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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Gunman's Suicide Note Details His Motive; Roanoke Grieves For Shooting Victims; Obama: Roanoke Shooting "Heartbreaking"; Louisiana Police Officer Fatally Shot; Stocks Climbing Around The World. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired August 27, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:03] ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: In the note, he writes, "The church shooting was the tipping point, but my anger has been building steadily. I have been a human powder keg for a while just waiting to go boom."

He claims he had been the target of racism in the workplace and that previous employers blocked him from getting a new job. Writing, "I tried to pull myself up by the bootstraps, but the damage was already done.

When somebody gets to this point, there is nothing that can be said or done to change their sadness to happiness. It does not work that way, meds, no, it's too much."

For more on the shooting and the gunman's troubled history, let's bring in CNN's Brian Todd in Roanoke, Virginia.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Miguel, we have information on the shooter's movements from the moment of the shooting early Wednesday morning. Authorities say that he left from this location and drove northwest toward the Roanoke Regional Airport where he switched cars.

He then drove nearly 200 miles up I-81 to Route 66. He was heading toward Washington when a state trooper spotted him and spotted the vehicle through the license plate of his car. This trooper approached him. He refused to stop.

He went off the road and it was then that they observed he had a self- inflicted gunshot wound. He died a couple hours after that. Investigators were able to track his movements through his cell phone.

Also we have some new threads in the investigation into his past. I talked to two people who worked with the shooter, Vester Flanigan at two television stations. One is WDBJ here in Roanoke where these two journalists also worked and another worked with him at WTOC TV in Savannah, Georgia.

Both of those former employees told me that he was a troubled employee. He had trouble getting along with people. He was struggling as a reporter. We know that he was fired from WDBJ for performance related issues. One of the former employees of that station told that on the day he was fired in February of 2013, they had to bring in police to escort him out. He made threats and he was very agitated.

Some members of the news staff had to actually evacuate the building and go on lockdown at that time. We also found out that in the year 2000, he filed a lawsuit against another former station of his, WTWC in Tallahassee, Florida.

That lawsuit alleged some racist mistreatment directed toward him. He alleged in that lawsuit that he was called a "monkey" by an executive producer at that station and that there were other racist epithets and other things directed toward him.

That lawsuit was settled out of court. So clearly this man was a disgruntled former employee of at least two television stations including the one here where these two deceased journalists worked -- Alison and Miguel.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Turning your attention to the victims of this deeply disturbing act, reporter, Alison Parker, and cameraman, Adam Ward and Chamber of Commerce official, Vicki Gardner, who Parker and Ward were interviewing for WDBJ's morning show. Even on that early shift, their boss tells CNN the pair always maintained a cheerful can-do attitude.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF MARKS, WDBJ GENERAL MANAGER: If I walked in the building in the morning and I saw Alison or Adam first, I knew I was in for smiles. They had a great attitude. It showed in their work. Adam was always willing to do whatever extra was needed.

Even at the end of the long shift after being up at 3:00 a.m. Alison would get involved in any project. She was showing solid growth as a reporter and occasionally as an anchor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: Now for more on the three victims, let's turn to CNN's Victor Blackwell, also in Roanoke.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alison, Miguel, understandably the team at WDBJ is heartbroken this morning. Their first morning in a while without waking up with the "A" team as they called them, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, the reporter and the photographer who worked the morning shift.

Now we know that Alison Parker had just turned 24 years old. She graduated from James Madison University in 2012, worked in North Carolina for a bit, but had returned home to Southwest Virginia. She grew up about 50 miles outside of Roanoke.

Her colleagues said she was living her dream. Now one part of parker's life that viewers learned about yesterday was that she was also dating one of the anchors there at WDBJ, Chris Hurst. He sent this out on social media, "She was the most radiant woman I ever met. For some reason, she loved me back." We also have learned that Adam Ward was also in love with someone there at the station.

He was engaged to the morning show producer. And imagine this, his fiancee was producing the morning show during the time that he was killed on live television.

[05:35:01] A colleague also says that Ward was someone who always had a smile on his face, was dedicated to the job and was determined to put smiles on other faces as well.

Now let's talk about the sole survivor of this attack, Vicki Gardner. She is the executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce.

And friends say that, yes, that her title, however, she really did anything she could to promote this community that she loves so much. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and artist. We got this message from her employer late yesterday.

They say that they are confident that she will recover and they will stand strong with her through this -- Miguel, Alison.

KOSIK: Alison Parker's grieving father paid tribute to his daughter last night with a TV appearance in which he praised her finest qualities and conveyed a passionate message about gun regulation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDY PARKER, ALISON PARKER'S FATHER: She lived a great life. She did a lot of stuff. She excelled at everything she did. She loved what she did. She loved the people that she worked with. She was happy with her place in life.

So you know we can only take some solace in the fact she had a wonderful life. She was extremely happy and she loved this guy with all her heart. That's the toughest thing for me.

Everybody that she touched loved her and she loved everybody back and you know I'm not going to let this issue drop. We have to do something about crazy people getting guns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: To watch that father struggle through that. The gunman's family in Northern California is seeking privacy this morning, but also expressing condolences for the victims' families. A family friend calls the shooting, quote, "a shock to everyone."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMBER BOWMAN, FRIEND OF VESTER FLANAGAN'S FAMILY: It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we express our condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. We are praying for the recovery of Vicki Gardner. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims' families and with WDBJ Television Station family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: President Obama calling the shooting of the two Virginia journalists heart breaking. He is challenging lawmakers to end the bottleneck on gun control insisting Americans need to keep the pressure on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: What we know is that the number of people who die from gun related incidents around this country dwarfs any deaths that happen through terrorism. We are willing to spend trillions of dollars to prevent terrorist activities, but we have not been willing, so far, at least, to impose common sense gun safety measures that could save lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: And we'll continue to cover the latest of the on-air murder of the Virginia journalists all morning long.

But first, will he? Will Biden run? The vice president on the record about the possibility he'll enter the race for president, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:41:56]

MARQUEZ: Vice President Joe Biden has been talking to key Democrats about a new job, a possible 2016 run for the presidency. On Tuesday, he addressed the issue with the members of the DNC. Meantime, the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, is weighing in on the potential Biden candidacy. We get more from Joe Johns in Iowa.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Miguel, Vice President Biden giving members of the Democratic National Committee just a glimpse of his deliberations into whether he will run for president.

On a conference call to members of the committee to try to convince them to get behind the Iran nuclear deal, the question and answer period turned to politics with Biden telling members of the committee that before he decides to run, he has to conclude that he can put his heart and soul into a race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: If I were to announce to run, I would have to commit to all of you I would give it my whole heart and whole soul. Right now, both are banged up. We are trying to figure out that issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP) JOHNS: Meanwhile, at a campaign event here in Iowa, Hillary Clinton responding to all of the buzz about Joe Biden with some deeply personal remarks referencing the fact that the Biden family is still going through the grief process after the death of Beau Biden in May.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want him to reach whatever he thinks the right decision is and he has to do that. It has to be a really hard one. I was at his son's funeral. I cannot even imagine the grief and the heart break.

Joe has had more terrible events than most people can even contemplate losing his first wife, losing his first daughter, and now losing his son. I think everybody should -- he has to do what he has to do.

I'm just going to continue with my campaign. I'm going to do what I believe I should be doing and he will have to decide what he should be doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Sources have said the vice president is likely to make his decision in the coming weeks in the run-up to the first Democratic debate -- Miguel and Alison.

KOSIK: All right, let's take a look at what is coming up on "NEW DAY." Chris Cuomo joins us live from Roanoke where those two reporters were viciously shot and killed -- Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Good morning, Alison, Miguel. We are standing in front of WDBJ, a CNN affiliate. There is a growing memorial and a growing sense of loss for the two young journalists killed, executed, really, on live TV.

This growing sense of loss here is deepening for this community for this news family. That is what they are calling the station here and of course, for the families of those who lost their lives, and for Vicki Gardner. There is hope for her recovery.

We are learning about them and what made them special. So young and yet had such an effect on their community. We are also learning about what made this mad man do what he did.

[05:45:09] But our focus is going to be on lives that were taken. We will hear from the people who knew them best. The man who loved Alison Parker as the center of his life, a fellow anchor of hers, the news station manager who is having to deal with all this.

We will talk about what this means for our larger national discussion. On that topic, we will have Donald Trump. He is running for president. What does he want to talk about this morning? How does he see this?

This is a time for leadership at a time when we figure out who our country's next leader will be. The situation with Jorge Ramos is still going on. What does it mean to the campaign and the bigger issue of immigration?

We will take on the story both how it's affecting this community, Alison and Miguel, and how it is reverberating across this country in the national dialogue.

MARQUEZ: Chris, you are covering so many things. I can see it on your face and in your voice. We look forward to watching the show tonight. Thanks much.

Two people including a police officer killed. A SWAT team standoff turns deadly, details on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: One man under arrest this morning, accused of killing a police officer responding to a 911 call in Sunset, Louisiana. Authorities say he also stabbed three women, killing one of them.

[05:50:04] The suspect, Harrison Lee Riley then drove off crashing his car into a convenience store several blocks away and barricading himself inside against police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They stacked up at the door. One guy threw tear gas. A flash bang went off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This officer basically raised me. I have seen this officer for years. He has been part of the police station for years. He would motivate me in sports and band. Great guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Police identified the slain officer as Henry Nelson. Shameika Johnson died of stab wounds. Two other stabbing victims are hospitalized in serious condition.

MARQUEZ: Twelve life terms plus 3,318 years. Colorado movie theater gunman, James Holmes, formally sentenced Wednesday to the maximum for murdering 12 people and wounding 70 others in 2012. Survivors and victims' family members cheered as the court deputies took Holmes away and the judge making no effort to hide his contempt for Holmes said get the defendant out of my courtroom.

KOSIK: Closing arguments set for today in the New Hampshire at the trial of prep school graduate, Owen Labrie. He is accused of raping a freshman student when he was a senior at the prestigious St. Paul's school last year.

Testifying Wednesday in his own defense, Labrie told jurors the encounter with the then 15-year-old girl was consensual, but did not include intercourse. The prosecutors say the encounter was part of a prep school tradition known as senior salute.

The elite school is famous as the alma mater of congressmen, Nobel Prize winners, and Secretary of State John Kerry. MARQUEZ: It is an uphill battle to stop the fires raging in Washington State including the biggest ever recorded there. The Okanogan complex fire has grown to nearly 450 square miles. Officials say at least 80 homes and other structures have been destroyed.

KOSIK: Yesterday's horrific shooting reigniting the gun control debate as the nation's biggest retailer makes a big move. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: I'm Alison Kosik. Let's get an EARLY START on your money. Stocks are looking great around the world actually. The Shanghai benchmark index up 5.3 percent today that's after tumbling more than 15 percent earlier in the week and sending global markets into panic mode.

European shares, U.S. stock futures are also in the green. Yesterday, we watched the Dow climb a stunning 619 points. The third biggest point gain ever. It snapped a six-day selling streak driven by serious concerns about China's growth.

Walmart will stop selling military style semiautomatic rifles that includes the AR-15S, the guns that were used in mass shootings including Newton, Connecticut, and Aurora, Colorado.

The announcement came the same day two television journalists were shot and killed on live TV. Walmart says the change is in response to slumping demand even though generally speaking gun sales have been strong this summer.

News outlets across the country have really been struggling with how to handle the shocking video of the Virginia shooting. Most footage taken by Adam Ward before he was shot and killed, "Gawker," "The New York Post" and the "New York Daily News" also showed separate video taken by the shooter.

And USA Netwok postponed the season finale of its show, "Mr. Robot." It was scheduled for last night, but the network said it contained a graphic scene similar in nature to the tragic shooting in Virginia.

MARQUEZ: It's too shocking that this just keeps happening over and over again.

New information on the gunman who killed two young journalists live on television. "NEW DAY" starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We come to you this morning with very heavy hearts. Two of our own were shot and killed during a live shot yesterday morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She lived a great life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She had that "it" factor. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I lost the love of my life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This world was robbed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have been in this business a long time. This is the worst day of my career.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was someone who was known to people at the station for volatility.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That guy who did this is not the guy that I worked with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got to do something about crazy people getting guns.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Thursday, August 27th, 6:00 in the east. Alisyn is in New York. I'm live in Roanoke, Virginia, outside CNN affiliate, WDBJ.

It was at this hour yesterday two lives were stolen by a mad man yesterday executed on live TV. There is a growing memorial behind us and growing sense of loss around us. The station's morning show that Alison Parker and Adam Ward worked on is on air right now paying tribute to their colleagues.

Their families and friends sharing grief, but also celebrating the lives that were taken far too soon. We will speak with the boyfriend of Alison Parker and dealing with the question of why did this happen. The question that is too familiar these days. Answers often casting a shadow more than shedding light on senseless murder.

This time there's plenty to go on from the social media post and footprint and rambling letter that the mad man faxed to a television network about his motives.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO (voice-over): As the sun rises in Roanoke, two faces that said good morning to Virginians are gone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Alison Parker and Adam Ward were part of our family here at the station and many of you have told us that they were part of your morning each day as well.

CUOMO: The 24-year-old reporter, Alison Parker, and 27-year-old cameraman, Adam Ward, executed by a former employee who was fired from their news station two years ago. Vester Flanagan, known by his TV name, Bryce Williams, killed the journalists while they were live on air recording video of himself carrying out the execution