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American Morning

Miami Police Getting a Lot of Help in Hunt for Serial Rapist

Aired June 13, 2003 - 07:33   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Miami police are getting a lot of help in the hunt for a serial rapist who may be preying on school aged girls. Police are taking DNA samples from about 75 people who have been I.D.ed by the public as possible suspects. DNA evidence links a single attacker to the rapes of at least four people.
Lieutenant Bill Schwartz of the city's police department back with us live this morning on AMERICAN MORNING.

Lieutenant, 24 hours ago we were talking on this same program.

What's changed in your focus right now a day later?

LT. BILL SCHWARTZ, MIAMI POLICE: Well, we have more tips coming in. The public is still galvanized around this case. In the last 24 hours we have probably close to 150 tips, good tips, and we have taken saliva swabs for DNA testing from over 120 people to be processed by the lab. In fact, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is going to be assisting us by taking on some of that processing.

HEMMER: You mentioned the tips. You say they're good tips. Any great tips that may indicate to you that you may have someone apprehended some time very soon?

SCHWARTZ: I'd like to say yes. But it's a little bit too soon to say. But we're out there. The streets are lousy with cops. Not only cops, but citizens, too. It's galvanized this whole community and firefights, sanitation workers, the average Joe, they're out there on the streets and they're looking for this guy...

HEMMER: What are...

SCHWARTZ: And we've expanded our search.

HEMMER: Lieutenant, what are the indelible characteristics that one would see or find on this man? You mentioned some shirts. This past week. You talked about some jewelry. What is it people need to look for?

SCHWARTZ: Well, we've put out pictures, composites, and the composites are remarkably alike in the three different pictures we have. We've also talked about this colorful shirt this man wears and some jewelry. We're going to be putting some pictures out of that jewelry today.

But it's more just being vigilant, being vigilant about anyone that you don't know who might be hanging around, maybe someone who has just moved into the neighborhood, someone who has just moved out of the neighborhood, someone who has just started working for you, someone who has just stopped working for you. We're just telling people to be careful and vigilant about anything and everything.

HEMMER: And there was a call put out about two days ago asking illegal immigrants to come forward if they have information and letting them know that they would be granted essentially immunity if they do come forward.

Are you concerned right now that some people may be holding information?

SCHWARTZ: Somebody probably knows something. Now, maybe this guy's a loner or maybe he's not a loner. But someone knows something. And we have a $10,000 reward out there now and we understand this is going to be growing considerably in the next couple of days. So hopefully someone needs that cash and will give us a call.

HEMMER: Yes, you, and to use your words, you say any girl, any woman could be a victim at any time.

Why talk like that, lieutenant?

SCHWARTZ: This guy is brazen. He is an equal opportunity scumbag. He has hit people from 11 years old up to 79 years old. He's very, very brutal. He has totally destroyed the lives of six people so far and so far no one has been killed. But we're very concerned.

HEMMER: Lieutenant, thanks.

Good luck today, going into the weekend.

Bill Schwartz there live in Miami.

SCHWARTZ: 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





Rapist>


Aired June 13, 2003 - 07:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Miami police are getting a lot of help in the hunt for a serial rapist who may be preying on school aged girls. Police are taking DNA samples from about 75 people who have been I.D.ed by the public as possible suspects. DNA evidence links a single attacker to the rapes of at least four people.
Lieutenant Bill Schwartz of the city's police department back with us live this morning on AMERICAN MORNING.

Lieutenant, 24 hours ago we were talking on this same program.

What's changed in your focus right now a day later?

LT. BILL SCHWARTZ, MIAMI POLICE: Well, we have more tips coming in. The public is still galvanized around this case. In the last 24 hours we have probably close to 150 tips, good tips, and we have taken saliva swabs for DNA testing from over 120 people to be processed by the lab. In fact, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is going to be assisting us by taking on some of that processing.

HEMMER: You mentioned the tips. You say they're good tips. Any great tips that may indicate to you that you may have someone apprehended some time very soon?

SCHWARTZ: I'd like to say yes. But it's a little bit too soon to say. But we're out there. The streets are lousy with cops. Not only cops, but citizens, too. It's galvanized this whole community and firefights, sanitation workers, the average Joe, they're out there on the streets and they're looking for this guy...

HEMMER: What are...

SCHWARTZ: And we've expanded our search.

HEMMER: Lieutenant, what are the indelible characteristics that one would see or find on this man? You mentioned some shirts. This past week. You talked about some jewelry. What is it people need to look for?

SCHWARTZ: Well, we've put out pictures, composites, and the composites are remarkably alike in the three different pictures we have. We've also talked about this colorful shirt this man wears and some jewelry. We're going to be putting some pictures out of that jewelry today.

But it's more just being vigilant, being vigilant about anyone that you don't know who might be hanging around, maybe someone who has just moved into the neighborhood, someone who has just moved out of the neighborhood, someone who has just started working for you, someone who has just stopped working for you. We're just telling people to be careful and vigilant about anything and everything.

HEMMER: And there was a call put out about two days ago asking illegal immigrants to come forward if they have information and letting them know that they would be granted essentially immunity if they do come forward.

Are you concerned right now that some people may be holding information?

SCHWARTZ: Somebody probably knows something. Now, maybe this guy's a loner or maybe he's not a loner. But someone knows something. And we have a $10,000 reward out there now and we understand this is going to be growing considerably in the next couple of days. So hopefully someone needs that cash and will give us a call.

HEMMER: Yes, you, and to use your words, you say any girl, any woman could be a victim at any time.

Why talk like that, lieutenant?

SCHWARTZ: This guy is brazen. He is an equal opportunity scumbag. He has hit people from 11 years old up to 79 years old. He's very, very brutal. He has totally destroyed the lives of six people so far and so far no one has been killed. But we're very concerned.

HEMMER: Lieutenant, thanks.

Good luck today, going into the weekend.

Bill Schwartz there live in Miami.

SCHWARTZ: 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





Rapist>