Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Deadly Shooting On Las Vegas Strip; At Least 20 Killed, More Than 100 Wounded. Aired 04:30-5a ET

Aired October 02, 2017 - 04:30   ET

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

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

(BEGIN VIDEO LIVE FEED)

[04:30:00] SHERRIFF JOE LOMBARDO, LAS VEGAS POLICE: ...10:08 p.m. tonight, this evening. We had calls come into dispatch of multiple shots being fired from the direction of the Mandalay Bay towards the Route 91 concert that was taking place on the east side of Las Vegas boulevard. Through investigation and response, we determined there was a shooter on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. Officers responded to that location, and engaged the suspect at that location. He is dead. Currently. He has been identified. He is a local resident. I will not release his name at this time. But we are interested in a companion that is traveling with him. Her name is -- I will provide you the names and please be accurate. Marilou, last name Danley. She is an Asian female, approximately 4'11", weighed 111 pounds. We have not located her at this time and we are interested in talking to her for follow-up. Two vehicles we're interested in locating. We need your assistance with that. We have a Hyundai Tucson with Nevada plate 114 B40. And a Chrysler Pacifica touring, Nevada plate 19 D401. These are the plates registered to the suspect that we located at the Mandalay Bay.

There are a couple things that need to occur at this time. One is the red cross is responding to the headquarters here at the police department at 400 south Martin Luther King to receive any phone calls from family members who are trying to locate their family that attended the concert and are unable to contact them. So that number will be established here shortly and we'll get it out to you to publicize it. Additionally anybody that may have cell phone video or any type of video associated with this event that would be of benefit to the investigation please respond to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department headquarters at 400 south Martin Luther King and we will take custody of that video. If you have it, you think it would be a benefit, please bring that down to the headquarters.

So, family members, if you are unable to call, you do not want to wait for a call and want to respond in person, we have set up a family retreat area for you to respond so we can help you locate your loved ones here at the headquarters. So you will be contacted by a police officer here at the headquarters, so will be contacted by police officer and they will direct you to where you need to go. Standing with me is a special agent in charge of the FBI Aaron Ralph, he is assisting with the investigation, which is ongoing, and then we have fire chief from Greg Carsol from Clark County fire. They are assisting with the all the victims. As far as number of victims, I cannot give you an accurate number at this point. We have well in excess of 100-plus injured and excess of 20-plus that have died at this point. So we will get those numbers to you accurately as soon as we can. But please bear with us. This is an ongoing investigation. But we are comfortable that the primary aggressor in this event is -- has expired or passed away, and is no longer a threat.

There has been multiple, multiple phone calls and accusations or conjecture coming through social media that there's multiple shooters at other resorts. That has been proven to be false. Additionally, there's been accusations or beliefs there's some explosives going off. That is also false. The only explosive contained in this event was from our swat team breaching the room. Please, we are pretty confident that there is no longer a threat other than we are attempting to locate the person of interest. No not at this point. We believe it's a local individual. He resides here locally, I'm not at liberty to give you his place of residence yet because it's an ongoing investigation. We don't know what his belief system was at this time.

I'm sorry I can't hear you. No. We have no idea at this point. It's an ongoing investigation. As you can imagine, it just happened so please bear with us. We have all the forces to bear with public safety handling the situation. Ok. I'm going to say this one more time. We do not know. It's on ongoing investigation. Right now, we believe he is the sole aggressor at this point. The scene is static. We're attempting to locate the person of interest.

[04:35:12] I have two police officers that are currently at the hospital. The one in critical condition, the other one minor injuries. But there are other police officers that were off-duty attending to concert that have expired. We don't have those individuals identified at this point. I don't know the sequence of events on that. Right now, we believe it's 100-plus injured and 20- plus dead. OK. I don't want to give you an accurate number because I do not have it at this point. I still want them to shelter in place. They will be contacted by first responders and they will advise them when they're free to go. It's better to shelter in place than to be unaware.

I am sorry ma'am. We believe there are a couple off-duty officers that were attending the concert that may have died. We don't have them identified yet. All I know at this point, they are roommates. I can't give you that now. Yes. We believe so. Yes, absolutely. We are looking for a Hyundai Tucson, unknown color. Nevada plate 114 B40. Additional a Chrysler Pacifica Touring unknown color, Nevada plate 19 D401. It is. It's devastating time. It's unfortunate and we have been talking about active shooters in the past. It's unfortunate it did occur here, but we have responded to the scene, and we're doing the best we can to provide safety for the survivors. And right now, we believe it's a sole actor, lone wolf type actor. And we have the place under control. No. I cannot. All right. Thank you very much. We'll do regular briefings and we'll advise you of the schedule as they come forward. Thank you.

(END VIDEO LIVE FEED) CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right that is Sheriff Joe Lombardo

of the Las Vegas police department. Just a sobering assessment there. He cannot give an accurate number of the wounded and dead because they are still uncovering the scope of this heinous act. At least 100 injured. 100-plus, 20-plus have died. Two police officers who were responding are in the hospital. One in critical condition. One with other injuries and he mentioned that off-duty police officers from other municipalities were at the concert and he said at least one of those is dead.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Here is what the police want you to know. The information that you can help. There is one woman they are searching for. Marilou Danley, described her as an Asian female. 4'11", 111 pounds. She was with the suspect that was killed. He is described as a local resident. They will not release his name. He was shot on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel. They are also looking for two vehicles. Registered to the suspect, the Hyundai with the license plate 114 B 40 and a Chrysler Pacific license plate 19 D401. The shooting open began at 10:30 local time at this Jason Aldean concert. 30,000 people at this outdoor venue. You can see, at least 20 already dead.

ROMANS: I will say that the shot that shooter dead at the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay shooting down into the venue. They said that at 10:08 he began shooting. They got reports of multiple shots and got in there, engaged with him, two of their police officers injured. He is dead. Described him as a local resident. I want to bring Jean Casarez here with us this morning, our reporter who is there. They describe as a local resident, traveling with a roommate or companion, they won't say what the man's name is but her name is Marilou Danley and they need to talk to her, Jean?

[04:40:00] JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is right. That is exactly right. They just finish this briefing, they are right here on the Las Vegas strip, they are talking about the Mandalay Bay hotel. That is right behind me. That is the very large building that you see behind me, sort of the beginning of this end of the Las Vegas strip. It was at 10:08 and they soon realized as the shots started coming that they were coming from the Mandalay Bay across to where the country music concert was, and it believed on the 32nd floor. So at that point of time, officers went to the 32nd floor, apprehended the suspect, he went down at that point. But they're talking now to the people, because they are people that do not know where they family members are. We are continuing to see ambulances go into the scene, down the Las Vegas strip. They're coming out of the scene also. So they have assembled the red cross at this point, at the police department headquarters, so that family members can come and try to find where their loved ones are, to see if they are in one of the hospitals or safe. They also have an area that is apparently for privacy for the family members, a retreat to be able to find a loved one. That is happening at the headquarters of the police department. They're saying, as you said, that at least 100 are wounded. And they will not give a total, but for the first time, we're hearing that 20- plus are deceased now, including one police officer in critical condition, another Las Vegas police officer has been wounded, and several off-duty Las Vegas police officers were in the country music crowd listening to Jason Aldean perform and they believe that they may be deceased also. Christine, Dave?

ROMANS: Just a tragic turn there. What's just so heart breaking about it, if even as the investigation begins here, there is still managing the scene. All these people injured. Police say they can give us no accurate number of injured. 100-plus, Sheriff Joe Lombardo said, and 20-plus deceased in the event. We know the Mandalay Bay has been in lockdown. We talked to a witness a few moments ago coming back from a conference and dinner, and went into the hotel and everything's on lockdown.

CASAREZ: That is right. He suddenly heard the shots as he was getting out of his taxi and went into the hotel and realized he couldn't go any further and it was coming from up. We now know the 32nd floor. What struck me was one of the concert goers actually looked up and saw the glass had been broken from one of the upper levels from the Mandalay Bay. That is how he realized that the shots were coming from that upper level across to the country music concert. We have a gentleman here. What is your name, and where were you when all of this started happening tonight?

WILL RAMOS, WITNESS: I'm Will Ramos. I was in the middle of the concert venue.

CASAREZ: And all of a sudden you heard and saw what?

RAMOS: Like a firecracker shot. And after a minute like a second later we heard like a couple rounds like you know, like everybody starting running. Like a stampede, I start freaking out start running from the outside and got in my car. And we all got to the helicopter airport and then they moves to the airport.

CASAREZ: Did you drop down first or did you just start running when the shot came?

RAMOS: When I saw people start running I start to run to because I want to save my life because I got two kids at home.

CASAREZ: This had to be extremely emotional. What was going through your mind as this was happening?

RAMOS: I was afraid that I was going to be the one that was going to get shot and I wouldn't be able to see my two kids. My son's 11 and my daughter's 2 -- 3.

CASAREZ: Did you see anyone shot?

RAMOS: No. Just the gunshots keep popping all around the concert venue.

CASAREZ: Could you tell it was coming from the Mandalay Bay?

RAMOS: At first I didn't know. Just something from the top. But I just heard a couple of gunshots.

CASAREZ: People are saying they heard a pause and then the shots continued. Is that what you experienced. RAMOS: Yes.

CASAREZ: They just released the information that at least 100 people are wounded an 21 people deceased. We keep continuing to see ambulances going in and out. What is this experience -- you're probably still in shock but what is this like for you?

RAMOS: Right now I'm really shaking right now, still. Have no words to say right now, but I thank god I'm alive, first of all.

CASAREZ: Were you with any family members? Friends? Do you know where they are at this point?

[04:45:02] RAMOS: Actually I work for the company there. After the concert, we clean up all the mess there.

CASAREZ: So you were there to begin working.

RAMOS: Yes, ma'am. I was working.

CASAREZ: Was it near the end of the concert?

RAMOS: Almost near the end of the last song.

CASAREZ: It was almost the end so you were just about to get going with your work.

RAMOS: I was standing there when the concert stops, we start cleaning up.

CASAREZ: We thank you so much for joining us. Obviously you can see, that this is a real life experience, ongoing, but the emotions that are coming from people that are still in shock with what they have just had to endure several hours ago, will last for a long time. We'll keep you updated on what's happening right here on the Las Vegas strip. Christine, Dave?

ROMANS: Jean Casarez, so fortunate to have you there reporting for us. I want to just remind our viewers of something that Sheriff Joe Lombardo las Vegas police department mentioned that there are rumors on social media, misinformation. There is one situation here. There was an active shooter on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. He is dead. He fired into that crowd at the Jason Aldean concert towards the end of his set. And at least 20 people are dead. And at least 100 people wounded.

BRIGGS: The confusion, hysteria, understandable. There are several hotels and casinos in the direct vicinity right next to this concert venue. As you can see that may explain some of the false reports. Reports of shots fired about 10:08. local time. For those of you just joining us, here is the horrific scene that unfolded at the Route 91 harvest festival as Jason Aldean wrapped up his performance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING) (GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god. Get down. Get down. Stay down.

(GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down.

(GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Down, down, down.

(SCREAMING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Behind the stands.

(SCREAMING)

(GUNSHOTS)

(SCREAMING)

(BEEP)

(SCREAMING)

(GUNSHOTS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Those are two clips you've seen back-to-back. There were three big rounds of gun fire. So many rounds you can't count them. Hundreds of rounds of ammunition fired from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. We know they fired right down into that venue. At least 20 people dead, 100 injured.

BRIGGS: Sheriff Joe Lombardo from Las Vega Police Department with this details. There was a local man, the shooter, they will not release his name, he was with a companion. They are searching for Marilou Danley describe as an Asian female. They're looking for two vehicles, a Hyundai with the license plate 114 b 40, a Chrysler Pacifica 19 d 401. He told us more than 20 people have already been reported dead at the shooting, including a police officer, more than 100 injured. Several, if you read from police department to the area, several police departments report they had off-duty police officers at that concert. They were unable to engage the shooter in gun fire. One, among the dead. Several among the injured including from the Bakersfield police department.

[04:50:27] ROMANS: Two police Las Vegas police are in the hospital. One of them in critical condition, we're told, from the sheriff there. The other with other injuries, they got these calls of multiple shots and got there to the Mandalay Bay the 32nd floor and engaged this shooter. He is dead. Not releasing his name but the name of his companion, they would like to talk to her immediately. You heard from eyewitnesses, Dave what they said sounded like fireworks first and then the rapid of the gun fire. One wonders if what they thought were fireworks was the glass raining down from the 32nd floor hotel.

BRIGGS: For those of you haven't been to Mandalay Bay. You cannot open any windows, you'd have to shoot them out. That is probably what these witnesses described hearing. Again, this was clearly automatic gun fire from an elevated position during the Jason Aldean concert. This is a packed concert. Needless to say the entertainer of the year. Here is a statement from that performer. Saying tonight has been beyond horrific. I still don't know what to say but wanted to let every know that me and my crew are safe. My thoughts and prayers out to everyone involved. It hurts my heart to know this happened to anyone who came to what should have been a fun night, #heartbroken, #stopthehate. Thoughts go to Ariana Grande and the experience she endured in the terror attack in the U.K. and how terrifying it might be for Jason Aldean and his crew.

ROMANS: We're so glad they're well. We share that sentiment that it just hurts your heart. It raises the question again of soft targets, regardless of motive, when you have a lot of people in an enclose space doing something else. I covered the -- I was on the set when they had the aurora shooting in Colorado a few years ago, all of those people killed wait to go start a midnight movie. Law enforcement have grappled with this many times trying to figure out how to keep these people safe. Police saying this investigation is just in its early hours. Obviously this happened just a few hours ago. At least 100 wounded. At least 20 killed. We'll have an update on that.

BRIGGS: We are joined by our law enforcement analyst. James Gagliano is a former retired FBI supervisor agent. James thanks for getting us with this breaking news. Let's play for you the video, eyewitness and then tell us what you see and what you hear.

JAMES GAGLIANO, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Sure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god. Get down. Get down. Stay down.

(GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down.

(GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Down, down, down.

(SCREAMING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Behind the stands. Behind the stands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: We know the FBI is on the ground. We know this investigation already has multiple law enforcement partners. What do you hear when you hear that video?

GAGLIANO: In this situation, Christine, it's always going to be assumed to be terrorism. That is why you bring in the FBI at the beginning until it will be sorted out and disproven. Listening to the video and watching the images, a couple things struck me. First of all, this is eerily reminiscent of the first mass shooting we had in U.S. History which happened on August 1, 1966, the University of Texas clock tower shooting.

[04:55:03] This person was on the 32nd floor. So 320 feet up. Had an automatic weapon and is listening to the repeatedly of the shots, I almost felt like it sounded like (inaudible) weapon, like a military belt fed weapon. You got the 45-second pause in between, so the shooter was either trying to change magazines and wasn't very good at it or the police are security had already started to arrive and maybe was trying to barricade himself into the room. The volume of shots. I mean.

ROMANS: I can't even count those rounds.

BRIGGS: Talking about hundreds of shots.

GAGLIANO: Absolutely. Automatic weapon like that had to be numbers of magazines or very large drum, like I said it sounded like a belt- fed weapon which is a military style weapon and to be shooting down. To use the analogy it was like shooting fish in a barrel in that space.

BRIGGS: You're talking about 30,000 people in a crowded outdoor venue. Let's go back to Jean Casarez who is in Las Vegas with eye witnesses to that shooting, Jean.

CASAREZ: We really do have Corrine Lomas, Taylor Benge, you were right near the front what happened?

CORRINE LOMAS, WITNESS: They started shooting and every stayed down as soon as earn started to get up to run, they just kept shooting, and it was like literally like five minutes of just shooting and people just kept dropping. Definitely someone on the ground, the way they heard it, the crowd and all of us, they even came into the back parking lot and shot people out there too. So they just kept coming, and I hope they get them.

CASAREZ: What was the reaction, Taylor? As this started happening?

TAYLOR BENGE, WITNESS: Initially thought it was fireworks but right after the fireworks they turned the lights on, and about five feet from me you could see a guy with a bullet wound in his neck motionless. From there on in people started dropping like flies.

CASAREZ: Corrine as you started dropping, you got injured. We do want to show people about.

LOMAS: With my permission it didn't really get injured. I have scratch here and here from popping over. This is other people's blood. This is flood splatter from being dead and us having to be on top of them basically to get out. We -- everyone had to fall on top of each other whether they were alive or not, basically. Just to stay down because every time people got up they started shootings. It was like just kept going.

CASAREZ: How long do you think it went?

BENGE: Felt longer than 30 minutes but it must have been at least 10 minutes. It was just -- must have been drums, because he must have had 300 rounds at least, because he just kept firing and firing. He didn't stop firing. Because I'm sure the muzzle was getting hot but every time it stopped and he continued, and we just kept having to drop for about 5 minutes straight. Hurdle over all the gates. It didn't matter what security guards or where everyone. It was just fight or flight.

CASAREZ: Just to show people what you went through. You lost your shoe.

BENGE: I lost a my shoe when someone fell down to get cover. I have someone's blood over here and also on my chest.

LOMAS: There's a lot of really good people holding people, holding their wounds shut trying to help them while they were -- while everybody was just ducking down.

BENGE: Even loved ones piles of blood. I hope they're ok but shoe is missing is the shoe, but least I have my life.

CASAREZ: You guys live here in Las Vegas. Nothing has happened like this.

LOMAS: No. This is crazy. I really hope they get some sort of policy, not just Vegas, everywhere. Some kind of policy when this stuff happens there's someone there to help. How much shooting was going on and then not being taken down, and like I said there is definitely someone on the ground.

CASAREZ: Did you have any friends at this concert? Is there anyone you don't know what has happened to them at this point?

BENGE: No. But I do know a lot of people that escaped with us that have friends that have been shot and they left them behind because it's a fight or flight. You can't really take people with you and stuff like that. And especially in a situation like that you don't know what to do.

LOMAS: They kept coming. That was the thing. It wasn't that ok let's all leave and now it's ok. No. We all started running, and they came in. That is why, there's no physically humanly possible way that that guy that was the only shooter. If you were where we were, and how we were hidden and the way they came in and herded us out, and continued shooting into the staff parking lot.

CASAREZ: The Las Vegas police department is saying they believe it's one person at this point but believe it dame from the 32nd floor across. Could you tell it was coming from the Mandalay Bay? LOMAS: There was a lot of headshot.