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Person Of Interest In brown University Shooting Taken Into Custody; At Least 15 Killed In Attack Targeting Australia's Jewish Community. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired December 14, 2025 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:30]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We're following two major breaking stories today. The first, a tragedy at a Hanukkah celebration on Australia's Bondi Beach. At least 15 people were killed in what is now being described as a terrorist attack. The prime minister describing it as Antisemitic and an act of evil.

A warning that some viewers might find the footage we're about to show distressing. Here you can see, for example, people scattering as gunshots are heard in the background. Hundreds were gathered there to celebrate this, the first night of Hanukkah, when the shooting took place. Law enforcement also secured and removed explosive devices found in a nearby vehicle. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack an act of evil. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian, and every Australian tonight will be like me devastated on this attack on our way of life. There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation.

Let me be clear. We will eradicate it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Police say there are two known suspects, a father and son. The father is dead while the son is in critical but stable condition.

We're also following the other breaking news. The updates we're getting out of Providence, Rhode Island, right now. Two people were killed, several others were injured on Brown University's campus yesterday in another major shooting. Police say they have a person of interest, a person of interest in custody.

We're standing by as the community prepares to gather tonight for what was originally supposed to be a Christmas tree and Menorah lighting ceremony. The Providence mayor says police will be on site during the event that's set to start shortly. We'll have coverage of that.

We're also standing by for the lighting of the National Hanukkah Menorah here in Washington, which will be illuminated during a special ceremony on the White House Ellipse just south of the White House. That's coming up this evening as well. We'll have coverage of that.

CNN's John Berman is on the ground for us in Providence, Rhode Island, right near the campus of Brown University. He's joining us now.

Update our viewers, John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Wolf, I'm right in the middle of the campus of Brown University. In fact, I'm standing alongside Hope Street, which is the very street where the engineering building is, where the shooting took place. And just a few minutes ago, police finally opened up the street right here behind me in the block around the engineering building. It was in there where the economics class, Principles of Economics with some 60 kids was being held when someone walked in the room there and began shooting, killing two people, wounding nine more.

As you said, a person of interest is now in custody as police are going through all the physical evidence they have, which is two guns that they found on him at the time they took him into custody, and the shell casings they found as well at the scene. One notable thing we've seen here on the campus is, behind us there have been students walking with wheelie bags and backpacks, leaving.

Classes have been canceled. Final exams have been canceled. Final presentations have been canceled so students who can leave are leaving, in some cases days as much as a week earlier than they had anticipated.

I want to get to CNN's Leigh Waldman, who arrived here just within hours of the shooting overnight.

Leigh, what more can you tell us about how law enforcement tracked down this person of interest?

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, we know according to the FBI director, Kash Patel, he's posted on social media saying they actually used his own cell phone data to track him down. And we know that our other CNN crews were there at that hotel as the law enforcement there approached this person of interest, detaining them. So all of these law enforcement entities are working together overnight throughout the day today, really piecing this together.

And that's why they've been fairly tight lipped at this point, not sharing much information about who that they have detained, how they were able to piece together from that 10 second video clip just showing the back of this person of interest, to having someone who's actually been detained now.

[16:05:01]

Where we are here, John, is at Lippitt Park. This is where that community gathering is going to take place in less than an hour. It was supposed to be a Christmas tree lighting and a menorah lighting but all of that has changed in light of this tragedy that happened just a few miles away from where we are now at Brown University, where you are. We've spoken to students who have gone through not one mass shooting at their school but two. (INAUDIBLE) telling us about how she was shot in high school and now she was on lockdown here at Brown University.

This is something we asked Mayor Brett Smiley about during a press conference earlier, asking him how he wraps his mind around and the message he has for leadership across the country knowing that young people who are in college have gone through two different active shooter situations. Take a listen to what he had to say in response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR BRETT SMILEY (D), PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND: One of the students that showed tremendous courage literally said to me, you know that active shooter drill they made me do in high school actually helped me in the moment, which at the same time provided me hope and was so sad. We shouldn't have to do active shooter drills, but it helped. And the reason it helped and the reason we do these drills is because it's so damn frequent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALDMAN: You hear him saying it there, it just keeps happening. John, I've lost track of how many of these I've covered at this point. I'm sure it's the same for you. It breaks your heart every time we drop into one of these communities here. But like you mentioned, those active shooter drills, they're working. The student who told him that was a student who is hospitalized right now dealing with gunshot wound injuries.

We know eight students were shot. Another student hurt by shrapnel and took themselves to the hospital immediately afterwards. It just shows you how far-reaching these tragedies are touching every member of this community.

BERMAN: Absolutely. No question about that. And, Leigh, just so our audience knows, you're talking about where this person of interest was taken into custody, in Coventry, Rhode Island. We showed some pictures of that hotel. That's about 25, 30 minutes away from where I'm standing at Brown University. So this person of interest, if he was the shooter, went from the building right behind me, walked down the street in that video you're looking at right there, and then ended up at that hotel where he was taken into custody very early in the morning, a little after 3:00 in the morning.

And one of the questions that we will be asking and maybe getting answers to is why he went from here to there, how he got from here to there, what did he intend to do after he got there? Was he trying to get away? Did he ever think he would get away? Again, we haven't heard from authorities now for several hours. Unclear whether or not they will brief again most of the new information we are getting coming from CNN's own reporting team, which has developed new information about the weapons and the investigation itself.

Leigh Waldman, great reporting. Thank you for all the work that you've been doing here.

Again, as we stand here, Wolf, we see people out on the streets more than when we got here on the morning. They are opening up people trying to get back in the building. They haven't been able to get back in the building yet where the shooting took place. And a lot of students, the students who ran out, simply left everything behind -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes, it is so, so awful. So terrible, heartbreaking indeed. All right, John Berman, we'll stay in very close touch with you. Thank you very, very much.

I want to bring in CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller right now. Also joining us, the former Boston police commissioner, Ed Davis.

John, I'll start with you. What's the latest you're hearing from your sources on what the operation to detain this so-called person of interest uncovered?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, they went to the hotel as has been described by witnesses. They banged on the door and told them to open up. This is around 3:45, 3:50 in the morning. A team from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force out of Boston, U.S. Marshals, Coventry Police on the scene. And when they entered the room, they encountered this individual who they had identified and were looking to speak to, and asked him where he had been earlier that evening that day.

And we are told by sources that he allegedly told them, I've been here at the hotel the whole time. I haven't really gone anywhere. They took him into custody. Along with that, they recovered two weapons, one, a 9 millimeter Glock semi-automatic pistol with a single stack magazine and a laser pointer. Why is that important? Witnesses told police that this gun had some odd device attached to it, with a laser beam coming out of it. So that is an indicator that they were looking for.

[16:10:03]

The other gun, a revolver. They have shell casings at the scene they're going to compare to these weapons. The revolver would keep, retain the shell casings. The semiautomatic pistol would eject them. They're going to have to measure both guns against ballistics recovered at the scene to see if they can tie those guns to the scene, to the victims. And then the individual who had them in that hotel room, as well as a number of other tests.

So they have interviewed this subject. We do not know how forthcoming he has or hasn't been since he's been in custody. But where does it go from here? Do we hear that he's going to be charged in the shooting? Do we hear, for instance, if he is a resident of Wisconsin, which we've been told, that he's going to be charged with possession of the two weapons in Rhode Island as a non-state resident. All of that still up in the air now -- Wolf.

BLITZER: What do we know? What are we hearing about? And we're not getting a lot of information, but what are we hearing about this individual's background and-or motivations?

MILLER: Well, that's a very fluid question at this point. We have been told in public statements from the school as of the time when they said earlier today that there was a person of interest, that that person was not a student at the school. We've gotten pretty strong indications from law enforcement sources that if he is not a student now, he was a student and that may be, that may be something there, Wolf.

If he was a student and he's not now, what occurred to make him not a student now? Is that part of the motivation? That's where we don't have a lot of illumination into the inside of this. And we've been carefully tracking his background. It appears that he is former U.S. Military and comes out of Wisconsin, but so far, the picture we have of him is really more of a sketch than a richer one, and motive still something we're waiting to hear more about.

BLITZER: Yes, we're trying to figure out why someone would drive all the way from Wisconsin to Rhode Island to allegedly commit this crime.

All right, stand by. Ed Davis, the former Boston police commissioner is with us.

The police chief there on the scene told reporters today, Ed, that it took all hands on deck to detain this so-called person of interest within 12 hours of the shooting. Authorities have only released this video of him from a security camera. So what does that tell you?

ED DAVIS, FORMER BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER: Good afternoon, Wolf. You know, I'm glad you asked because that particular issue is really central to their ability to run this guy down. It wasn't until that video and it wasn't very clear, it wasn't a video that you could make an I.D. from, but it did show what the individual was wearing. It showed how the individual walked his gait, his height, his weight. Things like that you could discern from that video.

And the good news is someone saw that video and within hours they had a lead that was solid enough to allow the FBI to ping his telephone and find him in a hotel or motel down in Coventry. So we can't say enough about the importance of transparency and cooperating and allowing the public to do some of the hard work that needs to be done here when you really don't know who you're dealing with.

BLITZER: Yes. Good point. And they're being very, very confidential, the authorities about releasing information. They don't want to do anything to undermine the overall investigation.

John, let me get back to you. We know that this so-called person of interest, he's not being necessarily called a suspect, a person of interest is not a resident of Rhode Island. He's a man in his 20s. He's not a current student at Brown University. Are you learning anything else? MILLER: I mean, we are looking at his background and trying to figure

that out, Wolf. Right now, it's still a sketchy picture in that they haven't released his name officially. They haven't charged him officially, but clearly he's under arrest and not free to go. So we're waiting with some degree of caution before we get into the depth of those details to see what path they take with this.

BLITZER: Yes, we're also, of course, all standing by for more information on what has happened, and including the so-called person of interest.

[16:15:03]

John Miller, Ed Davis, we'll stay in very close touch with both of you. Thank you very much.

We're also following major breaking news, heartbreaking news out of Australia right now. An Antisemitic attack on this, the first night of Hanukkah. At least 15 people killed in a nation where mass shootings are incredibly rare. The latest on the terror attack on Bondi Beach just ahead. We're getting more information. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: As Providence, Rhode Island, and the Brown University community grapple with tragedy, Sydney, Australia is in mourning as well right now.

[16:20:01]

At least 15 people were killed in an attack targeting the Jewish community who were gathered there to celebrate this, the first night of Hanukkah. Police say the suspects are a father and son. One shooter is dead, the other has been hospitalized. An eyewitness captured the moment a man tackled and disarmed one of the attackers. A relative of that man gave this update on his condition just a little while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Still, he's in the hospital and we don't know exactly what's going on inside. But they said, the doctor, he's OK, and next two hours they let us to go in and see Ahmed because he's still inside in the -- he do the operation. But we hope he will be fine. He's a hero. Hundred percent he's a hero because what we see on the social media is like he's 100 percent hero. Yes. He has two shots, one in his arm here and one in his hand.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And have you been able to talk to him today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, because I come when I see the -- what's happening and I come here to see him. But they said we were not allowed to go inside because they have to make an operation, whatever. I'm still waiting to see him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Certainly was a hero indeed.

CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, is joining us right now.

Nic, police gave an update just a short time ago. What's the latest we know about how this attack unfolded?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, we know that there were only two attackers. The police had earlier said there might be a third. They've said that's not the case now. Father and son, 50- year-old father, he's dead, shot at the scene on the bridge where they began that attack. Literally (INAUDIBLE) 70 yards away from that gathering for first night of Hanukkah, just about to light the first candle on the menorah.

And that's when they say, people in that crowd say, that's when the gunman started firing. And then, as you saw that man comes forward. One of the gunmen comes off the bridge. He's tackled, he's disarmed, but he goes back to the bridge. And what we've learned from the police now that the man who was tackled was the 50-year-old father. He, according to police, had a firearms license, which is pretty tough to get in Australia.

The police say that he had six weapons and we could see at least three of those weapons, at least three in the social media video that came out of the attack. All those three weapons appear to be long rifle type weapons, perhaps shotgun type weapons, that they had, but the police say they've recovered all six of those firearms that were registered to the father. The 24-year-old son in hospital in critical condition.

One of the big takeaways for me, watching that police press conference, was a question from a journalist. The police had found a vehicle that had two IEDs in it. Rudimentary, the police say. But the journalist asked the question, about an apparent ISIS flag being found at that vehicle. Now, the police wouldn't comment on that. They didn't deny it, but they wouldn't comment it. They said the investigation was ongoing and the focus of their investigation, they said, was to find out what motivated this father and son to mount this horrendous attack on what was supposed to be a beautiful celebration this evening -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Supposed to be indeed, and so sad indeed. What do we know, Nic, about the victims, the 15 people who were killed?

ROBERTSON: We're beginning to get some details. One of them we know to be an Israeli citizen. One of them we know to be a 12-year-old girl. Another one we know to be the rabbi who was organizing this event. It's an event that was held annually. And all these deaths are terrible and tragic, but one that really sort of strikes at the banality of all of this and the horror of it as well, if you will, is one of the victims we understand at the moment from preliminary details we have was a Holocaust survivor, Wolf.

BLITZER: So sad indeed. Our hearts go out to those families. May they all rest in peace, those who were killed, and may their memories, as we say, be a blessing.

Nic Robertson, thank you very, very much.

I want to turn right now to CNN anchor Lynda Kinkade.

Lynda, help put us -- put this into some perspective because it's quite rare in Australia, a country you know well, to see a shooting attack like this.

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, that's right, Wolf. This is incredibly rare. The last mass shooting in Australia was three decades ago, back in 1996, the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania. Some 35 people were killed, including children who were hunted down. And that was so horrific, the prime minister at the time, John Howard, came out and enacted some of the worlds strictest gun laws. They banned semiautomatic rifles, they launched a national registration system for firearms, and they enacted a buyback system.

[16:25:04]

So anyone with a firearm had to essentially hand it in. They were compensated, and hundreds of thousands of firearms were destroyed.

As you were just speaking to Nic about, we now know the accused gunman in this attack had six firearms registered under his name. The father, who is now deceased. The son, of course, is in hospital with gunshot wounds. And this attack of course happened at Bondi Beach, a beach I know really well, Wolf. It's one of Australia's most iconic beaches. It's known for surfing. It's known for cultural festivals and sporting activities.

And, you know, I've got a cousin who lives in the area who's part of the Jewish community, who was at a Hanukkah event, not that one. She went to a smaller event because of this fear over hate crimes in Australia right now.

BLITZER: Because the fear is a legitimate fear. Organizations in Australia, I've noted, have reported a dramatic rise in Antisemitic attacks in recent years. What do we know about this?

KINKADE: Yes, that's right, Wolf. Sadly, over the last couple of years, there has been an absolute surge in hate crimes in Australia. Now, according to the Executive Council of Australian Jews, in the last 12 months, there were more than 1600 Antisemitic incidents that were reported. Now that includes things like vandalism on high schools, Jewish high schools, outside schools. There was also a synagogue in Melbourne that was firebombed late last year and destroyed.

Now that figure of 1600, that's more than three times the level that we saw, the rates that we saw before the Israel-Gaza war began. And the year prior to that, just after the war began, it was four times that rate. So we've seen a surge in hate crime. There has also been attacks on Palestinians and Arabs as well, but especially the Jewish community. And from those I've been speaking to in the Jewish community, they

were telling me that many of the events they have right now are generally events where they register online once they receive an invitation, and then once their registration has been accepted, they receive a text message on the day of the celebration, on the day of the event, telling them the location. So this was quite an unusual event where it was so publicly advertised and it was out in the open and clearly not much security, Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes, I've noticed that here in the United States as well. Jewish organizations sending invitations to various events, but only after you RSVP and provide some information do they tell you exactly where the event is taking place. There's security, intensive security here in the U.S. involving the Jewish community as well.

Lynda Kinkade, thanks very much for your reporting. Appreciate it very much.

And coming up, we return to Providence, Rhode Island, where two students were killed in a shooting at Brown University. I'll speak to the congressman who represents the area. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:32:36]

BLITZER: Right now, we want to turn our attention back to Providence, Rhode Island. That's where a shooting at Brown University left two people dead and nine others in the hospital on Saturday.

This morning, law enforcement held a news conference saying this remains a very complex and active investigation, as they build a case against what they're describing as a person of interest that they detained at a local hotel. Officers say the person had two firearms with him.

I want to bring in Rhode Island Democratic Congressman Gabe Amo. Congressman, thanks so much for joining us. I know the last time we spoke to you, you had not been in direct contact with any of the families of the students who were injured or killed. Have you been able to speak to anyone since then?

REP. GABE AMO (D), RHODE ISLAND: Yes, I've been in contact with a few of the families. You know, the Brown community is a very tight-knit community. So, where folks knew how to contact us, I've heard from them. Expressed my sympathies to those who are in the hospital still recovering.

And, of course, I express my condolences to those two families who have lost two young lives. Two students who should be with us today. But because of this heinous and terrible act are not with us, and that is incredibly saddening.

BLITZER: Totally sad. How do you feel, Congressman, knowing this person of interest, as he's being called, may have targeted your community there in Providence? AMO: Well, it's distressing. No one, anywhere, should experience this

pain and the loss. And, really, the removal of the feeling of security and freedom in an academic environment.

And so, as we learn more from law enforcement, who I am very grateful for, who worked through last night, who are being prudent and diligent in working through this. We will let them get to the bottom of this so that justice can be served.

I'm also very grateful for the leadership of the mayor of Providence, Brett Smiley, and our governor who have worked in close collaboration with law enforcement, at the local level, at the state level and the federal level, to work and get justice in this very terrible situation.

[16:35:07]

BLITZER: Horrible situation. Heartbreaking.

I know you're a native Rhode Islander, Congressman. This is a small state, as we all know. Do you think people in your community felt that this was the kind of violence they would ever have to face?

AMO: Well, no one expects it, Wolf. That's the sad reality of it. But we are in a country where this has been a stain on our nation.

You know, I went to high school right up, a couple blocks up, the street from Brown. You know, a very open campus. A place that's totally integrated with the community.

And no one expects it to happen to them. But as we see, time and time again, that, you know, we need to continue to be vigilant -- do every -- vigilant and do everything that we can to keep our community safe.

So, right now, the issue number one is we have to look out for one another. I think this community is going to go through a process of healing. After I get off with you, I'm going to a vigil in the Providence community, where our close bond is certainly being tested.

But we have to look out for one another, and that's what we'll do.

BLITZER: I know, Congressman, you renewed your call to lawmakers for stricter gun control. Guns, guns, guns, as they say. Do you think there will ever be the political will in Washington, for example, to pass this kind of legislation?

AMO: Well, look, I was encouraged a few years ago, when I worked in the Biden White House and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed. But we have work to do still.

Look, I know a lot of people come at this issue from different points of view, but there is one thing that is unambiguously clear. Our nation experiences this far more than any other place in the world.

And we, frankly, just have to look at the facts and the pain and loss that two families, a whole campus community and a whole local community is feeling -- is something that we should seek to not have happen again. And that's something that I hope that we can all agree on.

So, you know, the politics, are sometimes too dominant in this area. We have to think about what we care about the most, and that's the lives of the people around us. And that is something we have to focus on more than anything else.

BLITZER: Yes, good point. Congressman Gabe Amo, thank you very, very much for joining us. And please pass along our love and best wishes to all the families over there who have been impacted by this horrible, horrible situation. Thank you very much.

AMO: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: I want to go back to CNN's John Berman. He's live on the campus over there at Brown University. He's been speaking with students. What else are you hearing, John?

BERMAN: So, Wolf, I'm here with Anika Mahns, who's a senior here at Brown. And we're standing right on Hope Street, where the engineering building is where the shooting took place.

But not too far down Hope Street is the gym where you were working at the time of the shooting, and, ultimately, where a lot of students fled and sheltered in place. Why don't you tell me what happened when you were there? You were working at the front desk.

ANIKA MAHNS, STUDENT, BROWN UNIVERSITY: Yes. So, my shift started at 3:45 so I was just getting settled. And, immediately, we have a professor coming down telling me about what's happening. That we need to, like, shut down everything.

So, immediately, my first thing is I need to call DPS to lock the front doors.

BERMAN: The security service here.

MAHNS: Yes. Yes. Because those are only locked by them. And I was getting everyone from the lobby and everyone coming in to just rush upstairs. And, you know, there's continuous people coming in because the lock -- the doors weren't locked yet.

So, I called my boss. My boss was telling me what to do. But after around 10 minutes, I decided we're going to all just go upstairs and wait for, you know, DPS to figure out everything with the door situation.

And when we got upstairs, we locked the -- every door on the way upstairs. And barricaded the upstairs lobby doors with trash cans and told everyone to be quiet. Turned off the lights. Put the blinds down.

Yes. And, you know, we were kind of waiting there. We didn't have DPS officers immediately obviously, so we were there kind of trying to figure everything out.

BERMAN: You were doing this all on your own?

MAHNS: Yes. I mean, well, we were working with the professor there. She's in the Africana Department. She was very helpful. Lisa Biggs, she was helping us out with all the other staff that were working there.

And around I think like 5:45, we had someone rattling upstairs on the door. And really -- we weren't really sure who it was. But it was a defense (?) officer.

[16:40:00]

MAHNS: And then, we had a bunch of other EMS and DPS people downstairs at that time. And then, shortly after, had everyone evacuate and get bands, wristbands, on and names down.

BERMAN: I mean, it was an all night thing, I know, for students in many places, probably including the gym. It's so interesting hearing you tell this story about you immediately having to worry about other people. Was there a moment during this process, particularly at the beginning, when you worried about yourself?

MAHNS: Yes, I mean, I think in that moment it's kind of just like shock. But also like it doesn't really feel real. A little bit like still processing.

So, just trying to be calm as possible in, like, the situation, knowing that, like, you just want to take care of everyone around you and yourself and make sure that everyone's safe. I think, like, that's my -- that was my first thought in mind. I didn't really have a thought about, like, what's really happening because it was all uncertain about what was happening.

BERMAN: Right.

MAHNS: It was just kind of immediate. Like, everyone down -- up -- get everyone upstairs and lock the doors. And make sure for whatever is happening, like, we're prepared as possible.

And, you know, making sure everyone in the locker rooms as well. It's upstairs. Because there were people showering downstairs as well who didn't know what was going on.

BERMAN: I'm sure you did a great job taking care of everyone and taking care of yourself.

The engineering building here, this is -- you were telling me this is a building you've taken classes in the past. You've had sections there. Did you know anyone who was in the room yesterday during the shooting?

MAHNS: I know Joseph, for one, who was the T.A. there. So, my heart goes out to him and everyone affected and everyone in the room. But any of the students I was -- I do not directly know.

BERMAN: So, we've seen -- we see students walking by here. People are still trying to get their stuff from the Engineering Building. They had to leave it behind when they ran out.

Finals have been canceled. There's, sort of, nothing left to do. You're from far away. You're from Alaska. You were planning on spending the holidays in San Francisco. I mean, how are you going to -- are you going to try to get out earlier?

MAHNS: Yes, I think right now everyone's trying to figure out moving their flights earlier. Some of my friends have already left. So, I'm definitely, after this, going to try to call the airlines to make sure there's anything I can do to change my flight to an earlier date.

BERMAN: What was the difference between yesterday -- I know it may sound like an obvious question. But yesterday before 4:00 p.m. and now. I mean, walking around campus now after this has happened, how do you look at it differently?

MAHNS: It definitely just feels like empty. Not just physically, but definitely just, like, still processing, I think, like, I feel a little dissociated from everything right now. And everyone's just like in a fleet mode where they're trying to, like, leave this place.

It's definitely, like, also a change in how things are going to be. You know, just even walking out of an off-campus house or even on campus. Just, like, being more thoughtful and more aware of, like, what could happen, you know?

And, like, there -- it's -- it could happen anywhere at any time here in the U.S. So.

BERMAN: Anika Mahns, I appreciate you being with us. I appreciate what you did yesterday, not just for yourself, but for so many others as well. It's not easy to be brave like that and to take action in the face of something like that.

I know your hair is freezing. Literally freezing because you came out with a wet head to talk to us. So, thank you for being with us.

MAHNS: Yes.

BERMAN: Get where you're going safely.

MAHNS: Thank you.

BERMAN: I appreciate it.

MAHNS: Sure.

BERMAN: Thanks so much.

Obviously, you know, Anika going through what so many students here are going through here on campus. And they'll have to go through for some time, no question about that. We're going to have much more on what's happening here at Brown University.

Also breaking news on the tragedy in Australia. Much more ahead. This is CNN special live coverage. [16:43:25]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're back with more on the breaking news on that horrible, tragic mass shooting in Australia. Officials now say a father and son opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 others. Authorities are calling this an act of anti-Semitic terrorism.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones is joining us right now. Julia, how are Jewish communities here in the United States reacting to this attack?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the Jewish federations of North America have instructed some of these communities, that are holding celebrations, to up their security to make sure that their perimeter is safe. That the people that are coming to these celebrations feel safe here in the United States, even though were thousands of miles away from Australia, Wolf.

But here in Los Angeles, we're at the Skirball Community Center. They're holding an event. I spoke to some people who said they're not feeling unsafe. They're just feeling tired of hearing about hatred and violence against the Jewish community.

But then, we spoke to one of the organizers here, Nina Silver, who said that it was even more important today to hold this celebration to light that candle of the first night of Hanukkah. Because of the history of this holiday, that is about light overcoming darkness. Just want you to listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NINA SILVER, DIRECTOR OF NOAH'S ARK AND FAMILY PROGRAMS, SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER: Well, Hanukkah is a tradition in our culture that goes back, obviously, thousands of years.

And one of the things we talk about is in dark times, being wintertime or metaphorically dark times, we are always looking for the light to shine in the darkness. To buoy us up and give us hope to make it through this time. And to find our Jewish joy and celebrate freedom of all people and the justice for all people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[16:50:00]

JONES: And I have to say, Wolf, what we're seeing here. To see families and young children coming together to celebrate, it is heartwarming. Of course, people have in their thoughts the victims of this horrific attack in Australia, but also showing up with courage to show their joy. To have their religion be respected.

That is the overall message that we're hearing. Not just here in Los Angeles, but those Jewish communities across the United States. And the message from this one community to everyone is just embrace the stranger. Open your house, be a tolerant and welcoming of all those cultures on this Hanukkah holiday.

BLITZER: And, indeed, Jewish communities all across the United States tonight are having celebrations on this. The first night of Hanukkah. And they're lighting the menorah, the first candle. Eight days of Hanukkah coming up.

All right, Julia Vargas Jones, thank you very, very much.

And our breaking news coverage of the tragedy in Australia and the one in Providence, Rhode Island, at Brown University will continue right after a short break.

[16:51:08]

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BLITZER: I want to turn back to the horrible situation that occurred in Australia. The tragedy that unfolded on Bondi Beach has been felt deeply by the Jewish communities around the world, especially, of course, in Israel.

Mark Regev is a former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was a senior adviser to the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. I knew him when he was a senior official at the Israeli embassy here in Washington.

Mark, I know you were born in Melbourne, Australia. You were 22 when you moved to Israel. What was your initial reaction to this attack since you know Australia well?

MARK REGEV, FORMER SENIOR ADVISOR TO ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER (via Webex): Well, of course, I've got family there. And I've got siblings there. And I've got extended family in Australia. And it's a real difficult time I think.

You've got to remember, Wolf, that most American Jews came to the United States in the decades leading up to the first world war. The Australian Jewish community, and some can trace their roots back much longer, most of them came immediately after the second world war, as survivors of the European holocaust.

And they went there to Australia because it was far away from Australia -- from Europe. They looked at Europe as this sort of one big cemetery where they lost their families. They lost their communities. They lost everyone in the war.

They came as refugees to Australia to build a new life. It was far away from Europe. They thought far away from anti-Semitism. Far away from hatred.

And what's happening now is terrible because it's saying that anti- Semitism can reach every corner of the earth, even Australia. BLITZER: Yes, it's so heartbreaking to think about it. I had an uncle

who I grew up with in Buffalo, New York. Who most of his family were holocaust survivors. Didn't wind up coming to the United States. Couldn't immediately get into the U.S.

But they did wind up in Australia, and they lived wonderful lives in Australia. A lot of holocaust survivors spent their lives in Australia. And, indeed, one holocaust survivor, we're told, was among those who was killed in this brutal attack. Give us your sense on that.

REGEV: Well, it's true. You know, when I went to school in Australia many years ago, I mean, I remember that all my friends in the Jewish schools, they had parents, at least one, who was a holocaust survivor.

I remember having friends (?) their parents actually had the nazi imposed tattoos on their skin with the numbers that the nazis gave them. The prison numbers they had. It was -- it was part of the environment we grew up in.

But Australia was supposed to be different. Australia was supposed to be something else. Australia was supposed to be the new country, not like it was back in Europe.

And, for many years, I think the Jewish community thrived and loved Australia. And they contributed to the country and Australia contributed to them.

But what we're seeing now, unfortunately, and especially since the 7th of October, is you're seeing this resurgence of anti-Semitism. That was -- maybe it was dormant. Maybe it was in hibernation.

But what we've seen over the last few years in Australia, we've seen arson attacks. We've seen anti-Semitic graffiti. We've seen firebombs thrown into synagogues and so forth.

And now, this killing today, which is in many ways the largest terrorist attack ever on Australian soil. There have been other mass shootings. But a politically motivated hate crime. I think this is the last -- largest ever in Australian history.

BLITZER: Yes, it is so, so terrible. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mark, said today that he believes the Australian government poured some oil on the flames of anti-Semitism through its silence on the anti-Jewish sentiment in the country. What examples of anti-Semitism have we seen in the Australian Jewish community before?

REGEV: So, obviously, Wolf, you've got the anti-Semitism of what used to be called the extreme right. Yes, those groups that are, sort of -- you know, have nazi or fascistic sort of elements and don't like Jews for those reasons.

But with immigration, you've got a certain input. And it appears to be relevant in this case. You've got Islamist anti-Semitism.

[17:00:00] REGEV: And extremist groups that identify with Hamas or with ISIS. There's always anti-Semitism there as well.