CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Shots Near Capitol Hill

Interview

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REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R), TEXAS: Thanks for having me, Wolf.

BLITZER: You just heard the briefing we got from the Secret Service and then we got from the Capitol Police, we got from the D.C. Metropolitan Police.

I know you have been briefed by the Homeland Security Department. What else can you share with us?

MCCAUL: Well, we know that this is a 34-year-old African- American woman from Connecticut, possibly with some mental health issues, that she tried to storm the barricade at the White House entrance near Treasury, in the process actually ran into a Secret Service agent.

And then we had the high-speed chase that ended up here on Capitol Hill, which unfortunately very tragically resulted in her being shot and killed. As you know, she has an 18-month-old daughter.

But I will say that the job that the Capitol Police did here today was heroic. And they are to be commended for protecting not only the members of Congress and staffers, but the American public as well who were out here visiting.

BLITZER: So the child in the car was in fact her daughter, right?

MCCAUL: Yes. That's my understanding. The daughter is now in child protective service custody, to determine what to do with her. Again, a very tragic incident.

I think it's important to note also that in my conversations with both Homeland Security and the FBI is that this is not -- they don't have any ties or nexus to terrorism. That's always my biggest concern when I see an incident like this happen on Capitol Hill. That's the first question I have.

It hasn't been ruled out completely. The FBI is digging into the background of this individual to see what, if anything is there, but I think right now it looks like they don't have any evidence that would tie this to an act of terrorism.

BLITZER: A 34-year-old resident of Connecticut. Was she American? We know she's dead now. Was she American? Was she an immigrant? Do we know where she was from?

MCCAUL: That's what we don't know at this point.

And I know one of the questions at the press conference was, is she of Somali descent? And that obviously would raise some issues as it relates to terrorism. I don't have that information right now.

I talked to the sergeant at arms about this as well. That's something that the FBI literally right now is scrubbing into to find out what her background is.

BLITZER: Have you been told her name?

MCCAUL: I have not. I have not.

BLITZER: All right. And so when they say it looks like an isolated, singular matter, that's according to the U.S. Capitol Police chief, no nexus to terrorism has been identified, you're saying you can't completely rule that out, but that certainly would appear to be preliminary on the basis of what you say she -- she had a history of mental illness? Do we know that for sure?

MCCAUL: Well, I got that from multiple sources, that they think she may have had some mental health issues.

Obviously, the way she responded at the gates and near the White House, and then turning around and hitting Secret Service, you know, and the fact is that, from what I understand, she didn't have any weapons in the car as well. So we don't know the motivation yet. That's what we're digging into and as well as her background, but I think it does appear at this point in time to be more of an isolated event that probably doesn't have a nexus to terrorism.

BLITZER: Mike McCaul is the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Mr. Chairman, Thanks for coming in. MCCAUL: Thanks, Wolf. Thanks for having me.

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