8.28: Slow Ride - Hour 1

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And what a busy morning we have. We'll start with
some traffic issues very early, probably the earliest that I
can that I can recall in my few months where
we've had some issues that are long.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Before the show actually starts.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Well, we'll start with the I sixty five South situation
where all lanes of I sixty five South near Grade
Lane are shut down. Again, all lanes of Interstate sixty
five South near Grade Lane are shut down, and this
is because of a shooting that took place near the interstate.
According to Metro Safe, it came in around three forty

(00:37):
five the report of the shooting and this closure affects
Grade Lane to criten and drive and we will let
you know if there are any updates. But as somebody
who just drove past this about thirty minutes ago, it
looks clearly just the visual, it looks.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Like a crime scene.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
There's many LMPD LMPD vehicles that are that are just
in the middle of the interstate completely closed off, as
multiple officers were huddled up together, clearly looking as if
they're they're discussing and investigating. I mean that's quite literally
what it is. A crime investigation that involves a shooting
not at all uncommon around here. However, it happening in

(01:13):
the middle of the interstate as everybody's getting ready to
get up and get their day started, leading to all
lanes of out sixty five South being closed. Not a
good way to get the day started, now, Fellas you're well, Scott,
You you don't come in where you would have even
you had any visual of that.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Right, No, I was on sixty I take sixty four, gotcha?

Speaker 1 (01:30):
So John, you you drove past it just like I did.
And again we don't have a clue what kind of
timeline we're looking at here, but it's one of those
things that when you consider what it looked like and
you consider what they are investigating, who knows when this resolved.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
And whether and we haven't gotten any updates to it yet,
and I'll try to have them for the for the
five thirty news whether this was a fatal shooting or
whether the person survives, So that will also determine one
which shooting unit is involved, homicide or non fatal, and
that too then determines how long they're going to be
there true their investigation. And we've also got one tied
up on I sixty five north as.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
Well, And that is before was that is that in
Bullet County?

Speaker 3 (02:06):
Yeah, that's in Bullet County. It's right kind of in
between mile marker one twenty and one twenty one. It
happened right in front of me. Actually, uh, carr was
in the in the right lane. Looks like it tapped
the trailer on the back of one of those big
Class A RVs.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Just started riding the rear two close.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, riding the rear two close, tapped it and fishtailed,
lost control, went all shot all the way across to
the left side of I sixty five, hit those cable
barriers there, ran along that for a few feet, and
then shot all the way back across to the right
and up into the trees.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yikes.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
So that's gonna tell Bullet County. EMS was responding on
that one.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
So what mile marker you said, round one twenty Now,
is that that's before Brooks?

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Gotcha? Okay? So probably between Brooks and Shepherdsville gotcha? Okay?

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Well, that that'll certainly cause some some issues if in
fact there if there ends up being police presidence, MS presence,
whatever whatever it may be. So yeah, not a great
way to get things start, but we'll keep you updated
as best we can. But again, if you are just
now joining us, uh, the the situation that will likely
cause the biggest impact this morning is, as of right now,
all lanes of I sixty five South are closed and

(03:12):
they're rerouting. I didn't I didn't get a chance to see.
And again, luckily at that point, if I guess, it's
better that this is something that took place around three
forty five when they got the call, rather than it
being you know, six forty five, Yeah, something like that.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
So who knows.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
But again, they're they're they're telling people to get off Critenon,
is that right.

Speaker 3 (03:28):
They're they're they're they're routing the traffic off at at
Crittenden to get around it and then get back on
the interstate.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
Okay, well, we'll keep you guys updated as best we
can throughout the morning. Here again, all lanes of I
sixty five South closed. And if you are somebody heading
that way now and you know that is a route
that is on your commute, I would try to make
some other arrangements or maybe just you know, follow the
detour they have planned and and you know, get to
where you're getting as soon as you can again a
busy morning to get things started. Obviously, another another school shooting,

(03:57):
which kind of an issue. I've got four hour talk show,
and I don't really know what else we can say
when these things happen that hasn't already been said. That
when you do say it, it's not like you feel
like you're saying something out of line, but I mean
it just it feels it feels flat and empty, given
just the magnitude of what we have here, which is
a real issue with mass shootings in this country, and

(04:19):
it schools of all places. So again I'll find something
to say. We got to talk about it, right, and
we'll have some guests throughout the morning that can discuss it.
But certainly an awful story and something that happens way
more than it ever shouldn't like it ever should happen
at any point.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
So we'll get to all that and a lot more.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
We've got football starting tonight for a lot of folks,
a busy Thursday at college football. I don't know about you, guys,
but I'm certainly fired up for that. So stick with us.
It is Kentucky and it's morning News, Coffee and company
with you here on News Radio eight forty whas not
to be too repetitive here in our first sixteen minutes
of the program, but I do feel like it's important
to note that there are people that are going to
be impacted by this. So if you are just now

(04:58):
joining us, all lanes of I sixty five so Health
are shut down near Gray Lane, and the amount of
time these things, that these these lanes are going to
be shut down is really unknown because this is a
crime scene shooting essentially that they are investigating. So again,
all lanes about sixty five south, the Grey Lanes shut
down shooting that took place near the interstate, so that
they are they are getting you off at Critten and

(05:18):
Drive if in fact you are headed that way, because
again all lanes are closed down and a lot of
police presence when I came through in the four o'clock hour,
and I wouldn't wouldn't be shocked if that it's still
the case as of as.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
Of right now.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
Alright again five seventeen here at Kentucky and this morning
news coffee and company with you here on News Radio
eight forty whas you could take us with you wherever
you go. Listen live on the iHeart Radio AB also
listen live at WHAS dot com. So a violent crime
here in Louisville, at least that's what it seems like.
We've got a shooting taking place on the interstate, another story,

(05:52):
another situation that is just not really uncommon around here,
and then another school shooting that of course is going
to dominate the national headlines. And here's what we know.
And I'm assuming by now most people are aware of
what exactly took place, but if not, I will share
with you as far as just the details of what
happened overall. And again the suspect, Robin or Robert Westman,

(06:14):
again will continue to learn more about this individual, because
that's just how these things work. So again it'll be
something we talk about quite a bit this morning. But
yesterday at at a Catholic church, two children dead and
seventeen others were injured, and the FBI says it is
investigating this as a potential act of domestic terrorism and

(06:36):
hate crime targeting Catholics. So the Minnesota police chief did
confirm that the victims, two children ages eight and ten,
were killed, while fourteen children ages six through fifteen, and
three elderly individuals were injured. All survivors are expected to recover.
Now again, the suspect used a rifle, shotgun, and pistol

(06:57):
before taking his own life, and that was at the
rear of the church. And there is a Kentucky connection here.
We'll have a little bit more about this in the
news update coming from John Shannon around five thirty. But
the suspects uncle is a former Kentucky state lawmaker, Bob Helleringer,
and he expressed some disbelief with folks shortly after this

(07:19):
became big news yesterday, quote, it's an unspeakable tragedy. He
also went on to say that he barely knew the
ac shooter but is praying for his sister and her family.
So Homeland Security Secretary says that DHS is monitoring the
situation atf agents from the Saint Paul area in Minnesota

(07:39):
are the ones that responded to the scene, and the
FBI Director Cash Betel announced the shooting is being investigated
again as domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
So that is what we know as far as the
situation that played out yesterday.

Speaker 2 (07:52):
Motive and I guess.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
And I hate even talking about the motive because I'm
still and probably will never be comfortable actually discussing that,
and not My brain fundamentally goes to when I think motive,
like we're looking for any justification, like we're going to
find out there was some some rational reason why something
so heinous like this could actually occur, and then that

(08:17):
it's never going to happen. But this, this individual clearly
deranged and and clearly wanted to born a man, wanted
to be a woman. Who knows what kind of medicines
being put into their body? And again I mean this
this individual, Uh, clearly there there's there was, There was
a lot, there's a lot of evidence that's out there

(08:38):
now some of it has been stripped from the Internet.
Well that's a lie. You can't really strip things like
this from the Internet. Once it's out there, it's gonna float,
it's going to circulate. But things that have been pulled
from maybe where they were originally uploaded to the internet.
And again, this is somebody that that if you were looking, man,
the signs were there that this person's not well. And uh,
unfortunately two people have lost their lives and seventeen total.

(09:02):
It sounds like we're injured in this situation. But just
the I mean, it's the number. Would be be impossible
to know the amount of folks that are impacted by
this as far as just I mean maybe being being
around it and again being around it, you're victim too, actually,
So yeah, just I don't know what else we can
say about these things happening that hasn't already been said

(09:24):
many times. And I don't have any solutions. I'd be
a fool to get on here and preach like I've
got the answer and I'm gonna and it's an easy fix.
Let's just do this and do that and then everything's okay.
And not to say that there's not a solution, I'm
just willing to tell you that I don't know what
it is exactly, but I do know that the current
situation is just not I mean, we can't be totally

(09:46):
stunned when this continues to happen, because.

Speaker 2 (09:49):
That's just where we are, all right.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
We've got an update of trafficking weather coming up right here,
right now, and also a news update and a sports
update coming your way, So stick with us. It is
Kentucky and it's more news, coffee and company with you
on news Radio eight forty whas five point thirty six
here at News Radio eight forty. Whas Nick Coffee, that's me,
It's Coffee and Company. I've got the crew alongside. You
just heard John Shinn, and there's Scott Fitzgerald with me

(10:13):
as well. And again we'll have John Alden back next week,
looking forward to that. So a couple of things that
you are just now joining us that have already sort
of dominated our show thus far. We've got I sixty
five shut down. All southbound I sixty five lanes are
shut down near Grade Lane because of a shooting that
took place. Again, the shooting looks to be non fatal.

(10:35):
But when I drove by about an hour ago in
that in that you know, of course I was heading,
I was on sixty five north, it was visually just
looked like a crime scene. A lot of LMPD vehicles blocking,
you know, shut shutting down all lanes. And I saw
a bunch of officers huddled up together clearly from what I
could tell, looking as if they're investigating something. So when

(10:56):
those open up, we'll we'll be sure to let you
let you know. But again, all lanes of I sixty
five south that Grade Lane are shut down. And this
is affecting the great Lane to Critin and Drive. They
are getting you off at Critin and Drive if you're
heading that way, so just be advised. Also a national
story that, of course will will continue to dominate the
airwaves here, not just at news Radio eight forty whas

(11:17):
from a local level as well as a national level,
but really across the nation. That's what happens when you
have a situation like this, just a tragic situation all
the way around. And I was thinking about it yesterday
as I was trying to get as much information as
possible about what took place, what we know about the shooter.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
I mean, when it comes to.

Speaker 1 (11:39):
Providing thoughts, analysis, if you will, you know, the things
that are not just reading what is out there and
sharing what is being reported. I'm not sure what I
could add to this that I feel like is adding
anything at all? Right, such a tragic situation, thoughts and prayers.

(12:00):
Can't imagine being one of the victims' families, things like that.
But and it's not that saying that and having that
be I guess the first thing that comes to mind
is wrong. I mean, I think that's just being human,
But not to say that asn't appreciated maybe by those
that are affected.

Speaker 2 (12:18):
But this cycle, if you will just see it just
seems it seems.

Speaker 1 (12:24):
Scary, to say the least, because these things happening, ever,
is awful. Right at any point, let's say in the
history of the United States, something like this only occurred
once in our lifetimes, it would still be an awful thing.

Speaker 2 (12:38):
That, of course is tragic.

Speaker 1 (12:40):
But the rate in which these things are happening, it's scary.
It's been scary, and I don't have a fix. I
don't know what can be done, but some's got to give, right,
And there are people who have their thoughts as to
what could be implemented here in society, within our country
that were would reduce this. And I'm sure certain people

(13:03):
don't even really think about what they actually believe would help.
They just feel like they've got to fall into whatever
their political party is touting that is either the problem
or hey, don't listen to them, it's not. That's not
the problem. In fact, we need this, And I just
I sit here hands up thinking, Look, I don't have
I don't have the I don't have the plan by
any means, but I just it's almost unbelievable that these

(13:28):
things happening just really don't shock you at all anymore.
But again, haven't we said that like for a while now,
like this is is this a rerun? Are we on
a loop here? Like that's That's kind of what it
feels like with these with these things. And I mean,
I don't think anybody's coming here to listen to me
feeling okay, Nick's gonna get it all figured out, well,
listen to his guid and trust me, I'm not I
don't mean to sound so self serving, but I do

(13:51):
enjoy sharing thoughts opinions, and it's why that's why I
do this.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
But when it comes to these.

Speaker 1 (13:56):
Kind of things, I'm not really sure what what can
be said that hasn't been regardeditated the last thirty.

Speaker 2 (14:02):
Times something like this has happened.

Speaker 1 (14:04):
All right, So here's what we know about the shooter
and some of these things you know I'm reading, well
they have yet to be confirmed. Well, who you waiting
for confirmation on? I mean some of these things, I mean,
some of the you know yet to be officially confirmed.
To me, screams you don't want that to be the case,
So you're just gonna still act as if there's some

(14:25):
gray area there and it's not it's not totally you know,
totally legitimate. So Rory and he's going to join us,
coming up on the other side, and we'll get the
latest from him as far as what he knows.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
Obviously he's a pro and.

Speaker 1 (14:36):
It comes to to news like this, and we'll get
the latest from him, of course of NBC. But the shooter,
Robert Robin Westman, somebody who did die by suicide in
the parking lot after this took place. And as far
as what was online from this individual prior to this shooting,
and of course prior to things being ripped from his

(14:58):
his social media apply forms.

Speaker 2 (15:00):
I mean, you've.

Speaker 1 (15:01):
Got two videos and a multi page letter slash manifesto
that was put up shortly before this attack. In the
video you can see firearms, ammo writings. And of course
he wasn't a big fan of Donald Trump. So again,
Roy O'Neil is going to join us on the other side,
stick with us at trafficking weather update. Come in your

(15:23):
way right here, right now on there's radio eight forty WHS.
It is Coffee and Company with you here Kentucky and
his morning news on news Radio eight forty whas thanks
for hanging out with us here on a Thursday morning.
We're joined now by Rory on Neil of NBC News,
and Rory will start with, of course, the biggest story
right now, and that is the shooting that took place
yesterday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tell us, I guess the latest

(15:47):
on this shooter. Obviously somebody who was transgender and clearly
had some issues. And when these things happen, of course
a lot of folks, just human nature as supposed to,
want to know what was going through this individual's head
when something like this happened.

Speaker 4 (16:03):
Well, right, we're trying to assign logic to something where
it doesn't exist, right, And you know, if some of
the videos posted online are authentic and to be believed,
some idea of what was going through their head is
included in some writings that were shared, and they also
included in this video, a couple of videos showing off

(16:24):
the cash of weapons that were going to be used,
the writing on the magazines, and and just some.

Speaker 5 (16:30):
Of the ugly stuff that was included.

Speaker 4 (16:32):
But from what we can tell by much of the
writings in the final letter was essentially an apology for
their behavior. What they were about to do asking for
forgiveness at the same time, you know, realizing that siblings
would likely have to change their names in order to
have normal lives, or that they might not be able

(16:52):
to get work or have careers or normal life because
of the actions he was about to take. So pretty
startling stuff that was a part of this investigation.

Speaker 1 (17:01):
So Robin Westman, his mother previously worked where this took place.
And do we know when her last I guess tom
as an employee was there, and any update on her
as far as just maybe you know, clearly people are
going to want to know what she has to say,
and I'm not.

Speaker 2 (17:21):
Sure what we're going to get.

Speaker 1 (17:22):
But obviously she was as close as anybody could be
to this individual.

Speaker 4 (17:26):
Well right, and apparently she had gone the mom had
I think she retired, according to a Facebook post in
twenty twenty one by the Church of the Annunciation. Their
Facebook page celebrated her five years of work at the
school in church and that she had retired there in
twenty twenty one.

Speaker 5 (17:44):
We also believed the shooter, who's twenty three years.

Speaker 4 (17:47):
Old, that they also attended that church and school, so
they had connections there and may have been familiar with
the mass that was being celebrated this start of the
year mass that would have been celebrated normally at the
church before or at the beginning of the new academic year,
and that's when this attack happened.

Speaker 1 (18:05):
As far as the weapons, this individual had a rifle,
of shotgun, and a pistol, and it sounds like all
were purchased legally because this person had no prior criminal history,
and I guess no red flags.

Speaker 5 (18:17):
Right, no criminal record.

Speaker 4 (18:19):
You know, when you look at some of the writings though,
and some of the drawings that were in the video,
you wonder why family members and friends weren't calling police.
Minnesota does have red flag laws which allows people close
to an individual to call police and say, hey, I
think this person may be a danger to themselves or others.
That sets off a court hearing which could allow a

(18:42):
judge to temporarily take away the weapons from a person
who may be at a time of crisis. So that
was not done in this case. So a lot of
questions about the effectiveness or whether or not people even
know that kind of law exists in the state.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
Yeah, and to be clear, I guess I should have
clarified no red flags. As far as a criminal record,
but I'd say just a lot of what we know
about this individual prior there were many red flags, and
you got to wonder did the parents even not did
close ones? Was there any transparency from this individual as
far as these purchases.

Speaker 2 (19:13):
That were being made.

Speaker 1 (19:13):
If not, it wouldn't necessarily surprise me. Or let's switch
gears here real quick. We've got a new national poll
out that tells us how Americans feel about President Trump's policies,
including the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, d C.

Speaker 2 (19:26):
What can you tell us about that, Nick, This is.

Speaker 4 (19:28):
The monthly poll that we're getting you educated on the
poll of month by month from the folks over at Quinnipiac,
and this is their latest and they ask standard questions
about like presidential approval and stuff, but then they also
ask a couple of questions about what's currently in the
news and specifically the issue about deploying troops National Guard
troops to Washington, d C. Fifty six percent of voters

(19:49):
do not like this idea forty one percent supported. Republicans
are overwhelmingly in favor of it, but Democrats and independents
are not. On the independence that comes down sixty one
to thirty against deploying the troops. There plus a pretty.

Speaker 5 (20:03):
Good gender divide.

Speaker 4 (20:04):
More women are much more opposed to this idea of
deploying troops in the streets.

Speaker 1 (20:09):
And I'm not asking you to answer for anybody else,
but those against it, is it because they just feel
as if it's such a reach from the president, maybe
overreaching his authority. Maybe they just don't like the presence
of that what that atmosphere is when you've got National
Guard roaming streets. But I don't know, just from my perspective,
I feel like if in fact there is good progress

(20:30):
being made. You got to know, I'm a little surprised
there are that many that are against it.

Speaker 4 (20:34):
Well, and I think a lot of it is spillover
for anything Trump does is bad, right, So you also
that's overall, Yeah, his overall approval rating is down to
thirty seven percent, so you know, we're getting into pretty
bad territory here. That's down from forty percent a month before,
and down from forty three percent the month before that.

Speaker 5 (20:53):
So it's a rough trend.

Speaker 1 (20:54):
Rory, you are the best. It's always appreciate your time.
We'll talk tomorrow.

Speaker 5 (20:58):
Thank Nick.

Speaker 1 (20:58):
Rory O'Neil NBC News all Right, Traffic and weather updates
are on the way. Another sports update coming up to
here on there's Radio eight forty whs