Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
FBI: Minnesota Stabbings "Potential Act of Terror"; 29 Injured in Manhattan Explosion; Obama Set to Address United Nations For Last Time; Obama and First Lady Hit the Campaign Trail for Clinton; Three Possible Terror Attack on U.S. Soil in One Day; FBI Still Collecting Evidence from Bombing Scene; NYPD Investigating New Jersey Plate Vehicle. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired September 18, 2016 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00] POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York.
And we are continuing to follow the breaking news that the United States may have been hit with three separate terror attacks in a single day. Two of those attacks happened less than 100 miles apart. We have this video, just in to CNN, showing the moment the bomb went off in a Chelsea neighborhood of New York City last night.
Frightened people on the sidewalks running for safety not knowing if another explosion was about to go off. Investigators now say that bomb and an explosion hours earlier near a charity run route in New Jersey have things in common.
No official connection at this hour, but the FBI says they are similar in design. The bombing in New York City injured 29 people. Thankfully, tonight we've learned they are all out of the hospital. Police also found the secondary explosive device, a pressure cooker just four blocks from the explosion site that did not detonate.
As the investigation continues, in Minnesota, an ISIS-linked news agency is claiming that a man who stabbed nine people at a mall in Minnesota was a, quote, "Soldier of the Islamic State." That man is dead. Shot by an off-duty police officer. Much more on that investigation this hour.
But we begin here in New York where city and state officials are promising that New York City will be back to, quote, "business as usual," tomorrow as a workweek begins.
Also as global leaders descend on the city for the start of the United Nations General Assembly. Some streets, though, still blocked off in that Chelsea neighborhood while officials continue to comb the area for clues.
Our Deborah Feyerick is there, very close, to where that bomb detonated.
I understand there's some activity behind you as you're continuing this search.
What do you see?
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a little bit of activity, Poppy. Let me show you just behind me, you might be able to see the two officers from the NYPD investigators.
They are looking at a Subaru there just to the left. They cordoned it off with some crime scene tape. One of the investigators had a camera, was taking pictures inside the vehicle. There are two -- there's one squad car with uniformed police officers. And they seem to be keeping an eye on it. Unclear whether what that car is.
We do know that it does have New Jersey plates. And, again, investigators are looking for a possible connection between that device that detonated in New Jersey and the one that detonated here yesterday evening at 8:30 on West 23rd Street.
The investigation very much in full swing, Poppy. Evidence being collected and it would sent down to Quantico. Investigators looked for any possible clue: a wire, a detonator, bomb residue. Anything that can give them a better picture of what that device was made of that exploded.
A key piece of evidence is going to be the dumpster, actually, because the dumpster would have absorbed a lot of the impact of the blast. And I was talking to somebody earlier who said if they find a bomb, one thing they do is throw it into a dumpster because they want to make sure they minimize the number of injuries. And that maybe why even though some 30 people were injured, the injuries were relatively minor. Nothing life threatening.
We do know that they are also looking at the bomb and the device, I should say, that was on West 27th Street. That is more critical at most because it was intact. That means there could be some sort of DNA, a finger print, a hair, anything like that.
They also know how the bomb and the device was made because there was a cell phone attached to it. And someone I spoke to said, look, the cell phone is a little bit troubling because it suggests that whoever made it did not have to be close to it in order for it to detonate.
They could place a call and had it go off. That's different to the Boston marathon bombing where the two, in that particular case, were really in the vicinity of that explosive device.
So all of that right now under review of the cell phone. Some are critical in terms of what this investigation suggests.
HARLOW: And they're still asking anyone in the area last night if they have any video, overheard any conversations, anything at all to call that 1800-577-TIPS number to help police get to the bottom of this. Because, again, they don't know the motive and their not naming suspects or anyone they are looking for at this hour.
Deb, thank you so much for the reporting. Let's bring in our panel. Because as I said earlier, the FBI is calling this the three bombs in New York City and New Jersey similar, but they're not making an official connection yet. There are still no word of an identified suspect and interestingly no claim of responsibility for New Jersey or New York.
Let's talk with former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis. He, obviously, was the commissioner back in 2013 during the Boston Marathon bombing. Also with me CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes and national security analyst for CNN Juliette Kayyem.
Thank you all for being here.
Commissioner Davis, just to begin with you, let's compare your reaction in the first hours after that horrific bombing in Boston with what we saw last night pretty quickly after this.
[18:05:00] New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and a brand new NYPD Chief James O'Neill came and said this was intentional, but they did not link it to terrorism.
Walk us through the thinking there. What would make them know it's intentional, but not yet make the jump to terrorism?
ED DAVIS, FORMER BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER: Well, Poppy, I was in New York on Friday night with the Commissioner O'Neill, and I can tell you that they are doing the same things that we did following the marathon.
They are looking at all the evidence. As Tom said, there is a hesitance to use the terrorism word. There's a lot of political reasons for that. But I think in this particular case, there are some differences that might differentiate it between what we were seeing here in New York and what happened in the marathon.
Remember, I had two powerful blasts. I had a number of victims, over 200 victims. I had shrapnel on the ground. I had these devices going off in close proximity in time and space. We believe that there had to be two people. We've got the detonators very quickly and saw that they were detonators that required people to be in close proximity for the blast.
So there was a lot of information that we had that made it fairly straightforward. And I think mostly, I sat down with Rick DesLauriers, who was the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, and we all had the same feeling. And I think at that point even Governor Patrick chimed in and said this really should go to the FBI very quickly.
Little bit of a different situation in New York, but clearly it's a difficult decision to make.
HARLOW: Tom Fuentes, the use of garbage cans/dumpsters in all of these. They, you know, put these pipe bombs in a garbage can. In New Jersey, only one of the three detonated and, you know, they put this bomb in a dumpster in New York. Why? TOM FUENTES, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I think, Poppy, it's probably to thwart the efforts of if you see something, say something.
If you see something, who's going to be looking into these dumpsters, who's going to look inside a trash can or inside of a plastic garbage bag that may be inside of a bigger container.
So I think that's the ideas. If you have a loose container on the sidewalk, it's going to be more suspicious. It's more likely to have somebody, possibly call the police and report it compared to debris that's thrown into a dumpster or a normal trash can.
HARLOW: Again, our viewers are looking at live pictures out of New York City tonight, about just almost 24 hours after that bomb exploded there on West 23rd Street. Obviously, they've got police tape around this vehicle. We don't know why. But they are scouring the area for any clues.
Juliette Kayyem, to you, I think it's hard for a lot of people to wrap their head around the thought that there could be three totally separate acts in one day, right? The New Jersey bombing. The New York bombing. And then this stabbing that ISIS is claiming responsibility for inspiring in Minnesota.
But here is some things positive and I wonder what you think.
Is it possible that the first explosion of the New Jersey pipe bomb yesterday morning was sort of a call to action for any sympathizers in Minnesota then to carry out the stabbing and in New York then to carry out this bombing?
JULIETTE KAYYEM, NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I mean, very well could be. And so I don't want to close off any possibility. I would say the New Jersey bombings were pretty unsuccessful.
I mean, they weren't even leading the news for most of yesterday. So in terms of being a call to action, it's a pretty subtle or unsuccessful one. I'm definitely much more comfortable saying that the ties between New York and New Jersey are might be more likely.
But let's just be clear here. Those devices are pretty rudimentary. Some of the investigation they make but they are not so unique that you would say, oh, you know, the same person make it.
The information as Tom has certainly highlighted earlier is out there on the Web for any group to take. So I think one of the reasons why I've been sort of more comfortable waiting on the terrorism word, understanding that there's terror out there is because the information right now is cutting in a lot of different directions.
And we don't want to stir in one way, making obvious to people watching this is clearly ISIS, this is clearly terrorism. But there are pieces that aren't making a lot of sense to those of us who know these cases. At least they suggest that the investigators should continue with an open investigation until, like what Ed Davis had with Boston, until they can narrow it down.
HARLOW: Commissioner Davis, what was it for you and your team and the FBI in Boston was the most helpful to identifying the Tsarnaev brothers as we consider, you know, sort of a similar area in terms of a busy city street, where, you know, the bombs went off in Boston and the bomb went off here in New York City last night.
Obviously, a lot of cameras in the area. A lot of surveillance video.
What was the single most helpful thing in identifying the Tsarnaev brothers for your team?
[18:10:17] DAVIS: Well, the forensic evidence is certainly very important. You have to find out what kind of device it is and what was used to as the explosive.
But the biggest break came from video. Quite frankly, it is the most important piece. This digital evidence that we can access now is the single most important piece of evidence.
I spoke to the police commissioner in London after the 7/7 bombings and he told me that he would not have solved the case if it wasn't for the video. And New York is set up in a very familiar fashion as far as city owned video that's available out on the street. And they just have to process that. And it takes a long time. There are no systems available to do it automatically.
So it takes days and sometimes weeks before they can get to the right place. But you're already seeing some movement in that area. And I think that that's going to be the single most important thing that you'll be concentrating on.
HARLOW: Tom Fuentes, what do you make of the fact that former FBI assistant director -- that, you know, Minnesota has already had someone claim responsibility for at least the inspiration of the attack there. That being ISIS.
What do you make of the fact that in New Jersey and here in New York, almost 24 hours later, no claim of responsibility?
FUENTES: You know, ISIS doesn't always come out immediately even in an ISIS-inspired attack. I think that, you know, part of the reason might be that the way this was initially reported especially when they said the act was intentional, but they weren't going to link it to terrorism that ISIS may have been a little cautious thinking this could just be a psychopath who learned how to make a bomb and decided to detonate it and harm people and get attention, and isn't really a true soldier of the Islamic State unlike the situation in Minneapolis, where there was more information to indicate that it probably was somebody inspired by ISIS.
HARLOW: Stay with me, guys, because I do want to take us back to our Deborah Feyerick who's on the ground there.
And you are looking at live pictures tonight of what I believe is West 23rd Street, Deb. Correct me if I'm wrong. Now you've got a major police vehicle in front of this Subaru that they are obviously looking at.
Deb, do we know why?
FEYERICK: No, we don't. It looks like there's a forensic investigator from the NYPD, and she's taking photographs. It looks like, right now, she is scraping or trying to gather evidence from the vehicle itself.
It has a crime scene taped around it. And they just brought in that large vehicle just moments ago. But this car is of particular interest to them. It's also got New Jersey plates on it. So whether they have somehow determined there's a connection between this New Jersey car and perhaps the incident that happened here on West 23rd Street and the incident that happened out in New Jersey, it's -- we don't know.
We can also see a couple of fire trucks just behind us. We did check with the fire department to see whether it was connected to the discovery of this vehicle. But we are told that's a precaution. They just have fire trucks on scene in these kinds of events. But you can there's a lot of interest right now in that particular car.
HARLOW: And, Deb, just set up for us where exactly you are. If you could -- if you could step in front of the camera just so we can see the relation of where you are to that vehicle. Because what's interesting to me is that they're not clearing you out.
What we saw during the break in news last night was that 27th Street location, Deb, they pushed Richard Quest, they pushed him, you know, very quick -- verbally saying move out of the way. Move out of the way. Move out of the way. Now we know that's because the pressure cooker bomb was there.
You know, you're a quarter of a block away, and they're not doing that.
FEYERICK: Yes. No, they're not doing that at all. I mean, we were actually quite close to the car. And, you know, one thing I learn from the Boston marathon is that, you know, if you can see the bomb, the bomb can see you, which means you don't want to be too close. Certainly not close enough to see it.
But the investigators that are working that car and trying to gather evidence, they are not wearing any kind of protective gear. So it looks like, whatever analysis they have done, (INAUDIBLE) -- whatever analysis they have done suggests that they do not need to be wearing some sort of protective gear.
But they are bringing in that second truck. And we don't -- we can't quite tell -- they're opening the back right now, but we can't quite tell specifically what they're doing. So that car is of definite interest, Poppy.
HARLOW: Thank you. Stay with me. Ed Davis, what do you make of this? Obviously, a lot of details we don't know. But, Deb, made a really important point. They are letting her stay very close to this and also they're not wearing any protective gear, the investigators.
[18:15:02] DAVIS: Well, frankly, Poppy, any car with a New Jersey plate on it in the proximity of this incident, you know, in light of what happened in New Jersey earlier in the day would be cause for this type of a look.
If -- because there were explosives used last night, if they really had information on this vehicle or if this was a vehicle with major concern, they would be evacuating the area as immediate first protocol. So I would say this is just a standard, you know, checking of the vehicle and if they discover something or something is awry there, there will be an immediate evacuation of that whole area.
HARLOW: Alright. And Juliette Kayyem, to you, when we look at the totality of what is being called now three possible terror attacks on U.S. soil in a single day yesterday and we look specifically at the Minnesota attack that this ISIS connected news agency is claiming responsibility for calling this person a soldier of ISIS, you called this a third wave of terrorism.
ISIS justified. And I'm talking specifically about the Minnesota attack. What do you mean by that?
KAYYEM: So there's going to be -- there's a new type of ISIS kind of attack. So ISIS directed, we all get. ISIS is sitting there. It's terrorist, they say, attacking this way. ISIS inspired is what we tend to see in the United States, which is someone who is getting radicalized, is doing encryption or some sort of communication with ISIS. They say go do this or be violent, harm Americans and they go out.
So San Bernardino is sort of an example of this. We're starting to get a new wave. I don't know where this attack in Minnesota is, which is no contact between the person and ISIS.
The person's passively just absorbing ISIS stuff. They have other things going on, mental disease, sense of isolation, whatever it is. And then they go out and do it.
And ISIS comes up behind the fact and says, look at us, right? Even though, you know, there was no relationship. So I think all three are relevant. They are all difficult to stop.
They -- it means that ISIS is changing the demo, but it also means that ISIS can take credit for things that they either did inspire, didn't direct but just watched things happen in the United States and say that was us.
That's why I'm a little bit careful with New York, because we certainly don't want to give credit to ISIS for New York if they had nothing to do with it. That would be for playing to what they would want. HARLOW: And, Tom Fuentes, your thoughts also on what we're looking at here back to New York City. This is very close to where that bomb exploded on 23rd Street last night.
Yes, they surrounded this vehicle. They're obviously examining it, but they're not wearing any protective gear. And, frankly, they're not really clearing people out of the area.
What would they be doing right now?
FUENTES: Well, I think at this point, it is more in the realm of suspicious vehicle as the commissioner mentioned. You know, maybe it's been parked there a long time and local residents said, hey, you know, we've never seen this vehicle in the neighborhood before.
The fact that it does have New Jersey plates as mentioned and you had the first event yesterday happened in New Jersey could be another issue. So, I think, at this point, they are treating it, as far as I can see, like a suspicious vehicle, not one that they believe would have explosives which would warrant an evacuation.
HARLOW: Tom Fuentes, Commissioner David, Juliette Kayyem, thank you all very much.
Obviously, we're going to keep you posted on what's happening here. You're watching live pictures right now out of New York City, right next where that bomb exploded last night. We'll get more details straight ahead.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:21:50] HARLOW: You're looking at live pictures of investigators looking at a vehicle, a Subaru there, surrounded by police tape on West 23rd Street, in Fifth Avenue for contact that is right near where that bomb exploded in New York City at 8:40 p.m. last night.
Our Deborah Feyerick is there with the latest on the investigation. But also just live activity in terms of what's going on.
What's notable to you, Deb?
FEYERICK: So what we tell you is that that truck that's parked in front of it is actually a flat bed, which suggests that they want to move that car off this street and get a closer look at it.
You may be able to see a detective there or investigators, I should say, with a camera. They have been taking multiple pictures of that car from this angle.
So I was looking around, Poppy, to see if there were any video surveillance cameras belonging to the NYPD here. There is one at this very busy intersection. So, you know, I don't know sort of the resolution whether they were able to see something that perhaps allow them to identify this car as the particular vehicle of interest. But they are taking it very seriously,
They've been looking at different markings on the car. I don't know whether it's dust. I don't know whether it's fingerprints. But they've cordoned it off as crime scene tape and then stationed the police and marked police car right next to it.
So this is clearly something that might have some information. They are very curious about. Also, the fact it has New Jersey plates. Extremely significant if in fact they can make some kind of physical connection between the device that exploded here and the device that exploded in Seaview, New Jersey yesterday.
So we're hoping to get a little bit more information on that car. But right now, we do believe they're going to take it away, certainly within the next couple of hours.
HARLOW: All right, Deb, stand by.
Let's bring back my panel Tom Fuentes, Commissioner Ed Davis, formerly at the Boston Police Department and Juliette Kayyem.
Tom Fuentes, to you, let's talk with sort of the broader picture here.
Deb mentioned this car has New Jersey plates. Why is that significant? Well, because a pipe bomb exploded in New Jersey yesterday morning on that route of a military 5K run.
They have said the authorities that there are similarities between the pipe bomb in New Jersey and the explosive device in New York City.
What will they be looking at to make a conclusive statement that indeed there is a connection if there is one.
I mean, what would tell them that? Similarity in wiring? DNA? What from the forensics would tell you that?
FUENTES: Well, obviously, the most conclusive would be if they found fingerprints that match both devices or hair, fibers, other DNA evidence.
HARLOW: But without that? Without that? What would they do?
(CROSSTALK)
FUENTES: Without that, the next step with bomb is bombs have what's referred to as a signature. When people make bombs, they use the same technique.
Whatever way they've learned it, if you've made a bomb and at the end of the day, you still have all ten fingers and toes, you don't deviate the recipe like a French chef. You follow it diligently.
That enables the authorities worldwide to be able to pick out that a bomb making school was responsible for that type of instruction, to make a device that way, or certain Internet publications, "Inspire" magazine by Al-Qaeda in Yemen. It maybe a number of sources, but that enables them to match up that that bomb has similar construction, characteristics.
[18:25:14] The way the wiring, the detonating, the actual explosive material, what shrapnel used. What was used as a container with that device? So those are all aspects that would possibly be very similar, or have some similarities.
And as they examined all of these devices, they'll be able to be more definitive about the level of similarity among the devise.
HARLOW: Juliette Kayyem, thoughts to you, as we look at these live pictures from West 23rd Street tonight.
KAYYEM: So I always want to remind people that the whole point of a big investigation especially in a case like this is they're going to be over inclusive.
In other words, we may be seeing something that ultimately is not relevant. And I think the fact that you're not seeing them move people away or they're not in any gear suggests maybe it's just a car that's been abandoned for a while and people are a little bit nervous.
And the other thing I wonder, or I know other thing that when I say the evidence is cutting in multiple ways and that's why the investigation should move forward with all potential theories of the case is that one explanation for why trash bin or other places re-uses that, the person leaving them did not intend them to do the massive amount of harm.
What we don't know, right, the psychology of the person, but that's another way people might interpret. Investigators might interpret the placement of these devices.
And I put that out there because when people wonder why aren't the police -- why isn't the NYPD telling that's what it is, it is because once again like in all of these cases, we need to let the investigation follow the intent of those intending harm on us. But also where Tom was saying, the evidence, physical evidence, signature methods of making the bomb, fingerprints, and where that's all going to lead.
HARLOW: And Ed Davis, final thoughts from you as you talk about the context and the experience you have from being commissioner during the Boston marathon bombings to what we saw last night in the ensuing investigation.
DAVIS: Well, I think that you've got some of the best investigators in the world that are on this. The FBI in New York. John Miller, who runs the counter-terrorism section. These people have vast experience and resources to pursue this properly.
But I have to agree with Juliette. I was in Times Square, Friday night. There were thousands and thousands of people there. It's a crowded venue. And it's only a mile or two miles away from where this happened. If someone wanted numbers of victims, there are a multitude of other places they could have gone to make this happen.
HARLOW: Yes. It does make you wonder about the location.
Thank you all.
Deb Feyerick for us.
Juliette Kayyem, Ed Davis, Tom Fuentes, we appreciate it.
Coming up, we're going to take you to that third potential terror attack that's being investigated as a potential third terror attack on U.S. soil this weekend. To Minnesota, where the FBI now says, it is investigating last night's stabbing spree at a mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota, as a potential act of terror, as ISIS claims to be behind the attack.
What investigators are discovering next. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:08] HARLOW: The FBI tonight investigating a stabbing attack at a Minnesota mall last night as a potential act of terror and all nine people were hurt. The attacker was killed by an off duty police officer. The police still not releasing the name of the suspect but ISIS, today, claiming that he was, quote, one of their soldiers.
The Somali community in Minnesota has been a target of ISIS recruitment for years, and while it is unclear at this hour if the attacker was part of that community, Somali leaders gathered in Minnesota last hour to speak out against this attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAJI YUSUF, DIRECTOR, #UNITECLOUD: We strongly condemn what happened last night. That does not represent any religion. It does not represent any group. It does not represent -- no matter what, there is no justification to give or to excuse or reason to give about what happened last night.
To the victims, we are here for you. We will be there for you. This community is praying for you, and we will be there whenever in any capacity that you need us. We will show you support, love, respect and understanding.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Our Nick Valencia has been following this story from the beginning. Nick, walk us through what happened and at this point, what they know about the suspect.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So here's what we know. About 8:00 p.m. last night in St. Cloud, Minnesota, this individual walked into the Crossroads Mall and began stabbing people almost immediately. He was wearing a private security uniform. Whether or not he was currently contracted by that company or had been, perhaps, working for them in the past, that's part of the investigation. We also know, interestingly enough, Poppy, that he asked at least one
of the victims if they were Muslim before he stabbed them. He was also talking about Allah. He as eventually confronted by an off duty police officer, who was being hailed as a hero, who stopped this individual. This individual, however, did injure nine people.
You're looking at the list of stabbing victims there on your screen. They range in age from 15 to 53, two of them are women, seven of them are male. Not one of the victims is thought to have life threatening injuries.
What is also interesting to point out is, at Sunday morning, what we saw was a online media post by a website affiliated with ISIS -- a media wing for ISIS, if you will -- Amaq, that claimed responsibility for this individual saying he was a soldier. Right now, what we hear from the FBI, however, is that this is only being investigated as a potential act of terrorism, and they are unsure if this suspect had any direct contact with any terror groups. Poppy.
HARLOW: Nick Valencia for us tonight, thank you so much. Of course, as we learn the identity of the suspect, we will bring it to you and also the names and conditions of all those victims. Thank you, Nick.
[18:34:44] Coming up live in the CNN NEWSROOM, panic and chaos. Victims describe the terrifying scene when a bomb exploded last night in the middle of Manhattan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
President Obama will be in New York City tonight. He is appearing at a long planned Democratic fund-raiser. This comes just 24 hours after somebody planted two bombs in Manhattan, one of which exploded hurting 29 people. No word yet on whether the President's itinerary will change in New York because of all this.
Also, take a look at this, new video just in the CNN. It shows the moment that that bomb exploded in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan last night frightened people running down the sidewalk, looking for safety, not sure if another explosion was going to go off. All 29 people hurt last night, we've learned tonight, have been released from the hospital.
Investigators say that bomb in New York and an explosive bomb that blew up in New Jersey just hours before are similar in design. The FBI not convinced they are totally connected, though, at this hour. They're still looking at the evidence very carefully to determine that.
Also, a third possible terror attack this weekend in St. Cloud, Minnesota. A man stabbed nine people at a shopping mall before an off duty police officer killed that man. An ISIS linked news agency today claiming that the dead man, the suspect, was, quote, a soldier of the Islamic state.
Some of the first people to reach those victims in New York from that bombing, the bystanders who heard the blast and ran to help, they found panic and bloodied people who were in a state of absolute shock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFED MALE: Hang on, hang on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My eye. I think something happened to my eye.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come with me. Come with me. Come with me. I'm holding you, OK? Come with me. You're okay. Nothing's going to happen. OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My eye.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing's going to happen to you. Come on. This is the ambulance right here. I got you. I got you. Mami, you don't have to hardly (ph) nothing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's wrong with my eye?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What happened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One injured.
[18:40:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard the explosion and I fell.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think my eye --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take her inside.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Baby (ph), it's all right. Look to the right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What does my eye look like?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's OK. You're OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please show me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it good with eyes?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: That's the first time I've seen that video. Really shocking, and you can just tell the panic. Our Rachel Crane was at the hospital until the middle of the night last night speaking to some of these victims as they left. You know, 29 people injured, amazing that everyone is out of the hospital. No one was killed. What did they tell you?
RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Poppy, as you pointed out, I was at Bellevue all night long as well as early this morning. That's where 11 of those 29 victims of the blast were transported and treated. I had a chance to speak with a couple that were victims of the blast just as they were discharged.
David Martinez and his girlfriend were driving in the area when they said, all of a sudden, the left side of their car was lifted up into the air as a result of the force of the blast. They said that the whole left side of their car was damaged, and David said that his left leg was injured. He was on crutches and he said that both him and his girlfriend are lucky to be alive. Take a listen to what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID MARTINEZ, INJURED IN EXPLOSION: I was driving the car and next thing you know, I felt an explosion and the car just tilted over halfway and came back down. And what happened was, I just blacked out. The next thing I know I'm in the ambulance.
CRANE: And what about you? What do you remember?
BRENDA ABREN, INJURED IN EXPLOSION: I mean, everything was so sudden and fast. It was more of a shock that I remember.
CRANE: How are you doing now?
MARTINEZ: Pain and, you know, a little traumatized. I just thought about that. I was close to not actually seeing my son again. That was the scariest part of the night to me.
CRANE: Not seeing your son ran through your head?
MARTINEZ: Yes.
CRANE: You thought you were going to lose your life?
MARTINEZ: Yes. Just to be caught in an explosion, I was like, oh, man. And we actually, you know -- I was just -- like everything was moving fast, I was just stuck in slow motion. I felt like I was in mud. I couldn't move, quicksand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CRANE: Now, Poppy, I had a chance to speak with David just a little bit ago. He said that he was still in shock. He said he was tired. He hardly had been able to sleep and he was still very, very sore.
I also spoke to another victim of the blast just as she was discharged from the hospital. She said she was still trying to process everything. She just wanted to go home and go to sleep. She said she was physically OK but mentally in shock.
We also spoke to witnesses who were at the site of the blast. People described being in the subway and hearing a loud boom and racing out. I also spoke to one woman who was in a restaurant just down the street. She said that everybody rushed to the windows to see what was going on. When they heard that blast, they saw people running down the street.
They thought that it was a construction site, something that maybe had gone wrong, or a car crash, but they saw on the streets that all those first responders were there. And that's when they decided to leave the restaurant.
Of course, everybody in New York City, specifically those 29 injured, trying to just process what has happened here. Poppy.
HARLOW: Absolutely. And that couple you spoke with, that fact that, you know, she's pregnant and that just magnifies the feeling of just fear for all of them and her unborn child. Rachel, thank you very much. An update on the victims, just incredible that no one was killed.
Also, one aspect of this investigation, that involves comparing the devices, right? The device in New York that exploded and the one that didn't detonate to the bomb that exploded in New Jersey right along the route of that charity run. Let's talk about that.
CNN Law Enforcement Analyst Matthew Horace is back with me. As a special agent in charge of the ATF, he managed explosives investigations.
At first, we heard last night in that press conference from Mayor de Blasio and the head of the NYPD that they really didn't think there was a connection between the New Jersey explosion, the pipe bombs there, and what detonated in New York last night. Now, they're saying there's similarities. What would have led them to the conclusion so quickly that they didn't believe there was a connection but now they think there might be?
MATTHEW HORACE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I think in terms of crisis management, you know, you have to manage the message. And I think early on, they didn't have good enough information to say that this is absolutely connected.
As the night wore on, as evidence was collected, as more information came in about what people saw, the first responders in New Jersey, and what people saw, the first responders in New York.
HARLOW: Right.
HORACE: And let me give an example. Black powder, for instance. When there are black powder incidents, you see normally a plume of white smoke. There may have been one in Jersey, there was definitely one in New York. And that will give investigators at least the belief that possibly the same explosive was used. HARLOW: Right. And there is not an absolute here. They're not
saying they're absolutely connected, but they're saying, look, we're seeing more and more similarities. We're going to continue to look.
[18:45:00] I do want to pull up a live picture of what's happening right now in New York, on that same block where the explosion happened. This is on West 23rd Street near Fifth Avenue, just, you know, a few steps away from where the explosion happened last night. And actually, they're continuing to look at this Subaru.
They brought a flatbed truck in, as our Deborah Feyerick reported, possibly to move that vehicle. It's a vehicle with Jersey plates which gives a lot of question marks because of the New Jersey explosion yesterday. Walk me through the first 48 hours of an investigation like this.
HORACE: Well, you know, you have that ever important one scene in the whole investigation, and that's getting where the explosive happened -- where the explosion happened. What evidence is being taken out of that scene to be submitted to labs for examination?
Then you have the all-important intel part of the investigation. Leads are coming in. We're developing more leads and sending out teams to follow up on things just like this vehicle.
HARLOW: Right.
HORACE: Now, this vehicle, what does it tell us? There's a license tag. That tag comes back to someone. They have already run that tag. They already know who the vehicle belongs to, but they also already know how long that vehicle has been there. So has it been there since prior to the explosion until now?
HARLOW: And they know that from surveillance video because there are so many, quote, eyes in the sky in New York.
HORACE: Listen, New York has the most robust system of CCTV camera in the world. So they're running down leads based on camera footage, eye witness accounts, first responder accounts, physical evidence that's been recovered from the scene.
HARLOW: But I think it's important to note, none of those officers are wearing any protective gear. They haven't cleared our camera, which is just steps away from this, taking these live images for you. So that does tell us there's no sort of explosion --
HORACE: No.
HARLOW: -- risk there.
HORACE: Physical evidence.
HARLOW: Right. Final thoughts on what they're looking at in terms, if we can pull up the image also as we continue to look at live pictures, of the pressure cooker that did not detonate. We know they have taken that away for examination. What will, say, the wiring, the duct tape, the serial number on that tell us?
HORACE: Well, sure. Number one, they're going to try to determine where the pressure cooker was purchased, what type of explosive is inside of the pressure cooker, if at all, what the device is made of, where that device was purchased and where are the pieces of the wire or batteries or other components may have been purchased and by whom.
HARLOW: All right. Matthew Horace with the ATF formerly. Thank you so much for that.
HORACE: Thank you.
HARLOW: Still to come, a lot ahead as the 2016 election heats up. President Obama's time in Office winding down. With that in mind, the President is now very focused on his legacy and his impacts ahead. We'll discuss it, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:51:40] HARLOW: President Obama is in New York for his final address at the United Nations General Assembly. The President will attend a DNC fundraiser tonight. He just landed here last hour.
Last night, he was fired up as he spoke about his legacy and about this election and how important it is to him that his supporters vote for Hillary Clinton. This is all in an address to the Congressional Black Caucus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In this election, my name may not be on the ballot, but our progress is on the ballot. Tolerance is on the ballot. Democracy is on the ballot. Justice is on the ballot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: With me in person -- I never get speak sitting next to her --
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Of course, hello.
HARLOW: -- is CNN White House Correspondent Michelle Kosinski. You're always like in some amazing place around the world traveling with the White House press corp.
The President last night, he speaks plainly to his supporters, you have to vote for Hillary Clinton for me and my legacy. Do this for me.
KOSINSKI: Yes, I mean, he was fired up. And that's what he wants to do now. Not just the White House but Democrats see it as so important, that people actually vote. It sounds ridiculous to say that but, you know, every time there is an election, it is an important election.
HARLOW: Sure. KOSINSKI: And we find ways to say, well, this is going to be a
pivotal election. I mean, maybe now more so than then. I mean, things are different now. But they want to make sure that people actually do this, so you hear him saying things like that. Like if you like what we've done, if you like the progress that has been made, and he lists his entire record basically, then you need to not only get out and vote, but you need to register everybody you know that's not registered. And we're going to hear that again and again.
HARLOW: Because it's about getting the so-called Obama coalition out --
KOSINSKI: Right.
HARLOW: -- which is minorities, young folks and women, out to support Hillary Clinton at the same enthusiasm level that they did for the President. I mean, I can just speak --
KOSINSKI: That's a great way to put it.
HARLOW: -- anecdotally in Ohio where I was this week, I didn't feel the same enthusiasm for her as we saw in 2008 for him. Michelle Obama, the first lady, came out with a very powerful speech on Friday, trying to do just that.
KOSINSKI: Right. And she was at a college campus in Virginia. And I was curious about that, too, because you see the enthusiasm for her, this huge support. I mean, her approval ratings are the highest of anybody in her entire party so that's why they want her out there.
Now, I don't know that we're going to see her every week, but she is going to do more on the trail. But I asked one of the young women there, one of the college students, so, you know, after all of this, do you really think people are going to vote?
And she felt really confident. She said probably every single person on this campus will vote. I think that might be a stretch.
HARLOW: Yes.
KOSINSKI: But I think it will be fascinating to see what the numbers are because, you know, Democrats always say this every time, and it always seems like it's going to be critical but you still see low turnout numbers.
HARLOW: Low turnout.
KOSINSKI: Especially among young people.
HARLOW: Absolutely.
KOSINSKI: So they need -- it is such a tight race.
HARLOW: Right.
KOSINSKI: So the Democrats hope that that motivates people even more, but it motivates both sides, so.
HARLOW: Yes, it does. It does, absolutely. So the President is here tonight for this long-planned DNC fundraiser.
KOSINSKI: Right.
HARLOW: Then he will make his final address to the U.N. General Assembly.
KOSINSKI: Yes.
HARLOW: What can we expect from that?
KOSINSKI: No, you see that's going to more legacy germane when you think about it. What's interesting about this is this is his chance to speak to the entire world.
HARLOW: Yes.
KOSINSKI: So many world leaders are here. Of course, he has a chance to speak to them one on one. I mean, now, it doesn't matter so much as it did eight year ago, but looking back to eight years ago, he laid out what he wanted to accomplish on climate change, on just getting countries to work more effectively together on global problems, like Ebola. That was a big one years ago, but --
HARLOW: Will he tout, do you think, in this address what he thinks his biggest accomplishment has been?
KOSINSKI: Absolutely, absolutely. I think he is going to make a case for what has worked and where the U.S. has shown leadership. The White House wants to really hit on that. And then, you know, you have this overarching cloud of problems, really big, global problems that are out there.
HARLOW: Sure.
KOSINSKI: We all know what they are, ISIS, Russia, Syria, et cetera. So he wants to say that, look what we've been able to do by building coalitions and working together. Let's use that as a template for solving these problems that do exist.
HARLOW: And then, look, it comes on the heels of that U.N. Security Council emergency meeting last night.
KOSINSKI: Exactly.
HARLOW: And the war of words between the U.S. and Russia just last night at the U.N.
KOSINSKI: Yes, yes.
HARLOW: Michelle Kosinski, thank you so much.
KOSINKSI: Thank you.
HARLOW: She'll be covering it all week here in New York. Great.
KOSINSKI: Great to see you.
[18:55:02] HARLOW: Good to see you too. Just ahead for us her, much more of our breaking news. The United States potentially hit with three separate terror attacks in a single day. Much more analysis ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:23] HARLOW: Your favorite stars from your favorite TV shows out in force tonight at the 68th Annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. This is the night television waits for each year to find out which shows will be named best drama or best comedy and, of course, who will take home those acting honors for the year.
ABC's Late Night Host Jimmy Kimmel will handle the emcee duties this year. It's sure to be a good show. Viewers will also find out if "Game of Thrones" and the miniseries, "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" will sweep the show after scoring 23 and 22 Emmy nominations respectively. I recognize a lot of the faces on the red carpet tonight.
Also, after controversies surrounding the Oscars, 25 percent of the Emmy nominees this year or nominations are going to minorities.
Top of the hour, 7:00 p.m. Eastern. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York, and we do begin with breaking news. Three possible terror attacks on American soil in a single day, in New York City, New Jersey and in Minnesota.
