Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Twenty Hurt in Mass Stabbing at Pennsylvania School; Memorial for Three Sergeants Killed at Fort Hood

Aired April 09, 2014 - 14:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Bottom of the hour here. We are following this utter nightmare unfolding today within the walls of this Pennsylvania school. Armed with two knives, one in each hand, a 16-year-old described by some as an introvert, run through the hallways, into several classrooms stabbing and slashing his fellow students right around homeroom time. Twenty people, 19 of them students caught up in this mass stabbing, some left bleeding in the halls.

That 16-year-old who we cannot name because of his age, authorities are ID'ing him is now under arrest. While many of his allege victims between the ages of 14 and 17 are as I speak fighting for their lives. A classmate of this accused stabber watched as he took these knives and used them on her own classmates, one of them her own friend. She joins me now by phone. Mia can you hear me?

MIA MEIXNER, WITNESSED SCHOOL STABBING (via telephone): Yes.

BALDWIN: Mia, you saw a lot this morning. I understand you were at your locker before homeroom, tell me what you saw.

MEIXNER: I was putting my books away in my locker like I do every morning and I heard a commotion behind me and I wasn't sure what it was at first. So I turned around and I saw a freshman boy on the ground and the boy who was stabbing people on top of him. At first I thought they were just fighting because I didn't know what was happening. I didn't really see any of the knives. The freshman boy was fighting back so it looked like just a fight and the boy who stabbed him got up and ran away very fast.

The freshman boy stood off the ground and he lifted up his shirt and was gushing blood from his stomach all over. It was very terrifying. There was also a girl who got caught in the middle of it. Her arm was held out and her arm was gushing blood so I ran over and asked if she was OK and I tried to help her. Then a teacher came and I heard people coming down the hallway where the stabber ran and they were screaming get out, run, he has a knife. The teacher said I'll take care of her. You can run and so I run out.

BALDWIN: How quickly did all of this happen, was this a matter of seconds? Was this minutes?

MEIXNER: I would say at most 5 minutes. BALDWIN: Five minutes. So in total how many people it sounds like you saw a number of people hit by these knives?

MEIXNER: Yes, I only saw two actually get hit because I wasn't down at the other part of the hallway, but I know a lot of my friends saw the other ones and people were just scared all over and running.

BALDWIN: I imagine this happened so quickly. You didn't get a chance to really see, but no one has really been describing the knives he used. Did you see in a flash if they were large, if they were small, could you describe them?

MEIXNER: I didn't directly see the knives, but I heard from some of my friends who said they did see the knives that they were large and they looked like rollers almost?

BALDWIN: Rollers, how do you mean?

MEIXNER: Yes, they were that big they said.

BALDWIN: Like a rolling pin size?

MEIXNER: Like a measuring ruler.

BALDWIN: As far as this young man who again CNN is not naming because he is not 18 years of age, but I understand you, in some of your classes?

MEIXNER: Yes, he is in two of my classes this year and I have had past classes with him.

BALDWIN: Describe him for me.

MEIXNER: He is really -- he is kind of quiet and he keeps to himself. He was never mean to anyone or like dislike anyone and I don't think anyone really disliked him. But he didn't talk to that many people and I never saw him with a particular group of people that he hung out with or anything.

BALDWIN: And quickly you say you had a good friend among several whom you saw stabbed. Are they OK?

MEIXNER: He is fine. He just got hit but he is out of the hospital with some stitches.

BALDWIN: My goodness. Mia Meixner, thank you so much for calling us. Our thoughts and prayers with this entire community. What a horrendous morning for these high school students. Thank you.

And coming up, this is another story we're watching for. Any moment, the president is expected to speak at this memorial service at Fort Hood there in Texas. We will take you back there live. Stay right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We want to take you live now to Fort Hood as we are waiting this memorial service to begin. Take a listen.

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, Chaplain Colonel Matthew Gough.

CHAPLAIN COLONEL MATTHEW GOUGH: Would you bow your heads as we pray, Almighty God, as we enter this sacred moment of memorial, we pause to acknowledge you, the God of all comfort and mercy. We ask that you would be with us, collectively and individually and bring healing as we remember and honor our three fallen comrades, Daniel, Carlos, and Timothy. Walk with us to console and sustain us. Encourage us by your spirit and by the presence of family and friends that gather around us, walk beside us and lift our broken hearts.

And now as we grieve the loss of these three men we thank you for their selfless service and for the legacy that they leave behind. Bless their memory and may our thoughts of them and your healing touch sustain each soldier, family and friend in the days ahead in your holy name we pray. Amen.

ANNOUNCER: Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, the commanding general of the Third Armored Corps in Fort Hood, Lieutenant General Mark A. Milley.

LT. GENERAL MARK MILLEY, COMMANDER, FORT HOOD: President and Mrs. Obama, Deputy Secretary of Defense Fox, Secretary McCue, General and Mrs. Dempsey, General and Mrs. Odierno, Lieutenant Governor Duhurst, distinguished visitors from our nation's capital in the state of Texas, soldiers and civilians and most of all the families and friends of our fallen and wounded warriors. Thank you all so very deeply for being here today and we sincerely in our heart of hearts appreciate your presence and your support and your compassion as we struggle through a very difficult time.

Today we mourn. We mourn for those we lost one week ago on April 2nd and today we honor the lives they led. The three fallen soldiers came from hometowns as far apart as Puerto Rico and Central Illinois. They had different hobbies and passions and they all had different lives, but they were united by a single desire, a desire to serve their country and their willingness to answer their nation's call in time of war.

To the families of the fallen, we want you all to know that we here at Fort Hood, we here in Central Texas, we here in the United States Army and the entire nation want you to know that we stand with you, that we grieve with you, and that we will be here for you not just today, not just tomorrow, but forever. You are in our hearts and in our prayers and we will never forget your loved ones' sacrifice for our nation.

To the soldiers who were wounded and to your families we wish you all a full and complete and speedy recovery. And we here at Hood will stop at absolutely nothing to make sure that you and your families have the resources and care that you need to heal. Many of you demonstrated exceptional valor in the face of danger and your strength is an inspiration to us all.

To the heroic first responders who risked their very lives and to the medical teams who cared for the wounded and the fallen, thank you all for not only what you did on 2 April, but what you do every single day in the line of duty.

To the Central Texas community and to the people all over the country and literally all over the world, who have reached out to us here at Fort Hood during this terrible time, your compassion gives us all greater strength. Yes, today is a day of mourning. A day of mourning for the fallen. It is also a day to honor their lives and the service of Staff Sergeant Rodriguez, Sergeant Timothy Owens and Sergeant First Class Daniel Ferguson, each made the ultimate sacrifice here at home.

Among their brothers and sisters in arms. The pain of losing our comrades cannot extinguish the memory of what made each of them unique and so much beloved. Staff Sergeant Carlos Rodriguez came from a close knit family in Acuadia, Puerto Rico. He enlisted at 18. He deployed once to Kuwait and twice to Iraq and he provided critical and logistical support to units as far as Fort Bragg and Hawaii.

During almost 20 years of selfless service, he earned numerous decorations including the the combat action badge and on April 2nd, he was tragically just months away from a well-earned retirement. And he is survived by his son, his parents, his sisters and a brother who are here today with us.

Sergeant Timothy Owens was from Epingham, a small town in Central Illinois. He loved baseball and football and wrestling and taekwando so much so that he became a black belt and taught martial arts before joining the army in 2004. He served as a heavy vehicle driver and was stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and in Kuwait before moving here to Fort Hood in 2011.

In 2005, he deployed for an entire year in support of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" and there he earned his combat action badge under fire. He is survived by his wife, three children and his mother who join us today.

And Sergeant First Class Daniel Ferguson grew up in small town, Mulberry, Florida. He played football and baseball and basketball. He also ran track. In his two decades of military service he was stationed in Italy, Germany and bases throughout the United States. And he, too, deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. And he, too, earned many awards for outstanding service including a Bronze star and three service medals.

And on that day, the second of April, one week ago, Sergeant Ferguson died a hero. He was shot as he held a door closed to protect a room full of other soldiers. He put himself in the line of fire to save them. And he is survived by his daughter, his parents, his brothers and sisters, and at the time of his death, he was engaged to be married.

Every member of the United States military is here today is proud to have served alongside these three soldiers and they are part of eternity now, but they are not God. They are not forgotten and they never will be. They endure. They endure in the hearts of those who love them and in the memories of the 140,000 soldiers and civilians who make up the Fort Hood community. We will honor our fallen not today but every day. Every day that is to come we will honor them by striving to be worthy of their sacrifice. In this time of tragedy we see the true strength of our community and our people. They say all of you here at Fort Hood and all in Central Texas have been through the fire and you are strong and more determined than ever.

And although this day is a day of grief, it is also a day of pride. Pride in the military police woman who bravely faced down the gunman and helped to end that violence. Many would have taken a step back and sought cover. She took a step forward. And the chaplain who was here with us today was injured and the wounded soldiers who stayed cool under fire, provided first aid to themselves and others and had the presence of mind to dial 911 even though they were wounded. Many took the side of action.

Pride in the health care professionals who rapidly cared for 16 wounded soldiers. And the many, many caring men and women who have reached out to us with donations and other acts of service and above all, pride in the service and sacrifice of Staff Sergeant Rodriguez, Sergeant Owens and Sergeant First Class Ferguson.

Each of whom gave that last full measure of devotion to their country. To the families of the fallen, to the wounded warriors and loved ones, to everyone in our community in need of healing, may God bless each and every one of you and give you peace. Thank you for being with us today. I ask that you take care of yourselves. Remember the fallen in your families and prayers. Take care of each other, phantom warriors, army strong.

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, the chief of staff of the army, General Raymond T. Odierno.

GENERAL RAYMOND T. ODIERNO, ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF: Good afternoon, everyone. We come together today to care for our soldiers and their families who together have sacrificed so much over the last 13 years of war. We come together as an army family to grieve the sudden and tragic loss of four of our own. We come together to help 16 wounded soldiers heal and we come together to stand beside the families of the fallen and injured in their time of need.

President and Mrs. Obama, your presence here today speaks numerous volumes of your unwavering support and compassion for our soldiers and their families. Distinguished members of Congress, thank you for coming down here today. Deputy Secretary of Defense Fox, Secretary of the Army McCue, the great leader of our army, General and Mrs. Dempsey, the chairman, Lt. Governor Duhurst and other distinguished state leaders, thank you for your support, thank you for your contributions to Fort Hood.

But most importantly, I want to thank the soldiers, the families and civilians of Fort Hood and the surrounding community. I want to thank Lieutenant General Mark Milley and Commanders Major Scott Shroader. We are fortunate to have such experienced dedicated leaders to guide us through these difficult days. Our job as leaders is to prepare soldiers for the chaos of war. The loss of any soldier in any circumstance is a tragedy for a unit or for a family. Yet somehow the loss of comrades in the heat of battle is a risk that we understand and with time we can accept. That these soldiers were lost on American soil and at the hands of one of our own makes this tragedy heart breaking and inexplicable.

This especially hits home for Linda and I because Fort Hood and the greater central community has been my family's home away from home for more than seven years. Having served here as the commander of a brigade, the fourth infantry and more. I have experienced the warmth and resiliency of the soldiers and community.

The Fort Hood family has been central to the army's success over the last 13 years of war sharing in our victories and grieving when we lost those dearest to us. You were there for us and for our families when we deployed forces whether it be to Iraq or Afghanistan. You were there for us when we struggled to understand and recover from the events of November 5, 2009, and the loss of 13 people.

Today we are all here to tell you and to show you that our army and our nation are here for you. We cannot help but feel the echoes of that most horrible day in the tragedy we now face. For many the events last week reopened the wounds of five years ago. We are heartbroken that the same units and soldiers, families and communities who have supported unit after unit deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and sacrificed so much must endure yet another burden.

We must learn from the events and support and heal one another. We must come together to identify the risk factors that lead to violence. To address the challenges of mental illness. To enhance the resiliency of our families. Any time a soldier believes that hurting oneself or others is a solution, we must insure that the army family is there for them to show them another way forward and to lift them from their despair.

Lost to us on Wednesday were three soldiers were more than 50 years of service to the United States Army. First class Danny Ferguson served for nearly 21 years across the country and around the world including four deployments. His fiance shared with us that the army was Danny's life. He was proud to be part of a great service.

Staff Sergeant Rodriguez followed in the footsteps of his father to enlist from his hometown. During his nearly 20 years, Carlos was known for being a meticulous soldier, leading from the front with a tough but kind down to earth nature. Sergeant Timothy Owens enlisted in the army in 2004 and served for more than ten years as a motor transport operator including two deployments to Iraq and Kuwait.

The loss of these three soldiers is a terrible tragedy to our army family. Our hearts and prayers go out to each of the soldiers' families and their units. Every day we learn from witnesses and the wounded about the heroic actions of first responders who prevented the loss of even more lives. We are indebted to the first military police officer on the scene, a soldier in the 89th military police brigade who advanced alone to confront the shooter in an effort to stop the rampage.

Then there is the heroism of Sergeant First Class Ferguson and Major Patrick Miller who were injured while trying to save the lives of many soldiers. We are grateful for the rapid reaction and exceptional reactions of first responders and medical triage teams whose actions were nothing short of extraordinary. There are certain people who are able to step up in the most difficult times and do something heroic.

No one quite understands what characteristics will cause someone to display incredible courage or sacrifice to their own safety. But we see it time and time again from the soldiers of this great army. The large majority have shown incredible resiliency and personal growth in the face of repeated deployments as well as the normal stress of our everyday lives, but there are some who struggle to bounce back and find peace among life's challenges.

We do not know why one soldier is strengthened in tough times and another cannot see a way forward, but we must and we will be there for them. In the days and months ahead, our highest priority will be to care for wounded service members, their families and the families of the fallen. We will do everything within our power to investigate every detail to learn, to adapt and to protect our most valuable resource, the men and women of our U.S. Army.

I have once again been touched by the strength of the American spirit that our country was built upon. I'm inspired by the stories about soldiers, families, civilians, communities, businesses, and private organizations giving so generously of themselves their resources. The family readiness groups, the Red Cross, the USO and local businesses who immediately reached out to our Fort Hood family.

As we have during other difficult times, we will have strength in unity. We will all stand together as a community. We will all stand together as an army and we will all stand together as a nation. We will lift each other up with our compassion, our strength, and resilience because that's who we are.

The strength of our nation is our Army. The strength of our Army is our soldiers. The strength of our soldiers is our families, and that's what makes us Army strong.

Thank you very much.