Yikes: WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward died shortly after on-air interview; suspect posted chilling first-person video of shooting online CBS journalists shot and killed during live broadcast in Virginia A pair of television journalists at a CBS affiliate in Virginia were shot and killed during a live broadcast Wednesday morning, and authorities said the shooter, a former disgruntled employee at the station, shot himself after crashing his car on an interstate highway. The suspected gunman, identified as Vester Flanagan, a 41-year-old former WDBJ-TV reporter who went by the name Bryce Williams on air, is in custody with "life-threatening injuries," police said. The victims, WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, her 27-year-old cameraman, died shortly after the shooting, which occurred at approximately 6:45 a.m. at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, Va., near Smith Mountain Lake. We love you, Alison and Adam. pic.twitter.com/hLSzQi06XE — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015 The gunman opened fire as Parker was interviewing Vicky Gardner, the head of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, live on the air. Gardner was shot in the back and taken to a hospital for surgery. She is listed in stable condition. Warning: The video below contains graphic footage. A chilling first-person video posted to a Twitter account belonging to Williams shows what appears to be him holding a gun behind Parker and Ward during their live shot, then firing three shots as Parker tries to flee. "I filmed the shooting," Williams tweeted after alleging Parker had made "racist comments" about him. The Twitter account has since been suspended as has a Facebook account belonging to someone with that name. http://t.co/Fhs7eFJEJW pic.twitter.com/5iVlGGs1RV — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015 Earlier, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told WTOP radio that police were pursuing the suspect on Interstate 64, and that his apprehension was imminent. McAuliffe said suspected shooter had been identified and was believed to a "disgruntled employee" at the station. Heartbroken over senseless murders today in Smith Mountain Lake. State Police on scene working w/ local law agencies to capture suspect. — Terry McAuliffe (@GovernorVA) August 26, 2015 According to public records, Flanagan had no known criminal history. He filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against WTWC in Tallahassee after the station fired him in December 1999. In the suit, Flanagan said he was the victim of racial discrimination and retaliation during his nine months on the job. The station denied the allegations, saying Flanagan was dismissed for poor performance and office misbehavior. The case was settled out of court a year later. ABC News reports that it received a 23-page fax from someone claiming to be Williams "sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning." The news division, which did not elaborate on its contents, says it turned the document over to the authorities. WDBJ-TV president and general manager Jeff Marks said Flanagan was fired from the station two years ago, and that police were called to escort him from the building. “Vester was an unhappy man,” Marks said during the station’s noon newscast. “He had a reputation for being difficult to work with.” Marks confirmed the deaths of the journalists in an on-air update shortly after 9 a.m. "It is my very very sad duty to report ... that Adam and Alison died this morning," he told viewers. "I cannot tell you how much they were loved, Alison and Adam. Our hearts are broken." Alison and Adam always had a fun time together. Here are some behind-the-scenes pictures. http://t.co/bglHxG2jXC pic.twitter.com/X74EflXqlz — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015 According to WDBJ-TV, Ward graduated from Virginia Tech. Parker, who grew up in Martinsville, Va., was a recent graduate of James Madison University. Parker had just moved in with her boyfriend of nearly nine months, fellow WDBJ anchor Chris Hurst, who said they planned on getting married. We didn't share this publicly, but @AParkerWDBJ7 and I were very much in love. We just moved in together. I am numb. pic.twitter.com/tUrHVwAXcN — Chris Hurst (@chrishurstwdbj) August 26, 2015 “She was the most radiant woman I ever met. And for some reason she loved me back. She loved her family, her parents and her brother,” Hurst wrote in a series of tweets. “I am comforted by everyone at @WDBJ7. We are a family. She worked with Adam every day. They were a team. I am heartbroken for his fiancee.” Ward's fiancé, Melissa Ott, worked as a morning producer at the station. According to Marks, Ott was in the control room at the time of the incident and saw the shooting happen live. It was Ott's last day at WDBJ. She had taken a job in Charlotte, and Ward was going to follow her. Congrats to our awesome @WDBJ7Mornin producer Melissa Ott on her new job in Charlotte. We will miss you! ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/o2SYtDdO2V — Kimberly McBroom (@KimberlyWDBJ) August 26, 2015 "This was going to be a celebratory day," Marks said. Americans for Responsible Solutions — the gun reform group co-founded by former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords — released a statement condemning the shooting: We are horrified to learn that two young journalists were murdered this morning doing the jobs they loved. As they worked on a beautiful summer morning, they were murdered by an armed assailant. While we don’t yet know all the details of what happened this morning, we know that an attack like this on journalists is an affront to the values we all share.” Our country has a gun violence problem, and shootings like these are far too common in our country. Many times, they happen behind close doors, in homes and schools and movie theaters. But this time, the horror unfolded live and on air, for all to see. Our thoughts and prayers are with those whose loved ones were taken from them this morning, with their colleagues at WDBJ7 in Roanoke, and with all Virginians as they mourn this shocking loss. — With Michael Walsh and Jason Sickles contributing reporting https://news.yahoo.com/cbs-journalists-shot-killed-live-broadcast-130723506.html
http://forums.theganggreen.com/threads/good-guy-with-a-gun.84402/page-13 Probably could move pages 13-14 here as well.
well I just saw it. Its on YT and WOW. Surprise no one (the one being interviewed) saw him with the gun. He pointed it at her, forward, then like 30-40secs later fires at her.
has to be. Like he literally point it forward so the camera will see it. He waited for the camera man to finish his panning to the left, then he fires straight at her. When his camera went dark you could hear at least 5 or 7 more shots fired off.
Nothing usually shocks or disturbs me anymore when it comes to people dying on film but this one got to me. Both the POV one and the news station one are equally as chilling. I hope that this is just a one time incident from a disgrunted former employee looking for revenge and not the start of a trend. This will most likely cause all reporters to be with armed security during these broadcasts.
The media shouldnt play this over and over again because I fear the same. I always thought, not being shot, but what exactly stops someone from KO'ing a reporting LIVE on TV? The answer is absolutely nothing.
I agree. But I also think there is a part of most people that want to see a video like this. And websites/news agencies know that. If they could get away with showing it on the 6 o'clock news tonight they would.
Supposedly the Charlestown shooting was a motive for this maniac. Probably wont hear that on the mainstream news but if true its yet another race related murder. But this one wont be called a hate crime.
didnt hear that anywhere. What ive seen was that he was pretty much upset he lost his job. The one he shot was racist to him and the camera man complained about him to hr. He also seemed to be the type that was patted on the head too much growing up.
http://abcnews.go.com/beta/US/shoot...ls-grievances-suicide-notes/story?id=33336339 “Why did I do it? I put down a deposit for a gun on 6/19/15. The Church shooting in Charleston happened on 6/17/15…” “What sent me over the top was the church shooting. And my hollow point bullets have the victims’ initials on them." It is unclear whose initials he is referring to. He continues, “As for Dylann Roof? You (deleted)! You want a race war (deleted)? BRING IT THEN YOU WHITE …(deleted)!!!” He said Jehovah spoke to him, telling him to act. Later in the manifesto, the writer quotes the Virginia Tech mass killer, Seung Hui Cho, calls him “his boy,” and expresses admiration for the Columbine High School killers. “Also, I was influenced by Seung–Hui Cho. That’s my boy right there. He got NEARLY double the amount that Eric Harris and Dylann Klebold got…just sayin.'" In an often rambling letter to the authorities, and family and friends, he writes of a long list of grievances. In one part of the document, Williams calls it a “Suicide Note for Friends and Family." He says has suffered racial discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying at work He says he has been attacked by black men and white females He talks about how he was attacked for being a gay, black man “Yes, it will sound like I am angry...I am. And I have every right to be. But when I leave this Earth, the only emotion I want to feel is peace....” “The church shooting was the tipping point…but my anger has been building steadily...I’ve been a human powder keg for a while…just waiting to go BOOM!!!!”
Supposedly he had racial problems at every news station he worked at. Sooner or later that has to bring up some flags with the person saying everyone else has a problem with his race. He also sent a manifesto to a news station calling the Virginia Tech shooter "his boy"..and saying white motherfucker this white motherfucker that.
