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Bomb Death Mystery Deepens
Aired September 04, 2003 - 14:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The story was already bizarre enough, but today, there's new information on a unique firearm found in the car of a bank robbery suspect in Erie, Pennsylvania. That suspect, Brian Wells, died a week ago when a bomb on a collar around his neck exploded.
CNN's Mike Brooks has a live report from Erie now.
Mike, what did you find out?
MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good afternoon, Kyra.
A source close to the investigation tells CNN that the report in today's "New York Times" describing this unique weapon, as they are calling it, is very accurate. It's describe as a homemade or custom- made weapon shaped like a walking cane. And the source also said that this walking cane can fire like a gun and that it is capable of firing just like a gun, Kyra, which is very, very unusual.
Now, I have seen -- in my law enforcement career, I have seen a weapon similar to this that was capable of shooting a shotgun shell with the trigger right at the crook of the cane. So, again, another strange twist in this bizarre tale -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now, Mike, you and I have been talking a lot about just the background of Brian Wells and maybe the relationship he might have had with the other man that worked at this pizza shop together. He ended up dead.
What have you found out, anything interesting as you've gotten there on the scene and actually talked with FBI agents?
BROOKS: Well, they are actually saying that these two were just -- apparently just friends and that the death of Mr. Pinetti was just a coincidence right now.
Now, they have not released the complete autopsy, the complete toxicology reports for Mr. Pinetti either. We are hopeful of getting that today, because they had a news conference scheduled for 11:00 here in Erie, but they canceled that because of what they say was -- quote -- "investigatory reasons." Now, the Pennsylvania State Police did say that they have received about 50 leads on their tip lines that have been very credible leads, that they are our running out those leads as we speak.
But, again, they canceled the press conference today. Our source also says that hopefully the press conference will be some time tomorrow and hopefully get a picture of this cane that we were supposed to have gotten today -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Mike Brooks, in Erie, Pennsylvania, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 4, 2003 - 14:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The story was already bizarre enough, but today, there's new information on a unique firearm found in the car of a bank robbery suspect in Erie, Pennsylvania. That suspect, Brian Wells, died a week ago when a bomb on a collar around his neck exploded.
CNN's Mike Brooks has a live report from Erie now.
Mike, what did you find out?
MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good afternoon, Kyra.
A source close to the investigation tells CNN that the report in today's "New York Times" describing this unique weapon, as they are calling it, is very accurate. It's describe as a homemade or custom- made weapon shaped like a walking cane. And the source also said that this walking cane can fire like a gun and that it is capable of firing just like a gun, Kyra, which is very, very unusual.
Now, I have seen -- in my law enforcement career, I have seen a weapon similar to this that was capable of shooting a shotgun shell with the trigger right at the crook of the cane. So, again, another strange twist in this bizarre tale -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now, Mike, you and I have been talking a lot about just the background of Brian Wells and maybe the relationship he might have had with the other man that worked at this pizza shop together. He ended up dead.
What have you found out, anything interesting as you've gotten there on the scene and actually talked with FBI agents?
BROOKS: Well, they are actually saying that these two were just -- apparently just friends and that the death of Mr. Pinetti was just a coincidence right now.
Now, they have not released the complete autopsy, the complete toxicology reports for Mr. Pinetti either. We are hopeful of getting that today, because they had a news conference scheduled for 11:00 here in Erie, but they canceled that because of what they say was -- quote -- "investigatory reasons." Now, the Pennsylvania State Police did say that they have received about 50 leads on their tip lines that have been very credible leads, that they are our running out those leads as we speak.
But, again, they canceled the press conference today. Our source also says that hopefully the press conference will be some time tomorrow and hopefully get a picture of this cane that we were supposed to have gotten today -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Mike Brooks, in Erie, Pennsylvania, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
