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Suspected Shooter In Custody, Multiple Injuries Reported In Oxford, Michigan, School Shooting; Jury Selection Begins In Manslaughter Trial For Former MN Officer Kim Potter; Stocks Down Amid Uncertainty Surrounding Omicron Variant; GOP Infighting: Marjorie Taylor Greene Attacks Nancy Mace For Condemning Lauren Boebert's Islamophobic Comments; Barbados Cuts Ties With Queen Elizabeth, Becomes Republic. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired November 30, 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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[14:33:37]
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: We've got breaking news out of Michigan where police say a suspect is in custody after a shooting at a high school.
Let's bring in now Alexandra Field who's following this.
What are you learning?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As many as six people may have been injured in this shooting. None of the injuries appear to be fatal injuries.
We know that units are on scene right now, very much an active scene. EMS and SWAT crews responded to reports of an active shooter at Oxford high school in Oxford Township earlier this afternoon.
They have evacuated all students from the school.
As you mentioned, they have taken one suspected shooter into custody. They have recovered a handgun.
They do not believe there's a second suspected shooter at this time but they are making another sweep of the school.
We are standing by for more information. But you can see some shots from overhead right now around that high school. Obviously, priority there to get all of those students out.
We will be learning more about this. We're they're expecting to brief us they're expecting to brief us shortly.
BLACKWELL: All right.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: All right, Alexandra, thank you very much.
BLACKWELL: Thank you. CAMEROTA: Meanwhile, jury selection is under way in the manslaughter
trial of a former Minnesota police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man during a traffic stop in April.
BLACKWELL: During the arrest, Dante Wright, 20 years old -- Kim Potter says she accidentally grabbed and fired her gun instead of her taser.
The shooting happened about 10 miles from where the Derek Chauvin trial was happening in Minneapolis. Potter is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter.
CNN's Adrienne Broaddus has been watching the proceedings.
[14:35:02]
Adrienne, we understand that opening arguments are set for next week but we got information about who might testify.
ADDRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At least 18 potential witnesses, including Kim Potter. Yes, we learned today she will take the stand in her own defense.
Now, her defense attorneys were questioning juror six, and during that questioning, the juror mentioned she remembers her initial reaction when she first heard about this incident.
She said, and I'm paraphrasing, how could this happen? She said she still feels the same way today.
And then she quickly followed up by saying, perhaps this trial will clarify some of her questions.
And this was the response she got. Listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
If you're selected
UNIDENTIFIED POTENTIAL JUROR: Yes.
PAUL ENGH, DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR FORMER OFFICER KIM POTTER: Officer Potter will testify and tell you what she remembered happened.
UNIDENTIFIED POTENTIAL JUROR: Right, yes.
ENGH: So, you will know --
UNIDENTIFIED POTENTIAL JUROR: Uh-huh.
ENGH: -- not just from the video but from the officers at the scene and Officer Potter herself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROADDUS: And jury selection continues at this hour. So far, three jurors have been selected. Including juror six, who told the court she's a mother of four. One of her children died almost two years ago. She also is the daughter of an Army veteran. She said her father served during World War II.
The other juror selected was juror seven. He says he's an operation manager at target and oversees about 110 people. He said he works the night shift.
He also mentioned at least two of his family members are members of law enforcement in neighboring communities of Minneapolis. He recently saw them for Thanksgiving.
And the other juror that was first selected was juror two, also a man.
Jury selection and this trial against Kim Potter is happening inside of the same courtroom where Derek Chauvin was convicted -- Alisyn and Victor?
BLACKWELL: All right, Adrienne Broaddus, thank you so much.
The stock market is having another rough day. We'll take a look at the impact of the Omicron variant and some remarks from the Fed chair, the impact that they are having on the economy in a moment.
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[14:40:58]
BLACKWELL: Well, there are rising concerns and uncertainty surrounding the new Omicron variant and the economy.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testified in front of the Senate today, warning that they just don't know enough about the new COVID strain yet.
CAMEROTA: CNN business reporter, Matt Egan, joins us now.
Matt, we just saw the market's down 513 points. Are they reacting to Omicron or something else?
MATT EGAN, CNN BUSINESS REPORTER: Yes, Alisyn, Victor, a lot of this is about Omicron. All this uncertainty just continues to send the stock market on a wild roller coaster ride.
Markets tumbled Friday. They bounced back a bit yesterday. But as you can see, the Dow down 515 points, about 1.5 percent.
Now, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, he talked today in Washington about the risks that Omicron poses to the economy.
Let's listen to what he had to say.
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JEROME POWELL, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL RESERVE: The recent rise in COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant pose downside risks to the employment and economic activity and increased uncertainty for inflation.
Greater concerns about the virus could reduce people's willingness to work in-person, which would slow progress in the labor market and intensify supply chain disruptions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
EGAN: So, three main risks there: Inflation, worker shortage, and the supply chain. Those are the things that investors are most concerned about.
But we do need to stress that these are just risks at this point. We don't know enough to say exactly what the impact's going to be on the economy.
That's going to really depend on how contagious this new variant is, how effective vaccines are, and also how severe the symptoms are.
Now, the other interesting thing is that Jerome Powell, he kind of threw Wall Street a curve ball today. He said -- and these comments actually sent stocks to session lows.
He said that he thinks the Fed should seriously consider unwinding their emergency bond-buying stimulus program earlier than expected. Now, he cited high inflation and strong economic growth.
This did not please investors, because this stimulus program has been juicing the stock market for almost two years now. But it may be coming to an end sooner than expected.
And, Alisyn and Victor, whether it's COVID or this Fed policy issue, clearly investors and the real economy are facing a lot of uncertainty right now.
CAMEROTA: It sure sounds like it.
Matt Egan, thank you.
BLACKWELL: Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has launched a new attack on another congresswoman, and this time, it's a member of her own party. We'll tell you who the target is this time.
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[14:45:30]
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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BLACKWELL: Well, the back and forth in Congress is getting even more toxic. Let's talk now about Trump ally, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. She attacked a fellow House Republican, Nancy Mace, on Twitter. CAMEROTA: Greene called Mace, quote, "trash" and accused her of not
being a true conservative. Her final zinger was misspelled. She writes, "Your out of your league." I'm going to have to deduct some points for that.
So what did Mace do to spark that ire? She condemned GOP Congresswoman Lauren Boebert for hateful remarks about Ilhan Omar.
BLACKWELL: Let's bring in now CNN capitol hill reporter, Melanie Zanona.
So now Mace has responded. What's the latest in this back and forth?
MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Yes, well, the interparty feud continues to escalate this afternoon. Nancy Mace responded by not only correcting Greene's grammar but also implying, using some colorful emojis, that Greene is crazy and a clown.
And then Marjorie Taylor Greene responded by saying she spoke to Trump about Nancy Mace, which could be interpreted as a veiled threat of sorts.
[14:50:02]
If it is a threat, though, Nancy Mace, not scared by it. She responded by saying that this is the equivalent of Greene tattling to the principal's office because she can't stand on her own two feet.
Now all of this comes, of course, as the GOP is wrestling with some of this Islamophobic and bigoted rhetoric in its own party.
Kevin McCarthy has not publicly condemned this type of language but he has worked behind the scenes to put out some of these fires.
We know he tried to broker a meeting between Lauren Boebert and Ilhan Omar. And I'm also learning that he called Nancy Mace today and spoke to her by phone amid this ongoing feud with Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Kevin McCarthy, he does not want to focus on the infighting. He wants to be focused on the Biden/Democratic agenda and taking back the majority.
So he's clearly trying to bring the temperatures down. But it's not working. As we can see, it's playing out on Twitter in real time.
CAMEROTA: And then, Melanie, there's a new video that has emerged of Lauren Boebert again talking about Ilhan Omar? Back in September, though.
ZANONA: Yes. This is a pattern of Islamophobic and bigoted language and behavior language from Lauren Boebert. It's not a one-off incident.
Take a listen to this video that our "KFILE" investigative team discovered.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. LAUREN BOEBERT (R-CO): One of my staffers on his first day with me got into an elevator in the capitol. And in that elevator, we were joined by Ilhan Omar.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
BOEBERT: Well, it was just us three in there. And I looked over, and I said, well, look at there, it's the jihad squad.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
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ZANONA: I would point out that Lauren Boebert has used that phrase "jihad squad" multiple times before. She also doubled down on her rhetoric and lies yesterday in social media video.
So clearly, she's not remorseful. She's not sorry despite an initial tweet trying to apologize.
So clearly, you know, there's just a lot of tensions inside the House right now.
CAMEROTA: It's interesting that she keeps recycling that story, that Ilhan Omar says is a made-up story, and she keeps recycling it in different incarnations.
BLACKWELL: Yes. Apparently, it --
(CROSSTALK)
ZANONA: It keeps changing, right.
CAMEROTA: Yes.
BLACKWELL: Melanie Zanona, for us there on Capitol Hill, thank you so much.
CAMEROTA: OK, this bit of news into CNN. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the cardiothoracic surgeon and television personality, is running for Senate in Pennsylvania as a Republican.
He just made the big announcement in an op-ed published in the conservative "Washington Examiner" newspaper.
CAMEROTA: Dr. Oz wrote, "During the pandemic, I learned that when you mix politics and medicine, you get politics instead of solutions. That's why I'm running for the U.S. Senate to help fix the problems and to help us heal." The race in Pennsylvania is to succeed retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey.
CAMEROTA: OK, now to this. This is the season of giving. And we want to show you how you can help our 2021 top-10 "CNN Heroes" continue their important work and have your donations matched dollar for dollar.
Here's Anderson.
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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: I'm Anderson Cooper.
Each of this year's top-10 "CNN Heroes" prove that one person can make a difference. And again, this year, we're making it easy to support their great work.
Go to CNN Heroes.com, click "Donate" to donate to any 2021 top-10 CNN hero to make a direct contribution to that hero's fundraiser on GoFundMe. You'll receive an e-mail confirming your donation, which is tax deductible in the United States.
No matter the amount, you can make a big difference in helping our heroes continue their life-changing work. And right now through January 3rd, your donations will be matched dollar for dollar, up to a total of $500,000.
CNN is proud to offer you this simple way to support each cause and celebrate all of these everyday people changing the world.
You can donate from your laptop, your tablet or phone. Go to CNNheroes.com. Your donation in any amount will help them help others.
Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: And be sure to join us Sunday, December 12th, when our top- 10 CNN Heroes will be honored at the "15th Annual CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute," hosted by Anderson Cooper, and special guest cohost, Kelly Ripa.
[14:54:27]
Rihanna has a shelf full of Grammys, and she has a new honor from her native Barbados. It comes as the country cuts ties with the British monarchy.
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CAMEROTA: Barbados cut its last ties to the British monarchy at midnight, removing Queen Elizabeth as its head of state. It's now a republic with its own president sworn in today.
Rihanna was on hand for the ceremony. The singer was born in Barbados, and she was just named a national hero.
[14:59:54]
BLACKWELL: Prince Charles was there, too. He acknowledged Britain's colonial history and its shameful role in the transatlantic slave trade.
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