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Illinois Police Shooting Carefully Staged Suicide; Police Standoff at Apartment in San Diego; Still Looking for Answers in Death of Nine-Year-Old Tyshawn Lee. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired November 04, 2015 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: It turns out, according to investigators, this beloved officer found dead during an apparent chase was, in fact, a crooked cop who went to great lengths to stage his own suicide.

First, the back-story. We're talking about Joseph Gliniewicz. He radioed in for help in September, said he was on foot, chasing suspects. His body was later found dead from two shots. That story sparked a massive search for the shooter, maybe shooters, their descriptions always very vague, never any real specifics, even when we pressed a lot of these investigators on this one. The officer's death sparking fear and debate across the country that cops have become targets. Hundreds of officers nationwide attending his funeral, state flags flown at half-staff. His wife even spoke to the community.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELODIE GLINIEWICZ, WIFE OF LT. JOSEPH GLINIEWICZ: We all lost somebody yesterday, a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a mentor, a leader, a role model, and a friend, and of course, a brother in blue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Fast-forward to today, a bombshell. Police say one of their own, this man, was embezzling and laundering money for seven years from a nonprofit where he worked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE FILENKO, COMMANDER, LAKE COUNTY MAJOR CRIMES TASK FORCE, LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: The investigation found Gliniewicz had been stealing and laundering money from the FOX lake Police Explorer post. This had been occurring over the past seven years. Gliniewicz was also found to have forged signatures on official documents. Thousands of dollars were used by Gliniewicz for personal purchases, travel expenses, mortgage payments, personal gym memberships, adult websites, facilitating personal loans, and unaccounted cash withdrawals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Now, instead of pride, we know Gliniewicz's name brings shame.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FILENKO: Gliniewicz committed the ultimate betrayal to the citizens he served and the entire law enforcement community. The facts of his actions prove he behaved for years in a manner completely contrary to the image he portrayed. The embarrassment comes to me personally that this is the first time as a law enforcement officer in my career that I've felt ashamed by the acts of another police officer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You heard the word there "ashamed."

I have with me Deb Feyerick, she's with me, along with Eugene O'Donnell, former NYPD officer, now professor of law and police studies at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Welcome to both of you.

We've all been talking about this story all day long because when it broke, total shock. Total shock. So he stages his own suicide. How? Two shots.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is what makes the whole thing so interesting. He knew what he was doing. There's every indication that he staged this crime scene. He put some personal effects like his police baton, pepper spray, personal sunglasses and then he shot himself but not before calling dispatch saying that he was chasing three people. And initially he rejected a call for assistance. Then in a second call he said, "Yes, send back up." It's when backup arrived they heard one of the shots. The first shot he fired at his side, right at his side. And it actually hit his cell phone, didn't even graze his skin but got lodged inside his bulletproof vest. Bullet number two, here's what we know about that. When the first shot failed he took the gun and put it inside the collar of his bulletproof vest. It was so close that investigators found residue on the inside. That was the fatal shot, that was the one in which he bled out.

BALDWIN: So shot number two ended up being effective. He bleeds out. But the fact that he had been this officer thinking ahead, where to place what to make it look like a crime scene. He would know what to do. He's dealt with crime scenes for years.

EUGENE O'DONNELL, PROFESSOR OF LAW AND POLICE STUDIES AT THE JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE & FORMER NYPD POLICE OFFICER: Absolutely. He did throw some false clues out, but I think his undoing ultimately is not so much the crime scene and the forensics but the motive. He not only was stealing money. He knew they knew he was stealing money. And he erased his social media, erased his text messages. The FBI were able to bring them back up. And that I think is really what makes this decision positive, his motive to do it and motive to kill himself.

[14:35:42] BALDWIN: Questions about others involved, the wife, the pensions, federal benefits. A lot more to talk about.

We've got to go for now because a lot is happening in California.

Thank you, Deb and Eugene.

More breaking news out of San Diego. The standoff still under way involving a gunman who is holed up inside of an apartment building. He's fired upon police officers. We're now hearing of a ground stop at the airport in downtown San Diego as a result of all of this. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Back to our breaking story there in San Diego. Here are some pictures. SWAT, police all arrived on the scene as this standoff is still under way in this apartment in the Little Italy/Bakers Hill area of downtown San Diego. As a result of this, we are now hearing from officials at the San Diego Airport that the airport is at a ground stop for arriving flights because the shooting incident is directly in the flight path.

So, as this is all happening, let's take a listen to a reporter standing just outside this apartment building.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[14:39:46] SHARON CHEN, KSWB REPORTER: Actually, we have heard bangs going off before when we've done SWAT situations. However, we all knew they were flash bangs. This incident, we heard about a half dozen loud noises that we don't know whether they were gunshots or they were the gas guns. We do know, however, that this man has been shooting.

Since we got here on scene, I've heard a number ever gunshots which were confirmed by Lieutenant Scott Wahl that those were gunshots. So this man is actively firing. Right now, just a few moments ago, you heard Lieutenant Wahl tell us that this man right now they apparently do have him contained in the apartment. And I was able to talk to Lieutenant Scott Wahl about this apartment that he's contained in. Apparently, you see the roof of that apartment building there. If you go up to the roof, there are apparently units at the top of that apartment building. And that is where this man is.

Earlier, you said just after 9:00 officers arrived, tried to contact him, and they approached the apartment building on that top floor there. As they approached, that's when he fired that long-range high- powered rifle. And those shots literally inches away from the officers. So immediately they cleared out this whole area. Since then, completely shut down.

It is an active situation. The word right now for people who live in this area, please stay inside. I know we've seen a lot of people, just a few people, kind of poke their heads out and look around and see what the situation is.

This gentleman who lives in this house here just came out to talk with police officers. While we know it's curiosity to want to know what's happening, really the best advice right now from San Diego police officers is to please, please stay inside. Stay away from doors, windows. This man is firing a gun so you need to stay safe.

BALDWIN: That's what's happening in San Diego. We'll take you back there.

But to another shooting we have to talk about in Chicago. A 9-year- old boy's family desperately pleading for answers about his murder. Tyshawn Lee was shot multiple times on his way home from school Monday. His body found in an alleyway just steps from his grandmother's home. Police are looking for whether Tyshawn, a 9-year- old, was actually targeted. His parents are speaking out about his death and their heartbreak.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERRE STOKES, FATHER OF TYSHAWN LEE: It wasn't a target? If it wasn't a target, he wouldn't have got hit so many times in the back and the face, you know what I'm saying? I think he was targeted.

KARLIE LEE, MOTHER OF TYSHAWN LEE: Please come forward and find whoever did this to my baby. Oh, my god, I love my son. Oh, my god. I'm going to miss him. He was supposed to play ball. That's all he do. That's all he like to do is play ball and play his video games.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Volunteers have been posting flyers throughout this community hoping somebody will speak up.

The mayor there, Rahm Emanuel, says any who knows anyone who knows anything has a moral responsibility to come forward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAHM EMANUEL, (D), CHICAGO MAYOR: And whoever did this, there is a special place for them. I hope they never see freedom. I hope they never see daylight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I want to bring in a really strong voice in Chicago, Father Michael Pfleger, of Chicago's St. Catholic Church, well-known activist who's been directly involved in trying to help find Tyshawn's killer or killers.

Father Pfleger, thank you so much for joining me.

FATHER MICHAEL PFLEGER, ST. SABINA CATHOLIC CHURCH: Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Your heart just goes out to this mother.

(CROSSTALK)

PFLEGER: Yes. I was there Monday afternoon.

BALDWIN: Forgive me. I was just going to ask -- (CROSSTALK)

PFLEGER: Yes. I was there Monday afternoon. The mother this morning, the mother had been laying at the site for several hours where her son was killed. We had to get her up and get her to the hospital to get some help. Also talked to the father and the grandmother this morning. The family is distraught.

This was not a random killing or shooting. This boy was executed. There were a number of children out there. And when a 9-year-old baby has constant gunshots into his head and body, it was a target, an execution by somebody who obviously lost their humanity that you could shoot up a 9-year-old baby.

BALDWIN: Obviously, people are talking about gangs in this area. You are intimately familiar with that. You lost your foster son to gang crossfire. How have the rules or the street codes changed?

PFLEGER: Well, that's I think what's so disturbing, Brooke. There was a day when there was a code on the street. You didn't shoot or kill children, mothers, grandmothers. That line has been picked off. There is no code anymore. Used to be a time you couldn't go into prison if you had shot or killed a child and not worried about having your life take in any prison. Streets would have violation on you if you had done something wrong. That's what I've been saying for the last two days. There is no code of respect. There's no values system left. We have to put it back in place. That's why the reward is up so high now, $20,000. This is enough. We're going to draw the line so you are not going to kill babies and then go back home and pretend nothing happened.

[14:45:18] BALDWIN: I was looking at your Facebook page. You're posting something about how now other young people are going to school wondering if they're safe. So there's that. Then I want to share a cartoon. I don't know if you've seen this, this is from "The Trib" by Scott Santis. As we look at this, you see this picture of Tyshawn. Then on the right side it says, still waiting for the outrage. My question is, if this was, for example, a shooting involving this 9- year-old, and let's say a police officer, we would be hearing from everyone, what they saw, who was wearing what. There would be protests on the streets. But with this alleged gang affiliation, no one wants to snitch, Father. That's a challenge.

PFLEGER: And I understand that, Brooke. I also understand the fear. I had a young man in here last night with some police who was ready to give up information. But once they told him, you're going to have to talk to the state's attorney, going to have to go to court, going to have to point the person out, he froze up. He says, no, I'm not going to put my life at risk.

The problem is that people are so afraid. Now, there is a rage out here about this 9-year-old. The rage in the community was out there again yesterday. I was over there again today. I'm hoping somebody is going to come forward. I've also called for the fact when we find this person -- and I believe we will because we're getting a lot of information -- whatever house he has been staying in that's been harboring him, we need to file charges on that house for assessor of a crime, of a murder, and put that house up adds a place of nuisance. Let them get evicted. Anybody that harbors a murderer in your house, in my mind, is an accessory to the crime at this point.

BALDWIN: You have this 9-year-old in your city who's been murdered, also the backdrop of this, Spike Lee's just-released a trailer for the new movie "Chi-raq," which focuses on the violence in Chicago. Here's a clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is an emergency. This is an emergency.

(GUNFIRE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Homicides in Chicago, Illinois, have surpassed the death toll of American Special Forces in Iraq.

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Chi-raq!

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, Father, from the trailer, let me just quote part of an editorial from the "Chicago Tribune," Quote, "The mere prospect of 'Chi-raq' animates Chicago politicians' who fear it will stigmatize their city. Yes, Spike Lee's movie will embarrass Chicago but it won't embarrass Chicago as much as the slaying of Tyshawn Lee has already embarrassed Chicago in news accounts now appearing world wide. Last year, we suggested that for each casket of an innocent buried, a casket should be transported to the Illinois capitol and neatly snacked until lawmakers enact tougher gun sentences. If only the killing of Tyshawn Lee would provoke the same urgency as Spike Lee's movie does: This is an emergency."

There would be, Father, multiple small caskets at the capitol just because of what's happened through the year. Why do you think Tyshawn's death, as horrendous as it is, will make any difference?

PFLEGER: Well, hopefully, one of the things that's got people outraged now is this is not a shooting on a porch around gang people or a drive-by from a car, that this is a target, this is an execution of a baby. And I think this is so horrendous that I find this anger and this outrage. But again, Brooke, how long does that last? How long does it motivate us to say, not only is it from government to communities, we have to face reality.

Everybody's mad about a movie called "Chi-raq." Let's get mad about the reality. Some of the worst schools, high violence, no opportunities, broken homes and families, you create the perfect storm for the violence. So are we just going to get angry about Tyshawn and angry about a movie coming out in a few weeks, or are we going to say this violence is a reality, Chicago is a poster boy for this, but it's across the country in urban cities? Are we going to have the courage to deal with it, eradicate it, deal with stricter gun laws and stop the easy access to guns, deal with education, opportunities of employment, deal with helping these young brothers? Are we just going to say, oh, it's another tragedy and move on to the next one? That's unacceptable right now from anybody, the government or the community.

[14:50:03] BALDWIN: Father Michael Pfleger, thank you for your voice, an important one.

PFLEGER: Thank you. Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, more breaking news today. The U.K. now saying it's very possible that a bomb took down that Russian passenger jet. And now two countries are suspending flights from the region where it crashed. Stand by. Major news unfolding on this Wednesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[14:55:04] ELON MUSK, CEO, TESLA & SPACEX: Humanity's position on this planet depends on its intelligence. So if our intelligence is exceeded, it's unlikely that we will remain in charge of the planet.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You've heard this plot. Man invents robot. Robot becomes smarter than man. Robot takes over the world. That's the nightmare scenario. But the reality to some is very different.

DR. OREN ETZIONI, CEO, ALLEN INSTITUTE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: We're trying to build a computer that can take a fourth grade science test and do well. Right now we're still behind the kid in science. We can do better than average in geometry. Computers do not have that open-ended ability to learn anything. They can't learn from scratch.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Learning from scratch. That's a heady concept. The Allen Institute is trying to teach robots how to take in information from an image.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The human visual system has this amazing capability of understanding the content of the images.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The dog clearly likes its owner. Being fed ice cream.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You understand a lot about this image by just a glance at this picture. But a computer sees this picture, it looks like this actually, a matrix of numbers.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Whoa, OK. Very different than how I see it.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly. It's actually a very different phenomenon when a computer sees something like that. ETZIONI: Artificial intelligence, at the level that we see in

Hollywood movies, is literally hundreds of years away. In the future, what I'm looking forward to is medicine being more effective, having fewer errors, and saving lives using artificial intelligence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Public intoxication, possession of illegal drugs, being under the influence of a controlled substance. According to "The L.A. Times," nearly 500 people were arrested over the weekend in these two electronic dance festivals in California.

Lisa Ling, our host and executive producer of "This Is Life," is taking us inside the EDM world, exploring drug use at the massive Mystery Land Festival. Here is a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA LING, CNN HOST & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, THIS IS LIFE: There is a vigilante here who is literally approaching people and offering a product to them that he believes is an essential part of the EDM experience.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So should we split them up?

LING (voice-over): That vigilante is named Adam. What he's selling aren't drugs. They're drug testing kits. It's a simple product that can determine the mix and potency of illicit narcotics in seconds. And last night, Adam and his partner smuggled in enough kits to conduct over 15,000 drug tests.

Adam's operation is called the Bunk Police. He believes drug use is inevitable and the kits help to save lives.

(on camera): What do you do when you get to a festival site?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hand out flyers and tell people where to find us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is Bunk?

LING: How is the response to this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excellent. Everyone has been happy that we're here. A lot of people already knew about us.

LING: How dangerous is it for people to be buying drugs from dealers out here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Extremely dangerous. You don't know where they came from.

There are quite a few deaths from adulterated substances and permanent injuries that occur, so we know this prevents some of that.

LING: At a festival like this, where you have tens of thousands of people, what percentage would you say will be doing drugs? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Depending on the festival, at least 50 percent.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Make sure you watch tonight, "This Is Life," with Lisa Ling," 9:00 eastern and Pacific, right here on CNN.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[14:58:56]BALDWIN: Top of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Breaking news here on CNN. Let's go straight to San Diego. We know people living in this San Diego apartment complex being told right now, stay where you are and stay away from your windows. Police say a man has barricaded himself inside of his apartment at one point was shooting at police, missing them by mere inches with what they're calling a high-powered rifle. Police know where he is but cannot confirm whether anyone is with him or anyone has been injured by the gunfire.

In addition to this, if you know San Diego and where exactly that airport is, we can tell you that the San Diego International Airport is at a ground stop for arriving flights because this shooting incident is directly in the flight path.

Also just a short time ago, San Diego police lieutenant, Scott Wahl, updated the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LT. SCOTT WAHL, SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT: When the officers arrived on scene, they began taking rounds when they approached the apartment. When I got here, 20 minutes later, he was still firing rounds. I haven't heard any rounds in the last 10, 15 minutes. We're still actively trying to mitigate the situation and use every option available to try to make this situation come to a peaceful ending.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Have you been able to make contact with him through a negotiator or through the phone?