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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Charleston Church Shooting Leaves 9 Dead; Prison Break Manhunt; Pope Francis Enters Climate Change Debate. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired June 18, 2015 - 04:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:36] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Our breaking news this morning, massacre at church. Nine people murdered in what police are calling a hate crime in Charleston. The killer is on the run right now.

EARLY START following the story all morning.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Berman. Thirty minutes past the hour.

The breaking news this morning is a gunman is on the loose in Charleston, South Carolina, after shooting and killing nine people at a prayer meeting inside a well-known African-American church. The search is underway at this hour. Local, state, FBI, all involved. The suspect is described as a white male in his early 20s.

The city's police chief is describing this as a hate crime. It took place at the Emanuel AME Church. This is one of Charleston's oldest and best known African-American churches.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREGORY G. MULLEN, CHIEF OF POLICE, CHARLESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: This is a tragedy that no community should have to experience. It is senseless and it is unfathomable that somebody in today's society would walk into a church when people are having a prayer meeting and take their lives. And I can assure you that we are going to do everything in our power to find this individual, to lock him up and to make sure that he does not hurt anyone else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Let's go live to Charleston and bring in our CNN producer Ashley Killough. She joins us on the phone.

And one thing that really strikes me, Ashley and John, is that when you hear from these authorities, when you hear people on the scene, it is like no one can -- no one can keep from breaking up. It is such a sad story.

Tell us what we know now about the dragnet and the search for the killer, Ashley.

ASHLEY KILLOUGH, CNN PRODUCER (via telephone): Yes. We are still waiting to get more information about how exactly they're trying to find the suspect.

So far, they only released a description of him. Young white male in his early 20s. They described the clothes he was wearing. They are having the public to be on the lookout and call in if they see someone who matches that description.

They've also talked about possibly offering up the reward. I think they will be giving us more information about that when they do another press conference at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time in Charleston.

They are hoping to give more information about how they are conducting the search. Earlier tonight, they had several streets closed down around the area because there was a bomb threat at the time. They have cleared that bomb threat. It is no longer a concern of theirs. They have started to open up the streets.

But people in the area feel cautious anyway. A restaurant and couple of bars closed early to be on the safe side. So, there is a lot of uncertainty in the area this morning.

BERMAN: To be clear, a lot of tension in Charleston. A killer on the loose. A suspect who gunned down nine people inside one of the city's most famous churches. Our Ashley Killough on the phone with us.

Ashley, what can you tell us about the shooting itself? How many details at this point are known? What are witnesses saying?

KILLOUGH: There's very little details that are known. We know the police officers received the phone call around 9:05 p.m. Eastern Time. It's typical. A lot of churches meet Wednesday night, especially in the South. People were gathered for bible study tonight when it happened.

But we don't know exactly what happened at the time. We know there were some survivors. We don't know just how many and what their conditions are at the moment. We were only told there were eight fatalities at the scene and then one person passed away later at the hospital.

ROMANS: Reporter for "The Washington Post" told us earlier, Ashley, that sources told him this did not happen in the sanctuary, but in the conference room. Wednesday night bible study, or Wednesday night prayer service would likely happen in a meeting room off the main sanctuary.

What do we know about how many people were there? How many survivors there were?

[04:35:01] What do we know about that? KILLOUGH: Yes, they are not being specific on the number of survivors. The last time we heard from them was a couple hours ago. I'm referring to the officials. They said they were still notifying families of the victim. So, they did not want to release any identities or names until they told all of these families.

There had been reports about specific people that are out there. But officials as of right now are not confirming those yet.

BERMAN: No, we wouldn't want to give out any identities until they are confirmed.

We were speaking with Robert Costa who I know you've been speaking with, too, all night of "The Washington Post", who's been down there working the scene. He has spoken to community leaders who have been speaking to people inside the church who say the gunman was lingering inside for some time before he opened fire and then fled.

Ashley, what do we know about the significance of this church in the community? We have seen pictures of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. preaching at this church. It has been a pillar of the community for well over 150 years.

KILLOUGH: Yes, it is a landmark in Charleston. It's located in the historic part of the city. There's a lot of older churches here. Charleston has the nickname of the Holy City because there are some many churches and religious institutions here.

And several state leaders and community leaders came out tonight of all different kinds of faith and were really just gathering to pray and to call for peace and justice after what happened tonight. A lot of them were still -- some of them were singing worship songs, sort of offering up praise like they were heartbroken as well.

ROMANS: Yes, you can see -- we are showing pictures on your TV screen right now of people after the service praying together and coming together for some sort of solace and meaning after this. I want to listen to the police chief. He has a beautiful message for what the community should be doing now. Let's listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MULLEN: This is an opportunity for us all to unite because of a significant tragedy that occurred. And what we need right now is we need everybody to come together and pray for these families, and we need them to come together and help us find this person so no one else is hurt. And what we need is for the community to look at this and say, we have had enough of this violence, and if we stand up together, we can stop this violence. And that's what we need the community to do.

So, I understand that people might be angry. I understand that they might be upset. And that is certainly emotions that we would understand.

What we need to do, though, is come together and help us to, one, support the families, support our community and catch this person so he doesn't hurt somebody else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: And coming together is the only way to respond to a heinous act like this.

We've been speaking to people watching these families come together. They were gathering at a nearby Embassy Suites on the second level there, meeting with officials, learning about the conditions of their loved ones and the scope of the tragedy, and immensity of the grief is hard to comprehend. And again, the reason they're coming together is the only response after something like this is, that city officials there are describing the events, the shooting as a hate crime.

Let's listen again to city officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Do you believe this was a hate crime?

MULLEN: I do believe this was a hate crime.

REPORTER: Is that why the FBI is here, to investigate it as hate crime?

MULLEN: It will be investigated as a hate crime. But the FBI would be here regardless because of the size and scope of the investigation, and they are our partners. And they would be here to help us regardless. But they are here for that specific person also.

JOSEPH P. RILEY, JR., MAYOR OF CHARLESTON: The only reason someone could walk into church and shoot people praying is out of hate, the only reason. That is the most dastardly act that one can possibly imagine. And we will bring that person to justice as soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: And, Ashley, where this happened and when it happened on a Wednesday evening which is pretty typical for a bible study or prayer service. It is common knowledge on Wednesday night for that kind of gathering. It's a time during the week to step back from your job, to recharge, to refocus for faithful Christians.

Hate crime striking at this time really sending just a horrific message from this -- from this shooter. Do we know if the church had any kind -- any kind of threats before?

KILLOUGH: I have not heard of any sort of threats or the security situation was like before tonight or why or perhaps was it targeted. We don't know those answers yet. We're hoping to get some answers when the officials come out.

[04:40:03] Earlier, we spoke to the police chief and mayor as you saw on the air a few minutes ago. But, hopefully, they can give us a better sense of why here and why last night. ROMANS: What's the police presence right now, Ashley, at the scene

and in the city? I know they closed off some roads. They are clearly looking for this killer. Tell us what you see in terms of police presence?

KILLOUGH: There's a police car across the street from us that's blocking off the entrance to get toward the church. There is caution tape as well.

Earlier, there was a little bit stronger police presence. They had the streets closed off. They were choppers flying around overhead. More fire trucks, more ambulances. But a lot of that has died down as it is more quiet right now. But we'll see how the rest of the morning goes.

BERMAN: It seems that the search has moved beyond the immediate area. Again, this church is one of the nation's oldest black congregations. I believe is the oldest black congregation south of Baltimore, is what we were reading in a lot places, historically significant. That is what the national park service says about the building, the most current building built in 1891. So, more than 120 years old.

This is a black church founded, it was founded before the civil war. It was key in a slave revolt, and described by many in Charleston as the heart of the community down there. And the churches are so important, nicknamed the Holy City, Charleston is, for the number of black churches.

ROMANS: We are showing you the King Center releasing a photo of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preaching in that very pulpit, in that very sanctuary at that church.

Let's listen to the mayor. The mayor met with grieving families. This is what he said after that meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: We just left speaking with members of the family. It was a heartbreaking scene I have never witnessed in my life before. And I told them that this community sends forth their love to them and that we are all in this together in this community to help those who have lost the loved one get through this time and give our time and love and support and encouragement as we bring this awful person to justice as soon as humanly possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Bringing this person to justice is key. There is a manhunt underway right now, law enforcement, that's local, state and FBI all out in force trying to hunt down this killer. And, of course, there's also grieving going on in this community.

South Carolina, this time of year, every four years, is the site of a lot of political events. Hillary Clinton was in South Carolina, in Charleston yesterday, campaigning. Jeb Bush was scheduled to be in Charleston today for an event just down the street from this church. In fact, the location where he was supposed to hold this event is now something of a command center for law enforcement.

I believe we have a tweet from Jeb Bush right there. "Our thoughts and prayers with the individuals and families affected by the tragic events in Charleston."

You know, I think everyone feels that way.

ROMANS: Nikki Haley, the South Carolina governor, is saying that -- issuing a statement. We don't know, we'll never understand what motivates someone to enter a place of worship and take the life of another. Clearly heartbroken -- people in South Carolina just heartbroken.

In a church, John, I just can't get over -- this is where you are supposed to be safe. This is where your guard is down because you are you know, it's where you're supposed to be safe and to enter -- authorities saying this was no question a hate crime.

BERMAN: Again, we do not know the identities of the people who were killed. There are beginning to be some reports. We will try to get those confirmed. Nine dead. Such a tragedy.

The killer on the loose this morning described at 21 years old, a white male in jeans, a sweat shirt, Timberland boots, huge manhunt underway.

Our breaking news coverage continues right after the break.

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[04:47:13] ROMANS: All right. If you're just tuning in right now, breaking news this morning -- an unthinkable act of violence in a South Carolina church. A gunman opens fire and kills nine people as they gathered to pray. The city's police chief describing this shooting as a hate crime.

The suspect, he is a white male in his early 20s. He is at large. Police are looking for him right now. The shooter's target, the Emanuel AME Church, described as the heart of this historic city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: This is a most unspeakable and heartbreaking tragedy in historic Emanuel AME Church, mother church of the AME churches. People in prayer on a Wednesday evening, a ritual, coming together and praying and worshipping God, to have an awful person come in and shoot them is inexplicable -- obviously, the most intolerable and unbelievable act possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: As the shooting began, police were dealing with a bomb threat made against the Emanuel AME Church. Now, that complicated their response and forced them to evacuate the area. No explosives were found. BERMAN: State, local, federal law enforcement involved in this

manhunt. There had been streets closed down all night in Charleston, helicopters overhead. Now some of the streets are reopening. Obviously, that search is expanding at this hour. The identities of those dead not yet confirmed, just a tragedy of epic proportions. You can see the grief.

We're going to stay on the story all morning long and bring you all the breaking developments.

In the meantime, let's give you some other headlines.

Surprising admission from the upstate New York prison worker accused of helping two dangerous inmates escape. Joyce Mitchell confessed to investigators that she was having sex with Richard Matt, one of two killers on the loose. Authorities are now looking into whether she plotted with the two convicts to have her husband murdered.

We are also learning that inmate Richard Matt gave Joyce Mitchell a painting of her children before he broke out. A painting that Mitchell then gave to her husband as an anniversary gift.

Let's get more on the investigation and the search for these fugitives from Jason Carroll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, Christine, investigators have expanded their search beyond Dannemora, redeploying their efforts, but still, no solid leads. But there is a lot of solid information coming in about that alleged murder plot involving Joyce Mitchell, the prison employee, and Richard Matt and David Sweat.

[04:50:06] According to what the district attorney is saying, the Clinton County D.A., he says that the inmates planned to kill Mitchell's husband, Lyle, after the inmates escaped out of prison. Mitchell allegedly told investigators she planned to pick up the inmates after midnight on June 6th, after they escape, then the plan was to drive back to her house where the inmates would carry out the murder.

The district attorney picked up the details from there.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY: She didn't tell us she wanted Matt or have Matt and Sweat kill her husband. It's just the topic of conversation that came out. That Matt and Sweat would do that once they got out, possibly. I have no, you know, information as to why it would happen or why they needed to do that. Why wouldn't they just be leaving Dannemora and go south or go west, wherever they had to go to get out of the area?

CARROLL: John and Christine, I spoke to Joyce Mitchell's attorney who told me, yes, she knew about the murder plot. Yes, she told her husband about the plot, also telling police, also telling investigators about the plot. But he also says that Joyce Mitchell was not involved with the planning of the murder plot, saying, quote, "just because she heard something about it, it doesn't mean she was going to act on it."

He went on to say I don't believe she was involved in any attempt to kill her husband -- John, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. The big money news today is about your money, literally. A woman featured on the $10 bill. Alexander Hamilton will soon share the bill with the first woman featured on paper currency since Martha Washington more than a century ago.

We don't know who she is yet. The Treasury Department wants your feedback. Just use the #thenew10 on social media. Popular suggestions include Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Wilma Mankiller.

The bill will come out in 2020, the 100th anniversary of the women's right to vote.

A quick check on the market this morning, Asian and European stocks lower. U.S. stock futures looking a bit more upbeat. The Federal Reserve is still on track to raise interest rates later this year. Greek debt negotiations coming down to the wire, progress is made today, looks like a default is most almost certain. That's just a quick check of your money news this morning.

ROMANS: The breaking news this morning: nine people killed inside one of the most famous historic black churches in the south in Charleston, South Carolina. Police are calling this a hate crime. This morning, a killer is on the loose. New details on the manhunt as our breaking news continues right after this.

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[04:56:18] BERMAN: All right. The breaking news this morning from Charleston, South Carolina.

A manhunt underway right now for a gunman who opened fire inside an African-American church, killing nine people. This happened at about 9:00 p.m. last night. The police chief down there calls it a hate crime.

The suspect is described as white male in his early 20s with sandy blond hair, wearing a gray hoodie and blue jeans and boots. This took place in one of the most historic black churches in the country, the oldest congregation we believe south of Baltimore, the Emanuel African-American Methodist Episcopal Church.

Again, the suspect was lingering we are told inside some kind of prayer meeting before he began shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: Our city police department, county police department, state law enforcement division, other municipalities, FBI and others combined and working with us to make sure that we catch this awful person and bring him to justice as soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Again, this is a community reeling from this. This gunman is on the loose this morning. If you are just tuning in, this person is on the loose.

BERMAN: And there will be a police briefing at 7:00 a.m. this morning to give us the latest information on the manhunt, perhaps the identity of the victims inside this historic African-American church. We will stay on this all morning.

ROMANS: Yes, we're going to follow every development, but let's break-away for the other big story this morning.

Pope Francis about to enter the climate change debate. The first encyclical of the pope's two-year reign is expected to be released today, calls on the 1.2 billion Catholics to treat global warming as a moral imperative and to take better care of, quote, "the home God has entrusted to us."

Let's go live to Rome and bring in CNN Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher.

Good morning, Delia.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

As you mentioned, just a short time from now, the encyclical will be made public. This is the highest teaching document a pope can issue. Therefore, he means it to be a big priority.

In broad terms, we can expect that he will call on individuals, on government and finance and big business to be responsible for the environment. But not just for the sake of the environment, but also for the connection with climate change and what it can do to the poor and to the economies of poor countries.

The pope will have to answer critics within his own Catholic Church who are skeptical of the science on climate change. We will see how he does that very shortly.

And regardless of the details are, Christine, the pope has now aligned with the environmental movement and is moving the discussion on what it means to go green.

ROMANS: What it means to go green. Delia Gallagher, thank you for that.

Again, the pope's encyclical, the first in his two-year reign, instructive of his priorities.

BERMAN: All right. The breaking news tonight: shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine people dead inside one of the country's most historic African-American churches. The gunman is on the loose. Our breaking news coverage, ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)