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NYPD Officer Killed in Office Tower Mass Shooting; Trump Prepares to Return to D.C.; Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) is Interviewed Maxwell and the Education Fight. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired July 29, 2025 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: GUPTA: 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.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Wow. I mean that's extraordinary, because I have to say, you're a pretty healthy guy who uses your mind quite a bit already.

GUPTA: I think we can all optimize. And the interesting thing is physical movement probably has the greatest association with brain health, more so than crossword puzzles or other things. So, keep that in mind as well.

BERMAN: I do, as we stand up for this entire show.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, great to see you, as always.

And head to cnn.com and send us your questions on lifestyle interventions and Dr. Gupta will be back later this week to answer all of them.

A brand-new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: An NYPD officer and three others killed when a gunman opens fire inside a busy Manhattan office building. What the New York City mayor is saying about the gunman's intended target, as we also learn terrifying new details of workers running out, glass shattering from rapid fire, and also the shooter's history of mental health issues.

Returning home. President Trump set to board Air Force One in just a little bit as he finishes his trip to Scotland. The president ready to move on, of course, from the Jeffrey Epstein case, which is waiting for him at home. And those questions following him around the globe.

Plus, a final bid to convince the jury. Closing arguments begin today in the trial of a Colorado dentist accused of murdering his wife with poisoned protein shakes.

I'm Erica Hill, with John Berman. Sara Sidner and Kate Bolduan are out. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

And we do have breaking news this morning. New details in the mass shooting here in New York City that left four people dead, including an NYPD officer. New York City Mayor Eric Adams now says the gunman may have been targeting the NFL. The shooter was caught on surveillance carrying an M4 assault style rifle into the midtown office tower, where the NFL's corporate offices are located. The mayor says that this guy had a note on him expressing grievances with the NFL, and that he intended to go to the league's offices but took a wrong turn.

This is what he just said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK CITY: He did have a note on him. The note alluded to that he felt he had CTE, a known brain injury for those who participate in contact sports. He appeared to have blamed the NFL for his injury.

He, 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: Now, the NFL did say in a staff memo that one of its employees was seriously injured. Investigators have identified the gunman as a 27-year-old from Los Angeles. They say he drove all the way across the country from Nevada to carry out this attack.

The officer who was killed has been identified as 36-year-old Didarul Islam. He had two young sons and his wife is pregnant with their third child.

Overnight, police lined the streets outside the hospital as Officer Islam's body was transferred.

We want to get to CNN's Omar Jimenez, who is at the scene this morning.

The streets, once again, busy. But, Omar, behind you, you know, when that truck moves, you very much can see the aftermath of this attack.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, you know, we're getting into rush hour here in New York City, one of the busiest corporate areas of the city in particular. And we've been sort of going back and forth between the offices that are behind me. You're right, there is a truck right there. But the building behind that truck, you can see the flags are at half-staff right now. That was something that was ordered by the mayor because, as you mentioned, one of the people killed in the shooting was in New York City police officer that was working off duty security detail at the time of the shooting.

But some of the details we've heard from -- from the mayor really tie into the timeline that we knew leading up to this, in that around rush hour, around 6:30 or so, that's when calls started coming in. This person walked into those offices and just started shooting, killing three people in the lobby alone. That's where that police officer was killed.

And then, as we're hearing from the mayor, potentially taking a wrong elevator bank up to the 33rd floor, where this shooter killed another person before turning the gun on himself.

As you mentioned, one of the people shot, an employee of the NFL, which whose offices are in there. That person expected to be OK.

You mentioned the 36-year-old, Didarul Islam, the police officer that was killed, father of two, family expecting a third. We also know that Blackstone, the investment firm, has an office there. And one of their employees was killed in this.

[09:05:04]

We actually were getting a statement from the company that said, "we are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePatner, was among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident here. Words cannot express the devastation we feel. Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed."

And those are the types of sentiments that at least the families of these four people are trying to deal with and grapple with in this first morning after this shooting actually unfolded.

We heard a little bit from the mayor before you came to me, but prior to this morning, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that there was a note found on the body of this shooter, talking about CTE, of course, that's typically brought on by head trauma. We know this person played football when he was younger, not at the NFL level.

Now, while that is not necessarily being declared a motive at this point, why that's important is we've heard from police that this person has a documented mental health history. So, this is likely something that would fit into what is an ongoing investigation to get into that particular motive.

But again, in the weeks and months to come, a lot of people here are going to be figuring out how to move forward without their loved ones, John.

BERMAN: Yes, which, of course, is what we should be thinking of this morning, the unspeakable tragedy that took place right behind you.

Omar Jimenez, thank you very much.

Erica.

HILL: So, I'm joined now by CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, John Miller, and CNN's senior national security analyst, Juliette Kayyem.

It's good to see you both.

So, John, I'm not sure that you slept overnight. You, you know, working your sources from the minute this -- this story first began during the commute home last night. Where is the investigation this morning? And especially when it comes to trying to piece together the why of it all.

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: So, what we have with the gunman is, we've got the beginning of his life, born in California, spent time in Hawaii, comes back to California, living in Las Vegas. But the beginning is all about football. I mean, when you go into his social media, he is reliving his, you know, junior varsity high school career. His -- his football player of the game, you know, player of the month. That seemed to be a very big part of his life.

We know the end of the story. We're missing the middle. We know he worked as a security guard. We know he got a security guard license in California. That he had a security job in Las Vegas. That he got a private investigators license. That he obtained a concealed carry permit. So, we know he was trying to find his way in the security business.

But somewhere -- but between the beginning, which was all about football, and the end, which was all about his perception that an injury he thinks he may have received during his, you know, childhood football career was the animus that brought him to the NFL building and ended up in the wrong office, killing innocent people and wounding others as he went. We still have some to fill in.

Really, today, the story will shift to the victims. You have that Blackstone employee, serious loss to a company that occupied so much of that building. You have a woman who worked for Rudin Management who apparently was executed as he came into the offices when he got off at that 33rd floor, before he went down a floor and killed himself. You have, of course, the story of the police officer. And think about this, Erica. Three and a half years on the job. He's in the 47th precinct. That is a very busy and sometimes very dangerous precinct in the Bronx.

HILL: Yes, I was going to say, that's not midtown Manhattan.

MILLER: That's right.

HILL: Yes.

MILLER: And the fact that working a day off on a paid security detail in a Park Avenue lobby, I guarantee you that was the safest thing he did all week. What could possibly go on in the lobby of a Park Avenue tower that's, you know, headquarters to corporate America. But this is part of being a police officer, which is anything can happen anywhere, anytime, anyhow. And he was caught in that terrible moment, you know, which is a real loss.

HILL: Yes, a real loss and a sobering reminder, as you point out, for those folks who go to work every day. Juliette, as you look at this, there are questions about the security,

about how this unfolded. You know, double parked his car. You know, as John noted earlier this morning, you double park your car in Park Avenue, within five minutes you're getting it towed. But the sort of purpose and the calm as this person was walking in. When you're looking at potential security issues, what stands out to you moving forward?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: So -- and this is all the questions that -- that one has to ask so that these buildings are better fortified, not simply that there's blame or necessarily blame.

[09:10:00]

One, I -- I was surprised how little perimeter security there seemed to be as you're -- as he's heading into that office. Of course, we always recognize that there's security guards at the -- at the -- at the door. There's -- or inside the door because they're taking your driver's license before you can get into the elevator bank. But he -- if he's breached that already, then, of course, there's almost no ability to -- to stop him once -- because he got on the

elevator bank.

In fact, the fact that he committed suicide is -- is, honestly, fortuitous, because we don't know how easily it would have been for him to just get onto a stairwell, go to the 32nd floor, 31st floor. So, that's what we look at. And as John said also, the car factor. When you leave a car, generally, I -- we all have experienced that, there's a lot of police presence that surrounds you.

The second is -- is -- is, of course, the potential target. We're going to be very careful here. He self-describes as -- as something related to CTE. And, obviously, the NFL was in this building. So, people -- investigators are putting two and two together, if that was the target.

In this way it's a little bit like UnitedHealth. I mean in the sense that someone has a grievance and is going after a corporate target. We don't know who the target was at the NFL, but this is something that has been scaring corporate entities, and institutions for that matter, in -- in terms of the kind of violence that they could face directly for a harm that people perceive is exacerbated by that company.

HILL: Juliette, John, appreciate your expertise, as always. Thank you.

John.

BERMAN: All right, a new demand for transcripts of the interview between the deputy attorney general and Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted of conspiring to sexually abuse minors with Jeffrey Epstein. This as the president adamantly refuses to rule out a pardon.

And the new contrast between President Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the starvation crisis in Gaza.

And Hall of Famer Deion Sanders reveals a cancer diagnosis he even kept from his children. What he now says with stunning candor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:16:18]

HILL: Happening now, President Trump preparing to return to Washington as he wraps up his trip to Scotland. That trip coming to an end after meetings with Scotland's first minister this morning. There was, of course, the sit down with the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Also the announcement of a major trade deal with the European Union.

Through it all, though, also a number of questions about the president's past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny joining us now from Edinburgh, Scotland.

So, those questions not going away. They will be coming back with the president when he returns to Washington today. He really couldn't escape them, even overseas.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Erica, good morning.

Could not escape them and decided to actually talk pretty -- in more depth than he has before about Jeffrey Epstein. He answered questions yesterday from reporters in a very open-ended fashion, and filled in some of the gaps and raised a few more questions about his long relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. He said he broke off that relationship in the early 2000, nearly two decades ago, a little bit more than that actually, because Epstein was stealing his employees. We have never heard that explanation before.

He also talked about how he had never been, in his words, had the privilege to go to the island that Jeffrey Epstein had and invited so many to. So, there's no doubt that with a congressional action happening, it dividing the MAGA movement, the president will certainly continue to ask and, you know, and answer these questions.

But it was the topic of Russia, and it was the topic of Gaza that really was the, you know, some of the most consequential headlines of this trip, giving Russia a deadline of ten days to 12 days. So, that is going to be coming up here. Will he follow through with that. If Putin does not respond, will he issue those secondary sanctions?

But on the golf course this morning, as the president was opening a new Trump course here, he had this to say about what's waiting for him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And then I go back to D.C., and we put out fires all over the world. We did one yesterday. As you know, we stopped a war. But we stopped about five wars. So, that's much more important than playing golf.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ZELENY: So, clearly, President Trump there talking about stopping wars. He was referring to a Cambodia at that point. But the to do list for the president, certainly Gaza (INAUDIBLE) Russia as well and those Epstein questions also coming.

But the president is still on the golf course as far as we know, Erica. He'll be heading back to Washington in a couple hours.

HILL: All right, Jeff, appreciate it. Thank you.

John.

BERMAN: All right, with us now, Congressman Jake Auchincloss, a Democrat from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Congressman, thanks so much for being with us.

You and every other member of the House sent home early for your summer recess, rather than take any votes regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Since you were sent home, the president has adamantly refused to rule out a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell.

Where does that leave you and Congress and the House in terms of this investigation?

REP. JAKE AUCHINCLOSS (D-MA): Well, John, as you said, Speaker Johnson and House Republicans would rather leave unfinished business on the table than have to cross the president, even when he is corrupt. We have bipartisan bills on housing, on fentanyl, on drug pricing, that we could pass this summer. We could pass this week if the speaker wanted to. But instead of working for the American people, he wants to protect the president. And it feeds into this perception that there's one set of rules for the powerful, and there's another set of rules for everybody else.

[09:20:05]

And in Trump's America, that's true. Whether that's Brad Smith, the billionaire who worked with the health insurance corporations, who actually ran Health and Human Services for 100 days, and changed regulations and reimbursement rates to hook up his own investors. You know, whether it's the crypto investors and Trump meme coin, it's just one giant grift. And this is the latest incarnation of it.

BERMAN: Congressman, your district borders Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Harvard University is. You're a Harvard grad. A lot of Harvard employees work inside your district. "The New York Times" is reporting this morning that Harvard is considering an agreement with the Trump administration similar, but with some differences, to that of Columbia University, where Harvard could pay twice as much as Columbia paid. The money might not go to the federal government. It's not clear where it would go.

How would you feel -- I don't know if you're a donor to Harvard -- but how would you feel about, you know, donations that you made to Harvard going to pay off in some way the federal government? AUCHINCLOSS: I'm not going to speak to specifics that don't yet exist.

I will underscore some principles. And the principles are that Harvard, like all universities, needs to be an independent, truth seeking institution, which means that it should not be captured by progressive orthodoxies, nor should it be bullied by authoritarian impulses. And Harvard was captured, I think, by ideological homogeneity on the left. And it does have an issue with antisemitism. Those need to be addressed. But it also cannot be bullied by the MAGA movement. And Harvard needs to chart that independent course. To date, I think the president, Alan Garber, has been doing a respectable job of that. And so I'm going to withhold judgment until I actually see what a deal looks like.

BERMAN: All right, fair. We'll come back to you after there is an announcement, if there is one.

I happened to listen to and read the transcript of an extended interview you did with the paper of record, "The Boston Globe." And a lot of the discussion was about the future of the Democratic Party. And one of the things that you said is that what ails the Democratic Party can't be fixed by 2026, by the midterm elections. You just called the ideological homogeneity of the left there. That was a term you used to describe Harvard. But I imagine it's a term that could also be used to describe some of the Democratic Party.

I want to know what you think is going well for the Democrats right now, but first start with what you think the Democratic Party hasn't fixed yet.

AUCHINCLOSS: It's encapsulated in the school closures of 2020. In 2020, May, Ashish Jha, who would go on to be Joe Biden's Covid coordinator, said the schools can and should safely reopen. May of 2020, John. In most blue cities and blue states, it took another 18 months. And the impacts of those school closures have been profound and devastating. Twenty-five million American school children who are now behind grade level in reading and writing.

And Democrats in that process were too focused on process for process sake and on -- on meeting interest groups, as opposed to on delivering outcomes that families cared about, which was getting their kids back into school. And then when parents expressed frustrations, I think too many Democrats were condescending or even patronizing about it. That encapsulates where I think the party has gone off the rails. And we need to own that, and then we need to fix it. We should surge one on one tutoring to every student in America. I've seen it in my own district. It's working wonders. We should build a thousand trade schools. And you know who should pay for it? The social media corporations that have been attention fracking our children and who have made hundreds of billions of dollars since the pandemic dragging our kids down digital rabbit holes.

BERMAN: Attention fracking is not a term I had heard before, but it does -- it does make you think.

When you talk about then what's going right with the Democratic Party, what do you think the Democratic Party should focus on leading into the 2026 midterms, and is Jeffrey Epstein on the top five issues?

AUCHINCLOSS: Jeffrey Epstein is a stand in for the larger perception of corruption and corporate capture that has defined the Trump presidency, and Democrats need to be the party that is working for the middle class and the working class who don't have super PACs or corporate PACs or lobbyists. But they should have the Democratic Party, as Senator Elissa Slotkin has said.

And the key issue for them going into 2026 are these health care cuts that are going to raise the cost of health insurance across the board. Not just for people who have Medicaid. I want to be clear, for everybody, OK. And health insurance premiums have already been going up twice as fast as wages over the last 20 years. It is asphyxiating the middle class. And combined with housing, these two sectors are making it harder and harder for Americans to climb up the ladder of economic mobility. Democrats need to be laser focused on affordability and housing and health care.

BERMAN: Congressman Jake Auchincloss from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we appreciate your time this morning. Thank you very much.

All right, you can see there, look at those streets after days of relentless rain.

[09:25:04]

More than 30 people now dead from this in China.

This morning, Israel has airdropped aid into Gaza. This comes as we have seen images of Palestinians scrambling for aid. And U.N. officials are calling it the worst case scenario of famine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Just in, Israel says 52 aid packages have been airdropped today into Gaza in coordination with Arab nations.

[09:30:05]