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One World with Zain Asher
Australian Leaders Vow to Toughen Gun Laws After Shooting; Rob Reiner's Son Arrested Following His Parents' Deaths; Trump Ridicules Rob Reiner Hours After Director's Death; Manhunt Underway for Gunman in Deadly Brown University of Shooting; Jewish Community Mourns Victims of Bondi Beach Shooting; Israelis Voice Sorrow, Frustration After Bondi Beach Attack. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired December 15, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Right, coming to you live from New York. I'm Zain Asher. You are watching "One World". Want to begin in Australia,
where hundreds are paying tribute to the victims of the country's deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades.
Mourners held a vigil and laid flowers at a makeshift memorial at Bondi Beach, one of Australia's most iconic locations, at least 15 people were
killed. The victims were from multiple generations, from a 10-year-old girl to an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, dozens more were injured.
The shooting happened Sunday as a celebration was underway for the start of Hanukkah, that is the Jewish festival of lights. People say the shooter,
police say rather, the shooters were a father and son duo. They opened fire from a bridge near the famous beach. The father was killed by police at the
scene, and his son, right now is in hospital.
Mass shootings are very rare in Australia, it's worth noting, which does have some of the world's toughest gun ownership laws already, but now the
government is promising that they'll make them even stricter. But the shooting came amid warnings of a rising tide of antisemitism. The prime
minister called it a dark day for the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of terror, an act of antisemitism, an attack on
the first day of Hanukkah, targeted at the Jewish community, a dark day in Australia's history, on what should have been a day of light.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Right. Let's bring in our colleague, Lynda Kinkade, who joins us live now from Atlanta. I mean, Lynda, this is deeply unsettling, extremely
tragic. I mean, obviously this should have been a time of celebration for the Jewish community in Australia, as they celebrated the first day of
Hanukkah, but obviously it's turned into mourning and grief.
And I think what is especially tragic about this is, yes, of course, this is the worst mass shooting terrorist attack, rather that we've seen in
Australia's history, but also the fact that some of the victims were very, very young. You think about the fact that a lot of children celebrate
Hanukkah. One of the victims is 10 years old. Walk us through it, Lynda.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, the victims 10 to 87 that is the age range. You mentioned the 10-year-old Matilda. She's a young girl. She came
to Australia with her parents. They were Russian immigrants in Australia. We are also learning about Peter Ma. He was a local football manager at the
Randwick football club.
They wrote a beautiful statement on the website saying that he was an absolute legend who served as a manager, a referee and a volunteer. We've
also heard about a French citizen, Daniel Elkayam, who was originally from Paris, who was working in Sydney as an engineer and his former director at
the engineering school in Paris described him as a student who was bursting with talent.
There is also the Holocaust survivor who you mentioned, 87-year-old Alex Kleytman, who apparently died shielding his wife from bullets. Two rabbis
also among the dead, and of course, the 40 who were still injured in hospital, including a young constable who had just been working in the
police force some 18 months, he's currently in a stable condition, Zain.
ASHER: Right, Lynda Kinkade, live for us there. Thank you so much. Sydney is one of the main hubs of Jewish life in Australia, the majority of the
country's Jews live either there or in Melbourne. One rabbi there, is vowing to press on with Hanukkah celebrations despite the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEVI WOLFF, RABBI, BONDI CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE: As a Jewish people, we will not be silenced. As a Jewish people, our light will not be dimmed, and the
holiday of Hanukkah will remind us and the world that a little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness, and what we need to do is add in our light.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:05:00]
ASHER: Dionne Taylor works for Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, which advocates for Australia's Jewish community. She described a scene of
horror at Bondi Beach and a sense of anger that some feel about the government's response to antisemitism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIONNE TAYLOR, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER OF THE AUSTRALIA/ISREAL & JEWISH AFFAIRS COUNCIL: It's an iconic tourist destination, and it is buzzing with
people. And last night, when we had the Hanukkah celebration, there were more people there because of the celebration.
Thousands were there to celebrate the lighting of the first candle, and there was a bar mitzvah in close vicinity, and everyone was just full of
joy and excitement of what has been a really hard two years of antisemitic attack month after month. And when this unfolded, people went into panic,
and we are now hearing the most tragic stories.
As you mentioned, a Holocaust survivor has died, number of rabbis, a 10- year-old little girl passed away. Today, it's just absolutely heartbreaking. Our government has been particularly weak in enforcing any
of the laws that they have, and the prime minister has received the special envoy to combating antisemitism recommendations.
And he received that numerous months ago as a recommendation, and he took it and considered it and has not enacted it. And the Jewish community and
some media have particularly Sky News Australia have been calling out the government's weak leadership and basically wanting them that look what like
-- what happened last night was inevitable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Amid the violence and the grief, there is also a story of immense courage captured in incredible video footage of the bystander who risked
his life to stop one of the gunmen. You can see him running towards the gun fire here, and managing, somehow miraculously, to disarm the gunman and
take the gun from him.
That's the bystander, the heroic bystander there, and the white t-shirt ends up pointing the gun at the attacker. That is the father he's pointing
at. The premier of New South Wales said his bravery, no doubt, saved countless lives, and U.S. President Donald Trump also paid tribute on
Sunday as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A very, very brave person, actually, who went and attacked frontally, one of the shooters, and
saved a lot of lives. So very brave person who's right now in the hospital, pretty seriously wounded. So, I great respect to that man that did that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The man in question has been identified as Ahmed al Ahmed pictured here in hospital with the New South Wales Premier. He's a father of two who
has lived in Australia for about 20 years, the son of refugees who had themselves just arrived in Australia from Syria.
They told Australia's national broadcast that their son had been shot several times in the shoulder. The country's Former Prime Minister Malcolm
Turnbull says he represents the best of Australia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MALCOLM TURNBULL, FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: You know these two terrorists. They do not represent Australia. Mr. Ahmed, who tackled one of
the terrorists, you know, 42-year-old green grocer from Sutherland who tackled one of the terrorists and brought him to the ground. He represents
Australia far more, vastly more than anyone that is filled with hatred.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Right, Breaking News in CNN. CNN has learned that Rob Reiner's son has been taken into custody after the killing of his mother and father. Rob
and Michele Reiner were found dead at their home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles on Sunday. I want to get straight now to Josh Campbell, who is
tracking this shocking discovery from LA. What more do we know about the son's arrest in this?
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: A major development in this investigation, obviously, the Los Angeles Police Department had been
investigating. They're on the scene of the Reiner's home here in Los Angeles after both of the bodies were discovered Rob Reiner, as well as his
wife Michele. A law enforcement source told me last night that a family member was being interviewed by police detectives in connection with this
incident.
We are now learning, according to jail records, that it is the couple's son who is now in custody in a Los Angeles jail. Now the court the arrest
records do not indicate what the charge is right now, but we know that he is being held on a felony charge and is being held on $4 million bail.
And so, you know this kind of tracks with what authorities were saying yesterday, that they weren't actively looking for a suspect. They said that
there was a lot of investigative work that they still had to do. This was being investigated as an apparent homicide, so a death caused by someone
else, not suicide, not an accident.
And again, the big development there, we're now told that the couple's son is now in police custody. We're still waiting additional details, whether
he is actually cooperating with authorities, whether he's provided any information or certainly, you know, confess to anything that may have
occurred here, those details still unclear.
[11:10:00]
Working our law enforcement sources to gather that information. Meantime, we're hearing this outpouring of support from fans of the globally famous
director Reiner, obviously an actor himself as well. We're hearing from those in the Hollywood industry. We're hearing from politicians as well,
because he was indeed involved quite extensively in political activism.
And so just you know, obviously something that is causing grief among the community, those fans that loved him. He's obviously known for so many
films that now people, quote, even to this day, that really run the spectrum, are really, you know, rock star in Hollywood. Now, obviously this
tragic news.
Now he, excuse me, he and his wife have now died. That homicide investigation continues, Zain.
ASHER: So many questions here. I think the first one is, what sort of evidence is there that there is a possibility, and obviously the son has
just been arrested at this point, we believe he's being questioned by police. But what sort of evidence is there at this stage and I need to be
careful with my words that the son may, may have been involved here, Josh?
CAMPBELL: Yeah, you know it's unclear. We do know that last night, Los Angeles police detectives were still waiting to get a search warrant to
actually process the scene. When authorities first arrived, including paramedics, authorities were able to do a cursory search of what had
occurred, but in order to try to charge someone.
This is now, if this actually turns out to be some type of murder charge in connection with the death, there's going to be a prosecution. And that's
when authorities really have to get it right. They have to gather any evidence that they can. They have forensic teams that process the home top
to bottom.
If this was indeed something that was caused by some kind of weapon, some kind of instrument, they would try to look for that. And here the Los
Angeles County Coroner, this is the medical examiner. They're the ones that ultimately determine how someone actually died, and that's after a lengthy
process their information, you know, they can look at a body to determine if this is consistent with some type of wound that was inflicted by someone
else.
And so that information is then turned over to detectives at for their evidentiary purposes, and then that leads to a possible prosecution. So,
we're still very much early in the stage. Authorities haven't released any details about what they've actually found in the house, but we know that
the process and continues at this hour.
ASHER: Right. Josh Campbell, live for us there. Thank you so much. I want to bring in Ed Davis, the Former Commissioner of the Boston Police
Department, who also joins me now. I mean, obviously this is a stunning turn of events you have. First and foremost, major Hollywood director and
actor Rob Reiner, his wife found dead in their home.
Police said from the get go that it was likely a homicide, and now you have the son being taken into custody by police being arrested. Just you know,
as somebody who's worked for the Boston Police Department for many years, your take, first of all, just in terms of this new development.
ED DAVIS, FORMER BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONER: Well, these are very difficult cases, crimes of passion within a family, you really hate to
see something like this happen, and it's almost a personal loss, because we all grew up with Rob Reiner and his father, Carl.
They're famous icons in the television and film industry, and so people are feeling this one. But whenever you see a son charged with this type of an
incident, there's usually some psychological issue or drugs somehow involved in it? And you know, not only is it a tragedy that a son is
arrested and charged with the murder of his father or mother or his wife, but you also have the brothers and sisters that get affected and torn apart
by the thing.
It really is very, very difficult, as far as the officers who are responding to the scene and seeing the outcome of this kind of an
unmitigated violent attack.
ASHER: I mean, for the son to be arrested in this kind of situation, I was just speaking to our Josh Campbell about this, you know, the kind of
evidence. I mean, obviously the investigation is still ongoing, but explain to us what investigators at this stage might be looking at, what are the
types of things that they might be looking at?
How does the investigation proceed from here in terms of questioning his son, the types of questions he's going to be asked right now?
DAVIS: Right. Well, when they arrive on scene, they're certainly going to secure the scene and make sure that it is as pristine as possible for the
forensic investigators to get in there, take photographs of what the scene looked like, measurements, any kind of evidence of weapons that are there.
[11:15:00]
They're also, at a very early stage going to look at security systems, not only in the house in question, but also in the neighborhood. They'll be
downloading whatever evidence shows who was coming and going from that house. So was the suspect there when the bodies were discovered, had the
suspect fled, those are all things that are really the initial responsibility of those primary detectives that arrive on the scene.
Sometimes there's an abundance of evidence that point directly at the suspect. Other times, you have to eliminate evidence or eliminate other
potential suspects. So, we'll see what happened in this particular case. It's all speculative, but video evidence is extremely important.
Then they'll go to sell your phone evidence and things like that after finger prints and blood evidence, it's a lot to do. A lot of hard work has
to be done.
ASHER: The fact this is such a high-profile homicide case, you know, this is one of the most iconic directors in Hollywood, hugely famous. How does
that affect the number of resources that will be dedicated to this case?
DAVIS: Well, you, first of all, you're dealing with the LAPD, a very professional, well organized and enormous department. So, the fact that
it's someone famous doesn't truly affect the assignment of people to this, the robbery homicide unit out there is famous for their ability.
Chief McDonnell is a well-known and respected police chief. There will be an appropriate response to this. The difference in a case like this is the
media crush is obviously going to be something that has to be contended with. So, there'll be more people dealing with the public information side
of this.
But as far as the core police work and forensic work and in the investigation, that's happening that's really going to be taken care of in
a manner that's appropriate to any homicide.
ASHER: All right. Ed Davis, thank you so much. Appreciate your perspective. Rob Reiner's work had an extraordinary range from romantic comedies, like,
for example, "The Princess Bride" and "When Harry Met Sally" to Stephen King's adaptation, "Stand by Me" and "Misery". Stephanie Elam looks back at
the life of a Hollywood Titan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROB REINER, AMERICAN FILM ACTOR AND DIRECTOR: I've often said, you know, no matter what happens to me, I'll always be, you know, I could win the Nobel
Prize. They'll say Meathead wins Nobel.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rob Reiner needn't have worried. Yes, he was known for playing Meathead on "All in the Family", but
his career had a remarkable second act as a successful and versatile film director from the mid-80s to the early 90s, Reiner had a phenomenal run
directing a diverse range of films. He practically invented the mockumentary with his musical comedy, "This Is Spinal Tap".
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you can see.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The numbers all go to a 11.
ELAM (voice-over): There was the Stephen King coming of age story, stand by me, and the modern fairy tale, "The Princess Bride".
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father prepared to die.
ELAM (voice-over): And the classic romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally", which had that famous line delivered by his mom, Estelle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll have what she's having.
ELAM (voice-over): Another Stephen King adaptation, "Misery" earned an Oscar for leading lady Kathy Bates. Well, his military courtroom drama, "A
Few Good Men" had this famous exchange between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want the truth. You can't handle the truth.
ELAM (voice-over): Rob, son of TV comedy pioneer Carl Reiner found it a challenge to step out from his father's shadow.
REINER: Getting in the door is important but having staying power and being able to sustain a career, at least on the level of or exceed your famous
father and mother, is very, very difficult. I mean, you're under an enormous pressure and scrutiny.
ELAM (voice-over): He first earned fame in his own right as the liberal Mike Stivic on the ground breaking 1970s TV sitcom, "All in the Family".
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just don't like the idea of America fighting an illegal and immoral war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, if they don't like it, they can lump it.
ELAM (voice-over): Stivic's arguments with his conservative, bigoted father-in-law, Archie Bunker, were a hallmark of the show as they debated
politics, social and cultural issues through comedy.
The show earned Reiner two Emmy Awards.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The subjects you took on and the way that you approached them, and we're talking the 70s, were unheard of in television at the time.
REINER: Yeah, right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How much resistance did you all get from CBS?
REINER: Tremendous resistance. At first, when the first, the show first came on, they had a huge disclaimer that preceded the show. It was
basically the show doesn't reflect the views of the network blah blah. Basically, it was saying, we don't know how the show got on.
[11:20:00]
ELAM (voice-over): Like his "All in the Family" character, Reiner was passionate about progressive candidates and causes. He supported Democratic
presidential candidates and was an advocate for free preschool education. Reiner would occasionally step back in front of the camera for small roles
in films like "Sleepless in Seattle".
REINER: Tiramisu?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is tiramisu?
REINER: You'll find out.
ELAM (voice-over): Rob Reiner was a character in his own right with an enduring body of work that reflects his generation's humor and passion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: While the tributes to Rob Reiner from across Hollywood have been glowing. U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen instead to criticize him
the day after his apparent homicide in a Truth Social post in the last hour, Mr. Trump refers to Reiner as a once very talented director, and
claims without evidence, that it was quote, Trump derangement syndrome that led to his death.
Rob Reiner was actually an outspoken Democrat and famously did not support the U.S. President. I want to bring in White House Reporter Alayna Treene.
I mean, obviously we know that Donald Trump can be irreverent to say the least, but just the timing of this, the fact that you have an iconic and
beloved Hollywood director and actor found likely murdered in his home, and this is how the U.S. President responds. What's been the reaction to that,
Alayna?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah, it's a very incendiary message from the president, Zain. And just to get into a little bit more of
what he said, he seemed to argue that the death of both Reiner, but also his wife Michele, stemmed from what he called was Trump derangement
syndrome.
Of course, we are still learning all the facts in this case, and the most recent news is that this couple's son has been taken into custody. Look
Reiner was a long time Trump critic. He once called the president mentally unfit for office. He was someone who was a very big and famous democratic
fund raiser.
And today we've seen messages from several high-profile Democrats, from the Former President Barack Obama to the Former Vice President Kamala Harris,
to the Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, all of them sharing messages of adoration, but also sadness upon his passing.
But we also have heard a lot of criticism in response to what Trump posted this morning, in response to all of this, one of them being from his own
Republican colleague, although I should note this is someone, he butts heads with, often a Republican congressman, Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
He came out today saying that regardless of what your opinion is of the Reiners of Rob Reiner, specifically, regardless of any relationship or lack
thereof that they have had previously, this type of message, he said, should be condemned by Republicans across the board.
And Massie actually called on his fellow Republicans to come out and criticize the President's response to the death of the Reiners this
morning. And so, like I said, and you put it as well, Zain, a very incendiary message, and particularly on an issue that, of course, is
incredibly sensitive, as police are still trying to figure out what exactly happened into what they are calling a homicide investigation.
ASHER: Right. Alayna Treene, live for us there. Thank you so much. Right, still to come, a hunt for a suspect enters a third day as the community
mourns another deadly mass shooting in the U.S. Why police released the person of interest that they had arrested, after the break.
Plus, sorrow and frustration among Israelis following the terrorist attack at Australia's Bondi Beach. We have live report on the reaction from
Jerusalem as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:25:00]
ASHER: A renewed manhunt is now underway for the shooter in the deadly Brown University attack in Rhode Island. The gunman killed two people and
injured nine others inside the engineering building on the Ivy League campus on Saturday. Investigators released this surveillance video saying
they're convinced they're searching for a lone shooter.
Officials also explained why police released the person they initially had in custody.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER NERONHA, RHODE ISLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL: Certainly, there was some degree of evidence that pointed to this individual, but that evidence
needed to be corroborated and confirmed and over the last 24 hours leading into just, just very, very recently, that evidence now points in a
different direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: More on this, let's go to Providence, where we find our CNN Correspondent, Brian Todd, who's standing by. So, the one sort of piece of
video evidence that they are looking at is this surveillance video. It's about 10 seconds long, and you see a man all clad in black, walking away,
but you don't actually see his face, Brian.
You just see the back of his head, which obviously makes it very, very tricky for police to locate this particular person. We don't necessarily
know if he was necessarily involved in the shooting, but obviously they do want to question him.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Zain, the Police Chief, Oscar Perez, said last night in a news conference that person in that video
you're describing, quote, is the person we're looking for. But right when the police chief said that, the Attorney General of Rhode Island, Peter
Neronha, just immediately said, but it's a person of interest, there are a lot of unknowns in the case.
So that person in the video, according to the police chief, is the person they're looking for the shooting, but the attorney general said it's a
person of interest. I also just spoke to another police commander for the Providence police, who said, who told me they're looking at other persons
of interest as well.
But he reiterated, these are not hard suspects. These are based on initial tips from the public, and that this is all very initial. Again, police are
saying that they are I've been told that they're hitting the streets. They're on this case. They have a lot of leads that they are working at
this hour, but it's the video evidence that they say they're really looking for.
That 10 second clip of the man walking around the corner, dressed in dark clothing with no real visible look at his face. They say that's pretty much
the best piece of video evidence that they have. The Attorney General Peter Neronha was asked about, you know, don't you have any other video from
inside the building?
That's the engineering building over my left shoulder there where the shooting took place. He said, basically, there were not many cameras in
that building. It's an old building attached to a new building. There weren't many cameras. The Mayor Brett Smiley said that they have reviewed
all the video evidence from inside the building, and that it frankly, was not very much help to them.
They are pleading for the public, anybody in this neighborhood, to come forward with any possible video they might have from this area, from around
that time. They're looking to try to piece together the suspect's movements. But right now, they do seem to be back to square one, again,
saying, Zain, the mayor saying that, quote, we have no way of knowing whether the suspect is in Providence or in the state.
And yet they're still saying we don't believe there's an enhanced threat to the public. Those seem to be messages that might conflict with each other,
but they are saying there's no need for a lockdown, there's no need for a shelter in place. They are confident that the public can feel safe, but
they say they do not know where the suspect is, Zain.
ASHER: Yeah, I mean, you have to think that students at Brown University right now. I mean, knowing that the suspect is still on the loose and has
not been detained must be absolutely terrifying. Brian Todd, live for us there. Thank you so much. Sydney's Jewish community is in mourning after
this weekend's deadly mass shooting there.
We'll update you on the investigation just ahead. Plus, his films have produced some of the most often quoted lines in movie history. We'll look
at the legacy of Rob Reiner.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ASHER: All right. Welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher in New York. Here are some of the international headlines we are watching for you today.
Rob and Michele Reiner, son, Nick, has been taken into custody on an unknown felony charge. His bail is set up $4 million.
A family member discovered the couple dead at their home in Los Angeles on Sunday. LAPD detectives are investigating the deaths as apparent homicides.
The Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island says a shelter in place is not recommended at this time after deadly mass shootings at Brown University
this weekend that killed two people and injured nine others.
He says there is no specific additional threat to the community as the hunt for the suspect enters a third day. Media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found
guilty on national security charges in a landmark trial in Hong Kong. Lai is one of the highest profile critics of Beijing to be charged under
security laws imposed in 2020.
After pro-democracy protests, his sentence could be as much as life in prison. A JetBlue flight heading to New York narrowly avoided a midair
collision with a U.S. military plane off the coast of Venezuela on Friday. JetBlue pilot told air traffic controllers that the Air Force refueling
tank across its flight path and did not have its transponder turned on.
U.S. Air Force has not yet made any comment on the incident. People in Sydney are in mourning after the worst mass shooting in Australia that the
country has seen in nearly 30 years. Hundreds gathered Monday to pay tribute to the victims of the horrific antisemitic attack on Bondi Beach.
Police say at least 15 people were killed and dozens injured in a shooting on the first night of Hanukkah. Flowers and candles were laid at a memorial
site near the scene of the shooting, the Israeli flags also among the tributes left behind.
[11:35:00]
CNN's Will Ripley is in Sydney with the latest on the investigation.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, the authorities have been very busy. In the immediate hours after the attack, they went to
a house here in Sydney, and police raided that house. They ended up bringing out three people, two women, one man, believed to be family
members of this father and son.
The father moved here to Australia back in 1988. He came first on a student visa, and then around the year 2001 that was transferred to a partner visa.
His son was born here, and his son went to school here. His son, reportedly at one point, was studying the Quran and studying Arabic with a teacher
here who has actually gone on Facebook to publicly condemn this act of violence and distance himself, disassociate himself from this young man.
No idea, authorities say, yet, at least not publicly, how these two were radicalized. In addition to raiding that house, where the family members
were taken out and briefly detained and then they wouldn't return to their home, and they basically have closed the blinds and been camped out in the
house all day, the police went to an Airbnb, a rental property where the father and son were believed to be staying in recent days.
Neighbors told us that the tactical police came basically ordered everybody in that house to leave. People that were staying at the rental house. There
were five or six different separate rooms that were rented out separately. They had to pack up their belongings and get out.
We know that the father was killed on the scene. There's that video of a very heroic Muslim, unarmed bystander, basically without any consideration
for his own safety, just approaching the father as he held the rifle in his hand, grabbing it from him, pointing the rifle at him, not firing, but
getting the father to walk away and go back to that bridge over there where his son was.
That's where he was. The father was shot and killed by police. The son was shot and critically injured, but he is at the hospital, expected to survive
and being closely guarded by police at this hour.
ASHER: Members of the Israeli parliament have expressed their sorrow over Sunday's deadly attack on the Jewish community in Australia. The Knesset
building in Jerusalem lit up with the colors of the Australian flag Sunday night in memory of those victims. There's also a lot of criticism of the
Australian authorities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Australian government failed to heed his call to stand up to antisemitism. Joining us now from
Jerusalem is Jeremy Diamond. So, Jeremy, one of the other things that Netanyahu talked about, essentially blaming Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese, saying that his calls and his support for a Palestinian state may indeed have fueled antisemitism in his country.
I mean, obviously, Netanyahu is making this political. What has been the reaction to that, but also to the tragic events that unfolded on the first
night of Hanukkah in Australia?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, well, listen, we have obviously heard a lot of comments and concern from Australian Jewry, who
have said that they felt like antisemitism had been rising in Australia, that their concerns about a potential attack had gone effectively unheeded
or not to the degree necessary, and many were shocked but not necessarily surprised that an attack had finally come to pass.
But the Israeli Prime Minister himself has gone much further than any of those concerns, trying to draw a direct and straight line between the
Australian government's policy to recognize a state of Palestine, which happened back in September, and the attack that took place on Sunday.
The Israeli Prime Minister saying that he blamed those policies for encouraging antisemitism in Australia, and he accused the Australian Prime
Minister directly, of replacing quote, weakness with weakness. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the
cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action. You let the disease spread, and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we
saw today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: The Australian Prime Minister, for his part, denied in an interview with Australian Broadcasting, any link between this attack and
his decision to recognize a State of Palestinian in responding to the Israeli Prime Minister's comments, he said that he's focused on promoting
unity and bringing Australia together as a nation.
We also heard from Israel's Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, who said that Australia had been warned about potential attacks, but no Israeli officials
have said that there was any concrete intelligence about an impending attack in the way that there was on Sunday, for example.
It's also important to note that the Israeli Prime Minister, you know, while he is drawing a connection here between Australian government policy
regarding a State of Palestine and this antisemitic terror attack.
[11:40:00]
You know, there have been other antisemitic attacks that have happened in the past and countries that both have and have not recognized the State of
Palestine. And in those cases, the prime minister did not draw that same connection between those countries governments, policies and those attacks
that unfolded.
But in this case, the prime minister clearly choosing this moment to make a point here and also to it would seem deep in this feud that has been going
on for several months now between himself and the Australian Prime Minister, Zain.
ASHER: All right. Jeremy Diamond live for us from Jerusalem. Thank you so much. All right, still to come on "One World", what police investigators
are looking for the deadly Brown University shooting as the hunt for a suspect continues for a third day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Right, media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty in a landmark national security trial in Hong Kong. Lai was one of the highest profile
critics of Beijing after a series of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. He was charged under a sweeping National Security Law imposed on the semi-
autonomous city back in 2020.
Lai was found guilty on two national security charges as well as a lesser sedition charge. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout has more from Hong Kong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After 156 days, a verdict for Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai, guilty of sedition and two counts of
colluding with foreign forces. Lai is the most high-profile critic of Beijing charged under the national security law that was imposed on Hong
Kong in 2020.
The trial has been widely viewed as a measure of the city's shrinking freedoms under Chinese rule. Lai had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
STOUT: CNN was in court for the ruling, and Jimmy Lai appeared calm, wearing glasses, a blazer and a light green sweater. At one point, he
raised his hand and smiled at his wife and one of his sons, who was sitting behind me in the gallery alongside Cardinal Joseph Zen, another outspoken
critic of the Chinese Communist Party.
When the verdict was read aloud, Jimmy Lai, wearing headphones, looked straight ahead and there was complete silence in the court.
STOUT (voice-over): Lai founded the now defunct Apple Daily, once Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy newspaper, which regularly challenged the
government.
[11:45:00]
He was a fixture at antigovernment protests that brought Hong Kong to a standstill in 2014 and was considered by many as a father figure to Hong
Kong's pro-democracy movement.
JIMMY LAI, HONG KONG MEDIA TYCOON: I think it's a good idea any time any situation that you are in, to fight for freedom, because without freedom,
you have nothing left.
STOUT (voice-over): Scores of people, many supporters of Lai, stood in line for a chance to witness the verdict. Some even sleeping overnight outside
the court building to secure a spot. Security was tight, with police officers and vehicles out in force. The trial has attracted global
scrutiny, with the U.S. and other countries demanding Jimmy Lai's release.
Weeks before he was arrested, Lai appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for help. An administration official told CNN that Trump raised Lai's case
for Chinese Leader Xi Jinping during their talks in South Korea earlier this year. Chinese authorities have warned repeatedly against foreign
interference.
Hong Kong's government insists that Lai has been given a fair trial, and Beijing is backing that.
GUO JIAKUN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN: The central government firmly supports the Hong Kong special administrative region in lawfully
upholding national security and punishing criminal acts that endanger national security.
STOUT (voice-over): Jimmy Lai has been in prison for the last five years. His family concerned that incarceration is taking its toll. The Hong Kong
government says Lai has been getting regular medical checkups and is receiving quote, suitable treatment and care. Lai left court in a prison
van.
He now awaits sentencing. Collusion with foreign forces is punishable by up to life in prison at 78 years old. Life for Jimmy Lai would most likely
mean life. Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Right. He made some of the most powerful and best loved movies ever. Now the entertainment world is saying goodbye to Rob Reiner and his wife
Michele. Just ahead, we'll have an update for you on their tragic deaths.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Right, more breaking news into CNN. Brian Walshe has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife. The verdict was
read in Massachusetts courtroom just a short time ago, you see Brian Walshe being led out there in handcuffs.
[11:50:00]
Walshe could now face life in prison without the possibility of parole. We will bring you more on that story as soon as we get it. Right, our other
breaking news is our CNN has learned Rob Reiner's son has been taken into custody after the killing of his mother and father.
According to jail records, Nick Reiner faces a felony charge, and his bail is set up four million dollars. Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead at
their home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles on Sunday. Tributes to them have been pouring in. Many of them honored their political activism and
their impact on popular culture.
Former President Barack Obama wrote about Rob Reiner on social media, saying together he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will
be remembered for the values that they championed and the countless people that they inspired. Sean Astin, the President of SAG-AFTRA, the Actors
Union, says Rob Reiner is one of the most significant figures in the history of film and television.
The impact he made on American culture cannot be overstated. Let's bring in Entertainment Journalist, Michael Musto from "The Village Voice". Michael,
thank you so much for being with us. I wish you were speaking under better circumstances. Obviously, a lot of people in Hollywood are shocked and just
so saddened by this news of Rob Reiners passing and not to mention the fact that it was a homicide, not to mention, on top of that, his son has now
been taken into custody.
But when you think about some of the films that Rob Reiner is famous for, you know, "The Princess Bride", "Stand by Me", "When Harry Met Sally", one
of the things that surprises me the most is that these movies are in such different genres. You know, he made so many movies that were not just in
one lane.
Just talk to us about his impact and how hard that is as a director to make so many era defining movies that were completely across the spectrum from
each other?
MICHAEL MUSTO, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: That's so true. And in fact, Rob's father Carl Reiner, was best known obviously, for comedy. But Rob not only
did comedy, he did rom com. He did courtroom dramas, like "A few good Men". He did "Misery", which is one of the most chilling Stephen King adaptations
where Kathy Bates went cuckoo and held her idol captive.
It seemed like there was nothing that Rob Reiner could not do as a director, and he had already proven himself as a two-time Emmy winning
actor on all in the family. You'll remember he was so maybe you won't remember he was Archie Bunker's daughter's husband, an ultra-liberal
student who wasn't getting employed, and he didn't really get to tell a lot of jokes, not "All in the Family".
But Rob was still very adept as a straight man and proved himself to be a valid actor. Went on to an amazing directorial career, and was also very
beloved. They even called him the unofficial mayor of Hollywood, because he knew everybody and loved connecting people, carrying them together on
projects that they were suited for.
ASHER: You know, it's interesting because, you know, you think about Rob Reiner and his legacy in the 90s and the 80s, just in terms of some of some
of the movies he directed, it's hard to keep up that kind of a momentum for your entire career. I mean, obviously things sort of slow down later.
But he sorts of redefined himself as this outspoken political activist, which you know, a lot of famous people, actors, directors, that is a big
risk for them to do that, to jump into being such vocal political activists. Obviously, he was liberal, he was Democrat, but he was also an
outspoken critic of the president, of U.S. President Donald Trump.
You know, how much did he risk by doing that? And just talk to us about how his legacy isn't just defined by his talent as an actor and a director, but
also trying, in his own way, based on his own political views, to make the world better?
MUSTO: As you say, his career kind of went cold as a director. He hit a few road bumps, had a few flop movies, and of course, in Hollywood, that's all
it takes one or two flops and your yesterday's potatoes. And as you also said, he really brilliantly redefined himself as a fiery liberal, which he
had already been doing.
His wife Michele, who sadly was also murdered, was very instrumental in propelling Rob farther and farther into the political fear, making him more
and more outspoken. He was taking huge risk, career wise and in every other way by being so outspoken, he held nothing back.
He was obsessed, and I really had to admire the fire behind his viewpoints. Rob Reiner hated injustice and wanted to solve all the bad things in the
world and make them good. And of course, he couldn't, but that was a certainly admirable mission. And I think more actors should be as vocal --
ASHER: I remember the first time I watched "When Harry Met Sally", and I never quite seen anything quite like it.
[11:55:00]
You know, I was, I'm not going -- weren't my age, but I was very young at the time, and I just remember thinking, I've never quite seen anything like
this movie. Talk to us about how this particular movie completely reshaped and redefined the romantic comedy? And also, how his background as an actor
may have helped him as well as a director?
MUSTO: Well, it was written by Nora Ephron, and it starred Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. And though it was written by Ephron, it really incorporated
elements of Rob Reiner's real-life friendship with Billy Crystal that was worked into the script. It was extremely witty, likable --
And I think the most famous scene of that movie, and of many a movie is Meg Ryan simulating an orgasm in a restaurant, only to have the woman at the
next table say, I'll have what she's having. And you know that woman was Estelle Reiner, who was Rob's mother.
ASHER: Who doesn't remember that scene. Michael Musto, he will be, you know, his legacy lives on, obviously somebody, he will never be forgotten,
and certainly multi-talented in so many different arenas. Michael Musto, live for us there. Thank you so much for joining us. We have much more
ahead on the second hour of "One World" after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
