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Secret Service Updates Ahead Of RNC Convention; Shooter's Motive Unknown Says FBI; Secret Service Under Pressure Over Security At Trump Event; CNN Reports On The Attempted Assassination Of former President Donald Trump. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired July 14, 2024 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:00]
(BEGN LIVE VIDEO)
UNKNOWN: For the Secret Service, just to be clear, did you or did you not make changes to the security plan based on the events of yesterday?
AUDREY GIBSON-CICCHINO, U.S. SECRET SERVICE RNC COORDINATOR: There have been no changes to our current operational security plans for this event.
UNKNOWN: Why not, given the fact that the former president was -- assassination attempt(ph)?
GIBSON-CICCHINO: So, again, this event is designated as a national special security event. So, it is an 18-month process that involves all levels of government that are contributing to the operational security plans for this event. So we have an operational security plan that's built out for every area of responsibility related to any and all aspects of security related to this event.
UNKNOWN: (Inaudible) -- changes to your plan (inaudible) more officers, more intelligence gathered and then anything else that's available (inaudible).
CAVALIER JOHNSON, MAYOR OF MILWAUKEE: If I can just reiterate what I said before in terms of what the City of Milwaukee has done. Our council, in conjunction with me, passed and signed a local ordinance to make sure that there's more protection in the outer perimeter. As it relates to officers from across the state of Wisconsin or elsewhere coming in to assist with the public safety around this, I defer to Chief Norman.
JEFFREY NORMAN, CHIEF, MILWAUKEE POLICE: No change.
UNKNOWN: Sorry, sir. So, you said make sure there's more protection in the outer perimeter. So what (inaudible)
JOHNSON: I'm sorry?
UNKNOWN: What does that look like on the ground (inaudible) change? What does that look like from the (inaudible) the outer perimeter (inaudible)?
JOHNSON: So, the ordinance that I'm referring to that we have passed proactively at the local level, which is by the way the same ordinance, the same type of ordinance that we passed in preparation for the Democratic National Convention when it was to take place in Milwaukee in 2020 before becoming mostly a virtual event, is an ordinance that does not allow individuals to bring into the outer perimeter hard items like cans, like bottles that are filled, other hard objects that can be used as projectile weapons and things like that.
UNKNOWN: Okay, two more. Right here in the front.
UNKNOWN: I just want to follow up on something that was said here. You said that there was no threats at the moment. But I would imagine that was what Secret Service and law enforcement got yesterday as well. Are there changes to who you think or what you think the threat items are? And are there any worries about cancels?
MICHAEL HENSLE, SPECIAL AGENT IN-CHARGE, FBI MILAWUKEE: So, as I said, there's no specific or articulated threat to the RNC or any specific individual attending. As you'd expect, after the events yesterday, we've seen an uptick in social media chatter, people talking about what happened. And we, as the lead for all intelligence matters related to the RNC and the FBI, we evaluate all of that to make sure that if it turns into criminal activity or threat-based information, we evaluate that and, again, disseminate it out to our federal and state partners for action.
UNKNOWN: All right. Can I just follow up?
UNKNWON: Okay, we'll have one more (inaudible). Right there in the back.
UNKNOWN: Hi, there. (Inaudible) with Fox in Milwaukee. We've heard from delegates, we've heard from visitors about a level of fear following what happened yesterday. Beyond the fact that you guys have planned for this for 18 months, what's your message to them about safety and security?
NORMAN: So, I'll take that on. As we talk about these particular type of plans, especially in regards to what we've seen across the nation and what we're doing here, I don't know if we're comparing events in the same manner. What we've seen in regards to the past are, again, rallies or town halls. They don't receive the same level of support this event receives.
And that may be hard to kind of wrap around in regards to the type of resources being invested in this particular community. Again, we cannot talk about the operations of it. But as a leader in this community, I've seen the work. We were working together, again, not only from the standpoint of the federal level, but, again, my local partners. And seeing that type of investment in regards to what is being done, we are planning as much as we can plan in regards to what we know and we're looking for what we don't know, but we are planned and actually ready with the resources. This is our community, too. And looking at it from the standpoint of I
want to make sure that they understand we see you, we understand this is something of a concern, and we are ensuring that we are going to put the proper effort, the proper type of communication.
[17:05:00]
Which is why in this particular forum is why we're having it, to ensure that there is a communication from this collective group. We're working as hard as we can, around the clock, putting forth the effort that is necessary, not only for this RNC, but for our city. As the chief executive of our police department here, it is important that we also understand the concern in our city.
So this is for those who are attending the RNC, but we are taking care of this city, period.
(END LIVE VIDEO)
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Okay, you have been listening to the press conference there for law enforcement, talking about their plans for the RNC. So the FBI, Wisconsin chief Secret Service officer in charge of the entire RNC, as well as the Milwaukee police.
As Wolf and I were listening to this, along with all of you, they did not take questions about what happened yesterday and the takeaway from all of them was that there are no changes to the security plans for the RNC in light of what happened yesterday. They did not answer as to whether that meant anything for the president himself or his family, and also no changes to a perimeter, which of course, as they emphasized, in an open carry state like Wisconsin, could be very consequential.
So Juliette Kayyem, Chief Charles Ramsey, obviously we've been talking to you throughout these couple of hours. Juliette, from your perspective as former Homeland Security, did you like what you heard there?
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Not really. I'll tell you, listen, I'm completely sympathetic with the police chief. He has a city to protect, but we're watching this because the former president was almost assassinated. It's not like we're going to just watch any security press conference. So two things I want to say. One is Governor Evers could do something right now. He clearly has emergency authorities. Any governor does. The police chief and the mayor's hands are tied about the open carry rules.
The governor could do a four-day exception to the rule based on increased and exceptional evidence that there is a heightened threat and increase the rules or tighten the rules around open carry near the convention center. This seems relatively easy to do. It's not an exceptional power. So urging Governor Evers, and that might have been what they were hinting, to do that under, you know, emergency authorities would be absolutely appropriate at this stage.
The second is, of course, the Secret Service. They have what they called an NSSC, a National Special Security Event. Those are the highest rankings. They come with months and months of planning. These conventions are on the calendar well in advance. They know what to do, and they are working with federal and state and local law enforcement to plan. But I am hard pressed to understand why you would create an NSSC that is not adaptable to the threat that we now know exists, right?
So the Secret Service woman was saying, you know, we feel confident this is the highest security. A former president was almost assassinated yesterday. Surely you would want to look at the planning and possibly increase it for this convention and the next. The NSSC is not static in time. It adapts to different threats. And that's, you know, it was a confusing press conference. That's what I'll say.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Juliet, you make very, very strong points. And like you, I was surprised when I heard Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the Secret Service coordinator for this Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, say that no operational changes are now in the works as far as a result of what happened yesterday, the assassination attempt against the former president. No operational changes are in the works right now.
She says there's a comprehensive security plan that's been in place. We're ready to go. They've worked on this for 18 months and they're confident in the plans. Shimon Prokopis, you're there. You were listening to this news conference. That jumped out at me that even as a result of the drama that unfolded yesterday and the blunders that may have taken place that allowed this guy to show up about 150 yards or so atop a rooftop with a straight view of the podium, that no operational changes are being considered right now. What was your reaction, Shimon?
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: No, it's certainly shocking, Wolf. What's really shocking is that the Secret Service has decided to hold this press conference. They didn't need to do it. They really said nothing. There was no reassurance here. There's no reason that -- it doesn't feel unsafe here, Wolf. You know, I don't want to give the impression that somehow it's unsafe here.
[17:9:54]
But the point of doing something like this, especially after yesterday, is to reassure the public that the Secret Service, which I think right now has a lot of questions to answer, as you said, a major blunder on their part here. This is their one job is to protect the former president. Something went wrong.
And you would expect that at least in some fashion, in some statement, before she addresses the plans for the RNC, that she would have in some fashion said something about it. They had to know that they were going to get questions about it. I mean, they warned us before the press conference not to ask those questions because she wouldn't be able to answer those questions.
But still, they should have been prepared to say something. And it's really interesting and it raises a lot of questions, really, why the director of the Secret Service hasn't done anything. There was a press conference last night, a very lengthy press conference in Pennsylvania last night with the FBI and the state police and other local officials. The FBI today updated the media on something they don't do often. It's very rare.
But they went ahead and realizing the significance of what happened on Saturday. They decided to update reporters on their investigation and they provided a lot of information. And to this point, we are now a day out of this incident. And you would think that publicly, when the Secret Service comes before the cameras, that they would have something to say.
And essentially, this press conference said nothing. They basically told us that nothing was changing. Look, it is very, very safe here, Wolf, right. There are fences everywhere. There'll be entire frozen zones and perimeter after perimeter after perimeter here come tomorrow. So certainly people that will be coming here should feel safe. There's a lot of security. There's a lot of law enforcement everywhere.
But given what happened yesterday, things have changed. And I just feel that the Secret Service and I think many people feel this way, that the Secret Service publicly should have addressed this in some fashion and they failed to do that here. And it's very puzzling and that was why I asked them right out of the gate, you know, what were they thinking in that not having anything to say about what happened here, what happened Saturday in Pennsylvania?
It's certainly very concerning. The local officials, they really had nothing to add either. They just say that nothing has changed. There are concerns about people being allowed under the law to bring weapons to the outside perimeter. They asked if there were going to be any changes to that. And because of the law, they really can't do anything about that, Wolf.
But that is something that is concerning to the governor. That is something that is very concerning to other officials here. So, of course, Wolf, as to what happened Saturday, still a lot of questions and the Secret Service continues to not answer those publicly.
BURNETT: So, you know, what you're talking about, Shimon, is obviously that they took the strategy in that press conference of projecting strength and saying, well, don't look at yesterday. We spent 18 months. We're ready. Nothing can be -- you can't have a cordon as strong as this. You can't have security. There's nothing higher than this for the U.S. government.
It seemed as if they were not, you know, giving the context of what had happened yesterday when you had the person who is the highlight of this entire convention alive by millimeters. Chief Ramsey, what did you take away from that press conference? And Juliette also mentioned specifically this issue of open carry that they also said they could do nothing about. That she mentioned that perhaps the governor of the state could, by emergency decree, change that for the next four days and that that could be something to consider. What do you think about all of it? CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, first of
all, what I got out of the press conference was not much of anything. The goal was to reassure the public they failed. I mean, at the very least, in my opinion, they should have had someone there from headquarters in D.C. that even if they couldn't get into any detail, at least say that the matter that took place yesterday is under investigation and they're going to make whatever adjustments they have to make to make sure that something like that doesn't happen again.
But just to get so locked into a plan, and I've been involved in NSSEs in the past during my time in D.C. And it does take 18 months' worth of planning. But you get so locked into the plan that you can't have any flexibility. I mean, it was Mike Tyson that said everybody has a plan until you get punched in the mouth. Well, guess what? They got punched in the mouth yesterday. And you need to have a plan.
They also, even at the local level, could have said a little bit more. I mean, granted, they're hamstrung with the guns and that sort of thing. But you can talk about, are you going to have any enhanced security around the hotels where delegates and elected officials are staying? Or what are your plans around protests and counter-protests? Will you have an enhanced presence there to make sure you don't have any violent clashes between those two?
[17:14:57]
So there are things that you can say to reassure the public. And there's a whole population of people we haven't talked about that are watching all this. Local elected officials and volunteers that will be working the polls that are already afraid because of all the violent rhetoric that's been taking place. And now you've got a former president get shot and you think you're going to be okay on Election Day?
I mean, they've got to do a lot to reassure the public and that even is at the local level. And that's local police departments and county police departments that are going to have that responsibility come November to make sure people are safe there.
BURNETT: Chief, sobering point about those poll workers, so many of whom have faced death threats given the challenges to the election and what the former president said about the election and poll workers. All right. Thanks very much to all of you. We're going to take a brief break. Wolf and I will be back in just a moment to continue our special coverage this Sunday afternoon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:20:00]
BURNETT: We expect to hear more from President Biden later this evening from the Oval Office, where he is expected to address the nation. CNN law enforcement correspondent Whitney Wild joins us with more on the probe into yesterday's events surrounding this. So, Whitney, what do they know about motive yet? WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, at this
point, they know very little. What the FBI has said is that they have some insights into his communications, but otherwise determining the totality of his motivation, very much of that remains unclear. What we do know is that he was not known to the FBI. He was not in a database.
The questions are, how did he obtain this firearm? And what we know is that it was an A.R. style 556 rifle that belonged to his father. So the big question is, how did he gain access to that rifle? The other thing that we know, Erin, is that this shooter did have rudimentary explosive devices in his home. Those materials are being assessed at Quantico.
But beyond that, Erin, there is very little information at this point. We're still pushing our federal law enforcement officials for more details. But this investigation very much in its early stages into what the shooter's motivation was, how long he planned it and why he chose the position that he chose and how this all unfolded, Erin.
BURNETT: And Whitney, I'm curious. I know that as part of your reporting from the FBI, what they've said is that they've got his cell phone. You've reported and they've actually brought it to a location, Quantico, Virginia, to try to get information from it. I understand that they have been able to look at some things, some communications he's had. What do you know about that?
WILD: We don't know very many details about that other than to say that they have some limited insights into recent communications. And that includes text messages, cell phone records. Thus far, though, they're saying that that has not revealed anything with regard to motives or the involvement of knowledge or the involvement or knowledge beyond that. That's according to the FBI's deputy director, Paula Bate.
So, Erin, many more questions to answer here, but law enforcement definitely digging into that. And those are really the key details here. And as you -- as this investigation unfolds, the big questions are --
BURNETT: Right.
WILD: -- was there anybody else in this area, in his circle who should be held accountable? And that's why this investigation is continuing and why law enforcement, while sharing many details, is still keeping some things pretty close to the vest because they want to maintain the integrity of that investigation should anybody else need to be prosecuted, Erin.
BURNETT: Whitney, thank you very much. Wolf.
BLITZER: Erin, we're getting new details right now about the gunman, the 20-year-old gunman and his background. I want to go to CNN's Danny Freeman. He's joining us right now. He's on the scene for us there in Pennsylvania. What else could you tell us about this gunman, Danny?
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, as Whitney alluded to, we actually did learn a lot of new information this afternoon, specifically from the FBI in that briefing. First, we're talking about, of course, Thomas Matthew Crooks. First, the FBI believes at this point he did work alone. And second, that at this point, the FBI is no indication that he had any history of mental illness.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED SETATES: Take a look at what happened --
FREEMAN (voice-over): Moments after former President Trump came under fire Saturday evening, about 500 feet away on a rooftop just outside the security perimeter. The would be assassin himself was shot and killed by Secret Service snipers. The suspected shooter identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. This video taken from his high school graduation in 2022.
Law enforcement officers still have not announced a potential motive for the shooting.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I urge everyone, everyone, please don't make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations. Let the FBI do their job and their partner agencies do their job.
FREEMAN (voice-over): CNN has learned Crooks was a registered Republican and federal election records showed he made a $15 donation to a Democratic aligned group back in 2021.
TRUMP: This is a big crowd.
FREEMAN (voice-over): This presidential election would have been the first the gunman would be eligible to vote in. In his Bethel Park neighborhood just south of Pittsburgh, a heavy police presence remained Sunday as investigators processed his home. A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told CNN the shooter had explosive material inside of his car and his residence.
Other law enforcement officials told CNN the gun used in the attack was an A.R. style weapon. The rifle was traced to the shooter's father, Matthew Crooks. When reached by CNN Saturday, Matthew Crooks said he was still trying to figure out, quote, "what the hell is going on," but would, quote, "wait until I talk to law enforcement before speaking about his son."
(On camera): What was your reaction when you heard the news that this was the shooter?
JASON KOHLER, FORMER CLASSMATE OF THE SHOOTER: Crazy, unbelievable.
FREEMAN (voice-over): Jason Kohler went to the same high school as Crooks. He remembered him as an outcast who was bullied.
[17:25:01]
KOHLER: Just because, like, he was -- he wasn't like with the click so he was always had a, I guess, target on his back. When I would see him, he was just very, very bland. Didn't -- didn't show no facial expressions. It's very, very, very to himself.
FREEMAN (voice-over): On Sunday, Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation confirmed Crooks worked at the center as a dietary aid. They said they were shocked and saddened to learn this news, adding Crooks performed his job without concern and his background check was clean.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(On camera): Now, Wolf, just a few more notes here to reiterate. The FBI still says they do not have any evidence of an ideology or still a clear motive at this time. But one answer might lie in Crooks' cell phone. The FBI says they do have possession of the cell phone, but they have not yet gained access to it. It's been shipped to Quantico, Virginia, for further processing. Wolf?
BLITZER: That's where the FBI has its investigations. Danny Freeman, thanks very much. And our special live coverage will continue right after a very quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:29:59]
BURNETT: Just hours before the Republican National Convention begins, Trump and his campaign are presenting a united front. Campaign managers telling staffers in a call, and I quote, "In moments of tragedy and horror, we must be resolute in our mission to reelect President Trump."
Well, senior political commentator and former Trump campaign adviser David Urban joins us, along with CNN political commentator and former Biden White House senior policy adviser Ashley Allison. Okay, thanks so much to both of you. So, you know, we just had this press conference that I don't know if you guys heard much of, but the bottom line was they're not going to talk about yesterday. And nothing has changed. Nothing has changed at all on the security front.
David, I'm not asking you to reflect upon that although, obviously, there was a lot of criticism of that. But that may be true for the security perspective. But from the messaging perspective, the speeches we're going to hear, the run of show, there are some changes, right? I mean, what do you think we're going to see that's different than what they were expecting to do 24 hours ago?
DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: Well, listen, you know, nobody really knows what was -- what the official program was going to be to begin with, but now we know we've had some additions in Nikki Haley and some others, which will be very interesting.
And look, I think the message is going to be one of unity of trying to, you know, make sure America is safe and secure and that people feel that way not only in their homes but their pocketbooks when they walk the streets and one of unity, right? This is a time when Americans need to be kind of drawn together, not try to be so divisive.
The former president was -- was almost killed by -- by a mere matter of an inch, probably. And we're lucky that as an America, as a country, America is lucky that the president wasn't killed because it would have thrown us into an awful spot. So, everybody should be thanking --
BURNETT: Yes.
URBAN: -- thanking God tonight that he survived. And looking at what can we learn from this moving forward, how can we reduce the temperature? Ashley and I, we agree that we don't agree on a lot of things, right? But we're friends. We're standing like next to each other, so close with bumping into each other.
(LAUGHTER)
We do it respectfully, right? We do it respectfully --
BURNETT: Yes.
URBAN: -- and without vitriol. And America is a marketplace of ideas. And let's have that debate.
BURNETT: Yeah. Well, believe me, I know in television terms, you guys are -- you are truly on top of each other right now. So, Ashley --
(LAUGHTER)
Ashley, you know, in this context, though, President Biden spoke earlier, right? And then he opted to decide to give an Oval Office address at 8:00, heart of primetime on a Sunday night. The last time he gave such an address was after what happened in Israel in October. Okay? So, just to make everyone understand the seriousness of this moment. I don't think any American questions the seriousness of this moment. What do you think we're going to hear from him tonight, Ashley?
ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, first, I think it's important that we hear from the president, that we heard from him immediately, put a statement out yesterday, went and addressed the American public, told people not to jump to assumptions because we just don't know. We still are trying to figure out who this person was that took the shot.
And then he came out again, keeping people updated. That's actually what leaders do, is they communicate regardless of your political ideologies. He's the president of the entire United States. And so, he's communicating to American citizens, but he's also communicating to the world that somebody took a shot, but America stands strong. We are united, maybe not uniform, but we are united and we are going to protect each other.
And so, I think tonight, what you will hear is the importance of democracy, the importance, to David's point, of the marketplace of ideas, the importance of not jumping to assumptions and not blaming each other, and that he ran in 2020 to unite this night, this country to save the soul of America. And so, I think you're going to hear him pull on that and say it's a time for unity and not distress, and that is not about politics, it is about who we are as people and as Americans.
BURNETT: In a GOP, David, if one person stands for what unity looks like, it is Nikki Haley, right, who continued to garner 20% of the voting state after state even when she was no longer running, who recently graciously both endorsed the former president despite what she had said about him on the campaign trail, and released her delegates to him.
The initial response from the former president was she's still not invited to the convention and not coming. That changed, right? That's what you point out has changed. She's not only coming, but she has been given a speaking spot slot, we understand, on Tuesday.
Now, you know, she can write a speech in five minutes, given her experience on the trail. But, David, she's writing it completely in the context of this moment.
URBAN: Sure.
BURNETT: How important to the country, right? You look at those 20% of voters. Some of them might have gone to Joe Biden. How important to the country is Nikki Haley's speech this week?
URBAN: I think it's important that, you know, you don't have to have unanimity to have unity. You know, we are united as a party. We may not agree on every plank of the platform, but we are united as a Republican Party. And, you know, we want a smaller government, more personal responsibility, lower taxes, great, strong national security, people to feel safe and secure in their homes.
[17:35:00]
So, we're united on the big ideas. We may have some disagreements on -- on how to get there but, you know, Nikki Haley coming here, I think is a great message. It'll be great to see her standing on the floor. I think she'll be well received. And -- and it's great that, you know, former President Trump invited her. I think that, you know, being shot at and almost killed may change your perspective on life a bit. And so, I think it's going to be a kind of a family reunion-type atmosphere starting tomorrow.
BURNETT: You know, Ashley, I also wonder, though, and you have to wonder what where all of this goes from here, right? Because this isn't just one moment this happened. This happened because of years of horrific things that have been said and done, right? This is -- maybe it isn't the culmination, but wherever we are on this path, it came because of everything that has come before it. And I wonder, Ashley, how long you think that this, you know, truce between Democrats and Republicans will last, right? We have heard again and again that electing Trump is the end of democracy, that he's a convicted felon. All these points from the Democratic side. Right now, that's all quiet, but for how long?
ALLISON: Well, I think you're allowed to say things that you believe without saying, and because I said that, take a shot at somebody. Again, we can have a disagreement and still be able to say that safety and nonviolence is the way to go. Again, we vote when we disagree. So, we vote people out. We don't take violent acts. That -- that should be the theme from now through the entire campaign and beyond.
So, I don't know how long campaign ads will stay down. I don't know how long people will not start bickering with each other back on Twitter like they do. But what I do hope is that for the next coming days, that both here at the RNC, that the temperament and the tone of all the speeches are not one of anger, but of one of how we move forward and how we run an election that is about the policies that affect the American people and not about hate and vitriol.
URBAN: And Erin, I would just say that I hope Americans out in the real world, not on Twitter, but Americans who live in the real world, go across the street, shake their neighbor's hand, talk to one another, right? Converse like Ashley said. We can disagree without being disagreeable. The Twitter verse is not the real world.
ALLISON: Yeah.
URBAN: And this truce only lasts as long as Americans want it to last. It can go on forever if we want it to. And hopefully, America is that place that we get to that. That's what we want to be as Americans. We want to be an example for the world. We don't want to be a laughingstock.
BURNETT: And thank goodness people aren't on Twitter. It has been the home of some of the most crazy and unfortunate and awful conspiracy theories one could see over the past 24 hours. Not a fine moment. Thank you both very much. I appreciate it, Ashley and David.
And coming up, witnesses describing chaos and confusion as shots rang out at that Trump rally almost 24 hours ago. Ahead, a mother and son who were in that packed crowd are going to speak to us about what they experienced.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're getting new details right now about the assassination attempt on former President Trump in Pennsylvania nearly 24 hours ago. Brian Todd is joining us right now. Brian, walk us through what you're learning.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Wolf. Laying out the timeline of events and the shooter's location, here's what we can tell you right now. What we know now is that the shooter was roughly 150 meters away from where President Trump was speaking. That's less than 500 feet away from where the former president was speaking.
We also have new information from Michael Slupe, he is the sheriff of Butler County, spoke to CNN just a short time ago, said just before the shooting, law enforcement officers got word of suspicious activity around that location where the gunman was. They went to investigate.
A law enforcement officer, according to the sheriff, hoisted himself up to the ledge of the roof. We presume it was right about here. He sees the gunman. According to the sheriff, the gunman sees him. Gunman points his weapon at that officer. And the officer, because he's holding on to the ledge, he cannot engage him with his weapon, the officer has to then drop to the ground to protect himself. The shooting then starts at 6:11 p.m. and 33 seconds. Remember that timeline. We're going to come back to that in a second.
But what we also know from a senior law enforcement official is that the gunman, just before the shooting and the minutes before the shooting, was acting strangely around the area where the magnetometers were. Probably around these areas here where the magnetometers were. The question is, what was he doing then? Was he doing a recon mission? Was he probing for a shooting position? That will all come out in the investigation.
We have other information also from a witness on the scene, Ben Macer, who told KDKA, a CNN affiliate, that just before the shooting and the moments before the shooting, he saw the gunman moving from roof to roof. Presumably, again, these are the roofs of the buildings that seemingly all are connected here at the shooting location.
Here's some video of the gunman from TikTok, the gunman after he was neutralized. The gunman -- the first reports from agents that the gunman was down came at 6:12 and 16 seconds. That's less than a minute after the shooting started. This post-shooting video, we can show you now. Here's a scene here of the chairs and the debris here.
When we get to this other video, I want to pause it here for just a quick second to talk about the deceased victim, Corey Comperatore. According to the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, Mr. Comperatore, he might have been either in this grandstand or in this grandstand, but he dove on top of his family to save them from the shooting. Hopefully, we'll get some more information soon as to where -- which grandstand he was in, but a very heroic act from the deceased victim, Corey Comperatore, saving his own family, according to Governor Shapiro, who spoke to his wife.
And again, going to the scene here, what we're told is that the president has ordered an independent investigation. Our law enforcement analyst, Andrew McCabe, says the one thing in securing a site like this, especially outside, you've got to eliminate the sight lines to where the protectee is speaking. Why that sight line was not eliminated, Wolf, that's a key focus of the investigation.
BLITZER: Yeah, there's a lot of key focuses, but that's critically important. Brian Todd, thank you very much. Erin, back to you. BURNETT: All right, Wolf. And when shots rang out in Butler, Pennsylvania, our next guests were there. They were in that packed crowd. And these are the pictures that were taken by Donna Hutz as she and her son, Joe, watched the terrifying events all happening right in front of them and around them. And Donna and Joe join me now with more. First, I'm just glad to see you both. I can't even imagine, you know, the feelings, emotions that you've had over the past day. How are you doing right now, Donna?
DONNA HUTZ, TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING WITNESS: I'm doing all right. It's not over. The shock is not over. The emotions aren't over. You know, we've been talking a lot on today with you folks and reliving it still. And, you know, in our own personal scenarios, we're also living out. So, you know, we're in shock. We're mad, too. And we're sad.
BURNETT: So, Joe, tell me what happened. I mean, where you were? I mean, just as we were just listening, I don't know if you all could hear Brian Todd reporting, but it's 6:11 in the evening and there are 33 seconds of shots. I mean, that's an incredibly short period of time, although I can imagine when you were there, it may have felt anything but.
[17:45:00]
What happened in those 33 seconds, Joe?
JOE HUTZ, TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING WITNESS: Well, I can tell you this. I heard her saying they were sure Corey -- we were right in front of Corey. He was in the third row. We were in --
D. HUTZ: No, we were in the third.
J. HUTZ: We were in the third row. He was in the eighth row. So, we were in front of him. And we were looking at the stage. We were over to the right grandstand. And we hear the three shots. And again, this is where seconds turn into minutes. And I just remember looking around and no one is going down. So, I screamed, gun, get down. And I grabbed my mom and I anchored towards the grass because we were so low. And he was on top of an 80-year-old woman and I was on top of her. And I remember checking her for blood and everything, and four more shots rang out.
And then people started screaming, man down from above us. And I remember looking up and seeing Corey and another woman that was hit. And they were just lying there. And next thing you hear, one last shot, which I'm assuming was them taking out the shooter. My mom at one point lifted up the fence because we were trying to see if Trump was okay. And eventually, we see him stand up and give the fist bump. And we were all screaming for a medic and no medics were coming to us, which was horrifying.
D. HUTZ: We had a fear that there were more shooters there because if this was happening right in our section, we were the section that everybody sees on TV, that everybody is still sitting there and looking. Our section was down, other than people helping, you know, Corey and the woman shot.
J. HUTZ: We had two people down in our section, so everybody was down.
D. HUTZ: Yeah.
BURNETT: Donna, do you even have a sense? I mean, when you start hearing it and Joe grabs you and pulls you down, what were you thinking? I mean, did you -- you realize it's bullets. Do you think it's a mass shooting? Do you have any concept that this could be assassination attempt? I mean, I can't even imagine what went through your mind in that moment.
D. HUTZ: I heard bullets and the first thing, I was looking at Trump and I'm like, okay, he's still there, and then he moved quick. But it was an assassination. Absolutely assassination. We both -- we both said in the car on the way home, silently to ourselves. We both had it in the back of our minds going in there today. I was looking at trees, I was just looking around, you know, shoving away. He had his own thoughts about it.
J. HUTZ: First three shots, I thought assassination. But in the video, there are five or six seconds before the next four shots, which I then thought was a mass shooting. Trump was already down at that point. So, like, what are they shooting at?
D. HUTZ: So did I. So, really, our thoughts went from assassination to mass because then now you're fearing for yourself.
BURNETT: Yeah. These are some of the pictures that you all took in those --
D. HUTZ: Yeah.
BURNETT: -- in those moments. I mean --
D. HUTZ: Yeah.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: -- did you feel like your lives -- go ahead. Go ahead.
D. HUTZ: The woman in the blue T-shirt leaning over. If you look up in that picture, the guy in that pink plaid shirt, that's where they are. That's where people were starting to reach out to help them.
BURNETT: Joe, when you had that moment, when you're down and you look up at Trump, the moment where -- and this is going to be a picture that's going to be in history books, right? That's the picture in that moment, right? When he does the fist-bump and his face is bloody. Did you see him at that moment? And what did that mean to you?
J. HUTZ: Encouraging, really. I mean, my mom says she'll never go to a Trump rally. I want to go to the closest one I can next just to prove to this guy that he can't get away with this and he's not going to scare us off.
D. HUTZ: I said I'd go if it was indoors.
J. HUTZ: I mean, that was one of the most encouraging things I think I've ever seen in my life.
BURNETT: Donna, what did it mean to you?
D. HUTZ: It was empowering. It was very empowering. And then you got anger afterwards because now you're just mad. Who did this? Why? What is the reason? Why -- this have to stop.
J. HUTZ: America, the whole purpose of America is about a peaceful pass of power between Democrats and Republicans. Every four years we have to vote. And if we want to change, we get that change peacefully. And this is not the way to go about it.
BURNETT: Donna, do you believe that there is the possibility that this is the beginning of something better? That -- I'm sure as someone -- you've gone to Trump rallies. I'm sure you felt that there are those who look down on you for that, that this country is divided. Do you think that this is a moment that maybe could become something bigger that could change that?
D. HUTZ: I hope so. I'm still -- personally, I'm still afraid of civil war, but I'm hoping that maybe this will bring out the good. Something good comes out of everything bad. I'm a firm believer of it, and I hope that's the answer.
BURNETT: All right.
D. HUTZ: I hope that's the answer.
BURNETT: And we all do and share that. Donna and Joe, thank you very much. I do appreciate your taking the time and being with us and for sharing --
D. HUTZ: Thank you.
BURNETT: -- all of that, and your photos as well. Our special live coverage here with Wolf and myself continues in just a moment.
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BLITZER: In just over two hours, President Biden is set to deliver a very rare Oval Office address to the nation about the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
BURNETT: Let's go straight to MJ Lee. She's at the White House. MJ, the president added this to his day, wants to address the nation. What do you think we'll hear tonight?
MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Erin, when President Biden speaks at 8:00 tonight from the Oval Office, this will be the third time that he is speaking in front of cameras ever since that assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump yesterday. We expect that these remarks will carry all of the weight that comes with an Oval Office address. As you just said, they are quite rare. The last time that he did this was back in October, just days after Hamas' attacks on Israel.
And while we haven't gotten an official preview of that speech from White House officials, we fully expect that the president is going to lean into the theme of the need for national unity in a moment like this and condemning in the strongest terms the political violence of any kind. We certainly got a preview of a little bit of that earlier when he spoke in the Roosevelt Room. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation, everything. It's not who we are as a nation. It's not America. And we cannot allow this to happen. Unity is the most elusive goal of all. But nothing is important than that right now, unity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEE: Now, the president is going to continue to get briefed on this ongoing federal investigation. The White House saying that the president will be back in the Situation Room tomorrow morning, meeting with the heads of various law enforcement agencies. And we heard him saying earlier that he expects this investigation to be fair and swift and that they really need to get to the bottom of why there was such a security breach yesterday at this Trump rally.
[17:55:00]
He also said that the Secret Service is going to be conducting a review of security measures at the RNC in Milwaukee though the Secret Service just said earlier this afternoon that they are not going to be changing their posture.
He also called on Americans to refrain from making any assumptions about the motives or the affiliation of the would-be assassin. I should note, as for the president's upcoming travel and schedule, the White House did postpone his trip to Texas tomorrow, but he will still travel to Las Vegas in the afternoon after sitting down with NBC's Lester Holt. This initially was supposed to be an interview very much focused on the concerns among Democrats about the viability of his candidacy. But now, of course, the backdrop is very, very different. Erin and Wolf?
BURNETT: Right, very different. MJ, thank you so much. And I'll be back for a special edition of "Erin Burnett Out Front" coming up at 7. And, of course, Wolf will be with you in just a few moments for a special edition of "The Situation Room."
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