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New Day

Suspect in Custody after Church Shooting; Massacre Victims Drawn Together by Faith; Prison Break Fugitives Added to 'Most Wanted' List. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired June 19, 2015 - 06:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The suspect is in custody.

[05:58:39] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Studying in the church to shoot black people.

DEBBIE DILLS, FLORAL SHOP OWNER WHO SPOTTED SHOOTING SUSPECT: I actually was right behind him at a stoplight. It was God who made this happen. He answered the prayers of those people.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've had to make statements like this this too many times.

GOV. NIKKI HALEY (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: The heart and soul of South Carolina is broken.

OBAMA: Communities like this have to had to endure tragedies like this too many times.

HALEY: We are a strong and faithful state.

JON STEWART, HOST, COMEDY CENTRAL'S "THE DAILY SHOW": This wasn't a tornado. This was racist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't eliminate these types of incidents if we don't get at the source of the problem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Together we come to bury racism, to bury bigotry and to revive compassion and tenderness.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Friday, June 19. It's 6 a.m. in the East. I'm Alisyn Camerota. I'm live in Charleston, South Carolina, at the Maritime Center. This is where police and officials have been briefing the media.

Michaela Pereira is just a few blocks away at the Emanuel AME Church. And Chris, of course, is in New York. Chris, we can tell you that the city of Charleston is reeling

from this cold-blooded massacre. Nine people killed while in Bible study at one of the nation's most historic African-American churches.

Authorities captured the alleged gunman more than 200 miles away in North Carolina. So this morning, Chris, he is back here in Charleston to face charges.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: And that's what we'll be watching that today, Alisyn. You have a lot of great reporting to bring us from there, that hate crime. That act of terrorism reigniting a lot of debates in this country, specifically about gun laws and whether we should be focusing on just terrorism overseas or what also is possible back here at home. Was this massacre an act of terrorism is a question on many minds, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: And so Chris, all of this, as disturbing new details emerge about the suspect's past. His racist comments and his possible ties to white supremacy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you feeling?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why did you do it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you feel?

CAMEROTA (voice-over): Behind bars this morning, alleged mass murderer Dylann Roof, accused of killing nine people Wednesday at an historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Want to talk a little bit about God (ph).

CAMEROTA: This cell phone video, captured moments before the carnage, shows Roof sitting at a table with a small Bible study group. The 21-year-old inside for about an hour before opening fire with a 45-caliber pistol. One of the survivors pleaded with the gunman to stop.

SYLVIA JOHNSON, FRIEND SURVIVED CHURCH MASSACRE: After the young man tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to finish off. He said, "No, you rape our women. And you are taking over the country."

CAMEROTA: After the massacre, Roof fled the scene. And less than 14 hours later...

DILLS: It was God who made this happen.

CAMEROTA: ... a floral shop owner spots the alleged shooter more than 200 miles away in North Carolina. Following Roof until police arrested him without incident.

DILLS: God heard the prayers of those people, and he just used us as vessels to get his work done. CAMEROTA: Roof's roommate telling ABC News he was, quote, "big

into segregation," alleging Roof was plotting like this for six months. Roof's childhood friend tells the network...

JOEY MEEK, FRIEND OF DYLAN ROOF: I think he wanted something big, like Trayvon Martin. He wanted to make some spark up the race war again.

CAMEROTA: This Facebook photo revealing two flags on Roof's jacket, one from Apartheid-era South Africa, the other from the former Rhodesia, when it was ruled by a white minority, now called Zimbabwe.

MAYOR JOSEPH RILEY JR., CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: There's something weird and bad and hateful going on in his mind.

CAMEROTA: The community left reeling. The governor of South Carolina fighting back tears.

HALEY: The heart and soul of South Carolina was broken. And so we have some grieving to do. And we've got some pain we have to go through.

CAMEROTA: President Obama said he and Michelle personally knew several members of the historic Emanuel AME Church.

OBAMA: To say our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families and their community doesn't say enough to convey the heartache and the sadness and the anger that we feel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Now, it is still not clear if Roof's roommate went to authorities. But Joey Meeks [SIC] told ABC News that he had not. It's not clear why he didn't. CNN has reached out to both the roommate and Meeks [SIC].

And Michaela, we want to go to her now, because she has a look at how the victims of this massacre at Emanuel AME Church have been drawn together now by their faith.

Good morning, Michaela.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: And faith is going to be what holds them together, to be sure, Alisyn. Vigils, we know, are taking place across the country to remember the nine victims killed in this senseless tragedy. Family and friends here honoring the legacy of their loved ones, whose lives were cut short in a place of solace.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA (voice-over): From the heart of the tragedy in South Carolina...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our hope is in God.

PEREIRA: ... to the historic walls of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Georgia. Thousands came to mourn nine of Charleston's most prominent educators and religious leaders, killed inside Emanuel AME Church Wednesday, including four beloved reverends.

Among them, 74-year-old retired Reverend Daniel Simmons, who attended the church every Sunday; 49-year-old Reverend DePayne Middleton-Doctor, who served her community in the learning center of Southern Wesleyan University. Forty-five-year-old Reverend Sharonda Singleton, pictured here with her son on Mother's Day, coached at a local high school. Consoled by his teammates, Chris Singleton remembers his mom.

CHRIS SINGLETON, SON OF SHARONDA SINGLETON: So we just love the way my mom would. The hate won't be anywhere close to what love is.

PEREIRA: And the distinctive voice of Reverend Clementa Pinckney, leader of the Emanuel AME Church, was also silenced, gunned down as he preached.

REV. CLEMENTA PINCKNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SENATOR: And to see him die face down in the ground...

[06:04:59] PEREIRA: A state senator, Reverend Pinckney became the youngest African-American ever elected to the South Carolina legislature. After the shooting of Walter Scott by police, he stressed the need for body police cameras in South Carolina.

PINCKNEY: And that a badge and a gun does not give someone superiority or will trump the constitutionally-protected privileges and rights in South Carolina.

PEREIRA: Friends and family struggle to cope with the loss of so many inside a place of worship. Recent college graduate Tywanza Sanders, just 26 years old, lost his life. Cynthia Hurd, 54 years old, she worked for decades as a librarian. Now, as a tribute to her life of service, it will be renamed in her honor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want to know why. Like, why would you do something like this.

PEREIRA: Tim Jackson mourning the loss of his 87-year-old grandmother, Susie. He remembers her as a loving person with a great smile. Susie's 70-year-old cousin, Ethel Lance, also killed. And Myra Thompson, 59. She was teaching the Bible study, held each Wednesday, when the gunman opened fire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA: This can't be about statistics. It has to be about the victims. We have to honor each and every one of those nine lives lost.

We should let you know that Charleston is hosting another prayer vigil for those nine people killed. It's going to take place at a nearby college. That's going to happen at 6 p.m. tonight.

Alisyn, everywhere I go, people tell me how heartbroken they are. It crosses color lines. It crosses whether they grew up here or whether they're a new resident here. Everyone is taking this very personally and very intensely.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely. And everyone is heartbroken, Michaela. We'll get back with you momentarily.

But joining me now is Reverend Dr. Norvel Goff Sr. He's presiding elder of the Seventh District AME Church, and he oversees the church where nine people were killed. Also Tom Fuentes, he's our CNN law enforcement analyst and former FBI assistant director. So nice to have you with us.

REV. DR. NORVEL GOFF SR., PRESIDING ELDER, SEVENTH DISTRICT AME CHURCH: Thank you for having me here this morning.

CAMEROTA: The gunman was not from Charleston. The gunman was from two hours away, Lexington. Why did he choose this community to perpetrate this heinous act?

GOFF: Well, surely, the investigation will uncover that, but most certainly, we want to thank the leadership of the AME Church in the state of South Carolina. And we would like to also thank the governor and Mayor Riley and the police chief of Charleston, South Carolina.

CAMEROTA: Everyone has come together. And I know that you've spent some time with the victims' families, including Reverend Pinckney's family. Can you tell us about those meetings?

GOFF: Surely. We are now preparing for a home-going celebration for the victims. And we solicit your prayers. We have more than 500 and some odd churches across -- across the state of South Carolina praying at this very hour.

CAMEROTA: Reverend Pinckney had a wife and two young children.

GOFF: A wife and two young daughters. And most certainly, we are in constant contact, and we are most certainly vigilant about our faith and our commitment. And we would not allow a heinous act to shaken our faith. But we are strict in coming together, not only in the African Methodist Episcopal community, but the ecumenical community across this state and around this world.

CAMEROTA: Tom, I want to bring you in. I want to talk about some of the details that are coming out about the gunman. There are still questions about where he got the gun. There are some reports that he got it from his father, as a birthday present in April. There are some reports that he bought it himself. How will investigators figure out and trace this?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, they have the gun. They have the serial number of the gun. So they'll be able to trace that pretty quickly, Alisyn. I think we should have the answer to that maybe today or, you know, by Monday at the latest.

So this should not be too difficult to track down where that gun came from that he has and if that's the gun his father purchased.

CAMEROTA: Now, Tom, there are also reports that he was a heavy drug user. His friends in high school say that he was heavily into drugs. He was recently arrested with Suboxone on him, which is basically like methadone type of drug. Would that -- would anyone have questioned him about drug use if he was the person who purchased the gun?

FUENTES: I think possibly. Then again, probably not. If that's not -- you know, if that's not in a court order that he can't, and it's not known to the authorities. We had similar circumstances. The Virginia Tech shooter in 2007, a judge in Virginia had ruled that he must get mental-health treatment and he still was able to go into a Virginia gun shop and purchase two handguns with no problem.

[06:10:07] CAMEROTA: So, in other words, that didn't -- that wasn't flagged anywhere? His mental health history wouldn't be flagged on any sort of background check?

FUENTES: No. You wouldn't have that kind of a background check. They do a quick check on -- on what his status at the moment -- is he a convicted felon? Is it more serious? So you know, I don't think it would have. I'm not absolutely positive, but I don't think it would have prevented him from buying the gun. It certainly wouldn't have prevented his father from buying the gun and handing it to him, as we've seen in other cases, as well, where parents have purchased weapons, or weapons from the parents were taken by the shooter.

CAMEROTA: Tom, this gunman's social media profile had some red flags all over it. It appeared that he wore insignia of some racist messages. He made racist messages. Are authorities monitoring people like that? I mean, we focus so much on how authorities are monitoring the exchanges between, say, ISIS followers. What about people like this, who are sort of giving off these warning signs on social media?

FUENTES: It's actually no different than an ISIS follower. It requires, really -- the authorities are not looking at every American and every article of clothing they wear or post on their Facebook. You know, again, we have freedom of speech in this country. And until something really crosses the line and someone reports that to the authorities or comes to the authorities' attention, you know, in that level of manner, it really doesn't.

You can -- you can wear sweatshirts with swastikas on them. That's not going to cause automatically the federal government's going to have you come up on their radar. Somebody has to alert the government to what you're thinking, what you're saying. If your writings on your postings include the type of hate "and I'm going to do something."

But if you just express, you know, your opinion of something, it's really not going to be enough. It's not going to be enough to stop you, in any event.

CAMEROTA: Reverend, you know, there's this debate going on about what to call this. Was it a hate crime? Was it terrorism? Was it just straight up racism? How do you define what we've seen here?

GOFF: All the above. And as a community of believers, we must stand up for the greater good. Regardless of color, we need to speak out against bigotry, racism, violence, terrorist acts, and make a path forward in terms of how we come together, how we speak out on issues, gun violence.

But most certainly, our faith is stronger than fear. And here in South Carolina, as a native South Carolinian, I can attest to the fact that this community is coming together in a positive way, particularly under the leadership of Bishop Franklin Norris. And we are moving forward.

We are working with our families, the nine families. We're going to make sure that we embrace them, encourage them. And we stand and worship together continuously and make a statement about how our faith. The African Methodist Episcopal Church has a history in the state of South Carolina for social change and justice. And we will continue that.

CAMEROTA: Reverend Goff, the country's prayers are with you this morning. Thanks so much for being with us.

GOFF: Thanks so much for having me. And we ask the entire nation and the world, continue to pray for our community and the nine victims who have lost their lives to a heinous and crazed act by an individual.

CAMEROTA: We will do that. Thank you.

I want to go back now to Chris in New York with a look at our other top stories -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right. We'll be back with you in just a second, Alisyn. It's important we stay with what's going on in South Carolina. And we can say that we got lucky that the killer down there was captured in just about 14 hours. But there is a very different story here in New York.

The manhunt for two fugitives is now in its 14th day. And while we keep learning more about those who could be involved in this escape, like the jilted husband of Joyce Mitchell. She's the prison worker who reportedly cheated on him with the two killers. We cannot find the murderers, who are on the loose.

So let's get to CNN's Alexandra Field. She's up there in front of the prison, trying to figure out what's going on with this search -- Alexandra.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Chris. There has been none of that luck here. But Richard Matt and David Sweat have now taken their place among the U.S. Marshals' 15 most wanted. That's the level of priority that's being put into this search. This continues here in the region and beyond.

State police now telling us that they have cleared some 160 unoccupied buildings. They're also asking people to review any surveillance cameras that they may have had in the area around the time of the escape.

We are, at the same time, learning more about Lyle Mitchell, the husband of the woman accused of helping these two convicted killers break out of this prison. His attorney says that he had no knowledge of any sexual relationship between his wife, Joyce, and Richard Matt.

However, he tells us that Lyle did, at one point, confront his wife, Joyce, amid allegations that she was having some kind of inappropriate relationship with David Sweat. Joyce Mitchell denied the accusations at the time. Lyle Mitchell went to go visit his wife behind bars earlier this week. His attorney says, Chris, that he has no plans to return for another visit at this point.

[06:15:24] CUOMO: All right, Alexandra. Thank you very much. We'll check back in with you. And let us know is you develop anything up there.

So we have to tell you this morning about a signature piece of legislation for Barack Obama, now in the hands of the Senate and hanging on by a thread.

The House voted Thursday to grant President Obama fast-track authority to negotiate a Pacific trade deal. They did it by just ten votes. Now, more trouble in the Senate. Fourteen Senate Democrats are withholding support until they're guaranteed a separate worker protection bill. The House is now debating that.

The FBI director is being especially candid about the war on ISIS. James Comey admitting his agency can do nothing to limit ISIS's recruitment of Americans through social media. Comey adds the terror group is increasingly communicating with Americans using encrypted cell-phone apps and that those are very hard for the FBI to crack.

Brian Williams beginning his apology tour after NBC announced he'll stay on at the network, but not as anchor of the "Nightly News." Instead, he's going to take a new and undefined role with our friends at MSNBC.

Last night, Williams met with staffers in New York and Washington to apologize for the misstatements that led to his ousting. The network is replacing Williams with Lester Holt. That will make him the first African-American solo anchor of a network nightly newscast.

All right. Let's get back to Mick in Charleston, trying to get us to understand the impact of what happened there -- Mick.

PEREIRA: Well, and our -- our congratulations to Lester Holt, and coming at an interesting time in our nation, when you look at what is happening here in Charleston and around the nation.

We're going to have much more ahead from Charleston, a city united in grief in the wake of a church massacre. Up ahead, we're going to speak with a South Carolina state senator. He knew the pastor who was killed. We're going to talk to him about this difficult process of healing.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[06:21:21] OBAMA: Mother Emanuel Church and this congregation has risen before: from flames, from an earthquake and other dark times to give hope to generations of Charlestonians. And with our prayers and our love, in the buoyancy of hope, it will rise again, now, as a place of peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Powerful words from President Obama as the city of Charleston grapples with the tragedy that unfolded here. This community now starting that very difficult and long recovery process. How does this community heal?

South Carolina State Senator Marlon Kimpson joins me this morning.

And it is really a delight to have you here. I hate it's under these circumstances. When I looked at them this morning, I could see the resolve in your eyes. That's important to you. You were a friend of Clem Pinckney, the pastor at this church, your colleague in the legislature. Resolve is important, why?

SEN. MARLON KIMPSON, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SENATE: It is. Because Senator Pinckney, my colleague and friend, would want us to have resolve. You know, this tragedy comes in the aftermath of another tragedy that we experienced in Charleston County. And it was that experience, although a horrific one for this county, but we had a resolve and we galvanized to create a body camera law.

PEREIRA: He pushed for that.

KIMPSON: And he was one of the main proponents of that law.

PEREIRA: So now how do you and your colleagues, then, pick up the work, not only in the legislature, but also the work that he was doing in this community, as a church leader and as a community leader?

KIMPSON: Well, he -- there's a big void. And we're going to need all people of good will to do that. This is a resilient community.

PEREIRA: I felt that.

KIMPSON: And just as on yesterday, we had a prayer service for unity, we're going to have to galvanize behind a legislative agenda and put race relations in South Carolina at the forefront of that agenda.

PEREIRA: You talked to us on our air the other day, and you mentioned that you felt that there -- there is an issue with race relations in the country or in your area, specifically. In the country, yes, but I know you're speaking specifically because this is an area that you serve. Talk to me about what that has felt like and what your concerns are.

KIMPSON: Well, you know, listen, I don't want to write a new dialogue as a result of this criminal who shot up this church. There are some serious issues in Charleston, South Carolina, and the state.

Here, what I'm more concerned about is making sure that all people enjoin and enjoy the economic progress of the city. We have too many people that are -- there's a divide between those who have...

PEREIRA: And those who have not.

KIMPSON: ... and those who have not. Now, that doesn't deal with the hate...

PEREIRA: Yes.

KIMPSON: ... that took place in this church yesterday.

PEREIRA: Very different circumstances.

KIMPSON: But, even people who may not be African-American, who are poor, we have a common economic issue.

PEREIRA: Right.

KIMPSON: And that is making sure that everyone enjoys...

PEREIRA: Right.

KIMPSON: ... in the economic success of this city, and therefore, we have -- we all have -- we can send our kids to college.

PEREIRA: Right.

KIMPSON: We have retirement security, and we have the financial means to provide.

PEREIRA: Let me ask you about an issue that has come to light because of this scenario. This is a 21-year-old that had been known to law enforcement who had a felony as early as February which would have prevented him from having a gun. He had a gun. You're concerned about gun laws. You want to see stricter gun laws enacted here?

[06:25:09] KIMPSON: Well, I can tell you this. I am concerned about gun laws. I think South Carolina laws ought to mirror the federal laws, which are much more restrictive than South Carolina laws. But we seem to be preoccupied with gun owner rights in South Carolina.

And let me -- I'm a lawyer. I understand that there's a Second Amendment right to bear arms. Now, the history about that is in somewhat dispute in terms of it rising out of being a part of an organized militia.

PEREIRA: Right.

KIMPSON: But we, it's clear, the Constitution allows us to enact police powers.

PEREIRA: Right.

KIMPSON: So therefore, we can limit constitutional rights based on the data that's relevant to the city and the state. And I think we ought to have tougher gun laws in South Carolina, but the debate and the narrative has been driven largely by the NRA and these special- interest groups coming in from outside of South Carolina, who won't let us move forward in that regard.

PEREIRA: Well, you and your fellow senators have your work cut out for you. We know it's going to be a robust debate. We want you to keep talking to us about what you've got going on here. We'll be talking to you again.

KIMPSON: Thank you.

PEREIRA: Marlon Kimpson, thank you so much. And again, our condolences in the loss of your colleague and friend.

KIMPSON: Thank you.

PEREIRA: All right. Let's get back over to Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Michaela. We do have so much to talk about this morning, because the church massacre here in Charleston is reigniting that national debate that you just brought up about guns. President Obama saying that something must be done following this tragedy. So we will debate that topic, next.

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