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Republican Presidential Candidates Campaign in New Hampshire, Iowa; Russia Says Ukrainian Drones Downed Near Moscow; Mideast Unrest; Holiday Shootings. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired July 04, 2023 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: American Values 2024 said donations for the Democratic challenger have come from both sides of the aisle.

Three black and Latino groups are suing Harvard over donor-related and legacy admissions. The lawsuit alleges -- alleges that gives preferential treatment to white students and violates the civil rights of black and Latino applicants. This suit comes less than a week after the Supreme Court ruled colleges can no longer use affirmative action in admissions.

CNN's July Fourth special is returning tonight with an all-star lineup. I will be there. I hope you will be too to watch CNN "Fourth in America." It starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

Thanks so much for joining INSIDE POLITICS.

"CNN NEWS CENTRAL" starts right now.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Gunfire interrupting holiday festivities, with dozens of victims across the country, and children among the dead. As the nation marks 247 years of independence, we're also marking this tragic number of mass shootings, 345 so far this year in just over six months.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Plus, new bloodshed in the Middle East. The Israeli military is extending an operation in the West Bank for another day, new violence erupting as far away as Tel Aviv. What will it take for this to stop? Can it?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And a new lawsuit on college admissions after the Supreme Court rejects race-based affirmative action. Now a civil rights group is trying to stop Harvard from making it easier for sons and daughters of alumni to join the Ivy League.

We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: On this Fourth of July holiday, police are investigating two mass shootings in the span of 24 hours.

First, in Philadelphia, five people are dead, two kids injured across the Kingsessing neighborhood after a gunman's shooting spree. A suspect was arrested, and officials say he had a bulletproof vest, an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun.

Then, in Fort Worth, Texas, just before midnight, three dead eight others injured in a shooting, police believe was related to a Fourth of July celebration.

Let's take you live to Fort Worth with CNN's Ed Lavandera.

So, Ed, what are you hearing about a potential suspect in that Fort Worth shooting?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far we have not gotten any indication from Fort Worth investigators if they have zeroed in on a suspect.

We have heard from several witnesses being out in this neighborhood where this shooting unfolded last night that they believe that there were several people shooting their weapons in this crowd. So, what you see behind me is kind of the remnants of the Fourth of July parade that is just wrapping up here in the Como neighborhood in Southwest Fort Worth.

But just 12 hours ago, Boris, this was the area that was lined with hundreds of people in a chaotic late-night kind of pre-Fourth of July celebration. There were cars spinning out in the roadway, people setting off fireworks.

And as all of that was happening, one witness told us things started to change a little bit. And that's when the gunfire erupted. You can hear a little bit from what that witness told us a little while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE VALLE, WITNESS: Everybody was just having fun.

And then you just heard gunfire, and everybody started running away.

LAVANDERA: And what did you do?

VALLE: I went to the other side of the street, just trying to, like, find cover, like, trying to find my people that I was with, like, make sure nobody else got hurt that I was with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: And that witness also said, as he kind of returned back to this street, that he saw several bodies here laying in the street.

Many people were taken to hospitals in private vehicles, as emergency crews were trying to get here to the scene. Investigators still have not made any arrests. They don't know exactly what was behind the shooting. A similar shooting took place exactly the same time, July 3, the night before Fourth of July, two years ago.

In that shooting in this neighborhood, there were eight people who were wounded. No one was killed, but, in this shooting, 11 people shot in all. Three of those victims have died -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: And that not the only mass shooting incident in the United States last night.

Tell us about the one in Philadelphia.

LAVANDERA: Yes, another chaotic scene.

This happened about 8:30 p.m. last night, where Philadelphia police say that a gunman started moving his way through a neighborhood in Philadelphia, wounding and killing five people. And it's a crime scene that spanned several blocks, we are told.

Philadelphia police say they were able to follow the suspect into an alley, where they were cornered -- where they cornered him and they took him into custody. Police say that that man was in his 40s. He had a bulletproof jacket on -- on -- the bulletproof jacket.

[13:05:05]

He also had several extra rounds of ammunition magazines on him, as well as using an AR-style assault rifle in that attack, so very troubling situation. But, as well, investigators there still say they don't know what the motive behind that particular attack was either.

SANCHEZ: Ed Lavandera,thank you so much for the details -- Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, CNN's Josh Campbell is with us now.

Josh, looking at this Philadelphia shooting, authorities arrested the suspect with a bulletproof vest and an AR-15-style rifle and handgun, a photographer capturing an image that we see of some of the dozens of shell casings that littered the area. Does that say anything to you about the motive?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, this appears, Brianna, to show a considerable amount of preplanning.

This wasn't the suspect engaged in some type of confrontation and then decides to open fire. When you're talking about someone who has a bulletproof vest, multiple weapons, multiple rounds of ammunition on that person and a police scanner -- I mean, think about that. The suspect is trying to listen in real time as he begins opening fire to where the police are moving towards, so that he can apparently continue that shooting.

Again, that shows a considerable amount -- a considerable amount of planning. One thing that's interesting in this case is that he was taken into custody alive. In so many of these attacks, we have seen either the shooter killed by police, the shooter take their own lives.

The reason that's important, obviously, is because now police were able to interview that person to try to -- if he's willing to cooperate and talk with them, to try to determine what that motive was. Of course, none of that will give any comfort to the families of those who are now once again mourning, as you mentioned, over 345 mass shootings in this country, the latest in Philadelphia. But this really shows you this premeditated type of attack, where you bring that kind of weaponry and those kinds of resources.

KEILAR: Today, of course, is one year since the Highland Park, Illinois, shooting, which it feels like it's been so long. I think part of that is because of how many shootings we have had since then.

But, nonetheless, it's just been a year since seven people were killed at that Fourth of July parade. Why are we seeing more of these instances of gun violence around this holiday, do you think?

CAMPBELL: So holidays provide the opportunity -- and I use that in a very sinister word -- for a shooter.

I mean, you have people that are in large gatherings, if you have someone who is trying to conduct some kind of premeditated attack, as what happened -- like what happened in Highland Park, where you had a shooter who was actually on top of a building.

I was there interviewing the police right after that shooting. They described it as a "sniper's nest" -- quote, unquote -- where he was firing down on this innocent group of people that were out for a holiday parade, again, that very gathering of people providing a lucrative target for those who are intent on causing harm.

And that's why we see police having to ramp up security around these events. It's interesting, as we talk about guns in this country, obviously, on the scene in Gun in America -- Guns in America beat, we talk about this all the time.

When people start talking about policies, well, how do we stop these things, a lot, particularly Republicans, will say, well, we got to harden the targets, whether it's a school, whether it's a office building, a place of worship. Think about what this is this. These are people who are out gathering together at these types of festivities.

So that kind of policy prescription obviously isn't going to help here. And then, beyond the actual holiday gatherings, we have seen a lot more people in this country determined to settle confrontations with firearms in a way we haven't seen throughout the history of this country, where you have a heated confrontation between people, people go to their guns, and quite often, in so many of these cases, we see innocent people, bystanders who are shot as a result.

It is truly an epidemic, Brianna.

KEILAR: What should people be considering as they are going to gatherings on this holiday?, Josh?

CAMPBELL: Well, it's sad that we have to talk about this, but vigilance is key.

I mean, obviously, this is the place where people are out and about. They're gathering with their loved ones. They're gathering with members of the community. But you have to maintain that degree of situational awareness.

Be on the lookout for, is there someone in this crowd that maybe something seems off? We often, in the security profession, tell people to know where your exits are, to understand what type of security might be in that location, where police officers are, where places of ingress and egress, where you can get out of a situation if you need to.

That is heartbreaking to say. Again, it's Independence Day. We're supposed to celebrate. We're supposed to have fun. But the reality is, with so many guns in this country and so many people intent on causing harms with guns, these are factors that people have to consider, even as they go out to celebrate the nation's independence.

KEILAR: Yes, I think, increasingly, people think about egress when they gather in all kinds of places indoor and outdoor.

Josh Campbell, thank you so much for the analysis. We appreciate it -- Jim.

(CROSSTALK)

SCIUTTO: Brianna, sad fact is, we certainly do in my family.

Well, now to the Middle East, where new tensions are boiling over into renewed bloodshed like this. Police say a man rammed his car into pedestrians today near a Tel Aviv shopping center, then jumped out and stabbed -- started stabbing people, nearly 10 people hurt, before authorities say an armed civilian shot and killed the attacker.

[13:10:02]

Israel calls the car ramming and the stabbing spree and act of terror. And Hamas, the terror group,is now claiming responsibility. This comes as Israeli forces continue a massive military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, thousands there now fleeing areas of the city left in a smoldering ruin.

Israeli defense forces say they have detained at least 120 people. Palestinian authorities say the operation has killed at least 10 people, injured more than 100 others.

CNN's Hadas Gold is live in Jerusalem.

Hadas, first on the attack in Tel Aviv, tell us what the latest is we know about the attacker and the number of casualties.

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim, we were on the scene just a few hours ago.

This was in Northwest Tel Aviv, a rather quiet neighborhood, and Israeli police saying that this attacker was driving what we saw seemed like a work pickup truck of some kind, mounted the pavement, hitting people that were right outside the shopping center right by a bus stop. The bus stop and the truck itself were very severely damaged before the attacker got off and -- got out and started trying to stab people.

An armed civilian who happened to be there shot and killed the attacker while he was in the midst of his attack.

We spoke with the Israeli police spokesperson, who told us a little bit more about exactly how the attack unfolded. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN ELSDUNNE, INTERNATIONAL SPOKESMAN, ISRAELI POLICE: A short while ago, in Tel Aviv, a terrorist used a vehicle to commit a car ramming attack.

He drove right into the bus stop that's behind us, got out of his car with a large, sharp object, and tried to stab more civilians to extend the terror attack. But, luckily, there was an individual who was armed in the vicinity and managed to neutralize this terrorist, preventing a much larger attack from taking place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLD: And we know at least one of those victims is in critical condition.

Hamas, the militant group, as you noted, taking credit for the attack, saying the attacker is one of their fighters. And Hamas had called on all of their cells to strike Israel, they said, in any way possible in response to what's been happening in Jenin.

And they said that this attack today was in direct response to what's been happening in Jenin. We're now in day two of this extensive Israeli military operation, the largest the Israeli military has undertaken in the occupied West Bank since those days of the Second Intifada in 2002, when tanks were seen rolling down these same streets.

Now, there are no tanks yet, but there are bulldozers, there are military vehicles. As we speak, there are still military vehicles in there. There's still a very active military operation, and the Israeli military saying that they are trying to dismantle what they call a safe haven for militants there.

But, of course, civilians are also the ones who are being caught in the crossfire. Thousands of Palestinians now have fled the refugee camp for safer grounds -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: So, as you say, the IDF say that these are counterterrorism activities, but they have acknowledged civilians among the wounded.

And, as you know, Palestinian authorities are saying more than 100 wounded. What do we know about how many civilians were injured here? And what's been the IDF response to those civilian injuries?

GOLD: So, just -- yes, so just in the last few I think it was hours, so the Palestinian Ministry of Health is now saying that the death toll is at 11.

When the death toll was at 10, the IDF told us that they are confident that no noncombatants have been killed. They say that everybody that had died was fighting in some sort of way. But they have acknowledged that, amongst the more than 100 injuries, there are civilians.

And when we have been talking to residents there in Jenin, there would be almost no way to avoid some sort of civilian casualties when you just look at the scale of the destruction there. And we have also heard from residents there were Israeli soldiers are taking over sometimes civilian homes to use them as bases, as sort of sniper bases.

This is still a very dangerous and ongoing situation. And that's why these families, these -- these Palestinian people are trying to flee the refugee camp to find safety somewhere else -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Hadas Gold in Jerusalem.

We will continue to follow events there -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: As hundreds of thousands of troops from Ukraine and Russia descend on the front lines, the Kremlin says its forces took out five Ukrainian drones inside Russia near Moscow.

You can see some of the aftermath here. There's a bit of smoke between two buildings in this video, so far, no comment from Kyiv. But, today, Russia responded with more strikes, injuring dozens of civilians.

Let's go to Eastern Ukraine now with CNN's Ben Wedeman.

Ben, details are still coming in about these alleged drone attacks. What can you tell us? What's the latest?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we understand from Russian officials that five drones approached Moscow. Four of them were brought down by air defenses, one by electronic warfare means, that there were no -- no damage or casualties as a result.

The spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry said that the target was an area with civilian infrastructure, as well as an airport, a civilian airport. In fact, more than a dozen flights had to be diverted to other airports in the Moscow area as a result of what they described as technical issues.

[13:15:06]

The spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry also said it was an act of international terrorism. Now, the Ukrainians responded with a bit of irony that it's odd that a country that, since February last year, has been firing cruise missiles, artillery and other weapons at civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, including last week that pizzeria in Kramatorsk they killed around 13 people.

So, this has left the Ukrainians thinking that this statement from the Russians is perhaps beyond ironic; it's absurd -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Ben Wedeman live for us in Eastern Ukraine -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Republican presidential candidates spending the Fourth on the stump in key early voting states. We're going to take you out to the campaign trail live.

Plus, legacy admissions are now in the spotlight after the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action. Ahead, we will show you the new lawsuit against Harvard.

And it's being called nature's Ozempic, a new dietary supplement creating quite the buzz on social media. We will show you if it's really worth the hype.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:20:25]

KEILAR: Several GOP presidential hopefuls are celebrating the nation's birthday on the campaign trail.

Right now, Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Will Hurd, and Doug Burgum are walking in an Independence Day parade in Merrimack, New Hampshire. And then, in Iowa, Mike Pence and Francis Suarez are stumping for votes in that key early caucus state.

We have reporters with the candidates in both of these states.

So let's bring them in, Omar Jimenez, who is in New Hampshire, Kyung Lah in Iowa for us.

Omar, first to you.

How important are these campaign stops in these small New Hampshire towns?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's important to try and just make inroads with some of these very important voters in what will be an early contest in the primary season.

And on this Independence Day, look, I didn't want to be the one to rain on this parade, but it is raining on this parade here in Merrimack, as you see behind me. This is a parade where we do expect Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to appear. He marched in a parade a little bit earlier this morning, meeting voters, talking to them, again, trying to get that on-the-ground presence that is so important to many of these voters.

But, also, we're expecting to see South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former Texas Congressman Will Hurd. And all of them are operating in an environment where former President Trump has been the clear and far-away leader, at least what polls have shown to this point.

And so all of these events have been trying to, how can they decrease that distance between them? We even heard the spokesman for pro- DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down admit that they feel they are way behind in the polls, not that this isn't winnable, but they themselves, the super PAC, acknowledge they are way behind to try and show how much work that needs to be done.

And anybody that knows politics knows a lot of that work begins on the ground at events just like this, where music's playing, you're trying food, you're meeting the people, trying to gain some of that momentum. And what better way to do it, what more American way to do it than running for president and marching on the Fourth of July?

KEILAR: Yes. And I think I...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The border from one -- number one, to me, is the border.

JIMENEZ: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got to stop it. You got to stop this. You're ruining the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: And that was a voter we spoke to just right here along this parade route laying out why some of that is so important, because, to him, his number one option -- or his number one issue is what's happened down at the border.

Even though border -- illegal border crossings have been down as of late, it is important to him, nonetheless. And he hopes to at least be able to say some of that to some of these candidates as they will likely pass through just behind where I'm standing now.

KEILAR: Yes, you can come to the parade for the political candidates. You can stay for that little yellow submarine I just saw go by and the giant bubbles, which are also a really nice touch there, Omar, where you are in Merrimack, New Hampshire.

Let's head over to Iowa, where Kyung Lah is.

Kyung, that is also where the former Vice President Mike Pence is. What is he saying as he's trying to attract some voter attention on this holiday?

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this parade just ended a short time ago, Brianna.

And what we saw was the former vice president admitting, yes, he's running for president. But we actually saw him running this two-mile parade route here in Urbandale, Iowa. This was quintessential Mike Pence, the man who ran for Congress in Indiana out shaking hands with Midwesterners, really trying to get in there and talking to people, looking at them in the eyes, hugging babies, doing exactly what you might expect here in the Midwest on the Fourth of July And the former vice president seemed to relish in it. He was truly enjoying saying hello to everybody. And this is the strategy, he tells us. He wants to hit all 99 counties here in Iowa. He says, yes, he is well-known, but he's not known well.

We should point out that, while Mr. Pence is here, his former running mate, Donald Trump, is not, a very sharp contrast in campaigning that Mr. Pence was asked about. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There was no place we'd rather be than in Iowa on the Fourth of July.

We -- we actually announced our campaign for president here in Iowa, because this is where it all begins for America. And the upcoming caucus will play its usual outsized role in shaping our national leadership.

And I would tell you, I can't account for what other campaigns decided, but, for me, it was vitally important to be here, where the journey to the White House always begins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[13:25:06]

LAH: And for the former vice president, that next stop will be Boone, Iowa. He is going to hit six counties through this week, Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, he is throwing some not-so-subtle shade there. We're picking that up.

Kyung Lah, thank you for that interview -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes, I caught that too, Brianna. Noticeable.

Well, another story we're following, Harvard facing a new lawsuit. The university is accused of discrimination for allegedly giving special treatment to the children of alumni. We're going to show you how the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling could fit into this case.

And I'm sure you have heard of runner's high. Well, it couldn't get any lower for the defending champion of the country's largest 10K race. Ahead, how a wrong turn cost her the title and thousands of dollars in prize money.

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