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NYPD Officers Arrest Subway Shooting Suspect Frank James; Interview With Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Brooklyn Subway Shooter Arrested; W.H.O.: Confirmed Attacks On Health Facilities In Ukraine; Michigan Police Release Videos Of Patrick Lyoya Shooting. Aired 3:30- 4p ET

Aired April 13, 2022 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Less than 30 hours after a shooting at a crowded Brooklyn subway car, New York City Police have arrested the suspect, 62-year-old Frank James.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES ESSIG, NYPD CHIEF OF DETECTIVES: Minutes ago, thankfully, NYPD patrol officers from the 9th precinct responded to St. Marks and First Avenue where they apprehended him without incident. This case was quickly solved using technology, video canvassing and then getting that information out to the public.

COMM. KEECHANT SEWELL, NEW YORK POLICE: We hope this arrest brings some solace to the victims and the people of the city of New York. We used every resource at our disposal to gather and process significant evidence that directly links Mr. James to the shooting. We were able to shrink his world quickly. There was nowhere left for him to run.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Authorities say James put on a gas mask yesterday morning, deploy a smoke canister and began shooting fellow passengers. At least ten people were hit, 20 were injured, five of the victims were kids heading to school. The suspect is being charged with violating laws that prohibit terrorism and other violent acts against mass transit systems. He will be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn and if convicted he faces life in prison.

CNN's Miguel Marquez is outside the police station in lower Manhattan where this suspect is being held. Miguel, tell us what's happening there.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, with another rush hour coming up, this news will come as great relief to New Yorkers and certainly to the police department. I want to show you what's happening outside the 9th precinct here.

What is absolutely stunning is that this suspected shooter was picked up about three blocks from this precinct. There was absolutely no drama when they picked him up. They just put into cuffs and put into a squad car. It is possible that we will see him make some sort of appearance here at some point.

I do want to show you the amount of press. And we just had one of the people who called Crime Stoppers and gave police the tip who was here talking to media a moment ago. He was in with police and then came out. He was extremely proud of the fact that he had played a part in this and was pumping his fist into the air.

But there's enormous relief among the police department as well. The number of police officer who is have descended here on the 9th precinct, who are shaking hands, hugging, fist bumping. A great sense of relief. Every New Yorker woke up this morning looking for one headline that this alleged shooter had been arrested. Finally, they get that peace of mind. Back to you guys.

CAMEROTA: Yes, I don't blame that tipster for being very excited that he played a role in it. It does feel victorious at that moment to have that capture. Miguel Marquez, thank you.

Joining us now is New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, his Brooklyn district borders the area where the shooting took place. Congressman, thanks so much for being here. Now that everybody can heave a sigh of relief because this guy has been captured, what do you think needs to change so that this doesn't happen again?

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): First of all, let me congratulate the NYPD, those patrol officer, the tipster, the FBI, the entire law enforcement community and New Yorkers who really continue to demonstrate the strength and resilience that's so characteristic of Brooklyn and the Big Apple as we have navigated our way through this horrific circumstance that occurred last -- yesterday.

You know, I think, one, we want to make sure that Frank Robert James is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And I'm confident that U.S. Attorney Brayon Peace and his team will do that.

[15:35:00]

And then there are a set of policy questions that we'll need to answer, including, you know, what do we do comprehensively to deal with the proliferation of guns on our streets and the fact they continue to find themselves in the hands of individuals intent on creating mayhem and carnage as was the case with the Brooklyn subway shooter.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about his access to guns. Because I'm very interested in that. This guy, we just found out during the press conference, had nine prior arrests from 1992 to 1998. In other words, he's been a problem for law enforcement for three decades. And he has in his past criminal sex acts charge, criminal tampering, trespassing, larceny, three arrests in New Jersey, a host of other states as well. But he was able to buy his gun in Ohio, a .9-millimeter Glock in 2011. In 2022, would he be able to buy a gun with that criminal background history?

JEFFRIES: Apparently, that's the case. One of the things that we are endeavoring to work on, of course, is HR-8. Legislation that will require universal criminal background checks across the country to try to prevent individuals who is are clearly intent on doing harm to the American people while having a troubling history prevent those individuals from being able to lawfully access guns. That's just a piece of the puzzle.

We have to take a close look at the law as it currently exists. Had this particular individual apparently had been convicted of a felony, then he would not have been able to purchase that weapon lawfully. However, as you've documented, Alisyn, he's got a deeply troubling record of criminal entanglement in multiple states. And if you look at the totality of it, I don't think any reasonable American can conclude that this is the type of individual who should be able to lawfully purchase a weapon.

CAMEROTA: One other thing that we've heard that might change or has been a suggestion that comes out of this tragedy, this is from the head of the MTA. So, the person who runs the mass transit here in New York. Who thinks that it's time for a stronger and more visible police presence on the subway system. So, let me play this for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANNO LIEBER, CHAIR AND CEO, METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY: I was asking for long time during the de Blasio era, let's get the cops on the platforms and on the trains like the old days when you and I were growing up in New York, Jim. That is what riders want. It's where they feel vulnerable. It's where bad stuff happen, generally. So, the mayor said that his police department that he wants cops on trains like he used to do when he was transit cop. He wants cops on platforms. That's what we need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: What do you think about that? Is it time for more cops on the actual subway cars?

JEFFRIES: I think it's a reasonable suggestion that needs to be explored. But I'm very confident in the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams who, himself, was of course, a transit officer during the '80s and '90s, when crime was really out of control in the city of New York. We've come a long way since then. Still have a ways to go. And we've seen a sort of a retrenchment over the last few years given the rise of the pandemic and shootings and homicides and other instances of crime and violence on the uptick.

But months ago, Mayor Adams indicated that he was going to lean into this issue of making the subways safer. I don't think we can be in any better hands and certainly, we should explore the partnerships at the federal level and the state level to do just that.

CAMEROTA: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries Thank you very much for your time.

JEFFRIES: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Let's bring now CNN law enforcement analyst and former Chicago police officer Dimitri Roberts. Also, CNN national security analyst and former assistant Homeland Security Secretary Juliette Kayyem. Juliette, Let's start where Alisyn and the Congressman left off.

And that is, I mean, how many times have we talked about hardening soft targets, right. These attacks that happen on trains. They've happened in schools with armed guards. They've happened in stores with guards. They've happen at public events with lots of police. One, is it realistic to put an officers in these places and would it stop some of these attacks?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: No. I think we have to be really honest about the risk calculation that we're making in this society. I'm not saying it's wrong. You live -- the two of do you in New York to have the mobility, the transit system that gets you from point A to point B super-fast, pretty reliable. And to put more security measures whether it's some kind of checks or more law enforcement which would be budget wise, quite a drain on the NYPD. It's asking a lot because the system does relatively work.

[15:40:00]

The idea that we could have a mass transit system in an urban environment that is safe is just -- it's a bad way to think about it. You want to make it safer. And one way you make it safer is go to means that's harming people. Guns and of course, other weapons -- but guns -- and then you go to the response capability, right.

After something bad happens -- I'm not excusing it -- but we can measure success in the fact that there was a quick response. That no one died. That both luck and planning benefitted New York yesterday. So, I know I sound sort of hardened and realistic but I do think it's important that we also realize the benefit we're getting from making that risk calculation.

CAMEROTA: I think you make a great point. And Dimitri, I mean of course, Juliette is right You can't -- it can't be perfect and you know, only after something like this are we reactive and rethink everything.

BLACKWELL: Yes, everyone has the answer today.

CAMEROTA: Right. For years, this hasn't happened. And this transit system moves millions of people a day. So, it is a success story. But on day like this, when people are wondering, if there's anything that should be changed. What do you think? Is there anything that with be tweaked around the edges -- Dimitri?

DIMITRI ROBERTS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I think we're touching on it, Alisyn. And that is we have to work from going from reactive in these situations to being proactive. And how we do that is simply highlighting the good work that these officer have done and building on that. And what me further that statement by saying police power is increased by the proper partnerships with the community. And we saw that play out in this situation. The goal now is, Alisyn, for us to move from a 30-hour delta where we

caught this suspect 30-hours later to catching this suspect almost in realtime and being proactive in setting up the apparatus and mechanisms appropriate to do that. Look at places like Dekalb County in Georgia where the marshal's office down there is now going out and having proactive interactions with citizens. Those citizens are rating those interactions with their officer, rebuilding trust. So, in an event where there needs to be a partnership with the community, they already have those relationships in place.

BLACKWELL: Juliette, how are people at home to interpret this federal charge on which he's being held violating prohibition of terrorism or other violent acts against mass transit.

KAYYEM: So, I want to be clear, I think this is -- the NYPD did a great job. The public did a great job. The Crime Stopper did a great job. But you know, I thought that the explanation of what they were charging him with was quite confusing. So, let me make it clear.

The Patriot Act extended terrorism and other violent acts to include those that targeted mass transit. It was just an expansion of the law. When NYPD came out today saying terrorism. Of course, every news alert, they knew that every news alert was going to focus on the terrorism. 20 minutes later, someone clarifies and says, no, no. We don't have that motivation. We're allowed to charge him with other violent acts.

And I think it's just very important for public officials to also contribute to the lowering of the temperature. The resilience that the Congressman talked about. The sort of we can handle this. I think it's very important the mayor who came out saying we got him -- which is sort of the language of Saddam Hussein and this talk of terrorism. I mean, it's really important in this day and age where we do have a lot of fear and harm that public officials use these opportunity to say this is a horrible incident.

We are going to charge on federal crimes. We don't know what we have yet. If you lead with terrorism, they knew how the public would respond. I would to put it in perspective. They do not have a terror intent yet. They made that clear by the end of the press conference.

BLACKWELL: Appreciate the clarity. Because of course, when we heard it, we thought, well, this is now the eastern district.

KAYYEM: Of course. I was googling. I was googling.

BLACKWELL: Yes, yes. All right, Juliette, Dimitri, thank you both.

Ahead, I'll speak to humanitarian group inside a trauma center in Ukraine as the World Health Organization says that health facilities across the country are under attack.

[15:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLACKWELL: The World Health Organization is urging Russia to work for peace for the sake of humanity. They announced that more than 100 health facilities in Ukraine have been attacked since the beginning of the invasion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MICHAEL RYAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHO HEALTH EMERGENCIES PROGRAM: We will continue to supply essential health needs in Ukraine. We will continue to support the frontline health workers of Ukraine. They are the main bastion of support to the population. The health system in Ukraine has bent but it has not broken. And there are thousands of heroes within the Ukrainian health system who have done miraculous work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: One nonprofit group that is supporting that miraculous work inside Ukraine offers more evidence that Russia has turned hospitals into targets. Also, ambulances they've hit as well. You see here where a building in Kyiv has been painted with red crosses to try to deter an attack but that did not work.

With me now Rabih Torbay, president and CEO of Project HOPE. Rabih, thanks for being with us. And I understand that, you know, you went to this trauma center in Kyiv and have shared some pictures. It's unimaginable what people are living through trying to survive after. What did you see there?

RABIH TORBAY, PRESIDENT AND CEO, PROJECT HOPE: Yes, thanks for having me, Victor. I went to a trauma center in the Kyiv region and I saw about 30 patients. Many of them injured with bullet wounds, shrapnel wounds, some of them were actually injured by unexploded ordinance or landmines -- and most of them are civilians. I think 95 or 97 percent of them were civilians. Then many of them were injured actually weeks prior to coming to the hospital but they could not make it to Kyiv because of the war.

[15:50:04]

Because they could not make it from areas like Kharkiv or Irpin or Bucha. And they developed a lot of infections, gangrene. We saw a couple of amputations as well. But one thing that was consistent was doctors and nurses and dedication and their resilience. They've been in the hospital since the beginning of the war. They stayed there 24/7 just to help people.

BLACKWELL: We don't talk about the doctors and the nurses and even the support staff enough. I mean, of course, the attention is focused on those who are struggling to survive, have been injured by many of these weapons. But how are those doctors that you spoke with who are staying behind, who have families, many of them have left the country. How are they dealing with all of this?

TORBAY: I mean, it's tough. Many of them showed up at the hospital the minute the war started. I mean, a couple of them actually arrived two hours late and they were apologizing. And they stayed, they slept in the hospital. They left their families, their children and everything they owned and they moved to the hospital and they were there 24/7. They're traumatized. They've seen things humans shouldn't see in terms of injuries, in terms of suffering, amputations, women, children, and they're coping with it. They're resilient.

But you could tell that they're actually -- they're going through emotional distress. Their mental health is not the same. But they're doing their best and they're committed to staying as long as it takes to look after everybody that comes to that hospital.

Rabih, I read your report about your time in the Kyiv region. And it starts with you landing in Krakow, heading to the border. And you met an elderly woman there who was heading in the opposite direction of the millions of people who were trying to get out of the country. Share that story if you would. I think it is something our viewers need the hear.

TORBAY: It was an amazing story. She was in her 80s at least and she was walking using a cane and somebody was helping her with her bag. And they asked us if we could help her with her bag, and of course, we did. And you know, I was wondering, why is she going back to Ukraine when people are fleeing? And when I asked, you know, the lady that was with her said, she didn't want to die in a foreign land. And besides, she has her son. And you know, she wants to be with her son. She does not want to leave her son.

And that shows the heart of the mother, that no matter where you are, no matter where you go, it is still the same. They still are caring, they still want to look after their children and her son is at least my age. But it didn't matter. She wanted to go back and be with her son.

BLACKWELL: And the commitment to her country. Rabih Torbay, thank you for the work you all are doing and thank you for spending a few minutes with us.

TORBAY: Thank you so much, Victor.

CAMEROTA: OK, so happening now, police in Michigan are releasing video of a deadly shooting during a traffic stop in Grand Rapids. That's next.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: A major update today in the investigation into the fatal police shooting of a 26-year-old black man in Michigan.

BLACKWELL: Minutes ago, the Grand Rapids Police Department released videos of the traffic stop that ended with the death of Patrick Lyoya. CNN's Stephanie Elam is following the story for us. Stephanie, the family has been waiting for some time to see these videos. Because they say there's a discrepancy between the description and what actually happened. STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And so, we've heard

that there was this idea that there was this big struggle -- according to the police department. And now we've been able to see them. What I can tell you, Victor and Alisyn, is that they released four separate vantage points of what transpired on April 4th, just after 8:00 in the morning local time there.

And what you see is from inside the police vehicle, the fixed camera that's there. We also were able to see the body cam video that the officer was wearing. And we were able to see home surveillance video from across the street sort of caddie corner from where this incident took place. And then the fourth video comes from what looks like is the passenger who was in the car with Lyoya who was filming on his cell phone.

So, you see those four vantage shots. Not all of them do you see clearly what happened, except for from the passenger's cell phone video. What you can hear, however, and what you can see from the beginning video, is the fact that there was first the officer telling the driver Lyoya to stay in the car. Because he immediately gets out of car. And tells him that his plates did not match. That the plates that were on the vehicle did not belong there.

Then you can see that there's a bit of a struggle. He looks like he's telling him to go to the front of the hood. But then we see a different vantage point, it looked like Lyoya was starting to move away. And then the struggle where they run around the back of the vehicle that is stopped and they end up in a neighbor's yard there and they are struggling. They're out of view from part of it, from this camera video inside of the police vehicle.

The struggle then moves further back. They stand back up again. Moves further back. That is where the shot goes off. There is only one shot. They played it from those different vantage point so you see it twice. One thing worth noting, the body cam video does end in the middle of this entire situation.

And the chief of police there explained that that could have been because to deactivate it, you have to push it down for a few seconds and that's what they do believe may have happened in the struggle, that it got pushed that way. But you hear the officer yelling several times, stop resisting. You hear him yelling several times, let go of the taser. So, you see that there was a struggle. And at one point, it does look like he was holding on to the taser there.

CAMEROTA: OK. Stephanie Elam thank you very much for all that reporting and sharing it with us. Obviously, we'll follow that.

BLACKWELL: Thanks Stephanie. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.