a way that north korea has never done before. >> all right. >> and i imagine that is different when we think about north korea. >> we have to wrap it up, victor, but this story will continue. that is it for me. thanks very much for watching. i'm wolf blitzer in "the situation room." erin burnett "outfront" starts right now. "outfront," major breaking news, investigators telling cnn north korea ordered the cyber sony attack. is this an act of war. plus cuba releasing an american man as part of a landmark deal. the two countries re-establishi re-establishing deals after 50 years. and an attack in which 132 children were slaughtered in pakistan. let's go "outfront." good evening to all of you. i'm erin burnett. and we begin "outfront" with the breaking news, u.s. investigators have determined that north korea is responsible for the cyber attack on sony

pictures. sources tell cnn that the orders to expose confidential e-mails and documents, you've seen it, social security numbers, health information all made by north korean leaders. this is a major development coming on the same day sony is caving to the hackers and announcing it is pulling the movie from theaters. the fbi and justice department determined that hackers working for kim jong-un maliciously attacked sony and shut down their computers, phones and e-mails. five films were dumped online and financial and personal information of celebrities and sony employees all released and this happening after the hackers threatening a 9/11 style attack on americans who physically went to theaters to see the interview when it debuted on christmas day. they said remember the 11th of september, 2001. and despite this the president said this.

>> the cyber attack is very serious. we're investigating it and taking it seriously. we'll be vigilant. if we see something that we think is serious and credible, then we'll alert the public. but for now my recommendation would be that people go to the movies. >> he said people should go to the movies but that interview, i want to note, was conducted before sony announced they would pull the movie out of theaters. straight to our justice reporter evan perez who broke the news. there has been talk it might have been north korea but to come out and say that, that is a significant thing. >> that is right, erin. they have been behind the scenes discussions between the justice department, between the intelligence agencies, the state department, about what to do about this because i think they were worried about if you go out and say that north korea did this attack, then what are you going to do? what sanctions are you going to bring, what -- who are you going to try to name might be responsible and so i'm told that as soon as tomorrow we expect to hear something public from the

justice department, the national security division there working on this and that tells you how important this case is. we know that these hackers got into the systems at sony and spent some time doing recognizance looking around and took action. they destroyed some computer systems and took some of the information you referenced and started releasing it publicly. and so we know that the north koreans have had a very robust hacking capability in the last few years. they've carried out attacks against south korean companies an this is the first time we've seen something of this scale from the north koreans against an american company, sony pictures. and so now the u.s. is really facing what it is going to be able to do against north korea. >> and that is the crucial question, evan, and the awkwardness if this is against an american company, is this an act of war. evan talked about the capability of north korea, which is pretty

stunning, because in north korea, they basically don't have access to the internet. that hasn't stopped the regime from grooming the best and brightest to wage cyber warfare. we are live out in front in south korea. and what can you tell us kyong? in a country when you don't have the internet are shocked this capability exists? >> and that is a feeling a lot of south koreans had for sometime, until last year. last year 2013 in june there was a widespread attack on south korea, on banks where people couldn't withdraw money from atms and some of the high-profile companies here in south korea. it is an awakening called as dark sol.

things went dark. that might sound weird to sony. but there are sleuths here trying to figure out if there is similarities to what happened to sony and what happened here next year and that is where they will try to connect the dots back to north korea and learn something new. what is key here is this was a cyber war, a cyber war on both sides of the border knew what was happening. south koreans knewing this would be stepped up and beefing up the cyber military warriors, trying to protect some of the high-tech companies here. it is something that is now stepped up the peninsula. that is what is underscoring this entire thing in north korea. it is no longer a battle between the north and south, it is north against the world because they have stepped off the peninsula. and just like we've seen north korea try to do with the nuclear capability and with the missile attacks on south korea, they are

trying to get the world's attention and this may be a sign that they are just stepping up the capability in do that. >> thank you very much. kyongl law. thank you very much. and dan rather, great to have you with us. you have been to north korea and been covering it. the big question. you heard talk about this, they call it a cyber war. you have an american arm of a company attacked. they confirmed it is north korea. is this an act of war? isn't that the definition? >> well, yes. if all of this turns out to be true. but the following points need to be made. but first of all, let's see the evidence. we have indications tonight investigators are saying this but let's see the official announcement and the evidence. you have to be certain, not just high probability, certain it was north korea. granted the evidence points in that direction, but let's check

and double check and make sure we know what we are doing. and understand our options are limited against north korea in this cyber attack if there is indeed a north korean cyber attack but we are not helpless with it. pressure put on the banks as we did once before with their money and banks off shore in the pacific is one way to put pressure. but we have to understand china is the key to anything and any pressure on north korea has to go through the chinese and if they agree to do it, this will stop and stop quickly. if they don't, there is not much else we can do about it. >> for the point you make of what to do about it, this is the question that i think the world has seen the damage done. i did a quick check and online the latest cia stats was gdp of $40 million over all and the income statement, $76 billion. this has changed the game. if there were a physical attack on someplace in america, this country would go to war. this is a cyber attack that has

hurt and cost billions of dollars of damage so what does the u.s. do? >> it is worse than that if it is all true. it is not just the cyber attack, but the threat of terrorism that has succeeded. what the north koreans did is say if you show this work of art, this piece of movie, we will -- we will stage a terrorist attack. >> and they said physical attacks in the theaters. >> and it worked. and we see them as comical and odd with the weird hair dos, but imagine if iranian area did this and we're going to have a terrorist attack if that book is pub lpished. we would be outraged. it is the movie theaters that have caved. there is not one hollywood producer that stood in solidarity with sony.

if you remember the salmond rushdy case. the government said if this work of art is publish, we will kill him. and the gossip about angelina jolie has gotten us distracted. if a work of art is shown, they have tleptenned us and so far north korea has won. >> and they said if people go to the movies on christmas day and see this movie there will be september 11 style attacks. who knows what they would have done. but what does this do to isis and others who say if you scare them, they won't attack. >> there are other ways to go at this. immediately flood the market with dvds and what about netflix. these things don't have to be shown -- >> well i wouldn't be surprised, dan, if the movie theaters aren't willing to do this, will

walmart be willing to stop the dvds, will costco -- there is a follow-on effect because everyone is now intimidated. i wonder in terms of the question of retaliation, we have good cyber capabilities, isn't it possible for the united states, i would hope the u.s. government is very seriously considering how it could essentially shut down this cyber unit. >> doesn't the u.s. have to do something. if this was a physical attack on a theater in the united states, the country would go to war. that is what would happen. so for the u.s. government not to do anything, it is pretty shocking. but the options are pretty thin. >> it is limited. >> china is the key, as dan said. they provide something like 90% of the fuel and 50% of the food that north korea receives. so unless they are in some way involved, it will be tough to do. but again, as i say, there is cyber war that works both ways. these guys need internet access to operate and there is probably a way to get back in. >> the point is we need to

respond, as it now appears. we need to respond. but we've learned not to rush. don't immediately do something. think it through. what are the options in the counter cyber attack on them what, are our options in the banking, as i mentioned earlier, what are the options for showing it. you say walmart and target might not handle it, let's put it to the test. they might not, but they might. but finding a way to get this movie out as one man's opinion is now imperative. we have to find a way to have this movie shown in the united states, or we'll be blackmailed constantly by one regime or another around the world. >> which is to your point, the threatening of the september 11th attack and over a comedy that had a comedic assassination of the north korean leader and you are willing to risk war because you don't want that movie to come up? >> when charlie chaplain made

the great dictatodictator, when being made it was the late 1930s and the british government announced, i believe this is true, they would not allow the film to be distributed in britain because they were following appeasement toward nazi germany. by the time the movie was produced, they were at war with germany and the issue was moot. it doesn't matter whether the movie is silly or mad, it is impression and intimidating. what is the message isis or al qaeda will take from this. they claim to be outraged by everything, a cartoon, this or that, will they view this and say this is easy, just threaten these guys and they will cave. >> the message cannot be appeasement. calculated response based on evidence but respond, we have to. >> at a time and place of our choosing. i like that point, at a time and

place of our choosing. >> thank you. >> thank you, erin. and sony tonight yanking that movie. is the u.s. caving to kim yong un. and an american released after five years in prison. part of a historic deal coming under fire. could this historic day collapse. and pope francis, the first latin american pope had a crucial and surprising role in the u.s.-cuba agreement. we'll tell you all about it.

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breaking news, cnn is learning tonight that u.s. investigators have determined north korean leaders ordered the cyber attack on sony pictures. this comes on the same night sony caved, announcing it will pull the controversial comedy in the face of the threat of 9/11 style attacks. there is growing outrage about yanking the movie about two americans who take part in the plot to kill north korean leader kim jong-un. this is in leaked film by the hackers. tonight outside of amc theater, they decided to show the movie

and they caved and then sony said the theaters aren't going to show it and we have to pull it? >> that is right. this was between freedom of expression on one hand and fear on the other. ultimately fear won out and here is what happened. >> capitulation, that is one word for what happened on wednesday. sony caving under pressure, canceling next week's release of "the interview" and yanking films from the schedules citing fear by theaters after threatening a 9/11 style attack at theaters where the film is played and the u.s. has no reported threats. >> but we take serious threats against the homeland, including threats against movie theaters. >> there was fear some wouldn't go to the movies. >> and now calling it a complex

citation. cine plex saying it is delaying the opening but this is another blow for sony, after 100 terabytes of data were stolen and the hits keep coming. on tuesday, seth rogen and james franco canceled all appearancs.s >> james franco was going to be here but they are going through a lot over there but they had to cancel but hopefully everything gets worked out and the premier has now been scrapped for tomorrow. this is a movie with a $44 million budget and so if theaters won't play, what should sony do? >> i think they should fight fire with fire. using information they have hacked on the internet, wide open on pirate sites, that is where sony should take the

fight, rather than getting the movie into movie theaters, it should be posted all over the web. let the whole world see it for free in hd and show the hackers that two can play at this game. >> no word from sony on a digital release yet. a lot of companies could help sony stream the movie. the question is will any of them risk a hack attack to do it. and so for, erin, no companies have stepped up. sony hasn't commented. but one group is happy in private and that is other studios because this was not the only movie scheduled for christmas day. here at this theater, unbroken and into the white woods was supposed to appear on christmas and now the studios don't have to worry about threats from hackers, causing people to stay away from the theaters. >> brian stelter, thank you very much. and now sean hennry, the president of crowd strike

services which specializes in cyber security. good to have both of you with us. gordon, let me start with this issue that there were concerns about whether people would go to the movies on christmas day because there was a threat of 9/11 style attacks. are those threats serious? >> i don't think so. because i don't think north korea could mount an attack on u.s. soil. but they didn't have. to all they had to do was threaten and we've seen the results of that. and so what they've been able to do is determine content of what americans will see in pyongyang. and that is a bad lesson the next time they are unhappy with a new york times report, they will not just cancel the visas, they will shut off the lights at the headquarters. >> this is an act of war and dan rather and far he'd were talking about it, it is a threat of war.

do you get google to put it on a website and they worry about being hacked. >> the u.s. has to take action. we have u.s. governments being hakd by multiple nations, including china and russia. when you think about u.s. citizens fighting and it is not their fight and the government has to take a stand when we have the revelation that the government of north korea is behind this. they have to take a stand. >> so what should the stand be. so there are sanctions. there is sanctions on north korea. what more can you down? should the u.s. government consider something physical? >> the u.s. government has considered what the retribution would be, if somebody does something like this, is there a cyber response. those discussions are being held at u.s. cyber command and at the

white house and those have to be expedited because this has to be taken care of legally. in the gordon basketball you wrote, with the hackers now suggested they are prepared to kill and if they are linked to north korea, the threat may not be as empty as people think. i know you said perhaps they couldn't mount an attack at theaters but we are finding out it's linked to north korea. what do you mean about the physical threat not being as empty as people might think. >> for instance, the north koreans can go over u.s. bases and there are many of those in asia. so they don't have to come on u.s. soil in the continental 50 states. they can do something against american servicemen elsewhere. and we have to remember, this is not just north korea. the north koreans used chinese internet protocol addresses in china and they routed it through china and there are north korean hackers who are more or less based in china. it is not just a north korea issue, this is a china issue as well. >> and this is something that could change the concept of war

for everyone. when you look at the number -- the over all number of yahoo finance and sony corporation, over all $76 billion and the entire size of the north korea economy was $40 billion. so you are looking at a david now able to bring down a goliath. >> we've been talking about this for years. it is an asymmetrical event when you have countries able to wage war in the domestic united states, cutting companies off and dismantling critical infrastructure that is is a huge threat. we have not given it enough attention in this country and we have to now. >> what can the u.s. do to north korea on the cyber front that will crush them. unless it is shutting down their nuclear reactors, they don't have access to the internet. their people don't have enough food to eat. if you are saying respond in kind, how can the u.s. do that? >> for instance, north korean

citizens have dvd players -- [ overlapping speakers ] >> so it starts playing on everyone's television in north korea. >> they take the dvds and give them to the south korean activists and put them in the balloons that go over the demilitaryized zones and that is how they get them. he had cut north korea off from the global system and we can do that. >> but their nuclear program has grown stronger. >> but we didn't pursue them and we have to do it because what we have seen the north koreans do by getting sony to pull this picture is basically they are determining what the content is in the u.s. >> well they are. and sean, it is the point that fareed made which is if iran did this, there is no question we are talking about very serious responses and you would be using the word war.

because it is north korea and a regime people take as a joke. the discussion is a little more muted, but should it be. >> i don't know that it is north korea, but i think it is because it is cyber. and we've seen attacks and ex filtration of properties, research and development for many years and there has been no significant reaction taken and the subject hasn't occurred. when you look at this domain and the network being used as a tool or a weapon, that will change people's minds. there will be discussion on this on capitol hill. >> and there will be discussion in america as well. and next, the pontiff's involvement in the u.s.-cuba detail and we have more on that. and plus the video, the horrific attack that killed 130 people and 130 of them school boys.

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breaking news, an american man now free after five years in a cuban prison. and a historic announcement from the president today. he said the united states will restore full diplomatic relations with cuba after 50 years of hostility. alan gross was an american government contractor when he was sentenced to 15 years in a cuban prison charged with spying. they say he was bringing cell phones to the jewish community. this was negotiated in secret over 18 months. in exchange for gross, the u.s. returned three cuban spies that have been imprisoned in the u.s. it was an exchange. and cuba returned a u.s.

intelligence agent there sentenced to 20 years. there is only one american reporter in cuba, and patrick what is the reaction to this news? >> it was a bit surreal. for a couple of hours, cubans didn't know this deal had happened, this landmark historic agreement had been reached and at noon, raul castro took to the waves in an unusual and unprecedented speech where he talked about feeling respect for president obama and talked about the future of improved cuba-u.s. relations. most cubans hadn't seen anything like it. some reacted with cheers and some began cheering in the street where our bureau is located and while we were live on tv, we started to hear bells ringing in old havana, the city where i am now. and it was obviously seeing history in the making.

of course this opens up an interesting point. the cuban government places the blame for the terrible economy on the u.s. embargo and have said for years that the u.s. needs to lift the embargo. it is still in place it. requires congress to lift it. but a lot of the restrictions were removed today and it stands to see whether the cuban economy will now finally improve. >> so patrick, one thing, and i talked to alan's wife a couple of years ago and she seemed very beaten down. i don't think she expected anything would happen to free her husband. when did he learn that he was going to be released? you know, it wasn't until yesterday, following president obama's historic 45 minute phone call with president raul castro that alan gross's attorney called him in his cell here in havana and told him he would be releas released. alan gross at first didn't believe it but this morning a u.s. government jet came and picked him up and when he was in the air he was able to call his

two daughters and his first words to them were "i'm free." and patrick the only american television reporter live in havana tonight. and up next, douglas brinkley and ana navarro. doug, let me start with you. this is the cuba of the cuban missile crisis, the cuba of possible nuclear war and holds a unique place in history. how significant is today? >> it is gigantic. it is the beginning of a u.s.-cuban policy for the 21st century. events were talked about in black and white and now what the world thinks has changed. and people seem to be critical about normalizing relations with cuba, but after all, we normalized them with vietnam after losing 58,000 soldiers and we normalized things with germany and japan. i'm not suggesting the regime shouldn't crumble. they are not our new best friend, but it is a very good

bit of news to be able to now say, we can find some common ground on things like the environment alone. >> and the u.s. freed several cuban spies in exchange for alan gross. now alan gross, as far as i understand it, was in cuba providing satellite phones to cuban jews, that is why he was supposedly there. the cubans have alleged he was a spy. is it possible that was true? >> you know, i don't think so. there was never really any evidence he was a spy. they would have brought it out. this was a man who was trying to get internet connection to the very small jewish community that still remains in cuba. he was not committing a crime. this is a good person trying to do a good deed for the jewish community in cuba. and let me tell you, erin. we all want to normalize relations with cuba, just not with the castro dictators. if we could meet the requirements that are set in law

for lifting the embargo, which is the unconditional release of political prisoners, the recognition of labor unions and journalists an the parties and schedule of free elections we would all celebrate, the way we are celebrating alan gross' release. but what we don't like is the legitimizing this dictator at the end of their lives. >> legitimizing dictators at the end of their life and a key point of this situation. and there is the deal itself and the precedent it sets. today robert menendez slammed the deal, and as a democrat, the president's own pal, trading mr. gross for three people sets an

extremely disturbing press department. >> is this a precedent that the u.s. should set? >> there were some released in cuba too and it shows that the united states will bring back our own. we brought this contractor back in time for hanukkah. secretary kerry met him on the tarmac and embraced him. the loser here is russia. their economy is crumbling and they had investigated in this satellite nation of cuba during the cold war and now cuba wants nothing to do with russia. i think there is a win there. if the cold war was about the united states and russia, we got a big win in the fact that cuba is doing anything to try to work with the united states. and we deal with bad people all of the time. who likes the chinese government. so we've got to be real iistic, opening up the embassy and

opening up talk and if this isn't working, you close shop and say we at least tried. it has gotten stale out there and this isn't a surprise, clinton earmarking this would happen soon and hence today is the day. >> and to this point, president obama was asked by abc news about the castros and the phone call he had and he was asked if there was any change and as you call those aging dictatodictatoe is what he said. >> i'm not sure that raul castro in the 80 something will change something but there will be generational change in cuba. the last conversation was substantive. i was very insistive with him that we would continue to promote democracy and human rights and speak out forcefully on bee half of the freedom of the people of cuba. >> ana, doesn't he make the case. why not just do it now. the next generation will be different. you are telling them what the future could be, why wait? >> probably because manufacture

-- because many of us feel we are close to the end. we haven't seen castro in a long time. he is the character at the weekend at burnies, they stick him in an adidas sweat suit and they take him out in public to show him. so we are close to the end of the castro regime. when the two brothers disappear from the atmosphere in cuba. and when there is real change. and so now we are so much more closer than we were when this began is when we are going to cave, unilaterally, without the requisites set in law being met. and also, erin, he is again side-stepping congress here. and i'm not sure that all of those things he announced today he's going to be able to get done and are going to materialize. the funding of an embassy. that needs to goo through congress. the confirmation of an ambassador, that needs to go through the u.s. senate and there is a very strong, very

united cuban american caucus in congress and they have a lot of friends and allies. >> we'll see. obviously you have marco rubio with his ties to cuba to do anything he can to stop this from coming through congress and it is far from done but still a historic day. and next the surprising announcement on the u.s. and cube auxt guess who the broker was? this is the most historic part of it all. it was pope francis. we'll tell you the details on his crucial role next. and the shocking video of the terror attack that killed 132 children. we were able to see that school today.

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francis played in brokering today's historic agreement between the u.s. and cuba. the first latin american leader celebrated his 78th birthday and a major diplomatic victory. it is an incredible story and jim acosta is "outfront." >> nothing sees a thaw in u.s. and cuban relations more than pope francis. >> the soviet military build-up on the island of cuba. >> the first presidential level engagement the white house said since the cuban revolution, more than 50 years ago. >> we will end an out dated approach that for decades has failed to advance our interests and instead we'll begin to normalize relations between our two countries. >> reporter: senior administration officials say the secret u.s.-cuba talks started in june 2013 with most of the discussions happening in canada and led by ben rhodes. those wheels were in motion when the president and raul castro

shook hands at nelson mandela's memorial service last december. but one key sticking point remained. the imprisonment of alan gross in cuba. >> a major obstacle stood in our way. the wrongful imprisonment in cuba of a u.s. citizen and u.s. aid subcontractor alan gross for five years. >> reporter: last march the president found a pivotal player to help broker the deal, pope francis. they discussed cuba at the vatican, something mr. obama did not disclose when asked by cnn. >> what were his concerns? >> in terms of the meeting with his holiness, pope francis, we had a wide-ranging discussion. >> reporter: this year the pope kept the conversation going sending letters to president obama and raul castro. in october the vatican welcomed to push the talks forward. >> i want to thank and recognize the support of the vatican. >> the pope, who celebrated his 78th birthday today with a mass

celebration is also the first latin american leader of the catholic church so it should be no surprise he got the ball rolling according to the vatican spokesperson. >> i'm sure not everybody in the u.s. is happy with what's happening here. we've seen that. but he said it is always better to be talking than not talking and that is really what this is about. >> now, jim, have you had any indication from the white house as to whether the president, and this would be a really big step, but this is a big day, would he visit cuba? >> it would be. you know, erin, amazingly so say this on the front lawn of the white house, the white house is not ruling this out. he was in china last month where democracy is not on the march. despite the fact there are human rights concerns and democratic freedom in cuba, the president could make the trip there. there is an opportunity for him to do that. there is a summit of the americas coming up in april in panama. raul castro will be there and

the president can have a face-to-face encounter with castro and go to cuba after that. my sense is that is too early but it would be historic because if you think about this, the last u.s. president to step foot on cuba was harry truman, it appears from looking back at records, back in 1948 when he went to guantanamo. going back to calvin coolidge going to havana before that. so it is historic and have the blessing of the pope, i gather, from his involvement in this as well. >> that is irony. the involvement of harry truman and guantanamo. and up next, shocking video of the horrific act of 312 school children that died while taking an exam. and jeanne moos with unusual robberie robberies. this one caught on tape. [ narrator ] mama sherman and the legion of super fans.

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now let's check in with anderson on a look at what's coming up on ac 360. >> erin, we look at the history between the united states and cuba. former president jimmy carter about president obama's decision with the island nation, plus ask about the release of american

prisoner allen gross. president carter pushed for his release for years. we talk to the former president live on the program. and major turbulence on a flight headed to dallas. an intense winter storm injured several on board and forced the plane to make emergency landing and the sony's decision to pull the movie "the interview" and the ridiculist. >> we look forward to that. in a moment of shock, 132 children murdered in pakistan. in response, militants ambushed a school slaughtering 145 people. lifted the moratorium on the death penalty for terrorism. for the first time, we see images of the gruesome aftermath. pakistan army allowed cameras in. we thought it was important to show them and knick robenick ro out front. >> reporter: a few of the children in these classrooms

could dodge. evidence of the craven attack is everywhere. floors still soaked in the blood of the innocents. this town is drenched in grief, funeral after funeral. those between 12 and 16 years old, many buried in their school uniforms. the smaller they are, the heavier they are to carry one official said. education in this impoverish town of 3 million is everything. no one saw this coming. survivors now wondering how they made it through. >> translator: we hid in a locker room and pretended to be dead. two students caught the attention and shot them in the head to make sure they were dead. >> translator: they opened fire on some students. some died on the spot and others

were injured. >> reporter: vigils are lighting up across the country. sympathy is strong and so is condemnation of the taliban. it is rarely this universal and rarely this visceral. these men, some of them seemingly young as their victims, are the attackers who planned and coordinated every murderous step the gunmen took classroom to classroom. brutality now becoming clear. inside the school, a burnt office. a 28-year-old woman, an office assistant, not just shot but set alight here too. too horrific for words but already the recriminations are starting. pakistan's prime minister who blamed the afghan authorities but said this attack was planned on afghan soil. the taliban themselves say no, that their commanders in the

planning all took place from inside pakistan. erin? >> knick, thank you very much. incredibly difficult piece to watch. we'll be right back. i'm angela, and i quit smoking with chantix. people who know me, they say 'i never thought you would quit.' but chantix helped me do it. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it gave me the power to overcome the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some people had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away.

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corvette. jeanne moos with the thieves and

a softer side. >> reporter: the heart of this shoplifting scam was a fake heart attack. in the red hat and vest enters a florida walmart with his buddy jenard dupree. >> with grand plans for christmas. >> reporter: started loading a cart. >> they were going to steal christmas presents and one was a barbie car. ♪ power wheels ♪ >> reporter: they go towards the door, separately where dupree gently gets down on the floor. >> he didn't even do a really good job of faking the heart attack. >> reporter: he clutches his chest. the shopper notices and starts to look for help. scott with the loaded cart slips out the door and as soon as the cart clears the door, dupree recovers. >> miracles occur around christmas. his heart was all better and he strolled out. >> reporter: two meet in a

parking lot and take off. their getaway car was not the pink barbie car. >> it was not the pink barbie car. that was not very manly manly. >> reporter: they examined the security cam video and discovered the theft and the sheriff's department had no trouble identifying the suspects since both had long arrest records. scott had recently been released from prison after serving ten years for armed robbery. >> so guess what? we wish them a merry christmas from our county jail. ♪ shop shop until we drop drop ♪ >> reporter: dropping from cardiac arrest ending up getting them arrested. jeanne moos, cnn, new york. >> thank you so much for joining us. set your dvr to record outfront anytime and we'll be back at 9:00 eastern with top breaking u.s. story, u.s. saying north korea is responsible for the cyber attack on sony pictures and american freed after being

held in cuba for five years. we'll see you in an hour from now. ac 360 begins now. good evening, thanks for joining us. a very big night. a lot to report on tonight. president obama opening the door to cuba, closing the door on a century of cold war history and feeling the heat for it. we begin with the sony attackers to stop the movie about the north korean leader. theaters pull the movie. justice correspondent pamela brown joining us with the latest. what do we know about what u.s. officials have learned? >> reporter: it's really significant, anderson, that the u.s. is poised to attribute the sony hack and we're learning that that will happen. it could happen as early as tomorrow and we're learning the u.s. is expected to point the finger at north korea in this.