FBI Investigating Pensacola Attack As An Act Of Terrorism
CABRERA: The FBI is still not 100 percent sure what drove a Saudi military officer to open fire on a U.S. Navy base on Friday killing three American servicemen and wounding several others. These are the three men who died, the oldest just 23 years old. Their killer, a lieutenant in the Saudi Air Force, was shot dead by police officers. Today in Pensacola, a very somber moment when police escorted the bodies of those three sailors to a waiting plane. They are being transferred to the military's mortuary at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware this evening. So as to why this happened, why this Saudi officer started shooting his classmates on base in Florida, the FBI says they have no concrete answers yet but are treating this incident as an act of terrorism.</s>RACHEL ROJAS, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: I can tell you that we are looking very hard at uncovering his motive. And I would ask for patience so we can get this right. The Saudi government has pledged to fully cooperate with our investigation. I thank the kingdom for their pledge. Work with the presumption that this was an act of terrorism, this allows us to take advantage of investigative techniques.</s>CABRERA: CNN's Brynn Gingras is just outside Naval Air Station Pensacola. Brynn, earlier reports were backed up by the defense secretary that someone possibly close to the shooter made a video of the attack as it was unfolding. You have new information about that report. Bring it to us.</s>BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. The FBI spokesperson quickly clarified and then we got more details as well from a source close to the investigation. And, really, what the defense secretary said was that video was taken at the time or he suspected that. The FBI says that this video was shot by a bystander after the attack unfolded and as emergency responders were coming to the scene. And the source tells us that that bystander was a Saudi national. But it's unclear if he was a friend. We're told that he really had no part -- this person had no part of this attack and really didn't have any nefarious sort of ill intent when taking that video. So the video is certainly something that investigators are looking into, not just that one that the defense secretary was talking about but also surveillance video from the base. Certainly, that is part of all the evidence that they are considering at this point. But you hit it right there with the motive. That is the big question still. Investigators really are not talking about it at this point or at least not giving us answers too. And that is why it is not deemed right now an act of terrorism but they are investigating as if it were. And we're told really they're doing that by talking to people. They're talking to those Saudi nationals who we were reporting were detained. We're told those Saudi nationals are being kept on the base. They can't leave. They are helping answer some questions. We're learning from sources that they actually gave some indications to investigators about this gunman's demeanor after a return home from Saudi Arabia, basically saying that he was changed. He was becoming more observant. He wasn't drinking when he was before. And so now, investigators are trying to figure out what sort of happened possibly after he returned home that triggered such a change. So these are the questions that are still being asked, a timeline that is still trying to be figured out to really put this whole picture together of what possibly caused all of this.</s>CABRERA: OK. Brynn Gingras, thank you for continuing to bring us those updates. North Korea claims it carried out a, quote, very important test just days after the regime warned of a Christmas gift for the United States. So what about that special relation President Trump talks about so much? We have details just ahead. But first, Christine Romans is here with this week's Before the Bell. Christine?</s>CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Ana. Trade headlines are likely to dominate the action on Wall Street. In exactly one week, the next round of tariffs are scheduled to take effect. They would apply to about $155 billion worth of Chinese made goods, including laptops and cell phones, toys and office supplies. Investors are hoping a narrow trade deal with China can be reached to avoid those new tariffs. Wall Street is also watching the Fed, which meets midweek. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged. Remember, it has already cut rates three times this year. Fed officials are looking at a mixed economic picture lately. Hiring remains strong, 266,000 jobs were added in November. The unemployment rate dipped to 3.5 percent. But manufacturing remains in recession. It contracted for the fourth straight month in November. In New York, I'm Christine Romans.