Three people shot on live TV in Virginia; suspect confirmed dead

VIRGINIA (NEWS 1130) – The man suspected of killing a reporter and a camera operator on live TV in Virginia this morning has shot and killed himself.

The suspected shooter has been identified as Vester Lee Flanigan, also known as Bryce Williams, a former employee of the news station.

Video shows the fatal shooting of two TV station employees who were killed in an on-air shooting in central Virginia.

In the video from the Wednesday incident, a female reporter is interviewing someone about tourism on Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County. She was smiling when suddenly at least eight shots were heard. The camera appeared to get dropped on the ground. The reporter can be heard screaming. Since the shooting, very disturbing video had been posted online. The account used to post the video has since been suspended.

Following the live hit, the station then switches back to a shot of an anchor back at the station, who has a shocked expression on her face.

In tweets and on its website, WDBJ-TV identified the two killed as Alison Parker and Adam Ward.

Video of the shooting was later posted on the suspect’s Twitter account and Facebook page. It showed an outstretched arm holding the handgun and firing repeatedly at Parker as she tried to run away.

The shooter appeared to walk up to the victims and stand nearby from them while holding the weapon. They were in the midst of a live TV interview, and didn’t seem to notice the gunman, who didn’t start shooting until Ward points the camera at Parker and the interviewee.

Posts on Flanagan’s Twitter account indicated that he filmed the shooting and posted it on Facebook. The tweets were also about both Parker and Ward.

The colleagues of the reporter and camerman killed in the shooting tried to hold back their emotions

Anchor Chris Hurst says in tweets that although he and Parker didn’t share their relationship publicly, they were in love and had just moved in together.

Hurst tweeted: “We were together almost nine months. It was the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married. We just celebrated her 24th birthday.”

He also tweeted about the second victim, Ward, saying that Parker “worked with Adam every day. They were a team. I am heartbroken for his fiancee.”

Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were more than just colleagues to some of their coworkers.

Parker, who had just turned 24 was in a relationship with anchor Chris Hurst who has posted a loving tribute on Facebook, they had just moved in together.

Ward — who was 27 was engaged to the morning show producer Melissa Ott.

“Actually, it was Melissa’s last morning producing our show and we were celebrating that with her earlier today and it was just an ordinary day, so happy for them, she had gotten another job and Adam was going to follow her soon after. They were going to get married.”

The station’s GM says the crime is incomprehensible but they have been getting calls of support from around the globe.

Parker, 24, was hired at WDBJ full time just over a year ago, said Jeffrey Marks, the station’s general manager.

“She took on the morning live reporting job with great excitement and vigour,” Marks said. “Nobody could have done it better.”

Ward “was universally loved,” Marks said

The station is based in Roanoke, Virginia, and serves the southwest and central part of the state. The shopping mall where the incident happened is just off Smith Mountain Lake.