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Crippling Winter Storm; NTSB Announces Findings on DCA Crash; Administration Sidelines Gregory Bovino. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired January 27, 2026 - 13:00   ET

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

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: CNN has new details on the ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed in Minneapolis over the weekend. We're now learning that Saturday's incident was not his first encounter with federal agents.

Plus, it's almost one year to the day that an Army helicopter and a passenger jet collided over the Potomac River, killing 67 people, and now federal investigators are laying out what went wrong and how they hope to prevent anything like this from happening in the future.

And could more dangerous winter weather be on the way? This is an unwelcome question, as the brutal cold hits a wide swathe of the country and as hundreds of thousands of people remain without power.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

Hello. I'm Brianna Keilar in Washington.

And we're following breaking news on the immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Minutes ago, President Trump telling reporters that border czar Tom Homan is now in Minneapolis and meeting with Democratic leaders today after the shooting death over the weekend of Alex Pretti.

The president was asked if he thinks Pretti's killing by federal law enforcement was justified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Do you believe that Alex Pretti's death was justified?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, you know, we're doing a big investigation. I want to see the investigation. I'm going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KEILAR: CNN is also now learning that, about a week before his death, Pretti suffered a broken rib when a group of federal officers tackled him while he was protesting their attempt to detain other individuals.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has the breaking details on this.

Priscilla, what have you learned?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to sources who spoke with me and my colleague Jeff Winter, we are learning about this encounter that Pretti had with federal agents a week prior to his death.

Now, we have learned more about what occurred over this incident, and we're told by sources that he had stopped his car when he saw ICE agents chasing what he described to sources as a family and began shouting and blowing his whistle.

In that incident, he was then tackled by five agents, and one of them leaned on his back. That left him with a broken rib. This is according to the sources we have spoken with. And one of the sources said -- quote -- "That day, he thought he was going to die."

Now, Pretti was later given medication consistent with a broken rib, according to records that we have reviewed here at CNN. So this tells us that there was an incident that happened prior to Saturday. We are also aware that federal immigration officers are collecting personal information of protesters and agitators that they interact with.

Now, federal law enforcement appears to have known about Pretti prior to Saturday, but that doesn't mean that the agents who tackled him on Saturday knew about him. Now, recall that part of this collection of information is -- comes within the context of the Department of Homeland Security repeatedly warning that their officers are under threat over the course of these operations.

In fact, just this morning, the department publicized an online tip form for people who are allegedly harassing ICE officers. Now, I did ask the Department of Homeland Security for a statement.

And I received the following -- quote -- "There is no database," something we have heard from other officials. "When our law enforcement encounter a violent agitator who is breaking the law, obstructing law enforcement, or assaulting them, our law enforcement make records to advance prosecution. This is not groundbreaking. It is standard protocol."

And what I mean by that database having come up before is that White House border czar Tom Homan has said that there would be a database created for those arrested for interference.

Now, in all of this, it doesn't indicate that Pretti was ever arrested, so much as he had this interaction, this encounter a week prior that left him with that broken rib. So we're learning more details about him, but also telling of the dynamic that has been the case on the ground in Minneapolis. KEILAR: And Homan is now in Minneapolis. He's had a number of

meetings. Tell us about that.

ALVAREZ: Yes, he has met, as you saw there, with the governor. Of course, the president himself dispatched Tom Homan to go there to try to smooth over the tensions.

The White House is describing his role as managing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Look, this does come as a relief to some Homeland Security officials because he is a veteran Immigration and Customs Enforcement official, that is, that he has deep experience in interior enforcement and targeted arrests.

[13:05:08]

So we will see what that means practically on the ground, but he has, he being Homan, taken a bit of a different approach than Bovino, who we know and saw did more broad immigration sweeps in multiple cities across the country that became controversial and clearly hit a tipping point in Minneapolis just in the last few days.

KEILAR: Homan not without controversy himself, of course.

ALVAREZ: Also true.

KEILAR: Priscilla Alvarez, thank you so much for that excellent reporting.

Happening today, the NTSB holding its final public hearing on one of the most complex investigations in its history, and that is the collision between a commercial jetliner and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people over Washington, D.C., exactly a year ago this Thursday.

The NTSB revealing not just one mistake here, but, rather, systemic failures that led to the deadliest U.S. air disaster in more than two decades. And they also showed these simulations that replicate the perspectives from each aircraft and air traffic control.

This is the view from the helicopter, the green circle representing night-vision goggles and the field of vision from that, the red dot you briefly saw Flight 5342. If you look to your left, 5342 suddenly appears. Then the clip goes black, which is the indication of the time of the crash.

Let's turn now to CNN transportation analyst Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general for the Department of Transportation.

Mary, the NTSB chair, Jennifer Homendy, talking about failures of an entire -- of entire organizations here. And then there were these rather revelatory simulations of the crash that we saw from different perspectives. What did we learn today?

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN TRANSPORTATION ANALYST: Well, I mean, just a shocking systemic failure, just as you termed it. I mean, when I was inspector general for years, I investigated and

found FAA to be lacking, but the missteps and the failure to do their jobs and in some cases failure to even know who was supposed to do the jobs, the particular jobs at the FAA, was really shocking, everything from, for example, they didn't really know who was supposed to review the airplane routes in and out of D.C.

And that was supposed to be done every year to see if they kept up with the traffic. They -- not only did they not do it. They didn't even know, the FAA didn't know who was supposed to do it. The FAA sent the wrong person to the prior NTSB hearings. The person couldn't answer any questions.

The traffic increased dramatically and also changed. There's virtually no general aviation traffic, so it's big aircraft. And that makes that reliever runway, Runway 33, almost useless. The NTSB went into various equipment problems, that there is equipment available right now that would have given the crew 20 seconds of warnings, but it's not required, even though it's available.

And just now, they have moved into the failures of the Army and the helicopter. They started with the FAA and the limitations on equipment. And now they're looking at the failures of the Army. I do expect it to go all day.

And the chairperson and other members have already indicated there will be many recommendations at the end of the day. And I expect a good many of them will be aimed at the FAA, who clearly did not do their job. It must be tragic for the families to hear.

KEILAR: Oh, no doubt.

And, Mary, here's the NTSB describing the moment of impact.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRICE BANNING, SENIOR NTSB AVIATION ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR: Examination of the recovered wreckage indicated that the helicopter's main rotor contacted the underside of the airplane's left wing, resulting in the outboard section of the wing separating in flight.

Video evidence showed both aircraft rapidly descending and impacting the water after the collision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So, we hear about these systemic failures, Mary, but there are also specifics about what led this chopper to go into the plane. And, as you said, we're going to learn more about that.

But there are these -- possibly the lighting, the altitude readings. What are you -- what are you hearing here? What stands out to you?

SCHIAVO: Well, in particular, it was a lot of testimony and there's going to be recommendations about the really increased amount of traffic, the decreased separation that was allowed by the FAA, far less space literally between the aircraft, and the fact that the FAA was just not cognizant.

I mean, again and again, the NTSB emphasized that no one at the FAA seemed to be aware that there were 10,000 -- over 10,000 near misses in just three years before then. And some of these 80 or so were the most critical. And yet the FAA seemed to be unaware. And I think that is a theme that has floated throughout all this investigation and certainly today, is, who was supposed to do this job?

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And, in some cases, the FAA didn't know. And then why weren't you doing it? And safety was really compromised. And it was just a shocking failure on so many levels at DCA.

And we learned today that the personnel at the -- at DCA, the number of people in the tower has actually decreased since the accident. And very little has changed. Now, they have limited the number of flights per hour, but there is an awful lot of work to be done. And we can only hope the NTSB puts very forceful recommendations forward.

But then they can only recommend. It's up the FAA to adopt them, to the Army to adopt them, and to Congress to hold the FAA and the Army's feet to the fire. That's the only way we're going to get changed.

KEILAR: Yes. And this is their airport, as you know, Mary. This is the airport that members of Congress fly out of every day week in, week out.

SCHIAVO: That's right.

KEILAR: So they have a personal stake and a stake for so many people in this country to deal with this.

Mary Schiavo, thank you so much for that.

Still to come: brand-new witness video that shows the minutes leading up to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis. We're going to break down that video that's new next.

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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: I'm Anderson Cooper in Minneapolis.

We are back now with some breaking news on the shooting death of Alex Pretti during that encounter with federal agents. We have new footage today of the moments leading up to and immediately after Mr. Pretti's shooting, the first video providing our earliest look yet at the scene before the incident, the new longer version of video obtained by the Associated Press showing us these six minutes before Mr. Pretti's shooting.

The video does not capture any violent actions by protesters or by Pretti. There's a verbal escalation as the minutes unfold, and at one point, minutes before Mr. Pretti's encounter, we see at least one protester being detained in the middle of the street.

I do want to turn now to the moments after the shooting. We're going to show you more of the chaos that unfolded in those minutes. This is from a vantage point from across the street. Again, a warning, this is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call an ambulance, please. Call an ambulance, please. Please, we're all people.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not in the way. I'm trying to help. Please call somebody.

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want you to get on the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) sidewalk. I understand, but you have to stay out of the way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please!

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call somebody now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a paramedic. Relax.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED). It didn't help last time.

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mother (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You guys are killers! You're killers! Murderer! Murderer!

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay back. Stay back. You don't come close.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay back why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your reasoning? What's your reasoning? Why should we stay back?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't you be quiet, please?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have witnessed this multiple times in this city. Yes, we have. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not by us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we (EXPLETIVE DELETED) have from multiple law enforcement agencies. When people do (EXPLETIVE DELETED) people die.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you know the answer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When people don't do (EXPLETIVE DELETED) man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Evil! You are evil!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Incredibly disturbing, yet another angle now that we have seen.

I'm joined now by Sarah Saldana, former ICE director under President Obama.

Sarah, I'm wondering what you make of the kind of tactics that we are seeing. And do you think those will change now that Gregory Bovino is being swapped for Mr. Homan?

SARAH SALDANA, FORMER ICE DIRECTOR: Yes, Anderson, thank you for having me on.

I -- Tom served as the head of enforcement and removal operations when I was director back under the Obama administration. He knows his business. He worked hand in hand with the department staff and ICE staff in order to ensure that President Obama's priorities were carried out as he wanted.

So he knows about targeted operations. He knows about prioritizing those who are taken into custody and how to treat them. And I am cautiously optimistic at his presence here.

One of the people that witnessed this event in -- there in your last video, I am still quite -- I have been to murder scenes, Anderson, and this is just beyond disturbing. It is horrific.

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But what I was saying was that I'm hopeful and optimistic that Tom's involvement will improve the situation on the ground. I'm also wondering out loud why it took the deaths of several people, the most recent two examples being under these very questionable conditions, for anyone to get -- come forward to the table with some idea of resolution and truly keeping the public safe in Minneapolis.

COOPER: Does it -- the tactics we have seen of masked agents in chaotic scrums grabbing people, removing people out of cars, I understand the federal government says, well, look, local law enforcement is not helping us, that would help the situation.

Do those tactics, are they the point here? I mean, there's a lot of people I have talked to who are out on the streets who believe that's part of the objective, is to actually terrorize people or to instill fear in citizens.

Do you believe -- I mean, is this by design, or is this just a lack of leadership?

SALDANA: Well, I think it's both.

And far be it for me to be opining about what the objective is here. The one overriding impression I have when I see some of these tactics is anger, anger, anger from the beginning in law enforcement and a disposition to squash people, as opposed to keep the peace and going about your business.

This is not the way interior immigration enforcement is done. Under my own watch, we removed a half-a-million people from this country, and we didn't have deaths, but neither did we have these tactics.

COOPER: What was the difference? Because some Republicans have said to me, well, look, under President Obama, a lot of those removals were done closer to the border. It wasn't people who had made it into Minneapolis or ingrained in society, and that's why it's so difficult here.

What was the difference, how it was done under -- in -- when you were there?

SALDANA: Well, I will tell you, one of the things that has amazed me the most is, the members of Congress who decide immigration law need to know what is happening.

ICE is not border enforcement. That's CBP. We have a presence at the border. And it -- pardon me for saying we. I still identify with the agency. But our mission is interior enforcement. And that's where the large part of what we did occurred.

So, to say that we are primarily removing people at the border, that's CBP and the Border Patrol. ICE has a history of trying to keep the interior of the country safe and identifying and removing people dangerous to public safety.

COOPER: Well, Sarah Saldana, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much -- Brianna, back to you.

KEILAR: All right, Anderson, and still ahead: Hundreds of thousands of people are still without power today, as dangerously cold temperatures spread across the country. Now forecasters are keeping a close eye on another winter threat.

And it's one of the biggest court cases yet against social media giants. Meta and YouTube are in court, along with some other companies, over claims that their platforms are harming children's mental health. We have new details on the trial coming up.

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[13:28:43] KEILAR: Right, now more than half-a-million people are still without power after this crippling winter storm that dumped snow and ice across the U.S.

At least 25 weather-related deaths have been reported from Texas to New York, and, in the meantime, more than 175 million Americans are under extreme cold alerts. Some residents in hard-hit Tennessee are among the people facing these bone-chilling temperatures without power, and that could last through next week.

Crews are working around the clock to bring more moments like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Heck yeah, baby. Got lights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Very happy moment there for those folks.

CNN correspondent Isabel Rosales joins us now from Nashville.

Isabel, what are you hearing from utility companies?

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Brianna.

It feels like we're starting to actually, like, melt and dig out of this thing. We're hearing icicles falling down, boom, boom, boom, one after the other, something we haven't seen. Everything's been enveloped in ice all of these days.

But line workers have been warning folks that this is going to be a prolonged event. And it's certainly seeming that way. In Davidson County, home to the national metropolitan area, there's folks who haven't had electricity since Sunday.