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Situation Changing "Every Hour" Amid Heavy Fighting In Severodonetsk; TX Governor Requests Active-Shooter Training For School-Based Officers; 1st Grade Teacher Shares Video Of How She Prepares For Active Shooter; Police: Gunman Killed Judge, Had "Hit List" Of Government Officials. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired June 06, 2022 - 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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[14:33:25]
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Russian forces renewed attacks on Ukraine's capital over the weekend. They hit rail infrastructure in Kyiv on Sunday.
A Ukrainian military official said Russia also targeted several cities in eastern Ukraine with intense fire and assault operations.
And President Putin warned that he will strike new targets if the U.S. provides Ukraine with long-range missiles.
CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Ukraine.
So, Ben, heavy fighting continues in Severodonetsk. And Ukrainian officials say the situation there's changing every hour. So what's it like now?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: At the moment, we understand from Ukrainian officials that their forces are on the defensive, losing ground, in the city of Severodonetsk.
That's a city that's been under intense Russian bombardment for weeks. I was there in mid-April, and it was getting pounded by the Russians.
But today, they entered the city. By the end of last week, the Ukrainians themselves were saying the Russians controlled 80 percent of the city.
And over the weekend, there was a Ukrainian counterattack. But this morning, the Russians are regaining lost territory in that city where it really is an intense battle.
We're told that the Russians are following scorched-earth tactics, that there's street-to-street fighting.
And amongst all of that, Victor, there are thousands of civilians still stuck inside, huddling in bomb shelters, in basements. But because of the intensity of the fighting, they're not able to leave.
[14:35:02]
Now, the Russians are taking full advantage of their numerical superiority when it comes to artillery. And this is what is really making the work of the Ukrainian forces so difficult.
And this is why the Ukrainians are urging the United States and others to quickly deliver these long-range artillery systems that the U.S. and the U.K. have said they will provide.
But it's going to take time. The Ukrainian forces have to be trained in their use and then get them all the way here. And that could take days, probably weeks -- Victor?
BLACKWELL: Time that the Ukrainians wish could be truncated.
Ben Wedeman, for us there in Kramatorsk, thank you so much.
The Homeland Security secretary is meeting with local officials in Uvalde, Texas, today and just visited the memorial at Robb Elementary. More on his trip and that investigation next.
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BLACKWELL: Today, in Uvalde, Texas, 9-year-old Eliana Amia (ph) Garcia was laid to rest. Saturday would have been her 10th birthday. Her grandparents say she was a huge "Encanto" fan and dreamed of being a teacher.
Soon, visitation services will begin for 10-year-old Javier Lopez.
CNN also just learned that Texas Governor Abbott is requesting active- shooter training for all school-based law enforcement before the start of the next academic year.
CNN's Rosa Flores is in Uvalde.
Let's start with the request from the governor. What do you know?
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, what we know is this is a course at Texas State University. It's a 16-hour training course for school-based law enforcement officers.
And it's important to note that, in the state of Texas, this type of training, active-shooter training, has been going on for many years.
In fact, the Uvalde police chief, Pete Arradondo, according to records, the latest time, the most recent time that he received this type of training was back in December of 2021.
And so we're going to keep an eye on that.
Like you mentioned, according to the governor's office, the governor is requesting this to happen at all school districts that have school- based law enforcement before the beginning of the next school year. So, in essence, through the summer.
About what's going on in this town right now, there's still a deep sense of grief and sadness.
I just talked to the woman who has been in charge of providing grief support services for the families of the victims. She says that a lot of these families are still in shock.
Some of them, of course, are still going through the planning process of those funerals. Funerals are still happening today and will continue to happen for the days to come.
She says that, today, these support services are open to everyone in this community of Uvalde. And she says that they have created trauma comfort kits for kids.
Take a listen.
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MARY BETH FISK, INTERIM DIRECTOR, UVALDE TOGETHER RESILIENCY CENTER: We've created trauma and grief boxes. We call them a comfort kit. And it helps guide parents on how they can best support their children. Because some of the children that we lost in this tragedy had brothers and sisters.
So making sure if your child is needing additional support, we can provide that grief and trauma box, which is full of different tools to help the parent or the guardian know how best to interface with your child.
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FLORES: And, Victor, we, of course, continue to push for answers on what exactly transpired and the law enforcement failures that happened here.
Very quickly, I should mention that DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is in town. DHS tight-lipped about exactly what he's going to do, telling us only that he will be having private meetings with the workforce and also local officials -- Victor?
BLACKWELL: Their families certainly need those answers.
Rosa Flores, for us in Uvalde, thank you.
The shooting at Robb Elementary has raised some important questions about how to protect students and teachers from future attacks.
First grade teacher, Kelsey Vidal, in the bay area, we're talking California, her video went viral after she posted this to TikTok.
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KELSEY VIDAL, FIRST GRADE TEACHER, LOS MEDANOS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: This is my active shooter/intruder backpack. On the inside, I have a bunch of medical supplies that my dad got me.
And it is a metal plate. This is bulletproof. This protects my back, along with this. And this one will protect my front.
This is a barracuda bar that goes right over the door handle and sits on the door frame. And I can put this on with one hand, if I needed to.
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BLACKWELL: Kelsey Vidal joins me now.
Kelsey, thank you for taking a few minutes.
I've got to say, it was really surreal today preparing to have a conversation with a first-grade teacher about her active-shooter kit, but that is where we are now.
And I'm going to start with a basic question. There are a lot of teachers who are concerned. Not all of them gear up. Why have you geared up?
[14:45:00]
VIDAL: I just wanted something in my classroom that could help me students be safe, that if anything ever happened at our school, it would give us a fighting chance.
I know that this is a scary reality for teachers, but I would much rather be prepared than not. And so that's why I got all of the material that I have.
BLACKWELL: And some of them came from family members, some of them you purchased yourself. Why did you decide to show it all?
VIDAL: So originally, I actually had some fellow teacher friends who were asking me about what I had to protect my classroom. And I just figured I'll make a video to show them instead of having to write everything out.
So I made the video on TikTok, not thinking that anyone was really going to see it besides the five people who asked me about it. And it kind of took off from there.
BLACKWELL: Millions of people have now seen this video on TikTok and now on television. What has been the response you've received?
VIDAL: Everyone has been very supportive. Everyone is kind of shocked that this is what I have to do to feel safer in the classroom.
And it's also giving people a lot of good ideas. They're starting to come up with a plan. And that's -- I think that's really important, that people just have a plan.
They start thinking about, OK, if I was ever in this scenario, what should I do to help keep my kids safe. And I think that's an important conversation to have.
Because we're not seeing change within our government and laws. I think it's important to say, OK, what can we do to help protect our kids.
BLACKWELL: What, if anything, the administrators at your school said about not just the video, but that you have this kit in your classroom?
VIDAL: My admin has been very supportive of what I have. I think, at first, they were a little taken back that this is, like, the extent of what I have.
But they've been very supportive. And we practice for drills all the time. My principal was joking and said we should put Kelsey on the safety team now. They've been very supportive.
And hopefully, this will change the conversation that we have at schools and maybe even the training that we get from schools at our district.
So that, you know, we can just keep practicing and preparing for if this ever had to happen.
BLACKWELL: Let me ask you, I have a state Senator from Ohio coming up in the next hour, who is a co-sponsor of a bill that would allow teachers to carry weapons, guns in schools, with 24 hours of training.
Now, I know you've got your defensive bag there. But if allowed, would you carry a gun in the classroom, in your first-grade class?
VIDAL: I don't know. That's kind of a tough question. And I've been asked that before. As of right now, with the training I have, I would not feel comfortable carrying a weapon around the school.
I think if I was given the proper training and the proper tools, then that's definitely a possibility. Because that also would deter a lot of future problems that could happen at a school.
So it's definitely a possibility with the proper training.
BLACKWELL: All right, Kelsey Vidal. Listen, we ask teachers to do so much, buying crayons and books and supplies for the classroom, and now you've got to buy an active-shooter kit.
I thank you for your time. And stay safe.
VIDAL: Thank you so much. I appreciate you.
[14:48:40]
BLACKWELL: All right, police say that the man suspected of murdering a retired judge in Wisconsin had a hit list with major political players on it. The latest on the investigation just ahead.
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BLACKWELL: Let's go to Wisconsin now where a former judge was killed Friday in what authorities are calling a targeted attack.
Police said the accused shooter had a hit list of other possible targets. Two governors were on the list, also Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
That shooter, suspected shooter was taken into custody with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
CNN's Adrienne Broaddus is in Wisconsin.
What more do we know about this suspected gunman?
ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, investigators are saying the suspected killer shot and killed that former judge about 100 feet in a home on the other side of this barricade.
We have learned, based on court documents CNN has obtained, he has an extensive criminal history dating back to at least 2005. And that criminal history includes convictions -- dating back to 2002 -- excuse me.
In 2005, he appeared before the former judge for firearms and burglary charges. The former judge sentenced him to six years in prison, which was followed by at least nine years of extended supervision.
As you mentioned, we are learning other people were on this list of targeted folks this alleged suspect wanted to kill. That included this state's governor, Tony Evers, as well as Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
[14:55:02]
We heard from a federal judge whose son was killed in a similar attack, and she's pleading for more protection.
Listen in.
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JUDGE ESTHER SALAS, U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE: When there's a commonsense solution, a commonsense solution that is narrowly tailored to address this compelling government interest, I say to members of Congress, this is, in my opinion, a no brainer.
Why are we not doing this by now? Daniel's been gone 22 months and 18 days. And yes, I'm counting. And I'll be counting for the rest of my life on earth.
Let's avoid tragedy. Let's now do something. No other judge should lose their life because they're doing their job.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BROADDUS: And we heard from authorities about an hour ago during that update. They told us the alleged suspect is still listed in critical condition after they believe he suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound -- Victor?
BLACKWELL: Adrienne Broaddus, for us there in New Lisbon. And to hear that judge say she will be counting for the rest of her life, that certainly resonates.
Thank you, Adrienne.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's political career could come to an end today. Right now, conservative lawmakers are holding a secret ballot no-confidence vote. We're getting some new reporting that, quote, "No one in the Conservative Party thinks tonight will end well." That's next.
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