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Mass Shooting At Pittsburgh Synagogue; Leicester City's Owner's Helicopter Crashes; Erdogan Calls on Saudi Arabia to Extradite Khashoggi Murder Suspects; Polls Open Soon in Brazil's Election Aired 5-6a ET

Aired October 28, 2018 - 05:00   ET

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


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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think everyone will remember October 27th.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this moment of hope, suddenly there was an act of horror, where a man ran into a synagogue with automatic weapons and murdered in cold blood 11 people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel that we were all attacked. The people in Pittsburgh feel personally violated, too.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a case where they had an armed guard inside, they might have been able to stop him immediately.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're hearing actually from synagogues all over the world, not only are there condolences but there are expressions of solidarity.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Squirrel Hill is strong and we will remain that way.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to watch each other's backs and we have to be there for each other.

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CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: We're so grateful to have you with us today as we look at what has happened and talk about where we go from here. Good morning to you. I'm Christi Paul in Atlanta. My colleague, Victor Blackwell, is there in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the people who are trying to reconcile what's happened in the last 24 hours -- Victor.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Christi, it's a cold and rainy Sunday morning here. the first morning after this massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Of course, this will be the morning when the names officially of the 11 people killed here will be released.

Of course, this community, tight knit as it is, Squirrel Hill, they likely know the names of the 11 people who did not come home, the cars not in the neighbor's driveways, the cell phones, the calls that were not answered. Nonetheless, it will be striking to hear law enforcement announce those names. We're expecting that at 9:00 am this morning.

Let's talk about the shooter. This is allegedly Robert Bowers. He faces federal hate crime charges after police say he stormed this synagogue and unleashed this torrent of bullets on Jewish worshippers.

In all, the alleged mass murderer faces 29 federal charges, including 11 counts of murder. According to a criminal complaint filed late last night and seen by CNN affiliate WTAE, the suspected shooter told SWAT officers, he wanted all Jews to die.

We expect to learn more about the tragedy in a few hours when Pittsburgh police and state officials, like we said, will hold that news conference. The FBI, we know that they have taken charge of this investigation. The agents say the suspect's online footprint, that social media profile, will be especially important.

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BOB JONES, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, FBI PITTSBURGH: We're in the early stages of this investigation. Over the next several days and weeks, we'll look at everything in the suspect's life, his home, his vehicle, his social media and his movements over the last several days.

At this point, we have no knowledge if Bowers was known to law enforcement before today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Here's a look at how it all happened yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL (voice-over): A somber vigil outside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh as thousands gathered to remember those killed in one of the deadliest attacks on the Jewish community in the history of the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think everyone will remember October 27th. I think that's going to be a date that's etched in everybody's mind. But I think that Squirrel Hill is strong and we're going to remain that way.

BLACKWELL (voice-over): Eleven people killed, six injured, including four police officers who exchanged gunfire with the suspect at the scene in the historic Jewish neighborhood of Squirrel Hill.

9-1-1 calls about an active shooter came in just before 10:00 am Saturday during Sabbath services. Police radio captured the chaos as tactical teams engaged the gunman.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got a guy barricaded, actively shooting at SWAT officers.

Operator shot! I've got one operator shot at this time.

Third floor, contained in one room. One operator down.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BLACKWELL (voice-over): The 46-year-old Robert Bowers surrendered after being shot several times by police. He now faces more than 2 dozen offenses, including federal hate crime charges and he could face the death penalty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the most horrific crime scene I've seen in 22 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Members of the Tree of Life synagogue, conducting a peaceful service in their place of worship, were brutally murdered by a gunman targeting them simply because of their faith.

BLACKWELL (voice-over): Pittsburgh police said Bowers made anti- Semitic statements during the shooting and then when he was in custody receiving medical treatment --

[05:05:00]

BLACKWELL (voice-over): -- he told reportedly police he, quote, "wanted all Jews to die for committing genocide to his people."

Bowers also targeted Jews and immigrants in posts on social media, including Gab, a so-called free speech network, blaming Jews for helping migrant caravans and he called those in migrant caravans, quote, "invaders."

Five minutes before the shooting, Bowers posted this, "I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I'm going in."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My heart breaks for the members of the Jewish community. Today, all of Pennsylvania mourns with you. Anti-Semitism has absolutely no place in our commonwealth. Any attack on one community of faith in Pennsylvania is an attack against every community of faith in Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Of course, now, we want to check on those victims. Let's go now to Jean Casarez, live from the Pittsburgh hospital where many of the injured were taken.

Jean, what do you know?

What are you seeing there? JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, we're right here at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian. This is one of a couple of trauma centers right here in the Pittsburgh area. There are six surviving victims at this point. Last we know, two of them are in critical condition and those two in critical condition are in the trauma center right behind me.

One is a 70-year-old male. He had multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, affecting major organs, 70 years old. He underwent, we know, at least a second surgery last night. They believe a third may be necessary.

The other in critical condition, a 55-year-old police officer with multiple gunshot wounds to his extremities.

Beyond that, there is a 61-year-old female that is in the trauma center also, a victim. Then there are several other officers. Two police officers are in the hospital. One police officer was actually released last night. He was able to go home.

But I think everyone is hoping and praying that the two in critical condition were able to make it through the night. And they tell me that they will have an update on those conditions and all the living victims in a couple of hours -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: Absolutely. We're all pulling for those who are in critical condition. You talked a bit about the update in a couple of hours.

What more are we expecting at this press conference, this news conference later?

CASAREZ: The press conference is going to give the names of those that are deceased. But we cannot forget what happened yesterday because what went down in the synagogue, we weren't there but CNN has obtained dispatch audio, Victor, that actually shows the events as they unfolded. Let's listen to that now.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Patrol at the front door, we got to evacuate some of these hostages.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Received, request for patrol at the front door, evacuating hostages.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a spent magazine. Looks like a high- powered AK, middle hallway of the 1-4 corner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a description.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead, send it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tall white male, short hair, light blue shirt, jeans. Again, that's tall white male, short hair, light blue shirt, jeans. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got one alive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're evacking one right now, still alive. We have at least four down in the atrium DOA at this time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was there earlier intel that he may be in the basement?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a report of at least one victim in the basement.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have an additional four victims, four victims I the back of the atrium of the front hall; total eight down, one rescued at this time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your status in the basement?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're probably at the bottom of the stairwell cleared to the left. Working room to the right. We have rifle cases in here with blood.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

CASAREZ: Three emergency room physicians actually arrived at the scene, went into that synagogue to triage the wounded. Some who survived, four of them in the trauma center behind me -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: Jean Casarez, live for us this morning. Jean, thank you.

Christi, as I sent it back to you, we'll be speaking with people who live and worship in this community. We'll talk more about the investigation. But as you're about to discuss, this is not just a local conversation. This is now a national and international conversation. I'll give it back to you in Atlanta.

PAUL: All right, I hate it but thank you so much.

Yes, President Trump is calling for unity. He did so last night after the synagogue massacre; followed through with a scheduled campaign rally in Illinois, where he said terror cannot be allowed to interrupt our lives. Here's CNN White House correspondent Boris Sanchez.

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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump admitted to supporters here in Southern Illinois that he considered canceling Saturday night's rally in light of the shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ultimately the president --

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SANCHEZ: -- deciding to move forward though.

Earlier in the day he called the rally "an obligation," one of more than a dozen campaign stops the president has made in October as he stumps for Republican candidates before the midterm elections. He told supporters that he decided to move on because, quote, "we

can't make evil people important." The president called the attack an assault on humanity and for the second time he called on Americans to unite in the face of domestic terror, saying all Americans have to come together to fight the scourge of anti-Semitism.

Here's more from the president.

TRUMP: This evil anti-Semitic attack is an assault on all of us. It's an assault on humanity. It will require all of us working together to extract the hateful poison of anti-Semitism from our world. This was an anti-Semitic attack at its worst.

But this is a case where, if they had an armed guard inside, they might have been able to stop him immediately. This would be a case of, if there were an armed guard inside the temple, they would have been able to stop him.

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SANCHEZ: It's of course, not the first time the president has brought up the concept of armed guards. You recall that earlier this year after a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the president suggested that schools should be equipped with armed guards, clearly believing that guard with weapons at schools or places of worship are a better idea than passing gun control registration -- Boris Sanchez CNN, traveling with the president in Murfreesboro, Illinois.

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PAUL: Thank you so much.

We want to talk with CNN Politics analyst Julian Zelizer here. He's a historian and professor at Princeton University as well.

Julian, the president said he doesn't want to let situations like this change our lives. Doesn't want to change our schedules. So he went ahead and kept that rally. He said -- he acquainted it to the New York Stock Exchange, I believe he said opening the day after September 11th, which didn't happen. It was actually closed for several days after that.

Despite that, the right decision, you think, to go to the rally last night?

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think the president can handle this however he wants. It's not simply does he go to the rally. It's what does he say?

Does he focus on a day of tragedy, which is what it was?

Or do you pick up right away with your standard campaign rhetoric?

Which is what it appears the president decided to do. So these are always difficult decisions for presidents. But certainly

on a tragic day like yesterday, I think many Americans would expect the president to be less political and to focus on healing rather than on politics.

PAUL: He did admit that this was anti-Semitic. But he said something, when you speak about political, that has really not -- it is not sitting well with people. Let's listen here to what the president said about armed guards in religious institutions.

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TRUMP: If they had protection inside, the results would have been far better. This is a dispute that will always exist, I suspect. But if they had some kind of a protection inside the temple, maybe it could have been a very much different situation. They didn't. He was able to do things that, unfortunately, he shouldn't have been able to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Mayor Bill de Blasio did not appreciate that. He said we do not require houses of worship to have an armed guard and basically saying we should not.

What did the president need to say?

ZELIZER: Look, the president should focus squarely on the sources of anti-Semitism where this individual circulated in. And if anything, at that moment he could not talk about synagogues needing to arm themselves and to have guards, which is not going to happen. That's an unrealistic expectation.

But he could have said, yes, I am open to conversations about how to stem the flow of guns.

But there's two issues here. One is the flow of guns and one is anti- Semitism and hatred in a week where we've seen these elements of American society come front and center.

PAUL: When we talk about anti-Semitism, the president has grandchildren who are Jewish. "The Washington Post" had an article and they took note of something that the president said, noting that he did not mention anti-Semitism off the top.

He said that it looks definitely like it's anti-Semitism, an anti- Semitic crime. That's something you wouldn't believe could still be going on. That was from the president --

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PAUL: -- to which "The Washington Post said, "You 'wouldn't believe' it only if you were clueless about the history and the contemporary reality of hatred for Jews. It's an odd cluelessness for a man who declares himself a great friend of Israel and has three Jewish grandchildren."

Would you expect that the president would have more sensitivity about this?

ZELIZER: It's more than that. It's not simply his family. This is a president, who both as candidate and as president, has been warned repeatedly about some of the rhetoric he uses, about some of the retweets he has done, about some of the images that were part of his campaign and that continue to be part of his circle, which play into anti-Semitic attitudes, including the ongoing attacks on George Soros.

So he shouldn't be surprised if he's been listening. And I'm not sure that's totally an honest response from the president. This is a moment for him to show his leadership and to be much stronger against some of the people who have surrounded him and some of the ideas that have been in his orbit from day one.

PAUL: Julian Zelizer, we appreciate your insight. Thank you.

ZELIZER: Thank you.

PAUL: When we come back, we want to take you to the alleged gunman's home. Investigators are building their case. What they've learned as of this morning. Stay close.

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BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell live in Pittsburgh, just outside of the Tree of Life Synagogue. It's just a block or so behind me here. This morning, officials are building a profile of the alleged shooter, interviewing some of his neighbors. CNN correspondent Miguel Marquez is outside of the suspect's home with more details for us.

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MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For several hours, federal agents have been going through Mr. Bowers' apartment just behind me here. They took no chances coming into this neighborhood. They cordoned off the roads for several hours and then brought the bomb squad in to make sure there was nothing dangerous so they could get in there and do their jobs.

Now members of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been in that apartment for several hours, in some cases bringing things out, in others taking gear in so they can look into and paint a full picture of this man, as full as they can, and also gather as much evidence as the case against him moves forward.

We spoke to several neighbors. Most had very little to say about him. One said he saw him come and go, didn't seem very --

[05:20:00]

MARQUEZ: -- remarkable. Another said he had a couple of conversations. But there was nothing more than a hi and a bye.

One person who lived right next to him, his apartment, shared a wall with him, said that the only thing that was odd is that he watched television at very loud volumes at odd hours. He said -- his fiancee said he was a truck driver. It sounded like he was listening to news at strange hours of the day and that he was here sometimes and then gone for many days.

This is one of several locations where Mr. Bowers, who had bounced around in this area over several years, it sounds from neighbors that he had been here for about two years. But as quiet as he was in his life here in this neighborhood, he was certainly much more vocal online, expressing anger at Jews, at the caravan coming up from South America.

In particular he was angry at a Jewish resettlement organization called HIAS or the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. They had gone to the border in support of the caravan, an organization that resettles individuals of all colors and creeds and countries in places like Pittsburgh and he was particularly angry about them, had posted about them.

And then minutes, shortly before opening fire at that synagogue, he posted, "I can't stand by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics. I'm going in." Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Miguel, thank you for that.

For more, let's bring in CNN senior law enforcement analyst, the former FBI assistant director, Tom Fuentes.

Tom, good morning to you. Miguel is there, outside of the home, the apartment there, just telling us what he sees. Take us inside the apartment, what FBI agents are looking for.

How is the search happening, likely?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good morning, Victor. First of all, they'll see if he has any other communication devices or other correspondence, letters or other material that might indicate that there's other individuals he's been communicating with who are like-minded, someone else that might want to pick up his baton and go forward with more attacks.

So that's a key to this thing, is he really just acting on his own or could anybody else be involved?

Then, additionally, they'll be looking at whether he has explosives or additional ammunition or weapons or any of that kind of material which they'll need to safeguard. If he's in custody, they can't leave things like that in the apartment for someone else to break in later and obtain. So that's pretty much what they're going to be looking for. One thing in this case, you will think there will be less need for

additional evidence to link him to the crime, because this is literally the smoking gun apprehension, with him being taken into custody after exchanging in a shootout with the police and clear murder of people that were inside that synagogue.

BLACKWELL: One thing we learned from investigators yesterday is that this man was not known to local law enforcement, of course, before yesterday.

How common is that for someone to have no interaction with local law enforcement, with police, and then something so dramatic and broad as this?

FUENTES: Well, I think it's -- it works both ways. We're seeing in the case of the individual sending the bombs in the mail that he had an extensive record, including threatening with bombs. So that was what enabled the tying of the fingerprint take off of one of the devices to him personally.

In this case, you have someone who possibly had this attitude, let's say, building up in him for a while. Then, because he's obtaining these weapons, obtaining powerful weapons and suddenly he breaks out and commits a horrible act.

So I think we've had it both ways. We've seen lone wolves and we've seen individuals inspired or who had a bad record or were inspired by others with bad records to do terrible things.

BLACKWELL: You talk about inspiration and there is some overlap in the questions, the conversations we had yesterday about Cesar Sayoc, the suspect in the mail bombings, those devices, and what we're talking about today.

And one of the questions is about the potential for copycats. We know that synagogues across the country and local law enforcement across the country are either increasing patrols of or attention to synagogues.

How susceptible are potentially synagogues to or places of worship broadly to copycat threats, to a crime like this?

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FUENTES: Every place is susceptible, too, whether it's a shopping mall or a school or places of worship. But in this particular case with individuals with a tremendous anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic attitude, then obviously synagogues will be vulnerable. They'll continue to be vulnerable if this kind of attitude is prevalent.

It doesn't even have to be prevalent. As we've seen, one individual can carry out a horrific act all by themselves. You know, it doesn't take a large group or a large gang to do it.

BLACKWELL: Now Robert Bowers, his social media activity extreme, I think most people would say, posted on gab.com, a site popular, we've been told, with extremists that have been banned on other platforms. The public is encouraged to say something if they see something.

But in this case, when a site allows the, I guess, perpetuation of this type of language, how does law enforcement navigate that and the harvesting over the next several days of potentially other social media sites where he could have posted?

FUENTES: Well, the police and the FBI have to work also with the U.S. attorney's office and the local district attorneys' offices to try to walk the fine line of when does freedom of expression, freedom of speech cross the line into what appears to be a growing situation, where someone might commit a violent act based on the rhetoric?

So in most of these cases, if it's identified to law enforcement, they will go and approach that person and at least that person will know that they're on the radar of law enforcement. But it's a very difficult -- in a free society, it's very difficult to determine at what point that line gets crossed.

Another thing, Victor, that -- individuals like this, as sick or as, you know, whatever they may be, because of the kind of sites and because of Internet and because of mass media, they have an ability to communicate with each other or inspire each other, egg each other on.

We've seen that with international terrorists repeatedly over the last 10 or 20 years. But it applies to everybody. You could have someone reach out and find one of these sites, where they find like-minded individuals and can encourage each other by the fact that they formed this informal society, where they all have the attitude to do this kind of thing. And then those attitudes don't seem as extreme to them. Seems like, well, there's other people that believe this, too, it's not just me.

BLACKWELL: Absolutely. Tom Fuentes, thank you so much. Should say that gab.com has condemned the comments, the sentiments made by Robert Bowers. But their website and potentially others will be a treasure trove for investigators.

Christi, back to you.

PAUL: All right. Thank you, Victor. Thank you so much, Tom.

We did speak to Chuck Diamond, a rabbi at Tree of Life synagogue until just last year. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RABBI CHUCK DIAMOND: This isn't necessarily about just being Jewish, although clearly it seems to be an anti-Semitic act. But it's against humanity and what is good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[05:31:47] VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Three incidents in 72 hours, one thing in common, hate. Yesterday suspect Robert Bowers started shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue shouting anti-Semitic slurs and killed 11 people, police say.

Friday, Cesar Sayoc was arrested for allegedly sending mail bombs to high profile critics of the president and railed against Democrats and minorities with hate filled messages online. And then on Wednesday Gregory Bush, a white man with a history of violence shot and killed two African-American at a Kentucky store after a failed attempt to barge into a black church. Bush has a history of mental illness, made racist threats and repeatedly called his ex-wife the inward (ph) according to court records.

Let's talk more about this. Joining me now Michael Perlman, director of the Documentary of the Politics of Hate.

Good morning to you, and I just want to start here. This now has been, you know, 19, 20 hours ago. You had the night to think of about it -- or to sit with you. What are you thinking and feeling this morning?

MICHAEL PERLMAN, DIRECTOR, THE POLITICS OF HATE DOCUMENTARY: Well, it's devastating, but I can't say that it is a very surprising. Because when we've seen what has happened in the course of this country over the last 100 years, you can point to a very similar trajectory where there was great progress in society and that was followed by a backlash, but ultimately did lead to a better future.

So where we are right now unfortunately is in that backlash. We've had great progress with equal rights for so many people as well as a big increase in intermarriages and even gay marriages. And this has created a lot of hostility in other people, and they start to blame the other for their problems. And Jews have always been one of the victims when people in society turn that way.

So, it's really critical for all of us to take immediate action, and its simple actions so we can really make a difference here right now. Because history is on our side, on the side of people that believe in a better future.

BLACKWELL: Let's talk about the last couple of years. You talked about the last century, but the "Washington Post" has a report out in which they cite the anti-defamation league. And they're tracking up in 2017 a 57% increase in anti-Semitic incidents. We're talking bomb threats and graffiti, vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, anti-Semitic posters on campuses and that's 2017 versus the previous year. To what do you attribute that increase?

PERLMAN: Yes, when people are pointing to the other and saying there's something wrong with them, and that's why my life is not as good as it should be, it's the same thing that has been happening throughout history to Jews and other minorities. And in this particular case with all of the rhetoric of that Trump has put out there dividing people along different lines, along racial lines, ethnic lines and even religious lines, he has created an atmosphere where people feel like they can come out of the wood works.

[05:35:04] And it is important for us to realize that it has come out, and now we can see it for what it is and we can deal with it. And it's -- it's horrible, but we need to deal with it.

BLACKWELL: You mentioned the president, but this is not exclusively an American problem. You're documentary explores how this is global issue. And give us a little bit of what you've learned in this documentary, the politics of faith.

PERLMAN: That's right. There's been a huge increase in the far right both the United States as well as Europe. Those groups have been interacting with each other and supporting each other. Russian government has been supporting those groups, and politicians that are supported by those groups. And so everything is really interwoven, and it's really important for people to know that the United States government right now has actually cut all the funding, eliminated all the funding for attacking domestic terrorism, and that's what this is. And they need to restore that funding and increase it dramatically.

And that will really help matters as well. We need to call it what it is and increase that funding because it's -- it's something that's permeating society right now, and it must be stopped.

BLACKWELL: All right, Michael Perlman thank you so much for being with us this morning. And you can learn more about and see his documentary, the politics of hate, at worldtobe.com. Again, Michael, thank you. And Christi, I'll give it back to you in Atlanta.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Victor, thank you. I want to view (ph) Chuck Diamond. He was a rabbi at the Tree of Life Synagogue for many years. He spoke to CNN's Brook Baldwin yesterday about what would have been happening at the synagogue right before the shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHUCK DIAMOND, FMR RABBI, TREE OF LIFE SYNAGOGUE: The shooting took place at I think about a quarter to nine is when services start. And there's three congregations who share the space. It's a beautiful building. And so at the beginning of services there aren't a lot of people there I have to say. And I would -- I guess fortunate for the people who come later. But I knew exactly who would be there, the regulars who always come, who you can depend on. And unfortunately some of them didn't make it out alive.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: I wanted to ask you about that, and of course I don't want to get ahead of law enforcement. I know that they'll be identifying the victims we hear tomorrow morning. But --

DIAMOND: Yes.

BALDWIN: -- you know -- you know some --

DIAMOND: Yes.

BALDWIN: -- of those lives lost.

DIAMOND: Yes.

BALDWIN: And what can you share? DIAMOND: Well, I think it's -- they're good people.

BALDWIN: Yes.

DIAMOND: There was one elderly woman in her 90s who would come with a smile on her face every single week no matter what the weather. I believe her daughter was shot but is doing OK. There was another man who just the synagogue was his home since he was a kid, and the synagogue took care of him. And he was always there to greet people when they came in. Whenever I would go to services when I was a rabbi, he was always there to greet me. And they're just good people in all three congregations, and unfortunately, you know, it's just such a tragedy as you know, Brook.

BALDWIN: You know, for people Rabbi Diamond who actually never stepped foot in a synagogue, I mean this is a -- it's a house of worship, it is a sanctuary, it is a safe space. For people who have never heard the mourners caddish for example, can you just --

DIAMOND: Right.

BALDWIN: -- it's a Jewish prayer that marks the death of a loved one. Can you just in your own words --

DIAMOND: Right.

BALDWIN: -- how egregious this attack was?

DIAMOND: Well, sanctuaries says it all, this is a sanctuary. We have sanctuaries, so we want to feel safe in, not only synagogues and churches but our schools as well. And we don't feel safe there. When I was a rabbi, I thought a great responsibility for the congregation. And I have to say, I always thought in recent times at the back of my mind something like this happening. And it's just a terrible state we have live in. You guys have to cover this too many times.

BALDWIN: It was your community, your literal community, your Jewish community was attacked because of your beliefs. What do you want to communicate to your community tonight?

DIAMOND: Well, first of all Pittsburgh is wonderful city. And the Jewish community is great. I believe all parts of the Jewish community get along together. And I feel that we were all attacked. I spoke to other rabbis from other movements within Judaism, and we feel like personally violated. And I believed the people in Pittsburgh feel personally violated too. This isn't necessarily about just being Jewish, although clearly it seems to be an anti-Semitic act.

[05:40:02] But, it's against humanity and what is good in humanity and what is good in humanity. And I think that -- you know, I'm tired of throwing up my hands when things like this happen and saying what can we do. I think we need to take some sort of action. I hope there are leaders -- our leaders and take action. There's a lot involved in this issue. I think for the short-term we have to provide comfort for those in the community, and we have to watch each other emphasis back, and we have to be there for each other.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: That can do a lot certainly toward the healing. Saturday's mass killing, though, it really struck a nerve around the world we need to point out, no more so than Israel. Well the Prime Minister says the entire nation is grieving. We are going to take you to Jerusalem, next. Stay close.

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BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell live in Pittsburgh just outside of the Tree of Life Synagogue where 11 people were killed yesterday, six wounded. We'll get an update on those injured a little later. But for now lawmakers and political figures from both sides of the aisle are reacting to the deadly shooting at the synagogue. President Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, tweeted this. All good Americans stand with the Jewish people to oppose acts of terror and share the horror, disgust and out rage over the massacre in Pittsburgh. We must unite against hatreds and evil. God bless those affected.

Former Vice President Joe Biden released this statement. We're facing a battle for the soul of this nation. We will either stand against this hate now and wipe it out or we will rue the day we allowed it to grow and fester. Our values, our core beliefs, all that have made this nation a beacon to the world is at risk. Words matter and silence is complicity.

[05:45:08] Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic Senator Ed Markey also weigh in. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: What happened in Pittsburgh today was not just criminal, it was evil. An attack on innocent Americans and an assault on our freedom of religion. There is no place in America for violence or anti-Semitism, and this evil must end.

The president has directed the full resources of the federal government to support the investigation and the prosecution. And as the president said, anyone who does such a thing in a temple or a church should pay the ultimate price.

SEN. ED MARKEY, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: Obviously, this is anti-Semitism at its worst, but it's also something that's happening in the context of a larger environment of hate speech, which is happening in our country. It is time for President Trump to just stop all of this hateful speech, which unfortunately too often will give permission to people to act out their worst prejudices.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: There's also been reaction in around the world. Leaders in Germany and Canada and the U.N. secretary general all issued statements to condemn the attacks but perhaps nowhere was there a more a visceral reaction than in Israel.

CNN's Orin Leibermann reports.

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ORIN LEIBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): The overwhelming sentiment that we've seen here from Israeli officials and Jewish community leaders in Israel has been an attack on a Jewish community anywhere is an attack on the entire Jewish community everywhere. And nowhere is that felt more acutely than in Israel. Which tries to be a safe haven for Jews all over the world.

The attack on the synagogue in Pittsburgh is a sharp reminder of the need for such a safe haven at times. Shortly after the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put out this statement.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL: I was heartbroken and appalled by the murders that happened in the Pittsburgh synagogue today. The entire people of Israel grieve with the families of the dead. We stand together with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, we stand together with the American people in the face of this horrendous anti-Semitic brutality, and we all pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded.

LEIBERMANN (voice-over): Many other Israeli officials also put out statements within minutes and hours after the shooting offering prayers and support even if Israel and Pittsburgh are separated by a few thousand miles. The minister (INAUDIBLE) of affairs here immediately left for Pittsburgh as soon as he could to offer what help he could. News of the shooting came just as the Sabbath was ending in Israel, it had already been a difficult weekend here, and this anti- Semitic attack has shocked the country and the Jewish community here that much more.

Orin Leibermann, CNN, Jerusalem.

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PAUL: All right, Orin, thank you.

Listen, actor Tom Hanks just happened to be in Pittsburgh this weekend filming a movie, and take a look on what he tweeted here, this photo, a sign he that found there "love thy neighbor, no exceptions." And Hank's comment, to me this photo is the spirit of Pittsburgh with a broken heart today for those in Squirrel Hill. That's what he wrote. And that is the district where the synagogue attack happened of course.

Next, three crimes in 72 hours is what we're talking about and those crimes renew the conversation about hate in America.

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[05:52:34] PAUL: 72 hours, three separate violent crimes across the country, and three suspects with a history of expressing hate. Wednesday a man shot two African-Americans at a grocery store apparently after failing to get into a largely African-American church. And then we learned Robert Bowers accused of opening fire at this Pittsburgh area synagogue had history of posting anti-Semitic messages on a social media site. The day before that shooting of course suspected mail bomber Cesar Sayoc was arrested and former boss said he called himself a white supremacist.

From New York now with the latest. CNN law enforcement reporter, Mark Morales. Mark, what are you learning this morning?

MARK MORALES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTER: Well, we've got our hands on the criminal complaint that lays out exactly just how this altercation happened inside the synagogue yesterday. Bowers comes in a contact with two officers, a gun battle ensues, he retreats back further into the building. That's when a SWAT team goes in.

Now, a SWAT team goes in and they notice that at this point he'd already shot multiple people. That's where they come in contact and they see there had already been fatalities. He retreats further back into the building. And when they encounter him on the third floor that's where he starts -- another gun battle ensues. Two more officers are -- this time they're shot and one those was critically wounded. And when he's subdued, this is when he starts making those comments, those anti-Semitic comments that investigators have written in the criminal complaint.

PAUL: All right, Mark Morales, we appreciate the update, thank you.

You know, his father survive yesterday at synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. Do stay with us because one man says knowledge saved his dad's life. What does he mean by that? We'll talk about it.

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[05:57:46] PAUL: Well, this morning we're hearing from a man whose father survived yesterday's shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue. And this man says active shooter training is what saved his father's life.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My father fortunately was able to make it back home. He is 100% healthy. He's safe, unharmed. The real savior of the day was all of those who sacrificed in one way, form or another in the fact that there was active shooter training that was put into place last year that a lot of people including my father took, which really was able to help in the event of this tragic active shooter incident.

The first thing that occurred was he heard a loud noise, and a couple of congruence went to investigate the loud noise because it was quite possible that maybe a senior citizen had a horrific fall or maybe there was some kind of material or something at the synagogue which caused a loud noise. And when a couple of the congruence went down, the noise was unmistakable. From then on forward it was treated like an active shooter situation. And my dad was actually not supposed to be there. The family was actually supposed to be on vacation, and it was canceled and in the 11th hour by dad who's been a 29 year member of the Tree of Life Congregation or the same congregation and its where many had during the -- during that process which as well many others have was called in to assist the rabbi who was also feeling a little under the weather and they both helped lead the Tree of Life pushing that that congregation for the service.

And when everything occurred with the active shooter situation following that how was training which was the security measure that I mentioned. They were able to hide in place and then my dad was able to go down to the (INAUDIBLE) and make sure they were aware, which they were already hiding.

When he was up stairs he explained to me as he was getting up, he saw casings moving, and he expressed that he was roughly 5 feet away from the moving casings. But did not get a clear image of the gunman. And he was able to go back to the Tree of Life Congregation, saw that they were hidden and he couldn't really find anybody. And I'm not sure how familiar you are with the ALICE acronym, but the E stands for evacuate and when dad saw when everybody was hidden in place, he did that evacuation.

[06:00:08] And he was able to safely evacuate himself from the couch, from the synagogue.

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