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Off-Duty Pilot Subdued After Trying To Shut Sown Engines In Midair; Defense Secy: U.S. "Concerned About Potential Escalation"; Detroit Synagogue Leader Fatally Stabbed. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired October 23, 2023 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: All right, just in to CNN. We are learning that an Alaska Airlines Flight was diverted because someone in the cockpit apparently, tried to shut down the engine mid-flight. CNN's Pete Muntean all over this for us. Pete, explain what happened here.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very serious incident, John. And this really is laid out in the air traffic control audio that we now have our hands on. This flight, an Alaska Airlines Flight operated by Horizon Air, it's a totally on regional airline yesterday afternoon on the west coast from Seattle's Paine Field to San Francisco.

And apparently, according to the airline, they call this a serious in- cockpit incident. This pilot on board this flight radioed air traffic control to say that a pilot riding in the jump seat, that is a little seat in the front of the cockpit typically used by off-duty pilots to try and commute back and forth between different airports, attempted to try and shut off the engines. And then, they decided to divert the airplane to nearby Portland where the plane made a safe landing.

But in essence, what they are describing here is an attempted hijacking of this airplane by this off-duty pilot. We're still learning information about that person, and trying to come up with a name and some charging documents. We'll see though.

We know at least that this pilot who was off duty was arrested on the ground by the port -- Portland Police Department, and that other agencies are investigating this. The FAA is aware of this. The TSA is aware of this as well.

So, they're all sort of leaning into this investigation. Potentially, the FBI could be a part of this investigation as well. But essentially, they're laying out that this off-duty pilot tried to tamper with the flight controls, which is an extremely serious charge.

You know, something like this has really not happened in decades. Reminds me of the FedEx incident back in 1976 where an off-duty pilot -- a flight engineer in the -- in the third seat of the airplane attacked the flight crew with a hammer and other weapons on board. They were able to safely land.

But this is really an incredible case. We are just still learning about this, John. And the details are coming in fast and furious. But really a pretty serious charge here. And we just need to learn more about exactly what precipitated this. And why this off-duty pilot did this?

BERMAN: It's a very serious charge. Because when you turn off the plane's engines, there's really only one thing that can happen here. Pete, any sense of when we will learn more about a positive -- possible motive or identity of this person?

MUNTEAN: There are names floating out there right now, John, and we're just trying to nail that down. Of course, we want to be right in that first.

BERMAN: Yes.

MUNTEAN: So, we're just trying to get through all of that now and make sure we get this name right just so. But we're at least hearing right now is that this was an off-duty pilot.

BERMAN: OK.

MUNTEAN: This person was not necessarily a passenger. A little bit of both. So, they were a passenger in the cockpit, but this person was a certificated pilot, legal to fly in the front. An airline pilot who was off duty and was able to be up there in the cockpit, the only risk of that, of course, is that you have relatively easy access to the controls there and the other two pilots flying the airplane.

This does sort of lean into the argument though, for two pilots in an airplane. If one pilot was potentially subdued by this off-duty pilot, that they could have continued flying the airplane. We know from the air traffic control audio that this off-duty pilot who is essentially given this very serious charge was subdued and taken into the back of the airplane.

The flight crew who is still able to fly the airplane normally and safely said he was subdued. They would like law enforcement on the ramp. And that's exactly what happened. This pilot was arrested.

BERMAN: All right. Pete, we'll let you work the phones. This is not the last we're going to hear of this, I suspect because this is extremely -- an extremely serious incident. Pete Muntean, thank you very much.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: Absolutely. All right. We're also watching this coming out of Washington.

Tonight, House Republicans are going to be back behind closed doors once again to once again try to figure out how to get their act together. Now --

BERMAN: Once again.

BOLDUAN: Once again -- once again. Now, three weeks into having no speaker of the House and three failed House floor votes. Nine Republicans, there you see them, now say that they want this job. But it is not clear if any one of them has a path to getting the 217 votes that are needed to actually get the job.

BERMAN: All right. With us now, CNN Political Commentator and Host of "PBS firing line," Margaret Hoover, and CNN Anchor and Senior Political Analyst John Avlon. Margaret, how great the Republicans feel right now in the House about where they are?

MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. They're all looking at themselves in the mirror and repeating their mantra like this is not my fault. This is not my fault. This is not my fault.

It's all their faults. That was a joke, but this is -- this is really bad. It reflects badly on the Republican Party. It reflects badly on the conference.

[11:35:04]

And the truth is they're going to go through an exercise tonight where they try to look at these nine and figure out who can get 220 -- 217. And the answer is none of them can. I continue to believe, after all the intrigue that you'll hear from my husband over here on the right, we are still most likely to have a caretaker, Speaker McHenry, who has -- who cracks how to deal with Hakeem Jeffries, unable to fund the government through these important funding decisions through the next 90 days. That's my prediction. John Avlon, take it.

JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I appreciate the assist there. Now, look. I've been saying for a long time that you know, my Aaron script --Sorkin script fantasy that Democrats will find a way to come together with centrist Republicans. Senators got a hold.

I've spoken to Republican members of the conference who say look, we're exhausted. There's no obvious way out. Emmer is the most logical person to do it -- Tom Emmer.

But he committed this sin of certifying the election, i.e., he's not an election denier. And that has drawn Donald Trump's ire trying to make him toxic, despite the fact he has McCarthy's endorsement and he's a member of leadership. McHenry, as a caretaker may be possible.

Ultimately, I think the senators got a hold. And that would be a great thing for the country. In the meantime, this is just self-inflicted.

BOLDUAN: Here's some reporting on Emmer from CNN this weekend that he put out a letter to colleagues on Saturday, and he said that he was seeking the speakership with a goal of delivering "historic change." And what -- it is in the -- this is the unanswerable question and why I will not pose it, which is, what does that look like here? I mean, is that the kind of pitch that can win enough support, just historic change? I mean, you're already looking at a historic mess. So, you're in the middle of it.

HOOVER: there is no -- there's no sense that Emmer is going to be able to not just get to 217, but that he will get the far right of the party.

BOLDUAN: Yes. HOOVER: He voted to certify the election. He voted for gay marriage. He voted to -- for the continuing resolution. He's voted for all these things that the Gaetz crowd and the Freedom Caucus all say are heretical. So, how then is he going to be able to pull together the coalition that Kevin McCarthy couldn't hold on to?

AVLON: I don't know. By promising like a functioning federal government, which I know is not terribly sexy to some folks on the far right?

HOOVER: That's not a winning argument, John, and that's the problem.

AVLON: Which is not. And the whole -- the whole promising of changes is -- I mean, look. Change is not a strategy. It's not a destination. That's really just we're going to be bold. Come with me on my promise of bold -- you know -- you know --

BOLDUAN: But that's what I'm saying. Like, what did they learn from three weeks of nothingness --

AVLON: Nothing.

BOLDUAN: -- is apparently nothing because that's -- the pitch should be, like, we just need to -- you don't want to confront the other.

AVLON: Go -- I mean, look. This is the fundamental problem with the House on fire world on fire situation we are in. This is self- inflicted. This just doesn't make the Republican Party bad, or the conference looks bad. It makes the country look bad. It makes democracy look bad.

And so, you'd hope that they could rise above all their petty squabbling to at least find a way to fund you know the things that need to be funded and not shut down the government at a time of crisis. That seems to be a mission impossible. But here's hoping they get 217.

BERMAN: But who is they here?

HOOVER: Yes.

BERMAN: What role do Democrats have, Margaret, do you think? Do you think that they can continue just to say this isn't our problem, we're just -- call us when you come up with something?

HOOVER: And we're getting closer to a point where that's not the case. And by the way, Hakeem wants his chamber to work as well. He's looking very, very closely at 2024, trying desperately to use all of this to be able to take the House of Representatives back.

They, in this case -- I mean, frankly, for all the shenanigans we've been through in three weeks, the base of the Republican Party isn't mad yet. In fact, they're glad at the freedom -- they're happy with the Freedom Caucus. They're happy -- the base of the Republican Party, let me repeat, I'm not saying ordinary Republicans. I'm not saying people like me. So, the challenge here really is how do you reform the party so that they reflect the majority of Americans who self-identify as Republicans. Because right now, it's been hijacked by -- (INAUDIBLE)

BOLDUAN: It doesn't -- that's not going to happen before the government shuts down again.

AVLON: No.

HOOVER: Correct.

AVLON: That's a long-term structural problem. That's not going to get solved before November 7. But let's be clear --

BOLDUAN: But you're just making -- you're making arguments right now.

AVLON: Well, no. I'm not. Because you know, Hakeem Jeffries has been trying -- holding but has been calling for a bipartisan solution since McCarthy. I think you've got some folks in the Republican Party who've got buyer-destructor remorse for knocking down Kevin McCarthy. It is the fault of a handful of folks who are arsonists on the far right. But the fact that Jim Jordan got less votes in a secret ballot than he did on the floor, speaks to the weakness of the Trumpian maximalist position.

BERMAN: So glad we can help you work through this. Margaret Hoover and John Avlon, thank you both for being with us.

BOLDUAN: Thank you, guys. Always appreciate it. Coming up for us. We head back to Israel. The U.S. is deploying additional military assets to the Middle East now. Why the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the U.S. is so concerned about the potential escalation?

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[11:43:57]

BERMAN: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is addressing fears that Israel's war with Hamas could lead to a wider conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: We're concerned about potential escalation. In fact, what we're seeing is a -- is the prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Now, Secretary Austin's warning comes as -- in concern really, comes as also as he announced the deployment of additional missile defense systems to the Middle East and additional troops on prepare to deploy orders. With us now is CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour.

And, Christiane, the message from Secretary Austin and we've also heard it from President Biden is clear. Don't -- and a strong -- trying to put out a strong message of deterrence. The question then becomes, how right is he to be worried?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I think he's right to be worried from what we're seeing. There's obviously increased engagement between Lebanese, Hezbollah, and the Israelis on the Northern Front this past weekend.

[11:45:08]

You've had the Iranian foreign minister, Iran backs Hezbollah and Hamas and the other so-called Axis of Resistance, as they call themselves, saying that if the humanitarian situation in Gaza gets any worse, then the situation will tip out of control. So, I think it is a question of how much the Arab -- the Muslim street can stand. How much pressure it puts on their leaders to get involved.

And yes, we've already seen retaliatory attacks, for instance, on certain U.S. bases in Iraq. And Iraq ever since the U.S. invaded in 2003 is heavily dominated by Iran-backed militia. One of the extra precautionary measures that you mentioned is a marine rapid response force that's being moved now to the Persian Gulf.

So, this is you know what's happening. They're concerned about it. And they should be concerned about it because you know there's no situation which is calling for a de-escalation.

The West is not calling for a de-escalation, and everybody assumes that Israel will have a ground invasion. And already, if you just look at the pictures, the flattening of Gaza neighborhoods, the satellite imagery is really quite graphic. Gaza health -- you know, officials say that 1900 children have been killed. Thousands and thousands have been killed and wounded according to those health ministry officials there in Gaza.

Now, in the meantime, I just thought it might be a cautionary tale to look back at some of my previous reporting when I went into Gaza after a previous ground war, and that was in 2009 after the 2008-2009 war, and just to see what this kind of war does on the very youngest. Those who survive, essentially, have been so hardened. Even the young, young ages don't trust their parents, don't trust their teachers. Where do they turn? Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANPOUR (voiceover): Since this latest round of war, teachers have noticed not just sadness, but anger. Hamza hits a boy with the ball that we've given him. When an adult tells him to share, he makes an extraordinary threat. He wants to bring in the Hamas militia. For him, they are the strongest authority.

Oh my God. They tell me their home was hit by missiles twice. It's so frightened their 90-year-old grandmother that she now spends her days sitting outside in the dust. Unprompted, Hamza launches into a tour of his devastated home complete with sound effects.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AMANPOUR (on camera): So, it's just an excerpt of some reporting I did back then, and it just shows you the more of this violence, the more radicalized, the more militant people become. And who knows? Hamza is probably 19-- 20 now.

Who knows what became of him? Did he become a militant? Is he still alive? Did he not become a militant? But the hopelessness is one that begets endless cycles of violence.

BERMAN: Multigenerational impact, to be sure. Christiane Amanpour, thank you so much for sharing that reporting.

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us. Police in Detroit, Michigan are searching now for a suspect, and also still searching for a motive in the stabbing death -- the murder of a local synagogue leader. What officials are now saying about the attack and the investigation?

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[11:53:10]

BOLDUAN: A community is grieving still today, and still asking the question why. The president of a synagogue, a prominent member of Detroit's Jewish community killed over the weekend. Stabbed to death. And police say they found a trail of blood leading to Samantha Woll's home where they believe the attack happened.

BERMAN: Detroit's police chief says so far there is no evidence that the death was motivated by antisemitism, but they are looking for a suspect and a motive. CNN Chief Law Enforcement Analyst John Miller is with us now. John, where are they on this?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT & INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, we start off in this with you know, an FBI bulletin that came out on the 18th just a few days ago saying noting the increase in physical assaults, bomb threats, calls for attacks against the Jewish and Muslim communities. So, when you have a high-profile precedent --and when I say high-profile, work for a member of Congress. When she renovated -- when she ran the renovation of the downtown synagogue, the mayor came to the opening. Somebody who was a known entity larger than life in the Jewish community. There's going to be this concern given the timing that this is connected.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

MILLER: The watchword for police from the very beginning in Detroit is to keep an open mind on this case because of the circumstances around the killing, and what they tell them -- and what they don't tell them.

BOLDUAN: What's missing? What are they looking for now? How -- I mean, what they -- they've -- they're clearly running out this hard to figure out, one, why she was killed, who killed -- I mean all of the above.

MILLER: So, those are the problems. And that there are many clues and none of them point in a single direction yet. You've got a murder that happens inside the apartment, apparently, and a trail of blood that takes you outside. So, that raises the question of, with no signs of forced entry, did she let someone in? Was it someone known to her?

[11:55:01]

Did she come home from a wedding she had attended the night before, and find someone inside? Was that someone known to her? Was she stalked because of her position to that address, and followed by somebody who waited and pushed their way inside? All of these questions are there.

One interesting tell if you will is, inside the apartment, law enforcement sources told me there was a large Israeli flag hanging up. If this was to be a symbolic murder, that was left completely untouched, apparently. So, they're going at her cell phone. Who was she in contact with?

They're going at the video can -- at the video canvas in that housing complex, an upscale condominium. That's just two blocks outside of a neighborhood that's been plagued with high crime. So, they've got a lot to go at and they are sparing no resource.

BERMAN: John Miller, thank you. Keep us posted on this.

BOLDUAN: Thank you, John.

MILLER: Thanks.

BOLDUAN: And thank you so much all for joining us today. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next.

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