Search for Escaped Killers Zeroes in on Friendship, New York.
BLACKWELL: At 8:30 Eastern this morning, the doors of Mother Emanuel, Emanuel AME church will open to children who are coming to this church for Sunday school. And then at 9:30 Eastern the doors of the sanctuary will open for the first time since that attack of nine people who were killed in the basement of this church. Today is a day of healing. We're told that in many way, this will be a normal service, a worship service with an emphasis on trying to help this community heal. People struggling to go back into that sanctuary, but as our last guest told us, Alison, they have to go home, home to Mother Emanuel. We'll be here for that. Alison, back to you in Atlanta.</s>ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: We'll continue to check in with your, Victor. This manhunt was considered to be very intense, and then the trail went cold until now, and now officials call it a credible lead in this manhunt for two escaped prisoners. It's lead cops to a small town in southwestern New York. It's where police are hoping they are going to catch Richard Matt and David Sweat. These are the two fugitives who were serving time for murder who escaped from prison more than two weeks ago. Let's go to CNN's Cristina Alesci. She's in Allegheny County, which is the so-called hot spot in this search. Cristina, how confident are officials at this point that they could be in your area?</s>CHRISTINE ALESCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police released a press release last night saying they had a possible -- they are investigating a possible sighting of two men who may fit the description. So they're hedging their language a bit. But we witnessed heavy police presence here today just as the sun was coming up. About two dozen vehicles left this command center, where I am, to resume the search. Presumably last night they had dialed it back a bit. There were heavy rains. It was very dark. We don't have any update. There hasn't been any kind of leads that have come out of this investigation so far. But remember, there are other searches in other places in New York. This one stands out because of the level of specificity that officials have given around the search area. They say they're looking close to a railroad track, where there may have been actually tracks there were left for police to investigate. And also authorities are saying that they've got canine units out, they're activating aviation units. They're got special operations here. So it does seem to be a big operation. Before leading up into this, all we got was very vague details about the other searches. In fact, all we had was the escalation of these men in terms of adding them onto the 15 most wanted list, and that there was a $50,000 reward. Other than that, until last night, we really didn't have many details, Alison.</s>KOSIK: All right, we will continue to check in all morning with you for the latest details on this. Joining us now for more, Lenny DePaul, former commander of the U.S. Marshals Service regional fugitive task force for New York and New Jersey, and CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes. Lenny, let's begin with you. What do you think of all the attention around Friendship, New York. Do you think this tip could be legit?</s>LENNY DEPAUL, FORMER COMMANDER, U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE: We're hoping it's legit. I know they deployed other assets there, and rightfully so. Any tips or leads that come in, they're going to investigate it to the fullest. We just keep our fingers crossed. However, we have cast a pretty wide net. So we're not -- the public needs to be aware of that. Just because we think it's a possibility -- and it's an unconfirmed sighting. It's not confirmed. But they'll certainly take a hard look and search and see what they can come up with.</s>KOSIK: Tom, how common is it to get three sightings like this over a week's time that are within miles of each other?</s>TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I think what happens sometimes, Alison, is that once you get one sighting in a particular area, it alerts the public in that area to be extra vigilant. And then anything they see suspicious, they call in as a possible sighting. These are things that are happening all over. People see people in their backyards or walking down streets or along railroad tracks, hikers, hunters, you name it. But when there's been a sighting, or a believed sighting in an area, then everything becomes heightened. The level of alertness on the public become heightened and more calls come in.</s>KOSIK: Lenny, how exactly is this search happening in the area? Are they knocking on doors? Are they looking behind trees? How do you start to really go through an area like this?</s>DEPAUL: A little bit of everything. Absolutely. The terrain apparently is very wooded from what I'm hearing up there in Friendship. They'll have aviation support. I'm sure through the night, there was thermal imaging deployed as well as infrared and whatnot to see what they can pick up on. But again, Alison, it's my gut feeling, these guys are, you know, they're walking down Main Street and just their faces have been plastered all over the place, they're heavily tattooed. I just don't, you know, and again, I hope I'm wrong. I hope they're contained in this perimeter that is set up in Friendship and this thing goes down without incident. But you know, we certainly -- it's a 360 world out there, so you can't have tunnel vision.</s>KOSIK: You really think they're walking down Main Street?</s>DEPAUL: I don't think they are. That's my gut feeling is they wouldn't be standing at the corner walk/don't walk, saying, here I am, guys. They had an elaborate plan of escape. Again, I think Joyce Mitchell was their red herring. I think she was their plan B, and I think someone else would pick them up. But again, that's my opinion, Alison.</s>KOSIK: Tom, what do you think? Do you think these guys are still together? All these sightings are of them together. Do you think they in reality still are?</s>FUENTES: I think, Alison, it's, you know, we're all guessing as to whether they are or not. For my opinion, I think they might still be together, because they're still in an escape or survival mode. If they're still in the woods running around trying to evade capture, or sighting by helicopters or dogs, they may still be together to help each other out. If they've arrived somewhere far away and feel relatively comfortable, then they may be ready to split up. But don't forget, they've worked side by side for well over a year planning this thing. They're each other's best friend. If it's possible for people like this to have a real friend, it's as close as it gets, I'll put it that way. As long as they need each other, they'll stay together. When they don't, they won't.</s>KOSIK: Tom Fuentes, Lenny DePaul, thanks so much for your analysis. And a manhunt is underway in New Orleans for an escaped prisoner who police say shot and killed an officer. He's armed and dangerous. Details after the break.