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Massive Snowstorm Moves East; Police Update on Arapahoe High School Shooting

Aired December 14, 2013 - 17:00   ET

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

ROSA FLORES, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Rosa Flores, live from New York, thank you so much for spending part of your Saturday with us. We have a lot to cover, and we start with this.

We're tracking a massive winter storm that's blanketing a third of the country. Blizzard-like conditions in Buffalo, after more than four days of lake-effect snow. People there are dealing with three to four feet of snow on the ground, and it's still coming down at this hour. On the other side of the state, snow also falling in Middletown. A winter storm warning in effect with six to 10 inches expected. This all part of a huge storm that spans more than 1,000 miles, with snow falling from Ohio all the way to Boston.

We have team coverage of the storm beginning with CNN's Alexandra Field checking on the road conditions in the northeast, and she joins us live. I can see that it's dark around you already. You started earlier today. What's it looking like now?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosa, we are in Willington, Connecticut, right now. We're on Interstate 84. We are getting close to the Connecticut/Massachusetts border, and I can tell you since we left New York City this afternoon, the roads have been covered with snow, but this storm is bringing not just snow, also ice, so we are seeing some road signs out here warning drivers that conditions will be slippery and that people need to slow down and we do know that the worst of this storm is still to come.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Winter storm may be officially one week away but by the looks of what's coming down this weekend, you might think otherwise.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I was home and it started coming down, so this has been constant all day, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: The back roads are just ice and snow and just makes it hard to drive on and everything.

FIELD: In Chicago, the conditions have been downright frigid dipping to below-average temperatures for days, but now this 1,000-mile storm is on the move, with tens of millions in the northeast about to get shellacked by large swaths of snow and ice. Some places could see more than a foot of snow.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I'm freezing. This is terrible. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It's terrible. I don't like it.

FIELD: This wicked weather didn't deter everyone. In Mt. Kisco, New York, the Christmas parade went on as planned with Santa braving the elements. Still, utility companies and airports remain on the high alert, as are emergency crews who overnight had to battle through bitter conditions and thick ice to fight this fire in Berlin, New Hampshire. So, with winter storm warnings and watches now in effect for large portions of the northeast, everyone is bracing for what could be a miserable 24 hours.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: And if we take a look at the camera out our rear windshield, you can see that there are still a number on cars on the road. People are starting to take it more slowly, though, the speed limit out here is 65 miles an hour. We're going more, like, 40 miles per hour. So, this is usually a four-hour trip from New York City to Boston. We're expecting it will take us a little longer tonight, Rosa, to get there along with everyone else.

FLORES: All right, Alexandra Field live for us, thank you so much. And be careful out there.

And nobody knows snow-covered roads better than my next guest. Mike Verseckes is a spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Now, Mike, talk to us about the road conditions. We were just talking to Alexandra Field who is out in the field today. So, what are these road conditions looking like at this hour?

MIKE VERSECKES, MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SPOKESMAN (on the telephone): So, they're turning from slush and sleet covered to actually snow-covered roads. We've been pre-treating the roads for several hours leading up to the actual beginning of the precipitation. But the snow's actually starting to stick now. So, from here on out through the night and into tomorrow morning we're asking folks if they can to please stay off the road and let our equipment do its job.

FLORES: Now, I know that a lot of -- a lot of states are probably preparing for the worst. Is that kind of what you guys are doing at this hour?

VERSECKES: Yes. Yes. We're monitoring the forecast for about two- and-a-half days now and we have all of our potential pieces of equipment, all our in-house vehicles and plows as well as our vendors and contractors to be on standby. We have the ability to call up to about 4,000 different pieces of equipment at any given moment. We'll probably see up to a few thousand during the height of the storm. But for now we have about -- just shy of 1,000 I think right now. I think it was between 700 and 800 when I last checked.

FLORES: Mike Verseckes, spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Thank you so much.

Now, with this huge storm moving through some areas could see a foot of new snow on the ground before it's all over. One of those places is Hartford, Connecticut. Connecticut has actually declared a snow emergency. And we are -- and we are going to be back after a short commercial break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FLORES: Welcome back. Now, we continue to cover that wintry mess in the northeast, that huge storm moving through the Midwest and the northeast. Now, some areas could see a foot of new snow on the ground before it's all over. One of those places is Hartford, Connecticut. They've declared a snow emergency.

Now, Jill Konopka from our affiliate WFSB joins us live right now from West Hartford, and, Jill, it's been snowing since this morning. How much snow are expecting?

JILL KONOPKA, REPORTER, WFSB-TV: Well, you know, it varies all across the state of Connecticut, right here in West Hartford, we've got about two inches on the ground so far and the southeastern part of the state we're expecting between two and six inches. And then in the northern parts, the northwest corners, we're expecting up to 10 or 12 inches. So, right now it's still coming down. It started picking up in intensity and amount wise, these snowflakes that I'm talking about right here. We're actually in the perfect position in West Hartford, right near one of these major roadways, there's a mall behind us.

The roads are clear out here. The Department of Public Works crews have been working all day to try and keep those clear. They've plowing, they've been salting, getting ready for the drivers making sure that everything is good out here. Now, the mall, as you can imagine, it is certainly packed behind us. The parking lot is filled to the brim right here. People obviously shopping, getting their Christmas lists done and checked off and as we all know, we only have one more Saturday until Christmas comes after today. So, people are very busy. They're taking it easy on the roads and, you know, watching out for some of the slick spots that are still out there, but for now they're pretty good with all the salt that's been laid down. And that's the story from West Hartford, Connecticut, back to you.

FLORES: Now, I see a lot of cars in the background there. Do you know if it's supposed to get worse overnight?

KONOPKA: Yes, we're expecting more snow as the night continues to fall, and it's varied storm. It's moving, you know, in certain sections there will be more snow that's coming down. Right here we could get, you know, three to five inches in West Hartford, and like I said, other parts of the state they're going to be getting half a foot possibly to up to a foot of snow in the northern parts of the state.

FLORES: All right. Jill Konopka out there for us live, be careful.

Now, in just a few minutes, we're going live to Centennial, Colorado, not far from Denver. Police will give us an update on yesterday's high school shooting that critically wounded one student and ended with a teenage shooter's suicide. The investigation so far has focused on two places -- Arapahoe High School and Karl Pierson's home. Pierson is the 18-year-old athlete who got good grades and who witnesses say took a shotgun to that school looking for his debate coach. Police have talked to his parents and to students who saw what happened yesterday and knew Karl Pierson as well. So far no solid answers, only shock and sadness.

Now, while we wait for this police news conference to begin, let's get CNN's Casey Wian in here. He's outside the high school, which is an active crime scene right now.

And also with me Holly Hughes, criminal defense attorney, and Jeff Gardere, a clinical psychologist here with me in New York. And, Casey, let's start with you. What are we expecting to hear from police? We're expecting to hear from them soon.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are expecting to hear from them, Rosa, in just the next few minutes. We are expecting more details, perhaps some results of their preliminary investigation which has been going on since the shooting yesterday afternoon. As you mentioned, Arapahoe High School behind me remains a crime scene and is expected to remain a crime scene throughout the weekend. There are several unanswered questions. Many unanswered questions in this investigation. As you mention, police and sheriffs have said that the motive of the shooter, Karl Pierson, 18-year-old student, was revenge against his debate coach.

Students and parents associated with this school say that there was recently some trouble, perhaps he had been kicked off that team and was upset about that issue. The main question that a lot of people want answers to right now is the shooting victim, who was originally reported to be 15 years old. We're now hearing that she is actually 17 years old. She remains in critical condition at a local hospital. We are expecting -- we may hear from medical personnel at this news conference who can give us an update on her condition. Law enforcement may also be able to tell us why she was shot, so many other innocent bystanders were not.

They escaped injury which is really sort of a miracle given the fact that this shooter walked into this high school carrying a shotgun and two Molotov cocktails. There were some initial reports by law enforcement that she may have confronted the shooter. They have now backed off of that. So, a lot of unanswered questions. We're hoping to get more answers in just a few minutes when law enforcement holds this news conference -- Rosa.

FLORES: Now, Jeff, I want to bring you in because we know that the shooter was not a troublemaker. What makes a person literally grab a gun and walk to a school and do this?

JEFF GARDERE, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST/FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, certainly what we know now he was not a troublemaker, but certainly he was troubled. There's a disconnect. Someone who is reportedly so stable, a really nice kid, has a lot of friends, sort of geeky but outgoing, so why does this happen? We looked at the idea that the possibility that he was kicked off the debate team perhaps. He had an issue with that teacher. Perhaps he had a very emotionally fragile sort of personality, and that might have been the stressor that got him to break down and do something that is so horrific. It does not seem to be within his nature, so you have to look at a major stressor and perhaps, again, this very fragile emotional state.

FLORES: Now, Holly, to you now, do people have a legal obligation to report someone they feel is dangerous to a school or to themselves? If someone thought that perhaps Karl Pierson was capable of bringing a gun to school, should they have said something?

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Rosa, it's not a legal obligation. It's more of a moral obligation. And what we need to do here is exactly what the police are doing, you know, the gunman himself is dead. But they are searching his home. They are going through his locker. They are looking at everything they can to analyze why does this happen. What we need to do here is exactly what Dr. Jeff was just talking about, find out why, what are the predictors, what led to this so hopefully we can avoid these situations in the future. And, you know, there's a tag line out there, it says, if you see something, say something. And that's what we need to encourage each other to do. Legally you're not obligated to, but morally, if you see something, talk to somebody about it. Bring it up. If you're wrong, you're a little bit embarrassed. If you're right, you may have saved a life.

FLORES: Holly, let me interrupt you, because we are having a press conference right now in Colorado. Let's listen in.

SHERRIFF GRAYSON ROBINSON, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO: -- assigned to this building as a school resource officer came across our radio system asking for help. And his request for help was the result of what appeared to be a possible shooting inside the school. As all of you are well aware, that deputy and other deputies as well as large numbers of public safety professionals from across the south metro area responded to this call for help, and responded according to our active shooter protocols and did the work that they've been trained to do in an exceptional manner. We know that one young lady was injured as a result of the shooting, and in a few minutes, I will identify her and, again, I will be honored to read a statement from her family.

Throughout the night we have had a very large number of very, very well-qualified and extraordinary committed individuals conducting a variety of investigative responsibilities associated with this tragic shooting. Some of the efforts have been done by crime scene investigators inside Arapahoe High School. Some of the efforts have been done by investigators and crime scene investigators that have executed at least three search warrants on a variety of properties around the metropolitan area. And then a large number of interviews that were conducted beginning almost immediately after the shooting occurred and continued to be accomplished as we speak.

Those interviews will continue. It is our intention, as I told you yesterday, that we will conduct a complete and we will conduct a thorough investigation. And it is not our purpose nor our intent to do it fast. It's our absolute obligation to do it right. And that will be accomplished. I'd like to go back in the investigation and give you some information that we have learned overnight and up until just a few moments ago. A few moments ago I was briefed by the leadership team that is conducting this investigation, so the information that I have for you is as current as I can possibly make it.

We know yesterday that shortly before 12:33 p.m. an individual entered the north side of Arapahoe High School. And I will tell you initially our reports were that the individual entered the west side, but the individual entered a doorway that's almost immediately adjacent to the library of Arapahoe High School. And he came through that door shortly before 12:33 p.m. We now have had the opportunity to view security video from the school. And that opportunity to view that security video has been absolutely instrumental in our ability to understand better what happened and understand exactly how this individual entered the school and what he did once he entered the school.

We know the individual entered the school on the north side after parking his vehicle along the curb on the north side of the school parking lot. The individual that entered the school was armed with a shotgun. He took no effort to conceal the fact that he was armed. Everyone that saw him realized that he was armed with a shotgun. The individual also had a vandelera (ph) of multiple rounds of shotgun ammunition strapped across his body, and he was also armed with a machete, a very large knife. The individual also carried a backpack with him as he entered the school.

We now know as a result of our investigation that inside that backpack were three incendiary devices. Along the times that we have visited, I've told you that I've used the words Molotov cocktail, and that's exactly what these three were. All three were in the backpack. Shortly after entering the school the individual fired one random round down a hallway, and then immediately went into the immediate area in space of the female victim and shot the female victim point- blank. Fired another round down the hallway and then immediately went to the media center/library. When the individual entered the library, he fired one additional shot and then detonated or ignited one of the incendiary devices, which caused a fire, a large amount of smoke inside the library and then caused at least three book shelves to catch fire which generated additional smoke and some fire inside the library portion of Arapahoe High School.

The individual fired a fifth round and then ran to the back corner, which would be the north edge of the library, and there took his own life. All of the situations that I've just told you about from the time that the individual entered the north door of Arapahoe High School and took his own life took less than one minute and 20 seconds. That one minute and 20 seconds in my mind is extraordinarily relevant. Because while he was entering the school and firing the rounds that he fired and igniting the Molotov cocktail that he ignited, the deputy sheriff that is assigned to this school as a school resource officer was immediately aware that there was a problem in the north side of the school and in the immediate area of the library. That deputy sheriff accompanied by an unarmed school security officer and two administrators ran from the cafeteria to the library.

It is a fairly long hallway, but the deputy sheriff got there very quickly. And we know for a fact that the shooter knew that the deputy was in the immediate area, and while the deputy was containing the shooter, the shooter took his own life. We know that the shooter took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. One minute and 20 seconds from the time that the individual entered the school until he took his own life. We know from the research and we know from a conversation that we had earlier this morning with trained psychological and forensic psychological experts that the typical shooter in these incidents will shoot until they are confronted by someone in a position of authority, a police officer or a sheriff's deputy.

And this individual knew that our school resource officer was in his immediate area, and he was going to contain this situation. We believe that the response from the school resource officer, the response from the unarmed school security officer was absolutely critical to the fact that we did not have additional injury and/or death in this particular matter. The shooter came armed with a pump shotgun and had multiple rounds available to him. It is our strong belief that he came to this school with that weapon and with multiple rounds and his intention was to utilize those multiple rounds to cause harm to a large number of individuals. He was not able to do that pause of the heroic efforts of the men and women that I just spoke of as well as the first responders that got on this scene and secured this scene very, very quickly.

In addition to the active shooter response and protocol of our school resource officer, the school also initiated an immediate lockdown of the facility. That is a process that the school has practiced and exercised over a long period of time. So, the combination of the quick response by our resource officer and the implementation of a lockdown protocol caused the children and the staff of this facility to be safe. And we are able to ensure that their safety was guaranteed because they followed those protocols, and both property both protocols came together as they were designed to do for the safety and well-being of the students, faculty and the members of community that were visiting this particular facility.

We also know that based on our investigation that the shooter purchased the shotgun on December 6th at a local retail outlet. The weapon was purchased legally. The individual is 18 years of age, and he is able to purchase a shotgun legally in the state of Colorado at the age of 18. Yesterday morning prior to coming to the school, the individual also purchased multiple rounds of shotgun ammunition that we believe was the ammunition that he brought into the school with him before he involved himself with the assault and with the shooting. Both of those purchases, the weapon as well as the ammunition, were accomplished legally.

An 18-year-old is able to purchase a weapon and able to purchase ammunition for that weapon legally as long as the weapon that is purchased is a shotgun or long rifle. Handguns are not able to be purchased by anyone less than 21 years of age. We have made the effort, as we promised, to open the east -- I'm sorry, the west -- we've made the promise as we did yesterday to open the west parking lot for students so they could come and retrieve their vehicles. I think you've seen activity in and out of the west parking lot throughout most of the day. Students that have been so inclined have been able to retrieve their vehicles. I will tell you that we don't know yet when we will release this building to the Littleton public school system.

However, we anticipate sometime midday tomorrow that we will release the facility back to the control of the school district. We still have a great deal of evidence. We still have a great deal of forensic work to do inside, and as I have mentioned many times, we will not do it quick. We will do it right. And the folks that are currently inside this building doing that work are some of the most qualified forensic experts that I've ever had the opportunity to work with, and I know that they will do it right.

I have a few other comments that I would like to make, but before I go any further I would like to bring my friend Scott Murphy, superintendent of Littleton public schools, to the microphone for any comments he may have. I then have a few more comments relative to our investigation, and then I will read a statement from the family of the young lady that was the victim of this shooting. Scott, thank you for joining us.

SCOTT MURPHY, COLORADO SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: First of all, we want to thank the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Grayson Robinson and all the people that have come to the scene and helped us get through a very difficult situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, but also for our entire community. This is a wonderful community. It's a very, very tragic and difficult time. We're pulling together. School will open at some point. We will likely not have classes under full schedule, regular schedule, this week but we'll know more as we work with the investigative team of the Arapahoe County Sheriffs out and we'll let more information out within the next day.

And we wish to thank everyone -- everyone -- from our school districts and our agencies around us who have been there to help counsel with our students and our staff. We've had school districts, Jefferson County, Douglas County, Denver public schools, Cherry Creek, they brought counselors, help, any resources we've needed. So, this has truly been a village and a family pulling together at a difficult time. Thank you.

ROBINSON: Thank you, sir. We still have a great deal of work to do, and we will continue that work. Once we have turned the building back over to the school district, it's not the end of our work. It's the end of a phase of our investigative process that involves this facility. We will continue to do interviews. We will continue to evaluate evidence, and we will continue to ensure that we have the most full and accurate, detailed understanding of what happened yesterday at 12:33 p.m. Once we have that information, we will put it together in as much detail as we possibly can. And that will be released. It will be released not quick I had, but it will be released in an accurate and detailed format.

We still have a great deal of work to do. I would also like to tell you for your scheduling purposes, this will be the last information sharing with the media that I'm going to involve myself with at this point in time. Additional information regarding this ongoing investigation will be shared with you through a detailed and complete media releases. And those will begin to be released sometime late tomorrow, and I will release them on a regular basis, as I usually do when we conduct these investigations. The next piece of business that we need to conduct is the honor that I have to read to you a statement from the family of the young lady that was victimized by this shooting.

Once I have read that statement, I will gladly try to answer any questions that you have. But I also have photographs of the young lady that I will show you right now. And this photograph I have, I believe I have adequate copies to share with each of you. And if I don't, I certainly will ensure that her photograph is e-mailed to you and shared with you as quickly as I'm able to ensure that happens. The young lady whose picture I hold in my hand is Claire Esther Davis. Claire is 17 years of age. And she is a senior at Arapahoe High School. Before I read the statement, I will tell you that I've learned a great deal about Claire over the last several hours. And I know that Claire Davis is a young woman of principle. She's a young woman of purpose. She is an innocent young lady, and she was an innocent victim of an evil act of violence.

I would now like to read to you the statement from the family of Claire Davis. "Our beautiful daughter, Claire Davis, has severe head trauma as a result of a gunshot. She needs your continued prayers. We would like to thank our family, friends, the community and the equestrian community for their outpouring of love and support as well as the school for their continued support of the students and teachers. We would also like to express our gratitude to the first responders and the trauma team at Littleton Adventist Hospital for saving our daughter's life and quickly getting her into surgery. Claire is still in critical condition, and your prayers are appreciated. At this time, we ask that you respect our wishes for privacy, for us and the hospital. Thank you for your continued support, love, and prayers, the Davis family."

Yesterday, we reported that Claire was a 15-year-old. And as all of you are well aware, in any of these ongoing incidents, information is fluid. The information that we received was the best we had to share with you at the time. But we now know that Claire Esther Davis is a 17-year-old senior at Arapahoe High School. And, again, when we are done, I have adequate copies of her photograph to share with you, and I will distribute them accordingly.

With that, I will gladly try to answer questions that I might. I will remind you, as always, if I'm not able, for ethical or legal reasons, I will tell you that. And if I don't have the answer to the questions that you have, I will do my very best -- I will do my very best.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION) -- certainly will do that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We'd like to see all of you.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sir, what is --

ROBINSON: I will -- hang on. If I don't have the answer, ill will ensure that I find the answer for you as quickly as I can, so go ahead. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What is the working theory as to the motive?

ROBINSON: At this point in time, we are -- we have a working motive that appears, as we mentioned yesterday, to be some type of retaliation or response to a conflict between the shooter and a member of this faculty, probably a librarian.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was he facing disciplinary action?

ROBINSON: Not that we're aware of, none.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sheriff, in your investigation, have you found any background or any conflict that preceded this one between the shooter and the librarian? Has the student been disciplined before like a suspension from school for wrong behavior?

ROBINSON: The question was if the shooter had been involved in any other previous issues or disciplinary actions. Not that we're aware of at this point, but it's part of what we're working with. And our colleagues with the school district are instrumental in helping us determine that piece of the puzzle.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did he know Claire?

ROBINSON: Not that we're aware of.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you detail the interaction between the deputy and the shooter?

ROBINSON: There was no direct action between the deputy and the shooter. Other than the shooter was very, very well aware that the deputy sheriff was in his immediate area. The deputy was yelling to people to get down and get back. And he was identifying himself as an Arapahoe County deputy sheriff. We clearly believe that that quick response and the fact that he -- that that SRO that began to engage, if not directly, at least began the engagement, was a critical element to the shooter's decision to take his own life.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sheriff, can you describe to us the interaction between the shooter and Claire?

ROBINSON: There was no particular interaction. It was a shot fired in her -- directly at her.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sheriff, you said that he shot point-blank. The students were they not aware that he was approaching them at that time? Did you know, did they run? Can you pick up the story there?

ROBINSON: I can tell you, and I certainly am going to be a bit cautious about this for obvious reasons, but there was no time for the victim to run from the shooter. And, again, if you would think in terms of the 1:20 that I told you about, the time that the shooter entered the door, fired the rounds, and then went to the library, it was very quick. There was no time for anyone to protect themselves or try to escape. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you talk about the (INAUDIBLE) was saying that he was kicked off the debate team this week and that may be why he responded the way he did yesterday? And also, what evidence do you have that might support how long this has been planned? You mentioned that he bought this weapon eight days ago. Was there any evidence you uncovered at his home, elsewhere, in his car, that might suggest he'd been thinking about this for some time?

ROBINSON: I'll take those backwards, if I might. First off, the planning process that he went through is still part of our investigation and part of what we are trying to determine. The controversy between the shooter and the member of the faculty at this facility did, in fact, have to do with some disagreement and a disciplinary action taken relative to the debate team. But it did not result in the shooter's suspension from school, and as far as we know, did not result in the shooter being suspended or withdrawn from the debate team.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

ROBINSON: At this point in time, we believe there was a threat. We are looking in to that to the degree that it was understood and then what interactions or interventions took place.

Marshall?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sheriff, you mentioned (INAUDIBLE) large number of students based on his ammo. Yesterday, it was (INAUDIBLE) interaction with a teacher. Is there any reason to believe he wasn't just going after the teacher?

ROBINSON: Well, certainly, yesterday, when we talked, we were working with the best information that we had. Now, we've obviously, a little more than 24 hours after the fact, we've got a little better understanding. It is my very strong opinion that this individual would not have come to this school armed with a shotgun and multiple rounds of ammunition had he not intended to use those rounds of ammunition to injure multiple people. Certainly, his motivation to come here yesterday was the upset that he had with the faculty member. And we believe the faculty member was his initial target --

ROSA FLORES, CNN ANCHOR: And we've been listening in to a press conference in Colorado. We've heard a lot of new information coming out of Colorado. We will be discussing all of that information with our panel after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FLORES: And we are back with our panel, Casey Wian in Colorado; also with me Holly Hughes, criminal defense attorney; and Jeff Gardere, a clinical psychologist here in New York with me.

Casey, let's start with you.

We heard a lot of information. Please give us the latest. CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think the most important information we heard, Rosa, is the sheriff identified the victim in this case. A 17-year-old senior at Arapahoe High School named Claire Davis. She remains in critical condition at a local hospital. You know, the sheriff reading a statement from her family, thanking local doctors for saving her life. They say she was shot at point-blank range. She has significant head trauma. And the family asking for everyone's prayers as she struggles to recover from this horrific act, which occurred yesterday just a little over 24 hours ago.

Now, new details, lots of new details emerging about the shooting and how it unfolded. The sheriff saying that the shooter, Karl Pierson, walked into Arapahoe High School yesterday afternoon about 12:30, and the entire incident took 1:20. They know this from viewing surveillance tape, which they've done in the past 24 hours. They also describe a young man who was armed to the teeth. He was carrying a shotgun, loaded with multiple shotgun shells. They say he purchased the shotgun on December 6th, a little over a week ago, and he purchased the shotgun shells just that morning. And he had a long knife with him and three Molotov cocktails, one which he exploded.

They described the scene where he walked into the high school and asked about the whereabouts of his debate coach, who he'd had some sort of dispute with, and shot this young victim in the face as he continued down the hallway toward the library searching for that debate coach. They say that, at that point, a sheriff's deputy came very close to the shooter, and the shooter took his own life. Again, all of this happening within 1:20. The victim they describe as just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Rosa.

FLORES: Now, Jeff, I want to bring you in, because one of the things that really stood out to me, and identify am going to quote here, he said, "The typical shooter will shoot until there's someone there to confront him." 1:20 is what he said this ordeal took. A deputy was there. What's the psychology of that, waiting until you know someone is going to come to confront?

JEFF GARDERE, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Sure. Well, it was about chaos and carnage, rage. He was just going to destroy the place, take out as many people -- it appears, try to take out as many people as possible. But when you are confronted with an individual and you know that's the end of it there, you can do one of two things, either give up, keep shooting, or the most important thing that we see with the shooters over and over again, they commit suicide. So it is a suicide mission. Take out as many people as possible and then take yourself out.

FLORES: Holly, let me bring you in.

What was your take?

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY & FORMER PROSECUTOR: Well, you know, I'm just grateful. What hit me was, number one, the gun was purchased legally, which, again, takes us back to, is this a gun control issue or is this a mental health issue. And from all reports, this young man didn't seem to have a history. So like we were discussing before, Rosa, it just becomes so important to analyze the situation and figure out why this happened so we can prevent it from happening again. He didn't break any laws. And since he committed suicide -- he didn't break any laws until he got to the school, excuse me. Let me clarify that for our viewers. He purchased it legally. He purchased the ammunition legally. And then he went on this rampage. Unfortunately, he also seriously injured that young girl, Claire, that we heard about. She's only 17 years old. And now she will be facing these injuries and the result of these injuries for the rest of her life. So, what's important is why did it happen, how do we stop it from happening again.

FLORES: And, Jeff --

GARDERE: Yes.

FLORES: -- I know you were mentioning the significance of the timetable, the date.

GARDERE: Yes. Well, we know Newtown, Connecticut, one-year anniversary. He happens to do this right before that or during that time. So, I think there's some significance there. A lot of messages he's putting out there, the rage, the hate, getting back at society, getting back at this individual. But also, how many bodies, can he beat the count of the other mass shooters?

The other thing, very quickly, and this is very important, we have to look at this individual. You don't make that kind of leap in behavior. In other words, you can't be supposedly that mentally stable and then do something so horrific. So, what's missing here is what was going on with this individual in the last few days, last few weeks. Was there decompensation, psychosis, depression? Was he on medications? You know, young people commit suicide sometimes on some of these medications, because of them. We don't know that. But these are the questions we have to ask. And the anecdotal information that we get, that he was such a nice guy, you know, he was so normal, I think people really missed a lot of things about this young man. There's a lot of simmering rage.

You know where the answers are? With his parents. Because they know what was going on. Hopefully, they know what was going on with him, and maybe they just couldn't contain him.

FLORES: And the sheriff said they are conducting a lot of interviews.

Jeff, Holly, stick around with me.

We'll be back after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DOC HENDLEY, CNN HERO: Gonzalo and I are heading up the river to a little village called La Villa Rose (ph), which translates into the miraculous or the miracle. We have the Amazon River and all these tributaries leading into the Amazon River. There's water all over the place. The water is absolutely filthy. They are bathing and washing the dishes in that same water source. That's the thing causing them to get sick.

The main reason we have picked this village to work is it's a community that has the most need right now in this area for clean water. By drilling a well, we are able to get access to clean water.

Right now, we have a drill bit and about 50 feet of pipe stuck in the ground. We have to try to get it out. If we can't, it stays in the ground.

Problems happen. They happen quite often. You have to figure out how to get around the problems and keep pushing forward.

We hope to hit water. The people hope we hit water, but we're not sure. We can't make promises. So all it is right now is we are just going to try our best.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLORES: You can follow Doc Hendley's worldwide journey in the documentary tomorrow night at 8:00 eastern. It is called "Wine to Water," a "CNN Heroes" special presentation.

We'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FLORES: We are back with Holly Hughes, criminal defense attorney; and Jeff Gardere.

We are talking about the shooting in Arapahoe High School in Colorado on the eve of the Newtown tragedy. We were talking about PTSD during the break.

GARDERE: Yes.

FLORES: There has been so many of these shootings, several in Colorado alone.

GARDERE: That's right.

FLORES: What is the situation there, psychologically, for the people dealing with this over and over?

GARDERE: You just can't help think, when we saw the pictures of the young man holding his head, an adult sitting down crying as we saw here, whether this population is being re-traumatized over and over and over again. I think Colorado is a place now where they have to look at issues of gun control, where they really have to look at mental health issues with the young. But, just as importantly, what are people experiencing as far as post-traumatic stress, and how can we help them through that, because it is like a war zone.

FLORES: Holly, the final thought from you?

HUGHES: Again, like we mentioned earlier, you need to be aware of what is happening around you. Legally, there's nobody to punish here. The lesson we take away is, if you see something, say something. If you are wrong, you are embarrassed. If you are right, you save lives. We need to get involved in our community.

FLORES: All right. Thank you so much, Holly Hughes.

And we'll be back after this short break.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When disaster strikes, every second counts when searching for survivors. New radar technology could help search and rescue teams find the heart beats of victims trapped in wreckage.

JOHN PRICE, DHS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT: In any disaster when people are injured or buried, you have a certain amount of time a person can survive.

BALDWIN: A portable finder device is being developed by NASA and the Department of Homeland Security. A FEMA search and rescue teams, Virginia Task Force One, is testing it.

JIM LUX, NASA'S JET PROPULSION LAB: Finder is a low-powered microwave radar. It sends out a signal 1/100th the strength of your cell phone. Imagine it as a flashlight lighting up the rubble pile. We look for the motion that's caused by your heart beat and your breathing.

BALDWIN: Finder can see through 20 feet of solid concrete from 100 feet away. And the radar is sensitive enough to distinguish enough between a human and an animal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we have a victim straight ahead.

BALDWIN: It can even find victims that can't cry out for help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you hear us?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire department.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire and Rescue.

BALDWIN: The technology could be available as early as next year.

PRICE: There's a very limited number of responders out there for any given population.

LUX: This is just another tool in the tool box that can be used to help save lives.

(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)