Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Lone Wolf Shooter Killed 19 Children and 2 Adults in Uvalde; Texas Shooter Show His Weapon on Social Media; Democrat Lawmaker Begged His Colleagues for Gun Reform Laws; Same Anger Keep Repeating by Itself; Gun Reform Laws Isn't the Magic Wand to Stop Shootings; Governor Brian Kemp Wins in Georgia's GOP Primary; North Korea Launch Missile Tests; Mariupol Now a Ghost Town; NBA Calling Out Lawmakers to Act. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 25, 2022 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

And we are following breaking news this hour. Another tragic mass shooting here in the United States, the deadliest at a grade school in almost a decade. A lone gunman in southwest Texas has shot and killed at least 19 children and two adults. Authorities say 18-year-old Salvador Ramos acted alone and was killed by law enforcement officers. His motive right now is unclear.

Three sources tell CNN Ramos shot his grandmother before going to the school. A state senator says the woman was airlifted to San Antonio and is in critical condition. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the gunman ran into the school wearing body armor after crashing his vehicle nearby.

A Texas lawmaker says Ramos legally purchased the two rifles used in the shooting from a federally authorized dealer on his 18th birthday. This photo of two AR style rifles was posted on an Instagram account tied to the gunman. Just three days before Tuesday's shooting.

Authorities are still trying to identify the victims, parents waited late into the night at a civic center on Tuesday hoping to be reunited with their children.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Texas with more.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Late into the night, many family members were at a civic center in Uvalde, Texas, learning the grim news that their children did not survive the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, earlier on Tuesday. Families were told to go to the civic center where they could be reunited with their children. But as the hours have dragged on, many of the people left at that

civic center are the parents and families of the at least 19 children that were murdered senselessly on Tuesday. We were told that authorities are using DNA swabs of family members and parents to help identify the victims. That is the reality of the gruesome scene that investigators are dealing with.

Right now, what we know is that this attack was carried out by an 18- year-old named Salvador Ramos who lives there in Uvalde. At some point he attended the high school there in town. This shooting came in just the last few days of the school year.

School district officials have said the entire school year is essentially over at this point. The high school is supposed to be having its graduation this weekend. But right now, there are dozens of family members desperately waiting for any kind of news and holding on to the slight glimmer of hope that perhaps their loved ones or their children are recovering in a hospital somewhere and just haven't been identified.

But the reality is, at this point, what many family members are dealing with is waiting for authorities to give them the news they do not want to receive. We're learning a little bit more also about how this attack unfolded.

We're told that the 18-year-old gunman drove up to the school, actually wrecked his car and got out wearing body armor and ran into the school. He engaged in a shootout with several law enforcement officers that were there at the scene.

We're told that a border patrol agent suffered a gunshot wound but it is not life threatening. He will be OK. But the gunman was able to get inside the school where he carried out this deadly rampage. But right now we really don't have much information on what might be the motive behind this attack.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.

CHURCH: On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the nation after returning from his trip to Asia, a visit now bookended by two mass shootings in the U.S., first at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York and now in Texas. The president was emotional as he called for more action on gun legislation to prevent future tragedies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I am sick and tired of it. We have to act. And don't tell me we can't have an impact on this carnage. I spent my career as a senator and a vice president working to pass common sense gun laws. We can't and won't prevent every tragedy. But we know they work and have positive impact.

When we pass the assault weapons ban, mass shootings went down. When the law expired, mass shootings tripled.

[03:04:59] The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons. It's just wrong. What in God's name do you need assault weapon for except to kill someone?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: First Lady Jill Biden expressed her frustration as well tweeting, Lord, enough, little children and their teacher, stunned, angry, heartbroken.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the shooting while speaking at an unrelated event in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I would normally say in a moment like this we would all say our hearts break that our hearts keep getting broken.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now is Cheryl Dorsey. She is a retired LAPD police sergeant. Thank you so much for being with us.

CHERYL DORSEY, RETIRED POLICE, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: And another tragic day in America involving gun violence. This time, a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school. And of course, we know the 18-year-old shooter first shot his grandmother. And later crashed and exited his vehicle entering this elementary school and tragically killing 19 children and two adults.

We also know the shooter is now dead. What more are you learning about this and what do you make of what we know so far?

DORSEY: Well, there's still much to learn about what may have motivated this shooter in the first place. I mean, he started this off in the home. So obviously there was some sort of domestic discord. I believe there were probably red flags in the home.

And what I want to know, Rosemary, is who is allowing these young people, these middle -- who is allowing these young men to have access close proximity to weapons when they know they have a problem. When they demonstrated surely at home that they shouldn't be within proximity to a weapon, shouldn't have access. Yet, they go unfettered.

CHURCH: And whenever there's a mass shooting, we search for a motive as you mentioned even though of course it changes nothing except to perhaps help us understand why this happened. Authorities have nothing to go on right now except that he was an 18-year-old male. So, what would those authorities be doing right now to try to piece together why this happened?

DORSEY: I would imagine that they probably executed a search warrant on the shooter's home. Probably are scouring through social media posts by this individual, if they exist. To try to understand what was going on in this person's head and I think probably most likely if there's no association to this school, that this was just someone who because they've seen others get attention, decide to do something that's outrageous and egregious in order to garner media attention.

CHURCH: And President Biden in his address, he called on Congress, didn't he, to stand up to the gun lobby and he said that we need to act. Vice President Kamala Harris said enough is enough. And we know that Mr. Biden tried when he was vice president during the Obama administration to get legislation passed with no success because there's no political will in Congress to do that.

So, what needs to happen to stop the mentally ill from gaining access to assault weapons, particularly, and to establish common sense gun reform. Especially when we know that most Americans, around 90 percent of Americans want to see that happen?

DORSEY: Well, listen, we're in the midst of a midterm election. And so for governor's like Greg Abbott who only offer prayers and sympathies when we have these kinds of outrageous incidents occur, here's an opportunity to put someone in a position of authority who may in your state actually take measures to make sure that we don't have these kinds of mass shootings again.

And listen, when we had the Sandy Hook shooting and we saw 20 beautiful little children shot and slaughtered during that, we would have assumed that that was sufficient enough to make legislators around the country want to do something different and we haven't seen that happen. We get prayers, we get thoughts and nothing substantive to stop this.

And so, unless and until someone is held accountable, maybe the parents of these shooters who make the guns accessible to them we're going to continue to have this happen. And I think also we need to look at being inconvenienced. Everywhere we go, schools should be locked up. And I know that it sounds horrible to do. But I think we should air on the side of inconvenience and caution to make sure that we don't lose any more precious lives.

CHURCH: Cheryl Dorsey, thank you so much for your perspective. I appreciate it.

DORSEY: Thank you.

CHURCH: Still -- still ahead here on CNN Newsroom, why Texas Governor Greg Abbott is coming under scrutiny for his stance on gun control in the wake of Tuesday's horrific school shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:10:08]

HAL HARRELL, SUPERINTENDENT, UVALDE CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT: My heart is broken today. We're a small community. We'll need your prayers to get us through this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Just days after a shooter walked into a grocery store to gun down African-American patrons. We have another Sandy Hook on our hands. What are we doing? I'm here on this floor to beg, to get on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues. Find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely.

I understand my Republican colleagues will not agree to everything that I may support but there is a common denominator that we can find.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:14:57]

CHURCH: And that was U.S. Senator Chris Murphy begging, quite literally begging Republicans to work with him and other Democrats to pass gun reform. His plea for action comes in response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas on Tuesday.

Authorities say an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two adults. More than a dozen children and two adults were injured and were taken to hospitals. Investigators believe the shooter acted alone and was killed by law enforcement. Witnesses saw the gunman wearing body armor, carrying a rifle and backpack. Once he entered the school, he barricaded himself inside. A person living nearby heard the attack unfold.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM HAMMOND, UVALDE RESIDENT: Something didn't feel right. And I don't know if I had like sensed something or heard something and I just dismissed it. But when I sat down, I thought I heard a couple pop-pops. And in my brain, it was like, that sound like gunfire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Tuesday's rampage was at least the 30th shooting at a K through 12 school in the U.S. this year.

CNN's Evan Perez has the latest on the investigation.

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Federal investigators are trying to uncover the motivation behind the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. At this point they have more questions than answers. What we know at this point is the gunman attacked a shot his grandmother, and then some -- at some point shortly thereafter ends up at the school where he kills at least 19 kids inside their classrooms according to local authorities.

At this point, one of the focuses of the law enforcement is talking to friends of the shooter. We've talked to some of the friends who said that he was a quiet young man. He was a loner. They said he had a very difficult home life. He appeared to have developed an affinity for firearms. Some of which he posted in social media posts in recent weeks.

Now one of the things that law enforcement is looking into is how he afforded to buy these firearms. We have seen the pictures of these firearms. He is 18 years old, would have only been able to buy these guns in recent days after he turned 18 in Texas.

But at this point for investigators, trying to figure out why this event happened. Why he first shoots his grandmother and then goes to shoot carry out this mass shooting. Again, they still have more questions than answers.

Evan Perez, CNN, Washington.

CHURCH: Well, gun reform advocates have long criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott for his stance on gun control legislation. Last year, Abbott signed off on a wide-ranging law that he described as the strongest second amendment legislation in Texas history.

The law opened the door for Texans to carry handguns without obtaining a license or training. It allows virtually anyone, 21 and older who can legally own a gun to carry one in public. Earlier, Congressman Joaquin Castro of Texas told CNN lawmakers at the state and national level haven't done enough to address gun violence. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOAQUIN CASTRO (D-TX): The Congress hasn't done enough. Many of us have tried. The state legislature in Texas, the governor, in particular, I think is made it worse in Texas, has made it more dangerous in Texas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And in the wake of the Tuesday's horrific massacre a tweet Abbott posted in 2015 has resurfaced. In it he calls on Texans to buy more guns. Saying, he was embarrassed Texas fell behind California for new gun purchases.

This all comes as the National Rifle Association is preparing to hold its annual meeting in Houston, Texas this weekend. Among the speakers scheduled to appear at a leadership forum on Friday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, as well as Texas Senator Ted Cruz who actually doubled down Tuesday, saying gun control legislation would do little to prevent crime. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): You know, when there's a murder of this kind, you see politicians try to politicize it. You see Democrats and a lot of folks in the media whose immediate solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. That doesn't work. It's not effective. It doesn't prevent crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: But those comments are doing little to convince Cruz's Senate colleague Chris Murphy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:25:01]

MURPHY: My hope is that after today there's a newfound interest from some of my Republican colleagues to do something. I don't need the perfect. I don't need my colleagues to support everything that I support. I just want to make some progress here so we can show parents out there that we care about their kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, despite the tragedy in Texas, violent shootings aren't uncommon in the United States. Still to come, how schools have gone from safe havens to targets.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMERON KASKY, SURVIVOR, 2018 MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING: Especially when you're young and in the school, this happens during the formative years of your life. So, the students are going to be going back to school soon they are going to live lives that have childhoods and the early adulthoods that are completely informed by this tragedy. And from what I've seen with Parkland and with other horrible shootings, it changes people forever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Well, shock and grief is gripping one Texas town after a gunman opened fire inside an elementary school killing at least 19 children and two adults. It happened in Uvalde, just two days before summer break.

Texas officials identified the gunman as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. He was killed by law enforcement officers and police believe he acted alone but a motive remains unknown. Sources say the gunman first shot his grandmother who is now in critical condition before he crashed his car near the school. One Texas official described what happened next.

(BEGIN VOICE CLIP)

ERICK ESTRADA, DPS SPOKESMAN, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: He was observed exiting the vehicle with a long rifle and a backpack. He also had a -- he also had body armor with him. That's whenever the, I believe the ISD police officers engaged him. Then there was a second call where he entered through the south door of the Robb Elementary School. He entered and that's when he started with his gunfire.

(END VOICE CLIP)

CHURCH: And we are just learning the identity of one of the victims. The aunt of Eva Meirelles says the fourth-grade teacher was among those killed in Tuesday's shooting. Meirelles had been an educator for 17 years.

Well, new data from the FBI reveals the amount of active shooter incidents across the U.S. increased more than 50 percent last year compared to 2020. But it's not a new trend.

CNN's Tom Foreman looks at the history of school shootings in the United States.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Even with the number of fatalities unsettled, this has already been recorded as one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. And that is saying something because we have had a lot of them.

Look at this list. These are the deadliest ones that have occurred in the past 25 years. And it's worth noting that they are all within that period of time. Such shootings of this magnitude were virtually unheard of before that time.

Columbine High School down there in 1999, many law enforcement people say that has been an inspiration and a pattern for many shootings that followed afterward and the numbers just keep mounting and mounting year after year. These are just the big shootings in terms of fatalities. There are many more smaller shootings where one person, three people, five people end up being shot.

In fact, a group called Every Town for Gun Safety that has been tracking it says between 2013 and 2019 there were 549 incidents of gunfire on school grounds. Not counting suicide or self-inflicted wounds like that, 129 deaths and 270 people wounded.

Now if you are thinking these are just happening more often on, for example, college campuses where kids might be more mobile and have more money be able to get guns, that is not the case. This same group says the majority of the shootings are happening in kindergarten through 12th grade schools. And this new shooting that just happened now, very sadly fits directly into the pattern.

CHURCH: And as you heard there this tragedy in Texas is the deadliest school shooting since February of 2018. When 15 students, a teacher and football coach were killed at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, florida. The father of one of the victims spoke to CNN and shared his reaction upon hearing about this latest violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED GUTTENBERG, FATHER OF PARKLAND SHOOTING VICTIM: Shock, horror, anger at the fact that these shootings are preventable. But they are also predictable. Anger at the fact that as I speak to you tonight, I know we're going to have this happen again because we haven't done anything. You know, I've listened to all the talk tonight about why did this

happen. And it's, listen, when my daughter was killed just over four years ago, you had 300 million weapons in America. Now we're at 400 million plus and ghost guns. This isn't rocket science. This isn't hard to figure out. We are making it easier for those who intend to kill to have the means to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:30:06]

CHURCH: Joining me now is James Densley, he is a criminologist and author of the book "The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting

Epidemic." Thank you so much for being with us.

JAMES DENSLEY, CRIMINOLOGIST: Thank you if for having me.

CHURCH: So, this country has seen about 30 school shootings so far this year and more than 200 mass shootings in total this year. Those are shocking statistics and other countries look at America and they can't believe this keeps happening. We can't believe it. It's a daily tragedy. So, how do we stop this?

DENSLEY: Well, yes, you really asked the million-dollar question there and the thing we noticed with our research is that this gun violence is preventable. It's not inevitable. There are common sense solutions to this. And they can be structured at different levels as well.

So, we are sitting here waiting frustrated for an act of Congress to do something about this at the society level. But there are also things we can be doing as institutions and individuals that can also prevent gun violence.

So, a case in point would be for the vast majority of school shootings sometimes something as simple as safe storage of firearms within the home could have prevented a tragedy. So, that might not be the case perhaps with this particular shooting that just occurred in Texas today, but in our data, we see that time and time again. That if just a gun had been stored safely in the home it wouldn't have gotten into the wrong hands and it wouldn't have been used in a shooting.

CHURCH: What impact does a mass shooting like this have on the children who witnessed it? The parents who had to go through this horrifying experience not knowing if their child had survived this. The siblings and teachers, and of course the police who arrived to stop this.

DENSLEY: This is actually one of the most heartbreaking things about this. Our initial minds of course go to the victims who've lost their lives. But a mass shooting like this completely devastates a community.

So, if you think about the names, Parkland, Sandy Hook, Columbine. These are -- they're not nouns anymore, they have become verbs. They describe an action and it sticks with that community forever. Community never really recovers from an event like this. Worse than that though is just the trauma, the trauma that families, children, first responders go through, witnessing the things they had to witness is just unspeakable.

And then there's the secondary trauma, the vicarious trauma that all of us are going through. As you mentioned at the top of the interview, we keep going through this. It's not good for us. It's not healthy for us to keep having to witness this much tragedy. This much death and devastation on repeat constantly on media, on social media to constantly be talking about it to have our kids running through lockdown drills and schools be -- and being, sort of reminded of the events over and over and over again.

It's really hurting us as a people, and to think it also feeds into the contagion of these shootings. Because for those individuals who are troubled and looking for solutions, they see these shootings time and time again. And in some cases, are inspired by them. So, it across the board it's just a -- it's just a devastating set of circumstances at the moment.

CHURCH: Yes. And you mention that because this shooter was an 18- year-old male as was the shooting suspect in Buffalo recently. Is there a particular vulnerability to mental illness for young men of this age because a lot of time it is young teenage men, isn't it?

DENSLEY: What we see with these mass shooters is that they reach a point when effectively they no longer care whether they live or die. And it's a sense of hopelessness and self-hatred which then also brings them to a point where they're trying to understand why they feel the way they feel and they're looking for somebody to blame for how they feel.

If it's a school shooting, typically the target is the school because there's some sort of grievance with that school. Or we saw with the shooting in Buffalo, a couple weeks ago, the target there were African-American individuals because there was a sort of deep racial hatred that was driving that.

But then of course when you've got all those factors in play, it's the easy accessibility of firearms that tips that thing over the edge. That goes from somebody who is just desperate and sort of thinking about a shooting to actually being able to perpetrate it.

And when we're in a country awash with guns, that is a massive risk factor. Particularly for these young people it's so easy for them to get access.

CHURCH: And I did want to ask you this, because I mean, timing is incredible here because the NRA is holding an event on Friday in Houston, Texas, where Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Governor Abbott, among others will be speaking.

[03:35:05] Are they complicit in these mass shootings along with the NRA? A lobby group that, I mean, it has to be said has incredible influence over many American politicians.

DENSLEY: I would say they are. And it really is clear and blatant as that. Because when you look at other countries across the world, when they have had a major mass shooting event, a school shooting event even, I'm originally from the United Kingdom. I've lived in the United States a long time.

We had a mass shooting at a school in Dunblane, Scotland. There was pretty swift action on firearms following that. And we've not had a school shooting a mass shooting at a school since. And that is 25 years later.

Here in the United States, it's happening on almost a weekly basis at the moment. So, we have to ask ourselves if we know that there are common sense solutions that can stop this and politicians are not willing to act because they are worried about their position of power or they're worried about who is going to fund their campaign, they are complicit in this and that is what is so frustrating about it.

Because we know that if the courage was there, this could be fixed. It won't solve every problem, no, but it's going to at least make a difference. Because what message is this sending to the children across the country who are afraid to go to school. The parents who are tucking their kids at bed at night worried about their safety in school.

If our politicians aren't acting, that's the message that's being sent to them. Is that, we don't care and we're not doing anything about this. And really, that's unacceptable.

CHURCH: It is. Hopefully more politicians across America will find the courage to do something. James Densley, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your perspective. I appreciate it.

DENSLEY: Thank you.

CHURCH: And of course, you'll recall that Newtown, Connecticut was the scene of a deadly mass shooting nearly 10 years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary. On Tuesday, Newtown school district superintendent was quick to react to the massacre in Texas. She offered prayers to the students, families and staff in Uvalde. And says she'll reach out to offer support during this difficult time.

Sandy Hook parent Nicole Hockley is also offering her support, her son Dylan was killed in the 2012 Newtown tragedy. She helped create a foundation dedicated to protecting children from gun violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLE HOCKLEY, MOTHER OF SANDY HOOK SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIM: I'm there for anyone of them as is any member of the organization and lots of people that would be willing to be there for them and help whatever way they need. But generally speaking, it all comes down to acknowledging that

everyone's journey through this is very individual and unique. And to respect that and the choices that people make and that there's no way you can really fathom the dark path that's ahead of you. But you will find a way through it back into hope and life and at point, even joy.

So, embrace those that are there to support you and love you. Allow them to support and love you. And honor what you lost by allowing that love to show in whatever way you choose to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Sandy Hook parent Nicole Hockley there offering her support for the parents and families grieving in Texas.

Still ahead this hour, Republican voters in Georgia deliver a primary win for Governor Brian Kemp. In the latest test of Donald Trump's political pull.

[03:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: It was a rough night at the polls for Donald Trump's handpicked candidate in the Georgia governor's race. CNN projects incumbent Governor Brian Kemp will win the Republican nomination over former Senator David Perdue. Kemp will face Democrat Stacey Abrams who he narrowly beat in 2018.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R-GA): I want to also thank David Perdue for the nice phone call that he gave me just a little while ago, pledging his full support to make sure that Stacey Abrams is never our governor.

(APPLAUSE)

KEMP: But I want to be crystal clear with all of you here tonight, our battle is far from over. Tonight, tonight, the fight for the soul of our state begins to make sure that Stacey Abrams is not going to be our governor or the next president.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Former Vice President Mike Pence campaigned for Kemp in a direct challenge to Trump's endorsement of Perdue. Trump's candidate for secretary of state which oversees elections in Georgia has lost to incumbent Brad Raffensperger.

Meanwhile, the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Alabama will head to a run off between political aide Katie Britt and Congressman Mo Brooks. And CNN projects former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will win the Republican primary for governor in Arkansas. [03:45:02]

Well, on the heels of the U.S. President's trip to Japan and South Korea, North Korea carried out three new missile tests and the South Korean military believes one of them was an intercontinental ballistic missile. The North has carried out 16 weapons tests so far this year. And there are concerns a nuclear test could be in the works.

So, let's bring in CNN's Blake Essig, he joins us live from Tokyo. Good to see you again, Blake. So, there had been concerns that North Korea would do this while President Biden is in the region. But instead, Kim Jong-un did wait until he departed. What are you learning about the timing and what more do you know about these three new missile tests?

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Rosemary, as for the timing of today's test, experts say Pyongyang always calibrates the level of provocation associated with each missile launch. And by waiting until President Biden was no longer in the region it's clear that the decision was that now is not the time to take tensions to a new level.

Also waiting gave North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un the spotlight all to himself rather than sharing the airwaves with the other headlines being made during the President Biden's trip to Asia in yesterday's QUAD summit where the four leaders from Japan, Australia, India and the United States all agreed to work in partnership towards advancing North Korea's complete denuclearization.

Now, as far as today's test is concerned, defense officials are still determining exactly what kind of missiles were fired. But say that the missiles launched flew at varying distances and altitudes. And according to Japan's defense minister, flew at irregular trajectories, which is significant. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NOBUO KISHI, JAPANESE DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): We cannot ignore North Korea's recent noticeable and technological developments for nuclear and missile related tests. Their repeated ballistic missile launches and their actions are threat to our country, the region and international community's peace and security. And we absolutely cannot tolerate that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ESSIG: So far, this year North Korea has conducted 16 weapons tests testing various types of missiles almost on a routine basis. And South Korean and U.S. officials believe that the country's seventh ever nuclear test since testing started in 2006 could be imminent.

In response to North Korea's missile tests this morning, South Korea and the United States each fired ballistic missiles to demonstrate their joint rapid strike capability. And to this point, the Biden administration has made it known that they are all in for dialogue and engagement with Kim Jong-un but will not drop sanctions as a price to sit down with Pyongyang. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Blake Essig joining us live from Tokyo. Many thanks.

Newly declassified U.S. intelligence are shining a light on the Russian blockade of Ukraine. It shows the invasion has effectively halted all maritime trade at a Ukrainian port. Cutting off exports and risking a global food crisis.

This, as we are getting a better sense of the absolute devastation left behind by Russia's unrelenting attacks on the port city of Mariupol. An adviser to the mayor says it's believed that at least 22,000 residents were killed during the last three months though that number can't be independently verified. He says Mariupol is now, quote, "a city of ghosts."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETRO ANDRIUSHCHENKO, ADVISER TO MARIUPOL'S MAYOR: It's absolutely, absolutely dark inside the city. Any lights, any lights just lights by Russian troops. You know, by Russian patrols and everywhere is the smell of death, and really, the smell of the fire, the smell of the smoke and smell of the death. It's Mariupol's reality.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ukrainian officials say Russian missile attacks have caused extensive damage in the city of Zaporizhzhia. Today, the regional counsel says at least one person was killed. Three injured. And about 62 buildings in the residential sector of the city were damaged. Russian missile strikes were also reported in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Condolences are pouring in for the victims of Tuesday's shooting in Texas. The messages of comfort and calls for political change when we return.

[03:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Our thoughts and prayers are also at the victims of the horrific shooting today at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We mourn with their families --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The NBA held a moment of silence before game four of the Western Conference finals in Dallas in memory of the victims of Tuesday's mass shooting at a Texas Elementary School.

Authorities say an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two adults before law enforcement killed him. Before the game, the head coach for the Golden State Warriors shared this message. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE KERR, HEAD COACH, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: We have had elderly black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo. We have had Asian churchgoers killed in southern California. Now we have children murdered at school. When are we going to do something?

So, I ask you, Mitch McConnell, I ask all of you senators who refuse do anything about the violence and school shootings and supermarket shootings, I ask you, are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers? Because that's what it looks like.

[03:55:05]

JASON KIDD, HEAD COACH, DALLAS MAVERICKS: Our hearts go out to the victims and families of the horrific events in Uvalde, Texas. We send our condolence -- condolences to our fellow Texans and we'll keep them in our hearts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Head coaches Jason Kidd and Steve Kerr calling out the U.S. Senate for its inaction on gun reform. In the wake of Tuesday's school shooting, Senate Democrats took steps to bring a vote on a background checks bill. It's been stalled in the Senate for more than a year now. It's unclear when the Senate might vote on the measure.

Democratic leaders say there should be a vote now to hold every member of Congress accountable even though it's uncertain if they there are enough votes to pass the reform.

I want to thank you for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Early Start is next with John Berman in Uvalde, Texas and Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett in New York.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)