoys are blocked. That's a critical thing for Aleppo and there's this critical moment coming up.

There was supposed to be seven days of a ceasefire, and then -- and that started last Monday so it would be this Monday would be seven days. And the U.S. and Russia were supposed to start cooperating with joint targeting information. You have Putin sort of blaming the U.S. in that sound bite. President Obama blaming Russia yesterday after meeting with his National Security Council.

So, I don't see much major progress here. It has decreased to violence. But this sort of dance between the U.S. and Russia continues where they're blaming each other.

WHITFIELD: And Fred, Russia continuing to, you know, push for widening the lane to allow humanitarian aid through. Is it putting any pressure on the Assad regime to make this happen? How it is assisting, if at all?

PLEITGEN: Yeah. So far, so far, it really isn't putting much pressure on the Assad regime. And so far, what we've been hearing from the Kremlin-- from the Russians is that they say that the Syrian military is abiding by the ceasefire and quite frankly that the rebel groups are not.

[12:39:56] Now, you know, we've been on the ground here as I've said and what we have heard over the past couple of days, especially the southwestern regions of Aleppo which is one of the main contested battleground before the ceasefire went to effect is that there is still a shelling coming -- going on and seems to be going on from both sides. Yes, it's a lot less than it would have been if the ceasefire were not in place. But it's not like both sides aren't still shooting at each other. So, that's something that also is a major inhibitor to any of that aid of course getting through as well.

But one thing I want to point out Fredricka is that, the longer it takes that aid to get here, the more the force that ceasefire comes and the more nervous both sides get. Is that they finally starts slowing but both sides have actually intended to keep that ceasefire upright. Right now, that's not going on. And you do see the infringements of the ceasefire (inaudible) starting to increase in the case for that aid to get through.

WHITFIELD: All right. Fred, thank you so much. David, real quick. President Obama said he, you know, was growing more pessimistic about any kind of deal to end this war in Syria. Is there, you know, the political will on all sides that could allow to happen if that really is at the core of the problem?

ROHDE: We'll see this week. It's the U.N. General Assembly. You know, President Obama will be there. Syria is on the top of the agenda. It's a horrific conflict. You know, half a million people are dead. But it doesn't seem like the U.S. is willing to use enough force to end it and Russia is. You know, they'll continue bombing if necessary in Iran. So it's the foreign powers that are in many ways responsible also. And I'm not optimistic but this is a critical week ahead in New York with the U.N. General Assembly.

WHITFIELD: All right, David Rohde, thank you so much. Fred Pleitgen also in Aleppo. Very tenuous signal but I think people understand the conditions in which he is having to report. Thank you so much everybody.

All right next, a 13-year-old boy shot and killed by police. Authorities claim the teen pulled out a BB gun before an officer open fire. Our legal guys look at the case, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:49] TREVOR HEFFERNAN: Welcome to Chicago. This is the Chicago Helicopter Experience.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are currently clocked 1,300 feet above sea level.

HEFFERNAN: So you depart from our helper which is right downtown nearly taking us and breathtaking views of the whole city skyline. And throughout the tour, you fly over all the landmarks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As we get turn to the city, we'll get a panoramic view.

HEFFERNAN: A pilot's snare of the tour, they tell you all about what you are seeing. The history of the city, you get to engage with them, talk to the pilot, ask questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As we make our way out of the water to the left is soldier field of Chicago Fairs. So in 1924 is--

HEFFERNAN: We have business travelers who have limited time. So it's a great way for them to take in the whole city when they have a tight schedule.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's one of the navy pier that's Illinois number one tourist attraction.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it's my first one in a helicopter. It did give me a little nervous but once you are up there, it's so smooth and the skyline looks completely different from up there. It was a great way to learn a lot of history. And you have an adventure.

WHITFIELD: Oh, welcome back, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. So, city leaders in Columbus, Ohio insist the fatal police shooting of 13-year- old, Tyree King will be fully investigated. King was killed last week, this week rather while officers were pursuing armed robbery suspects. Officers claimed King pulled out what appeared to be a gun before an officer opened fire. The gun turned out to be a BB gun. Well this is what the BB gun King allegedly was holding looked like. The Columbus police chief says the gun looks all too real.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM JACOBS, COLUMBUS POLICE CHIEF: We found a gun at the scene near the suspect that we were trying to apprehend and this is what that gun looked like. Our officers carry a gun that looks practically identical to this weapon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, let's bring in our legal guide Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor in Cleveland and Richard Herman, a New York Criminal defense attorney and law and professor joining us from Las Vegas. Good to see both of you gentleman.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: OK, so this boy heart too heavy over this yet another small child, you know, who was killed in what's mistaken to be or what appears to be a weapon. So in determining whether the police shooting was justified, will this come down to how real that BB gun looks? Richard?

HERMAN: Yeah Fred, the problem here is this and it's like almost monthly, I say to you and I lecture about or write about, when you disobey a command from a police officer nothing good is going to happen. Now this individual, a 13-year-old eighth grader was being apprehended by police. He was running from police. He was being apprehended and during that process, he reached, allegedly, reached into his waistband and pulled out this gun. It's not an alleged gun, it's a gun and it looks just like a real gun and it's not orange- capped. And it looks like a semiautomatic weapon. The standard ...

WHITFIELD: But, you know--

HERMAN: ... and reasonable police officer do under those circumstances. That's the standard and Fred, I can't envision any fact pattern which would not justify what the police did here.

WHITFIELD: You know but I think can't what's different here too, I just wonder here too Richard when you, and I understand what you are saying think most people do. But when you are talking about a 13- year-old kid who may not be as conditioned about the rules of, you know, of these commands, and how they would be interpreted for a kid. I can't help but envision, you know, a kid and how kids may run, they don't understand things clearly and I just wonder if the demeanor, if the question is, does the demeanor or, you know, change when you are talking about a child? Do you give them a bit more time to try to comprehend something before a weapon is fired? And that I guess is it's really a question that is asked of police officers, you know, in their training. Is that the case?

HERMAN: No Fred under those circumstances after being chased and ignoring commands by police and then reaching into a waistband. What was he doing taking the gun out with him at his waist that night? Come on, there had to be something going on in his brain to do that. [12:50:09] But look at Philadelphia today Fred, look at Louisiana, look at Texas. They're, you know, police that they're charged to protect the public for they're also charged to protect themselves Fred and we get that.

WHITFIELD: Avery.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Yeah, we are assuming all the facts that are coming from the police department no reason to disbelieve it. Let me explain the difference. And I think that's what's missing in this analysis.

Here in Cleveland, the Cleveland Police Department is under a court order overseen by the chief federal district judge on protecting constitutional rights of the citizens. Columbus doesn't have the mandatory body cam. Cleveland is getting that. There is no reason on earth why Columbus police don't have a body cam. Let's assume all the factors is as they've have been stated by Richard. Well, what is missing here is the other side of the story. We need to see both in order to get to the truth. And while the Columbus Police Department ponders whether or not they are going to using body cams, we now have a 13-year-old who is dead.

So all we know is what the police are telling us. The family lawyers are saying the story is pretty different. And in fact, the Columbus Dispatch interviewed a young man, 19, Demetrius Braxton, who said look, I was there with the encounter of the police. Yeah, the gun looked like a real gun. Clearly, it was a BB gun. So what we know right now, very simply is that we don't have all the facts and that's what we need in order to understand what really happened here.

HERMAN: Right, here is the situation, Fred. Creatively, I cannot imagine any set of facts that would alter this outcome here. However, the argument being made is that the police are investigating themselves. And therefore, that in and of itself doesn't like smell right. So we should have an independent prosecutor or independent investigation. I'm all for that. If something should come up, it's going to go to the grand jury either way, Fred, but I just don't think based on what we know now, there's going to be any criminal charges in this. The civil liability is the same, the standard will be the same civilly.

WHITFIELD: So still too many unanswered questions Avery? You want to punctuate that?

FRIEDMAN: Yeah, very simply. Look, the difference between what happened here would, to me, arise standing by himself, had a BB gun, had a toy gun and in Columbus where there is reportedly an armed robbery in effect, that's a radically different fact situation. And so to that extent--

HERMAN: No, it's not.

FRIEDMAN: To that extent, that's going to make the difference. But we need to get-- file any violent conclusions. WHITFIELD: All right. We'll leave it right there, gentlemen. Thank you so much. Avery Friedman, Richard Herman, always good to see you. Appreciate it.

HERMAN: Nice to see you, take care.

WHITFIELD: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:56:40] WHITFIELD: Welcome back. An incredible story of survival out of Ohio. Police say a woman is kidnapped, sexually assaulted and tied up. But somehow, manages to break free and call the police with her alleged kidnapper just inches away. And when police got there, they discovered the bodies of three other women. CNN's Jean Casarez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DISPATCHER: 911, what is your emergency?

WOMAN: Right across from the 4th Street Laundromat. I've been abducted.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN REPORTER: A chilling 911 call of a woman whispering with fear in her voice.

DISPATCHER: Who abducted you?

WOMAN: Shawn Grate.

CASAREZ: She made the call as she was held in an abandoned home in Ashland, Ohio.

DISPATCHER: Where's he at now?

WOMAN: Asleep.

DISPATCHER: Where is he sleeping at?

WOMAN: In the bedroom.

CASAREZ: The woman on the phone keeps her voice quiet as her alleged captor sleeps next to her.

DISPATCHER: Does he have a weapon?

WOMAN: He's got a Taser.

DISPATCHER: Are you injured?

WOMAN: A little.

CASAREZ: Being held since Sunday, the woman told police she was forced to commit sexual acts by her captor.

DISPATCHER: Is there any way you can to get out of the building?

WOMAN: I don't know without waking him and I'm scared.

CASAREZ: The woman is afraid to move.

WOMAN: His bedroom is closed and he made it so it would make noise.

DISPATCHER: He tell if you if you had to go bathroom, he would do something to you?

WOMAN: Yeah, because he had me tied up.

DISPATCHER: So are you tied up now?

WOMAN: Well I am but I kind of freed myself.

CASAREZ: The 911 dispatcher keeps the woman on the phone while police make their way to the abandoned home.

WOMAN: Are they on their way?

DISPATCHER: Yeah, we have officer for sending.

WOMAN: Please send them up. Oh I woke him up.

DISPATCHER: You can set the phone down.

CASAREZ: Three minutes of silence passed and the dispatcher checks if the woman is still there.

DISPATCHER: Are you still there?

CASAREZ: Another minute passes.

DISPATCHER: Are you still there?

WOMAN: How much longer?

CASAREZ: She finally responds, trembling.

DISPATCHER: Do you hear any officers outside?

WOMAN: No.

DISPATCHER: OK, they're in the area.

WOMAN: They can come in the side door.

DISPATCHER: Can you get out of the bedroom?

WOMAN: I can't. The door doesn't have a knob.

DISPATCHER: Can you hear anybody right now?

WOMAN: I heard the side door open.

CASAREZ: After 20 tense minutes.

POLICE: Come out, come out. hurry up. Where is he?

WOMAN: I think sleeping.

POLICE: Still sleeping?

WOMAN: Yeah.

DISPATCHER: Okay, they have her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow, that's extraordinary. That's Jean Casarez reporting. So police have now identified two of the women's bodies found in the house. And bail for suspect Shawn M. Grate has been set at $1 million. He is charged with two murders and kidnapping.

The next hour of the CNN Newsroom starts right now.

Right hello again, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Thanks you for joining me in Washington, D.C.

The 2016 presidential election, the candidates and their surrogates hit the trail as the big day now inches closer, less than 52 days away. Just minutes ago, Bernie Sanders fired up the crowd for his former rival, Hillary Clinton. Sanders is at Kent State University in Ohio. And fellow Senator Elizabeth Warren will also campaign in the key battleground state of Ohio. She'll be speaking in Columbus next hour.

[13:00:06] Hillary Clinton speaks tonight at the Congressional Black Caucus dinner here in Washington D.C., she'll be joined by President Obama.