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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Charleston Church Massacre; Search for Escaped Inmates Grows Cold; Tiger Woods Shoots Career-Worst U.S. Open Round. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired June 19, 2015 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:00] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Fifty-nine minutes past the hour. EARLY START continues right now.

(MUSIC)

ROMANS: Breaking news: in just hours, the man accused of murdering nine people in a church, he faces a judge. New information about that shooting suspect this morning. Why friends say he did it. This as shooting survivors reveal just how that frightening attack played out.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman. It is Friday, June 19th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the East, 5:00 a.m. here in Charleston, South Carolina.

Here behind me is the Emanuel AME Church, Mother Emanuel, as she is known. A congregation that dates back 200 years. This building dates back to the 1890s.

It has been a source of strength in this community for so long and that strength is needed today. Our thoughts primarily with those who were killed here.

But we do have new information about the shooter: 21-year-old Dylann Roof. He is back in Charleston right now. He's scheduled to make a court appearance this afternoon.

Police say he was the person who opened fire inside this church Wednesday night, killing nine people in a bible study class. Now, he was spotted by a woman in Shelby, North Carolina. That's about a four-hour drive from here.

Police do say he had a gun in his possession when he was taken into custody. It's not clear whether that is the same gun that was used in the church shooting. Family members of his dispute long reports that his father bought him a .45 caliber handgun for his 21st birthday. There was other reports that he was given money and bought the gun himself.

We are learning more. New information about the fatal moments, the final moments inside the bible study class, as nine people were killed.

The young man actually sat in the class for up to an hour before he opened fire. He might have even prayed with the victims.

I want to bring in CNN's Nick Valencia. Nick is tracking the latest developments.

Good morning, Nick.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

We believe that 21-year-old Dylann Roof will wake up in a county jail in North Charleston this morning after being captured just north of here, in Shelby, North Carolina, spotted by a florist who saw his suspicious car, notified authorities and that led him to be arrested.

Here's what we know right now. We believe that Dylann Roof is in isolation, separated away from the rest of the prison population, likely on suicide watch. According to our affiliate WCVB here in Charleston, they believe the first bond appearance that hearing will take place at about 2:00 p.m. Eastern, where those charges against him will be formalized.

This is a capital offense, meaning, he will likely face the death penalty. All of that however won't necessarily happen today. Instead today, like yesterday was about trying to find him. Today is trying to figure him out, exactly what would compel him to open fire in that church during a bible study session.

Two ongoing investigations right into those murders, those nine murders as well as into whether or not this is a hate crime local police have classified it as such. Federal investigators will now look into whether or not Dylann Roof has ties or known ties to white supremacist groups, or hate groups. Meanwhile here in Charleston, there is a sense of relief that the suspect was caught, but grief has overcome this community, grief that is just now beginning, John.

BERMAN: And, Nick, you can see the sadness around here, but you and I both saw the relief as this man was taken into custody because there was genuine fear. There was someone who went into the church behind me and opened fire on people who were praying. What kind of person could do that? That's why there was fear in that. That is why there is relief that he was caught.

Nick Valencia, thank you so much.

What can cause someone to do that? How can someone be filled with so much hate? There might never be an answer to that question.

Dylann Roof, people who knew him said he was shy and quiet and kept to himself. He dropped out of high school after ninth grade. He was arrested in February on drug charges. He was then arrested again for trespassing at a shopping mall. A mall he had been lingering in an odd way for some time.

There's also this -- a picture from Roof's Facebook page. It shows him in the woods, wearing a jacket with patches. Take a look at those patches. One of them is the former flag of South Africa, when it was an apartheid regime. The other is the flag of Rhodesia, which was also an apartheid regime, now called Zimbabwe.

A friend of this young man told ABC News how he felt about black people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, ABC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He wanted segregation.

REPORTER: What did he want to see happen? How was he going to do this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he wanted something big like Trayvon Martin. He wanted to make something to spark up the race war again.

REPORTER: What kind of guns did he have?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: .45 Glock.

REPORTER: .45 Glock? Did he carry it around?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In his car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The youngest victim of the shooting here, 26-year-old Tywanza Sanders, he posted a Snapchat video from inside the bible study class, from moments before the attack.

[05:05:06] In the video, you can see the alleged shooter at the far end of the table. Family members say when he began firing, Sanders, Tywanza Sanders stepped in front of his aunt and took a bullet that was intended for her. Still, she was killed.

Sanders posted on Instagram about three hours before he was killed, he put a quote from Jackie Robinson that said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." He did have an impact on lives as you'll hear so many of those killed here. All of them did.

I want you to listen to an interview that Sylvia Johnson gave to Anderson Cooper. One of Sylvia's relatives was killed in the shooting. A woman who survived by pretending to be dead described to her the horror of what unfolded inside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SYLVIA JOHNSON, COUSIN OF REV. CLEMENTA PINCKNEY: What I heard is after shooting a couple of rounds, her son tried to talk him in to not committing anymore acts of murder.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A person actually tried to --

JOHNSON: Yes, he did. He sure did. He tried to talk him down. And her son and grand baby had already planned they were going to just act as though they were already killed, but the son was concerned about Reverend Clementa, and he got up, and that's when the gunman said, you know, after the young man tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to finish off he said, "No. You raped our women and you are taking over the country."

COOPER: You raped our women and are taking over the country?

JOHNSON: "You're taking over the country. I have to do what I have to do."

COOPER: And he continued to shoot?

JOHNSON: And he shot the young man. His mother was there. And she was -- she pretended as though she was dead. She was shot and dead, but she watched her son fall and laid there and she laid there in his blood. And --

COOPER: She laid there in his blood?

JOHNSON: Yes, she did. When I got to talk to her, her entire dress was drenched in blood. She said that's my son's blood. He was a good boy. He was a good boy.

COOPER: And he passed?

JOHNSON: And he passed. Him along with one of her aunts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BREMAN: There's so much loss, there's so much sadness, so much grief this morning. Not just here in Charleston, but all across the country. Churches are holding vigils from coast to coast for the nine victims.

There were six women, three men, who we are learning shared a love of family and such strong faith.

The Reverend Clementa Pinckney, he was the leader of the Emanuel AME church. He also served in the South Carolina Senate. He is being remembered as a gentle man, a tall man with a strong, strong voice.

Sharonda Singleton was also a pastor at the church. She was a speech therapist at a local high school, and also a track and field coach.

Cynthia Hurd worked in the Charleston public library system 31 years as a librarian, lately as a manager for one of its busiest branches.

DePayne Middleton-Doctor was another church minister. So many church leaders lost.

Susie Jackson was at bible study with her cousin Ethel Lance. Both were long-time members of Emanuel AME. Ethel was 70. Susie Jackson was 87.

Daniel Simmons was a retired pastor who attended services every Sunday, bible study every Wednesday. Won't miss it.

Myra Thompson was teaching the bible study when the gunman opened fire.

And we did tell you about 26-year-old Tywanza Sanders, the youngest victim. Friends say he was committed to his church, committed to his family and was so generous.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

A.J. HARLEY, CLOSE FRIEND OF TYWANZA SANDERS: A loving friend, family -- he really loved his family. His mom, dearly, he loved -- he talked about his mom every day that he get a chance to talk to his mom, go see his is mom all the time. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. If you just -- if you met him, you knew you had a good friend on your side, regardless of anything. He made you smile even when you didn't want to smile, happy all the time, always smiling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: When you hear about these nine people who were killed, these nine caring people, it's so hard not to be angry.

President Obama made a statement from the White House. He noted how many statements he's had to make after mass killings. He said he is angry and he used the statement as a chance to talk about gun control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[05:10:00] BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've had to make statements like this too many times. Communities like this have had to endure tragedies like this too many times. We don't have all the facts, but we do know that once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The Justice Department is investigating this as a hate crime.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott tells CNN there is little doubt in his mind that race was a factor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: There's been a lot of talk today about whether this was an act of domestic terrorism. Do you see it as an act of terrorism?

SEN. TIM SCOTT (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I certainly see the terrorism component as it relates to just the senseless violence taken out on a group of innocent people in a place of worship.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: After learning about the shooting, Senator Scott organized a prayer on Capitol Hill. It was attended by more than 100 members of Congress and staffers.

There's an outpouring of emotion on Capitol Hill, obviously, here as well, Christine. But I can also tell you -- the emotions are from fear when the killer was or the alleged killer was still on the loose, to relief when he was caught, to sadness, and just anger -- anger over how this could happen.

ROMANS: John, do we know -- has he said anything to police about his motive? Has he talked to police yet? Or the police saying there's any kind of admission from him about his role here?

BERMAN: We don't know yet. We just simply do not know yet what he's doing. Look, he turned himself. He didn't turn himself in, but when police took him into custody, it happened without incident. He essentially surrendered to them when they got to the car there.

So, it's possible that he won't put up much of a fight here. Police are fairly confident in the case they have between the video and the car and the license plate. So, we will see what kind of legal twists and turns take place over the next several days.

ROMANS: Just so hard. You look at the pictures of those nine people and you see all they accomplished, and all they love, and the people who love them and think about the contrast between -- between this accused killer, you know, the difference, just the stark difference about what all these people meant to their community and to their families, and that they are gone is just -- is just heartbreaking and unfair.

John, you're going to continue following that story for us this morning.

Here, we're following another story. Two escaped killers now in the FBI's most wanted list. New information in the case as the search widens, next.

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[05:15:53] ROMANS: Two inmates who broke out of a prison two weeks ago, they are now on the FBI's most wanted list. This as we learn more about the prison worker's role in their escape, and how her husband is now coping with the realization she may have been plotting with them to kill him.

We get more from CNN's Alexandra Field.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and John, Joyce Mitchell is accused of helping two convicted killers break out of a maximum security prison. Now, her husband's attorney is speaking out saying that Lyle Mitchell had no knowledge of the escape plan. He only learned about it after the fact from his own wife who also told him it involved a possible plot to kill him. Joyce Mitchell now is behind bars at the Clinton County jail.

Lyle went to visit his wife earlier this week. His attorney said he has questions that needed answers.

PETER DUMAS, ATTORNEY FOR LYLE MITCHELL: His questions are, were you really going to -- were you really part of this plot to have me hurt? Were you really part of this escape plot? What was really going on with these two individuals and you?

I mean, like I said, he was in love with her. He had no idea that she was having these conversations with other men. He's just devastated.

FIELD: According to investigators, Joyce Mitchell and Richard Matt had a sexual relationship, something that Lyle's attorney said he never suspected.

As for the possibility of some kind of relationship between Joyce Mitchell and David Sweat -- well, that had been previously investigated after there were reports of improper interactions. At the time, Lyle's attorney said that Lyle confronted his wife Joyce who denied the allegations. Later, David Sweat approached Lyle Mitchell, according to the attorney, also denying those allegations -- Christine, John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Alexandra, thank you for that.

U.S. efforts to train moderate rebels in the fight against ISIS have hit a snag. Pentagon officials say, out of the 6,000 Syrians that volunteered to be part of the program, less than 200 have actually started training. Officials say there are a number of challenges for this delay, contributing to the delay, including the very risky process of getting the fighters out of Syria in the first place to those training site.

Disturbing photos of U.S. hostage Warren Weinstein posted by -- on Twitter by al Qaeda, on a Twitter page by al Qaeda. Weinstein was killed by a drone strike while being held by al Qaeda in Pakistan. One photo appears to show him praying along with a caption claiming he converted to Islam during his four years of captivity. Officials say they cannot immediately authenticate those photos.

Time for an early start on your money morning. Big milestone for stocks, so much for worries about higher interest rates and Greece not paying its bills. The super charged NASDAQ topped its peak set 15 years ago during the dotcom bubble. Industry leaders like Apple, and Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Starbucks, all powering that market higher.

Martha Stewart's empire is nearing a takeover. It's a good thing. Shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia are up more than 26 percent on news of a potential deal with Sequential Brand. That's a retail licensing company. Stewart formed the publishing and housewares company back in 1997. She stepped away briefly when she was indicted on securities fraud in 2003.

The company now a fraction of what it once was. It has shuttered or sold its magazine and watched revenue plunge, but clearly, Sequential Brand thinks the Martha Stewart brand is still very, very valuable.

A sophomore baseball star at Charleston Southern University lost his mother in the deadly church shooting. Chris Singleton speaking out about the tragedy and his profound loss. Andy brings us that story, live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:23:15] BERMAN: One of the victims here in this the shooting was a high school teacher and the mother of a baseball player at Charleston Southern University. Right now, the team is doing what it can to support the family.

Andy Scholes has more this morning in the bleacher report.

Good morning, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, John.

You know, late Wednesday night, Chris Singleton, a sophomore baseball player at Charleston Southern University, tweeted, "Something terrible has happened to my mom tonight. Please pray for her and my family."

Chris' mom, Sharonda Coleman Singleton, was one of the victims of the Charleston church shooting. The wife and mom of three was a speech pathologist and coach to high school girls track team. She was also an assistant pastor at Emanuel AME.

Last night, Chris Singleton's teammates and coaches surrounded him with love and support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS SINGLETON, MOTHER KILLED IN CHARLESTON SHOOTING: I just think about her smile. She smiles 24/7. That's what I'm thinking about to push me on to do stuff like this, just thinking about her smile. We'll get through it. Our church will get through it. It's tough times, but I know everybody will press on.

Love is always stronger than hate. So we just love the way my mom would and the hate won't be anywhere close to what love is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Charleston Southern is planning to have a prayer vigil Monday morning at 11:30.

Golf's second major of the year, the U.S. Open, getting going yesterday at Chambers Bay. Just when you thought things couldn't get worse for Tiger Woods he had his worst round ever at the U.S. Open. Tiger was all over the place shooting a 10 over in the first round. He's currently tied for 152nd place.

All right. One of the coolest stories at the open is 15-year- old Cole Hammer. Not only does he have one of the best names in sports, he's the third youngest to ever play in the tournament.

[05:25:05] Hammer is a golf prodigy. He committed to play at the University of Texas when he was in 8th grade and he held his own shooting a 7 over. Even if he doesn't end up making the cut, he can say he beat Tiger Woods by 3 strokes in the first round he's ever played at a Major, in the second round of the U.S. Open, starts later this morning, John, at 10:00 Eastern.

BERMAN: Andy, thank you for showing that video of Chris singleton, the young man who lost his mother here. I cannot believe his strength. I cannot believe his strength in the face of this tragedy. It just goes to show what an amazing woman his mother must have been to raise a son who can find that strength in times of such difficulty.

I hadn't seen that. It was wonderful to see. Thanks, Andy.

SCHOLES: All right. You're welcome.

BERMAN: We do have new information this morning about the accused killer here. How can someone come to hate so much? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Breaking news: the man police saying murdered nine people in their church behind bars, hours away from appearing in court. This morning what we're learning about the accused killer as survivors reveal exactly what happened in that church. We are live.

Welcome back to EARLY START this Friday morning. I'm Christine Romans.

BERMAN: And I'm John Berman, live in Charleston, South Carolina, this morning. About 30 minutes past the hour.

The sun is about to rise here in Charleston, about to rise over the beautiful Emanuel AME Church right behind me. Mother Emanuel, as she is known here, the source of strength in this community really for 200 years, and strength that is so badly needed today.

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