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11 Killed in Attack Targeting Australia's Jewish Community; Police Chief: Brown Shooting Investigation "Moving Fast, Complex"; Trump Mourns Deadly Shooting In Rhode Island, Australia At White House Christmas Reception; Officials: Person Detained After 2 Killed In Brown University Shooting; Police: 16 Killed In Shooting Targeting Australia's Jewish Community. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired December 14, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:00:47]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us.
I'm Fredricka Whitfield alongside my colleague John Berman in Rhode Island. John, we'll get to you in a moment.
We continue to follow breaking news on two big stories this hour. New details in two mass shootings -- one here in the U.S. and a second in Australia.
First, the attack in Providence, Rhode Island on the campus of Brown University. This afternoon, authorities announcing new details on that deadly shooting that killed two students and injured nine others on Saturday.
This is the scene near Providence where police say they took a person of interest into custody at a hotel this morning. A law enforcement official tells CNN the individual had two firearms in their possession when they were detained. Authorities say they continue to build their case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF COL. OSCAR L. PEREZ, JR., PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND POLICE: The investigation continues to progress extremely fast. We're in the process of collecting evidence and seizing items that we need to see, search locations that we need to search.
I want to commend the response, the quick response of ATF, FBI as the items get seized and collected. Obviously, they will provide the resources and the equipment that we need to ensure that we have the right legal requirements and facts in order to be able to provide that so that we can move along.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And then to Australia. At least 11 people are dead and another 29 injured after gunmen opened fire at a Jewish event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach.
Officials are calling it a targeted terrorist attack on Australia's Jewish community. There were at least two suspects.
And stunning new video showing a hero bystander right there tackling one of the gunmen and then wrestling the weapon from him. We know one of the suspects was killed, another is in custody.
Let's begin our live coverage now from Rhode Island with the latest on that shooting there at Brown University.
CNN's John Berman is there. John, the investigation appears to still be in the early stages.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Early stages, but we keep on learning new details, Fred. And you just saw one police car drive behind me. This is actually the block where the shooting took place.
And the only area still closed down is the immediate zone right around the building. The streets are now open. We've seen students walk by, many of them with bags, headed home because classes have been canceled. Final exams have been canceled. So now all the students who were here will simply be leaving.
The latest -- two students dead; nine still injured. Seven of them in critical but -- sorry -- seven of them in stable condition, one in critical but stable condition. But they are all said to be recovering at this point.
I want to bring in CNN's senior national security analyst, Juliette Kayyem, because we are getting new information about this investigation.
John Miller was just on with us a short time ago and is now reporting that this person of interest, who is now in custody, that when he was taken into custody, he had two weapons on him, including one that had a laser pointer.
John was saying that indicates perhaps that this was more planned, specifically targeted. It's the kind of thing you use to target someone. What do you think?
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I mean, look, we're going to put pieces of information together because of our expertise. John and I have been in this a long time.
So there are a couple of things yesterday that we had -- we were discussing you walk into, you know, a university isn't generally open on a Saturday. There aren't usually congregations of students.
The killer may have seemed to know where exactly he was going, and that there would be people there, right, on a Saturday.
Combined with John's reporting about, you know, a weapon that appears to target an individual we don't know yet. But your investigation is going to look at the ties between the suspect at this stage and anyone who was in that room, including those that were shot or killed.
BERMAN: Again, it begs that first question.
KAYYEM: Yes.
BERMAN: If you had the laser, you know, target, was that to point at one person in particular?
KAYYEM: Yes.
[14:04:44]
BERMAN: We don't know yet, but it's the obvious question.
John also reporting that this person of interest --
KAYYEM: Yes.
BERMAN: -- is not a Rhode Island resident, traveled from out of state, We think the Midwest, In his 20s, not a student --
KAYYEM: Yes.
BERMAN: -- at Brown, but they won't say whether he ever was a student at Brown.
KAYYEM: Right. So the investigation -- knowing these things, right, that he -- that he's not from here but he stays put. He's at a hotel that's not very far from him.
What was his exit strategy combined with, though not a student, there has been no discussion about whether there were ties to either the school's employment or someone in the room.
So that's where you're going to begin to put all the pieces together. The fact he's not from here, I have to say I wasn't anticipating that reporting. I thought this seemed, you know, the fact that he stayed in Rhode Island, seemed to know the area, walked out of a building rather casually as we saw him, and then just goes a couple miles away to stay at the hotel.
So did he know the area? What did he know about the area?
Look, the other theory is, right, we have to -- as an investigator, you're going to want to look at the multiple theories is this was someone who, for whatever reason, decides he's going to target a school, decides on Brown, and then goes into a room and happens upon a rich, heavy target.
I think that's beginning to seem less likely --
BERMAN: Right.
KAYYEM: -- but we -- but that's what -- that I believe, is why investigators are disclosing so little. Because if you come out with the wrong theory, or if you present something that you can't prove in court, you're going to give defense attorneys a way to protect him.
And right now they have him or they believe they have him. They want to make the case.
BERMAN: And we keep calling this person a person of interest. No, no, it's a -- it's a term of art, not a science.
KAYYEM: Yes. Yes. Yes.
BERMAN: The person of interest. But I will say that the police have made clear, everyone here on the streets have made clear they feel safe today, which indicates they do not feel like they are searching anymore for someone who carried out these killings one block away.
That's what they're indicating, if they're not saying it in so many words. What are they going over now, do you think, in order to find out this greater level of information.
KAYYEM: And the motive. I mean, right now, now that you have the suspect, they have a name. They know where he lived, both out of state and when he got here and what's in the hotels. You're going to have the combination of sort of, you know, forensic evidence.
What did he leave behind? Where did he purchase the guns? What did the gun shop owners know, and were they able to identify him? The particularities of the gun and where he purchased that? And did he learn to train all of that stuff?
Then when you get to motive, either, you know, you know, you look at what -- who is he emailing? Who might he be mad at, or what is he intaking from social media --
BERMAN: Right.
KAYYEM: -- or any other, you know, any other sort of statements that he may have believed to be true?
We don't -- I mean, we don't have that piece yet. And so investigators are looking at the -- I think the two most probable theories of the case right now, and maybe leaning towards one over the other.
BERMAN: Right, Juliette. Again, we're learning more bits and pieces. We will keep on talking to you throughout the day as more information comes in that's about the suspect.
In terms of the victims, again, two dead, nine injured. We haven't yet learned identities yet because at this news conference, they indicated they haven't been able to contact all the families yet.
Just think about that. How many families there might still be concerned that they had people nearby here?
The Brown University student body, obviously very upset after what happened. I want to listen to what two students told CNN about what they experienced during the attack
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIA TRETTA, BROWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT: I was in my dorm studying with a friend, and we got our first text saying there was a shooter alarm going off.
At first, you know, didn't really think it was real. You know, those types of alarms someone set it off or something happened. But never in my mind would occur that there was actually a shooting until hundreds of texts started rolling in from everyone.
JOSEPH ODURO, BROWN UNIVERSITY TEACHING ASSISTANT: I was giving my closing remarks. And then as soon as everybody stood up and started exiting the room, we heard what sounded like gunshots outside the door, and we heard screaming from various students.
And then about five seconds later, we see a gunman enter a room, and then he just scream something and just started shooting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: I want to bring in now two Brown University students, Tristan Keyser-Parker and Eduardo Martinez. They were both in the school's engineering building, just one door down from where the shooting took place. The building is just right there.
We can see it from our eyes, it's around the corner here. You can't see it in the camera frame.
Tristan, thanks so much for being with us.
TRISTAN KEYSER-PARKER, BROWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT: Thank you.
BERMAN: You were in the building. Tell me what happened.
KEYSER-PARKER: Yes. So Eduardo and I and our whole -- we have a team of, like, 30 students that's working on the race car team. So we're all in the workshop, which is about, it's like a hundred feet from the classroom where the shooting happened.
So we kind of just heard a bunch of people running, and then we heard, like some guy yelling, "Get out, get out. There's an intruder in the building."
[14:09:52]
KEYSER-PARKER: So we gathered everyone that we had in the building and tried to lead everyone out the back stairwell so we would go hopefully away from the shooter.
Took them down out to the front street in front of the building. And we saw police running into the building when we got there. And the police kind of yelled at us to get away from the scene.
So then we kind of rushed and, you know, as calmly as we could, but we walked quickly over to the nearest dorm and got a student to let us in, and we sheltered there for the rest of the night. BERMAN: A long night.
KEYSER-PARKER: Yes.
BERMAN: Where did your head go, Eduardo, as this was happening?
EDUARDO MARTINEZ, BROWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT: I was helping supervise some of the kids in the machine shop and, like, I just see people running, and we dropped everything.
I had no idea how to react. I think I was in shock because I was taking more calmly than I thought I would have. And it just it just turned into a long night.
I'm just glad that we didn't see anything happen. Maybe the noises of the machines covered it up, but I think that helped stay -- helped us stay more calm.
And I'm glad we were able to evacuate safely. And be in contact with our with our loved ones.
BERMAN: Obviously, there is now a person of interest in custody. This is a little bit still of a crime scene behind us now.
I'm a dad. My son was sheltering in the library, not far from here. But as a father, I'm looking at you. You have no jacket. Why don't you have a jacket?
KEYSER-PARKER: I don't have a jacket. Because my coat and my backpack, my laptop, everything is still in that building where we can't go right now.
Even my car is parked on the street, so I can't get to that. They're telling us it will be probably tonight, we can get cars, belongings. Might be a few more days, but obviously that's not the biggest concern.
My heart goes out to everyone who's actually hurt yesterday, but it's just a lot going on right now.
BERMAN: What's it been like walking around campus today?
MARTINEZ: Yes, it was it was very eerie in the morning when they announced that we could leave. So I slept over at a friend's dorm. His roommate wasn't there because he was in the library, so he got moved somewhere else.
I was just walking. I ran out in my coveralls from the workshop and just walking down, seeing all the cop cars, asking, like, going up to cars, asking like, which streets I can walk on. And just the setting of the snow just made it seem like it was -- it was a dream that I'd woken up and it wasn't. It wasn't what I what I'd seen the day before.
BERMAN: Do either of you know anyone who was inside that classroom?
KEYSER-PARKER: No, not personally. MARTINEZ: Unfortunately, the friend that I -- that sheltered me last night, he -- I was with him when he found out that he knew someone was in the room.
BERMAN: It's just got to be so tough. And, like, what now? I mean, classes and -- I mean classes were done anyway, but finals canceled, projects canceled. Now what?
KEYSER-PARKER: Yes, I mean, it was a little, like, disorienting. I had a final project due, a final paper due, and an exam in the next like three days. I was -- suddenly that was just not a concern anymore.
Just took some of the -- I'm a senior and captain of the team, so I took some of the underclassmen home to my house because they couldn't get back to their dorms. Some of them are still there.
And we're just kind of trying to figure out how to get everyone home. A lot of international students are going to their friends' houses that live in Rhode Island or Massachusetts.
Just trying to make sure everyone's all right. And get everyone back home because there's no reason, really, anyone wants to be here right now.
BERMAN: Right. At the train stations, I was coming in, I bumped into a kid from Canada who was on his way to Boston because he's like, I'm getting out. I mean, I'm going to the airport. I don't have a flight yet, but I'll get one by the time I get there.
Listen, Tristan, Eduardo -- I'm glad you're ok. Sorry that you went through this. It's so good of both of you to have taken care of all the younger kids who are going through this, as well. They're going to need your friendship and your guidance, I think in the coming days and weeks when you're all back here again. Thank you.
KEYSER-PARKER: Thank you so much.
BERMAN: All the best.
MARTINEZ: Thank you.
BERMAN: All right. We're going to have much more ahead here from Rhode Island and Providence.
We're obviously also following the tragic breaking news out of Australia, a terror attack there targeting the Jewish community on the -- community on the first night of Hanukkah.
President Trump has now weighed in on both of these attacks. We're going to take you to the White House.
[14:14:07]
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WHITFIELD: Welcome back. It has been a day of terror in Australia.
At least 11 people killed at an event where hundreds of people gathered at Bondi Beach in Sydney to celebrate the first day of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
People can be seen scrambling for safety as gunfire erupts. And dramatic video shows a gunman being tackled and having his weapon taken from him right there before he runs away.
Two people can be seen shooting from a bridge. Police say they also removed an explosive device from a car nearby.
Police say there were two suspects -- one of them is dead, the other is in a life-threatening condition. Authorities are labeling it a terrorist incident.
Australia's prime minister, Anthony Albanese, called the attack an act of evil.
CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is joining me right now from London with more on this investigation.
[14:19:46]
WHITFIELD: Nic, we're seeing harrowing moments on social media from this attack. Walk us through what you're learning.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, it really is very horrific. Some of the video, some of the casualties and the fact that these gunmen were shooting from about 70 yards away to this open area where a thousand people were gathered celebrating Hanukkah -- the first night of Hanukkah -- just about to light the first candle on the menorah.
What we understand from Australian authorities is that one of these attackers, and we don't know if it's the one that's dead or the one that's in hospital with severe injuries. One of these attackers was known to the security services prior to this attack.
They're saying that that knowledge didn't lead them to believe that there was an imminent threat, but one of them was on the radar of the security services in Australia.
That video there of the -- of the -- of the man who's been described as a, as a hero and it would appear rightly so, hiding. You see him there in a white shirt, hiding behind a vehicle. He's got the gunman a few feet away from him.
And he doesn't have a weapon himself, runs up, tackles the gunman, wrestles the gun away from him. One of his relatives has identified him as Ahmed Al-Ahmed (ph), a 43-year-old storekeeper, married with two children. No previous experience of firearms, according to his relatives.
And the sad thing about that incident, if you will, is the other gunman start shooting at Ahmed Al-Ahmed shoots him in the shoulder, shoots him in the arm. He's getting treatment in hospital at the moment.
But it is very clearly an ongoing investigation for the police to try to find out more about these two attackers.
The prime minister, as you said, calling an act of evil. He said it was an act against the Jewish community in Australia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith. An act of evil, anti-Semitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized the Australian prime minister and the Australian government because he said he wrote to them back in September at the time that they were recognizing -- along with other countries -- recognizing a Palestinian state.
And he said that this was only going to make it worse for the Jewish community, that it would breed and enliven anti-Semitism. And he called on the government now to stand up and be strong.
He also, by the way, the Israeli prime minister praised that Muslim man, the hero there, wrestling the gun from the attacker, praised him for what he did in saving lives.
WHITFIELD: I mean, deservedly, that was unbelievable and thank goodness.
All right. Nic Robertson, thank you so much.
All right. We're also learning more about the victims from Sunday's horrendous attack. Earlier today, my colleague Victor Blackwell spoke to Alex Ryvchin, whose friend was killed in the shooting. Here's what he shared.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX RYVCHIN, CO-CEO, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN JEWRY: I've spoken at that event for the last probably ten years. I was scheduled to speak again tonight. but in the last minute I was contacting the rabbi and saying I had a bat mitzvah to attend. Maybe we could bump me from the run sheet a little bit forward.
And that rabbi, who is a dear, dear friend and one of the of the kindest and most beautiful human beings I've ever known, is among the dead.
One of my colleagues was there, and he's wounded and he's in hospital at the moment. I've just heard that, again, a friend has lost his 12- year-old daughter who succumbed to her wounds in hospital. We're a very close-knit community, and this event is kind of the gem
of our year. It's something we look forward to every year. It's when we gather on Bondi Beach with families, and we have face painting and jumping castles and petting zoos. And we mark the beginning of the Festival of Lights. It's a joyous day.
And here in Australia, it's the beginning of the summer holidays. It's the beginning of the school holidays. It's right on the beach. It's a beautiful day. This is one of the most cherished events in our communal calendar.
And the fact that it's turned into a bloodbath, the fact that people plotted, acquired weapons, came there knowing that there would be children there, that there would be elderly people, families, defenseless people just gathered there in peace. And they slaughtered them in cold blood.
This is something that will transform our country. This is something that will crush our community and we'll have to rebuild from this.
Tomorrow we'll be burying our dead and we'll be comforting each other. I don't know how we recover from this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: At least 11 people have died in that attack, with another 29 injured. Police say more than a thousand people were celebrating Hanukkah when the shooting occurred.
[14:24:44]
WHITFIELD: More ahead on the breaking news from Rhode Island as well. New details we're learning about the person of interest and how that person was apprehended, next.
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BERMAN: All right. Welcome back. John Berman here.
We continue to following the breaking news on the deadly shooting here at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Earlier today, officials held a press conference urging patience as they build a case against a person of interest they now have in custody.
President Trump spoke out about this tragedy and the mass shooting in Australia.
Let's get to CNN's Julia Benbrook at the White House with the very latest. Julia, what are you hearing?
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, during this weekend that has included multiple tragedies, President Donald Trump is offering his condolences, his thoughts and prayers to those impacted. He made remarks at a pre-planned holiday party that's taking place here at the White House right now.
[14:30:04]
And as he started this speech, he spoke about the shooting at Brown University that we know has killed two students and left nine others injured. He also spoke about the deadly attack there in Australia.
We want to play you part of those remarks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Just pay my respects to the people. Unfortunately, two are no longer with us. Brown University, nine injured and two are looking down on us right now from heaven. And likewise in Australia, as you know, that was a terrible attack, 11 dead, 29 badly wounded. And that was an antisemitic attack, obviously. And it -- I just want to pay my respects to everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BENBROOK: Now, when it comes to the shooting at Brown University, he did highlight that there is a person of interest and emphasized that he was being very careful with that terminology. That comes after yesterday we saw two back-to-back posts from the president. In one, he said that there was a suspect in custody that was based on information coming from officials on the ground, but he quickly retracted that as they had stepped back that guidance as well. So, there was some confusion about that throughout the day.
Now, he also commented in these remarks about a recent attack in Syria that killed two U.S. Army soldiers, as well as one civilian interpreter. It left three others wounded. Trump has referred to this as an ambush attack. He said it was an ISIS attack both on the United States and on Syria, and he has promised retaliation. In fact, in those remarks, he said today, a lot of damage will be done to the people who did it. He continued to say that he will keep praying for the three others wounded in that attack, and he has said that they are doing okay.
Now, that is kind of how these remarks started. There was a strong pivot, though, as he spoke at this party to more of his campaign style rhetoric. He introduced some notable attendees, some guests. He spoke about how hard it is to get on the invite list for something like this. He spoke about the athletic ability of some of his grandchildren who were there in attendance, and took at least one dig at his predecessor, as he continued to tout his administration's work.
At the end, we did hear from First Lady Melania Trump. She also spoke about the recent tragedies and added, quote, my heart is with them -- John
BERMAN: All right. Julia Benbrook at the White House, where the president had a lot to speak about today, given the events all around the world.
So, we're now hearing the tales from students who were on the Brown University campus during the mass shooting. Ahead, we're going to speak with a former CNN intern who sheltered in place in the gym.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the shooting that happened yesterday at Brown University, leaving two students dead and nine others injured. We're hearing the stories of students locked down for hours while police searched for a suspect.
And this hits pretty close to home for us on this NEWSROOM team. This past summer, we enjoyed having a standout intern who attends Brown University. And so there he is right there -- Lydell Dyer.
Lydell. You know, as soon as the shooting happened, I mean, you were top of mind. You know, I asked our team to reach out to you to see how you were doing.
So, I'm very glad to see you again. But sadly, under these circumstances, you left here from this internship excited about your senior year and now this. So first off, tell me how you're feeling right now.
LYDELL DYER, BROWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT: Hi, Fred. It's good to talk to you. It's been a lot for all of us. I think the past two days have hit home for so many of us. And if you look around us, it snow for the first time. This is a day a lot of us we're looking forward to Christmas. Spending time with the people we love.
But it's not a white winter land over here. Basically. It's really hard to see, you know, this campus that's bathed in red almost. And for so many of us, just -- we've been thinking about the people who've been injured. A lot of our friends were in danger. And it's just been -- it's been a long. It's been so much.
And I think so many of us are just stressed. We're tired. So many of us were afraid. But we're trying our best to stick, to stick with it and move forward.
WHITFIELD: I'm so sorry to hear all that, but I'm glad that you are, you know, sticking together to try to get through it. So, I wonder, you know, I know it's painful, you know. Tell me about last night. I understand you were working at the athletic facility.
And then what happened? Did you hear gunshots? Were you given instructions? Just kind of tick through what you experienced?
DYER: Well, I was working at the university gym, and at 4:22, we got an email from the university saying that there was a shooter. Before that, I had received a couple of texts from my friends that were at the science library, which is just behind the building that I'm standing at. And, you know, we didn't really have that much of a protocol in place. It was me and one other student who were working there.
We were very lucky that there was another faculty member there who helped us. But, you know, once we heard about the active shooter, we wanted to lock down, we gathered everybody up, went to the third floor of a building.
[14:40:02]
We locked the doors. We had to turn off the lights, close the blinds, and then we sat there in silence and darkness for hours. It was about an hour and a half until the first police officer arrived at our building. And until then, all we had were those emails.
And then after the police officer got there, it was another two hours of us being stuck in the university gym. Later on, they moved us to another building to our track facility. And I know personally I was there until 3:30 in the morning until they finally found a way to get us a shuttle and get us back to our dorms.
WHITFIELD: My goodness. I mean, you're letting us know. I mean, you didn't necessarily have drills on, you know, how to handle this. There was no real protocol that you were able to follow, as you just explained.
But then I'm wondering, while you and thankfully, there was another staff member there and your fellow student, what were you thinking along the way? In the darkness, in the quiet, you know, in the moments where you realize it was two hours, it was three hours and you weren't really sure what was happening or how long this would go on. What was going through your mind?
DYER: Not much, Fred. I think at that point in time, we were all just doing the best that we could. And I think all we could do was take it moment by moment. And when the situation first arose, I knew that I was in a position where people would listen to me.
And, I think the biggest thing was just we wanted people to be safe. And so, we did all we could, and everybody was so collaborative. I mean, they were 160 people of us. There was so many. But everybody listened. Everybody followed orders.
We just stuck together. And I think that's what we were thinking about most. Just how could we be there for one another? How can we stick together and make it through this moment?
WHITFIELD: No more classes this week, no more finals as scheduled for this week. What will it feel like this holiday for you?
DYER: Won't feel like Christmas. Won't feel like a holiday at all. Really? I think so many of my friends are going home. So many people that can are leaving. I live far away, so ill still be on campus for a week.
And already this morning when I was walking around, everybody's getting in cars, everybody's packing, everybody's leaving campus if they can. So, it'll be -- it'll be empty. But I've talked to so many people. I've called people family, friends, anybody I know.
And so, this has been a moment to realize how important it is to reach out to the people we love. And that's what were going to keep doing WHITFIELD: Well, Lydell, I'm so sorry you had to go through this, but,
I mean, you telling the story. I mean, you really were an exceptional leader while you were here as an intern, and you demonstrated that again in a moment that really no one can predict. And it sounds like you handled it so well.
I hope that you are able to, you know, be with friends, be with some loved ones. They're nearby. Since you can't necessarily go home because it is so far away.
But we're wishing the best for you. And you know, let us know how we can help you in in any way
DYER: Thank you, Fred, I appreciate it.
WHITFIELD: All right. Lydell Dyer, hang in there.
All right. We're also learning more about the person of interest detained -- detained in connection with that shooting at Brown University, including where that person is from. Detectives are searching for more evidence
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:48:14]
WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. I'm John Berman in Providence, Rhode Island.
This is our continuing coverage of the deadly shooting here at Brown University. A person of interest is in custody, detained at a hotel actually south of the airport, about a 20, 25-minute drive from where I'm standing right now in Providence. He was detained at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, this morning. FBI officials say they tracked him there using cell phone data.
I want to bring back CNN's Brian Todd, who's been all over the area this morning.
One bit of new information we have is sources close to the investigation tell CNN the detained person they believe drove here, came here from Wisconsin.
What now are you learning?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John. And that comes from our colleague John Miller, our senior law enforcement and intelligence analyst, getting that from multiple law enforcement sources. They believe that this person of interest drove here from Wisconsin to commit this shooting. That is according to law enforcement sources.
In addition, John Miller got information earlier today saying again from law enforcement sources saying that of the two firearms that were recovered that were confiscated from this person of interest, one of them was equipped with a laser sight. I can tell you from here, John, this is the scene where they apprehended this individual. Law enforcement has just completely pulled out of here. The last remnants -- remnants of them took off just a few minutes ago.
Before that, I was able to capture on my cell phone some video of them outside of the suspect's window. Not the suspect. The person of interest. This person of interest window at the hotel. They were canvasing three different windows looking for something.
I asked one of the law enforcement officers from the Providence police what they were looking for.
[14:50:04]
He said, quote, "We're looking for a lot of things. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you right now what it is."
But I can tell you that they've been here for several hours processing the room. And one of the captain -- one of the majors from the Providence police department, Major David Lapatin, said, "We've been processing this room. I asked him, you know, what did you take out of there? How complicated a scene was, the room?" He said, "I'm sorry, I can't answer those questions." He said, "We're not trying to hide anything from you guys. We're just -- we have to keep some of this out of the public view."
He told me just a few minutes ago you know, one of our team members was here in the 3:00 a.m. hour, John, when law enforcement converged on this room, basically right behind me, and heard the commotion, heard them knocking on the door saying, open up. Heard them saying, we have a warrant for your apartment and that we are going to take you to the squad car out back.
That's what one of our colleagues heard and saw and filmed. Some of the law enforcement personnel in the hallway there. There were at least 20 who converged on that room in the 3:00 hour. They were from the FBI. They were from the Providence police and other agencies as well. U.S. marshals, including included in that.
So, a very dramatic scene here. Police have now vacated the area, and we're going to be, of course, digging for more information on this person of interest -- John.
BERMAN: I got to say, very interesting to see them looking so closely at the windows and video, you intrepid reporter Brian Todd, took with your very own cell phone to see them doing that. Now, having left the premises, that location. It's interesting because here the crime scene, which is right behind me, they've largely left this area, too. So, they're moving through these locations very, very rapidly.
Brian Todd, well get back to you soon, obviously, as this investigation continues to unfold.
Just ahead, new details on a deadly this deadly terror attack in Australia. The death toll is now rising. We are told 16 people now confirmed dead.
This is CNN special live coverage. Stay with us
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[14:56:39]
WHITFIELD: Welcome back.
Police say at least 16 people were killed and 40 more remain hospitalized after a mass shooting in Sydney, Australia. It is still unclear if either number includes the two suspected gunman. That number of 16. The attack began while hundreds of people were gathered on Bondi beach at an event celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah as gunfire erupted and people ran for safety. Witnesses describe the chaotic moments when the shooting began.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounded like fireworks going off, and it was multiple, multiple going off. So, I sort of opened the blind to see what was going on, and I just saw an older lady get shot and she was on the floor. Saw an older guy get shot very badly injured on the left hand side. And I just saw a bunch of people screaming running towards me. I didn't know what was going on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A few people helped. People helped. A few old people get up and get out of there, but it was like there were lots of bodies on the floor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Two individuals can be seen shooting from a bridge in the area, and police say one suspect, rather, is dead while the other is in a life-threatening condition at a hospital. Authorities are labeling this as a terrorist incident that targeted the Jewish community.
Joining us right now is CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen.
Peter, great to see you. Police also confirmed that officers secured and removed explosive devices found in a nearby vehicle. What does all of this suggest to you in terms of the planning?
PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, the IEDs or improvised explosive devices certainly suggest planning. And it's interesting also that there were two gunmen rather than just one. But, the executive council on Australian Jewry just released a report and they say that antisemitic incidents in Australia have tripled in the last since the October 7th Hamas attack in Israel in 2023.
So, it's part of a pattern of, you know, larger number of antisemitic incidents in Australia, the most significant of which was a was a synagogue in Melbourne, which was burned to the ground. And there was an interesting detail about that, Fred, which is the Australian government fingered Iranian officials allegedly involvement in that attack and actually expelled the Iranian ambassador to Australia as a result.
Now, there's no indication that there was Iranian involvement in this incident, we know of, but that's another interesting wrinkle where its not simply antisemitism that is an issue. But in Australia at least that Iranian officials are involved in some of these incidents.
WHITFIELD: Australia's national terrorism threat level right now is set at probable. So, what does this mean as it pertains to dedicating resources to keep the community safe?
BERGEN: Well, probable, as I understand it, Fred, is sort of pretty much right in the middle from, you know, from a certain attack at the top level or no attack at all. So, it seems, you know, there's certainly, you know, I mean, this attack speaks for itself. It's the largest mass shooting in Australia in decades.
And, but probable is not, you know, there are two levels above probable in Australia. So, the Australian authorities are not saying that another attack is imminent, luckily.
