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Bodycam Video Released Of Police Shooting New Orleans Attacker; Altadena Business Owner Talks About Dealing With Fire Devastation; Chinese Hackers Breach U.S. Office That Reviews Foreign Investments. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired January 10, 2025 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Now to a new perspective on the deadly terror attack in New Orleans that unfolded just hours into the new year. Police have just released bodycam video that shows officers shooting and killing the driver who rammed a truck through Bourbon Street, killing 14 people.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Now the video is just a few seconds long, but we have to warn you, certain portions of it could be felt as disturbing by some viewers.
CNN's Omar Jimenez joins us now with the details.
Omar, walk us through the footage.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So this footage happened just after 3:00 a.m. the early morning of the attack, the early morning of New Years Day. And it picks up essentially after the truck had already barreled through Bourbon Street, hitting people and killing people, as we know as well.
And what you're going to see is officers approaching the driver's side of the crashed truck where airbags -- airbags have already deployed. And then police say gunshots came from inside the truck. They returned gunfire. And you'll see how quickly things change in truly a millisecond.
And as you warned as well -- I'll do the same -- some of what you're about to see may be disturbing.
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JIMENEZ: So you see just how quickly that happens there. Two officers were injured in that. Of course, the driver was killed as well. [14:35:00]
But I want to bring up a specific frame of that video because it happens very quickly here, is you see that red circle there? It appears to be a muzzle flash from behind the deployed airbag.
So police believe that he shot from behind, again, those deployed airbags. And it would have been out of sight as these officers approached and got close to the driver's side.
And remember, there were also two IEDs investigators say we're placed in coolers in the area as well. But they, of course, did not detonate as well. So the situation clearly could have been much worse than it already was.
As you may imagine, the chief of police said this was well within their policy of use of force as well.
But also there might be questions over why just this specific aspect of the video is out. That's because the police department says that's what they have purview over. That's the officer-related shooting.
The wider scene is still under investigation by the FBI, who could release if they wanted to, but we're getting this for right now from the New Orleans Police Department.
KEILAR: All right, Omar Jimenez, thank you so much for that.
And in California, tens of thousands of people are in evacuation zones as firefighters are battling raging wildfires. Next, we'll talk to a business owner from Altadena, one of the hardest-hit communities, about how they're dealing with the devastation.
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RAYA REYNAGA, LOST RESIDENCE IN ALTADENA WILDFIRE: I woke up and it was just pitch black. We had no power and I was just in hell. That's what it felt like. I was just surrounded by flames all around me.
And all -- all I could do was just hold my water hose and just -- I dropped to my knees and I just started praying, please God, please just save my house, just save my house, this is -- this is all I have.
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KEILAR: That was Altadena resident, Raya Reynaga, recounting the experience of being trapped in her home during the Eaton Fire. She was ultimately able to evacuate, but in the process, she did lose her house that she had lived in for 28 years.
These are pictures of what is left of Raya Reynaga home. These stories are becoming all too familiar for residents in that
community, especially as the Eaton Fire becomes one of the five most destructive in California state history.
That fire alone has burned nearly 14,000 acres. It's only 3 percent contained at this point. More National Guardsmen have been sent in to assist there.
Joining us now is Tyler Wells. He is a business owner from Altadena and had to evacuate due to the fires. His restaurant burning -- remains standing despite the devastation in the surrounding community.
And that's really the thing, I think, Tyler is so much of what is around it is gone. Tell us a little bit about how you're doing, how your business is doing, and how the community is doing.
TYLER WELLS, ALTADENA RESIDENT & BUSINESS OWNER: Yes. For me, it's -- we're kind of out of words. This is -- the reality of it is -- is really starting to set in. I think so many of us have been just obviously in denial and in shock.
And having gone up to the space and, you know, have a lay of the land, it's not that close to the fires. But these winds were so insane.
We left on, I think it was Tuesday night, and just thought, well, the restaurant will be fine. The neighborhood will be fine. And I woke up to a thousand text messages and just an absolute nightmare.
So you know, and we're obviously completely blessed and so lucky because the building is standing and -- and it is -- there is nothing around it. The entire street is gone.
And it's just -- it doesn't make any sense. It's too hard to believe. We have so many friends and neighbors and -- and who have just lost everything. People lost their business and their homes.
And I can't even -- you can't even fathom it. I can't even begin to understand. And I think having been there two days ago, you can't -- it's really hard to understand the loss and the destruction and what it's actually like on the ground.
It's like nothing I've ever seen in my life. And -- and it's nothing that no one should. -- you should never see this. This is horrific.
KEILAR: So the business has survived, but there's really not much around it. I mean, where does that -- where does that leave you when your community is devastated?
WELLS: Yes, it's -- it's really tough to -- to talk about because, like I said, we're so fortunate that it's there. But there's infrastructure to consider. Will -- you know, is it -- how is it going to be months before -- you know, power poles are burned down. The water is not safe. Is there anyone to feed?
I mean, for us, we -- we own another restaurant also that's open right now in Los Feliz. And we're doing everything we can to take care of all of the communities.
But, yes, is there -- is there a neighborhood to come back to? You know, we are a neighborhood restaurant. And I want to be there for the neighborhood. I want to feed the neighborhood. I want to provide this, you know, small, meaningful moment in the middle of this awfulness.
But will it be possible, you know, emotionally, physically, infrastructure wise? Will there be a town to support? And they're really scary questions. And I'm they're just starting to sink in today. It's really heavy.
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KEILAR: What are the conversations like in -- in the neighborhood? And also, I mean, when we're hearing the death toll, a lot of it is coming from the Eaton Fire.
Are -- are people getting a sense that their neighbors are accounted for? What are -- what are the worries right now?
WELLS: Yes, I think that's a conversation I haven't really had. The worries I mean, the worries are about -- about the sort of marginalized among us, right, people who didn't -- whose houses weren't insured or people who are not going to have the resources to find another place to live.
You know, I think, for my community and the people that I -- that I know, we all turn immediately to the marginalized among us and say, well, how is that person?
You know, we have -- we have -- I'm going to start crying. But I woke up to a text from our dishwasher, just said my house burned down. We lost everything. And this is a guy with -- you know, definitely doesn't have insurance. Not necessarily a place to go.
And you just realize I'm -- I'm as fortunate as anyone could be. I have friends. I have a place to stay. We have -- we have resources like that.
But there are so many people -- it's such a difficult city to live in financially. And almost everyone lives paycheck to paycheck. And you take a paycheck away. You take a home away. This is -- the knock-on effect of this is -- is terrifying.
KEILAR: Yes. And listen, there is so much loss in your community. And I hear what you're saying. There's so many people who have it worse from you. You've also lost a lot watching your community go up in smoke.
I know that you're lucky that you still have some things that others don't. But its -- I'm from Orange County, and I'll tell you, driving through a place like Altadena, the idea that it is, as it is now, is unfathomable.
Like you said, for anyone who doesn't know, it is -- it's unreal. And I can't even imagine what -- what that is like as it's sinking in for you.
But, Tyler, I appreciate you speaking with us and really sharing the story, the stories of your employees. It's -- it really helps us understand what people are up against there.
WELLS: Thanks so much for having me. I really appreciate it.
KEILAR: Tyler Wells, thank you.
And for more information about how you can help L.A.-area wildfire victims, go to CNN.com/impact. You can text "wildfires" to 707070 to donate.
And well be right back.
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SANCHEZ: An update now on some of the other headlines we're watching this hour.
Stocks are tumbling right now following a better-than-expected jobs report. The Dow down more than 615 points. This, after the U.S. added more than 256,000 jobs in December.
And despite that blockbuster number, investors are concerned about that strong job growth potentially slowing the pace of future Federal Reserve rate cuts.
Also, the Supreme Court, appearing likely to uphold the ban on TikTok, which is set to take effect in just a few days on January 19th. The justices heard oral arguments today over concerns about the apps ties to China.
U.S. officials say that TikTok could jeopardize national security unless it's spun off from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. Remember, more than 170 million Americans use the app, and it could go dark unless the high court intervenes.
KEILAR: And a powerful winter storm has basically shut down parts of the south. Heavy snow blanketing roads, creating hazardous, if not impossible, travel conditions.
Arkansas' Governor has activated the National Guard to aid stranded drivers there. Hundreds of flights have been canceled. Schools and government offices closed. States of emergency have been declared in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia and North Carolina.
U.S. officials telling CNN that Chinese hackers infiltrated the U.S. government office that reviews foreign investments for national security risks.
SANCHEZ: This breach is just one in a long string of alleged Chinese cyber espionage campaigns against the U.S. government in just the past year. CNN's cybersecurity reporter, Sean Lyngaas, is here to discuss his
exclusive reporting.
Sean, walk us through it. What are you learning?
SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Right, Boris. So if you we're sitting in Beijing and trying to think of a list of targets in the U.S. government to try to steal information from, this one would be pretty high on the list.
It's a called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. It's a very powerful interagency group led by the treasury secretary but also includes the Pentagon secretary and the Homeland Security secretary.
And they review foreign investments in the United States that might pose a national security risk, which you could think of a long list of that. There's many -- land being bought by nearby military bases. That's been a concern. And so this committee has definitely reviewed Chinese investments into the U.S.
And now we have some evidence and reporting that says a cyber espionage campaign was carried out against that office to try to potentially ascertain what they're studying, what potential investments they could block, and how they might need to divert their investment strategy.
And that was just one office in the Treasury Department that was hacked.
Another one was the Sanctions Office that focuses on sanctioning foreign adversaries to include China or Russia, et cetera. And just last week, sanctioned Chinese companies.
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So it's very logical and it's also very difficult to prevent, given the skill set that we're talking about.
The Chinese government has, you know, more than all other companies -- all other countries combined in terms of cyber capabilities, according to the FBI director.
So it's a very thorny problem. And the treasury says they've kicked out the hackers.
China, I should add, denies having done this, as they often do. So it's going to be something that bleeds into the next administration as a top national security concern.
KEILAR: Yes, they're going to have a lot to deal with.
Sean Lyngaas, thank you so much for that. Really appreciate it.
Still ahead, whole neighborhoods in Los Angeles now in ruins as others worry that they could be next. And 10,000 structures destroyed by the wildfires so far. And police are now enforcing curfews to guard against looting. Details when we return.
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