Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

New Leads in Brown University Shooting Investigation; Bondi Beach Gunmen Appear Inspired by Islamic State Ideology; Nick Reiner "Responsible" For Deaths of Parents; CNN Provides Update on Russia's War in Ukraine. Aired 3-3:45a ET

Aired December 16, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, authorities say they have new leads in the Brown University shooting investigation as they ask the public for help in finding the suspect. European leaders are arriving at The Hague this hour to discuss how to compensate Ukraine for damages sustained in the war against Russia. And Australia is mourning the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack which targeted members of the Jewish community. I'll be speaking with Israel's deputy foreign minister who knows the Bondi community well.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church."

CHURCH: And we begin this hour in Providence, Rhode Island where authorities say they're making steady progress and following new leads in their search for the gunman who targeted Brown University, killing two students and injuring nine others. Law enforcement released these new surveillance videos of a person they want to identify and are appealing to the public for any information that may help their investigation. But more than two days after the shooting and with no one in custody, patience is running thin. CNN's Leigh Waldman has more now from Providence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The manhunt intensifying for the gunman who opened fire at Brown University on Saturday.

OSCAR L. PEREZ, JR., CHIEF, PROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT: We're asking for the public assistance in identifying this individual.

WALDMAN (voice-over): Authorities releasing new videos to the public tonight showing three new angles of a person of interest walking through Providence in the hours before the shooting. A new poster released by the FBI with the images describing the suspect as approximately 5'8" with a stocky build. The FBI also offering a $50,000 reward for information.

TED DOCKS, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, BOSTON FBI FIELD OFFICE: It's painstaking work. And we are asking the public to be patient as we continue to run down every lead so we can get victims, survivors and their families, and all of you the answers you deserve.

WALDMAN (voice-over): FBI teams seen searching for evidence today in Providence, going door to door, asking residents for any video that may help in the investigation.

RAF BARI, STUDENT, BROWN UNIVERSITY: I suddenly heard this pop, pop, pop. Seven or eight like pop sounds.

WALDMAN (voice-over): The shooting began around 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon in the Barus and Holley building on Brown's campus. The first 911 calls were reported shortly after 4:05 p.m., according to the mayor's office.

The reality of the event setting in on the campus as gunshots rang out. University issued its first emergency alert about an active shooter at 4:22 p.m. Terrified students took cover on campus. Law enforcement cleared university buildings, and the campus remained on lockdown throughout the evening.

The shooting left two students dead. Eighteen-year-old Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov described as incredibly kind, funny, and smart by family members. And Ella Cook, vice president of the Brown University College Republicans. Nine others were hurt. Classes and exams for the rest of the semester have been canceled.

UNKNOWN: I am pretty spooked. We're pretty shaken up.

WALDMAN (voice-over): A person of interest in the shooting was questioned and released Sunday night and cleared in the investigation. Now, the community is on edge as a killer, considered armed and dangerous, remains on the loose.

UNKNOWN: There is no real sense of safety.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: With me now is CNN law enforcement contributor Steve Moore. He's also a retired supervisory special agent with the FBI. Appreciate you being with us.

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks.

CHURCH: So, a lot to cover here. I want to start with the shooter who's still at large after a person of interest was released. But investigators have released images now to the public of a suspect. Those images are pretty grainy and the suspect is wearing a mask. But this $50,000 award has been offered. How likely is it that this will be enough to track down the shooter? STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: I don't think, Rosemary, that this in and of itself is going to be the key to finding him. I think it might help later on in prosecution. But there's really not enough there to help. I mean, the FBI is going to go through that picture, the video with a fine-tooth comb.

[03:05:00]

They'll probably identify the clothes that he was wearing, where they were purchased, things like that. But it's going to take a lot more. And, frankly, I'm surprised that the evidence that he would have had to have left behind hasn't led to more progress yet, at least more visible progress.

CHURCH: So, what do you think the problem is here? What's stalling the process and the investigation?

MOORE: I can only assume that what's going on is that they don't have a lot of physical evidence. And I'm also concerned about, say, the camera coverage in that hall. I mean, think about it. The guy had to get into the building. We see him leaving the building, but he got in somehow. There has to be a point at which the cameras saw him prior to the shooting. And so, I'm concerned about why they haven't identified him going into the building.

CHURCH: Yes. That's what's frustrating so many people, isn't it? And, of course, Steve, you and I spoke 24 hours ago about local authorities trying to calm nerves. But the FBI says this suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. If that's the case, how can they be so sure he doesn't pose a threat to the community at large?

MOORE: Well, there's no guarantee, obviously. But he did a highly targeted attack against students. And that situation, that target-rich environment that he had is not going to present itself again, at least with university students at Brown. I think he had an intended target, and the random people in the community are not that target.

And the fact that since the first attack, there hasn't been a second, indicates that he got what he wanted out of this and has maybe gone to ground, returned to where he came from or is trying to blend into the world without calling attention to himself.

CHURCH: Authorities in Australia say the vehicle belonging to one of the suspects in the Bondi Beach attack contained improvised explosive devices and homemade ISIS flags. Investigators say the father and son had traveled last month to a Philippine island, home to several Islamist insurgent groups. Counterterrorism officials believe the pair underwent military-style training while in Mindanao, according to Australia's public broadcaster.

CNN's Nic Robertson has been examining how Saturday's attack unfolded. A warning, though, that his report contains some disturbing video.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): The cold-blooded attack begins here on this footbridge overlooking Archer Park, where a mostly Jewish crowd was celebrating the first night of Hanukkah just 70 yards away.

Panicking as the bullets begin flying. Feet away on the iconic Bondi Beach. Pandemonium and panic. People fleeing for their lives. Within minutes, the sand near Archer Park is deserted. It's about 6:50 p.m. Police already on their way.

(GUNSHOTS)

The gunmen, a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son, continue their unrelenting fire. Then the father in white trousers moves off the bridge, closing in on his victims. As he walks, he continues shooting. He stops by a tree, fires another shot.

(GUNSHOTS)

And as he does, a 43-year-old father of two, Ahmed el Ahmed, rushes the gunman, wrestles the weapon away from him. Someone else runs forward, throws rocks at the attacker, who retreats back to the footbridge, where he reunites with his son. But now, the police shooting at them.

(GUNSHOTS)

Soon after, the father is hit, motionless on the floor. In Archer Park, the dead and injured strewn on the ground in front of the stage where the screen still flickers with the festive lights.

(GUNSHOTS)

The son keeps shooting, dodging bullets for over a minute before he, too, is hit.

(GUNSHOT)

[03:10:00]

UNKNOWN: Yes!

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The shooting stops. Policemen race towards the bridge and the downed attackers. Onlookers rushed forward, trying to stomp on the father and son. Police and first responders have reached the dead and injured. Frantic triage begins. Already, some are dead. Others given CPR. Within 10 minutes, at least 15 killed and scores injured. Questions now, was it preventable?

Nic Robertson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The Los Angeles Police Department says Nick Reiner, the son of director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, is responsible for the death of his parents. The 32-year-old is being held without bail following his arrest on Sunday night. His case will be presented to the L.A. County D.A. on Tuesday. CNN's Josh Campbell brings us the latest on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: A significant update in the investigation of the death of Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. The Los Angeles Police Department says it has taken the couple's son, Nick, into custody, booked on suspicion of murder.

Now, this all began yesterday when police were called to the Brentwood, California home of the Reiners. The Los Angeles Police Department chief spoke Monday about what detectives found.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM MCDONNELL, CHIEF, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: At that location, they found two deceased adults, a male and a female. Through the night, working with the coroner's office, they were able to identify them definitively as Rob and Michele Reiner. We have our robbery homicide division handling the investigation. They worked throughout the night on this case and were able to take into custody Nick Reiner, a suspect in this case. He was subsequently booked for murder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: Now, authorities haven't released any information about a motive at this point. A Law enforcement source did tell me last night that after the bodies were found, that authorities were interviewing a family member. We know that police were working throughout the night. Again, authorities announcing today that the couple's son now in police custody. CNN is working to determine whether he has attorney representation.

Meanwhile, as the investigation proceeds, we are hearing an outpouring of grief and support from Reiner's fans, those in Hollywood, politicians from across the country. He was involved quite heavily in activism and politics himself, Rob Reiner.

And I'll give you a statement here that we got in from the Reiner family. They tell CNN, "It is with profound sorrow that we announced the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time."

Again, we are still waiting additional information from authorities on what happens next with this investigation. We do know that the case will be presented by the LAPD to Los Angeles prosecutors tomorrow for possible charging.

Josh Campbell, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The U.S. Military says eight people are dead following a strike on three alleged drug trafficking boats in the Eastern Pacific on Monday. U.S. Southern Command says the attacks were ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against three vessels being operated by designated terrorist organizations in international waters. At least 95 people have been killed over the past few months as part of the Trump administration's campaign to reduce narcotics trafficking.

We are moving forward. Those words from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he reported progress after two days of peace talks. The details just ahead.

Plus, Israel's prime minister has accused Australia of -- quote -- "pouring oil on the flames of antisemitism through inaction." I'll ask another Israeli official if more could have been done to prevent the Bondi Beach massacre.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH:

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Ukraine says it struck a Russian submarine using underwater drones in the first attack of its kind. The country's domestic security service, SBU, released this video showing the vessel docked at a Black Sea port in Russia before a large explosion. Ukraine says the submarine, which can fire cruise missiles, suffered critical damage and was effectively disabled.

That attack coming as Ukraine's top negotiator says real progress was made in Berlin during two days of peace talks aimed at reaching a deal to end the war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also echoing that sentiment, saying negotiators from Ukraine and the U.S. could meet as soon as this weekend. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner said they spoke to the Ukrainians for about eight hours in total and also say that they made substantial headway on a lot of very contentious and difficult issues. Of course, part of that is reconstruction of Ukraine.

But one of the things that, for instance, the German side and also the Ukrainian side confirmed is they say that a lot of headway was made as far as security guarantees are concerned. The Germans saying that they believe that security guarantees are almost adequate as to being almost like NATO security guarantees. Here's what Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, and Ukraine's president had to say at a press conference.

[03:20:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRIEDRICH MERZ, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): The legal and material guarantees that the U.S. has put on the table here in Berlin are truly remarkable. This is a very important step forward, which I very much welcome.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Therefore, it is important that the U.S. views Article 5 like arrangements plus relevant security guarantees. We are currently working to have all this written out, and we are making progress there. I see the details from the military that they have been working on. They look quite good, although this is only a first draft.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: One of the thorniest issues on the table is, of course, that of territories, whether or not the Ukrainians are going to be willing to cede territory to the Russians and whether or not they do so officially or whether they simply say that right now, they don't have the strength to gain those territories back.

That's something where the U.S. side says the Russians and the Ukrainians are going to have to come to some sort of agreement at some point in time. But certainly, that has been identified as a really big problem that remains.

And, of course, the other big problem with that is whether or not the Russians are willing to sign on to any sort of deal that could be made here, any sort of agreements that could be made here.

The U.S. says right now, all of this is going to go back into working groups in the United States to try and move things further. Of course, at some stage, they are also going to brief the Kremlin and see what Vladimir Putin has to say.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Chile's president-elect, Jose Antonio Kast, has meshed with the current president to begin the transition of power. Kast's decisive victory marks the country's sharpest shift to the right since the end of military rule in 1990. He and Gabriel Boric held talks at the presidential palace in Santiago where the two pledged an orderly and cooperative transition. Kast defeated leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who conceded the race. He ran his campaign on a right-wing law and order platform, winning with nearly 58% of the vote.

More than two weeks after going to the polls, voters in Honduras are still waiting to learn who their next president will be. The country's National Electoral Council says nearly all of the votes have been counted, but that protests in the capital city are preventing a needed recount of several thousand ballots. Supporters of the ruling party in Honduras have taken to the streets, demanding that the will of the people be respected. The uncertainty is increasing tensions after an election fraught with accusations of fraud and system dysfunction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JAIME RODRIGUEZ, PROTESTER, LIBERTY AND REFOUNDATION PARTY (through translator): You can't call this by any standard an electoral process. There haven't been elections here. What there has been is a theft. What has happened here is the will of the Honduran people has been violated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Just ahead, I will ask Israel's deputy foreign affairs minister about the Bondi Beach massacre and what more, if anything, Australia could have done to prevent the tragedy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Elizabeth Church. We want to check today's top stories for you. Authorities in Rhode Island say they have new leads in the Brown University shooting investigation. They've released more surveillance footage of someone they hope to identify. The FBI says he has a stocky build, about 5'8", and announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's identification and arrest.

The U.S. Military says it killed eight people in three new strikes against boats it claims were carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. U.S. Southern Command says Monday's attacks were ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against what it calls designated terrorist organizations operating in international waters.

President Trump is suing the BBC for $10 billion. He accuses the network of deceptively editing his January 6, 2021 speech to make it look like he's encouraging violence. The British broadcaster has already apologized for what it calls an error in judgment, but maintains there's no basis for legal action.

We are getting new information on the two suspects in the Bondi Beach massacre and their apparent ties to the Islamic State. Authorities confirmed the father and son had traveled to the Philippines last month, visiting an island that has long been a hotbed of extremism and insurgent groups. A vehicle belonging to one of the suspects contained improvised explosive devices or IEDs as they're also known and two homemade ISIS flags.

[03:29:58]

Australia's federal police commissioner said Jewish Australians were hunted down during that attack. Earlier, Israel's prime minister accused the Australian government of pouring oil on the flames of antisemitism by staying silent about growing anti-Jewish rhetoric.

So, let's bring in Israel's deputy foreign affairs minister, Sharren Haskel, who joins us live from Tel Aviv. Thank you so much for talking with us at this particularly difficult time. SHARREN HASKEL, MINISTER, ISRAELI DEPUTY FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Hello and thank you for having me today on your show.

CHURCH: Of course. So, you have a very close connection to the Jewish community at Bondi Beach in Sydney, having previously lived there for about six years. What are your thoughts at this time as Australia mourns the victims of this horrifying terror attack?

HASKEL: Wow. I'm absolutely heartbroken, completely heartbroken. but I'm also furious. This is a place, one of the most, you know, toured and visited sites, tourist sites in Australia. This beach, I spent hundreds of hours surfing on these waves.

This Chabad community, I went to their services and participated in their celebrations. This community is my community, my friends, my relatives. And it is absolutely heartbreaking. I'm talking to them for the last three days. They're shaken to their core. There are so many questions. So many people want to move away from this wonderful place, to come here to Israel, to flee into safety.

And on the other hand, I'm absolutely furious because the writing was on the wall. Unfortunately, this could have been prevented. It shouldn't reach there. And that's why the entire Jewish community really feel betrayed.

CHURCH: Yes. And this is the sentiment coming out of the country, isn't it? I mean, as it mourns the victims, Australia's government is being heavily criticized by you, by your prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and indeed others for not doing enough to stop the surge in antisemitism across the country. But the government is now saying it plans to do everything possible to prevent the spread of hate. So, what is your response to that?

HASKEL: Well, I think that for the last two years, there has been a lot of beautiful words. But words are not enough. There has to be actions. Look, the prime minister, Albanese, appointed a special envoy to combat antisemitism. She wrote a really good report with many conclusions. All of it was put on the shelf. It was put on ice. Not even a single suggestion was implemented or discussed or put into actions. And there are many suggestions in there that can actually effectively combat the rise of antisemitism in Australia.

And unfortunately, you know, there have been warnings. We've been warned that the rhetoric of the Australian government that have failed to promote or to inflate a lot of Hamas and a lot of fabrications that were told during this war was giving, you know, legitimacy to a lot of other violent actions that were done against the Jewish community, against Jewish businesses, Jewish students on campuses, you know, in workplaces. They burned synagogues. They attacked Jewish daycares. And still, not much was done about it. There wasn't a clear red line that was drawn there.

CHURCH: So, what more could have been done then to prevent this tragedy and what more should be done going forward by the Australian government to prevent the rise in antisemitism in the country and this hate toward Jewish people? HASKEL: So, the first thing, you know, the hate marches in support of Hamas waving terrorist flags, some of them are designated terrorist organizations in Australia. Arrest them. They called to kill Jews, not Israelis. Jews.

On the 9th of October, before even the first soldiers set foot in Gaza because it took us more than three weeks to set operation to go in, on the 9th of October, there were mobs celebrating Hamas's massacre in Sydney. They were chanting on the steps of the opera house to gas the Jews. They called to kill Jews. It is implied that even one of the killers was actually in one of these demonstrations.

And if that clear warning was or would have been sent by the government, I believe things would have looked different. If Albanese would have taken the report, a very important report by his envoy for antisemitism -- I'll just read to you one of the suggestions out of, I think, more than 40 of them in the report.

[03:35:07]

So, one of them is to screen visa applicants for antisemitic views or affiliation consistent with a risk-based approach. Do you think that could have helped? Yes. Of course. For months, it has been sitting on his table. There are many other suggestions there by his appointed antisemitic envoy. Take it, implement it, legislate it. I mean, there are so many things they could have done.

And unfortunately, I truly understand why the Jewish community feels betrayed. They've been warning, they've been asking, they've been begging for protection, for help, warning this will end with blood. And they didn't hear them.

CHURCH: Sharren Haskel, thank you so much for talking with us. Our deepest condolences to you and your community.

HASKEL: Thank you very much, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:40:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back to CNN. This is your business breakout and these are the business headlines. The maker of the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner is declaring bankruptcy. iRobot also said it would be acquired by Picea Robotics, its primary manufacturer. But the company said users should not worry. Bankruptcy should not affect its app or product support.

China's factory output has slowed to a 15-month-low and retail sales have fallen to their worst levels since the COVID crisis. China has failed to boost domestic demand for its products. It has been forced to send more of what it makes overseas, contributing to rising tensions with many trading partners. The new US jobs report is due out in just a few hours. It's expected to show that just 40 thousand jobs were added in November and that the unemployment rate is holding steady at 4.4 percent. This month's report covers November and half of October. The figures were delayed by the government shutdown.

Ford says it's killing several electric vehicle models as the Trump administration's anti-EV policies take a toll on the industry. Ford says it will take a $19.5 billion write-down and is pivoting back into gas and hybrid cars. U.S. EV sales have been falling in recent months after President Trump pulled a consumer tax credit. His administration has also eased tailpipe emissions rules, a burn to makers of gas- powered cars.

Thank you so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. World Sport is coming up, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)