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Interview With Former Baltimore, Maryland, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake; Interview With Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL); Six Killed in Illinois Parade Shooting. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired July 04, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:02]

CHRIS COVELLI, HIGHLAND PARK POLICE DEPUTY CHIEF: There is no indication he's barricaded anywhere or has any hostages. That has been kind of circling around.

There is no indication of that. Investigators are very, very quickly working to try to identify who this person is and try to figure out where he's at.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

COVELLI: So, it does appear he was shooting from a roof. The roof that he was shooting from, I don't have that information right now.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) scene right now?

COVELLI: So, right now, there's multiple agencies. Highland Park police is leading the initial incident response.

The Lake County Major Crime Task Force is working directly with the FBI on forwarding the investigation, of course, working with Highland Park police detectives. They're very involved in. And they will be point throughout all of this.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) high-capacity magazine (OFF-MIKE)

COVELLI: Not information I can release just yet.

QUESTION: Do you have any evidence he had more than one weapon on him?

COVELLI: Not information I can release just yet.

But we would still -- we would still consider him to be armed and dangerous.

QUESTION: Are you confident it's only one shooter?

COVELLI: At this time, that's the information we have that, it was one shooter.

QUESTION: Do you have any idea how many shots he fired?

COVELLI: We're still working on that.

We will take two more questions.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Where was the gun dropped? (OFF-MIKE)

COVELLI: We're not going to go into the specifics of where the gun was recovered, but a firearm -- a rifle was recovered.

QUESTION: What's the ages?

QUESTION: The ages of those who passed away.

COVELLI: We will have more information on that. We're working with the Lake County coroner's office.

They too are very involved in this investigation. And we will be releasing that as soon as we can.

Thanks. We will be back. OK.

QUESTION: To be clear, though, it's six dead and then 25...

(CROSSTALK)

COVELLI: We have six -- we have six confirmed deceased. And we have approximately two dozen that are seriously injured.

OK, thank you.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: We just got the breaking news update there from Highland Park police officials, now six dead, as you heard, roughly two dozen people transported to hospitals after a mass shooting on Independence Day at the start of a parade.

Thank you for staying with us. I'm Victor Blackwell. We are covering this from all angles.

I want to go straight to our Adrienne Broaddus, who is there.

We got some important details about a suspect they are still searching for.

Adrienne, give us the latest, as you have learned it, from authorities there.

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Victor, good evening or afternoon to you.

We were listening, just like you were. And the latest information that we have from investigators, at least six people are deceased and 12 others seriously injured. If you look around, you can see that this area is very much on lockdown.

Investigators still have not located the person who was responsible. The shooter is still at large, investigators telling us that person is described as an 18-to-20-year-old male, a white male with dark hair. He was wearing a white-colored top.

And just to give you a heads up, I'm going to bring someone into the conversation momentarily -- we're getting a microphone on them right now -- who says she saw everything unfold.

As we arrived on scene, Victor, there was a couple running away from the parade route. And my cell phone,this one right here, was rolling. And I asked her, what did she see? And, immediately, she said: "Please pray for Highland Park."

I spoke with her and her husband. They told me they'd been coming to this parade for years. They couldn't come last year or the year before, obviously, because of the pandemic. And they showed up today with their parents and her grandfather.

He said they recorded video of the band marching down the parade park, and not a minute after he stopped rolling, he heard the shots. He says that's when he knew it was not (AUDIO GAP) hand of his 87-year-old grandfather and took off running.

Not until two hours later were they reunited with his wife's parents. But that was two hours of waiting. I asked her if she knew any of the six deceased. She said she's so devastated, she could not look at the list.

This woman just rode by a moment ago. She was at the parade. She's going to step up. I'm meeting her for the first time, just like all of you.

I'm Adrienne.

ZOE PAWELCZAK, WITNESS: Hi. I'm Zoe.

BROADDUS: Hi, Zoe.

I hate that this is the Fourth of July and this is what we're talking about.

PAWELCZAK: Me too.

BROADDUS: But we're going to have a conversation. Just look here at me and tell me...

PAWELCZAK: Sure.

BROADDUS: ... where you were, what you heard, and what you saw.

PAWELCZAK: Sure.

I have been going to this parade since I was a little kid. And I just moved back from Phoenix, Arizona. And my dad and I wanted to come here like a thing of father-daughter camaraderie. And we got here nice and early for the pet parade and the kids parade, front row, right across from Walker Bros. in Port Clinton. About a little after the band went through, we heard pew, pew, pew, pew, and probably heard 50 rounds in total, at least. Everyone thought it was fireworks. Everyone said, oh, fireworks. Or the military people had just gone through with the shotguns.

And I was like, something is wrong. I grabbed my dad and started running.

[14:05:02]

All of a sudden, everyone behind us started running. I looked back. Probably 20 feet away from me, I saw a girl shot and killed, the girl I have heard on the news, but in blood, saw her die.

I have never seen anything like this. We hid behind a dumpster for about an hour. And then the police got us into Uncle Dan's sporting goods, where we hid in a basement for I don't know how long it was.

Time is kind of a blur at this point. But we hid there until the cops finally escorted us back to our car. They were wonderful. They drove us back to our car.

But, I mean, there were people that we were hiding with. One man had been shot in the head, like his ear. He was bleeding all over his face. He was just -- I'm just happy that's all that happened. There was another girl that got escorted out was shot in the leg. We were just hiding in this basement for quite a while.

But, yes, we were right in the center. I mean, someone 20 feet, 20 feet away, someone just -- and then we went back to get our car keys and everything. And we just saw the streets were quite littered. It looked like a battle zone. And it's disgusting. It's really disgusting, yes.

BROADDUS: It is disgusting. And hearts are hurting, knowing that that's what you witnessed. That's the image in your mind on this Fourth of July.

PAWELCZAK: Yes.

BROADDUS: We just learned from members of law enforcement that at least five others died, in addition to that person you saw.

PAWELCZAK: Yes.

BROADDUS: And we know the suspect, according to investigators, was an 18 to 20-year-old. And investigators have said they recovered a rifle.

PAWELCZAK: A rifle? No, no, it was an automatic weapon.

It was pew, pew, pew, pew. Rifles don't even do -- it was -- it's like nothing -- remember the -- everyone obviously remembers the Boston massacre, like a happy -- a marathon. And it's just a happy day. It's the Fourth of July.

It was the kids parade and dog parade that just happened, little kids on bicycles and pets. That's who had just walked by.

And this is a guy shooting. I mean, it's like nothing I have ever heard. I have heard gunshots. Like, I have been to Chicago plenty of times. We have all heard gunshots. This was pew, pew, pew, pew, pew. It was -- it's like nothing I have ever seen.

BROADDUS: And you raise a point -- two things. One, investigators have said that the shooter was firing, they believe, from a roof. They have not told us where. Did it sound like it was from above? Did it sound like it was one person?

PAWELCZAK: It sounded like -- it was a round. It was single round of many, many shots. And then it just stopped.

So it definitely sounded like one person, unless they were shooting absolutely simultaneously, which I can't imagine was the case. Definitely sounded like one person. Not sure where they were.

I looked back. I was looking straight ahead at my dad. I was -- my dad thought it was part of the show. And I'm like, dad, no, this is -- this isn't -- this is -- something is wrong. And I grabbed him. And I looked back at him. And then it was just this sea of panic and people just falling and falling.

They got a good range. So either they were on a roof or right in the center. But like people have been saying, they probably would have seen him if he was in the center, so likely on a roof.

BROADDUS: And before I let you go, Zoe, you touched on something. You said you have been to Chicago before.

PAWELCZAK: Yes.

BROADDUS: So we're making this distinction. This, for those who are watching nationally, is not Chicago.

PAWELCZAK: No, I have seen so many comments. I have been on Facebook, and so many people are saying, oh, this happens in Chicago all the time. How dare you say this is breaking news.

For one, how dare we be so numb to gun violence that we say, oh, it's not breaking news when a mass amount of people die. But, also, this was families. These were young people, families, out here celebrating the Fourth of July in a very quiet, small town.

And it was -- I mean, I must have seen 50 people shot. I mean, it was just blood everywhere. And we went back, and blood everywhere. But gun violence is never OK. We should never be numb to this.

BROADDUS: Yes.

And, Zoe, we will end the conversation there. I appreciate your time and you sharing your heart with us.

PAWELCZAK: Of course, yes.

BROADDUS: Despite what you saw today, I hope someone or something makes you smile.

PAWELCZAK: Oh, yes.

BROADDUS: And I hope your dad is OK.

PAWELCZAK: Yes. Yes.

BROADDUS: And you just heard from Zoe.

Stick around, because I want to catch your last name.

PAWELCZAK: Sure.

BROADDUS: She was there with her father. She wanted to bond with her dad, when she saw someone, she says, die before her eyes.

And members of law enforcement have told us at least six were killed in this Highland Park Fourth of July parade -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: Adrienne, it's awful, I mean, the video we're seeing on social media of kids hopping up off the curb and running because they're hearing gunshots.

She described the bike and pet parade, little kids and their dogs. And now this is what cuts through that scene of Americana.

Adrienne Broaddus, thank you. We will get back to you in just a moment.

Let's bring in now CNN senior law enforcement -- and, oh, we have got Brynn Gingras with us.

Brynn, give us the latest what you have seen from your perspective.

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, listen, we got those updates from law enforcement.

But I spoke to a director of the hospital unit in that area, and essentially telling me 26 people are at the local hospital there in Highland Park. Five people were actually brought to Evanston, their sister hospital, which is a trauma one level center, so 31 total people injured in this.

[14:10:13]

And I'm being told many of those, that -- quote -- "the vast majority" of those are gunshot wound victims. The other injuries that they're seeing right now, I'm being told, is that people who were sort of fleeing the chaos, as you can see, and you heard that woman just so well describe, the chaos that ensued when -- and confusion -- when these gunshots rang out.

We have been hearing so much from people like her, like Zoe, who were sheltering in place, as the city said to do after this was happening. And they are saying now, because it's an active shooter situation -- or active situation, they have not found this suspect. Spoke to someone who, Victor, was about a block off of the parade route. And 20 people or so were sheltering in a BP, like you heard Zoe say she was at a sporting goods store, those people not leaving.

They're scared to. We heard law enforcement say they have got the SWAT team going around going door to door as they work to try and find this suspect.

I want you to hear, though, from another witness to this parade to. Take a listen to this person.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But the things that occurred were happening behind me and it kind of timed well with the band.

So it seemed like it was just fireworks. And I was thinking to myself -- because I have been here many years. I lived in Highland Park for a very long time, all my life almost.

And I just never saw that much things used to make the fire -- the parade better. So I was thinking, fireworks? Wow. Cool. So instead, then it kept going. I turned around. I'm like, wait a minute, that's not fireworks. I saw things falling off of Ross' roof, like black things.

And I was like, oh, God, this is -- these are not fireworks. So I started feeling -- I was getting hit on my leg. And I didn't know what he was feeling. But I knew I was getting hit everywhere in my leg, my bottom of my body. I got -- I got him to get down on the ground.

But, unfortunately, because it was happening near us, we still were getting hit. So I told him, run inside. We're getting hit by gunfire. So I told him we got to run inside. And we ran inside a Gearhead. And that's when everybody was running inside.

And then we started noticing how many people were bloody. It wasn't just a joke. It wasn't just like, oh, something like a little BB gun or something. It was intense. And people were bleeding everywhere and screaming and crying. And it was just so sad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GINGRAS: So, Victor, that woman so well describing just the chaos and confusion that was happening in those moments after the shooting.

You heard law enforcement say that there are people actually calling they're from different cities surrounding areas, saying, are events safe to continue on with the July 4 celebrations? And they're saying, use your own judgment.

Well, we know we're expecting a release from the NYPD about adding patrols here in New York City for the biggest fireworks show in America. But you can imagine what this is like for not even just that community, surrounding communities, trying to figure out what to do. This is just really hitting everyone at home. BLACKWELL: Brynn, before we let you go, I understand this is very early now in the reporting. And maybe hospitals have not given this information. Is there an age range of the victims who have been transported?

GINGRAS: That's a good question, Victor. I will follow up with them. I did not get that information from them as of yet. They're going to update me about every half-hour or so.

So I will definitely ask that question. I can tell you that there was such an immediate response to this, they had to bring in about 20 additional doctors just to deal with the amount of injuries that they were seeing in such a short amount of time.

BLACKWELL: All right. And we know, of course, some of these numbers will fluctuate...

GINGRAS: Yes.

BLACKWELL: ... as some people will self-transport maybe later to the hospitals, but, as we know now, six killed, 31 injured at several hospitals across that part of Illinois.

Brynn Gingras, thank you very much.

Let's now bring in CNN senior law enforcement analyst and former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and former defense attorney and former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Chief, let me start with you.

And we have got now a description of this suspect, white male, approximately 18 to 20 years old, longer black hair, small build, and wearing a white or blue T-shirt. We have heard in these mass shootings before white male 18 to 20 years old with a rifle. This is something we have seen in this country before.

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, it's something we have seen before, but the fact that they have a description, someone actually saw him, which means that they may actually be able to capture some video of the individual who is responsible for this.

But this is unusual. I mean, this is a sniper-type incident. He's on a rooftop. The rifle they're talking about sounds like an assault rifle. And we had this conversation with Uvalde about how devastating the wounds are from an assault rifle.

So six dead now, that many people in the hospital, I hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if you lose some more people because of the devastation caused by the injuries sustained as a result of gunshot wounds like this. So this is bad. This is real bad.

And, obviously, cities across the country are going to be on alert now. And they're absolutely right. Everyone will have to make their own judgment as to whether or not they proceed or not.

[14:15:04]

But this is something that it's a soft target. But it's something that just -- it just shouldn't happen. I mean, when are we going to say enough as a country? And it just keeps on and on and on.

BLACKWELL: Chief, before we go to the mayor, one more here.

We heard from Mr. Covelli, Chris Covelli there. He talked about this being completely random, that they within the hours since the shooting have determined that this is not terror-related. How can they be that confident at this point? What has to be in place or potentially not in place to make that call this early?

RAMSEY: Well, obviously, the investigation has to continue. But the fact that you have so many victims, where they're separated, there's no connection between them, it looks like somebody was on a rooftop just picking off people. I hate to put it that way.

But that's what it sounds like, was taking place. And that's what they mean when they say random. But whether it was terror-related or not, you won't know until you get more information about the suspect, until you start to go through their computer and find out what the motivation was behind it, and so forth. So it's a little early to be making that call, as far as I'm concerned.

Let the investigation unfold before you know. But, right now, they got a weapon. Believe me, they're doing everything they can to try to get DNA and every other kind of evidence they can from that particular firearm. They have got to identify this individual and get him off the street very quickly.

BLACKWELL: Mayor, this was the first opportunity in several years for Highland Park to have this parade, to get back out with people to celebrate Independence Day. And now this happens.

STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE (D), FORMER MAYOR OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: I was getting goose bumps as I was listening to I think the woman's name was Zoe talk about what she saw.

And it is painful, because I know you have been to events recently. People are so desperate to reconnect, to celebrate what it is that we love about this country. So to have something like that, it might not be organized terrorism, but it's a terrorist act when you go at the heart of who we are as Americans in this way.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

You were, of course, the mayor of Baltimore. We heard from Chris Covelli that this was completely random. But are you ordering, calling for extra security, changes down at the Inner Harbor ahead of fireworks tonight?

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Absolutely...

BLACKWELL: Yes.

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: ... if I were still mayor. You have to.

Mayors across this country have to harden these very soft targets. And we have to call on our residents, our citizens who are going to these events to stay extra vigilant. We cannot let someone like this win, someone who wants to destroy us win.

We have to tell people, if you see something, say something, and really mean it.

BLACKWELL: Chief, this search is still happening right now. We heard from Zoe. She was at a sports supply store. There are about 20 people that were holed up at a gas station.

Since this person is still out there, police consider him armed and dangerous, what does that door-to-door search look like right now?

RAMSEY: Well, right now, that's what they're doing. I mean, they're trying to not only make sure that there's no one there that should not be there, like the offender.

But they're also checking, I would imagine, especially in that immediate area, to find out if anyone has any kind of video, if anyone -- if this person is from that area. Somebody knows who this guy is, believe me. This is someone who probably has posted stuff online or given some indication. They may not have believed him at the time.

But I wouldn't be surprised if somebody somewhere knows exactly who this individual is, or at least suspects who they are. And if they even -- we -- suspect without any proof, call law enforcement. Let the investigators determine whether or not this is an individual that was involved or not.

But this just didn't come out of nowhere. At least, it doesn't sound like it to me.

BLACKWELL: Yes, as we have seen with, unfortunately, the mass shootings of the last several months.

Charles Ramsey, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, stay with us.

We, of course, will continue to follow this breaking news, this fatal mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.

We will speak to a congressman who was there at the parade, with us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:23:38]

BLACKWELL: All right, moving forward on the breaking news out of Highland Park, this mass shooting, six dead, at least 31 injured and taken to hospitals, some of them gunshot wounds, others just injured in the melee there after the shots rang out at 10:14 local time.

We learned from Highland Park police, though, that the shooting suspect was shooting from a roof. I mean, imagine that. You're there with your family, sitting on the curb, watching the local school band go by, and the shots pop off from a second or third level above you.

And then we have seen the video. And we will show more. It is graphic, unfortunately, of the people running to escape. And police also say the suspect is not in custody right now. This is a very active scene. They say that the shooting appears to be completely random. We will talk more about that with our law enforcement experts.

But, right now, I have got with me Illinois Congressman Brad Schneider. He was at the parade when the shooting started this morning. He tweeted that he and his campaign team were gathering at the start of the parade when this happened.

He's on the phone with me now.

Congressman, unfortunately, this is how we meet on Independence Day. I thank you for your time.

First, before we talk about what you saw and what happened, place yourself. Where were you when all of this happened.

REP. BRAD SCHNEIDER (D-IL): Thank you.

And I am sorry to be with you today, which should be a day where families celebrate the with their community the independence of our country. It should be a happy day in our community. It's now a tragic day.

[14:25:08]

My team was gathering. I was on my way. I do five parades the Fourth of July. This was my second stop. I was just getting into town when the shots were fired. And I was told to detour. Everyone scattered and ran.

As I was going around, I came across a group of young kids who were trying to call their parents to say they're OK. So I got -- stopped and offered them to use my phone. There were a lot of cars moving, so helped direct traffic for a bit.

I was not in the center of things. So, I can't say, where I was, it was pandemonium, but it was a lot of anxiety, a lot of panic. This is a community, like communities all across our country, that Fourth of July is the time to be with family and friends, expecting to have fun, enjoying the good weather, and celebrating.

And instead they were literally running for their lives. It's just something that is happening far too much in this country. And we have to do something about it.

BLACKWELL: Did you hear the shots that were fired?

SCHNEIDER: I did not. I did not.

The shots were in the center of town. We were at the beginning of the parade, my team. When we heard that shots were fired, everybody scattered. We made sure that they got away from the parade area and then made sure that all the people were safely in a safe place and secure, and then working to help others.

But what we know now are six people have died, been murdered, brutally, gruesomely murdered, and 31 people are injured in a hospital.

BLACKWELL: Did you have to shelter at all, or were you far enough that you were still safe outdoors away from the center of the action?

SCHNEIDER: So we're all still sheltered.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SCHNEIDER: The shooter is at large. This is my town. It's where I live. Everyone is staying inside and awaiting word.

I am grateful, initially grateful for the response of the first responders, those who rushed to the scene to help those who were injured. I am grateful for law enforcement throughout the area who is now in our community looking for this shooter.

But he is still at large, not just here in Highland Park, but across the area. Activities have been canceled, all because someone decided to take a gun and murder a bunch of people on a beautiful day.

BLACKWELL: So, the latest we have is a description of this shooter, white male approximately 18 to 20 years old, longer black hair, small build wearing a white or blue T-shirt.

Have you gotten any updates beyond that about the suspect or the search for this suspect?

SCHNEIDER: No, I -- what I have seen on the news and seen on my feed from the community is that -- the description you mentioned, mention of a yellow backpack, and just advice to families to stay inside and stay safe.

BLACKWELL: Congressman, you say this is your community. Quickly, if you would,tell us about Highland Park.

SCHNEIDER: Well, Highland Park is a community, one of the northern suburbs of Chicago.

It's a tight-knit community. This parade today, every year, thousands of people gather to celebrate, stand shoulder to shoulder honoring our nation's birthday, and just -- so being a part of the parade.

There are floats from the high school bands to the library. The whole community comes together. And it's like communities all across the country that were celebrating the Fourth of July.

The fact that an individual has been described, a young male has decided to take a gun, and what is said to be an assault weapon, and literally destroy the heart of our community, the people who were killed, the families, they will never recover. They will carry this, these -- the pains of their loss with them across generations.

The people who are wounded will carry those injuries with them the rest of our lives. And the entire community, we will come together. It's a strong community. We will find strength in the support of each other.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SCHNEIDER: But it's going to take a while to recover and heal.

And like so many other communities around the nation who are suffering from gun violence, we need help.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SCHNEIDER: And Congress needs to take action, whether it's universal background -- things that 90 percent of the country support, universal background checks, making trafficking of guns across state lines illegal, straightforward things we can do that can respect the Second Amendment, but also keep our kids, our schools, our theaters, our communities safer.

We need to act, and we need to act soon.