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Las Vegas Concert Shooting; Eyewitness Account of Shooting; Police Response to Shooting; Las Vegas Sheriff's Briefing. Aired 8:30- 9:00a ET

Aired October 02, 2017 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00] JOSEPH GLACALONE, PROF. JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE: I mean you heard the undersheriff says, I mean, nothing can prepare you to see that many bodies in a small area.

So, you know, our heart goes out to everybody there and I hope that if they need help down the road, that they get it.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: I'm just listening to my producer because we have an eyewitness who is about to join us who there was with her four-year-old daughter. We had heard already from some of the country music stars that they did see kids in the audience. There were kids who were just on their parent's shoulders because this was a wonderful celebratory country music festival. Her name is Carly Krygler. And, again, she was at the concert with her four-year-old daughter.

Carly, thank you very much. I know it's been an awful and long night for you. Can you tell us where you were and what you saw?

CARLY KRYGLER, WITNESSED CONCERT SHOOTING WITH HER DAUGHTER: Thankfully we were towards the back of everything. There was a seated area back there. And quite a few kids back there. And we just heard what we thought were fireworks. It took everybody a couple of seconds to realize it wasn't. And that's when everybody just started yelling, get down.

So I put the baby on the ground and got on top of her. And when we heard a little break, we ran to the bleachers that were just behind us and I tried to tuck her in close to the end so she was as protected as possible.

Then we kind of realized that that maybe wasn't the best idea either. So we took off to the Tropicana Hotel (ph), which was just next door, and there was quite a crowd getting there.

CAMEROTA: Does your daughter have any sense of what happened?

KRYGLER: It's odd. I've discussed it with my friends already tonight and it's so abstract for her that everything is very matter of fact when she was talking about it. But she was amazing and so incredibly brave. And not once did she cry or scream or ask what was going on. So I think she's going to be OK. Just an odd, unfortunate thing that happened to her. CAMEROTA: When you were there and you decided that it was -- you had

an opportunity to run, is that because the gunshots had stopped for a few moments and you decided that that was the best courses of action? Was everybody running?

KRYGLER: Yes, the gunshots had stopped and there were still quite a few people under the bleachers there. Some telling us to stay. But I just had this instinct to get my daughter out of there. And, thankfully, everybody in the crowd was really great. And the second we were yelling out we had a baby, they all made room and let us through. But it was pretty crazy.

CAMEROTA: When you hear that the numbers have gone up in the past couple hours to 50 people who were killed around you, can you believe that number?

KRYGLER: It's unreal and so sad, so upsetting. There's so many families and people who weren't as lucky as my daughter and I tonight. And I just hope that everybody can heal from this. And I hope people can learn and everybody -- society can learn from senseless acts like this.

CAMEROTA: Look, I mean that's what everybody hopes. It's just so impossible to imagine that something like this could happen. Two hundred people were injured, 50 killed. I mean these are the last numbers that we have, but these numbers change. Two hundred injured, many of them critical. Did you see some of those folks around you?

KRYGLER: Thankfully, no. And I keep saying that I'm very grateful my daughter didn't see any injuries or blood. And by the time we were all hurdled into a room, we -- she had already fallen asleep. So she did not see any blood that we saw people's clothing at this point or anything. So, no, we were very -- very lucky. Luckier than most tonight.

CAMEROTA: And when you planned to go to this big country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, does it ever -- and bring your four- year-old daughter, does it ever cross your mind, safety?

KRYGLER: Absolutely. Everywhere you go. But stuff like this can happen anywhere, in any city around the world. I travel around the world and I try not to live my life in fear of things like this unfortunately happening. It's not anyone's fault who was there attending it tonight. So nobody could have known.

CAMEROTA: Yes, of course.

KRYGLER: It's an unfortunate incident.

CAMEROTA: I mean this is my point is that this is somehow our new normal. This is something that we now have to sort of accept as a possibility. And I was just wondering what the calculation is for that when you, you know, go to a big music venue. If you just accept that we're just going to keep our wits about us and try to be as aware as possible. [08:35:22] KRYGLER: Absolutely. I think that's everywhere you go

nowadays, unfortunately, whether it's a country music festival or on a flight somewhere or just to the park, unfortunately. But, yes, I do kind of have to be on alert, especially when you have your children around.

CAMEROTA: And when you heard the gunfire starting, you first took cover and you -- you shielded your daughter, your four-year-old. You put your body over her. And then at some point, when the gunfire stopped, you felt that you could run. Was there any sense that there was -- a stampede is probably too strong, but was -- were -- was everybody running? How chaotic was that moment?

KRYGLER: I think we were a little removed from the chaos, thankfully, in the back of the venue. It wasn't too bad. People were definitely rushing and in a hurry and panicked and scared. But there was no stampede or -- I mean people seemed still pretty respectful and just scared.

CAMEROTA: That's amazing. I mean that is one of the amazing parts of this, that there wasn't actually more chaos given this kind of carnage that you all were dealing with. And were you with a lot of people? Did you connect with them? Have you found all of your friends?

KRYGLER: Yes, thankfully. My two friends I went with and I were able to stay together. But I know there are so many people and families and groups of friends that got split up and were at three different hotels and some in the hospital. And we -- I just can't say enough how lucky we are.

CAMEROTA: Yes, you sure are. And what are you going to tell your daughter some day about what happened?

KRYGLER: You know, another discussion I've had already, I do need to discuss it with her and I am not quite sure. But, thankfully, I get to sleep on it tonight and figure it out tomorrow how to talk to her about it.

CAMEROTA: Well, Carly Krygler, we're really grateful. We know that this has been a terrible long night for you and we're really grateful that you are here with us to share your story and how you protected your daughter and what the days ahead look like for you. Take care of yourself and your daughter.

KRYGLER: Thank you, I appreciate that.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CAMEROTA: We are following breaking news for you. The deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history has happened. It happened last night at an outdoor country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. At least 50 people were killed there. More than 200 people are injured, many of them in critical condition.

Police say the gunman has been identified as a 64-year-old with no prior history as far as they can tell. The local police say that they never had any run-ins with him. He is dead at this hour. Police say that he opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel that was looking out on this open air concert where thousands of concert goers were trying to enjoy the Route 91 Music Festival.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Police say they have now spoken to the gunman's companion, Mary Lou Danley, and she is not to believe -- believed to be involved with the shooting. She had been considered a person of interest. No longer. They do not believe she was connected.

We also have new video of the first shots being fired. And then, even more terrifying, the moments of a second round of gunshots that rang out. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get down!

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay down.

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down!

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get up!

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) get out of here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. Stay down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:40:22] BERMAN: One shooter. All those gunshots from one shooter on the 32nd floor. Numerous rifles we're hearing from our affiliate. As many as eight rifles that this 64-year-old man had at the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. And just hearing those gunshots ring out again and again and again, chilling.

Now, we have learned that the acting secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Elaine Duke, has been briefed on this massacre. We want to bring in CNN's senior national security analyst and former White House Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco. And also joining us, former NYPD Detective Sergeant Joe Glacalone.

And I -- And, Lisa, a couple other details. Elaine Duke, the Office of Homeland Security, wanting to let people know that there's no specific or credible threat on any other venue in the United States right now. We also heard from Evan Perez and Shimon Prokupecz, our legal team, that there's no known nexus to foreign terror either. It looked like this guy, Stephen Paddock, targeted this country music concert in Las Vegas for whatever reason.

LISA MONACO, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Right, John. What the authorities are going to be looking at now is any connections that this individual has to any other group, right, whether it's an international group or a domestic group.

We had the new FBI director, Chris Wray, tell the Senate last week that the FBI has over 1,000 investigations into domestic extremists groups already going on today. And that's the same number -- an equal number into -- the same number of investigations they have into international terror groups. So they're going to be looking at what connections this guy had to other people. They're going to be talking to his companion about what may have made him snap in this way and undertake what appears to be a sniper-style massacre.

CAMEROTA: So, Lisa, walk us through this. This happened at I think 1:08 Vegas time, that means 1:00 a.m. in the White House.

MONACO: Right.

CAMEROTA: So when something of this magnitude happens, what happens? Is the president awoken? Do they wait to tell him in the morning? Who tells him? And what -- just peel back the curtain on how all of this happens that the White House is alerted?

MONACO: So I would imagine that my successor, Tom Bossert, is informed by his staff, by the situation room. Unfortunately, I -- I recalled having to make exactly these types of judgments. My memory now goes back to the massacre in the Pulse Nightclub in Orland just a little --

CAMEROTA: June 2016. That was the deadliest mass shooting up until last night. There were 49 people killed in the Pulse Nightclub. And now at least 50 here. So when that happened, tell us (INAUDIBLE) that.

MONACO: So, the situation room woke me up and told me that they were getting early reports about a mass shooting, an active shooting situation going on in Orlando in the Pulse Nightclub. I was immediately on the phone with the FBI, with deputy director at the time, Andy McCabe, about what was happening, what information did they know from their folks on the scene there.

Now, in that situation, it was an active situation for a number of hours as they breached the nightclub to try and neutralize the suspect and, obviously, ultimately, he was killed as well.

So the judgment I suspect that my successor, Tom Bossert, is -- was making at the time is, how to get information, the most information he can have at the time, inform the president, either waking him up or having his military aid -- calling his military aid and having him wake him up to inform him. I don't know that that happened. But that's the kind of judgment I made when I was the Homeland Security adviser.

BERMAN: And it's so interesting, that's what's happening in the White House at the top level.

Joe, tell us what's happening on the ground right now. GLACALONE: Well, I mean, they're executing these search warrants. So they're going to be looking for all the different aspects of it. Make sure that the places aren't booby trapped. We saw this happen in other locations. So they've got to make sure that these places are clear. They might even have to evacuate some of the surrounding homes, you know, where -- I don't know if it's a private home or a town home kind of thing. So they've got to do that.

Plus, they're going to be searching his Internet records and any other pamphlets that he might have around. And, of course, we want to -- you know, his social media is going to play a big role in this. Who he's connected to, if he's connected, and, you know, what has he been saying online, what has he been, you know, hanging out with. Those kind of things. And they've got to try to put this together. That's why they -- they always wait to release the name because they want to gather all this intel because they do because it could disappear quite easily off the Internet. So we've got to make sure of that.

CAMEROTA: I mean in terms of Homeland Security, they were checking bags going into the concert venue. But it's an open air venue. I mean there's just -- it feels, from where we sit today, that this is -- there's no way to ever stop -- if a crazed gunman wants to go to the 32nd floor of a hotel and rain down terror on thousands of people, I don't know how you stop them. What do you do from a Homeland Security (INAUDIBLE)?

[08:45:05] MONACO: It is a tremendous, tremendous challenge for local law enforcement there who, of course, are responsible for protecting that scene. There is simply no way to extend the perimeter, which is what law enforcement will talk about here, to extend the perimeter to the degree that it's safe from the 32nd floor gunman.

BERMAN: And, interesting, we heard from the undersheriff, Kevin McMahill, who told us, this was actually a small event in Las Vegas terms. They have much bigger events than this. It was a small event that they prepared for here.

GLACALONE: Well, certainly, I mean and they looked like they had everything, you know, pretty much planned the way it should go. I mean like you're saying, I mean, a half a mile away, how do you -- how do you protect this? It's impossible. And we -- and as New York, I mean, think about all the tall buildings we have around here too and all the venues that we do. So it --

BERMAN: Eight guns, by the way. Let's focus on the guns for a second. He had eight guns at least in this room with him. Numerous, according to the sheriff. Our affiliate saying eight. That's a lot of fire power.

GLACALONE: Absolutely. And we don't know how many rounds he's had. You know, how many bags -- he could have had bags of rounds and magazines and he could just be slapping them in and shooting and, you know, keep on going. So they needed to act fast.

CAMEROTA: So after the Pulse Nightclub -- I was down there reporting. I mean I, obviously, remember the horrific scene there. And you were on duty. What changed? What changes after things like this? I mean is this just -- we all just take this in our sort of collective psyche and our collective hearts and move on? Or do things change for national security and law enforcement after events like this?

MONACO: Well, there was a tremendous debate at the time, as you recall, about how as it that this individual who was responsible for the Pulse Nightclub shooting was able to get a weapon, even though he had been the subject of an FBI national security investigation. I think there will be a lot of discussion how as to how did -- how did this individual come into possession of so many guns, what is in his background, does he have any mental health, was he adjudicated in any way with a mental health issue that should have prevented him from getting those guns. We simply don't know yet.

BERMAN: The Mesquite Police Department in Nevada right now tells us they've had no interaction with him. Las Vegas Police, again, the undersheriff, Kevin McMahill, told me except for a traffic violation I think he maybe cited, they had no reason to believe that there was anything untoward with this guy, which even make it more difficult, more chilling.

GLACALONE: Absolutely. And it's also unusual too because we've seen a record before. Some of these guys with domestic violence or whatever it may be, to fly totally below the radar. I mean there's something, like you were saying, something that made him snap. And maybe something he's been involved with online. I mean we know how you can get bombarded by all these things on social media. I mean this is something that they're going to be looking into and seeing what they can actually find out.

CAMEROTA: God, it's just incredible. I mean, look, the undersheriff that John was interviewing, he was saying that they have -- as John said, usually much bigger crowd scenes. They're used to 25,000 there, you know, and that they know how to manage it and obviously they have emergency drills, obviously everybody does simulations of worse case scenarios, but this is beyond the scope of what they could imagine or ever have planned for.

MONACO: Well, that's exactly right. As you said, there's a set protocol for searching bags and searching what people are bringing into a venue like this, but there's simply no way to secure the -- the buildings that rise above such that they can be the subject of sniper fire like this.

BERMAN: And, again, this woman who was the person of interest, we're finding out more about her right now, Mary Lou Danley, was her name. She was a person of interest overnight. Police have made contact with her. They are now saying they don't believe she was connected in in way to the shooting.

And now I'm getting an alert again from our people here saying she -- it was believed that she was out of the country at the time of the shooting. That's interesting.

GLACALONE: Well, certainly. I mean especially with the video surveillance or whatever, what they saw and -- why did they focus in on her right away. I mean, to me, when we first started talking about this, it sounds like that she checked in with him, you know, and that's why they were -- and then they put out the descriptions and the license plates of the cars and they even called her a roommate. So it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out.

CAMEROTA: Lisa, Joe, thank you very much. Thank you for all of the information and all of your experience with this. We appreciate it.

We're going to take a very, very quick break and bring you all the new developments on the worst mass shooting in U.S. history when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:52:11] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

If you are just joining us, we have breaking news of the most horrible kind. There has been a terrible mass shooting in Las Vegas. It is now the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Fifty people are confirmed dead. They were at this outdoor country music concert. It was a music festival. It was I think the third night of this music festival. It was the last act, Jason Aldean, a bi country superstar, was on stage when gunshots rang out from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, right across the street from this venue.

Two hundred people have been confirmed as injured, many of them in critical condition. A police officer was killed. Others are in critical condition.

You can see the aftermath from cell phone video. There were so many cell phones because there was so many people enjoying themselves at this country music concert. And you can see the chaos that ensued when all of these gunshots rang out from what police believe were automatic weapons.

There's a new sheriffs briefing for us with new information. The gunman is dead. The last time they came out and briefed us was two hours ago. They reported that the shooter was 64-year-old local, not previously known to police, they said. He was killed then.

Here is the latest briefing from the sheriff's department happening live right now.

SHERIFF JOSEPH LOMBARDO, LAS VEGAS POLICE: The events that took place earlier tonight. Just a matter of recall. Just a matter of recall. At 10:00 p.m. last night, we started receiving calls of an active shooter at Route 91 Harvest Festival located adjacent to the Mandalay Bay Resort. We were receiving information that there was an active shooter that was firing rounds from the 32nd floor and that individuals that were attending the festival, the number is estimated to be 22,000, were being struck by those rounds.

Currently the Clark County Fire Department is estimating the injuries to be well over 400 and the deaths associated with this event to be over 50. I can't give you an exact number yet because we're still investigating some of the areas involved in the event where the concert was taking place and we're still accessing (ph) individuals that were hidden. And it's just a matter of a process. So it's going to take quite a while for us to completely get through the evacuation phase and then eventually we will have an assessment on the injuries associated with that.

And now our suspect was identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64 years old, a white male from Mesquite, Nevada. We have no investigative information or background associated with this individual that is derogatory. The only thing we can tell is he received a citation several years ago and that citation was handled as a matter of normal practice in the court system.

[08:55:20] Some important things that I need to get out. The family reunification still is taking place here at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department headquarters. So any individuals that are looking for answers for their family members or friends are welcome to come here and we will provide that information as we get it (ph).

The FBI is vital in the assistance of this investigation. As a matter of help, they are providing a 1-800 number, which is 800-CALL-FBI. So as the matter of the number is 1-800-225-5324. Now that number is to be utilized for any and all information, especially video information or evidence that we can provide the FBI and they will be the housing of all that critical information. So if you have anybody that has knowledge through your media sources and they want to provide that information, that's the avenue to go. Once they receive an individual on the other side of the line, they will walk them through the process and they will get them to the online version so they can download that information.

Additionally, the coroner's office, as I repeated before, has set up a number for individuals to call. And that number is 1-866-535-5654. That is for individuals that do not have the ability to come down to headquarters to discuss their family and friends in person.

Now the other critical piece associated with this in any mass casualty event is the need for blood. So United Blood Services have their services set up currently. They are receiving patients -- or donors as 6930 West Charleston and 601 Whitney Ranch in Henderson. So if you have the ability to donate blood, to help the cause, please do so.

Additionally, the labors union is offering their facility, their medical facility, at 7135 West O'Hara for individuals that want to donate blood. And as always, UMC has a pod set up for individuals to go to UMC to donate blood.

And that will be the gist of the updates at this time. So I'm happy to answer any questions.

QUESTION: Can you just talk about what the scene was like in that room when your officers walked inside?

LOMBARDO: We believe the individual killed himself prior to our entry.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE).

LOMBARDO: We are still going through the search warrant actively at this time. But it's in excess of ten rifles.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE).

LOMBARDO: I'm sorry.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE).

LOMBARDO: We have located her out of the country. She was not with him when he checked in we have discovered. He was utilizing some of her identification. And we have had conversation with her and we believed her at this time not to be involved. But obviously that will be -- that investigation will continue.

And as far as his residence in Mesquite, we have officer now there serving a search warrant.

QUESTION: Anything (INAUDIBLE).

LOMBARDO: No, we just made entry just a matter of minutes ago. So that's going to be quite some time. We're going to clear the residence first for any possible explosives. So that will be slow and methodical. And it will take us quite some time before we conduct the search phase.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) you touched on (INAUDIBLE).

LOMBARDO: No, ma'am. We have -- I don't -- I don't know what has taken place as far as the interview with her.

OK, I think it's important for you to notice who's standing behind me. We have Chief Mark -- Greg Castle (ph), I'm sorry. I always get caught up with your family. Greg Castle has been integral in the saving of lives. They've paired up with our officers out at the scene and I think their actions and their heroic acts were instrumental in saving several hundred lives associated with this event.

And then you have our attorney general, Adam Laxalt (ph). He's brought forth his office to help us in any future prosecution associated with the case. And you have the special agent in charge, Aaron Rausch (ph), of the FBI. And as I mentioned, the FBI has been standing next to us from the very first minute and they are providing all the resources available of the federal government to help us in this endeavor. And then you have the Clark County commission chairman, Steve Sisalack (ph). He has been instrumental in getting us resources to the first responders as far as refreshments and food and support of the entire county commission.

[09:00:14]