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Highland Park Shooting: 6 Dead At Parade, Suspect In Custody; Two Law Enforcement Officers Shot During A July Fourth Festival In Philadelphia; Zelenskyy Says Ukrainian Forces Undeterred; Russia Hails Luhansk Victory; Ukraine Lays Out $750 Billion Recovery Plan For Postwar Future; Israeli Military Gunfire Likely Killed Journalist. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired July 05, 2022 - 01:00   ET

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

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[01:00:37]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to have you as in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade with breaking news. A man aged in his early 20s is now in custody in relation to a mass shooting at a Fourth of July celebration in a suburb north of Chicago, Illinois. We have some video from that parade. And I need to warn you it is disturbing.

Five people died on the street, another died later in hospital. More than two dozen others were treated for gunshot wounds. Those taking the hospital range in age from eight to 85. And most have since been released.

Police say they believe Robert Crimo III open fire from the rooftop of the building along the parade route. They say they recovered firearm evidence from the same. Crimo was arrested a few hours later not far away in Lake Forest, Illinois. He led police on a brief chase, but it was eventually taken into custody.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF CHRIS COVELLI, LAKE COUNTY MAJOR CRIME TASK FORCE: This individual is believed to have been responsible for what happened and the investigation will continue. Charges have not been approved yet at this time. And we're a long way from that there's still a long investigation and there are a lot of efforts that are going to continue tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: We have more now from CNN's Adrienne Broaddus.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): An investigator say it was a North Chicago police officer who found that 22-year-old investigators believe who is responsible for this crime scene behind me. That officer called for backup. There was a short vehicle pursuit.

Investigators say they took that 22-year-old into custody without incident. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, we did hear from people who were attending the parade, including one woman who sheltered behind a dumpster listening.

ZOE PAWELCZAK, WITNESS: I saw people shot and killed around me. And a lot of people hiding, a man actually went at one point to find his son and he asked me to watch his kids so we were all hiding behind the dumpster together and the kids were, really little kids were like what's going on and I'm like, it's just fireworks. You know people get silly with fireworks and I just stayed with them for about half an hour while the guy was out looking for his other son.

BROADDUS: She also shared with us that father before taking off to look for his other son put his children inside of the dumpster for protection. Meanwhile, six people were shot and killed. Five of them died on scene here. A dozen of others injured. The motive still unclear. Adrienne Broaddus, CNN, Highland Park, Illinois.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

KINKADE: Well, Highland Park Police identify this aspect as being 22 years old. Later, the FBI bulletin reported that he was 21. CNN has reached out to authorities for more information on what other people attend moments and the confusion that unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF KRAINES, WITNESS: We were at the beginning of the parade. Heard what we thought was a sick joke of gunshots, people started running towards us, we really weren't sure what was going on because we thought it was just a prank. Right. So too many people started coming, ran out with everyone else.

LARRY BLOOM, WITNESS: And then we got all her blackout pop, pop, pop and I think everybody just thought oh, maybe there's something with the float. They're doing something on the float and then it just it just opened up just a rain of gunshots just so quickly, for quite a while, at least it seemed.

ANGELA SENDIK, WITNESS: And then we walked a little closer and I saw someone like on the ground with his leg in the air and the girl like crying next to him. And then to my left my mom and I saw like at least three more people on the ground like bloody and then naturally like we just started running towards our car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, joining me now from Los Angeles is CNN law enforcement contributor and retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Steve Moore. Thanks for joining us Los Angeles is seen and law enforcement contributor and retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Steve Moore, thanks for joining us. [01:05:08]

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: Anytime Lynda.

KINKADE: This attack happened in the morning at this Fourth of July parade in a suburb north of Chicago. And by the afternoon after a massive manhunt as some eight, nine hours later, a suspect was in custody. What's the next phase of this investigation?

MOORE: What they're going to do is try to figure out everything that motivated him from the beginning to the time he was captured. They're also going to try to determine what things were public, what things were known, that could have tipped a law enforcement off.

There are several phases of this. Number one, you're going to want to work on the prosecution. Number two, you're going to want to prevent it from ever happening again. So you may have literally two teams working on this, trying to decide how it happened, how and how we didn't interdict it. And then there's going to be the determination of how he got his weapon.

KINKADE: And we're hearing from police that they believe that this gunman shot from a roof top. What does that tell you it does that signal some level of planning?

MOORE: Yes, it does. First of all, the stairway, the ladder to that roof was unlocked. He would have had to have known in advance that this was unlocked. I think what you're going to find is if you go through any ATM, cameras, doorbell cameras, things like that, you're going to find that he was in the area at least several times, planning this entire event long before he accomplished it.

KINKADE: A horrific event, six people dead, dozens more in hospitals around the region, those ages ranging from eight to 85, and many more terrorized. The governor of Illinois noted that this is a uniquely American problem. I just want to play some sound.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.B. PRITZKER, ILLINOIS GOVERNOR: It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague. A day dedicated to freedom has put into stark relief. The one freedom we as a nation refuse to uphold the freedom of our fellow citizens to live without the daily fear of gun violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: And the governor added that the founders who wrote the Constitution carried muskets, not assault weapons.

MOORE: Right.

KINKADE: For 10 years in the U.S., there was a ban on military style assault weapons, that ban expired, it was never renewed. And that was a policy that Joe Biden worked on back when he was a senator. Should that be renewed? And what else could help?

MOORE: Well, the first thing you have to do before you do a large sweeping removal of these weapons, is you have to work right now to keep them out of the hands of the mentally ill. We don't just have a gun plague going on here. We have a mental illness plague in America. You can't tell me that the last 10 or 11 shooters have been all mentally sane. So we have to look at it from both the gun aspect and the mental illness aspect.

What we've learned in Chicago, which is had strict, strict gun laws for years, and has the highest gun homicide rate in the United States, we've learned that just outlawing the guns aren't going to solve the problems until you deal with the reasons people are shooting them because they'll find the weapons.

KINKADE: But in so many of these cases, these weapons are legally purchased by 18 year olds, 19 year olds, 20 year olds.

MOORE: Right. And that's what we need to get at right now. I mean, why are we allowing 18 to 21, 18 19, 20-year olds to have these weapons? The problem in this case is this person is 21. So, we're going to have to decide as a nation what we value and what are our priorities on this.

KINKADE: Absolutely. A lot of work has to take place. Steve Moore, former special agent with the FBI. Appreciate your time. Thank you.

MOORE: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, U.S. President Joe Biden said he in the First Lady was shocked by the senseless gun violence that has now hit yet another American community. Mr. Biden responded to the mass shooting in the U.S. ahead of the events marking Independence Day. CNN's Phil Mattingly has more from Washington.

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PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Biden, like every other American had, what he expected to be a celebration of the nation, July 4th celebration shattered once again and his administration, administration who has seen so many mass shootings, so many mass shootings that actually led to the most substantive gun reform law, and more than 30 years of bipartisan law, the President signed into law just a couple of weeks ago now experiencing another one.

The President getting on the phone with the Illinois Governor, with the mayor of Highland Park, pledging federal resources and surging federal law enforcement for that manhunt. He acknowledged the shooting in his July 4th remarks for picnic of service members on the South Lawn. Take a listen.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Before I left for Europe, I signed a law, the first real gun safety law in 30 years. Things will get better still, but not without more hard work together. You all heard what happened. You all heard what happened today. But each day, we're reminded there's nothing guaranteed about our democracy, nothing guaranteed about our way of life. We have to fight for it, defend it, and earn it by voting.

MATTINGLY: The President also held a moment of silence for those killed and injured during that shooting later during the musical performance, again the picnic the celebration, the Fourth of July continuing here at the White House, but so is the sorrow the recognition that this just keeps happening.

The President in his statement acknowledging that more needs to be done, certainly an accomplishment already on gun safety. But when it comes to gun violence, it's such a pervasive problem in the country. President making clear that what they've done so far isn't enough. Phil Mattingly, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

KINKADE: Well, I want to bring in political analyst Michael Genovese. He is also an author and president of the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University. Thanks so much for joining us, Michael.

MICHAEL GENOVESE, POLITICAL ANALYST: My pleasure.

KINKADE: So, the U.S. president said there's much more work to be done to stop this gun violence. And that seems to be an understatement. When you look at the number of mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year more massacres than there have been days. What else is achievable in the near future?

GENOVESE: Well, President Biden is politically vulnerable. He has a razor thin majority in the House and 50-50 split in the Senate. So politically, he's on pretty thin ice. There is a bipartisan effort right now going on that has reached agreement on some very minor things that will be helpful, but not enough.

The problem is that every time we have a mass shooting, which seems to come every other week, we follow a kind of a script. Mass shooting takes place Republicans say it's not a time for politics, it's time for prayer. Democrats say, well, let's roll out the old bromides and stale reforms.

And in effect, nothing gets done because the forces against reform, the National Rifle Association has two resources that are incredibly valuable in American politics, and they are money and motivated voters. And so President Biden is really in a weak political position to do anything without massive and concerted public support.

KINKADE: And this, of course, this massacre happened on the Fourth of July, a day that is meant to be a day of celebration of all that is American. And these mass shootings are uniquely American. The rest of the world struggled to understand why there isn't more political will to do more. Michael, we made up a graphic to highlight the number of massacres in the U.S. this year, 311 so far this year. When we made this graphic up a couple of hours ago, there were five mass shootings Monday, it went up to six in the last hour or so. And 14 mass shootings since the start of July. July, we're only four days into July.

Guns, of course, and now the number one killer of kids in the U.S. and this problem seems to be out of control. Is there any executive action that the President can take? And if so, what's possible?

GENOVESE: There are executive orders and proclamations that the President can issue. But again, those are very temporary. Those can be undone by the next president. The gold standard is still legislation, and that's what you need to really change things.

But you raised the question about why so many in the United States, and there seems to be a kind of culture of guns and a culture of the romanticism of gun violence. Look at our history of the conquering of the West.

When I was a kid, I played cowboys and Indians and I played shoot them up all the time. So there's a kind of romantic link in movies, in our history, in television, to the cultural violence.

[01:15:00]

And as long as that cycle is not broken, as long as men are defined by the violence that they are capable of, then we're not going to solve the problem. And if past is prelude, we will wring our hands, we'll say, Oh, this is terrible. It'll be on the news for two days, and then we'll move on to something else.

KINKADE: Which so often happens, because they are so frequent. And of course, it's one of a number of major challenges facing America right now. I just looking at the social feed during July 4th celebrations, a date is meant to be typically celebrated. A lot of division in the U.S. right now, obviously, a lot of economic issues, rising inflation, record gas prices, and also a great deal of disbelief over the Supreme Court overturning 50 years of precedent to outlaw abortion.

And the U.S. President on Friday warning that women and girls could be arrested if they cross borders to try and get reproductive health care.

Michael, how do you see the next few years playing out when it comes to politics in the U.S. what can be done to unite the country?

GENOVESE: The question is what will break the logjam, the logjam of hyper partisanship of the politics of personal destruction. And the answer is we need something big. What could that be? It could come in the form of great leadership that doesn't seem on the horizon. Or it could come in the form of great citizenship.

That is to say, the American public simply standing up and saying, We've had enough we will tolerate no more. If you don't do this, we will vote against you whether you're a Democrat or Republican, not that we should be one issue voters, but we need to be voters who vote on important issues and let politicians know that they're being watched, and that they can't get away with the kinds of politics and few commercials and excuses anymore, action needs to be taken place and citizens must hold politicians for that change. They cannot let them off the hook.

KINKADE: Absolutely. Michael Genovese as always, thanks so much.

GENOVESE: Thank you so much.

KINKADE: We are also following a developing story in Philadelphia where two police officers were shot during Fourth of July celebrations a few hours ago. Law enforcement tell CNN that one officer suffered a graze wound to the head. Another was wounded by a gunshot to the shoulder.

They were both taken a hospital and a hospital spokesperson says they're both in a stable condition and underwent evaluation. Not arrests have been made yet. But social media video shows crowds of people running down the street where a concert and fireworks were taking place.

Well still ahead on CNN Newsroom after a key Russian victory in eastern Ukraine, Moscow now setting its sights on a new target. We're going to get live to Kyiv after a short break. Stay with us.

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[01:21:39]

KINKADE: Welcome back, new details are emerging about the suspect in the Fourth of July mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, just outside Chicago. Robbie Cirmo is now in custody but he's yet to be charged.

Investigators are combing through his social media. They see a significant amount of digital evidence already points in his direction. We've since learned he posted violent imagery. Authorities say the gunman used a high powered rifle to fire in the crowd from the rooftop of a nearby business. At least six people were killed and about two dozen others wounded.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his troops have no alternative but to keep fighting despite a critical loss in the east of the country. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk region one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last stronghold in the area.

It appears Moscow is now turning its attention to Donetsk in an effort to seize control of the entire Donbas region. Even as the fighting continues Ukraine is already looking towards its postwar future.

On Monday, the Ukrainian Prime Minister outlined a $750 billion plan to rebuild his country. It was unveiled during the Ukraine recovery conference happening right now in Switzerland. In a virtual address, Ukraine's president said the reconstruction of his country is a common task of the democratic world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): To rebuild Ukraine means to restore the principles of life, to restore the space of life, to restore what makes people human. Of course, it means massive construction. Of course, it means huge funding and colossal investments. Of course, it means a whole new level of security throughout our country, which will continue to live near Russia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: For more I want to bring in CNN's Scott McLean who joins us live from Kyiv. And Scott, Russia now controls the Luhansk region. What does this mean for the battle of the Damask?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, Lynda, it means that the Ukrainians are really showing no signs at this point that they're willing to go back to Luhansk anytime soon, not until they have some more weapons. In terms of the battle for Donetsk, there is every indication that the Russians are trying to move swiftly to take it. They are expected to move troops and started attacking from the North. We've already seen some shelling in that region.

The Russian or the Ukrainians, excuse me, say that in the Luhansk region that they reluctantly had to pull out of they were up against some of the most experienced, most prepared fighters on the Russian side on the entire front line. But so much of this war is being won and lost when it comes to heavy weapons and the strength of the artillery and Ukrainian said that they just could not compete, and even overnight we're seeing signs of the Russian strength in their air power and their artillery strikes in Dnipro which is not in Donetsk or Luhansk region.

There were seven missile strikes overnight, according to the local governor there, says six of them were shot down, but the Russians also say that the Ukrainians have fired on Donetsk city with artillery strikes there.

[01:25:05]

There is some video that CNN has been unable to verify that was released showing the remains of what looks like a bombed out market. The Russians or the Russian backed separatists in that area say that there were three people killed, dozens more injured, and they are blaming the Ukrainians for targeting civilian areas.

So Lynda, this is going to be undoubtedly a bloody battle for this region. It's one that the Ukrainians at this point don't seem like they'll be able to wage an adequate fight for. They say that when they do go to retake their lands, it'll be when they have the artillery power to actually match the Russians.

KINKADE: Yes, tough battle ahead, Scott McLean for us in Kyiv. Our thanks to you. Well still to come, more on the deadly shooting at a holiday parade in Illinois. We'll hear from a witness who describes the chaos of the attack and how she hid from the shooter.

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KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade. We have more breaking news this hour. The deadly shooting out of Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Video from the scene shows crowds of people running as shots rang out. We're about to play part of that video. We need to warn you it is disturbing.

At least six people were shot dead and more than two dozen others were injured. The ages ranging from just eight to 85. Suspect in a mass shooting has been as Robert E. Crimo III.

[01:29:49]

He was arrested after an intense manhunt. The police chief in the Chicago suburb explained how they finally tracked him down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOU JOGMEN, HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS POLICE CHIEF: The subject that we were looking for, the person of interest Robert E. Crimo III was spotted by a North Chicago unit at Buckley and 41. His vehicle -- the vehicle that we were looking for. He initiated -- attempted to initiate a traffic stop on that subject, that subject did flee. A brief pursuit went on. Ultimately, they were able to get the subject stopped at Wesley and 41 in Lake Forest. The subject was taken into custody without incident.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, CNN spoke with a woman who says that she was near the center of the shooting area right across the street from where police believe the shooter was. The woman says the gunshots first sounded like fireworks. But a bad feeling prompted her to grab her father and take cover.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZOE PAWELCZAK, SHOOTING WITNESS: I saw a wonderful parade turn into a very scary moment. I saw people shot and killed around me. And a lot of people hiding.

A man actually went at one point to find his son. And he asked me to watch his kids, so we were all hiding behind a dumpster together. And the kids -- you know, really little kids were like, what's going on. I'm like it's just fireworks. You know, people get silly with fireworks.

And I just stayed with them for about half an hour while the guy was out looking for his other son. The dad ended up putting his children in the dumpster to hide and stay safe. And it was probably 30 of us just hiding in this little corner behind the dumpsters. My dad and I ended up going up on the roof to hide behind this large air conditioning unit. And right across the street, I guess is where they're saying the shooter might have been. And I told my dad, don't look up, don't look up over that.

It sounded -- it was the loudest thing I've ever heard that's not like natural. There was a lot of -- and it was just endless. There was probably -- at least, my dad thinks it was 100. I think it was 50 at least. But, just an endless -- just this loud bang. It sounded like if you're standing on top of a firework that just endlessly going.

I just had a bad feeling. It just seemed uncanny. And I watched fireworks the night before actually and I'm like this was too fast. And I just grabbed my dad and we ran. And suddenly, everyone was running behind us. And people were just shot behind us.

And they let us go back to get our car keys and everything, right where we were, there was a girl just dead. Another man was shot in the ear, blood all over his face.

It sounded like it was coming right next to us. And, apparently, it might have -- either on the roof or it was probably within 100 feet from us but I can't tell if they were from above or on the ground.

But right where is where they're showing all over the news downtown right now. I mean we could see the exact spot we were sitting. And that's where people died. Like someone less than four arm length from me just shot and fell. And it was just so surreal. It was complete shock.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: We will continue to bring you more updates on that story.

Well, nearly two months after a Palestinian American journalist was shot dead, the U.S. has finally weighed in on how Shireen Abu Akleh was killed and who is to blame.

We'll have more on that story when we return.

[01:33:44]

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KINKADE: Welcome back.

Police in Highland Park, Illinois say they have arrested the man believed to have opened fire on a Fourth of July parade killing six people. More than two dozen others were wounded.

The crowd went running for cover when gunshots rang out from the rooftop of a building along the parade group.

Police arrested Robert Crimo III a few hours later after a very brief chase. Investigators say they recovered firearm evidence from the scene of the shooting. Well, gun violence has also shaken people in Denmark in the wake of a rare shooting in Copenhagen. A Danish man is being held in a psychiatric facility for 24 days. Police say he is suspected of killing three people and wounding several others at a shopping mall on Sunday.

Social media footage shows people fleeing the mall and heavily armed law enforcement on the scene. One witness says it was chaotic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAXIMILIAN VON RENTEIN, WITNESS: I mean, people didn't really know where they were running. Even when they were outside the mall they were running in different directions and trying to find different routes and jumping over fences. It was quite chaotic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, authorities say the suspect was known to people in the psychiatric field. They added there was no indication that he's acting with others. Nor was it an act of terror. But the investigation is ongoing.

The U.S. says Israeli military gunfire was likely responsible for the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. But the State Department says a forensic examination of the fatal bullet could not reach a definitive conclusion. That finding is not sitting well with the Palestinian authority or Abu Akleh's family.

CNN's Hadas Gold has more from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The statement from the U.S. State Department is important because it is the first time the Americans are seeking out any sort of position on who they believe killed Shireen Abu Akleh while she was covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank in May.

The State Department said a ballistic examination of the bullet extracted from her body was inconclusive because the bullet was so badly damaged. They did determine though that gunfire from Israeli military position was, quote, "likely responsible for her death" but that they have no reason to believe that she was intentionally targeted.

They said it was rather likely the result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against fractions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The conclusion that it was likely Israeli fire that killed the well- known journalist is the same as that as multiple independent investigations including one conducted by CNN.

But the Americans' conclusion is being met with anger by Palestinian authorities and Abu Akleh's family. The Palestinian Authority Attorney General's office said it was surprised by the statement, saying they believe the bullet was good enough to be matched to the gun that was used.

And a spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority presidency called on the U.S. Administration to maintain its credibility and to hold Israel fully responsible.

[01:39:56]

GOLD: Abu Akleh's family said they are incredulous.

LINA ABU AKLEH, NIECE OF SHIREEN ABU AKLEH: We will continue to call for justice. We will continue to call on the U.S. to carry out a -- transparent investigation by an independent body.

In addition, we continue to call on the U.N. and the ICC to carry out an investigation and hold Israel accountable and put an end to this grotesque (ph) impunity that Israel continues to enjoy. We call for justice for Shireen.

GOLD: The Israeli prime minister, Yair Lapid said that while the IDF has been unable to determine who was responsible for Abu Akleh death, the military has determined conclusively, he says, that there was no intention to harm her.

Israeli defense minister, Benny Gantz, though still pointed some blame on Palestinian militants.

BENNY GANTZ, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine the source of the shooting. And as such, the investigation will continue. It is important to emphasize that during this operation even, like in many others, hundreds of bullets were fired at IDF troops which responded with firepower of their own only in the direction of the sources of the shooting.

The first to bear responsibility in such events are the terrorists who operate from within population centers.

GOLD: The Israeli military said that any decision to launch a criminal investigation will be made following the conclusion of its own operational examination without specifying when they expect that to be completed.

Hadas Gold, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: I'm Lynda Kinkade at the CNN center. Coming up next for our viewers in North America: Akron, Ohio is on edge as officials brace for more protests over the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man. We're following the latest developments.

And for those of you watching on CNN International, "WORLD SPORT" starts after a short break.

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