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Kirk Burkhalter is Interviewed about the NYC Shooting; Judy Hamilton is Interviewed about FEMA Funds; New Study on Cognitive Function in Older Adults. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired July 29, 2025 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

BRETT MCGUIRK, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: The Hamas leadership in Doha was ready to accept a deal, and the guys in Gaza said, no. The guys holding the hostages said, no, let's harden our positions. So, Hamas is the opposite to a deal.

Second, Hamas does benefit directly in some ways and indirectly from the flow of aid. None of that matters. You have to get aid flowing, because if you don't, what happens is you play into the hands of Hamas. All attention now, and that polling that was just showed by John, it's all -- all focus now is on Israel and not on Hamas.

So, this has been a real catastrophic decision, that blockade earlier this year. It was a mistake. It's being fixed.

On the talks, John, you need a concerted international effort to try to get this done. And who has influence over Hamas? It's Qatar, it's Egypt, it's Turkey. I read this morning, Hamas leaders are on their way to Turkey. I hope we're talking to President Erdogan. Hamas, accept this deal, get this ceasefire in place, get relief to the people of Gaza. That is the fastest way out of this. And you just got to stay at it and try to get this done every single day.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: As I let you go, Brett, I just want to note, you write a column for cnn.com, which really gives a unique perspective on negotiations utilizing your expertise in a way that really -- you're one of the few people on earth who's got this insight. And you've got a new column up, "The wars Trump promised to end are escalating. Why?" And you introduced me to a new term, "zopa." zone of possible agreement. I look forward to talking to you about that going forward, but everyone needs to go check out what you're writing on cnn.com because it's extraordinary.

Thanks, Brett.

MCGURK: Thank you.

BERMAN: All right, the breaking news this morning, new reporting on the hours before a gunman killed four people in a New York City high rise.

And a fighter jet forced to make a last minute dip during an air festival with hundreds of thousands of spectators. Why he had to react in just milliseconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:35:45]

BERMAN: All right, new information about the deadly shooting inside a midtown Manhattan office building. Police say a gunman opened fire, killing four people, including an NYPD officer who had two children and whose wife was pregnant with their third.

Now, this building includes corporate offices for a number of businesses, including the National Football League. Investigators say the 27-year-old gunman left a suicide note claiming he suffered from the brain disease CTE and listed his grievances with the NFL.

Just moments ago, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the gunman was targeting the league and took the wrong elevator.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK CITY: From our preliminary investigation, he took the wrong elevator bank up to the NFL headquarters. Instead, it took him to Rudin Management. And that is where he carried out additional shootings and took the lives of additional employees.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: With us now is Kirk Burkhalter, a 20-year veteran and former detective with the NYPD and a professor at New York Law School.

Professor, great to see you this morning.

We were just talking to John Miller, discussing what the gunman intended to do. And there was a level of deliberate action here. He drove all the way from Nevada. But on the other hand, it seems disorganized and confused at the same time. Getting in the building, maybe wanting to target the NFL, but getting in an elevator, going to the wrong floor. What do you see here?

KIRK BURKHALTER, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE AND PROFESSOR, NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL: Sure. Well, both can be true. Just because the gunman took such deliberate action doesn't mean he was proficient at it.

Now, first and foremost, this was wildly deliberate. This man drove over 2,500 miles across the country. If he drove straight, it would take over 36 hours. So, there's a high level of premeditation and deliberation. He had plenty of time to contemplate his actions and so forth. But this doesn't mean that he was proficient at any form of tactical planning. Didn't even necessarily know the exact layout of the building. If what is reported is -- turns out to be accurate, taking the elevator up to the wrong floor. This is not unreasonable to believe, though, because clearly psychological issues, blaming the NFL for his head trauma, when he never even played professional -- or appears he never played college football. So, while he was certainly unhinged, he had the motive and intent here, but just was unable to execute whatever type of plan he had in the fashion that he envisioned.

BERMAN: Professor, I think what sent chills down the spines of many New Yorkers yesterday evening and into the night was the picture of this man walking across a plaza, casually it seems, into an office building carrying a long gun. It's just not an image -- and we have it up on the screen right now -- it's not something you ever see. You know, we haven't seen something like this in Manhattan.

What questions does this raise for you about security in high rises, of which there are so many in this city?

BURKHALTER: Well, broadly speaking, security in our high rise buildings tends to be effective. It's effective in its execution of its purpose. The purpose of security is to challenge people who enter the building and to assist the occupants of the building and evacuating the building and keeping them safe from all types of hazards.

The purpose of security in a building, it's actually not to confront armed folks who enter the building. There are just not enough people available with that type of training and who are licensed to carry firearms to go around.

What's also interesting, you mentioned the photo. A good friend of mine, who is also a retired police officer, just mentioned to me, think about how many New Yorkers bury their heads in their cell phones. You know, there's a question of, how was he able to just walk so freely into the building and no one said anything? Well, the next time you go outside, look at how many folks are just looking at their phones and text messages and emails and so forth, and not necessarily pay attention -- paying attention to their surroundings.

[08:40:05]

But I don't think we have necessarily an issue with security in our high rise buildings.

BERMAN: There are a lot of what ifs. I mean, one of the what if questions is, what if Officer Islam, who was off duty but working in uniform, security in that lobby, what had he -- what if he had not been there confronting the gunman as he walked in, with just a sidearm, right? A sidearm against that long gun.

BURKHALTER: Absolutely. He was unfortunately outmatched as far as firepower. And even Officer Islam, while he's there, he was there doing security, that doesn't mean that one believes they're always going to be under imminent danger from an armed attack. I say that as someone who worked 20 years in law enforcement, as much as I tried to stay vigilant, I'd be lying if I said for all those 20 years, every minute of those 20 years, I believed I was going to be the victim of an armed attack. Not to mention, Officer Islam was working to supplement his income. So, it's just a tragic all around.

And these types of shooters usually succeed because of the element of surprise and the fact that no one necessarily believes that someone was going to commit this type of attack at that particular point in time.

BERMAN: Professor Kirk Burkhalter, again, thank you for joining us and sharing your expertise on this. And our thoughts are with the family of Officer Islam this morning.

BURKHALTER: Thank you.

BERMAN: The man accused of injuring 11 people during a stabbing spree at a Michigan Walmart appears before a judge. What we are learning about the charges he could face.

And a town struggling to recover from a flooding disaster say they have been denied much needed federal relief funds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:55]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, Maryland Governor Wes Moore is slamming the Trump administration's decision to deny FEMA funding to his state. So, this is in response to devastating flooding back in May. The governor had asked the federal government for millions of dollars to rebuild severely impacted roads, bridges and also buildings in two counties.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR WES MOORE (D-MD): I told the Trump administration directly that I thought this decision was petty, that it was partisan, and that there was no basis for it.

It is unprecedented for a governor of Maryland to be able to put in for emergency disaster federal relief, especially when we not just hit the criteria, we exceed the criteria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: A FEMA spokesperson telling CNN, when we had asked about this, that it worked closely with Maryland officials to evaluate the request for aid, noting, quote, "this decision, just like all disaster requests, was based on policy, not politics."

Joining me now, the mayor of one of those Maryland towns hit very hard by this historic flooding is Judy Hamilton, joining us from Westernport.

Madam Mayor, it's good to have you with us this morning.

I see your town was hit hard. I mean there was clear devastation in so many areas of the town. What is your understanding of why this FEMA request was denied? Was it policy or was it politics?

MAYOR JUDY HAMILTON, WESTERNPORT, MARYLAND: We really wasn't given a clear understanding. We are hoping it was not politics. During emergency disasters, politics should not play a part in it, regardless of what party you are associated with. We're very confused as to why it was not approved. We were hopeful, but that, unfortunately, we are -- we are going to fight and do the appeal process.

HILL: We mentioned, you know, some of the things that the governor had -- had put in, in terms of that request. I mean this is directly what you saw in Westernport. We're talking about roads that are damaged that were taken out. I know a number of residents had severe damage. They are trying to get hot water heaters replaced. They're trying to get the damage in their homes and businesses fixed.

Where does all of that stand given that these FEMA funds are not going to be coming through, at least as of now?

HAMILTON: We have one road that is currently closed down. Without those FEMA funds, we're looking at a long period of time before it can be repaired. The town just doesn't have the income to do that. That road is a main road that is used by approximately eight to 10 first responders to respond to emergency calls. Without the use of that road, they have to go a different route, which will add time on to the emergency response. So that is -- you know, that is a concern of the town.

The bigger concern is our residents. Most of these residents lost their furnaces. We've been working with the Department of Social Service, county, United Way and several agencies that have made wonderful donations to supply appliances and hot water tanks. But the greatest concern right now is winter is approaching and these homes are going to be without heat.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. There's also a certain level of -- of -- of PTSD, frankly, that comes after people have survived an event like this every time it rains. And I imagine that is really weighing on the community.

HAMILTON: Absolutely. We have had residents that have stated, you know, as soon as it starts to rain, my anxiety goes through the roof. You know, they're down there checking those basements. They're checking the water levels. So, there definitely -- definitely is a lot of anxiety in the town with weather issues right now.

HILL: The governor -- you were with the governor, I believe, on Sunday, as well as with some other lawmakers. He had said, of course, he's appealing the decision. Did he have any updates for you over the weekend?

HAMILTON: He just assured us he would fight. The governor, Governor Moore, has been there with me since the night it happened. He called me at 11:00 p.m. the night of the flooding as I watched the town flood, and he assured me he would be with us and he would help us get through that. And he has held true to that promise. He's visited several times. He has been in contact with me. He's -- he's been very helpful for the town of Westernport, and we appreciate everything that he has done.

HILL: Mayor Judy Hamilton, thank you for taking the time to join us this morning. And I hope we can stay in touch because I would like you to keep us updated on the progress there for Westernport and hopefully maybe some funding coming through. Thank you.

Tragedy at a youth sailing camp as a sailboat crash kills two children, others left critically injured. New details on how some of the sailors managed to survive.

Plus, paging Dr. Gupta. A healthy diet and exercise, turns out it's not just good for your heart. Dr. Gupta here with a closer look at how it impacts your mind.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:55:03]

HILL: Authorities this morning are investigating what led to a deadly crash between a sailboat and a barge off the coast of Miami Beach. Police say a seven-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl were both killed in that crash. So, the sailboat was carrying five children and a counselor from a youth sailing camp. They all fell into the water and were pulled out by rescuers. Two other young girls are in the hospital this morning. They are in critical condition.

The suspect, accused of stabbing nearly a dozen people at a Michigan Walmart arraigned on Monday. The 42-year-old man pleaded not guilty to one count of terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder. If convicted, he is facing life in prison.

And a close call at an air show in northern Spain, where a fighter jet pilot was forced to swerve in midair to avoid a flock of birds. Spain's air force says the pilot reacted in milliseconds to prevent a possible impact. More than 300,000 spectators were watching as this all played out.

John.

BERMAN: That is bonkers there.

All right, a new study presented at this week's Alzheimer's Association's International Conference shows a healthy diet and exercise, not just good for your bones and muscles, but also your brain.

CNN chief medical correspondent, also the author of "Keep Sharp, Build a Better Brain at Any Age," Dr. Sanjay Gupta is with us now.

Sanjay, explain what this study found.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, I think the headline here, John, and the sort of, I think, very inspiring thing in the world of Alzheimer's research, is that 40 percent roughly of people who develop dementia could prevent that dementia from actually progressing or even developing in the first place. That's -- that's extraordinary, John.

I mean, I think we think that way about heart disease. Most people believe, hey, look, I have some control over whether or not I get heart disease. I think we can definitively say that now about brain disease like Alzheimer's.

So, this was a U.S.-based study. Just over 2,000 people, ages 60 to 79. And these were people who were healthy, cognitively, not living the best lifestyle. Pretty sedentary. Things like that. At increased risk of dementia. And what they found was that with these lifestyle interventions, including improving diet, mediterranean-like diet, regular exercise, 30 minutes a day, computerized brain training, socialization, they were able to dramatically reduce their risk of developing dementia. And even more so if they were in a structured program versus just trying to do it on their own. If you actually signed up for classes, if you had some support, you could dramatically change the trajectory of getting dementia in the first place, or having it progress if you did.

BERMAN: Having it progress if you did, which gets to my next question, Sanjay, is -- is -- is what does the science say at this point on people who might already be in the early stages of Alzheimer's or some dementia?

GUPTA: Yes. So, this is -- this is early. I'll preface by saying that. But also very exciting. Spent some time working on this documentary, John. You may remember "The Last Alzheimer's Patient" focused on this study from Dean Ornish (ph). And they basically looked at people who had been given the diagnosis, to your point. They had been given a diagnosis of Alzheimer's cognitive impairment, and they were put on a 20-week program. So, not that long. And the program was -- was fairly intensive, a vegan diet, which I think was the hardest for a lot of people. Again, the daily exercise, strength training, stress relief, online support sessions. And they also had a pretty significant supplement list, which we can put on the screen. People can take a picture of this supplement list, which I thought was really interesting.

But when they did that, again, they found people who had been given the diagnosis of dementia, or early onset Alzheimer's were actually able to reverse those symptoms. Test normally on cognitive exams a few months later.

So, early days, John. But I think, again, the metaphor in some ways is to start thinking of these neurodegenerative diseases the way we used to think about heart disease. We used to think, hey, man, either you're going to get it or you're not. Not much you can do about it. We know that's not the case. And I think we're going to be saying the same about Alzheimer's.

BERMAN: Yes, I mean, early days, but -- but really hopeful also, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Yes.

BERMAN: Because, as you say, I think all those of us who are not getting any younger by the day want is some element of control over this.

GUPTA: Yes.

BERMAN: And so, you can have some influence. What else are the big takeaways from all this data?

GUPTA: That -- look, that -- that is the big takeaway for me as well is that there are things you can do. I think people thought it was preordained.

You know, John, I have a strong family history of Alzheimer's. When I was making the documentary, I went through some of these programs that we're talking about that are now featured in these studies. When I first got tested, my numbers weren't great, to be honest. I was surprised by this. But then I went through the program. And listen to what Dr. Richard Isaacson said to me just a few weeks into the program.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. RICHARD ISAACSON: Your numbers went from eh to now working faster and better than your age. And you're actually six years younger than -- than your age.

GUPTA: Six years younger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:59:59]

GUPTA: Six years younger, John. I mean, look, I'll take that when it comes to brain health. No new meds. No new interventions. No new therapies. That was all just based on lifestyle changes alone.

BERMAN: Wow.