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Police: Indianapolis Shooting Was Over in Minutes; FBI: "Premature to Speculate" on FedEx Shooter's Motive; George Floyd Justice in Policing Act Passed House Last Month With No GOP Support; Pressure Mounts For Senate to Pass Police Reform Bill; CDC Advisers to Meet Next Friday to Discuss Blood Clot Concerns. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired April 16, 2021 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Hello to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm John King in Washington. Thank you for sharing your day with us. It's a sad day overnight carnage at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis the gunman parked his car. Then police say he immediately started spraying bullets.

Witnesses and police on the scene tell us that eight people were killed. Five others were injured and are now hospitalized. The shooter police say is dead from what they call a self inflicted gunshot wound. Listen to people who were there on the scene late last night, they describe a chaotic scramble to find cover to survive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIMOTHY BOILLET, WITNESS: Then we heard three more shots. And then my buddy leaves. I saw someone running out of the building. And then more shots went off.

Started shouting and then he started firing at random directions. But at first it was at his rights. And I thought he saw me and so I immediately ducked for cover.

I immediately ducked down and got scared. And my friend's mother he can't - she came in and told us again inside the car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: New information coming in a short time ago from a late morning law enforcement briefing police still processing the crime scene. Officials do believe the shooter used a rifle they have not identified what kind of rifle.

The FBI says a search of the suspect's home is underway. But they say there is still no positive identification on the shooter or at least they won't release it. And they say it is too soon to identify a motive. The entire episode police say lasted only minutes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CRAIG MCCARTT, INDIANAPOLIS DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF: He got out of this car and pretty quickly started some random shooting outside the facility. There was no confrontation with anyone that was there. There was no disturbance. There was no argument. He just appeared to randomly start shooting.

And that began in the parking lot. And then he did go into the building into the facility for a brief period of time before he took us online.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We have been right here too many times before the violence another marker in a month just the past month of gun tragedies Atlanta exactly one month ago. Boulder, Colorado, March 22. Orange, California March 31.

Rock hill, South Carolina last week Indianapolis today all told at least 45 mass shooting events across two dozen states transpiring in just the past 30 days, last our new reaction from the vice president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Yet again, we have families in our country that are grieving the loss of their family members because of gun violence. There is no question that this violence must end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Let's get straight to the scene in Indianapolis right now. CNNs Jason Carroll is there for us, Jason, what do we know?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well look, John, as you pointed out during that briefing, you heard law enforcement. They're saying that there was no positive id of the suspect. But one thing is very clear. Look, they got the suspect's vehicle.

They are at the suspect's home searching his home with crime scene investigators there. So it's very clear they know who this suspect is. They're just not ready to positively identify the suspect and reveal what they may know about the suspect at this point that they know who the suspect is.

One again, goes over just a little bit more about what was revealed during this briefing. Again eight people killed. It turns out that four people were killed outside in the parking lot. Four people killed inside five people taken to local hospitals.

Again, the shooting took place at just about 11 o'clock. That's when the shots started coming in. That's when the calls started coming in as well. 11 o'clock last night. Police say the minute they got here at the scene that basically much of it was over.

They still said it was very much an active situation. But that in all likelihood the shooter had taken his life just shortly before they arrived. They said based on their eyewitness interviews that the whole shooting probably took place within a span of just more than about two minutes.

Federal express has come out with a statement. I want to read that to you as well. It says we are deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our team members following the tragic shooting at our FedEx ground facility in Indianapolis.

Our most heartfelt sympathies are with all those affected by this senseless act of violence. The safety of our team members is our top priority. And we are fully cooperating with investigative authorities.

Again, the FBI is actively involved in this. And John just so you know, we have been pushing very much, very much behind the scenes in terms of trying to get more information about a possible motive here again authorities just not willing to release that not yet, John.

KING: Yes, Jason Carroll, grateful you're on the scene reporting for us. Come back if there's new information, please as quickly as you can. Joining us now with some expertise and her insights our CNN National Security Analyst Juliet Kayyem and Juliet grateful for your time today so the police were being very careful, very cautious in what they said at that briefing.

[12:05:00]

KING: And so early on, you're trying to piece together the - what and the why and often were 12 hours later now, 13 hours later, a day or two from now the information might be different. But when you hear the police say showed up, get out of his car, I quickly started shooting.

And they use the term random kill's four people outside, four people inside. As an investigator is there anything you glean from that just the first moments of this crime?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: No, what I'm gleaning right now or at least what is interesting to me. And once again as you said, we've been around you know, we have some experience in this. So the first is that none of the survivors are identifying the shooter.

In other words, if it was someone that was known to the facility by now, I think we would have heard from some of the eyewitnesses that was Jim, that was Joe. So it could very well be that this was a random site visit.

The second is of course, why the choosing of a FedEx facility. We have to remember the victims of course, but also what they were doing. I mean, when I think about people who work at FedEx or at the market in Boulder, Colorado, these are people who helped us survive the last year right and has helped us function as we ordered online to survive within a pandemic.

So why did he choose that facility? When I first heard this last night, I'll just tell you John, I assumed as one would the isolated warehouse of FedEx facility that this would someone who had no - who would know the facility well may have been able to enter. But without identification, we simply have to wait at this stage as the investigation unfolds.

KING: And as we wait, does it tell you anything that the police, they have a car. They're searching the House, they clearly know who the suspect is here. But they don't want to say that publicly right now even though they say the suspect took his own life.

So they're withholding that information for a reason from an investigative standpoint, what does that make you think?

KAYYEM: So the first primary thing is, is we have to confirm that that identification of the victims happened first, you just want to do that for a variety of reasons. It's not only the right thing to do is it of course, it's important because there are lots of people at the facility who need to be identified.

And it's also a crime scene. So that's going to be the primary focus right now. The identification of who did this is - will be relevant, but it's not necessary to disclose immediately. Well, one is did he act alone? Was he known to be violent? Had he made threats before?

What is his - what's in his home? Could it have been booby trapped? What's online all those things that you just want to do it more slowly than in cable time as we well know. But we will hear that relatively soon.

And then of course the ultimate question - for me the ultimate question is not the why although that's going to be relevant it's the how access to weaponry like this.

This is the - you know you just think two minutes to less than two minutes we have civilian weaponry available to civilians that will kill shred essentially shred who's the right word shoot eight human beings and injure others and our capacity to stop these kinds of killings. So forget handguns.

Once that happens so fast, you cannot get law enforcement there. And chances are you cannot protect yourself. That's that should be - that should be the political perspective. We just want to lower the risk of someone being able to kill that many people that quickly.

KING: Right. We have had this conversation too many times before including the political perspective which we will come back to later in the program as well but Juliet grateful for your insights on this day. We'll keep on top of this story.

Up next for us promises of police reforms were heard coast to coast after the death last May of George Floyd but were those promises kept.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:10:00]

KING: Just moments ago, the President of the United States Joe Biden releasing a statement on the deadly shooting. Last night at that FedEx facility in Indianapolis again eight people are dead five are hospitalized.

The president noting in his statement just a week ago he was in the rose garden talking about other gun violence. The statement says too many Americans are dying every single day from gun violence. It stains our character and pierces the very soul of our nation.

We can and we must the president says do more to act and to save lives. God bless the eight fellow Americans we lost in Indianapolis and their loved ones and we pray the president goes on to say for the wounded for their recovery.

That statement coming as another big issue the president wants dealt with is also on the agenda. You'll remember major police reforms came quickly after the death of George Floyd last May.

Well nearly a year later, the officer of the world watched kneel on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes is on trial that case about to go to the jury. Daunte Wright, a new name added now to the rallies in the protest demanding change.

13 year old Adam Toledo too just yesterday the police body camera video from that police officer shooting. The officer involved shooting was released. There are many changes adopted across the country in the 11 months since George Floyd died.

And at the national level to George Floyd justice in policing acted clear the House last month, but faces dim prospects in the senate. Let's take a look at this national debate and how it is played out across the states.

There's been legislation related to police training all across the country. 370 bills introduced in 49 states and the District of Columbia since Floyd's death, 40 of those bills have been - you see it right there in 24 states and in the district that legislation dealing with police training also the question of use of force trying to regulate and limit the police - use of police force. You see their 572 bills introduced in 46 states in the District of Columbia. 54 of those proposals have been enacted in 24 states and in DC.

He George Floyd act is pending in the congress right now. The House has passed it dim prospects in the senate what would it do national legislation banning chokeholds no knock warrants, creating a national registry for police misconduct, mandates the use of deadly force as a last resort, bans racial and religious profiling. Here's one of the big hang ups it would overhaul qualified immunity laws.

[12:15:00]

KING: Those laws provide protection to police forces and police officers. Those - a lot of objections to that as the legislation tries to make its way through.

Just want to come back to these pictures here at the beginning of the Toledo video released by Chicago police yesterday on the mind of the White House Press Secretary a short time ago. When she said the president very much wants to sign that George Floyd policing act. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Those of us who did watch that video, it is certainly chilling and a reminder that across the country, there are far too many communities where there is violence that is impacting that that too often in this country, law enforcement uses unnecessary force too often resulting in the death of black and brown Americans.

The president again has repeatedly said that he believes we need police reform. That's what he says he's calling for congress to send to his desk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: With me to share their reporting and their expertise on this issue, our Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash and our Senior Law Enforcement Analyst, former Philadelphia police commissioner DC Police Chief, Charles Ramsey.

Dana, I want to start with you on the politics. We're going to have this conversation later in the program about gun safety measures after Indianapolis. We're having it again now as the trial of Derek Chauvin prepares to go to the jury after the George Floyd death all across the country, do this and do this now. What is the political hangout?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well you just laid out some of them. They're - here's the good news for people actually looking for a federal solution to this. And the good news is that there are talks going on, they're not formal.

They're not blessed by leadership in either the House or the Senate on either side of the aisle. But there are very committed public servants elected lawmakers on both sides of the aisle on both sides of the Capitol really talking about this.

And you know, the question is whether or not some of the differences qualified immunity is a perfect example. There is a very deep divide on that whether or not the federal government should just say that no states, no jurisdiction should be able to protect police officers in any way shape or form, which is basically what the House bill does.

And in the senate, Tim Scott, the sole black Republican there is the author of the primary Republican Bill says that's a non starter, there are other things. But again the good news is that they're talking.

The question is when the white hot spotlight shines on them and all of the members of each side's base come forward whether or not those compromised talks can actually bear fruit.

KING: And Chief, this becomes part of the frustration and let's hopes there's some progress. And let's hope people have good minds and maybe some differences come together and reach consensus.

But there's often a lot of talking you was part of a commission, a leader of a commission back during the Obama presidency. I think we're going on six years since that happened.

In your view as somebody with five decades of law enforcement experience, we've talked about this during the Derek Chauvin trial about training and officers can ignore their training. What is the biggest question for you or the biggest need for you to get this better?

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well first of all, you know and I did serve as Co-chair of President Obama's task force on 21st century policing. And we had 60 recommendations. And I think they still provide a framework for discussion.

There needs to be some standards, there needs to be national standards in some areas, training for an example, use of force is another, that database that would prevent officers and leaving one jurisdiction after misconduct to another.

I mean, these are all areas that I agree with. And there needs to be some level of standardization. We have 18,000 police departments in the united states which is far too many, in my opinion. But it's hard to get any kind of meaningful standardization, even with individual states passing legislation that's going to vary greatly from state to state.

So I'm glad to see some movement there. The next step would be of course to entire criminal justice system, but I do believe that police is a good start.

KING: Well let me stay with you for a second Chief because part of this I think, I know you share this passion, a police force should look like its community.

One way to understand the street is to come from the street to relate from the street, whether it's a white neighborhood or a black neighborhood or a Latino neighborhood or an Asian neighborhood or a mixed neighborhood.

This is Brooklyn center where we just saw the Daunte Wright killing. 29 percent of the population is black. Only 9 percent of the police force is black. 38 percent of the population there is white, 77 percent of the police force is white.

How does a police chief a mayor, the person who makes those hiring decisions do a better job of making sure the police force the people responding understand and look like the community?

RAMSEY: Well, we have to be smarter in the way in which we hire. And most police departments aren't very good at that in terms of marketing in terms of knowing how to pinpoint specific groups, whether its gender, race or whatever you know, to make sure that you have diversity.

[12:20:00]

RAMSEY: But understand that diversity by itself will not solve the problem. We need to make sure that we're hiring police officers that have the right frame of mind. They see themselves as servants, not just warriors.

There's a time and a place for that, but it's not all the time. And so we - there are a lot of things that we need to do in order to make sure that we have officers that provide protection and quality service for the residents regardless of their particular background, gender, race or what have you. I think that part is more important, but certainly diversity is a big part of it.

KING: Back to the politics a little bit then it was interesting last night, the elder statesman of the religious right if you will, the Christian Conservative Movement, Pat Robertson was on his program the Christian broadcasting network, the 700 club.

And he was showing the difference between a taser and a handgun which is the issue in the Daunte Wright selling, shooting in Brooklyn center and he said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAT ROBERTSON, FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NETWORK: I am pro police folks. I think we need the police, we need their service and they do a good job. But if they don't stop this onslaught, they cannot do this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Conservative voice they're saying folks get to the table. Let's try to do something right. Let's work it out. However we are and you can't excuse this from any conversation nowadays unfortunately.

We are walking into the midterm election campaign. The Republicans see the potential to take back the House in the senate. So they watch for every statement made by a Democrat because they want to take back seats in the midterm. In the past week here's what we've seen.

Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a Democrat, a member of the squad says no more policing, incarceration and militarization. It can't be reformed, Jim Clapper and the senior Democrat in the House - new Democrat in the House. This is not about policing. This is not about training. This is about recruiting.

Who are we recruiting to be police officers? This has to be the focus. We have to have police officers. Bernie Sanders, what we need us understand there needs to be major, major police reform all across the country.

And Ilhan Omar, another member of the democratic squad, all that funding and reform hasn't stopped the police from killing people or made our community safer.

The problem is systemic and it requires systemic solutions. It's the first part Republicans seize on, no more policing. And we get caught up in this what is often you know just a polarizing debate, which people see the possibility of political advantage on the issue, therefore don't do anything. BASH: People looking for an excuse not to do this on either side of

the aisle can point to a slew of statements from those who oppose them and criticize various things within the need for police reform.

The question is whether there is a majority middle of serious minded people who can tune those people out, tune the pressure out. Tune the people, the people who are sending out fundraising emails to get small dollar donors.

And you know, that is part of the cycle of what we hear not from Pat Robertson, but from another conservative outlet you know, fanning the flames of this stuff.

You know, Pat Robertson being woke should be an eye opening moment for conservatives and liberals across the aisle. If he can do it, then why can't there be some form of compromise? They're not that far apart.

There are philosophical differences about how much the federal government should be involved. But looking at the bills which I have, it is doable. It just has to be a well to do it.

KING: Pass what you can. If there's one thing you can't reach agreement on, pass everything else and keep talking about the other one. It is old school. I am very old school. You are correct. Dana Bash, Chief Ramsey grateful for your important insights.

We'll watch this issue as it plays out. Up next for us the Biden COVID team taking new steps now to fight those nasty Coronavirus variants, driving up the new infections count.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:25:00]

KING: Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine pause is staying in place for at least another week. Next Friday is when the CDC vaccine advisors plan to get together again to discuss the J&J vaccine and its potential link to rare but concerning blood clots.

The White House says science and safety are driving its cautious approach here. The timing though is tough. Accelerating the pace of vaccinations is a big piece of trying to fight what right now is a stubborn and steady pace of new COVID infections.

Let's take a look at the numbers. This is the U.S. case timeline. You see 74,289 new COVID infections reported just yesterday and you see the average 70,000 plus the seven day moving average. This is a stubborn line right across here. That's too high of a number.

Officials want to push it down. And so where is it rising the fastest? These are the five states which have the fastest rising case count over the past two weeks, Oregon, Nevada, Louisiana, North Carolina and Maine all blue states on the map here rising most trouble over the past two weeks in those states where cases falling more quickly.

These are the top five states if you want to call it that in terms of cases going down over the last two weeks Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Nebraska and Hawaii all this playing out of course as part of the vaccination rollout in the vaccination race.

78.5 million Americans are fully vaccinated. That's just shy of 24 percent of the population fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, just shy of 126 million you see the numbers they're going up every day. That's just shy of 38 percent.

[12:30:00]