Father of reporter shot to death on live TV wants tighter gun laws in the US
Posted August 27, 2015 7:22 am.
Last Updated August 27, 2015 7:23 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VIRGINIA (NEWS 1130) – Two families on either side of a tragedy, both expressing their profound grief.
Those close to the gunman who killed two journalists on live TV in Virginia yesterday have released a statement and the family of one of the victims is speaking out, as well.
The father of reporter Alison Parker appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America, demanding tighter gun control in the US.
Andy Parker could not hold back his emotion, choking up a number of times as he remembered his daughter.
“I went down by the river yesterday — the Smith River here, where we used to also go kayaking — I just looked at the river and realized that you know she’s… not going to be there… with me,” he said, his voice cracking.
“If anything can come of this, it’s taking up the mantle to once again try and do something to close loopholes so that crazy people don’t get guns.”
Parker said he expects pushback from pro-gun lobbyists and the National Rifle Association but he will fight through it.
“How many times is there going to be another Newtown or a movie theatre shooting or a Charleston? I want to prevent the next Alison from happening.”
Meanwhile, the family of Vester Flanagan, who recorded the killings of Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward on video and posted them online before later killing himself, has released statement.
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness we express our deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward,” said a family friend, outside the home of Flanagan’s father in Vallejo, California.
“Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims’ families and with WDBJ television station family,” she read. “Words cannot express the hurt that we feel for the victims.”
The Flanagan family is asking the media to respect its privacy.
