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Cincinnati Zoo Stands By Decision To Shoot and Kill Gorilla; Zika Outbreak Puts Start Of Summer Olympics In Uncertain Position; Rookie American Driver Finishes Race First Just As Gas Tank Hits Empty. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired May 30, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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

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[06:30:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, NEW DAY SHOW HOST: This morning, the Cincinnati Zoo standing by its decision to shoot and kill a gorilla after a little boy slipped into the gorilla enclosures. But critics called the death of this endangered animal an avoidable tragedy. Some blame the zoo. Others blame the child's mother.

Let's go to CNN's Jessica Schneider, she's live in Cincinnati with the details. What's the latest, Jessica?

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Alisyn, there's even an online petition calling for criminal charges against the parents for their alleged negligence. But so far, no comment just yet from police or the district attorney.

But while people are expressing their anger, there's a swirl of emotions out here. There's also sadness and there's confusion asking, why, or how, could this have happened?

The gorilla world exhibit has been open since 1978, and official say there has never a bridge until now. Now people are now saying that they want justice for Harambe, and zoo director says that how all of this happened, a 4-year-old boy slipped under a rail, then went through protective wiring and actually went on to the moat wall and dropped 15 feet into the water below.

That's when the gorilla encountered that 4-year-old boy, stood over him and then violently tossed and drag him for 10 tense minutes. Visitors standing up above were screaming and the little boy's mom was yelling to him saying, don't worry. Mommy's right here.

Now, the dangerous animal response team says that they had to move in and take very quick action. They had no choice, they say, but to kill the gorilla. They said it was all to save the little boy's life, but now people, of course, very angry that this happened and they're now calling for justice for Harambe. Chris?

[06:34:59] CHRIS CUOMO, NEW DAY SHOW CO-HOST: All right. There is a lot to talk about here, and we're going to do it coming up on the show. Thank you for the reporting. Jessica, we'll check back in just a little bit.

Another provocative question for you this morning. What should we do about the Summer Olympics? They're in Rio. And yet, the Zika outbreak out there and there are lot of doctors that are saying maybe the Olympics should be moved? That is impossible at this point. We'll examine, next.

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CUOMO: All right. As we all know, there is an outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil, and now it's raising concerns about the Summer Olympics in Rio. You have about 150 health experts that were calling for the games to be moved or postponed and they did this in an open letter to the World Health Organization.

The agency is dismissing the request.

Let's look at both sides of this right now. You got professor of law and medicine at the University of Ottawa, Amir Attaran. He co-authored that open letter. We also have CNN senior intrnational Ivan Watson, live in Rio.

Gentlemen, thank you. Doctor, let's start with you. Make the case for why this is necessary. Not just a good preventative thing, but has to be done.

[06:40:04] AMIR ATTARAN, UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA LAW AND MEDICINE PROFESSOR: Well, here's the situation. Rio is the heart of Brazil's Zika outbreak. It has the second highest number of Zika cases in all of Brazil, and it's out of Brazil that you've seen these horrible images of the babies born with small heads, inside those skulls oftentimes very severe brain damage.

Brazil is investigating 7,500 cases of those birth defects caused by the Zika virus. That's a big deal. Now, do you want to send, for the Olympics, a half million global travelers from every country of the world. These are not regular travelers. They're sort of like a Noah's Ark of travelers picked from every country into Rio where they can get that virus, that particular Brazilian virus that is causing this.

And then have them return home, many of them going to countries where not the same mosquitoes needed to transmit the disease, you've got the same weather patterns needed for that disease. Is that what you want? Because you can then be seeding new epidemics, these brain-damaged children in many countries.

CUOMO: Right.

ATTARAN: That sounds like a good argument.

CUOMO: Right. And you cite also that, by the way, it's been done before somewhat, different scale when the Women's World Cup FIFA pulled it from China in 2003 because of SARS.

But the World Health Organization, Ivan, was pretty simple and direct on this. They said based on the current assessment cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 games will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika.

So they're basically saying, even if we moved it, it wouldn't change. What is the confidence in that position there?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, the WHO is arguing that Zika is probably in about 60 different countries. It is saying that this should not pose at this time a global health risk to hold the Olympics here. No need to delay it or postpone it.

But it is important that the standing by its health advisories, Chris, and that is, that pregnant women basically shouldn't even come here for the Olympics. Also that anybody who comes, they need to protect themselves with mosquito repellant, wear long sleeved clothes and try to stay in air conditioned residences.

So, it is saying that there is a risk here. It's funny. One of the warnings also is to stay away from basically poorer neighborhoods. So, what does that mean for the ordinary people here who have poorer sanitation, there's more open water, and they are more at risk of these, this disease.

I took a taxi in this town, Chris, and one of the taxi drivers told me that his sister had contracted Zika. It is a worry here, but people in Brazil will also tell you that they are in danger from other mosquito- borne diseases like dengue fever which has pretty intense side effects.

CUOMO: You know, unlike most urban areas that people are used to, Ivan, you know this, of course, being there right now, that place is literally surrounded. The Copacabana Beach behind you, that's where you have all the affluence, but in the hills, that's where all the favelas are. There's real, real grumps of poverty there.

So, doctor, let's end on this idea. If the World Health Organization holds fast and says, we don't think this is the consideration, the precautions are what they are, the athletes aren't pregnant. So if you're pregnant, think twice. What is your next course of action here?

ATTARAN: Well, you know, our next course of action, we're scientists, we're doctors, we're going to continue pointing to the evidence.

And I'll tell you right now, that the World Health Organization is close to lying, scientifically. Lying, I choose that word carefully because what they're saying is, don't worry about it. Zika is in 60 countries of the world already.

Yes, and no. The Brazilian sort of Zika, the Brazilian strain of the virus, no lays that in 60 countries. And WHO's reasoning is sort of like saying, because Zika, but not the dangerous Brazilian kind, is in 60 countries, let's not fight it. That's a bit like saying that you have a forest on fire somewhere. Why fight it?

CUOMO: Right.

ATTARAN: I try to put it that way, and that's the...

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CUOMO. Now we understand, doctor...

ATTARAN: And that's the positive reasoning is the problem.

CUOMO: We understand the compelling argument that's on our side, but no question. Because not just pregnant women, it's also women who are looking maybe to become pregnant. So, it's a different group as well.

Ivan Watson, let us know what's develops there on the ground. Doctor, thank you for making the case. I appreciate it. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Well, it was a real nail biter at the Indy 500. A rookie American driver who nobody gave a shot to win, crossing the finish line first just as his gas tank hit empty.

We have details in our Bleacher Report, next.

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CUOMO: A rookie driver gets his first win. Where? The 100th Running of the Indy 500.

Coy Wire has more on this morning's Bleacher Report. Coy, we haven't seen this kind of promise since a young man from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, made it out of Stanford leading the team in both rubbing and tackles.

COY WIRE, BLEACHER REPORT ANCHOR: Man, you do your research. Good stuff, Chris Cuomo.

CUOMO: That was history, so.

WIRE: I am impressed. Highly impressed. Yes, Alexander Rossi out there like you and Alisyn. Nothing short of just epic. He was 66-1 long shot going into this race. Twenty-years-old, never even been to the Indy 500. At one point, he was in last place. No way he's going to win. Right? No.

A risky strategy eventually gets him to the finish line before all the other cars who were faster. Rossi stretches his final tank of gas 90 miles. I mean, this guy was running out of gas on the final lap, coasting through the corners, he barely crosses the finish line, guys. He didn't even make it around on the victory lap.

The car had to get towed in. So, high risk, high reward resulting in a shocker at the 100th running of the Indy 500 and, of course, kisses the bricks and drinks that milk. Congrats to Alexander.

[06:49:59] Now the MBA season comes down to game seven. Tonight, with the Thunder and Warriors Western Conference finals this year is been like a heavy weight title fight.

Golden State defending champs down three games to one at one point, but they came swinging back against the Thunder. Now it's all tied up in the series. People want to see the final round. Guys with four seats in open tickets was selling for $29,000 apiece. That's means a pair is going to cost you more than we cost to buy a 26-team Mercedes E-class.

So, you can sit all tight or you can watch on our sister channel TNT. I'll take the TV. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. Eastern and it's going to be a doozy. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: That was great, Coy. I also stretch out the gas in my gas tank and sometimes just roll into a gas station.

WIRE: Me, too. Me, too.

CAMEROTA: Late on fumes. Same thing. So, I get it. You know? Coy, thank you. That was great.

All right, today, of course, is Memorial Day. We remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

And coming up, General Mark Hertling is going to share his special salute to those brave men and women lost under his command. Stay around for that.

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CAMEROTA: Welcome back to a special Memorial Day edition of New Day. As we remember our troops who made the ultimate sacrifice.

We want to bring in Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, he is a CNN military analyst and former army commanding general Europe and 7th Army. And, General Hertling, I know that you want to do something special in this segment today to remember a number of the service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

So tell us about, you know, how these are literally close to your heart.

MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, good morning, Alisyn, and thank you for having me today to speak on behalf of all of the veterans whose have served on this very important day, Memorial Day.

Last year, we did a story that I think you liked about a box that a few of us have in our possession. It consists of pictures of various soldiers who served under our command and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dempsey, General Mike Scaparrotti who currently commands NATO headquarters in Europe and I all had a box made when we serving together, and it contains pictures of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

And last year, I shared a couple of stories with you to...

CAMEROTA: Yes.

HERTLING: ... because the power of story is so critically important, and your team asked me this morning to basically share a few more stories of some additional soldiers who made that sacrifice during service in Iraq.

CAMEROTA: Yes. So, let's do that. I know that you want to talk about Private Jonathan Falaniko?

HERTLING: That's correct. Jonathan was a, an American Samoan. He was only 20 years old. He had just arrived in Baghdad when we were -- General Dempsey and I were serving there together in 2003 and 2004. And about 30 days after he arrives he was killed in action.

Now, what makes Private Falaniko very interesting, not only it's because he was a young life that ended too quickly but his father was a command sergeant major in the same unit. Well-respected and well- loved by his fellow soldiers and they knew his son was coming over to join him in combat.

Well, Sergeant Major Falaniko had the onerous task of unfortunately taking his son's body home to his mother first in Germany and then on to Arlington cemetery. This is one of those lives it was snuffed out way too early by enemy fire.

CAMEROTA: General, tell us about Carletta Davis.

HERTLING: Sergeant Davis was combat medic with 10th Mountain Division. She volunteered repeatedly to go on patrols with her infantry brothers. Now this is a place that actually women weren't always there. It was usually a male combat medic but this woman wanted to be out with her brothers.

And one day in early -- in late 2007, she was killed in an improvised explosive device. Now this is a young soldier who had her husband back home in Fort Drum, New York but she was also survived by three young sons, Tyrone, Theodore, and gosh, I'm drawing a blank. Trey. Yes. Trey was her third son, yes.

CAMEROTA: Yes. Wow. That just really brings it home, you know, so powerfully to think who she left behind.

HERTLING: Yes.

CAMEROTA: Tell us about Captain Ulises Burgos-Cruz?

HERTLING: Well, that's something very interesting today, Alisyn, because Captain Burgos-Crus was what we call the Mitt team chief. This is an individual who conducted advises and assists with one of our partner Iraqi army Iraqi division which we hear so much about today.

We have those advice and assist teams. Captain Burgos-Cruz was from the Puerto Rican National Guard. He gave his life right alongside of his Iraqi battalion counterpart and he left behind his wife Sarah back in Puerto Rico.

So, again, another life lost too early. Then the next one I think probably have, Staff Sergeant Du Tran.

CAMEROTA: Yes. HERTLING: First generation Vietnamese. He was actually stationed in Germany with me before we deployed to Germany. He was part of the 2nd Calvary regimen. Again, first generation Vietnamese, married to a first generation Vietnamese wife, lived in Vilseck, Germany, they had a young child.

And even though he was an artilleryman, he also was volunteering to go out on foot patrols where he was killed with an improvised explosive device. The next Captain Mike Medders, a troop commander with our third armored regimen.

This individual was actually attempting to subdue an enemy combatant when that individual touched-off what we call touched-off a suicide vest that he was wearing and killed Captain Medders and several other Iraqi citizens that were standing by.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

HERTLING: Now Captain Medders was single but he left behind his parents in Ohio.

CAMEROTA: General, we have to leave it there, but thank you. I mean, you know, we hear the numbers of people and then to understand their life story and who they've left behind just makes it so much more impactful and powerful for us on this Memorial Day.

[07:00:07] Thank you so much for sharing all of this.

HERTLING: Well, thank you, Alisyn. But if you look at those faces those are the faces of America. And thank you very much for having me this morning.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.