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Tragedy in Marysville; New Jersey and New York Orders Mandatory Quarantines; ISIS Accused of Launching Chlorine Attack; The Future of Digital Music; Airbag Recall Affects Nearly Eight Million Cars; Architect Overcomes Loss of Vision

Aired October 25, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Welcome back. You're watching the CNN NEWSROOM.

First, two teenage girls fighting for their lives after being gunned down in their high school cafeteria. We're live outside the hospital with an update on their conditions.

Plus, Ebola fears causing two states to put in place new rules for anyone arriving from West African nations with Ebola cases, but there's already concern. The new quarantine rules could backfire. We'll explain.

And danger behind the wheel. What you need to know to respond to this massive airbag recall affecting millions of cars on the road.

All right, hello, again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin in Marysville, Washington. A community in so much pain today after a school shooting. We learned today two 14-year-old girls being treated at one hospital are in critical condition. The chief medical officer said today the next few days are crucial and the families are asking for privacy as they try to come to grips with what is happening to their children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JOANNE ROBERTS, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, PROVIDENCE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER: They're both very critical. We've seen tears, we've seen anger, they are just, just grieving. Right now, I think they are just settled in. Things are quiet. They know the circumstances. They're hoping for the best.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Two other victims are being treated at a second hospital. Earlier today, that hospital said a 14-year-old boy is still in serious condition and a 15-year-old boy is in critical condition there.

Witnesses say 14-year-old Jaylen Fryberg opened fire in his high school cafeteria yesterday morning. One girl was killed and Fryberg shot and killed himself. Susan Candiotti is live in Everett, Washington, outside the Providence

Regional Medical Center, where the two 14-year-old girls are being treated.

Susan, what more are you learning about the investigation, the condition of these kids?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, as this community tries to console each other and pull for these young people to recover, they're also trying to figure out what led to this shooting.

And I was speaking with a student who's a junior who knew this freshman. Said he was a very popular student and it turns out they had a conversation Friday morning at the start of the school day and it included talking about how this young man had recently returned from a suspension after he got involved with a fight with someone at a football practice according to witnesses. They had made some bullying comments toward him. So that's what this junior was telling me about. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATHAN HECKENDORF, FRIEND OF JAYLEN FRYBERG: It was a moment just to kind of follow up on what was going on in his life. Like I said, I wasn't -- I'm not -- haven't ever been that close to him but, you know, I've spoken with him and talk to him like I do to other people that I see around school. And, you know, I just told him, like I said, to talk to me, come talk to me if he ever needs anything.

And, you know, in these final words that he said to me about what had happened with the -- with the fight, he said it was an act of anger or it was an act of aggression and he should have used his words. And those were the last words that he had really spoken to me and kind of -- it really hit me pretty hard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: So, Fred, again, the motive is unclear. Authorities really aren't saying much about what they are finding out, but they spent much of Friday and into the night collecting evidence at that school and speaking with witnesses -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Susan Candiotti, there in Everett, Washington.

And on the East Coast, some good news for a health worker quarantined in New Jersey. She has tested negative in a preliminary test for the Ebola virus. The woman arrived in Newark airport yesterday and was immediately quarantined when officials learned that she had been treating Ebola patients in West Africa.

She returned to the U.S. just as new guidelines were issued by New York and New Jersey officials ordering a 21-day mandatory quarantine for some travelers coming from the Ebola hot zone.

So what will these quarantines mean for the general public?

CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joining us now live.

So, Elizabeth, you've been talking to doctors who have been taking care of Ebola patients overseas and they're not that excited about this, saying now they don't even want to go back because of the investment of time, dedicating care to the patients in West Africa, and then dedicating the time for this quarantine.

So what is this going to mean when it comes down to really attacking Ebola at the source and it needs a global effort and it needs a global effort in which to do so?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, that's exactly the right phrase to use, Fred. Attacking Ebola at the source. If you don't get rid of Ebola in Africa, you are not going to get rid of Ebola in the United States. And so these experts and doctors that I'm talking to are really questioning why Governors Christie and Cuomo want this quarantine.

You know, when health care workers come back from West Africa, if they're healthy, why should they be quarantined? That's three weeks that they're not allowed to work, three weeks they can't be with their family, and you know, the workers -- the doctors and nurses I've talked to said look, we're risking our lives, we're going over to West Africa for, let's say, you know, a month or so, and then another three weeks that we can't make a living and we can't be with our family, that is a problematic.

The workers I've talked to said we're just -- we're just not going to do it. And so if you don't quell the outbreak in Africa, you can't stop it here.

WHITFIELD: And then it's interesting that New York and New Jersey would target specifically health care workers because Thomas Eric Duncan was not a health care worker. He came from Liberia. Went to Dallas and we know his story from there. He ended up dying from Ebola and some health care workers contracted it from him.

But that kind of policy wouldn't -- I guess, will not prevent any other travelers who may be coming from infected areas and protecting the general populous in New York and New Jersey.

COHEN: That's right. And it's important to know that Dr. Spencer, who's in the hospital behind me, we don't know that he got Ebola from one of his patients. He was wearing protective gear. He was working for Doctors Without Borders, that has an excellent track record of keeping their doctors and nurses safe. It is very possible to get Ebola from someone else, not necessarily from one of your patients.

And there are lots of questions about how they're going to enforce this. If you're not going to put a police officer outside every health care worker's door, how are you going to make sure that they don't go outside? And, Fred, it's interesting. Some experts I've talked to, they said

there is another way to do this. You can, for example, just be more vigilant with health care workers. For example, we know that Dr. Spencer we're told that he felt fatigued and not well for a period of time. Why wasn't someone having discussions with him at that time and saying hey, if you're feeling even slightly tired, don't leave your apartment. We're coming to visit you. You know, we want to -- we want to take care of this right away. There may be a middle ground here without going all the way to a quarantine.

WHITFIELD: All right, Elizabeth Cohen right outside Bellevue Hospital. Thanks so much in New York.

And this just in to CNN. A Tennessee middle schooler's death could be tied to the Enterovirus D-68. CNN obtained a letter that Metro National Public School sent to parents, it says there was concern that this death could be from an Enterovirus. The health department let us know that the child had a preliminary test suggesting Enterovirus or possibly another respiratory virus. The health department has not received a confirmation yet because specific testing is spending," end quote.

The CDC meantime says an estimated 10 to 15 million people are infected with Enterovirus each year in the U.S.

All right, still to come, were Iraqi forces poisoned by a recent ISIS attack? We'll have details on the potential new twist in the terrorist group's battlefield tactics.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Now to the Middle East where ISIS battlefield tactics may have taken a even more sinister turn. Charges now that the radical extremist fighters launched a chlorine attack on Iraqi forces not far from Baghdad.

Barbara Starr has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iraqi forces being rushed to medical care after possibly being hit by chlorine by ISIS forces 50 miles north of Baghdad. According to media reports, it happened last month.

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: These allegations are extremely serious and we are seeking additional information in order to be able to determine whether or not we can confirm it.

STARR: Reports indicate the men were quickly released from the hospital. CNN has been unable to independently confirm the attack.

Chlorine by itself is not considered a chemical weapon, but it can be poisonous. It can also be delivered by a weapon such as an artillery shell. Earlier this year, the U.S. and other countries concluded Syrian

civilians were attacked by regime forces with chlorine and reports persist of other attacks.

LT. GEN. MARK HURTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It's more of a defensive and more of a psychological weapon than anything else. The effects of chemical to a soldier on the battlefield will cause them to do nothing but want to stop fighting and go for self-preservation.

STARR: After almost three months of airstrikes and more than 630 bombing runs over Syria and Iraq, optimism about the strategy working to degrade ISIS is tempered.

CHUCK HAGEL, DEFENSE SECRETARY: The reality is that ISIL has controlled and still does control a significant amount of ground in Iraq.

STARR: U.S. military officials briefing reporters acknowledged it could be months before Iraqi forces are ready to launch a major counteroffensive and years before they can finally take back full control of the country.

HERTLING: In order to launch an effective offensive operation, soldiers have to have trust in their commanders. That's not existent in most of the Iraqi army now.

STARR (on camera): And ISIS going back to tried and true tactics now laying roadside bombs in key areas where Iraqi forces are trying to launch counterattacks.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And still to come, nearly a million car owners have already been affected by the defective airbag recall, but is that just the beginning? And just how safe is your car?

But first, our look into the future. Today, a digital music and how it will change.

Here's Richard Quest with "Tomorrow Transformed."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Half a century ago, you played a record for family and friends. Fast forward a few decades to the era of cartridges and cassettes and we're hitting stop in the digital decade.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the whole history of recorded music. Thirteen million times or more on these services, so you can instantly access on any device.

QUEST: Today, MP3s and online file sharing changed the face of music. Apple iTunes is the number one music retailer in the world. And Spotify subscribers can stream and share without buying a thing. Pledged Music offers an online director-to-fan platform where the artist retained full music rights for a small fee.

Fans of the singer Ben Montague helped him fund his latest album, pushing him to their friends on social media.

Looking ahead to the future, and the industry's skipping ahead with technology.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you can speak to your car and say, I want to hear Cold Play, and you get to play them instantly, I think that's something that a lot of people will really value and I also think it's going to be about improving the quality of the experience. It's fantastic having 13 million songs available for you to play, but you also want to be able to discover them better, share them better with your friends. Understand the connections between these music.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A defective airbag recall has affected nearly a million car owners in the U.S., but that could be just the beginning. Some analysts are saying it may end up being the biggest recall in history and could take years to fix.

Here's Rene Marsh.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, more cars could be recalled over exploding airbags that shoot metal shrapnel at passengers. That from a senior administration official. Now right now the focus is vehicles in states with warm, humid climates, but the pressure is on to expand the recall nationwide.

In the meantime, federal prosecutors are looking into whether Japanese airbag manufacturer Takata was truthful about when it knew of the defects. And lawmakers are Capitol Hill, they are now questioning if the government agency that handles recalls is doing enough to keep drivers and passengers safe.

If you remember, this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, they put out an urgent warning to nearly eight million car owners to immediately get these defective airbags replaced. Some manufactured by Takata, they expand so fast that the metal inflator, it ruptures. It sends metal flying. That could cause serious injury or even death.

Now NHTSA first said 4.5 million vehicles were affected, but later corrected that. It's actually nearly eight million. A senior administration official says a review is underway to make sure a mistake like that doesn't happen again and the agency's safety culture is also under review with a focus on its risk management procedures. Essentially should NHTSA have acted with urgency to recall these cars sooner -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much, Rene.

All right, next, the story about a man who hasn't let a crisis slow him down. He's an architect who lost his sight.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta shows us how he's still creating buildings today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS DOWNEY, BLIND ARCHITECT: On a Friday, I was at work. On Saturday, I was out riding my bike. On Monday, I went in for surgery. On Wednesday, I was blind.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After building a successful career as an architect, 40-year-old Chris Downey was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

DOWNEY: I was told it was a little bit more involved, a little more complicated than they anticipated, but it went well. The next time I woke up, the next day, my sight was starting to fail, so I was rushed back to ICU and the next time I woke up, the sight was all gone.

GUPTA: In fact, before doctors could tell him he was officially blind, a social worker had already stopped by.

DOWNEY: He noticed I was an architect and said, well, we can talk about career alternatives. I was just like shocked, so I immediately started thinking about the work that I do and how much of it was sort of immediately possible.

GUPTA: A can-do attitude coupled with some new tools including a special embossing printer and wax sticks.

DOWNEY: Especially as you work with them, they get warm, it's wax. So it gets kind of tacky and it sticks to the paper.

GUPTA: Has helped Downey become one of the world's few blind architects with a special sense for designing for the disabled.

DOWNEY: If I'm doing a project for people with disabilities, it's about ability, it's about keeping everybody moving. It's enabling as many people to function to their fullest capacity possible.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. Here's a look at some of the other top stories at this hour.

In Sacramento, California, a gunman and his alleged accomplice are in custody today after a shooting rampage that left two sheriff's deputies dead, a third deputy injured and a motorist fighting for his life. Police say the suspect shot and killed Danny Oliver after he approached the gunman's car following reports of a suspicious vehicle. The suspects tried to carjack two cars. Police say the pair shot and killed a second deputy before finally being apprehended.

And a tragic end to the search for missing University of Virginia student, Hannah Graham. Officials have confirmed that human remains the discovered along an abandoned creek bed belong to the 18-year-old. She was last seen in September. Police are now trying to build a case against the prime suspect, Jesse Matthew.

And a scathing new report accuses the University of North Carolina of carrying out the biggest academic fraud scandal in college sports history. The independent investigation concluded that for 18 years, the prestigious university kept thousands of students, many of them athletes, eligible to play by letting them take fake classes. Four employees have been fired.

And thanks for spending part of your Saturday with us. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. "CNN MONEY" starts right now.