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Millions of Americans Celebrating Independence Day; More Than 1,550 Flights Canceled this Holiday Weekend; At Lease 3 Killed in Mass Shooting at Danish Shopping Mall; Police Chief: Walker Suffered at Least 60 Gunshot Wounds; Ukraine Withdraws from Key Eastern City of Lysychansk; Reuters: Turkey Detains Russian Ship Carrying Grain. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired July 04, 2022 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For some travelers, they're not concerned about getting through TSA. They're more concerned about their flight being delayed or canceled.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trying to get on a flight, but the only available option was for tomorrow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're getting more evidence, more information every day and more people are coming forward as they put these pieces together.

REP. ADAM KINZINGER (R-IL): Nobody has argued that the president didn't want to go to the capitol. Nobody has argued that he didn't know there were guns.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A rare mass shooting in Denmark.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tragic news that there are several fatalities reported.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster.

FOSTER: It is Monday, July 4th, independence day in the United States. And millions of Americans will be celebrating the holiday without COVID restrictions the first time in three years. The celebrations come at a time of deep division over conservative politics. The Supreme Court's recent abortion ruling just one of the many hot button social issues. Economic pressures including inflation and rising cost of living are another big concern for many families this holiday weekend. Now several cities marked Independence Day early with fireworks shows

on Sunday. You're looking at picture from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's their first show since 2019.

But in many cities, fire work displays may be limited with costs for displays around 35 percent according to the pyrotechnic association. But retailers say they're ready to meet demand this year, thankfully. That Fourth of July cookout will cost more this year, roughly 17 percent higher than last year. That's a little over $10 more than 2020. As of last month, ketchup prices have spiked 21 percent, would you believe. Ground beef and buns are also up. One bright spot, though, beer prices are relatively unchanged, and a little more good news if you're hitting the roads today. Gas prices are slowly dropping. Now averaging $4.81 a gallon.

Now, meanwhile, millions of Americans are still traveling for the holiday, but more than 1,500 flights have been canceled since Friday, and many others have been delayed according to the tracking website FlightAware. Airlines say that should ease, though, as CNN's Nadia Romero reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADIA ROMERO, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have hit a very quiet moment here at the busiest airport in the world. And perhaps this is the best time to travel, in the middle of a holiday weekend and the middle of the day. Take a look behind me. This is where you enter the main security checkpoint at the busiest airport in the world. And well, you can just walk right in and make your way through to the TSA checkpoint. This is a clear, this is a free check. This is standard boarding. And look how easy it is for people to make their way up to the front counter and then go to through the security checkpoint.

Now this is a far cry from what we saw on Saturday and definitely on Friday. Let's take a look at the numbers on Saturday of 2020. So, July 2nd, 2020, of the holiday weekend, only 467,000 passengers made their way through security checkpoints. And then last year, look at that dramatic increase. 1.9 million passengers, and then increasing again on Saturday of this year, 2.16 million passengers. Of course, we saw the height, the largest number of people going through TSA security checkpoints on Friday, 2.5 million people making their way through. But for some passengers, it's not the TSA security checkpoints they're worried about. They're worried if their flight is going to be canceled or delayed. Take a listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We tried to get on a flight. But the only available option was for tomorrow. So, we just have to pass time and hope for a good flight.

ROMERO: You're here now. Are you supposed to take a connecting flight somewhere else?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, to Denver, Colorado.

ROMERO: But your flight got delayed so you haven't hopped on it yet or you missed it? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I didn't miss it. It got delayed so I have to

wait like nine hours in the airport. Yes.

ROMERO: Nine hours!

And at this point in the holiday weekend, it's really a domino effect or ripple effect.

[04:05:00]

If a flight was delayed or canceled on Friday or Saturday, that's going to have an impact Sunday or Monday. You heard from those travelers who, some of them are going to have to spend the night in the airport here in Atlanta. Some will have to spend 11 hours in the airport. But for other people, they planned ahead. They made sure that they didn't miss their flight, and that they had another alternative if their flight was delayed or canceled. Nadia Romero, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The travel chaos isn't the only possible dampener on American holiday plans today. Many cities in the Southwest are choosing to cancel their fireworks shows, the region under a severe drought. And there's been a large spike in wildfires over the last eight years surrounding the Fourth of July. But in other parts of the country, it's a very different story. The usual day of fun in the sun, instead being met with heavy rainfall. In El Dorado, Arkansas, residents spent their Sunday a waist deep in flood waters. These firefighters rescuing a woman who tried to drive through, would you believe. Joining me now is CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam. What can they expect then for the rest of the day?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, nothing fun about pushing your car through flooded streets, Max. You know that particular area, that comes from Arkansas and the central parts of the U.S. you can see over the next few days, pretty much rain-free the most part. The bulk of the showers and thunderstorms today and through the return to the office -- return to work, for instance, on Tuesday after the Fourth of July holiday, basically across the Midwest and eventually stretching toward the East Coast and the mid-Atlantic.

But today, Chicago to Minneapolis, you need to keep an eye to the sky. Mother nature might be making its own fireworks display to celebrate and cap off our independence weekend. You can see the thunderstorm chance -- probability across the northern Great Plains and into the Midwest. All draped along this frontal boundary. This is known as a warm front and it's going to help produce straight line winds or the potential at least, where we could see wind gusts in excess of 50 to 60 miles an hour if some of these thunderstorms do start to form this afternoon.

So, damaging winds, large hail a possibility. Look at them form. Chicago all the way to Grand Rapids, Michigan, my hometown. That would be later this afternoon and evening. And then as that line progresses into the day on Tuesday, we have another chance of severe weather extending all the way to the nation's capital. So, that means over 55 million Americans under threat of severe weather as we return home on Tuesday.

So, look at the forecast weather delays for the airports. Chicago, that is an obvious one because of the storms moving through. But clear across the northeast, but into Tuesday that's going to change for the nation's capital, D.C. and Boston. As the thunderstorms ride the ridge of this heat dome that is causing all the excessive temperatures across the nation's midsection.

National Weather Service picking up on all of that. Putting out heat advisories for over 20 million Americans across the central parts of the U.S. This is what it will feel like on your skin as you step out in North Platt, 102 degrees. Can't escape the heat and humidity across the Southeast. This could help bubble up a few thunderstorms as well. So, if you're lucky enough to get outdoors, head out and see the fireworks this evening. I do believe the Northeast will look good. But keep an eye to the sky in Minneapolis, Chicago, that line of storms will form very quickly today -- Max.

Derek, thank you very much indeed. Now be sure to catch CNN's special coverage of the Fourth in America. It begins at 4:00 p.m. in Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m. in Washington and New York. That's 12:00 a.m. Tuesday here in London.

We're getting new information, meanwhile, on Sunday's deadly shooting in Denmark. Police say at least three people are dead after a gunman opened fire in a busy shopping mall in Copenhagen. The victims include two Danish 17-year-old and a Russian man living in Denmark. Authorities also say two Swedish and two Danish citizens are amongst those critically injured. And there is no indication that this was an act of terrorism so far. The suspected gunman is due to face a judge in the coming hours. I'm joined by CNN's Nada Bashir who's been following the story for us. What do we know about the motive then, Nada?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, the investigation is still coming in. That investigation is still very much ongoing. But we heard from police officials speaking a little earlier today giving us a bit more detail. And as you mention there, at this stage there are no indications that this was terror-related. In fact, we heard they believe these victims were chosen at random. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOREN THOMASSEN, COPENHAGEN CHIEF POLICE INVESTIGATOR (through translator): There is nothing in our investigation or the documents that we have been looking at or the items we found, or the witness statements we have that can indicate that it was an act of terror. Our assessment is that the victims are random victims. That is not motivated by gender or anything else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Now, according to police officials, this individual was known to psychiatric professionals in the country, so there is some suggestion that perhaps mental health may be a cause behind this incident. [04:10:00]

The suspect in question, a 22-year-old Danish man was arrested yesterday at the scene. He is in custody and he will face police questioning today. He was apprehended carrying weapons and ammunition. So, he is believed to be the shooter. At this stage police have said there are no indications there were any other shooters involved. But until they can officially rule this out, the investigation on that line of inquiry will continue.

FOSTER: A real from a for the country to deal with. This is the biggest shopping center I think in Denmark. There is a Harry Stiles concert next door. So, lots of young people were there milling around. And we've seen this video circulating the last 24 hours. A huge amount for the country to deal with, and Swedes involved, a Russian involved.

BASHIR: Absolutely. Completely horrifying and absolute chaos, of course, at the scene yesterday. As you mentioned, there's a Harry Stiles concert going on just nearby. It wasn't directly impacted but of course, as a precaution that concert was of course, canceled and police evacuated concert goers later that evening. So, there was a lot of panic and chaos at the scene and busy shopping center on a Sunday afternoon, of course, when most people would have been gathering.

And of course, as we know now at least three people have been killed. Four others are believed to be in a critical condition in hospital including two teenagers. There were others injured and they were also injured fleeing the scene as opposed to being directly impacted by gunshot wound. So, you can imagine the scene of chaos.

FOSTER: Panic, Yes. OK, Nada, thank you.

Protesters marched on Sunday after the release of body cam video showing Akron police fatally shooting a black man.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWD CHANTING: We are done, done. We are done, done. We are done, done. We are done, done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Akron's police chief said 25-year-old Jayland Walker suffered at least 60 gunshot wounds citing a medical examiner's report. The release of this information comes nearly a week after officers tried to stop Walker for an alleged traffic violation. Police say he led them on a car chase and fired a shot at them. Then police say Walker eventually abandoned his car and a foot chase took place. During this chase, officers believed Walker was reaching towards his waist, moving into a firing position. Want to warn you. The next piece of police video we are about to show you is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SIRENS, GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't move!

God! -- oh, god! Oh, god!

(GUNSHOTS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: CNN's Polo Sandoval is following the shooting and the investigation. He reports now from Akron.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Authorities here in Akron , Ohio, vowing to proceed with this investigation with transparency and with scrutiny as well as they continue to look into the police shooting of Jaylan Walker. Over the weekend, authorities in the city of Akron released about 18 minutes' worth of video, each minute basically offering a different perspective, showing those responding officers, about eight total, before they opened fire shooting and killing Walker.

Investigators also over the weekend saying or at least sharing more about that possible perceived threat that provoked the lethal response from officers, including a single gunshot that came from inside the car while police were chasing the vehicle that was being driven by Walker. And it was shortly after that pursuit turned from a vehicle chase to a foot chase that you can see in the video clearly. Those eight officers opened fire. There was a barrage of bullets. The police chief saying on Sunday that those officers will have to account for each one of the shots that they fired.

CHIEF STEPHEN MYLETT, AKRON POLICE: They need to be able to articulate what specific threats they were facing, and that goes for every round that goes down the barrel of their gun. And they need to be held to account.

SANDOVAL: The investigation is now in the hands of state authorities here. Both the Walker family and APD maintain that Walker himself was unarmed at the time of the actual police shooting. So, in the meantime, investigators continue to press on with the case as the people here in Akron continue to call for accountability and for justice. As for the eight officers involved, they continue on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Polo Sandoval, CNN, Akron , Ohio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Akron's mayor is calling for calm after the release of the video showing that fatal police shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL HORRIGAN, AKRON, OHIO MAYOR: There's no doubt that the video you just watched is extremely disturbing and will stir a lot of emotions and feeling, shocking and hard to take in. But what we are collectively calling for is peace this afternoon. [04:15:00]

It's the same thing Mr. Walker's family is calling for and it's the ask of everyone standing here with me in the community, peace for our city, peace for our community and peace for our residents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: While we wait for more information surrounding the shooting, a civil rights leader in Akron is among those raising deep concerns about the officers' handling of the case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDI HILL, PRESIDENT, NAACP AKRON, OHIO: Please help us understand why for any reason anyone would have to be shot that many times by that many officers. I don't even think the video will capture how many. I think what it will capture is the scene. And when you look at, from my understanding, when you look at a video like that, there's no way you can justify killing a man 60 times who was running away from a scene.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Attorneys for Jayland Walker's family held a news conference after the footage was released saying he had never broken the law during his life, no crimes of any kind. The family also wants the public to give peace, give dignity, and give justice a chance for Jayland while the police investigation is underway.

Now, still ahead, Ukraine suffers a setback in the battle field as Russian forces claim a big prize in the east. We're live from Kyiv with a look at where things go from here.

And Turkish authorities reportedly have detained a Russian cargo ship allegedly carrying stolen Ukrainian grain. That story just ahead.

[04:20:00]

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FOSTER: Russia has claimed control over a critical city in eastern Ukraine. On Sunday Ukraine confirmed its troops have withdrawn from Lysychansk, the country's last strong hold in the Luhansk region. The last likely means Russian troops now control the entire region. Ukraine says Russia is already shifting focus in neighboring Donetsk and efforts to seize control of the wider Donbas. But in his nightly address Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed that his troops will retake the territory that they've lost.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Ukraine does not give anything up. And when someone over there in Moscow reports something about the Luhansk region, let them remember their reports and promises before February 24th. In the first days of this invasion in the spring and now, let them really evaluate what they got over this time and how much they paid for it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: We are already seeing some cities in Donetsk come under fire in Sloviansk. Ukrainian officials shared this video showing the aftermath of an attack. They say at least six people were killed and 15 wounded amid some of the heaviest shelling in recent days.

Those scenes of devastation playing out as officials from around the world gather in Switzerland to hash out plans to rebuild Ukraine once the fighting stops. The task before them is daunting. Reconstruction is expected to cost hundreds of billions of dollars and could run into the trillions.

Reuters reporting that Turkish authorities have detained a Russian cargo ship carrying what Ukraine says is stolen grain. That's according to the ambassador in Turkey who announce this development while speaking on Ukrainian TV. Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing grain in territories that its forces have seized. CNN covering the story from every angle. Clare Sebastian here in London. But let's start with CNN's Scott McLean. He's live in Kyiv. And, Scott, they are basically outgunned in this region that they pulled out of.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Out gunned, out manned. Max, look, this was one of Russia's major goals in this war to take Luhansk region, of course, the other to take the Donetsk region, and perhaps far beyond even that. Ukraine has conceded that their troops did have to pull back. But they say that there are still some pockets of resistance.

Now the local governor in that area spoke with CNN this morning and sort of framed the situation like this. Saying that the Ukrainians could have gone on and fought for, say, another two weeks or so, but they would have sustained heavy losses and they would have run the risk of getting completely encircled by those Russian troops which, of course, would have had even greater consequences.

Russian troops, they say, in that area were more prepared than they were anywhere else along the front line. In part, because these are the same soldiers who had been fighting on and off for the last eight years since this conflict began back in 2014. They also knew the local area much better. And so, tactics like, say, removing the street signs where they've employed in other areas like around Kyiv, were not nearly as effective here as they were in in other places.

The real advantage, though, the Ukrainians say that the Russians had was not the fighting power or the fighting will of the local soldiers, but on the artillery strength. This is what president Zelenskyy said about it yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Russia has enough smirch, scatter guns and guidance systems to destroy city after city in Ukraine. They have now accumulated their highest fire power in Donbas. And they can use tens of thousands of artillery shells every day on one section of the front. This is reality. This is why we destroy the potential of the occupiers, day after day, calculated, powerfully. We will rebuild the walls. We will regain the land. But people must be saved above all else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN: The local governor said, look, the artillery fire was so, so strong that at some point they, you know, had shelled this city, this area so badly that there wasn't really much for the Ukrainians to even attempt to hold onto. That local governor also told CNN that he believes that many of the thousands of local residents who chose to stay behind and take shelter in their basements during the worst of the fighting, some of them stayed behind because they were perhaps collaborating with the Russians, helping them to adjust their fire to better aim at the Ukrainian positions.

[04:25:00]

But where next? Well, you mentioned it already. We're already seeing signs of fighting ramping up in Sloviansk. There were also missile strikes in Kramatorsk as well. And so, expect the trend to continue, Max.

FOSTER: OK Scott, thank you. And, Clare, you have been following these grain mountains which are making their way around the world.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right.

FOSTER: Again, Russia -- Ukraine accusing Russia of stealing that. What are they doing with it?

SEBASTIAN: Right, so the news this morning coming by Reuters citing the Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey, is that he says the Turkish authorities have detained a flag vessel. The vessel is called the Zhibek Zholy, which apparently -- you can see a picture of it there -- is about a kilometer away from the Turkish port of Karasu, which is on the Black Sea. Of course, a very contested water at the moment.

Now, Ukraine says that that ship is full of stolen grain and it set off from Berdyansk which is a port in the sea of Azov, but currently occupied by Russia. Is just west of Mariupol there. So, it's true and it's very hard to confirm these things because you can't see what's on that ship unless you go up to it. But if true, it would part of what appears to be a pattern emerging from Russia.

CNN has tracked satellite images of ships, you know, that appear to be loading grain from Ukraine and trying to take them to other places, supposedly to export them for Russia's gain. Russia has denied stealing grain from Ukraine. But interestingly earlier in June, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson said that, you know, work was underway to strike deals to sell this grain to places like Turkey and the Middle East. So clearly this is one of the most far reaching consequences of this war.

And another part of this which is worth watching the role of Turkey. Because they are trying to broker talks between Russia, Ukraine, the U.N. to try to find a solution to un-blockade the Black Sea and get Ukraine's grain exports out. Clearly, they are having to play another role here in terms of policing the waters around their own ports and figuring out what's in the ships -- Max.

FOSTER: And in terms of the broader topic, other countries are looking towards a longer term plan for Ukraine and how they can possibly rebuild it. They do need to be thinking about that at this point, don't they, because the costs are astronomical.

SEBASTIAN: Yes, I mean, I think you see certainly in terms of the way people are talking about this at the moment in Europe and beyond, a recognition of just how much this is going to cost, and just how long term this is going to be. And you know, is controversial, but that's why you see certain schools of thought emerging among leaders about how to end this. And what Ukraine might or should or could be willing to sacrifice to end the violence and move towards reconstruction. Of course, you heard from President Zelenskyy. He says, you know, we're going back, we're going to take the territory. He's not willing to give up any ground.

FOSTER: Clare, thank you very much and Scott as well in Kyiv

Now the U.S. House Select Committee says it's possible they'll make criminal referrals over the January 6 attack on the Capitol and it could include the former president. The next step for investigators when we return.

And anti-abortion politicians are facing tough questions over new state laws banning a woman's right to choose.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, ANCHOR STATE OF THE UNION: You would be OK with that, a 10- year-old girl having to have a baby?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I'm never OK with that. In fact, that story will keep me up at night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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