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1 Killed, 2 Injured at NY Supermarket & Police on Hunt for Gunman; Republicans Criticize Rep. Waters for Chauvin Trial Remarks; Top Democrat Manchin Joins Condemnation of Waters; GOP Finally Condemns Incendiary Rhetoric, When It's By a Democrat; Johnson & Johnson Resumes Vaccine Shipments to Europe; Michigan Nears 6 Million Vaccinations as State Hits Highest Number of Cases in U.S. Aired 2:30- 3p ET
Aired April 20, 2021 - 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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[14:32:27]
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: We are following some breaking news out of New York right now where officials tell us one person is dead, two others are injured after a shooting at a Long Island grocery store.
Police say the suspect is still on the loose. They have released this photo. Look at your screen right now. This is who they say is a person of interest.
Let's go straight to CNN's Athena Jones. She is live on the scene for us with the latest.
What's happening, Athena?
ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Alisyn. We know from Nassau County police they have deployed 150 assets searching for this person of interest, Gabriel DeWitt Wilson, in connection with this shooting.
According to Detective Michael Visco (ph), they have aviation units, K-9 units, plain clothes officers and detectives out searching for this person of interest.
As you stated, there were three people involved in this shooting. Two people have been injured and are being treated at a hospital.
One has died, a deceased -- the deceased is a man who was 49 years old. And according to a Nassau County official, he was the store's manager here.
About Gabriel DeWitt Wilson, he is age 30, approximately 6'2". He was seen wearing a black baseball hat and a black sweatshirt and was seen heading westbound on Hempstead Turnpike.
Police are warning the people in the area, the public that if they see DeWitt Wilson not to approach him, to instead to call 911.
As I mentioned, they've deployed more than a hundred assets looking for him.
They say DeWitt Wilson left the scene and he was seen still carrying a handgun. So that is one reason that police do not want the public to try to engage him.
We know that Wilson worked at the Stop 'N' Shop at some point in time. It's unclear to police whether he was still employed by this grocery store, a rather large grocery store, I should say.
We know that he -- there were a couple hundred shoppers in the grocery store when this shooting happened. It happened on an upper floor in the manager's office.
Those other two victims, as I mentioned, were taken to the hospital.
We know that the area -- schools in the area are on lockdown, schools in three districts, the West Hempstead District, the Franklin Square District and CY (ph) School District are all on lockdown as this manhunt continues.
And we did have a chance to speak with a woman named Barbara Butterman, who was in the store when the shooting happened.
She describes the scene. She said, "Everyone started running around upstairs where the offices are and called the police, 911. They came, got us out of the store. They put us at the end of the parking lot.
She says she just stopped shopping and got together with some other people in the store that were trying to figure out what was going on there in the Produce Department.
[14:35:06]
Trying to look for places to hide, under the counters, and trying to figure out if the shooter -- if the shooter came where they would be able to hide.
So, again, yet another day of violence at a public place. This time a grocery store.
Now, we do have a statement from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who has said he has directed New York State Police to assist local authorities in this manhunt.
The governor saying he is praying for the victims and his heartbreaks for their families and loved ones -- Alisyn?
CAMEROTA: Thank you so much, Athena.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Congresswoman Maxine Waters still drawing criticism from Republicans after a controversial comment about the Derek Floyd trial. But just moments ago, condemnation now from a top Democrat as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLACKWELL: Republican leaders are pushing forward on their criticism of Congresswoman Maxine Waters for her controversial remarks about the Derek Chauvin trial.
[14:40:06]
Top Republican in the House, minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, wants Waters to face censure. He's preparing to force a vote on the resolution today.
CNN chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, broke the news about this effort.
Manu, give us a little more about the timing of this vote. And we also understand a high-profile Democrat is already weighing in on this, too. Tell us about that.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Joe Manchin, who's a West Virginia Democratic Senator.
I asked him about Maxine Waters' comments about protesters having to get more confrontational if Derek Chauvin is acquitted.
And Manchin told me earlier today that she should never have said it. He said right now is not a good time for that type of rhetoric. It really isn't.
Now, this comes as the House is moving quickly to take up a resolution to censure Maxine Waters. Republicans are pushing it and using a procedure that could essentially force a vote.
Democrats behind the scenes are moving to try to kill that measure.
They are actually on the phone, I'm told, from multiple sources, talking to their members, trying to lock down enough opposition to the measure so it could essentially die this afternoon.
The question is whether or not they have the support. Democrats, it's just uncertain at this point, because of how narrow of a majority the Democrats maintain.
They have to limit defections to just two of their members. It's unclear if that will happen.
What they're arguing behind the scenes is that this -- Maxine Waters should not be singled out because Republicans and their rhetoric, in the run-up to the January 6th riot and capitol insurrection, they did not get punished themselves.
Including Congressman Mo Brooks, of Alabama, who spoke at the January 6th rally, riled up the Trump supporters who later came to the capitol that day.
Earlier, I had a chance to ask the House Republican whip, Steve Scalise, about why they're moving to punish Maxine Waters but they did not opt to punish Mo Brooks. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: Why isn't Mo Brooks worthy of censure? He said, "Now is the time American patriots start taking down names and kicking (EXPLETIVE DELETED)." Why wasn't he censured?
REP. STEVE SCALISE (R-LA): Well, first of all, I've been clear in speaking out against any political rhetoric that insights violence.
But if you look at Maxine Waters' comments, the judge in the trial just yesterday acknowledged that Maxine Waters' comments are so inflammatory that it could cause grounds for an appeal if that ruling goes the wrong way.
RAJU: Should Mo Brooks apologize? There was a deadly riot that happened after he spoke at that rally.
SCALISE: Well, a lot of people have talked about the comments that other people have made and spoken out against it.
Right now, I haven't heard any Democrat speaking out against what Maxine has said. And it's time for Democrats to speak out when they see it on both sides.
They only want to speak out on one side of the aisle, not on both. And that hypocrisy, I think, is starting to shine through.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: Alisyn, Victor, just as Scalise deflected a question there, the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, just deflected a question about Maxine Waters as well.
I asked him why it's appropriate for any member of Congress to say that protesters should get more confrontational if a verdict does not go the way they want.
And he said, about Maxine Waters, he said, "All she said is that she wants peace." And he declined to comment further -- guys?
CAMEROTA: Oh, yes, we heard that deflection -- Manu, thank you very much -- loud and clear.
So, where was that same outrage about all the things the former President Trump said and his allies?
Remember, they said it to a mob in tactical gear right before the January 6th insurrection on the capitol that killed five people.
Where was the outrage over Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks' rhetoric at that rally?
Here's John Avlon with a CNN "REALITY CHECK."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: The jury's out on the Derek Chauvin trial and our country is holding its breath.
We've all seen the tape of Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds. But we've also seen how few bad cops are held accountable in court.
Now, consider this. Out of the 140 officers charged with murder or manslaughter for on-duty shootings since 2005, only 44 were convicted, 43 cases pending.
So, there's reason for nervousness. The world is watching.
At this tense time, we need our leaders to calm the furies, not fan the flames. That's what Democrat Maxine Waters failed to do in Brooklyn Center.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MAXINE WATERS (D-CA): We got to stay on the streets. And we've got to get more active. And we've got to get more confrontational. We've got to make sure that they know that we mean business.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Many folks saw that as a call for violent protests if the verdict doesn't result in a murder conviction.
The judge even said that Waters' comments could lead to the trial being overturned.
Waters tried some clean-up but her comments were already dominating conservative media, seemingly more than the trial itself, while Republicans finally found a reason to condemn incendiary rhetoric.
In some cases, the hypocrisy was really primo stuff. Take New York Congressman Lee Zeldin's tweet.
Quote, "Due to the continued and dangerous toxic incitement to violence by Maxine Waters, she should immediately be removed from Congress. Her rhetoric is poisonous."
[14:45:03]
Now, this is from a guy who voted to overturn an election after an attack on our capitol.
A guy who acted like Donald Trump's lap dog in Congress, never daring to call out his dangerous and toxic incitement to violence.
So, spare us the performative outrage over poisonous rhetoric.
But he was far from alone. One example is QAnon-curious Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who announced she would introduce a resolution to expel Waters from Congress for -- get this -- her continual incitement of violence.
This is someone who indicated support for executing prominent Democrats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): It's a crime punishable by death. That's what treason is.
(CHEERING)
TAYLOR GREENE: Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: So, let's be clear. There's never any excuse for protests turning into violent riots or politicians encouraging it.
Now, Republicans may think of that exclusively in terms of urban unrest. But the preeminent example in our time is the attack on U.S. capitol propelled by Trump's big lie.
But there's a deeper reason folks are frustrated and it has to do with double standards.
George Floyd had the cops called on him for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill.
Contrast that with a white-collar move involving far more money, like changing the valuation on a property by $70 million in a single year based on nothing but a whim.
Because that's what Donald Trump testified he did on a Westchester estate back in 2007.
There's something seriously wrong when the superrich can get away with moving millions while paying no taxes and get rewarded for it, while a counterfeit $20 or a broken taillight or selling loose cigarettes can get you killed by cops in the streets of America.
And that's your "REALITY CHECK."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACKWELL: Reality, indeed.
John Avlon, thanks very much.
Johnson & Johnson has resumed shipping its vaccine to parts of Europe after a short pause after reports of blood clots. Today, the company defended the vaccine, saying the benefits outweigh the risks. Question: Will the U.S. follow suit?
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[14:51:34]
BLACKWELL: Johnson & Johnson is waiting to hear whether it can continue its COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the U.S. But it is starting shipments of the vaccine to Europe. And Europe's
drug regulator says the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks of getting a very rare but serious blood clot.
Dr. Rob Davidson is an emergency room physician from Spring Lake, Michigan. He's with us now.
Dr. Davidson, do you think that's the right decision to start shipping to Europe as we await this U.S. decision?
DR. ROB DAVIDSON, EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN: Yes, I think if the European agency says they think the benefits outweigh the risks, absolutely. I'm encouraged that our FDA is looking at it.
Last year, there as a lot of concern with the CDC and the FDA being politicized and getting their talking points from political actors rather than the scientists we trust. And I think now we've kind of righted the ship in that respect.
And I think they'll probably come to the same conclusion. But I'm glad they're taking the time to look at the data.
BLACKWELL: You and other doctors have discouraged vaccine shopping. You know, I want Pfizer versus Moderna or I want J&J versus another.
But considering what we've watched, which we're still going through right now, this pause of J&J, would you expect more vaccine shopping? Would you think it's justified even for people to back away from one or the other?
DAVIDSON: I think, if the FDA weights in says the benefits outweigh the risks, I think people should take whatever they can.
I think the biggest concern right now is vaccine hesitancy and resistance. We have slots going unfilled, I know, in west Michigan and other parts, particularly in rural Michigan.
So we need to get Republicans, we need to get faith leaders, doctors in small rural communities to really get people to get on board and get these shots, or, you know, it isn't going to matter which is out there or which isn't.
You know, people aren't going to want it very soon. And that's unfortunate.
BLACKWELL: Let's talk about Michigan, where you are. You told one of my producers here that the tightening restrictions in Michigan, it's nearly impossible.
Because you have the same people who weren't following the health guidelines in the beginning, are not doing them now. They're reluctant and hesitant to get a vaccine.
What breaks this surge in Michigan, not just in the new cases but a record number of hospitalizations there, too?
DAVIDSON: Listen, I think it's getting as many people vaccinated as possible. And our governor and the team are doing that.
Unfortunately, I think it's going to be time, very slowly getting those reluctant people on board. And unfortunately, more people will get sick than have to.
And I think, in my area, I'm in a rural area, pretty Republican area, and we're seeing a lot of people walking around without masks going into restaurants and stores.
And we're seeing them show up in our hospital, unfortunately. That may just be our reality for the foreseeable future.
BLACKWELL: Dr. Rob Davidson, in Michigan, thank you so much for your time. And thank you for your work as well.
DAVIDSON: Thanks.
[14:54:28]
CAMEROTA: Victor, it's an unusual move for a president, but Joe Biden is speaking out about the Derek Chauvin trial, even as the jury continues its deliberations. We'll talk about the impact of his words and what they could mean for the case.
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BLACKWELL: Hello. And thank you for joining us. I'm Victor Blackwell, joined by Alisyn Camerota.
And right now, the jury in the Derek Chauvin murder trial is entering its 11th hour of deliberation. Of course, we're waiting for the verdict.
[14:59:53]
And a lot of cities across the country are, too. And they're waiting for what might be potential protests.
Three thousand Minnesota National Guard members have been activated in the Twin Cities.
In Chicago, Philadelphia, D.C., businesses are already boarded up.
And the Army has approved the call-up of 250 guardsmen in D.C. as well.
