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El Paso Police: 1 Suspect in Custody, Currently No Active Shooter; El Paso Mayor Dee Margo Discusses Shooting; Beto O'Rourke Speaks on Shooting; Witness Describes Scene in Mall During Shooting; At Least 22 Injured in El Paso Mall Shooting; El Paso Police Department Press Briefing on Mass Shooting; Witnesses Describe Shooting at El Paso Mall. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired August 03, 2019 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:18] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer, in Washington.
We're following breaking news, major breaking news right now. Gunfire and reports of multiple victims, including several people dead. That's what we're hearing from police and city officials in El Paso, Texas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Run, run.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: This video taken inside a shopping mall in east El Paso. Everyone there was ordered to evacuate the mall when shots rang out.
And this just into CNN. A spokesperson for the El Paso mayor's office telling us that multiple people have been killed. And at least one suspect in custody.
Police are saying there's no longer an active shooter, no imminent threat to the community. But the scene very active and so chaotic. But the mayor's office had no further information about victims.
CNN's Shimon Prokupecz has details on the breaking news in El Paso.
Shimon, I know you are working your sources. What is the latest?
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME & JUSTICE REPORTER: To give you an idea of what is going on here, Wolf, it is a still chaotic, very active situation, so law enforcement is still trying to figure out exactly what they are dealing with.
They do have one person in custody. And as you've said, they are dealing with what they believe will be a high number of injuries. There are multiple deaths. But they are still trying to sort out exactly what happened here.
They are also dealing with multiple scenes, multiple locations. We have a mall, so there were thousands of people inside this mall. There's a location, which is a Walmart, they're also dealing with that scene. And they are still trying to secure the scene so that they know exactly everything that they are dealing with and also just really trying to make sure that there are no other threats. And that seems to be the concern.
And as police have said, we have not, since we've been on air, reporting this, we have not heard any gunfire, any new gunfire. So that seems at least over for now. Police believe that they have the shooter in custody.
Also there are reports that there were multiple shooters. But just caution with that because it is often, in the initial stages, that witnesses always report multiple shooters and then it turns out to be omg one only one shooter. That person is believed to be in custody, Wolf.
And that's the latest. We're trying to work sources for information. They are still trying to get a handle on what police are dealing with out in El Paso.
BLITZER: Yes, and preliminary information often if very preliminary and it could substantively change.
Shimon, I know you continue to work your sources. Stand by.
We're also getting video from on the ground in El Paso. This is from inside the JCPenney store at the Cielo Vista Mall. You can see an employee instructing shoppers which exit to use to get out of the mall. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the freeway. So this side you have to run down.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The shooter is that way?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is over here in Dillard's. So over there. Cops are there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Lots of frightened people, totally understandably.
The El Paso mayor, Dee Margo, is joining us with the latest.
Mayor, thank you so much for joining us.
Your chief of staff has told us that there are multiple fatalities, that there's a suspect in custody. First of all, our hearts go out to the families, all your people in El Paso.
What can you tell us on the very latest information that you are getting?
DEE MARGO, (R), EL PASO MAYOR (via telephone): Wolf, this is a tragedy that we never ever would have thought would have happened in El Paso. It tears me up.
There are suspects in custody. There are three suspects in custody. Still an active scene. I can't confirm the number of fatalities. But there are fatalities.
And El Paso police department is working with the FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety and other law enforcement agencies. We're utilizing all the resources that are available and determining what happened and hopefully to find out why.
BLITZER: When you say multiple fatalities, I assume there are multiple people injured as well. Have they given you any specific numbers, Mayor?
MARGO: No, I have no formal exact numbers.
BLITZER: So heartbreaking to hear this.
And we hear these incidents way too often here in the United States. Initially, we had heard reports of multiple suspects in custody but now you confirm there are three suspects taken into custody by police?
[15:35:15] MARGO: That is correct. But still an active situation. We're not sure if that is it or what, but they think that it is under control.
BLITZER: When you say under control, it's still an active investigation obviously.
MARGO: Active investigation, but they think that things are basically under control for the time being.
BLITZER: Do they think all three suspects alleged were involved in the shooting?
MARGO: Wolf, I can't confirm. I can't comment. I don't know.
BLITZER: Was what was the first thing that you heard, Mayor, when this horrible news started to develop?
MARGO: I got an emergency 911 text message to my phone telling me about the active shooter situation. That was the first. And I've gotten updates since. And I've spoken to the police chief. But still an ongoing investigation. And I don't want to comment until I have full information. It is a tragedy beyond tragedies. I'm just torn up about it.
BLITZER: We're also torn up.
Mayor, do you have any initial indication of a possible motive for the shootings?
MARGO: Wolf, I don't know anything else. I, honestly, don't know anything else. If I did, I would relay that information.
BLITZER: I totally understand. And I know you have a lot of work to do. Is there anything that you want to share with our viewers, especially those who may be in the El Paso area?
MARGO: El Paso is dealing with the migrant situation. We're handling that very well. The generosity of our people is unsurpassed. This is a tragedy that I have a hard time getting my arms around it. Sorry.
BLITZER: I know we're all having a hard time. Mayor Dee Margo, our heart goes out to you and everyone in El Paso, especially the families who will be getting very awful information about their loved ones.
Mayor, we'll stay in close touch. If there's anything that we can do at CNN to help, please don't hesitate to ask us. We'll be happy to do so.
Good luck out there. It is a heartbreaking situation.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Mayor Dee Margo. Totally understandably, he is shaken, we're all shaken by this. And it happens all too often.
Let's get some analysis. Our law enforcement experts are standing by. Juliette Kayyem is our national security analyst. Jonathan Wackrow is
a former Secret Service agent, our law enforcement analyst. And our crime and Justice reporter, Shimon Prokupecz, is with us.
So, Juliette, based on what we heard from the mayor, what is your analysis?
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: So a couple of things. The focus on family unification is essential. Because unfortunately, they will have to identify not just the dead, but it appears from news reports from the hospital that there are multiple injured. They are not dead yet. Hopefully, they will get the medical care that they need. But you will have a range of issues dealing with identification of who the victims are.
So I'm just being honest here. I'm bracing for some pretty unhappy afternoon when they are able to verify it in terms of the numbers because it just seems what the mayor said and what the hospitals are disclosing, this was a major event.
Second is obviously how fast this occurred. We're hearing different numbers between one to three, as the mayor says three. We'll wait for the police to confirm that. That is well planned.
But secondly, there's a lot of people injured or dead in a very short period of time. You know me, Wolf, I don't shy away from having this discussion. That weaponry that can kill people very quickly is a purely American phenomenon. So that's something I'm looking at in terms of, what was the weaponry and obviously what was the legal status of that weaponry. But a lot of people down very quickly. So generally, that is not a handgun. So that is what we're looking at as this unhappy, another American
weekend so to speak, with another active shooter case.
BLITZER: Yes, an awful situation.
Jonathan, three suspects the mayor says are now in custody. Three people involved, that is obviously significant in this investigation. The mayor, who is clearly totally understandably broken up about all of this, reporting to us, confirming there are multiple people not only injured but killed in this shooting. Three people involved, that suggests that this could be a through truly horrendous shooting incident.
[15:10:43] JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Absolutely. This is very tragic.
Three suspects is a little anomalous from what we've seen before. So that just speaks to a couple things. A lot to break down right now.
Overall scene safety, we have three suspects. We don't know if there are more. We're watching the FBI HRTT team, they will be going through along with other tactical teams to provide team safety. They're going to go through and will conduct a methodical search of all the areas to ensure, one, that there are no other suspects that are hiding to potentially launch a secondary attack. And that anybody who was hiding because of the attack can come out. That's one aspect of it.
The second aspect of is, we have three in custody and we have a massive crime scene with multiple areas, from the mall, running through the parking lot, most likely, in through the Walmart. So preserving anything of evidentiary value is also key right now for law enforcement.
So this is a very dynamic situation with a lot of things going on. Coupled with the fact that we also have a mass casualty event ongoing. So how do we take care of the wounded, whether they are on scene or the walking wounded, how do we address that? So this is very dynamic and fast-moving situation.
BLITZER: Certainly is. An awful situation, indeed.
Shimon, we don't know what kind of weapons were used in the shooting incident. But the nature of the weapons, once that is released, could underscore the enormity of this tragedy.
PROKUPECZ: Yes, certainly the type of weapon that was used in a lot of these shootings. We've just did one last Sunday, sadly, not even one a week ago, where that shooter used an A.K.-47-style rifle. So we could be looking at a similar situation here. That's the common type of weaponry that we've seen in these kinds of shootings.
The initial reports to police were that there was one shooter. I think that's important to keep in mind. There could have been other people taken into custody, somehow may be associated with the shooter. There may be questions surrounding these individuals. And that is why they were taken into custody. So important to keep in mind.
But the initial report was that there was one shooter. There were some reports of someone seen leaving a Walmart and then heading into the mall. Police trying to go confirm that. They were looking at surveillance video. There was a lot of surveillance video around. You have the mall with several stores in this mall, but there's surveillance video in the area that area that police have gone through already and have a pretty good idea of who the shooter is. They do have, they believe, in in custody. So others could just -- they could just potentially be questioning.
The big question is the casualties. How many people are injured or, sadly, dead in this situation?. We are hearing from officials is that there are multiple dead. So they could still be trying to short that out.
And you can only imagine what the scene inside that mall must look like, the scene inside the Walmart. People running, panicked. We've seen some of the video. And a lot of these situations also, just the panic and the people running from the scene causes a lot of injuries. And so that is something that the police are also having to deal with.
Obviously, trying to figure out what set this individual off, the motive. That's all going to come. But again, we're still waiting to hear officially from police, Wolf.
And the other thing that is important is what police came out and said about they do believe that they have the situation under control but it's not 100 percent secure. They'd like to go through the mall. That is why we're seeing video of these heavily armed and tactical gear. The FBI is there. They will help, the ATF. And obviously, the local police and surrounding police will come and help go through that entire mall, go through the Walmart, make sure there's no other dangers inside.
And other thing is getting the people out of there. There are a lot of people there that probably thought that they were going to die and so they were hiding in bathrooms and closets and storage rooms. That's what police are having to deal with as well. They are going into this building, this area of the mall heavily armed and you have people hiding in bathrooms and closets and they're seeing the police with these heavy weapons and trying to get them out to safety.
That is always a big concern as well for law enforcement as well -- Wolf?
BLITZER: This is a nightmare. There were hundreds -- no idea how many, but so many people shopping, especially getting ready for the new school year at this mall in El Paso. And, all of a sudden, a mass shooting. Multiple people, several people killed, presumably many more injured.
[15:14:21] We're going to stay on top of this. We're not leaving the story. We'll take a quick break. Much more on all the breaking news right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're back with the horrible breaking news of another shooting, mass shooting in El Paso, Texas. According to the El Paso mayor, who I spoke with just a few moments ago go, there are three suspects in custody. The El Paso police confirm there are multiple, unfortunately, fatalities. No current active shooter but this is still a very active investigation under way right now. Another horrible shooting here in the United States.
And 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Beto O'Rourke, a former U.S. congressman from El Paso, he is speaking on the horrible shooting. Let's listen.
BETO O'ROURKE, (D), FORMER CONGRESSMAN & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have just learned a short while ago that there has been a shooting in El Paso. And at this point, the area has still not been cleared. It is still considered active.
We know that it is a lot of injury, a lot of suffering in El Paso right now. I'm incredibly saddened. I mean, it is very hard to think about this.
But I'll tell you, El Paso is the strongest place in the world. This community will come together.
I'm going back there right now to be with my family and to be with my hometown.
And I want to thank El Paso Police Department and first responders. They are there right now. And we're going back to be with them.
[15:20:01] I've spoken to the mayor of El Paso, Dee Margo. I've spoken to Congressman Escobar. And I've spoken to Sheriff Wiles. And they are doing everything that they can. And we're still learning information about the situation.
So I just ask for everyone's strength for El Paso right now, everyone's resolve to make sure this does not continue to happen in this country. And we'll be sharing more as I learn more going forward.
I thank you all for being here today. Thanks.
BLITZER: Very sad situation. Totally understandable. Beto O'Rourke earlier he said the first thing he did was called his wife to make sure she was all right, spoke with his daughter. And now, as we heard, he is heading back to El Paso. Clearly, he is shaken by this and all of us are shaken by this.
I want to bring in a witness of the shooting on the phone right now, specialist, Glen Oakley, is joining us.
I understand, Specialist, that you were in the Cielo Vista Mall at a sporting goods store. Take us through what happened, what you saw. But before you do so, how are you doing?
GLEN OAKLEY, WITNESS & U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST (via telephone): I'm fine right now. I'm still here at the moment.
BLITZER: Are you still at the mall?
OAKLEY: Yes, I am.
BLITZER: So tell us what you saw and heard.
OAKLEY: Well, I was in a sports store buying a jersey. And a little kid ran in and was telling us that there was an active shooter but we didn't pay attention because it was a little kid and so we didn't pay it no mind.
So I walked to Foot Locker and I heard two gunshots and a bunch of people started running around and screaming. They shut the cage in Foot Locker.
And I have my license to carry. I've been in the military. So trying to think fast, take cover, do anything that you can. So a couple guys, they just ran out of Foot Locker. And I'm thinking that I'm the only one with a weapon that is legally carrying. So I go with them because I can guard them or whenever.
But I see a whole bunch of kids running around without their parents. Only thing I think of is pick up as many kids as possible. And another guy with me did it as well. And so maybe a total of like 13 kids running around. But I could only get three. I think he got about three as well. I wasn't worried about myself. So just put my head down and ran as fast as I could.
And once I seen a whole bunch of cops, I dropped them and told them to go. And I pulled out my phone and started recording while I was running. They were saying, "hands up, hands up." I wasn't too worried about myself. I was just trying to get the kids out of there. There was just so many kids running around. I was just thinking about if I had a child, and how I would feel. And I just tried to get as many kids as I could and made it out.
BLITZER: Specialist, how long did this incident occur from the time that the young kids came into that store and told you that there was a shooter until now? Basically, how long was the active shooting as far as you can tell?
OAKLEY: I was in there buying a jersey, came in there, and then two minutes probably about went by. And I walked out and down to the Foot Locker. So I'll say, from me making it to the kids telling me to me hearing gunshots, maybe five to seven minutes.
BLITZER: By the way, we just heard that 11 people have been transported to a local hospital --
OAKLEY: Yes. Yes.
BLITZER: -- in El Paso. And I don't know if there's going to be more.
(CROSSTALK) BLITZER: Yes, go ahead.
OAKLEY: I was also told in a -- I'm standing by some other people here and I was told that 18 people were dead and four kids are dead as well.
BLITZER: We don't have those numbers. We know multiple victims killed and injured and wounded in this shooting, mass shooting that was going on. But we don't have any specific numbers yet. We spoke to the mayor a little while ago, Dee Margo, who said no specific numbers but multiple fatalities. And he also told us three people are in police custody right now, three suspects in police custody.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: What were the folks saying to you, Specialist Oakley, as you were walking around? Were you walking around in military uniform or just in civilian clothes?
OAKLEY: No, I was in civilian clothes. Like nobody was really -- because the kid was just running around saying an active shooting. I don't know how he found out, but people in the mall weren't really paying him no attention until gunshots popped off and then a whole bunch of mall customers were running around. That is when people started to run around screaming.
[15:25:14] BLITZER: Did you hear any gunshots?
OAKLEY: Yes.
BLITZER: You did?
OAKLEY: Two.
BLITZER: You heard two gunshots?
OAKLEY: Me and the guy that -- I don't know who the other guy was, but we just ended up being right next to each but he heard it at well.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: So what do you do? I know you are in the military. You're in the U.S. Army. You are a specialist. What did you do when you heard the gunshots?
OAKLEY: Anybody in the military can tell you, it's something you can't explain. I don't even remember like -- I just remember, because, I just remember, you know, trying to get the kids out. Because we're trained to pull your gun out and, you know, take cover or save or shoot whoever is in front of you would is the enemy. It's something I can't explain. You just have to be in the military to really understand what I've gone through, through that time.
BLITZER: So your objective, your immediate goal was to help save the kids as opposed to running toward the incident where the shooting was going on -- OAKLEY: Right.
BLITZER: -- even though you were armed?
OAKLEY: Right. Because when I was in Foot Locker, at first I was telling people to hide, but when they shut the cages, you could see right through it, right through the cag, and all you see is a whole bunch of kids. So I just thought about getting the kids out of way. I was just worried about the kids. Once I seen the kid, I wasn't too worried about myself.
BLITZER: And so you helped the kids. How are the kids doing?
OAKLEY: They were just anxious. When they were in my arm, they were trying to jump out of my arms but I'm trying to keep them as tight as possible. They are kids, so they don't understand what is going on. And I think they weren't by their parents or nothing.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: As far as you can tell -- you are still at the Cielo Vista Mall, Specialist. Is it over? Are people letting you walk around or are they forcing you to stay put?
OAKLEY: At first, they were forcing me to stay put. But I came up on the other side. I was walking to my car, so I had to walk all the way around. There was a whole bunch of people just walking, walking. But the Border Patrol was trying to push everybody back. But I made to my car and I drove around and I had to park a couple of people just started walking around. I guess they answered the questions (INAUDIBLE).
BLITZER: Specialist Oakley, is there anything else you want to share with our viewers here in the United States and around the world?
OAKLEY: I just hope those kids ran into their parents. I just hope, if you are looking for your child, I hope I was able to get your child out of there as quick as possible. I just pray that all the kids and everybody made it out safely. Like I said, I wasn't expecting this to happen. It's just minding my business. It shocked me. I wasn't expecting this.
BLITZER: Nobody was expecting this but, unfortunately, it happens way too often.
Specialist Glen Oakley, thanks, first of all, for your service to the United States. You're in the U.S. Army. Thanks for what you did today, helping those kids in the face of the mass shooting. We'll stay in close touch with you.
Thank you so much for joining us.
OAKLEY: All right, roger that.
BLITZER: We are looking at the live pictures coming in from El Paso right now at the mall, the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso. A very busy Saturday. Folks were shopping, getting ready for the new school year and, all of a sudden, a mass shooting occurs.
We've just received a statement from Walmart, which was located in this mall. And let me read it. The statement from Walmart, "We're in shock over the tragic events at the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso." The statement goes on to say they are praying for the victims, the community and our associates, as well as the first responders and working closely with law enforcement and will provide appropriate updates.
We want to stay on top of this horrendous story in El Paso, Texas. Another mass shooting here in the United States. Multiple fatalities and victims.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:33:07] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: We have more on the breaking news. Very sad update on what is going on in El Paso. We can confirm that 22 people were injured in that mass shooting in El Paso and that 11 have gone to a local hospital.
Three suspects are in custody. Police say no active shooter remains at the Cielo Vista Shopping Mall.
El Paso's mayor telling CNN there are multiple fatalities. Several people, unfortunately, have been killed. We don't have a specific number yet.
We have been seeing the terrifying scenes of panicked shoppers running through stores, employees calmly helping people evacuate, while SWAT teams were hunting for the shooters,
Keep in mind, many stores were offering back-to-school specials today, just days before El Paso schools were getting ready to reopen after the summer recess.
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Run, Mika, run.
UNIDENTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: Hands up, hands up! Hands up! Let's go, let's go. Hands up.
Let's go, let's go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) Let's go, let's go. Let's go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: While police are now working to try to gather as much information as possible, they are asking people to try to stay calm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: All right? We're going to try to as fast as we can. But we need you to remain calm and stay here. OK? Under the shade.
What I'm going to do, I'm going to see if we can get water for everybody out here, OK? All right? That is a start. I'll start with that, OK? But you have to help me out and stay back here, OK? All right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:35:00] BLITZER: And this just into CNN. President Trump has been briefed on the shooting in El Paso, has spoken with the attorney general, Bill Barr, and the Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
The governor, by the way, just released a statement saying this, among other things: "Today, the El Paso community was struck by a heinous and senseless act of violence. Our hearts go out to the victims of this horrific shooting and to the entire community in this time of loss. While no words can provide the solace needed for those impacted by this event, I ask that all Texans join Cecilia and me in offering our prayers for the victims and their families. The State of Texas and the Department of Public Safety are assisting the El Paso Police Department as they conduct their investigation. We have deployed troopers, special agents, Texas Rangers, tactical teams, and aircraft to the scene in a support role. The state of Texas will do everything that it can to ensure justice is delivered to the perpetrators of this heinous act."
That from the Texas Governor Abbott, just releasing that statement moments ago.
Now let's hear from this witness who heard gunshots as she walked into the Walmart. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS: I'm getting people out. Trying to find the shooter, you know.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did you see anyone injured? How were people being taken away? I know there were multiple ambulances. People taken in cars I heard. How did it go down on the ground?
UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS: There was a lot of people tumbling over others, like just trying to get out. So people were falling. Some of them got hurt like- -- I saw a co-worker fell and hurt her ankle, but she was OK. She happened to be OK. But one of my associates, he was actually shot in the hand. So he is in the hospital right now. That is all I know. I just hope that he is OK.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you know if anyone else is still inside the Walmart?
UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS: Not from my knowledge. I don't know. I'm not sure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right. Let's go to -- authorities are now speaking. Let's listen in.
SGT. ROBERT GOMEZ, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, EL PASO POLICE DEPARTMENT: OK. Here we go. My name is Sergeant Robert Gomez. I'm a public information officer with the city of El Paso, El Paso Police Department.
Just a brief of what the situation is. Approximately 10:00 this morning, we started receiving 911 calls from the public of an active shooter. Several emergency responses reacted and responded to the mall. The first location was the Walmart at Gateway and Hawkins. We then received several information of possible shooters at Cielo Vista Mall.
Initial reports did advise multiple suspects. At this time, we do have one person in custody. We don't believe there's anybody outstanding. So we are advising -- we are starting to secure the scene and the scene is starting to become secure.
We do have multiple -- we can confirm there were multiple victims. I can't confirm their status yet and I can't confirm the numbers.
That is all we have right now as far as the active scene.
We have established a reunification site for anybody who was in the area and got separated from their loved ones. We're asking them to report to MacArthur Elementary School in order to be reunited with any loved ones that got separated through the chaos.
At this time, we will be giving tactical briefs at the scene. But as I said earlier, we are transitioning into a homicide scene or a possible homicide scene and this scene will be secured, locked down, and a criminal investigation will start.
Any further tactical briefs will be from this location. And more confirmed concrete information will come from city leaders, from the EEOC -- I mean, correction, the EOC. That location will be announced and we will be able to hear from the city leaders, chief of police, mayor, so forth, with more concrete information. This location will be the tactical brief giving you updates of where we need people to go, what we need people to do, and the status with the scene itself.
At this time, I'll take any questions.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How many have been considered?
GOMEZ: At this time, we have pulled out multiple shooters. It's still active. But right now, we have one person in custody.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION) GOMEZ: I don't have the status of the suspect right now.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
GOMEZ: I don't have that confirmation. I these we have injured. I don't know their status or if there's any killed. As soon as we have that information, we'll provide it. But we don't want to do anything immaturely until we have accurate facts for you.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) -- an active search?
GOMEZ: Right now, we're clearing all the location. This is a very large area including the mall, all the retail areas. We are going through, making sure that anybody that sheltered in place that we get to them. We're also treating any persons that were injured in any form.
So this is a large crime scene, a large area, so we're systematically going through it and making sure that anybody in the area, number one, we're really not-- that no one is it a suspect. And we're also making sure that those people that were separated or hurt are getting the care that they need.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
[15:40:05] GOMEZ: I don't have the locations of the casualties. I just know that there are casualties. I don't know the actual location --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
GOMEZ: Yes, there were reports of gunfire in several locations. Mainly Walmart and the Cielo Vista Mall.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sir, we're getting reports that Bassett was evacuated.
GOMEZ: We did have initial reports that Bassett Center. I can't confirm that those reports were not true. We have confirmed that there's nothing going on related to this incident at Bassett Center.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are casualties still inside the Walmart?
GOMEZ: I don't know the status. I know medical personnel are attending to them. I don't know if they're still there or have been transported. I know there's mixed information on that. As soon as I have an accurate count, I will give it to you.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What about reports of one person arrested on their way to Horizon?
GOMEZ: I don't have any reports of a person arrested in Horizon. I do know we have one person detained and one person in custody right now. I don't have a location of that - of where that person was detained. But as soon as I get that and we have more concrete information, we'll provide it.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
GOMEZ: Our initial reports of the weapon was a rifle. I can't confirm that yet. But initial reports was a rifle.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is it true it was gang related terrorism?
GOMEZ: We have no -- we have no information. We have not put out a concrete response on what the motive for the shooting is. We are working that. Like I said, we are transitioning to the crime scene phase and we will be developing more information as it becomes available to us as we learn it and --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
GOMEZ: We have -- the El Paso Police Department has jurisdiction of the scene but we are working with our federal partners. FBI is on scene, DEA, all the federal agencies are here assisting. This is a large area. We do have assistance from the sheriff's department, the school district. Pretty much every law enforcement personnel in El Paso is here assisting. We are working closely with our federal partners, our state partners, and all the other law enforcement in the area.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The suspect in custody, do you know anything about that person?
GOMEZ: No, we are still developing that. As soon as I have confirmation of the identity or information, I will release it.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you have race, age, sex?
GOMEZ: No, I don't have anything. The only thing I have is a male.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: There is more than one shooter?
GOMEZ: As of right now, we have one person in custody. I don't know the particulars or if there are more than one. There were initial reports of one, but we have one person in custody. I don't know the ages or the casualties.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
GOMEZ: No. We only have one person in custody as of right now.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
GOMEZ: As far as I know, no.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GOMEZ: I don't have the condition of any casualties at all, whether they're fatalities or injured. I don't have that yet. As soon as that becomes available, we will put it out.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
GOMEZ: I can only say we have one person in custody right now. I can't definitively say there's only one shooter.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)
GOMEZ: There were shots fired. There were shots fired in this area. I can't tell you the location.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION). At the beginning of the briefing, you said that police have ruled out other people that are not in custody?
GOMEZ: Just to be clear, this is fluid and dynamic. As of right now, we don't think there are multiples, but that could change. Initial reports was there was multiple. At this second in time, we have one person in custody. We won't rule out multiple until we have a concrete investigation based on all the facts and an investigation of the scene. Soo it can change. As of this moment, we only one person in custody. We are investigating the crime scene. Should it change, we will give you an update. But as of right now, that's the information that I have.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
BLITZER: So there you have the latest from Sergeant Robert Gomez, of the El Paso Police Department, spokesman for the El Paso Police Department. He is saying one person is in custody. Earlier, we heard from the mayor of El Paso, Dee Margo, that there were three suspects. He says one. That could change. He says all this information is very preliminary, very early. And as we know, in this situations, new information is always coming in.
He does confirm multiple victims. He can't confirm how many killed or injured. He does say that the initial reports are that rifle, some sort of rifle, was used. Local authorities are being assisted by the FBI and other federal authorities as well.
We're also told separately at least 22 people have been injured in this this shooting incident. And 11 of the victims have been transported to University Medical Center of El Paso. Ranging from very severe, but most of their conditions are non-life-threatening conditions. We're getting more information from the Del Sol Medical Center as well on that. [15:45:09] I want to bring in our law enforcement experts and
reporters for some analysis.
Juliette, let me start with you.
What do you think, based on what we heard from Sergeant Gomez?
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I think that we just have to make clear that the mayor, when he was on earlier, had inaccurate information. That happens. The mayor is not on scene. It is very important that we follow what the police is telling us.
The sergeant we just heard from said one and only one. And that there's only one in custody and, therefore, only one shooter. That matters because this is going to be a massive investigation. And because he is still alive, meaning that there will be a case and an investigation surrounding him and any other accomplices.
The second thing is, obviously, the issue of, how does one person shoot that many people that quickly. The police officer talked about a rifle, was not specific. They might still be trying to determine that. That will also be relevant because inevitably, how he got a hold of it, how old is this person. Last week, we had a very young white male. What is his nationality? And then, of course, what is his motivation.
So unfortunately, we've already moved from the crisis of people being dead to now we have numbers ranging, so I won't say it. We know that it is definitely more than 10 at this stage. This is a mass casualty event. And we now are moving to a perpetrator or murderer who is in custody.
So that is sort of where we are right now. And just making it clear one and only one shooter. Previous information from the mayor was that it was second hand. That happens. I'm not blaming him. But we have to make it clear that police know who is in custody.
BLITZER: And, Jonathan, we're getting new specific information on the 22 people have been injured in this mass shooting. And 11 of the victims, we're told, have been sent to the University Medical Center of El Paso and, separately, 11 others have been sent to the Del Sol Medicare Center in El Paso as well. So 22 people injured, multiple fatalities. We don't know how many. But those are significant numbers. Our hearts go out to those families.
Jonathan, what is your analysis based on what we heard from Sergeant Gomez, of the El Paso Police Department?
JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Listen, this is a very fluid situation. This is now switching over to a homicide scene. So just think of the sheer size and scope of this crime scene, multiple buildings. The law enforcement will be executing over the next few hours probably search warrants of the suspect's cars, residences. Anything that they can get of evidentiary value, they will try to acquire very quickly. But also, law enforcement has to take pause and they have to start
interviewing victims and witnesses just to understand what they have seen, what they witnessed. This will go to -- this is going to be a prosecutorial matter, so preserving anything of evidentiary value is key at this moment in time for law enforcement.
BLITZER: Shimon, what else are you hearing and what is your analysis of what we heard from the police department spokesman?
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME & JUSTICE REPORTER: I think certainly one of the most important things is that they believe there was only one shooter in this incident. Obviously, they are trying to be cautious and making sure that there's no one else involved and that is why they are exercising a lot of caution.
You are seeing a lot of heavily armed police and law enforcement, FBI agents, ATF agents all entering the mall. They're still searching through that mall. They want to make sure they can get everyone out of the mall safely and make sure there's nothing else in there that's dangerous.
And really, it's the numbers. It doesn't -- it seems like the police and the officials there in El Paso have an idea about how many people have been hurt and killed here, but they are not ready to release it. I think that they are still going through the scene.
You can only imagine what the scene must look like from just the shear panic, people running. And there are bodies, quite frankly, in some of these areas.
So and as the police said, and what we have been hearing, is that the initial reports to police was that the shooter went from the Walmart -- I don't know the distance between the Walmart and the mall -- and then he walked to the mall, went into the mall, and that is where also thoughts were fired. So people injured inside that mall. People taken to hospitals.
So police are still trying to get a handle on exactly how many victims they have, how many people have been killed.
And the suspect, who they say is in custody, we don't know his condition is. And if he is alive, that will give them a lot of clues and significant details on exactly why this happened and what the motivation here was for this shooting -- Wolf?
BLITZER: We do know, Shimon, that all these malls in the United States do have a lot of closed-circuit video cameras all over the place. So I assume very, very quickly, if not already, authorities are beginning to look at the videos.
[15:50:05] PROKUPECZ: Yes. They are doing that. They are asking for the mall security of the managers of the various shops inside this mall, the manager at the Walmart. They were looking at the video. So they were going through video.
There was a lot of video to go through. And there's probably enough video there where they can pinpoint a lot of the moves that the shooter here made, where he went, what he was firing with. We have that initial report that police say that he was using a rifle.
So witnesses clearly saw him. Witnesses were able to call police, dial 911 and report him. And then they'll have that surveillance video. And that will be very useful for them. They've probably looked through most of that video. So they have a really good idea about exactly what transpired here -- Wolf?
BLITZER: I assume they do.
Everybody, stand by.
We are hearing from one woman who escaped with her daughter and husband as they were back-to-school shopping.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did you guys hear anything, see anything?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I heard a lot of yelling. And there were cops with guns and yelling, "Get on your knees," and that's when we went back and we were scared to death.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How did you get out?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the back. No, actually, we were in the front and they told us to get in line and to not stop and to keep going.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Who is they? Who was --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The cops. The cops.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK. And I take it you guys were escorted out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we were escorted out with the cops.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK. Who came with you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband, my daughter, and there was other people, too, that were with us in the store.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Initially, hearing this, that there's an active gun shooter in the store --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- what ran through your mind?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just -- it just blew my mind. I never thought that I would be in that situation before, you know, like -- I don't know. It's a pretty scary situation. I didn't think that, you know, it would happen, but it did.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Perfect. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Doing back-to-school shopping at the local mall. School is getting ready in the next week or so to resume and, all of a sudden, you have to grab your kid. I can't even imagine the horror. And just grab your child and start running out of the mall and explaining to your child what's going on as you just do regular back-to-school shopping.
Here's more from another eyewitness.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I came for back-to-school shopping to get things for school and then out of nowhere they started saying that there was a shooting at the Walmart and that it was coming towards over here.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How old are you? I'm curious.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Sixteen.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sixteen.
When -- when they came and told you get in the room, get in the room, what ran through your mind?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: That, like, what if there's people outside that couldn't make it inside and just wanted everyone to be safe.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Talk to me from beginning to end when people came up to you and said, "Hey, get in the room, get in the room." Talk to me about that.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I was in Journey's looking at shoes, and the manager, she closed the gate, and my mom asked, "What's going on?" She was like they said to close everything and we went to the back and we waited for 20 to 30 minutes in the back.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: This is kind of an obvious question, but when you were being escorted out of the mall, what was it like for you?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: It was very, like, triggering, like, that people -- that you can't trust no one. Like, there's crazy people everywhere, you know?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Were you afraid for your life?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What about your mom's and your dad's?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Oh, yes. They're everything to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Awful. Awful.
Chris Babcock is joining us right now. Chris is a reporter with "The El Paso Herald Post".
Chris, where exactly are you right now? And give us the latest information you're getting.
CHRIS BABCOCK, REPORTER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE EL PASO HERALD POST (via telephone): Wolf, thank you very much.
Actually, one of the things about where the shooting took place, it's half a mile from the studios. When I first got the call, I drove all the way in from the suburb outside where I live about 20 miles outside of town and I followed the convoy of police officers from all over the region streaming to the mall and got there probably around 10:40 and the incident happened at 10:00.
It is a very active investigation. We've got at least three choppers overhead at this point. It's CBP, BPS, and another Border Patrol helicopter. I believe it's a DEA chopper that they have. And they're running circles all around the area.
I heard one of your guests earlier was talking about what the size of this crime scene is. And the location it's east central El Paso. This is a typical 1970s mall. It was built in 1974. So it's a two- story mall and it's expanded outward.
On the outside of the mall, you have a Walmart. And right next to it is a Costco. And the walk from the Walmart to the Costco to the anchor store to get into the mall, it might be 200 yards.
[15:55:07] BLITZER: So this is a very popular mall, I take it, and a lot of shopping going on right now for all of the kids who were getting ready to go back to school.
BABCOCK: Exactly. Yes. At the time it happened, the mall had just opened. And on a Saturday, the entire parking lot will be full. And it's the largest shopping center in the region.
We have shoppers coming in from New Mexico and from the state of Chihuahua, right across the border from Juarez and Chihuahua City. And they'll show up at 9:00 at the mall and start shopping. And that's where they were. It was one of the situations where the Walmart was already packed. And the shopping mall, the Cielo Vista Mall was starting to get full as well.
And I know you spoke with the gentleman I spoke with, the specialist, Oakley. He was in there and his story is remarkable. Just like the other people who were coming out. They didn't believe it at first and then they started hearing shots and they took off.
A very unexpected situation for us here. But a challenge for the police around this area because, if I try to put a distance on it, the crime scene is probably just shy of a mile long.
BLITZER: Yes. It's an awful situation.
Are folks OK there? What are you seeing from those that have survived, obviously, this mass shooting? BABCOCK: Well, we were out there and you could tell that the law enforcement was processing people out as we've, unfortunately, come to see here in all of this video. They isolate the mall. The malls roll down the gates and the shoppers come out with their hands up. And they're isolated in different zones.
And really, for the entire morning that they were out there, it was -- they were very much the walking wounded. They had a glazed look in their eye and they were on the phone. They weren't talking much. You could hear conversations muted, either way, yes, I'm OK, my wife is over there. It was a very somber situation. Not necessarily rushed, but it was -- you could tell that people were deeply, deeply affected.
And now that we're starting to get into the phase of this situation where we will hear about how many casualties there are, and there are numbers being thrown out on both sides, when we comes out, I think the true scope of this tragedy is going to be a gut punch to this community.
BLITZER: It certainly will be. It already is.
Chris Babcock, of "The El Paso Herald Post," thank you very much. We will stay in touch with you.
These are live pictures coming in from El Paso at the mall.
We'll take a quick break. Much more on all the breaking news right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:00:02] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
BLITZER: We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer, in Washington.
We are following breaking news right now.
