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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Parts of White House Evacuated; NFL Commissioner Goodell Holds Press Conference; ESPN: Ravens Executives Pushed For Leniency For Rice; White House Evacuated; Police Seize Car, Search Apartment In Hunt For UVA Student

Aired September 19, 2014 - 20:00   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening. Thanks for joining us on this Friday evening. We have breaking news tonight. You're looking at live pictures at the White House, parts of which have just been evacuated.

Joining us on the phone is the CNN producer Becky Brittain who is one of the people hustled out of there. So what more do we know about what happened? Why it was evacuated?

BECK BRITTAIN, CNN PRODUCER (via phone) Well, we still have not been able to confirm exactly what happened and what caused the disturbance. But shortly after the president's daughters left for a weekend at Camp David there was quite a disturbance on the north lawn of the White House. (INAUDIBLE) where the President departed. But we couldn't even see exactly what. All we know is that there was someone that was not supposed to be there. They apparently got fairly close to the front door at the White House.

The secret service had detained somebody, both to the front door and at the north part. And the snipers from the roof had come down and come out. There was a lot of commotion. We still have not been able to confirm exactly who this person was and how he got that far, that close to the White House.

But at that point, they evacuated all of us from the White House press and escorted us off campus. So about (INAUDIBLE). And now we were able to go back in now that we have a White House card pass. So we were able actually to go back in after the situation was over, but we don't have confirmation on what happened.

COOPER: And it is not clear at this point how this person got onto the White House grounds whether it was over the fence or through some other means?

BRITTAIN: No, we do not know that. I mean, it is summertime. Those things happen from time to time. It very may well be that case today. I've been doing this for about nine years and I have never been evacuated off campus. Usually we're just hunkered down in our work space, but this time they were very serious about getting us all out of the White House very quickly.

COOPER: I mean, as you said, fence jumpers do happen from time to time. How difficult is it to get over the White House fence and how far is it from there to the front door?

BRITTAIN: Well, the fence is probably I would say about ten to 12 feet high. And you know, this does happen. People are able to do it in some cases. I'm not sure exactly how they would do it and how they ever got that close to the north (INAUDIBLE), usually they are stop within a few feet, tackled, you know, people with the secret service comes out with guns. This time it was much, much closer to the actual White House building. In fact it was just right outside the front door to the White House.

COOPER: All right, thank you Becky Brittain, we will continue to follow this. We will bring you any updates throughout this hour. Thank you.

More breaking news, though. Just a few short hours after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell went before the cameras and promised to do better stopping domestic violence. We have some major news involving poster child forth Ray Rice and his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, about what the team knew and when they, and potentially the league as well, knew it.

Now remember, the already controversial instantly blew up eleven days ago and TMZ posted the video Rice punching his then fiancee and knocking her out in that Atlantic City elevator last February. Remember, both commissioner Goodell and Ravens officials said the first day saw the tape was when it hit TMZ.com. And that says commissioner Goodell is why the league initially only gave Rice a two- game suspension. The question then and today was why neither the league nor the team could get the tape or learn what was on it. The reporter from TMZ asked that of the commissioner today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: We found out by one phone call. You guys have a whole legal department. Can you explain that? We found out by just one phone call.

ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER: I can't explain how you got the information. Only you can do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Well, just a short time ago we learned the Ravens may not have only obtained the tape, but within hours, not months or weeks or days, but hours of the actual attack, team officials knew in detail what was on the tape. More on these late developments from host of CNN's "UNGUARDED" Rachel Nichols.

So what do we know about this new details now?

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN ANCHOR, UNGUARDED WITH RACHEL NICHOLS: Yes, ESPN just released a pretty extensive and detailed report from multiple sources throughout saying that the night Ray Rice attacked his wife in the elevator the team's director of security was on the phone with the Atlantic City police officer who had a copy of the tape. And that the Atlantic police officer described for him blow by blow literally as he was watching the tape on the phone --

COOPER: A copy of the tape inside the elevator, not just outside the elevator.

NICHOLS: Correct. And was describing as the tape played out in front of him to the director of security on the phone. And ESPN report then alleged to the director security went to Ravens officials and described for them exactly what happened. So that is the night in question. The Ravens have since said publicly hey, we don't know exactly what happened. The owner gave some tearful and private interviews to their local press saying hey, you know, I wanted to believe the best. I never pictured what I actually saw on the tape. Well, this report paints a sparkly different story. And basically alleges that the Ravens is engage in the cover-up.

COOPER: And there is also the idea that the Ravens and lobby it to try to for treat for how Ray Rice should be dealt with. By who? Lobbied the police or lobbied Roger Goodell?

NICHOLS: Lobbied everybody. And we certainly do know that that is the case. And it shouldn't be a total shock. The team has a vested interest in having their best player on the field. That is the reason this kind of discipline is usually and can be and should be taken out of the team's hands. It is the reason the NFL was asked to weigh in on this. It is the reason Roger Goodell is supposed to be issuing these penalties. It is the reason why a lot of people question the fact that Ravens officials were in the room when Roger Goodell interviewed Janay Rice, for example, because they shouldn't be breathing over anybody's shoulder and breathing down their neck with this information.

COOPER: And is there anything in this report about the Ravens' coach, John Harbaugh, who gave a press conference, you know, a week or so ago?

NICHOLS: Yes. This is really interesting. There are two separate times according to this ESPN report, that John Harbaugh went to the Ravens higher-ups and said cut him. We have to cut this guy. What he did was reprehensible. We have to cut him.

Now, that isn't start counter to John Harbaugh's public's face. Publicly he says he tows the company line. He has said that he supported Ray. But privately in two separate incidents, again, according to this report and this has not been confirmed by the Ravens. He went to Ravens brass and said cut him.

And for people who know John Harbaugh and who is generally considered a very high character guy, it been a little curious to watch him tow the company line this whole time. So hearing that sort of rings a lot of bells for people who knows Coach John Harbaugh and say well, that is the John Harbaugh I know. But it is different from the John Harbaugh who speaks in public. And he is responsible for what he says in the public, too, of course.

COOPER: Stay with us because there is a lot to talk about on this, namely commissioner Goodell's accountability moment in New York this afternoon, what he did and what he did not do. What he said and what he didn't say.

First all, he did apologized. He did not step down. He did not bench a San Francisco 49ers scheduled to play this weekend despite a recent domestic violence arrest. Nor did he lay out any new specific policy on the issue, only for a plan in the program to lead to a policy.

More conversation shortly. First Commissioner Goodell, today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOODELL: Unfortunately, over the past several weeks, we have seen all too much of the NFL doing wrong. That starts with me. I said this before, back in August 28th. And I say it again now. I got it wrong in the handling of the Ray Rice matter. And I'm sorry for that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: There have been a lot of high profile calls for your resignation following up on that question. What do you say to those people? Why do you feel like you should be able to continue in this role?

GOODELL: Because I acknowledge my mistake, August 28th, I said we didn't get this right. We're going to make changes. We made those changes, making those changes. We have a lot more work to be done.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Why do you think the domestic violence crimes such as Ray Rice gave you such a difficult time and were not treated as harshly as maybe some others would?

GOODELL: Well, as I said to you early on, is that we made a mistake in letting our standards fall below where they should be. We should have had our personal conduct policy reviewed more frequently to make the changes necessary to deal with the issues of change.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Can you justify not having an African- American as part of that group of women that you have hired to look into sexual assault and domestic violence?

GOODELL: Well, that is not true. Three women are advising us as well as we have full-time staff including an African-American woman who has great experience in this area and has been involved with this for several years with the NFL and has been on the NCAA level. So we -- we understand the need for diversity. It is important for us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Back with Rachel Nichols and joining us is "Sports Illustrated's" Robert Klemko and domestic violence survivor, Leslie Morgan Steiner, author of "Crazy Love."

Leslie, I want to start with you. I want to play some with Roger Goodell had to say today about how they were discussing domestic violence within the leadership of the NFL. I mean, you just heard them say there, well, we had an African-American woman who has been with the NFL for a long time dealing with those issues. But in this fight, he is about to acknowledge they had no women at all around the table when they were actually discussing this making the decision regarding Ray Rice. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOODELL: We didn't have the right voices at the table. We need to get better expertise. Some of you know we announced earlier this week that Lisa Friole is joining us as a former chief of sex crimes in downtown New York. I think she is going to be able to provide a very valuable perspective for us in understanding the criminal justice system particularly in this area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: So to defend himself against not having a high profile African-American woman they hired, he said well, we do have one African-American woman with us for a long time. But clearly, apparently she was not around the table because he just said we didn't have the right voices around the table.

And on top of that, before I toss in you, isn't it weird that this is the idea that only a woman should be able to understand domestic violence and be speaking out on behalf of the women within the NFL. You would think, though it is important to have diversity that a guy could do that, as well.

LESLIE MORGAN STEINER, AUTHOR, CRAZY LOVE: Yes. And my sincere hope is that one day, and hopefully soon, men in this country will understand domestic violence just as well as a lot of women do. Because of efforts like we saw today, and today make no mistake about it, was a watershed moment for women in the country. Because the NFL, you know, the bastion of masculinity that has for decades mocked women's sexuality, and are other concerns including relationship violence admitted that they got it wrong on this huge issue that affects millions of men, women and children every year. They got it wrong because they didn't listen to women. And they're going to listen to women going forward.

And it is not out of the goodness of their hearts. They're listening to women because women finally have tools to make our voices heard. We have social media that we are using very effectively. And you've seen it throughout this whole hash tag campaign about what I've stayed and why I've left. We also have laws on our side, finally, that women and men have worked to establish for decades. And we have a president and vice president who take women's concerns seriously.

SO today, was a really, really big deal, not just in terms of ending relationship violence, but for so many issues that women have advocated for for a very long time.

COOPER: Robert, I mean, Goodell says he hopes to resolve many of these issues by the Super Bowl, shouldn't there be more accountability from the teams themselves?

ROBERT KLEMKO, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Well, it is surprising he did say the super bowl. Because one would think it would be priority one and then could be something that could be handled by mid-season. The teams have always had a lot of leeway and freedom as to how they

are going to punish guys for various offenses whether it be on the field or off the field. But in many cases, they defer to the NFL wanting to avoid punishing a guy more than the NFL would just to keep the guy on the field. I think in the future you will see many teams taking the extra step, and especially when it is the domestic violence case, cutting a guy who, you know, maybe a year ago would have got the benefit of the doubt. But in this climate, if he is a bottom of the roster guy, he is gone.

COOPER: You know, it is interesting, Rachel, there is report that we just talked about at the top of the program, the breaking news tonight about Ravens security personnel reaching out to Atlantic City police and getting literally a blow by blow of what was on that tape. It goes against what Roger Goodell has been saying all along, which is well, we attempted through law enforcement to get copies of the tapes. We were not able to do that.

NICHOLS: And anyone who has seen a pre-draft report that these teams work up before the NFL draft and all these college prospects knows it is laughable. That the NFL says it couldn't get a copy.

COOPER: Because in this pre-draft report --

NICHOLS: So detailed, there was a player from the Atlanta falcons who tweeted out after Roger Goodell's initial denial. I don't know, in my pre-draft report they knew about my mother's criminal and dating history, much less his history. That's how detailed these reports get.

So the NFL has a network of ex-FBI agents, ex-police officers, people who know people, friends, quick phone call, just like you see in this example from the Ravens. The director of security called the buddy who worked for the Atlantic City police department and that happens over and over again. It is laughable that couldn't happen here.

COOPER: And also the idea they couldn't contact the casino itself which has its own security. I mean, that's -- I've been to that building. I spoke in that building a long time ago.

NICHOLS: You think there are cameras in that casino? Come on.

COOPER: Right. And it is also got a very high tech security force which no doubt has contacts and would like to have contacts with the NFL.

NICHOLS: Or we could go much simpler. Ray Rice's lawyer had a copy of the tape. They had Ray Rice's lawyers up in their offices, they have Ray Rice in their offices, the Ravens in their offices and they could have said we're not letting you back on the field until you have a copy of the tape.

COOPER: What kind of reactions have you been hearing today from people in the league and elsewhere?

NICHOLS: I think -- look. I think the fact that Roger Goodell stood up there for 45 minutes and took questions is a step forward. We have been calling for his voice and his leadership in this. And at least he did put themselves out there.

I think that those questions, though, went unanswered in a lot of cases, and having a plan to make a plan. To maybe -- by the super bowl have a different kind of change is a thing that a lot of people didn't want to hear. They want concrete action.

COOPER: Leslie, in the Ray McDonald's case, I mean, 49ers are still planning on having him play on Sunday. He has gotten a lot of support from within the team, from within the locker room. But it is interesting, you don't hear a lot of support for his girlfriend.

STEINER: I know. And I think that that it is something that is so demoralizing from a victim's standpoint. And I think that something that Roger Goodell and the NFL has to do is shift the power from the players to the victims.

Right now, the victims have no power. They are not the ones earning the huge amount of money. And having the contracts. And I think that if Goodell really is serious about the promises he made today, the first thing he has to do is hold people who are accused of these terrible crimes responsible.

And the first thing is to get rid of this ridiculous commissioner's exempt list where players are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for not playing. And it goes along with everything we're learning about this as the tape coming out that the NFL just has not taken violence against women anywhere near seriously as they need to and they can.

COOPER: And Robert, quickly, I mean, there is a lot of people including former stars like Jerry Rice who say bench McDonald. He should not be on the field, do you think it is fair?

KLEMKO: I don't think it is fair. And I do believe that a voice needs to be given to victims of domestic violence, accused, convicted and what have you? But I think there is a very big difference between the Ray McDonald case and the Adrian Peterson case and the Ray Rice case and the Greg Hardy case. There is no guilty verdict with Ray McDonald. There is no charge yet, there is no video and picture evidence.

So I think it is a mistake to say that Ray McDonald ought to be suspended. I believe that when you say that, it is a bit of a pitchfork mentality and a very slick slope. Ray McDonald's case should be examined thoroughly but not as if it is connected to Ray Rice's or anybody else's.

STEINER: But these are such under-reported crimes. Nobody wants to be a victim of domestic violence or child abuse. And we have to start believing victims of despite player's denial.

COOPER: But Leslie, I mean, to Robert's point, it is a difficult scenario when you have somebody, you know, where it has not been adjudicated, hasn't been charged, and there is just an allegation out there. Should somebody be automatically suspended indefinitely and then a year later have somebody come, you know, have somebody be cleared and then the league says, well, we're sorry?

STEINER: I think this is something the NFL league needs to listen to women about and domestic violence advocates who have worked in this field for a very long time. Because there are answers and there can be good policies that protect victims and players. And it bye-bye innocent until proven guilty. But we've taken that so ridiculously far in this country that we don't believe victims even when there is a lot of evidence. And you don't need a videotape. The evidence is often on the victim's body. And we can see it, but we just chose not to see it. The men in power and they are mostly are men who have chosen not to see what has happening to women and children in this country.

COOPER: Leslie Morgan Steiner, great to have you on, as well. Robert, just very quick. What were you going to say?

KLEMKO: I just think that --I think that is true in a tremendous amount of cases and the NFL has fallen down in a lot of these cases in the past, but it is a very dangerous thing to lump in Ray McDonald in that crowd.

COOPER: All right, Robert, appreciate it. Rachel Nichols, as well. Rachel is going to have a lot more on this story and in an interview from NFL hall of famer Jerry Rice tonight on "UNGUARDED" 10:30 Eastern Time right here on CNN. We look forward to that.

Coming up, in light of the NFL's domestic violence problem, we are going to dig deeper into the Ray McDonald case that we were just talking about, what he and the team are saying that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In his remarks today, Roger Goodell stated and restated how difficult it is to discipline players accused of domestic violence. He said in phrase, it's complicated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOODELL: We need to change our policies and our procedures and we need to get some help in trying to identify how to do that. We have state laws that are different from state to state, and even locally. We need to make sure that we have looked at when the NFL should be involved in the investigative process. We need to know how much reliance we should have on the law enforcement information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Well, keeping him honest, though, none of that affects his own power to enforce discipline whoever he and the league see fit. According to the existing NFL standards and conduct, all persons associated with the league are required to avoid and I quote, "conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League." And I continue, "Persons who fail to live up to this conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself doesn't result in conviction of a crime."

So there is nothing stopping him right now from suspending anyone accused of domestic violence until such time his case is heard. Instead it has been pretty ad hoc. Here are seven NFL players in the headlines recently for abuse or alleged abuse, five have been pulled from player cut, some were disciplined by the league, others by the teams themselves.

One of them, the New York Jet charge with simple assault on a woman. He is only on the practice squad so he is not playing Monday night. But he still with the team. One, whoever, San Francisco defense been Ray McDonald will be playing this Sunday. He is accused of assaulting his pregnant fiancee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERRY RICE, FORMER SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS PLAYER: You know, Ray McDonald, he should be off that football field. He should not have the opportunity to continue playing right now. Because you know, I feel with domestic violence you know, it's a very touchy conversation. But it is something that we have to address and we have to deal with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Hall of famer Jerry Rice, underscoring a larger problem. Roger Goodell says it would take a commission with outside help to handle, but also an individual Ray McDonald who commissioner Goodell could deal with now but hasn't. More on that case from Kyung Lah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is a man accused of physically abusing a woman. But that has not kept him off the field. Ray McDonald is an NFL player and a key piece of the San Francisco 49ers defense. At practice today his team said adamantly, he will play at Sunday's game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ray is cool. He has my support. And the facility, what we think is the best for us and that is what it is.

LAH: The San Jose police say they were called to McDonald's home for a domestic violence incident in the early morning hours of August 31st. The victim was reportedly McDonald's pregnant fiancee who had quote "visible injuries." McDonald was arrested but no charges have been filed as the investigation continues. He had this to say shortly after posting bail.

RAY MCDONALD, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS PLAYER: I need the truth to come out. Everybody knows what kind of person I am.

LAH: That was before the now famous Ray Rice elevator video was released. But just one day after the Rice video went viral, 49ers CEO Jed York said on the bay area radio station that Ray McDonald will continue to play and McDonald has, starting both games this season.

JED YORK, CEO, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Ray McDonald is not Ray Rice, as a society we have a sense of saying well, you didn't do it right with Ray Rice right away so you need to, you know, overdo it with Ray McDonald or whoever else that it is. And I don't believe it is the country we live in.

LAH: He and coach Jim Harbaugh has publicly given lip service to a zero tolerance policy towards domestic violence. But earlier this week, he also says he is not letting anyone tell his team what to do.

JOHN HARBAUGH, 49ERS HEAD COACH: We have two principles at play here. And one is respect for due process. And we're not going to flinch based on public speculation.

LAH: Public outrage grows by the day from social media to Washington where even lawmaker and 49ers fan Nancy Pelosi called for the team to bench McDonald.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Our coach says innocent until proven guilty, due process, all of that. But the fact is, he should not have played.

LAH: San Francisco's lack of action stands in stark contrast to the Arizona cardinals and its player, Jonathan Dwyer. Within hours of Dwyer's arrest for allegedly abusing his wife, the Cardinals deactivated him. Calls that Dwyer's lawyer were not returned. Two players, teams, two very different outcomes for the same accusation. We went to the 49ers to ask why.

If the cardinals deactivated Dwyer, what is the position with McDonald this weekend?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think our organization is pretty clear and consistent with the stand there.

LAH: Even though there is an example within another team who chose to take a harder line with one of their players?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Again, I think our organization is clear, consistent and concise with our stance on that and I'm not in a position to comment any further.

LAH: In the 49ers locker room, the McDonald teammates, they say they support their team's decision and admit the domestic violence has taken on a new light this last weeks.

Is it a tough time with me showing up asking question about domestic violence?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little bit, but at the same time when it rains it pours, obviously, a lot of cases coming up. So, you know, it is a serious issue.

LAH: Kyung Lah, CNN, Santa Clara, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And let's dig deeper with "Sports Illustrated" Peter King who is editor of "the MondayMorningQuarterback.com.

Peter it is interesting, I mean, even as Roger Goodell is pledging to get it right, you look at Ray McDonald who is still playing this week with the 49ers. One major problem Goodell has to figure out is how to deal with these inconsistent standards in dealing with punishment.

PETER KING, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: I think what you have to take away from this is in the San Francisco 49ers case, they believe their player. And I don't know how else to do this. Because any other way you do it, it would be in America you're guilty until proven innocent. In each one of the other three cases, the famous cases before with Ray Rice, you saw a video, you saw evidence. In Greg Hardy and the Carolina Panthers, a judge in Charlotte heard 10.5 hours of testimony and pronounced herself convinced that he was guilty. And that obviously, you know, those two cases -- and then beyond that, I think with this Ray McDonald case he disputes the facts. The facts seem to be in some dispute. And I think if you take him out of the game and you wait until there is a jury trial then you basically have lost him for a season. And then what happens at the end of the season if you find out that they were wrong and he actually didn't do it? And I think that is one of the problems right now that the commissioner and his advisers have to get on top of. There needs to be some sort of similar punishment. And some sort of acknowledgment that due process is all over the place and they have got to figure out how to get that right.

COOPER: I mean, he did suspend Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger before he went to the due process when he was facing sexual assault allegations.

KING: He did. But he found that Roethlisberger, and I forget the exact terms, had put himself in several compromising positions before that, you know, in order to cause that. And I think that, you know, in this case, this is basically a fairly cut and dried he said/she said situation. And I'm not saying Ray McDonald is remotely innocent. But I'm saying that I just don't think that you can take a guy off the field for one year, which is probably what would happen in this case and then at the end of that year say, by the way, we're sorry. You can't get this year back.

COOPER: Right. Do you think that Goodell is willing to accept the accountability over the way he handled it? I mean, he has said repeatedly, look, I made a mistake. I'm sorry. He has not been exactly clear about why he didn't know what went on inside that elevator. You had the police report. You obviously you had the video. I mean, he is now saying what Ray Rice said happened is different than what the video showed.

KING: Right now, Roger Goodell, I think the big takeaway from what he said was that commissioner discipline is now in his words, and I quote "on the table," end quote for discussion. He hasn't said that before. He is not going to be hearing the appeal to the Ray Rice case. And I think he is open. And I think he would be very smart to wash his hand of a lot of this domestic violence, of all of these domestic violence cases, child abuse cases. Give them either to a small tribunal or to an independent arbitrator, who is willing to do discipline on matters of great concern and matters of great controversy to the NFL.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: It is interesting because, I mean, he is known for keeping a lot of the power in his hands. Essentially you're saying he should develop some of that power?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he absolutely should, because he just has too many things on his plate.

COOPER: Peter, good to have you on again, thanks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Anderson.

COOPER: Up next, we've learned more now about why the White House was just evacuated tonight. New details on that ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: More on the breaking news tonight, we brought you at the top of the program word from the White House. But now a video of the fence jumper who triggered that evacuation at the White House. Take a look, here is the person in the background running across the north lawn. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get back, get back, get back, everybody back in the park.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Well, it wasn't a very really long run, really difficult to see him. The first family was not there. However, a lot of other people were. As you may imagine, a lot of people on edge over there.

White House correspondent, Michelle Kosinski, is there, and joins us now by phone. What have you learned, Michelle?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): We're still trying to get back into the White House. They are still not letting people including press back in because they were moving press off of the north lawn, which could be viewed at the north portico there.

There was no more information from the Secret Service at this point as to how he was able to get so close, how long that run took. We were able to see -- I don't know how much you can see in the video there.

But Secret Service did detain him and they had him down on the ground. But he was already on the north portico, just feet away from the front door of the White House.

President Obama and Sasha and Malia Obama had already just taken off for Camp David for the weekend. They just left the White House grounds when this jump happened. But to see that run all the way up the front, obviously there are going to be questions here again as to how he was able to get so close.

COOPER: It is interesting, Michelle, we've watched this tape now three times, and I actually see him at the front part of the tape where this was shot. Somebody actually passed by, you just see him running there a little bit. It is hard to see, but how far a run is it from the fence to the door?

KOSINSKI: You know, that is a good question, just walking down there every day, to characterize it by distance a couple hundred yards? Maybe 200 yards I think would be a pretty good estimate. You know, it would take probably to run from the fence to the front door of the White House. It would probably take 15 minutes --

COOPER: That street that this person must have been on in order to get access to the fence, that street is closed off to traffic and there are security people out on that street, aren't there?

KOSINSKI: Well, I mean, the fence is full of security and full of Secret Service and I've never been at the front fence there without seeing within my view Secret Service there.

So it's interesting to imagine, to picture that scene of how exactly this guy would have time. First to get over this high fence can make that climb without somebody stopping him then jump -- get to the bottom and then make that run all the way up.

I really don't understand how it could have happened. We have been trying to get in touch with our sources within the Secret Service. So far there is no answer. Obviously this is still active. They're not even letting us back at this point to be able to talk to anyone.

There was a similar question, far less extreme and dramatic, but there was just a name, I remember when the presidential motorcade was coming in, it wasn't President Obama, but it was his daughter.

And she was in a car being followed by Secret Service and there was a driver that was able to follow them in. She was at that area that you mentioned right outside the White House that is closed to traffic.

The pile-ones coming down this sort of -- big metal guard, they come down and then a car can drive through. And this car was able to follow the motorcade inside the White House grounds.

Now the question was the same then, how was that car able to get in? And why was there no reaction until he was already inside the grounds. And the answer was it took a couple of seconds to make the decision of what to do. You know, they're going to make the decision as to what? Open fire or run towards the guy.

COOPER: I got it, Michelle, we got to go. Michelle Kosinski, I appreciate it. We'll get an update again on exactly who that person was.

Just ahead, breaking news, in the hunt for missing UVA student, Hannah Graham, some important information to tell you about. What led police in Charlottesville, Virginia to this apartment complex? And what they found when they got there. Tonight we'll talk to the police chief as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you live in the city of Charlottesville and attend the University of Virginia, if that young lady has touched your life in any way you have the responsibility to help us find her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Crime and punishment tonight, breaking news in the hunt for missing college sophomore, Hannah Graham. Now police in Charlottesville, Virginia have seized a car they say they've linked to a man they want to question.

They've also searched an apartment at the complex where they found that car. The man they want to question was there, but he wasn't detained. At a news conference, Police Chief Timothy Longo made a forceful call for help from the public and without naming the man described him in detail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF TIMONTHY LONGO, CHARLOTTESVILLE POLICE: I want to make one thing clear, this press conference and every press conference hereafter is about one thing and one thing only. And that is finding Hannah. Everyone within the sound of my voice has that responsibility.

If you live in the city of Charlottesville and attend the University of Virginia and that young lady has touched your life in any way you have the responsibility to help us find her.

The person we're looking for is a black male and is 32 years of age, 6'2", 270 pounds and has dredlocks, is he in custody? No, he is not in custody. Was there probable cause to arrest him? No, there was no probable cause to arrest him.

Was there legally sufficient legal basis to detain him? Not in the opinion of the ranking supervisor on the scene or in the opinion of our commonwealth attorney.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Chief Longo said the man he described is not a suspect, but he is the same man seen with Hannah Graham in surveillance videos from the night she vanished. Chief Longo confirmed that these images captured early Saturday morning in the downtown mall are the last known images of Hannah.

Jean Casarez joins me now. Police received more than 400 tips I understand in connection with her disappearance. And that brought police to the person they spoke to today, correct?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is exactly right. And they confirm that they believe that they didn't know each other. But that this man made a u-turn and went to Hannah. That he put his arm around her. That they then went into the restaurant.

They then left the restaurant and they believe that Hannah got in his car. And that was the car that they actually searched today. But here is what I think they want because they're asking anybody who saw them last week at this time in the mall behind me, in the restaurant, getting out of the restaurant in the car.

I don't think they know the interaction. I think they want to see the body language that the witnesses may have viewed between the two of them because I think that communication between the two of them may give them answers to further this investigation.

COOPER: And they are asking anybody to basically rack try to rack their brains, anybody who was out there to see if they remember anything or saw anything. Jean, appreciate the update.

Police Chief Longo said the man he described today is not a suspect, but it is someone police are interested in talking to more than they already have. I spoke to the chief a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Chief, I know you want to point out somewhere that somebody knows what happened to Hannah. You are appealing to everyone in the Charlottesville area to try to rack their brains, check surveillance footage if they have any and see what they remember.

LONGO: Right, Anderson, you know, I just said a couple of minutes ago this is our responsibility collectively, as a community. This is our Hannah. We owe it to her, the family, the university, the community, the city at large to do everything we can.

I know there were people on this mall last Friday night and Saturday morning, and I know they had to walk past Hannah and this person that she was with.

COOPER: And I know in the last 24 hours, you have made big strides and big developments. I just want to run through it. I know there is a lot you can't say in terms of details, I totally understand that.

But just to be clear, you spoke to a man today at a residence. You also took possession of the automobile. You also release a description of someone. The person you spoke to today, does that fit the description of the black male with dreadlocks? Is that the person you spoke to?

LONGO: Let me be clear I was not the person who spoke to him. When I arrived this morning the person had already left the scene. The vehicle has been move and we are waiting for the search warrant for the home. But when the investigators went armed with the search and seizure warrant to take that vehicle, three persons were in the house. One of those persons we believe is that individual I described.

We believe is also the person that was with Hannah Graham the night of her disappearance down here on the downtown mall and one of our local alcoholic beverage establishments, Tempo. We believe that was that person. Yes, sir.

COOPER: Do you know if they know each other or any kind of connection they may have had or not have had?

LONGO: We're not aware of any pre-existing relationship or a connection that the two of them may have had. What we are aware of is that they were together for a period of time early that morning. They were seen walking down the mall in one of the video surveillance cameras and at least one or two eyewitnesses in that bar saw them leave together.

COOPER: And on the surveillance cameras, you describe Hannah Graham was walking in one direction. This male with dredlocks had been walking in the opposite direction, seemed to spot her and started walking in the same direction as she was. And within a short amount of time they were seen in a bar together, correct?

LONGO: That is correct. There is a second video which we thought actually was a double image of her because of her reflection. The investigators tell me when they revisited that video it was clear to them that the same individual was walking with Hannah.

COOPER: And then, that person was also seen in a vehicle with Hannah or seen on surveillance video or in a vehicle with Hannah, is that correct?

LONGO: The last -- video surveillance we have of Hannah is here in the mall. He clearly leaves -- the lead investigator believes she was in that car, but we have no -- to my knowledge, no video evidence to support that.

COOPER: Do you know or can you say approximately what time that vehicle was seen leaving the area and I ask you that because there had been information that there had been a text sent by Hannah, something about going to a party. I'm wondering how those --

LONGO: Yes. Anderson, my understanding is if we had to approximate the time it's probably going to be sometime before 1:30. We are still trying to figure out the actual time those messages were sent and try to get a sense if we can where they were sent from.

COOPER: And I know you said in the press conference that you are aware of where this person is. You are seeking any information that anybody may have about this person not just on that night this black male with dredlocks not just on that night. But also on all days subsequent to that night, correct?

LONGO: You know, we much like, you know, wanted to get to know Hannah and did through her parents, we want to get to know this person, too, what his habits are. What his behaviors are like. The kinds of things that we can begin to look at as part of our -- the behavioral aspects of our investigation.

COOPER: Chief Longo, appreciate your time. Thank you. Good luck.

LONGO: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Up next, a video takes you on board a smoke-filled airliner from the moment of that announcement when the wheels actually touched down.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: More than hundred passengers on board a JetBlue flight got the scare of their lives today. Many believed they would die. The flight had barely begun when it became clear that something was seriously wrong. Stephanie Elam has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED PILOT: A right engine failure.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Terrifying new video from inside the cabin of JetBlue Flight 1416. The air, thick with smoke. It was just shortly after takeoff when something went wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard a weird noise, the landing gear came up and then a pop.

ELAM: While en route to Austin, Texas from Long Beach, California, the airline said there was an issue with the number two engine of the plane. The oxygen masks failed to deploy according to one passenger forcing the attendants to manually release them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're way over the ocean, and you immediately got the smell, obviously something burning.

ELAM: The pilot immediately turned the plane back to Long Beach. You can hear babies crying as the 142 passengers and five crew members braced for an emergency landing.

DEAN DELBAUGH, PASSENGER: Once we turned around and got over land you know it was jarring all over the place and many people got worried.

ELAM: He thought he was going to die.

DELBAUGH: I thought it was it, my wife was next to me, we were going on vacation, she was crying next to me.

JARROD WEST, PASSENGER: We were coming down for landing and the flight attendants, they were yelling brace, brace, brace, and they kept repeating it and repeating it and repeating it. It was at the top of their lungs. ELAM: After landing safely, a round of applause from all on board.

UNIDENTIFIED PILOT: JetBlue 1416 is on the ground. We'll be evacuating.

ELAM: The control tower told the pilots smoke was not coming from the engine, but the passengers were not waiting. They quickly escaped down the slides.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, figured it would be too hot to wear black.

ELAM: Celebrity passenger, "Twilight" actor, Jackson Rasbone, tweeting photos on the tarmac, including his family the plane in the background. Four people were injured, thankfully, none seriously.

WEST: I'm just happy to be alive. I don't think I'll ever be mean to anybody again.

ELAM: Stephanie Elam, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Scary stuff, up next, new details about the security breach at the White House. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Quick update before we go to the White House evacuation, a fence jumper going onto the White House lawn before security grabbed him. It happens shortly after President Obama departed for Camp David. Just a moment ago, we have some new video, this is it, showing what appears to be the suspect being loaded into an ambulance. The intrusion triggered a partial evacuation which remains in effect at this moment.

That does it for us. "ANTHONY BOURDAIN, PARTS UNKNOWN" starts now.