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CNN Tonight

At Least Seven Killed, One Critically Injured In New California Shooting; U.S. Has Seen 38 Mass Shootings In The First Three Weeks Of 2023; Monterey Park's Lunar New Year Shooting Massacre Leave 11 Dead; In Memphis, Five Police Officers Fired on Excessive Use Of Force; Video Of Tyre Nichols' Police Beating Like Human Pinata. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired January 23, 2023 - 22:00   ET

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


[22:00:00]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's people that live at the location as well. So, it was in the afternoon when kids were right out of school. And for children to witness this is unspeakable.

REPORTER: Sheriff, what's next for this investigation? Do you need a warrant to further search the car?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are working with the district office and we have a collaborative investigation. And I have all the confidence that, together, we will get to the bottom of this and be able to provide a motive. He is in custody and my understandings he's fully cooperating with us.

REPORTER: Any comment on this happening right after what happened in Monterey Park down south?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. It's tragic wherever this would happen, especially here in our county. It's a tragedy that we see on the news a lot. But when it hits home, working in this community myself, what a tragedy to see these innocent people lose their lives. And right now, we just don't have the answers yet.

REPORTER: So, the suspect lived here locally? Does he have family members here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Half Moon Bay resident, and we believe that he may have a spouse.

REPORTER: Do you have a name of the officer who apprehended him, who made the identification?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His name is a Deputy Laperuk (ph). I can get to the spelling of that.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE), can say it one more time?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Deputy Laperuk (ph). He is the one that located the vehicle with the suspect inside of it at the substation.

REPORTER: What sort of assistance are federal authorities providing at this moment?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The FBI is at the scene. The FBI was ready to deploy all the resources that we don't have here at the local level. And I've been getting some calls from even across the country from sheriffs, from Congress, people in Congress, senators, very supportive. And I'd like to also thank our county executive, Mike Callagy, for his and the board support.

REPORTER: Is it clear that his possession of the weapon that was found, was that a legal weapon to have? Did that violate any local laws?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We still -- I still don't -- I can't release that information yet.

REPORTER: Does the suspect have any criminal history, any (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, that I can't because it's an active investigation. We can't release that yet.

REPORTER: Do know how long that he was here for or even how long he was at those different locations, one to the next, and then he just got here? How long had he been sitting out here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we don't have that. We are still gaining that information.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) do the shooting, get in his car, drive to another location?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. He drove to the location, yes.

REPORTER: How close did they --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're not very far, maybe a mile away from each other.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That, I don't know.

REPORTER: Is there any concerned that there might be more than these locations? And can you confirm whether not both of these shootings happened outdoors?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are still -- because it is an active investigation, I can't go into that. But as soon as we are able to provide you with more information, we will. What I would like to say is that, at the IDS Hall, there is a family reunification center for the coastal community and members of the nurseries. And that will be open. And if anybody has any additional information that may know more about this investigation, they can contact the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

REPORTER: Can you confirm the addresses of both locations and the order in which you believe they occurred?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can give you the addresses, just one moment.

REPORTER: So, you are not sure exactly where he went first?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is still part of the investigation, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Okay, one more question please.

REPORTER: Sheriff, have you personally talked with any of the victims' family members?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not yet. We are waiting to do I.D. the victims, but we will be in touch with them. We all need to heal. As the supervisors have said, this community has been through a lot in the last couple of weeks. And now for this to happen, together we are stronger and we will heal together. And I want to thank the community for all their supports.

But, again, if anyone has any other questions, we will circle back, and as soon as we're able to give you more information.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, guys. Thank you, guys. That's good, thank you.

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, everyone. I'm Laura Coates, and this is CNN TONIGHT. You've been listening to a press conference from Half Moon Bay, California, where a suspect is now in custody after a shooting that killed at least seven people at multiple locations.

[22:05:00]

At least one person is critically injured. The motive, currently unknown. The police have I.D.'d the suspect as a 67-year-old Half Moon Bay resident, who's believed to have acted alone.

I want to get right now to CNN's Camila Bernal. Camila, yet another mass shooting, and most of what I think, well, are we talking about the shooting in Monterey Park? No, this is a different shooting in California this evening, seven lives claimed, another person in critical condition. What are we learning right now?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, authorities are saying that this all happened at around 2:22 local time here in California. And what they say is that this shooter went to the first location. We believe it is a mushroom farm, but authorities are calling it a nursery. So, this man went to the nursery and shot at least four people or killed at least four people. It appears he shot a fifth person. That person is believed to be in critical condition. They did not find him immediately.

Then he went to another location, and authorities are saying it was just about a mile away, again, a nursery. That is how they're describing it. And there, he shot three more people. And, of course, then we were still without a suspect for a period of time. It was around 4:30 P.M., local time when this 67-year-old male, apparently, once the sheriff's substation. And it appears that he was going to turn himself in but it was a sheriff deputy that saw him in his car because they already knew what car he was in.

And so this deputy was able to arrest the 67-year-old Half Moon Bay resident. He was taken into custody. We know that the D.A. is working on interviewing him at the moment. They're trying to figure out exactly how this happened, and why it happened. But as you mentioned, authorities are saying they do not have a motive at this moment.

They believe he was an employee at one of these nurseries. They believe that the people that were killed were also workers at the farm or the nursery, however you want to call it. But we know that these families are being notified and told their loved one is longer with us. Again, seven people, one in critical condition.

Governor Gavin Newsom tweeting that he was meeting the victims of one shooting here in Southern California when he got pulled away to be briefed on this are the shooting. So, what the governor was saying is tragedy upon tragedy. That is what we are hearing tonight, and, again, the seven people who are dead at the moment.

We have a video of that suspect when he was taken into custody at the sheriff's of substation. Again, he is being interviewed by authorities now, but the motive is unknown, Laura.

COATES: Camila, I'm glad you've clarified at least in part one thing that many people are watching their press conference, and they heard nursery. And, obviously, everyone's knee-jerk reaction is to think about children, babies, infants. And so any loss of life, don't get me wrong, unbelievable to think about, but the idea they're talking about a synonymous term of an agricultural community with a farm, and the mushroom growing nursery, as part of what is being clarified. But that does not mean that there are not children on the scene. We learned that actually there were kids who are on the scene. What do you know about that?

BERNAL: Yes. So, authorities were asked about this and they did say that it was unfortunate and heartbreaking for children to witness this. What they were saying is that this is an agriculture area. People live there. People work in that area. So, it appears there were witnesses there at the scene and it may include children.

Of course, the authorities that were at the press conference all saying that they were heartbroken, saying that it is just unbelievable because they did not expect this in their community. But that's what you hear everywhere, unfortunately. You don't expect it and then you have authorities and members of the community saying how could this have happened here. They are trying to get to the bottom of that, but at the moment, they just don't know why.

COATES: And we're hearing from that press conference from the sheriff's office that the suspect acted alone. They were talking about a semiautomatic weapon. They were not clear whether the weapon was legally purchased or otherwise. There were the two separate locations, multiple people who had been gunned down, one was in critical condition. That may be an eighth person who's impacted. And they're looking at this point for a warrant of some kind and able to search the car that that suspect came in to that police station. And yet, this is after having happened of another mass shooting in the state of California.

Camila, standby, because I want now to turn out to California State Senator Josh Becker, who represents San Mateo County where this shooting took place. States Senator Josh Becker, thank you for joining us. I have to tell you, you must be stunned, along with everyone else in your community, the idea that it has happened there now while people are covering the story in California if another mass shooting, and it's happened there.

[22:10:08]

What can you tell us about this area in particular, Half Moon Bay, and what has happened here?

STATE SEN. JOSH BECKER (D-CA): Well, a lot of people think of Half Moon Bay as beaches, as a vacation spot, but it's quite a significant and vibrant agriculture community. Just a few miles south of San Francisco with almost 100 farms, we have a few thousand farm workers and it's a very close-knit community. So, this is going to be absolutely devastating to that community.

COATES: What do we know in terms -- we are hearing from the sheriff, and, of course, I know you would know firsthand as well, this is a community that has already been devastated recently from the flooding, from different natural disasters as well. This is a second tragedy, albeit a different one, that is impacted in a short amount of time.

BECKER: Yes, absolutely. As you said, we're just recovering. I've been a couple times touring the coast, seeing the damages to the farms there and then farm workers being out of work because of that and then now you have this. And as you said, I mean, you always think it was not going to happen in your community. We pride ourselves in California as having some of the toughest gun laws in the country. But I got to tell you, those don't matter a bit when there are seven people dead in your own community, when there's 10, 11 people dead in Monterey Park, it doesn't matter one bit.

COATES: So, what are you being briefed on in terms of what we know about this suspect, anything regarding the motive? And I always have been cautious because I don't want anyone to think that when we searching for a motive, a justification is what we are seeking. But in order to understand perhaps some deterrent or even to understand this irrational tragedy, have you been briefed at all about what might have caused this person to act in this way, this suspect?

BECKER: Well, I'm in close touch with our wonderful new sheriff, who you just heard from and following closely with the investigation with her and her team. I have tremendous confidence in the sheriff and her team. So, she's really leading that. We do not have a motive at the moment that I know of. Of course, the shootings did occur at two different locations. It was the same shooter. But in terms of the motive itself right at this moment, we don't know. COATES: As you mentioned, California has prided itself and frankly is one of the strictest states on gun control measures. When you look at what is happened and really a two-day period, as many mass shootings over as many days, what do you think could stop the gun violence? I mean, obviously, it looks to be, perhaps, different scenarios, obviously not connected in any way that we can see at this moment in time. As a legislature and as a legislator, what can be done?

BECKER: Well, I got to tell you. So, we really just had a memorial and vigil in the capital because of the killings in Monterey Park and there is text flying around my colleagues, especially again after this horrific shooting today, about exactly that question. What more can we do? And we are looking at every aspect from first when people buy a gun and that process and questions are asked and the background checks, to how people store guns and to red flag laws.

Of course, we led the nation in red flag laws, which are now spreading across the country, fortunately. But they are enforced unevenly, education is uneven and we have to really work. This all operationalizes at the local level. So, we have to keep working with local police on enforcing those red flag laws, but looking at every aspect of those, to the guns themselves, to micro tracing bullets, everything that is looking at accountability in the process are things that we are looking at right now.

As you said, again, we do have some of the toughest gun laws. Our statistics are a lot better than the rest of the country. But, again, that just -- to me, it doesn't mean anything right now with these deaths today.

COATES: I mean, these families are --

BECKER: It just means -- it means we've got to do -- yes, I would say, it means we've got to do more. That's all I would say.

COATES: I don't mean to cut you off but I was think about the families, Senator. And as you have said, I want to just echo the idea that you can talk about policy and legislation and all the things that could happen on Capitol Hill or individual the state capitals, but right now, there are families gathering at these agricultural farming base nurseries waiting to get word of their loved ones as to what has happened and make sense of this tragedy.

And you mentioned the idea red flag laws, in particular, this is part of a growing conversation about how law enforcement can coordinate with individual families to get a voluntary surrender of weapons that might be used to harm, but it also requires a bit of imminent danger that is presented to a judge.

[22:15:10]

It requires due process in the end to have that full and final hearing.

Final question for you, I do wonder, do you know about the coordination that must be taking place? I know the sheriff mention the FBI being in place and elected officials trying to help in the reinforcement of addressing this particular tragedy. Has there been coordination between different entities to give the support to San Mateo County that they need?

BECKER: Yes, there has been coordination. The governor texted me just an hour so go. It's ironic, I just re-tweeted his tweet about how the U.S. is about I think 28 times more likely to have gun violence, 20 times more deaths per capita than our peer countries. And I just re- tweeted that after the last tragedy that we had this tragedy, but he has reached out and offered his services, the FBI, as you mentioned, are involved.

So, right now, we've got a full complement of folks working on this case. And then the next part is really just to help the residents get through the trauma of all of this.

COATES: State Senator Josh Becker, thank you so much.

BECKER: Thank you.

COATES: I mean, truly, the nations can't catch its breath, shooting after shooting, while family members of loved ones who work at those nurseries and those of the Monterey Park area as well are trying to and holding their breath to figure out what's happened to their own loved ones, two mass shootings now in California in as many days, a deadly school shooting in Des Moines, 38 mass shootings in three weeks across this country. And now, the frontlines are everywhere.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:20:00]

COATES: So, when we started planning our show today, reporting on the horrific massacre in one city in Monterey Park, California. What we didn't know is that we'd also have to tell you about another shooting in California, this one in a community called Half Moon Bay.

We also didn't know that we had to tell you about the shooting in Iowa this afternoon at an educational program for at risk youth in Des Moines that left two students dead and the program's founder seriously injured.

I would bring CNN Law Enforcement Analyst Michael Fanone and Defense Attorney and former Prosecutor Shan Wu, also our CNN Senior Law Enforcement Analyst Charles Ramsey is with us here today.

Let me begin with you, Charles, since you're away from us for a moment and just ask, I mean, the fact that we are not even able to keep pace, just in the neck brake pace of mass shootings or shootings in general in this country, what is your reaction to this gun violence?

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, my fear is that people are getting desensitized to this. I mean, you know, it's just one after the other. I mean, we are talking about this because these are mass shootings. So, it tends to get the attention of media and so forth. But this kind of occurrence takes place on streets of our city across country every single day. And a lot of times it is not even reported on, certainly not nationally, just locally.

So, gun violence is something that we have become too accustomed to and too accepting, and it's just got to stop. But it is not going to stop, unfortunately. We just don't know when and where the next one is going to happen but it will happen.

COATES: Michael Fanone and Shan Wu with me here in studio, let me ask you when you hear that from a member of law enforcement, a commissioner, and a police chief, what goes through your mind about the ability to prevent this? Obviously, law enforcement's role has to, on one hand, be reactive to crimes, but on the other hand, trying to be proactive as a deterrence measure. Is there a way to stop this?

MICHAEL FANONE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I don't think there's any one law or any set of laws really that is going to put a stop to this problem completely. That is not to relieve legislators of the responsibilities to try to find a way. That being said, I think it is two-part. I think that you have to be aggressive in pursuing criminal charges against individuals like this, using the laws that we have on the books now while we're also seeking out new laws and prosecuting individuals that participate in crimes involving firearms.

COATES: Yes, you're nodding along, Shan, the idea of thinking about obviously the prosecutorial function here. And to be quite blunt, we've had a number of mass shootings, let alone shootings, where, as a community, as a nation, we have to sort of throw per hands because you can't prosecute the suspect who is dead. There has not been somebody and often cases where the person has survived their attack. They have behaved in a matter to then commit suicide, it seems, in many instances. We've had now just this last one. We're hearing about a suspect who is now in custody. I wonder from the prosecutorial function of this, cases like this, is there way that prosecutors and prosecution more broadly can help?

SHAN WU, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I think one thing, to Michael's point about using the laws in the books, I think it's really important for prosecutors as well as law enforcement not rule out things too quickly, such as hate crime charges. A lot of the times, people associate if it's the suspect is the same race of the victim, same gender, no hate crime charge possible, but it's too early to tell that. And you mustn't fall into that sort of stereotypical knee-jerk reaction to it.

As a prosecutor in a case like this, where there is a suspect, they're going to be prosecuted, you're thinking about charges, hate crime charges, gun charges, also other people who might have been in danger, not just a victims were killed but people who were wounded, or even in this case, if there are children around, perhaps endangering the children as well.

[22:25:01]

So, you're looking at it from the point of view of those immediate charges.

In terms of the big picture, prevention, I think one thing we can do as a country to be less reactive. I mean, you have to be reactive here. But in terms of how can you prevent things in the future, using all the laws that are on the books, thinking of new ones, but also, particularly the new ones, passing have some basic common sense gun laws would be one thing you could be doing right now, and that is something that has to be done.

That's not going to solve anything. It's not going to prevent every gun shooting but it's something that can be done. And rather than always being so reactive, saying, this one was doing this, this one was doing that, it's a mental health issue, sure. There are lots of mental health issues. They need to be addressed. But you can't sort of just be doing one thing at a time. You have to press forward because it's not just a reactive situation.

COATES: It's a great point, and I'm going to let you weigh in, because it's -- know the cyclical nature, unfortunately, of how accustomed we are. And as Charles Ramsey began talking about the idea of desensitizing, there is the offering of thoughts and prayers that people will react to. There is the idea of calls for common sense gun control. There is the demonization of a huge umbrella term of mental health. Then there is the dismissal, as you mentioned, of same race crimes and not thinking hate crimes.

And I wonder, and it's akin to thinking, oh, you must have to boil the ocean in order to get anything, but there are incremental thanks. I do want to ask you from your background in law enforcement in particular, Michael Fanone, there is -- for lack of a better term, there's a stereotype that often emerges from the pattern of people involved in mass shootings. And when somebody does not fit the bill or somebody is not a twin to that stereotype, is there a way to ever be predictive of how and who might be susceptible to committing these crimes?

FANONE: I think, overall, the answer to that question is no. I mean, those stereotypical, you know, descriptors that we typically utilize surrounding mass shooters, that is all about the politicization of these types of events. Certain political groups may want to use one specific, you know, set of physical description or descriptors for their own purposes versus another. But, I mean, ultimately, anybody can be a perpetrator in one of these types of crimes.

And one of the things I do want to talk about when we're talking about solutions is one of the common denominators that I've see as a law enforcement officer across the board in these types of issues, whether you're dealing with the intercity mass shootings that I dealt with almost on a weekly basis as an intercity COP for 20 years, the ones that Charles Ramsey reference himself, or the situations that we more commonly view as a mass shooting, which are events like we saw in California over the past --

COATES: They get the national coverage.

FANONE: Exactly. It is community involvement. Oftentimes you see these situations play out, and in the weeks, the days or weeks afterwards, there's individuals, and that person, the perpetrators life who said, well, I saw this behavior, or I was concerned about this individual but I didn't come forward and I didn't say anything. It is same as with the inner city shootings. And, yes, I knew my 15- year-old grandson, or son, was in possession of a firearm, and, he or, she should not have been but I didn't say anything.

Ultimately, it's not just law enforcement, it's not just the legislator, it's not just a criminal justice that needs to take responsibility and ownership. We, as a country, have to decide but we've had enough of these incidents.

COATES: It's an important point because, really, if everywhere is a frontline, then we're all stakeholders. Selfishly, in a scared way, we all become those stakeholders and need to be involved.

We also have everyone some newly-obtained surveillance video of the moment that a young hero actually stopped a gunman from shooting up a second dance studio in Monterey Park, saving, frankly, an untold number of lives. We'll bring you that and speak with the mayor of Monterey Park right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:30:00]

COATES: We have new details tonight on the horrific massacre in Monterey Park, California. Officials revealing the suspect fired 42 rounds on a Saturday night shooting and left 11 people dead. The 72- year-old suspect had an arrest in 1990 for unlawful possession of a firearm.

And police say they found hundreds of rounds of ammunition, as well as homemade firearm suppressors in his home. And while authorities are still trying to and unable at this point to point to a direct motive for the killings, the D.A. tells CNN TONIGHT, the attack appears to have been targeted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE GASCON, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY: He has been part of that community. He met his ex-wife there. So, there is certainly the appearance that this was very targeted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: And we are getting footage of the moments when the gunman was disarmed in a second location, you're seeing to your screen. The heroic effort led by a 26-year-old Brandon Tsay saving more lives from being lost. Joining me now the mayor of Monterey Park, California, Mayor Henry Lo. Thank you for joining us here this evening, Mayor.

You know, the nation is watching California with extraordinary interest and sadness of the tragedies that are unfolding, and I do mean tragedies, and the loss of life in Monterey Park. Tell me, how is your community grappling with this now?

[22:34:56]

HENRY LO, MAYOR OF MONTEREY PARK, CALIFORNIA: Thank you so much, Laura. And first, let me (inaudible) to say my heart goes out to the community of Half Moon Bay because I know exactly what they're going through as I was watching the press conference. It was an uncomfortable an eerie deja vu.

And I can imagine that in their community like in Monterey Park, the feelings are of disbelief. Why is this happening in our community? And shock and just sadness over a tragedy of loss of life and more violence. And the community, like ours, which is very safe. Monterey Park is a safe community. It's a community for families move to raise their children, to go to good schools, great restaurants, and businesses.

And this weekend, especially, because it was our Lunar New Year festival. It was the beginning of the Lunar New Year weekend celebration. And so, people are just in disbelief and shocked and just quite feeling numb, and I think that's what all of us are feeling right now.

And again, my heart just goes out to Half Moon Bay. I know what is in store for them, you know, processing the next few days.

COATES: I mean, it's just -- it is surreal to think about it and (inaudible) your perspective in a community. Just looking at the timeline of how all of this transpired in Monterey Park. I mean, we're talking a number of hours, it's been overnight, from 10:30 at night to the next morning, of the fear of whether this person was going to attack again, in some way.

I'm sure you've got -- have not been apprehended -- (inaudible) apprehended, but not located until Sunday morning. It's a huge stretch of time. A 12-hour window there. As you are approaching this now, the idea that this suspect has -- is dead. Is there a sense of what this community would need to even feel safe?

LO: Absolutely. And I think this (inaudible) we will have to embark on that long road of recovery that is ahead of us. Tomorrow we are holding a community vigil at 5:30 in front of city hall. We've opened, since yesterday, a crisis trauma center to help -- much of the victims and (inaudible) anyone in our community who just feels a sense of loss and tragedy to just cope with all of this.

COATES: Yeah.

LO: And we've also established a memorial in front of the city hall, and did also a memorial in front of the dance hall (inaudible). Paid a visit to it today, you know, daytime and, you know, I was moved. I was moved to tears when I was looking at the flowers because I'm just slowly releasing the names of the victims -- it was to the victims and they were seniors.

And, you know, I was just thinking to myself, again, (inaudible) the tradition of Lunar New Year is that you come home to your family to have that first meal. And on the day of the shooting, which is Lunar New Year, I have to tell my mom (inaudible) what's happening, but I won't be able to come home. I don't know when I'll come home because we are just monitoring the real concern about the safety of our community (inaudible).

COATES: Mayor Lo, I mean, just thinking about -- and those who are not ever going to return, is just a tragedy. Thank you so much for sharing what's happening and we will continue to cover what's happening in Monterey Park in California. My (inaudible) sadly, Mayor, across this nation. Thank you.

LO: Thank you.

COATES: The attorney for the family of Tyre Nichols alleges he was beaten like at human pinata, that's their words, after a traffic stop in Memphis. Now, five officers have been fired before the video has even been made public. We have details, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:40:00]

COATES: The family of a 29-year-old black man today, seeing video of their loved ones, Tyre Nichols, who died after a traffic stop, and what the family's attorneys allege was a horrific beating.

Five black officers fired, even before video of that arrest has been publicly released. And we're learning tonight, two members of the Memphis fire department were also fired. CNN's Nick Valencia is here with much more. Nick, Tyre Nichols' family was able to watch the video of his arrest for the very first time today. What are you learning?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Laura, they say the video was so violent that Tyre Nichols' mother had problems, had trouble getting through the first minute of that video. The family attorney, Ben Crump, equating it to the 1991 beating of Rodney King.

And the family and their attorney say that officers beat Tyre Nichols for three minutes, and they say that at some point during the video, you could hear Nichols ask police officers what did I do?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO ROMANUCCI, ATTORNEY FOR NICHOLS' FAMILY: Unadulterated, unabashed, nonstop, beating of this young boy for three minutes.

BEN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR NICHOLS' FAMILY: I just think about what he said. I'm just trying to go home. At what point does the humanity come in and say this doesn't seem to be a bad person. I mean, I just want to go home. The last word on the video. He's only about 80 to 100 yards from his house.

[22:45:00]

And he calls for his mom, three times, mom. He calls for his mom inside. Where is the humanity?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: The mother's pain is just very difficult to watch. The Nichols' family said that they were careful to not give too many details about that they saw in the video because there is still an active investigation, not just with a TBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Attorney's Office, but also the Department of Justice civil rights division.

But Nichols' stepfather did take a moment to address what police say was Nichols fleeing on foot. Nichols' stepfather saying that after watching the video, it was clear to him that his son wasn't fleeing because he had something to hide, but rather because he was scared for his life. He said the public will see that once the video is released.

The district attorney's office, Laura, telling me that the video will be released either sometime later this week or sometime next week. Meanwhile, those five officers you mentioned have been terminated with the police chief saying that the incident, the nature the incident was egregious.

And very quickly here, we did learn earlier this evening that shortly after the murder of George Floyd, the Memphis Police Department took steps to amend its duty to intervene, saying that an officer if they witnessed another officer commit dangerous or criminal conduct or abuse, they shall take reasonable action to intervene.

The district attorney's office telling me that they are currently considering charges against these five officers involved in the arrest. And if any charges are leveled against these officers, they could come sometime this week. Laura?

COATES: Nick Valencia, thank you so much. It's difficult to watch that. Mother react to what we just have heard. Michael Fanone and Charles Ramsey are back with us along with former Maryland State Police Officer Neil Franklin. Gentlemen, we have a lot to talk about, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:50:00]

COATES: Five black police officers fired. Two members of the Memphis Fire Department also fired in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop. I want to bring in CNN law enforcement analyst, Michael Fanone. Also, here, former Maryland State Police Officer, Neill Franklin and CNN senior law enforcement analyst Charles Ramsey.

What we heard from them today, I'll begin with you, Neill, on this. We heard from Tyre's mother. We heard from Ben Crump. We heard from the attorney in this particular case, and I want you to listen for a moment to what the stepfather had to say about Tyre and how he thinks he felt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROWVAUGHN WELLS, MOTHER OF TYRE NICHOLS: My son, I know everybody said that they had a good son and everybody's son is good, but my son, he actually was good boy. RODNEY WELLS, STEPFATHER OF TYRE NICHOLS: Our son ran because he was

scared of his life. He did not run because he was trying to get away, no drugs, no guns, no any of that. He ran because he was scared for his life. And when you see the video, you will see why he was scared for his life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Now, we have not seen this video, but you see and hear from the parents, understanding the narratives that are often created around the person who was victimized on a person who has, in this case, passed. I'm wondering from your perspective and just hearing about the fact that you have five officers who were fired before even seeing this video. What goes through your mind?

NEILL FRANKLIM, FORMER MARYLAND STATE POLICE OFFICER: Well, first of all, the importance of the video, even though we haven't seen it, we know that it's critical in this case. It's no doubt in my mind. We are starting to see more and more video of officers using excessive force on people and people dying in police custody. That's why people are afraid. That's why mainly young black and brown people are afraid of interacting with the police.

I know Chief Davis. She's a member of NOBLE. She's a former -- past president. I am not surprised that they had been terminated because I know how she would respond to such a horrible use of force, a three- minute beating as what we're hearing that took place on this young man.

So, young people are seeing these videos, they are on YouTube. They are on many media platforms out there, and because video is so available today on cell phones and body cam, we're starting to see what people have been telling us for a very, very long time. We're black, people have been telling us for a very, very long time about their interactions with the police.

COATES: I want to bring you in here, Charles Ramsey, because you and I covered extensively the trial of one Derek Chauvin. And in our conversations around the killing of George Floyd, we spoke about the fact that this -- that trial, that guilty verdict, that jury hearing and the whole nation, and the world hearing about the training and excessive force and the duty of care that was owed to Mr. Floyd, you mentioned then that would be a jumping off point for changing a lot in terms of how law enforcement operate and their training.

Hearing that just a month after that trial and the killing of George Floyd in particular, that they changed the policy in Memphis to account for the duty to render aid or to essentially identify something happened, it's wrong and intervene in some way. What is your reaction knowing that that policy was in place and they were fired?

[22:55:04]

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: So, I mean, apparently the officers did not follow the policy, clearly. Now, I haven't seen the video, none of us have seen the video. But I, too, know Chief Davis, and for her to take that strong action tells me and she has seen the video, that their actions were way out of policy and inconsistent with training. The likelihood of criminal charges is probably very high. And she was able to take decisive action.

Now, it's not a one-size fits all situation. There are some departments where because of the collective bargaining agreement, a chief can't take that kind of action that quickly. But fortunately, she was able to take direct action, which I think goes a long way to show that, you know, she is a transformational type of leader. But I do need to see the video to know exactly what took place.

I understand the emotion of the family and attorneys and all that sort of things. But the fact that Chief Davis took that kind of action really tells me that it probably is a pretty horrific video.

COATES: I was struck in my meeting with that chief about how determined she, in fact, was to try to, in a separate context (inaudible), obviously, to try to in many ways, Mike, I want to bring you in here, talk about the credibility of officers and the integrity of the profession more broadly.

And I know, when we talk about the Derek Chauvin trial and we talk about the instances, people often think about the racial dynamic. It's a white officer attacking a black man, unarmed black man has been the most prolific and prevalent narrative that has been out there. These are five black officers. I don't know the race of the people from the fire department.

But the idea of blue trumping race. The idea these are officers in the law having been fired, what is your reaction?

MICHAEL FANONE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I don't know Chief Davis but I will certainly defer to my former Chief Ramsey with regards to her credibility in decision-making like this. That being said, I've seen police officers who were fired for political reasons. I've seen police officers who were disciplined for political reasons. So, that also can happen as well.

I'm not saying that's what happened in this case. Again, I think it's important to maybe see the video, but it certainly speaks strongly considering the fact that the victim in this case is deceased as a result of the injuries that he sustained at the hands of five police officers. And so, I think that, in and of itself is significant.

COATES: You know, I understand the need to reserve judgment, see the video, but three minutes as he's cried (ph), three minutes and beating someone. They call fights in fraction of that time. I'll be right back.

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