Hello, everyone, im john berman. Michaela pereira is on assignment today and we have breaking news at this hour. A bloodbath at a school in pakistan. The taliban gunned down children, they murdered teachers, they killed at least 137 people. So many of them children. The armyrun school in peshawar was a scene of sheer terror. Pakistani troops launched a huge operation to try and rescue hundreds of students trapped inside. President obama has been quick to condemn this attack. The white house issued a statement saying by targeting students and teachers in this heinous attack, terrorists have once again shown their depravity. Mow knee that tank has the details of this attack. What are we learning . We are getting latest numbers, 137 dead. We also have more than 180 injured. And the really horrifying aspect of those numbers is that at one stage as we were beginning to get figures on the number of fatalities from this horrific attack, we also knew that between 300 and 400 students and teachers were still stuck inside in effectively what was a hostage situation that was later acted upon by the paramilitary services. They ended up killing all six assailants. They now say the operation is over, but they are continuing with a sweep of the area. There were apparently devices planted that made it very difficult for them to actually get to students, for them to actually clear the area so a really, really terrible and tragic scene that unfolded there, john. My big worry, this is as weve seen these numbers tick up over the course of the day, is that we will hear of more fatalities. We have children in hospital, in peshawar who have just terrible injuries. There were accounts from at least one young boy, for example, who said the attackers came in to the hall where he was studying, the kids came in firing guns, the kids ducked underneath the benches and the attackers saw them and said theyre under the benches, kill them. Kids. Remember we are talking about children here. The hospitals in the area are pleading for assistance, pleading for blood donation, the carnage so great they simply cant keep up with it. Not that there could be any justification for an attack like this, but why is the Pakistani Taliban saying they did this . Well, who are these people and why did they do this in the first place . This is what is known colloquially as the Pakistani Taliban. Theyve been very active in this area. In fact, perhaps too active. Theres been a big military offensive by the Pakistani Military against them. The Pakistani Taliban say the act today, this atrocious act, was a response to that. Its retaliation for this military offensive that has been pushed on by the military over the last six months. This was after peace talks with the pakistanis between Pakistani Taliban and the government broke down and the military pushed ahead with this. So theyre saying this was in somehow some way justified because it was a school that was frequented by the sons and daughters of military personnel in an army compound, its called the army public school. But innocent civilians have been affected by this, innocent children have been affected by this. I just want to point out, its a coeducational school, girls and boys. Most of those were hearing so far are boys that have been killed and wounded. Im you know, it will be traj if i can we see those numbers and fatalities tick up, john. All we can do is hope. Killing children, nothing justifies that. Ma knee that tank, thank you. We want to talk about this group behind the terror attack that m mannisha was talking about. This group has a long history of targeting the United States and u. S. Interests so following this heinous act in peshawar, how much of a direct threat is this group seeing against the United States . Well, principally the ttp, the Pakistani Taliban, their focus has been the pakistani government. And this is retaliation for massive offensive that the pakistani government has been under way in their stronghold in the northwestern part of the country. That said, its had a very direct affect on the u. S. Interests. The 2010 failed times square bombing was inspired by this group. Youve had a number of attacks on American Forces in afghanistan certainly as well as an attack in 2009 that killed seven cia agents there that was traced back to the Pakistani Taliban. After the bin laden raid, the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden you had the ttp, the Pakistani Taliban leader calling for retaliatory attacks against americans, including overseas. So they have, while theyre focused very much in pakistan, they have expanded their ambitions somewhat to attack overseas but, john, i have spoken to intelligence officials who say that, for instance, when that attack happened in 2010, the failed attack in times square, u. S. Officials were frankly surprised that the ttp was behind it because it had been their impression that they were focused solely in pakistan. Thats generally been the case. But weeszith these groups, theyw that when they expand the reach of terror that their profile rises and its something to keep in mind. This group has shown great capability and remember, the u. S. Also has taken out two of its leaders in the past four years, mullah mehsud in 2013 and his predecessor in 2009 with drone strikes up there. Jim, i want to take a step back if i can because this broke overnight as i was on tv here and i thought of you because this was reminiscent of the attack on the school in beslan nearly ten years ago where hundreds and hundreds of kids were killed. You covered that atrocity and it just makes you wonder how could a group, no matter what group, think theres some kind of strategic advantage to a massacre like this . John, you and i have covered a lot of difficult horrible stories and terror a, tax. That one is perhaps the most difficult assignment i had because the victims were principally more than 300 of them children. I can still remember seeing the tiny body bags lined up outside that school. You know, its sickening. It shows the depravity of these groups and this there really are no limits to the kinds of attacks they will carry out. Now, when you look at that attack in beslan, its interesting. What was the effect of it . Did it go too far . These were chechen terrorists, a Different Group behind the attack in beslan. Whats interesting about that attack, it always struck me, was that a lot of anger after beslan was not directed at the group, although certainly there was, but at the russian government because people felt that the government, the security forces, had not protected them. There were allegations, you know never proven that the government knew about the tae tack before but there were substantial allegations that the deaths took place when Russian Security forces went in. That they were responsible for killing the kids, not just the terrorists. So its something to think about going forward. Certainly pakistanis will be angry at the Pakistani Taliban but the loss will be disappointed in their government that they werent able to prevent this attack. This is a real question for the government going forward. There will be questions today, though, a day to grieve for all those lost. Jim sciutto, thanks for being with me, i appreciate it. You can see more of jims terrific reporting on situation room at 5 00 p. M. Eastern time. Ahead for us at this hour, have you seen this man . An alleged masked killer on the loose in pennsylvania. The latest information on this active man hunt just ahead. And a Surprising Development in the bill cosby saga. His wife jumps to her defense. Her new attacks on the media and questions from her about the women accusing her husband of sexual assault. So you can see like right here i can just. You know, check my policy here, add a car, ah speak to customer service, check on a claim. You know, all with the ah, tap of my geico app. Oh, thats so cool. Well, i would disagree with you but, ah, that would make me a liar. No dude, youre on the jumbotron whoa. Ah. Yeah, pretty much walked into that one. Geico anywhere anytime. Just a tap away on the geico app. And cialis for daily useor you. Helps you be Ready Anytime the moment is right. 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To be clear, he is on the loose this morning. Police say 35yearold Bradley William stone, an iran war veteran, went on a shooting spree in three different towns near philadelphia. The youngest victim was his 14yearold niece. There will be a press conference from officials in just a few minutes to give us new information about this search. We will cover that when it happens. Meanwhile, Miguel Marquez has been covering this story. He joins us by phone. Also with us is Philadelphia Police commissioner Charles Ramsey. Tlangs for being with us. I want to check in with miguel to get the latest on this search. John, theyve moved the entire operation for the media to the Montgomery CountyEmergency Operations center where we expect to hear from the District Attorney who is the point person on all of this. It sounded like there might be a Major Development in this case but now it sounds like there probably isnt. This is more of a routine briefing on how they will continue to search this area. Some schools have been shut down today, others are on modified schedule. There is great concern across a statewide swath of this area northwest of philadelphia because this individual is still on the loose. Police telling us they will be going house to house looking through basements trying to figure out if he is hiding somewhere or perhaps has committed suicide somewhere and they need to find his body. All of that against the backdrop of what happened starting yesterday at 4 30 in the morning. Police got a hangup 911 call then this gruesome horror story unfolds. Three different scenes, six people dead. The exwife of mr. Stone, bradley stone, his exgrand motherinlaw. Exmotherinlaw, exsisterinlaw, her husband and their 14yearold daughter, their 17yearold son is in hospital. They believe that possibly there was a siting last night with someone trying to steal a car and he may be dressed in fatigues as he was an iraq war veteran. John . Miguel, the details are just chilling. You laid out some of them right there. But its interesting, he spared his own two young daughters. The District Attorney says he took the girls from his exwifes home after killing the exwife and left the children with a neighbor. Its one of the issues that has to be ratting that area. Hows the community reacting. How are they doing . This is not the first time pennsylvania has been through this. They went through it for months with eric frein. Not too far from where we are right now. People are in shock, its a little depressing and hard to believe its happening again here. They are hoping this is less thought out as this person will be brought into custody very, very soon but certainly people are concerned and shocked because of what happened this close to the frein incident a few months zblag me geshlgs thanks so much. I want to bring in commissioner Charles Ramsey. This is happening not far from you. How do you handle a situation like this . This is the second manhunt, high publicity manhunt, in that area in just a few months. Well, listen, its very, very difficult and the authorities in Montgomery County are doing a good job of trying to control the scene and deal with trying to find the person responsible for those horrible murders and at the same time keep the public informed. I was police chief in washington, d. C. In 2002 during the d. C. Sniper situation. This is a very, very tough position to be in. You want to pass along information thats helpful in finding the individual and kind of alleviate some fear but at the same time you dont want to compromise the investigation so theyll stay focused and keep at it until they locate this guy. Do you think they have learned anything the eric frein man hunt about how to go about this . Because as you say its hard to tell people to remain calm and go about their lives when theres a killer on the loose. Well, you learn something every time an incident occurs, whether its in your jurisdiction and elsewhere. But those are different situations. Eric frein was in a very, very rural area of pennsylvania. A lot of the searching took place, most of the searching took place in heavily wooded areas. This is a more urban setting trying to find this particular individual you have to do everything you can to locate this person before hes able to hurt anyone else. The people hes alleged to have killed are people that he knows. Family members. Does that change how you go about searching for him . Does that make you perhaps less worried that he would therefore go after people in the public at large . No, you dont know exactly what t length this is person will go to in order to avoid capture if he has not already taken his life. Often times when you have situation where you have multiple murders, especially a domestic situation a person winds up taking their own life. At this point in time you dont know whether or not this person is alive, is dead, whether or not sightings of individuals that may resemble this person, if this is actually the person or not the bottom line is until you have him in custody or find a body you have to assume the worst and that means he could hurt others beyond his own family. Commissioner Charles Ramsey please stay with us. We have an important discussion we want to have with you just ahead, thanks so much. Just ahead, shocking video of a police interrogation. Did they go too far, questioning the girlfriend of a man killed by police . There are new questions this morn morning about race and justice. But that hasnt stopped me from modeling. My doctor told me about stelara®. It helps keep my skin clearer. With only 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses. Stelara® helps me be in season. Stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and increase your risk of infections. Some serious infections require hospitalization. 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John crawford was holding an air rifle he picked up from a shelf inside a walmart when he was shot by a white Police Officer. A grand jury did not indict the officer who killed him. Now the crawford family is announcing plans to file a federal lawsuit. He came in and shot mr. Crawford on sight. How about the timing of it now, three months of the grand jury and before the department of justice is done. Why now . Well, were still hoping that the department of justice will get involved and indict the officers for shooting and killing mr. Crawford. That lawsuit announced just moments ago. Ana cabrera is covering this story. Ana, whats the latest . Hey there, john, so this is a federal civil suit that is being filed against the Police Department, against the officers involved in the shooting, against their police chief as well as walmart and basically their attorneys are saying that they believe John Crawford, iii, was shot unjustifiably. That these officers responded to the scene and that in their min