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Shooter Attacks Bar in California; Interview with Man Whose Son is Missing after Bar Shooting. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired November 08, 2018 - 8:00   ET

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

[08:00:00] SHERIFF GEOFF DEAN, VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: And tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went -- he went in to save lives, to save other people.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: He died a hero. More people are injured. The suspected gunman is dead. Police say hundreds of college students were inside the bar which was hosting a college country music night. People who were inside tell us they were line dancing. Witnesses describe a scene of sheer panic. Some say they had to break through windows to get out alive. I want to right to CNN's Nick Watt who has been live on the scene all night and all morning reporting. Nick, what are you seeing?

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, the ATF, the FBI and the county sheriff are here, all trying to identify this gunman, who was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill. It was a gunshot wound. Unclear if that was self-inflicted. They are trying to find fingerprints, they are seeing if he has any identifying tattoos. They are trying to find his identity so they can try and figure out a motive.

As you mentioned, that sheriff's deputy was also killed along with 11 people inside. He was on the scene within two or three minutes of the first 911 calls coming in from the bar. He and a California highway patrolman tried to enter the bar, and they were met with a hail of gunfire. The sergeant was down. He was pulled to relative safety by the highway patrolman, but he died of his injuries about an hour or two later in the hospital.

As I say, this is a fluid and dynamic investigation. They are still trying to figure out who did this and why he did this. They have found one handgun inside they believe was his weapon. Eyewitnesses were telling us there was smoke bombs used as well. The county sheriff says that they are still looking into that. Now, as you mention, John, these were college kids, these were 18 to 21-year-olds. We have seen so many kids out here this morning with black crosses on their hands, which means they are below drinking age. Let's hear a little bit more some of those people who were inside at the time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm actually a Navy veteran. I've been caught in situations like this before, but of course, nothing can ever prepare you for something like this. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I definitely was fearing for my life, but I know

where I'm going when I die, so I was making sure that I gave other people the chance to get out of there and live another day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got really, really scared. I hid under the stools. A lot of shooting happened, a lot of shots happened.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We made it out. And there's quite a few people that didn't, and they were all young. And they had a long life to live.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Now, medical examiners are also trying to identify those victims, but the fear is, as we just heard from that eyewitness, that they were all young. This investigation is still in its early stages, and it's going to take a few hours, at least, until they can get any leads, they think, on who this gunman was.

Apparently, there was a security guard working at the club. He is perhaps believed to be among the 11 dead. And the Ventura County sheriff says he does not believe that there was armed security at this club. John, back to you.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: I take it, Nick. That's an important development. Thank you very much for all of the reporting from there.

At this hour, parents are still looking for their kids. As you can imagine, there was so much confusion when the gunfire broke out. So joining us is Jason Coffman. His 22-years-old son Cody was inside the bar and is missing at this hour. Mr. Coffman, thank you for being with us. We want to help you try to find your son, Cody. How do you know that he was in the bar?

JASON COFFMAN, SON IS MISSING AFTER SHOOTING: He said good-bye to me last night before he walked out the door to go to Borderline.

CAMEROTA: And is that the last time you spoke to him?

COFFMAN: That is the last time that I said good-bye to my son.

CAMEROTA: I see that you are at the hospital. Have you checked -- what has the hospital told you about who is in there?

COFFMAN: I am not at the hospital right now. I'm actually at the team center where they tell the parents to go to basically wait for information.

CAMEROTA: Have you gotten any information?

COFFMAN: I have not. I am in the dark right now, and it's actually tearing me up.

CAMEROTA: Jason, we can only imagine how excruciating this is, the not knowing at this hour where your child is. Any parent can imagine the horror of that. Have you spoken to any of your son Cody's friends?

[08:05:03] COFFMAN: Actually, yes, I have. We got woke up last night around 1:00 in the morning by some of the girls, Cody's friends, knocking on our door, saying there was a mass shooting at Borderline. Some of his girlfriends got out, but they didn't know where Cody was.

CAMEROTA: Did they describe to you anything about the scene?

COFFMAN: Chaotic, just like a normal shooting would be. It would be very chaotic. There is only one entrance and then one little exit, so I would figure that a very crowded bar would be very chaotic.

CAMEROTA: What happens when you call his cell phone?

COFFMAN: Nothing. Just rings. Rings and rings.

CAMEROTA: Where you are right now, where the parents are being assembled, have they been able to tell you -- is there a list of who is injured and who may be at the hospitals?

COFFMAN: No. They have not released any names of any victims or anybody that's at the hospital. They won't say anything. My next step from here is to go to the hospital just to see if he is there.

CAMEROTA: Are you allowed to do that? Are police allowing you to go to the hospital to do this on your own?

COFFMAN: I don't know. And I don't care, really. I mean, this is my son. If they have anything, then put themselves in my situation.

CAMEROTA: Tell us what we need to know to help you with Cody. Tell us about him.

COFFMAN: Cody is a very outgoing boy. He's very outspoken. I'm afraid that Cody ran to the gunman inside of ran away from the gunman. That's the kind of boy that Cody was or is.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

COFFMAN: I'm sure he was there helping, shielding anything that -- or anybody that he could. I know that he went there with a few of his girlfriends, so I'm hoping that he is OK.

CAMEROTA: Of course. Of course. Did he go there often?

COFFMAN: Yes. It is a very local place where 18 and older can go, and they can basically just let loose and do a little country line dancing. So, yes, he goes there a couple times a week.

CAMEROTA: How old is Cody?

COFFMAN: Cody is 22 years old.

CAMEROTA: Have you tried to go to the Borderline bar, the scene of the crime? Have you gone there yourself? COFFMAN: Absolutely. You are not allowed past a certain point. They

have it roped off, and you are not allowed past a certain area. So I have definitely tried to make my way to the Borderline to see, but I have been turned around.

CAMEROTA: Jason, this is just -- it is just excruciating. All of us, anyone who is a parent, can imagine. The few times when we don't know where our children are, not even in these dire situations, it is horribly nerve wracking and you just feel sick in your stomach.

COFFMAN: Absolutely.

CAMEROTA: And we can only imagine what you and your family are going through. Do you have a plan? What are you going to do next?

COFFMAN: I don't have a plan. My plan is basically just wait, go to the hospitals, and hopefully get a phone call from my son or from one of his friends that he has contacted. He hasn't contacted anybody. Even his best girlfriends are out just waiting for him. So we're thinking that in the chaos he might have dropped his phone and ran. But I don't know. I'm hoping for the best, but I don't know what else to do.

CAMEROTA: I don't think there is anything else you can do, Jason. How many parents are there with you at that teen center?

COFFMAN: There's probably about 20 people, 25 people.

CAMEROTA: And does anyone have any information?

COFFMAN: Everybody is in the dark. Everybody that come here, we all are just waiting and hoping that we don't hear that name come across.

CAMEROTA: Are there authorities there with you?

COFFMAN: There are, I think, a couple police officers here giving some interviews, but other than that, no.

[08:10:02] CAMEROTA: I guess my question is, are they updating you? What's going on inside there? Are there any authorities that are telling you anything?

COFFMAN: No. They're not. It's just a waiting game. They would tell you if they have information that they'll get back in touch with you. So that's all we have.

CAMEROTA: Jason, does Cody have any brothers or sisters?

COFFMAN: Yes, he does. He has two younger brothers and a baby sister on the way, due to the 29th of this month.

CAMEROTA: My goodness. You have your hands full.

COFFMAN: Yes.

CAMEROTA: Do you have one of the tracking apps on your phone to see where his phone is?

COFFMAN: I do. I do. And it's there.

CAMEROTA: It's at the club.

COFFMAN: It's not moving. It's not moving. That's the problem.

CAMEROTA: So you can tell that his phone is at the club?

COFFMAN: His phone is at the club, yes.

CAMEROTA: Jason, how can we help you? How can we help you get the word out?

COFFMAN: I don't really know. All I can say is please say a prayer for the victims and for the loved ones that are where I'm at.

CAMEROTA: We are doing that.

COFFMAN: We're just in a holding pattern. Just a holding pattern here.

CAMEROTA: Yes. Well, I know that everyone listening is saying a prayer for you and for Cody and praying that you find him very soon, and that all of the parents there with you at that teen center get some word very soon. Jason, we're thinking of you. Please come back to us when you hear anything.

COFFMAN: I will. Thank you very much.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

OK, that is the absolute worst situation you could ever be in. I remember when I worked with John Walsh and Adam Walsh was missing, and John always said for years after that the most excruciating is the not knowing. The not knowing is the part that he found the most painful.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I hope that call comes with his son on the other end of the line. I'd given anything for that phone to ring and have his son be on the other end of that line. Our heart goes out to him this morning.

Let's bring in CNN law enforcement analyst James Gagliano. James, to you here, it is a crime scene at this point. The shooter is dead. They have recovered one handgun. What are investigators on the scene doing?

JOHN GAGLIANO, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: John, here is what we know right now. The shooting took place at 11:20 pacific standard time this morning. That was just under six hours ago. So this investigation is in its infancy. What are law enforcement trying to determine? I've talked about this earlier this morning. First and foremost, are there any other threats out there? That's why the police got in front of the cameras immediately, which is to calm the fears of the public for public safety first.

BERMAN: Do they know the answer to that by now?

GAGLIANO: John, they should, but the sheriff was awful careful. He also said we do not know who this individual is. Now, as we experienced last year in the Las Vegas shooting you referenced earlier, law enforcement still doesn't understand what the motive behind that was because the shooter has zero digital imprint. He had no footprint. And they're going to try to make that determination. Was this an impulsive act by someone that had a grievance, something triggered it, or was this premeditated, which leads to maybe there were some other people that were working with the shooter to get this accomplished.

BERMAN: We heard from witnesses before who said he was wearing a bandana, a black bandanna. There have been reporting that people saw what he did, that he knew what he was doing. It looked like he was under control.

GAGLIANO: Right. Well, the premeditation part comes in by the way that he's dressed. This wasn't impulsive, that he was there and got angry and decided to act out. And also the fact that they have been referring to them as smoke bombs. That's not the term I would use. It is either an obscuration device like a smoke cannister from the military, or possibly a diversionary device like tactical teams use which makes a big boom and sends out smoke. You said earlier sometimes people get those facts wrong when they're in a critical incident, but for him to have gotten those they require a tax stamp, meaning you can own them, but they're a destructive device that has to be registered. It took a little bit of planning to make that happen.

BERMAN: If he did that. Again, we don't know if that was someone being confused, seeing smoke from the gun. That is one of the things they're looking into right now. James Gagliano, thank you very much for being with us. We have many more questions for you coming up.

We are following this breaking news very, very closely. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:00]

CAMEROTA: In about an hour, President Trump will appear for the first time with his new acting attorney general Jeff Sessions is being replaced with his own former chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, who has been openly critical of the Mueller investigation.

Joining us now is Ken Starr; he led the independent counsel investigation of President Bill Clinton and served as solicitor general under George H. W. Bush. Starr is also the author of the book "Contempt," a memoir of the Clinton investigation. Mr. Starr, thank you for being here this ...

KEN STARR, LED INDEPENDENT COUNSEL INVESTIGATION ON PRESIDENT CLINTON: Hi -- hi Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Is an important morning to get your perspective on all of this, Ken, Matt Whitaker, the new acting attorney general and the Mueller investigation.

STARR: Well, I'll tell you it comes a little bit of a surprise. Not that Jeff Sessions has been replaced. That tension has been there from almost the beginning with Attorney General Sessions, who I think is a very honorable man, recusing himself from the Russia investigation.

But now here he is, he's -- the chief of staff is now the acting attorney general. So let's wait and see. I know a lot of conclusions are being drawn in light of what the comments that Mr. Whitaker has made. His writings and so forth. His being critical of the Bob Mueller investigation.

But there's so many traditions of the Justice Department and Mr. Whitaker is now a part of that. He's served as chief of staff of the department. He's been at the elbow of Jeff Sessions. So what's he going to do?

Obviously we don't know but what we do know is he's not just going to be acting unilaterally. If he does, it could be quite dangerous for him.

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: And tell -- tell -- tell me more about that because what makes you think he won't act unilaterally? I mean I'm not sure we need to wait and see what happens, Mr. Starr as you're suggesting, since we do know how he feels.

[08:20:00]

He feels that the Mueller probe has -- is possibly too far reaching. He also feels that it could -- one way to starve it is to just sort of starve it of its funding. Here he was speaking about this. Listen to Matt Whitaker.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

MATT WHITAKER, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: If I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment and that attorney general doesn't fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces the budget so low that his investigation grinds to a -- almost a halt.

(END VIDEO)

CAMEROTA: Mr. Starr, that sounds like a preview.

STARR: It -- it -- it is. It's a warning shot to say OK, this is going to be watched but the nations not just going to stand by and allow unilateral power to be exercised and ...

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: What can the nation do?

STARR: It's called a Congress of the United States, it's called the press, it's called the political pressure that the Justice Department will in fact experience if -- if there is a non merits based action by the acting attorney general.

If it is done simply out of loyalty but we have no reason to think that that will happen. We are on warning that something could happen but let's not jump. The jury is out. Let's not jump to conclusions because I keep telling (ph) about the traditions of the department including the advice that he is going to be receiving.

He probably has already received some as of last evening about what is appropriate for him. He's now the acting attorney general of the United States. He's not chief of staff. He's no longer a staff guy. He's exercising power as opposed to just giving advice and pontificating. That changes.

CAMEROTA: Yes, you can. Jeffery Toobin is here right, (inaudible), he's a burning question for you.

STARR: Hey Jeff.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just step back for a second. You are -- you know the Department of Justice. You know the kind of people who are named attorney general of the United State senator's judges. What about naming someone, frankly, this obscure and this unqualified just because he's been critical of the Mueller investigation. What do you think about that choice?

STARR: Hey Jeff, that's a little bit unfair. Yes, Rod Rosenstein is the natural. There's no question to become the attorney general. I'll concede that but what we do know about Mr. Whitaker is that he served with great distinction as the United State attorney and he's been chief of staff now for quite some time.

So he has seen the Department of Justice close up and personal. Jeff, as you know, as I served as chief of staff to the attorney general. So know, he's not unqualified. Is he the most qualified of -- we can debate that.

But he has been -- he's not been taken off the street. Our -- our place -- here's a -- here's a key, he's not been moved from the White House counsel's office over to put the Justice Department in receivership. He's a person of the Department.

CAMEROTA: Yes, but one -- one question Mr. Starr and that is we do know how Whitaker feels about this because he's already said that he thought that if Mueller investigated Donald Trump's finances that that would be a red line.

And if he thinks that Mueller has come dangerously close to a red line. He thinks the parameter should be much more narrow for Mueller. Doesn't that tell us what he's going to do?

STARR: No, it doesn't. That's my point. He's now the attorney general. He's taken an oath of office and so he's put in a very different role and now he's going to be hearing people with information and perspectives that he's going to have to evaluate, he's going to have to access.

Remember he got a very high not of endorsement from Charles Grassley. Senator Grassley is a person of total rectitude and integrity and remember, Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee wants to protect the Mueller investigation. So let's just wait and see. The jury's out.

CAMEROTA: But do you think that Robert Mueller can investigate Donald Trump's finances.

STARR: He can if he's authorized but under -- under the regulations yes, he can, if he's authorized to do so.

CAMEROTA: OK. And therein lies the rub. Is he authorized by what Rod Rosenstein -- the letter that Rod Rosenstein sent to Robert Mueller in terms of the parameters and here they are. In it you can investigate, it sounds like. The Special Counsel is authorized to conduct the investigation.

Number one, any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump. We knew that. Any matters that arose or may arise directly from that investigation, therein lies the rub.

And then any matters within the scope of the general powers of the Special Counsel. So it's that middle one that is open to interpretation. Does that include his finances?

STARR: It is. And if -- there's no question, arising directly. Right? And so what got this started -- what got it started, of course, was the Bob Mueller testimony about Russian interference with our politics. And there's no question that the Russians have interfered. See the great indictments, I think they're very powerful documents of indictments that Bob Mueller and his team have returned.

[08:25:00]

Now, Trump finances, seem to me, a far afield from what the Russians were doing. But we don't know - we don't - we're behind the veil of ignorance in that respect. We also don't know what Bob Mueller - we have these intimations, what Bob Mueller knows.

So what will happen is Bob Mueller and his team will now be briefing the Attorney General. And they will say here's what we have been doing.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

STARR: Here's why we have been doing it. And then the Attorney General, under the regulations, does have the power to say no, I don't want you to take that step. But that hasn't happened yet. But once something like that happens there will be guardrails in effect, and checks and balances. It's not unilateral power.

CAMEROTA: But - but how? What are the guardrails? If just - if the Special Counsel Mueller briefs Whitaker, what - where are the guardrails? I mean, can't then.

STARR: Oh, well they're informal guardrails such as, if something is done. And these are hypotheticals. And I hope we'll allow the Attorney General to take the office, and to start exercising the authority that - that he has.

So let's just calm it down a little bit and just wait and see. But here's the guardrail, if - and I don't think this is going to happen, if the Attorney General says I don't want you to do X, then Bob Mueller says here's my letter of resignation. And then the firestorm begins, right?

TOOBIN: But it ...

STARR: There will be.

TOOBIN: Wow. Ken, is - I mean, that - that - I mean, that's a - that's a pretty extreme idea that - that - that Robert Mueller would - would resign in protest. But - but just talk about a ...

STARR: No it's not. It's not extreme at all. If - if a law officer is doing what he or she thinks is required by the facts, and is following the evidence where it leads, and has been authorized to do that by Rod Rosenstein to interfere, to obstruct. I don't mean obstruction of justice. Jeff, you and I have talked - talked about ...

TOOBIN: Right. Yes, I know (ph).

STARR: ... this before. I just mean to stop that kind of investigation. There's really going to be hell to pay, and you know that. Washington works that way. You try to exercise power in a way that's abusive. You're going to be found out. It's going to be really difficult to carry on, including within the department itself. You lose your morale authority as the Attorney General.

You know the Attorneys General had gone to jail. So you need to be very careful in circumspect. When you're in that office and you've taken the oath ...

TOOBIN: But.

STARR: ... that you have to be very careful. You can't ...

TOOBIN: But - but.

STARR: ... just be.

TOOBIN: I - I - I guess the - the question that - that - that is, I think, troubling to a lot of people is why was he appointed? And, you know, he has been ...

STARR: That's a fair question.

TOOBIN: ... on television - here on CNN. He was a contributor here on CNN. We just played one clip, how critical he's been. STARR: Right.

TOOBIN: This is - I mean, I - I - yes, I know he was a U.S. attorney briefly in - in Des Moines quite a few years ago. He's run for office several times in - in Iowa as a Republican. He is - and - and the only thing we know about him as a public person in recent years is that he has been critical of the Mueller investigation. Is that really the qualification that a - an attorney general ...

STARR: With ...

TOOBIN: ... should have?

STARR: ... all due respect my friend Jeff, you're leaving out the critical fact - the most critical fact that he's been serving as Chief of Staff to the Attorney General of the United States.

TOOBIN: For a few months. Just for a few months, Ken. I mean, come on.

STARR: Well.

TOOBIN: Is that really - I mean.

STARR: I - I saw - I saw him in the summer and - and - when he was with the Attorney General. And I could tell that the Attorney General had great respect for him. He's a really respected guy. You've seen what - I'm going to repeat myself, what Chairman Grassley has said about him.

This is a good Iowa hawk-eye. Is a person - yes, does he have views? Yes. But do you know what? Attorneys General do not always act on the basis of their views and opinions.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

STARR: They act on the basis of the evidence and the law. And that's the test.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

STARR: These are fair questions that you're raising.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

STARR: They're very important questions that you're raising.

CAMEROTA: I have another question, Mr. Starr, which is ...

STARR: Yes.

CAMEROTA: ... that yesterday President Trump said that he could fire everyone in the Mueller investigation if he chose to.

STARR: I agree with that. I think it would be a really dumb thing to do. But he has great power as the President of the United States, but he's subject to the rule of law. There are going to be these guardrails in place.

CAMEROTA: You seem to have ...

STARR: He.

CAMEROTA: ... more faith, frankly, in the norms than some of us who have seen norms ...

STARR: Look.

CAMEROTA: ... being shattered for the past two years. I mean, you.

STARR: Oh, yes - really, this is hyperbole. Look, I've been in Washington for around 40 years ...

CAMEROTA: Yes?

STARR: And I've seen a lot attorneys - of attorneys general. And I'll tell you, these are overwhelmingly - and I have no reason to believe ...

CAMEROTA: Yes.

STARR: ... that Mr. Whitaker is not an honorable person who, now that he's taken the oath of office ...

CAMEROTA: Yes.

STARR: ... is not going to do his best to do the right thing.

CAMEROTA: But have you seen a lot of attorneys general be fired when they are heading up the investigation ...

STARR: No.

CAMEROTA: ... of a president?

STARR: Absolutely not.

CAMEROTA: Well.

STARR: But I'll - but hold on.

CAMEROTA: Or (ph) through the looking glass?

TOOBIN: Ken, and speaking of Washington, let me - let me just get your reaction to this one thing.

STARR: Yes.

[08:30:00]

TOOBIN: Yesterday General Kelly, the White House Chief of Staff calls the Attorney General and says the President wants your resignation.