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10 Killed in Racist Massacre at Grocery Store in Buffalo; 1 Dead, 4 Critically Injured in California Church Shooting; 'Replacement' Conspiracies Driving Gunmen Now in Mainstream Politics. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired May 16, 2022 - 06:00   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world, it is Monday, May 16. I'm John Berman. Brianna is off. Chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins here with me this morning.

[05:59:54]

We do have new information coming in this morning on a terror attack in America on Americans. Ten Americans killed, their ages ranging from 32 to 86. In fact, six of the victims were older than 60. The evidence clearly suggests they were murdered because they were shopping and black.

This morning we're getting new perspective on the victims, and we will speak to a number of people who knew and loved them.

Police say the white 18-year-old suspect traveled three hours from a different county. There are new details about how he planned the massacre and for how long. And a previous incident when he was on the radar of law enforcement, making a chilling comment last spring.

Tomorrow we just learned that President Biden will visit Buffalo and meet with victims' families.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: We're also learning new details this morning about a deadly shooting in Southern California, where people were having lunch inside a church after services when a gunman entered and opened fire, killing one person and critically wounding four others.

The Taiwanese congregation was there at the time, and authorities say that they're still investigating the motive and whether they were targeted. The suspect is in custody after being stopped by members of the congregation, who overpowered him and hogtied him.

Meanwhile, CNN's Joe Johns has new reporting on the massacre there in Buffalo. Joe, what are you seeing this morning?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: This is where it happened, a neighborhood grocery store. Now, all of the city of Buffalo is the victim.

One thing that you can say is the people here take small solace in the fact that the evil came from hundreds of miles out of town.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LIZ BOSLEY, BUFFALO RESIDENT: I'm sad. I'm hurt. I'm mad, because I never would have thought it would have happened here in the city of Buffalo.

JOHNS (voice-over): Pain and sorrow as the city of Buffalo, New York, mourns the deaths of ten people in a mass shooting at this local supermarket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's heart wrenching. It's heart wrenching.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's broken.

JOHNS (voice-over): Members of the community in shock as some witnesses are now recounting the tragedy.

DOMINIQUE CALHOUN, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: People were crying. People were running out. People were trying to get in, because their loved ones were inside. The officers were pulling up, fire trucks, ambulances. And it was just -- it was just a horrible situation.

JOHNS (voice-over): This as we're learning more about those who lost their lives.

Aaron Salter, a former Buffalo police officer, killed after exchanging gunfire with the shooter.

Ruth Whitfield, 86 years old and the mother of a retired Buffalo fire commissioner and a long-time substitute teacher.

Seventy-seven-year-old Pearl Young, a long-term substitute teacher described as a true pillar in the community.

The dead whose names have been released range in age from 32 to 86, according to police. Three others were wounded.

MAYOR BYRON BROWN, BUFFALO, NEW YORK: We're heartbroken, many people with tears in their eyes, families that have lost loved ones. I'm telling the community to grieve, but let's stay strong.

JOHNS (voice-over): The 18-year-old suspect taken into police custody apparently unharmed. Buffalo police described what they saw before the arrest.

JOSEPH GRAMAGLIA, BUFFALO POLICE COMMISSIONER: He was very heavily armed. He had tactical gear. He had a tactical helmet on. He had a camera that he was livestreaming what he was doing.

JOHNS (voice-over): Saturday night he appeared before a judge --

PAYTON S. GENDRON, BUFFALO SHOOTING SUSPECT: I understand my charges.

JOHNS (voice-over): -- and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, prosecutors said.

Local police and federal agencies are learning more about the suspect and his possible motives, reviewing a 180-page manifesto attributed to him that was posted online. Police believe the shooting was racially motivated.

GRAMAGLIA: The evidence that we have uncovered so far makes no mistake that this is an absolute racist hate crime. It will be prosecuted as a hate crime.

JOHNS (voice-over): Officials say the suspect is from Conklin, New York, about three and a half hours away from the predominantly black neighborhood in Buffalo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So you came from outside our community, and you did this to us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our community didn't deserve that. No one deserves that. It's wrong.

JOHNS (voice-over): A bishop in Buffalo sending a resounding message to people across America.

BISHOP DARIUS G. PRIDGEN, SENIOR PASTOR, TRUE BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Don't tell me you're grieving with me if you did not address racism in your pulpit today. Don't tell me that. Don't tell me you understand my pain if you were silent in your houses of worship today or at your job tomorrow or wherever you are. This is the time for people to say it's wrong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS (on camera): New York's governor is calling out social media as a possible factor in this case. President Biden and the first lady are expected to visit Buffalo on Tuesday.

Kaitlan, back to you.

COLLINS: Yes, the White House said that President Biden wanted to be able to grieve with these families. Joe Johns, thank you.

[06:05:01]

BERMAN: So a study from the Anti-Defamation League found that white supremacists were responsible for more murders than any other extremists last year. In fact, the ADL says that white supremacists account for 55 percent of extremist murders in the last ten years.

We're joined now by "EARLY START" anchor Laura Jarrett.

These hate killings, Laura, just horrific.

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, they are horrific, and sadly, the FBI says the reports of hate crimes have surged to the highest level in 12 years. The past decade has produced some of the worst mass shootings in U.S.

history, with guns as the common denominator. So let's walk through some of them.

In August of 2019, a man walked into a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, armed with a semi-automatic rifle, and killed 23 people, wounding 24 others, the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern U.S. history.

Now, court papers show that he told police he was targeting, quote, "Mexicans." Officials believe he was also the person who wrote a racist manifesto, saying he wanted to, quote, "stop a Hispanic invasion of Texas."

The suspect has pleaded not guilty to capital murder charges and is awaiting a court date.

Also in 2019, on the last day of Passover, a man armed with an AR-15 entered a synagogue near San Diego and began shooting, killing one person and injuring three others. Last year, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The man also admitted to setting a fire to a nearby mosque several weeks before that shooting.

In 2018, 11 people were killed and six were injured in the deadliest attack ever on Jews in the United States when a man opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Authorities say the suspect targeted Jews online, blaming them for helping migrant caravans in Central America and made anti-Semitic comments during the shooting.

The suspect was indicted on 63 different federal charges, including hate crimes. He, too, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

Back in North Carolina, in 2015, nine black worshippers were killed during a Bible study at a church. The morning after the attack, police arrested the shooter, an avowed white supremacist who had attended that Bible study before he opened fire on the black members there.

The man was convicted of federal murder and hate crime charges. He was sentenced to death and appealed his conviction.

Last year, the families of the nine victims reached an $88 million settlement with the Justice Department in their lawsuit over the shooter's weapons purchase.

And finally, in 2012 an Army veteran went on a shooting rampage at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You'll remember that one killing six people and wounding four, including a police officer.

The shooter died during the attack. At that time, the shooting was the largest act of violence against a faith community since the Alabama church bombing killed four black girls in 1963. But, of course, that changed.

And these are just some of the worst hate crimes in the past decade. This is, of course, not a full list, and the data is not complete. BERMAN: No, and really it is so tragic. And just to shine a light on

exactly how awful what we are seeing is, you know, Ruth Whitfield, the oldest of the victims, 86 years old, born during the Depression, you know, raised during World War II, lived through every decade of importance over the last 80 years. You know, she is America, right?

JARRETT: Yes, you think of all that she has seen and how much has changed and how much has stayed the same.

BERMAN: When you talk about replacing -- replacing what? You know, that is America.

Laura, thank you --

JARRETT: Sure.

BERMAN -- so much for being here.

COLLINS: One day after the racist attack in Buffalo, a Southern California church is the scene of yet another deadly shooting. One person was killed, and four others were critically wounded yesterday, but police say the carnage could have been much worse if parishioners had not stepped in, in a truly remarkable way.

CNN's Camila Bernal is in Laguna Woods, California, just Southeast of Los Angeles. So Camila, what are you learning about this latest shooting?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kaitlan, good morning.

We are still waiting for a press conference, expected earlier this morning, but, look, the undersheriff calling these churchgoers heroes.

This is a community that, once again, is waking up feeling less safe. Governor Gavin Newsom releasing a statement that said, in part, "No one should have to fear going to their place of worship."

And I would add that no one should have to stop a shooter at their own church, and yet that's exactly what members of this congregation did.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (voice-over): A group of churchgoers preventing even more bloodshed after a gunman opened fire at a church in Laguna Woods, California.

UNDERSHERIFF JEFF HALLOCK, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: We believe a group of churchgoers contained him and hog tied his legs with an extension cord and confiscated at least two weapons from him.

Reporter: the shooting was reported at 1:26 p.m. At Geneva Presbyterian Church, where its sister congregation, the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, also meets regularly. By the time deputies arrived, the suspect was already hogtied.

[06:10:03] HALLOCK: It's safe to say that, had people not intervened, it could have been much worse.

BERNAL: Despite their efforts, one person was killed at the church. Authorities say four others were taken to the hospital with critical injuries, another with minor injuries. Those injured ranging in ages 66 to 92.

Investigators say the shooting took place at a lunch banquet held after the morning service.

CYNTHIA CONNERS, LAGUNA WOODS MAYOR PRO-TEM: The Taiwanese service usually starts before 10:30. I don't know if it starts at 10:15 or 10 a.m. It usually gets out around 11:30, maybe a little after, and then they move to their lunch. They always have a social time afterwards.

BERNAL: According to the sheriff's department, 30 to 40 people witnessed the shooting. The FBI bringing in linguists Sunday afternoon to help interview witnesses.

CONNERS: We'll see what we can do to meet with the members of the congregation and try to make sure that the Asian members of our community feel as safe as all the other members of our community, although I would have to say, I think we all feel a little less safe today.

BERNAL: The suspect, taken into custody, is believed to be an Asian man in his 60s, who went to the church with two handguns. Authorities say they do not believe he lives in the area.

At this point, they have no motive and have yet to determine if the shooting is hate-related.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL: Now, the motive is going to be key here in terms of the charges. We are waiting on the why, because that will determine whether or not this shooter is going to face federal charges.

We are also waiting to hear about the victims. The names have not been released, so we are waiting for that update from authorities -- Kaitlan.

COLLINS: It's amazing to see the resourcefulness of those parishioners who were there at the time of the attack. Camila Bernal, thank you.

Up next, we'll have more on the deadly racially-motivated attack in Buffalo, as a local pastor who knew some of the victims will join us.

BERMAN: And then we have a closer look at the absurd notion of replacement theory, this fringe creation by white supremacists that has, in some ways, seeped into the mainstream.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:16:38] COLLINS: This morning a tight-knit black community in Buffalo is left grappling with their grief and anger after a racist attack took the lives of a grandmother, a son, a daughter, a father and many more.

Joining us now is Ulysees O. Wingo Sr., who is a city of Buffalo common council member and the pastor of Antioch Baptist Church. Many of his congregants shopped at the supermarket where this attack took place.

And Ulysees, thank you for joining us this morning. I know that it has been a crazy 48 hours for you, but I also know that you know several of the families who lost loved ones because of this shooting. What can you tell us about what you've heard over the last two days?

ULYSEES O. WINGO SR., CITY OF BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL MEMBER/PASTOR OF ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH: Well, first, Kaitlan, thank you for having us on the show. We really appreciate the condolences that were shared.

And I want to express my personal condolences to all of the families who experienced this tragic loss here in our great city.

The families who have lost have had their family members ripped from them. And this is just clear to the rest of the country that racism, white supremacy still exists and is a threat to black folks in America.

We have to continue to band together as a country, as a community and ensure that we eradicate that type of thinking, that type of philosophy and that type of hatred which took family members prematurely from their loved ones.

BERMAN: It's deadly evil, and it's spelled out in plain words in this case, Pastor. I know you've had a chance to speak -- Ruth Whitfield was the eldest of the victims, 86 years old, you know, out shopping. Have you had a chance to speak to her family?

WINGO: I did briefly see her son, the former fire chief here in the city of Buffalo. We embraced and no words were shared, because there are no words that could possibly bring any type of consolation to the families who have lost.

And in these times, we just try to ensure that there is action behind the love that we have for our fellow neighbors and residents and citizens and parishioners and members. We just try to make sure that we have a ministry of presence and that ministry of presence is there to let them know that we are there for them.

But furthermore, we try to make sure that they know that we love them through our actions. And that's by partnering with different organizations, especially Tops to ensure that the community's needs are still taken care of.

COLLINS: And one question about that. This store where this took place, it was so vital to so many people in the community, which it had been referred to before it was built and placed there as this kind of food desert. And so just how critical was this store to the community? And what are people supposed to do now, given of course, it's going to be closed while this investigation is under way?

WINGO: Well, just a couple of years ago, we worked very closely. My associate pastor at my church, Rev. Kiefman Fayton (ph), he has been involved with a lot of the work that we did here in the community as he was vice president of Tops Friendly markets.

And just a couple of years ago, we made sure that this Tops was suitable. What I mean by that is making sure that they provided the same quality service on this side of the city than they do on other sides of the city.

[06:20:06]

And because of that, we established great working relationships with the executives at Tops. And with those relationships, we have been able to ensure that there's a Tops refrigerated bus on the East side of Buffalo, particularly in the Masten district, to ensure that we continue to touch those families who are experiencing this food desert.

And yes, the East side of Buffalo is a food desert. In my district particularly, there is no grocery store at all. So this Tops was it. And that's why we partnered with the executives at Tops to ensure that the folks in my district at least had access.

And now we're making sure that not only do they have access to quality foods and foods that need to be refrigerated, but also we're looking to make sure that their prescriptions get delivered, as well as this store delivered prescriptions to these residents here in the city of Buffalo on the East side.

BERMAN: Pastor, Aaron Salter was a security guard on duty inside Tops. He may have saved lives by firing on this suspect. He lost his life. You know, he was a former Buffalo police officer, well-known in the community.

What can you tell us about him and just the apparent act of heroism?

WINGO: Mr. Salter was a hero. Had he not did what he did, we believe more lives would have been lost that day.

I have made an appeal to ensure that we posthumously reinstate Mr. Salter to ensure that he receives a hero's farewell, because had he not been there, more lives would have been lost.

And the community knows Mr. Salter. I've had several encounters with him in my time as a council member and in my time shopping at this very Tops. He was beloved by the community. He was a great person, a wonderful personality. And anyone who knows him would tell you nothing different.

COLLINS: I mean, he absolutely deserves something like that for the role that he played in this. And you've seen that in what people have said after it, talking about how he tried to stop the suspect here, the shooter here. Ulysees Wingo, we are so sorry that your community is going through

this, but we do thank you for joining us this morning to tell us what it's been like to be there in the last 48 hours or so.

WINGO: Thank you. And I'm just asking that the community of the United States please pray for all of those who have lost in this tragic event.

And if you particularly are not trying to eradicate white supremacy, if you are not particularly trying to eradicate racism, then I implore you to get on board with the rest of the country in this showing of love and support to the community here in Buffalo that was devastated by this tragic event.

Thank you, Kaitlan, again, for having me and continue to, please, lift us up in prayer.

COLLINS: Absolutely. It's a powerful message. Thank you.

Up next, we're going to talk about the baseless conspiracy theory that is driving so many of the shootings like this one. White supremacists created it, and now it has become more mainstream in some parts of the media and in the halls of Congress.

BERMAN: Plus, a new intelligence report that Russia has lost one-third of its forces in Ukraine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:27:55]

COLLINS: This morning authorities say that an online screed that was authored by the gunman in Saturday's racist attack in Buffalo reveals he was fixated on the so-called replacement theory, the idea that white people are being slowly but intentionally replaced by minorities and by immigrants. The concept was once a fringe theory, but now established politicians are embracing similar ideas.

CNN's Sunlen Serfaty joins us now on how exactly this has made its way into the mainstream -- Sunlen.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kaitlan, we have certainly seen multiple racially-motivated attackers reference this fringe notion of replacement theory, but increasingly, we are seeing members of Congress, prominent Republicans and far-right media embrace elements of it, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You will not replace us!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You will not replace us!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You will not replace us!

SERFATY (voice-over): What was once a fringe white supremacist conspiracy theory has now become mainstream.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jews will not replace us!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jews will not replace us!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jews will not replace us!

REP. BRIAN BABIN (R-TX): We know what the Democrats are up to here. They want open borders. This is exactly their strategy. They want to replace the American electorate.

SERFATY (voice-over): With a growing number of Republican lawmakers now openly promoting the far-right so-called "great replacement theory."

REP. SCOTT PERRY (R-PA): For many Americans, what seems to be happening, or what they believe right now is happening, is what appears to them is we're replacing national-born American, native-born Americans to permanently transform the political landscape of this very nation.

SERFATY (voice-over): The racist anti-immigrant theory that says nonwhite immigrants are being brought to replace America's white population.

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): This administration wants complete open borders, and you have to ask yourself why. Is it really they want to remake the demographics of America?

J.D. VANCE (R), OHIO SENATE CANDIDATE: Democrat politicians who have decided that they can't win reelection in 2022 unless they bring in a large number of new voters to replace the voters that are already here. That's what this is about.

SERFATY (voice-over): The white nationalist conspiracy theory is detailed in French writer Renaud Camus's 2011 book, called "The Great Replacement."

And elements of replacement theory appear to have motivated some of the most heinous recent mass murders in the U.S. and around the world.

[06:30:00]