On-Air Shooting In Virginia: WDBJ TV Reporter & Cameraman Killed In Shooting During Live Broadcast In Roanoke [LIVE UPDATES VIDEO]
A routine morning interview segment turned tragic for a local Virginia news station when a reporter and cameraman were killed during a live broadcast by a gunman early this morning.
Reporter Allison Parker, 24 and cameraman Adam Ward of CNN affiliate WDBJ were interviewing a woman at Bridgewater Plaza, a shopping center in Roanoke, Va. when a gunman walked into the shot and opened fire, reportedly firing six or seven shots. It was later confirmed that Parker and Ward were both killed.
According to the Station's general manager, the interview subject is not believed to have been injured, and police are allegedly trying to find the gunman, who is still at large.
The live video of the broadcast captures Parker's screams as gunshots ring out, before the camera drops to the ground.
The station immediately took to its Twitter account to let viewers know they were they were trying to figure out what happened immediately after shots rang out. They later updated the page with the confirmation of Parker and Ward's deaths.
We are trying to figure out what just happened -- thank you all for your concern and kind words.
— WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015
Law enforcement is on scene at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta. The incident involves a WDBJ7 crew. This is all we know. https://t.co/hmQe15vOUk — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015
It is with extreme sadness that we report WDBJ7's Alison Parker and Adam Ward were killed in an attack this morning. https://t.co/oC9s4vLJXV — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015
We love you, Alison and Adam. pic.twitter.com/hLSzQi06XE — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015
It was later reported that Ward was engaged to a morning producer on the show, whose last day at the station was today.
Watching @brianstelter on CNN - says camera guy engaged to morning producer and today was her last day, there was a party at the station. — Noah Coslov (@NoahCoslov) August 26, 2015
Here's the broadcast video of the shooting, WARNING THIS IS DISTRUBING AND NSFW/NSFL:
UPDATE 9:41 AM: CNN is reporting that the interview subject, Vicki Gardner, was shot and is currently in emergency surgery.
UPDATE 9:45 AM: Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe tweeted about the shooting.
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
UPDATE 9:50 AM: Parker was also engaged to an anchor at the station, Chris Hurst, who has since tweeted about his fiancé and the situation.
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
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 — 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. — Chris Hurst (@chrishurstwdbj) August 26, 2015
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. — Chris Hurst (@chrishurstwdbj) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 9:55 AM: CNN is reporting that police have the gunman's name and license plate and think they know who he is.
UPDATE 10:00 AM: A photo of the gunman has been released. It is a still frame that Ward caught on camera before his death.
Use the power of social media to find this person. Bring him to #justice for Alison and Adam. #WDBJ pic.twitter.com/YWCWFgBXft — Robert Wendt (@BobbyWendt) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 10:05 AM : The suspect is reportedly being chased by police North on I-81.
The suspect in the #WDBJ shooting is being chased north on I-81 — WHSVnews (@WHSVnews) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 10:25 AM: Governor McAuliffe has confirmed that the gunman was a disgruntled employee and that the shooting was not an act of terrorism.
UPDATE 10:34 AM: Local news is reporting the suspect is now on I-64.
Scanner traffic indicates that the #WDBJ shooter is heading westbound on I-64 https://t.co/0wWbFcVlbX — WHSVnews (@WHSVnews) August 26, 2015
Video: Virginia State Police and local police just heading westbound in Interstate 64 from Afton, Va., in pursuit … pic.twitter.com/YD7qeAEmEU — Eugenio Bertolaccini (@EBertolaccini) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 10:41 AM: Gov. McAuliffe says police are still in pursuit of gunman and hope to have him in custody right away.
Gov. McAuliffe said police are pursuing #WDBJ suspect and hope to have him in custody soon. — WTVR CBS 6 Richmond (@CBS6) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 11:02 AM: The potential suspect's name has been confirmed as Vester Lee Flanagan.
The #WDBJ shooting suspect's name is Vester Lee Flanagan, not Lester as reported by other outlets: https://t.co/0wWbFcVlbX — WHSVnews (@WHSVnews) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 11:09 AM: Reports are no longer characterizing the hunt as a pursuit, but a search for a person of interest, whose exact whereabouts remains unknown. Police have not called Flanagan a suspect.
UPDATE 11:25 AM: Flanagan reportedly posted video of the shooting on his Twitter account using the handle of Bryce_Williams 7. The account has since been suspended.
Update| info suggests name of suspect is 'Vester Flanigan' who owns this Twitter account. Note tweets. #WDBJ pic.twitter.com/D51W1xa9tV — Mikey Kay (@MikeyKayNYC) August 26, 2015
It appears Twitter has suspended the Bryce Williams account where video showed the shooting. #WDBJ — Alex Caban (@produceralex) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 11:47 AM: Flanagan posted two videos of the attack on his social media accounts before they were suspended. The first, which is below, shows him as he walks up to the scene and cuts out before he opened fire.
The second video shows as he opens fire and is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC and NSFW/NSFL. Exercise extreme caution before watching.
Statement from @ABC: pic.twitter.com/2bMhK2nvS1 — Gio Benitez (@GioBenitez) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 11:54 AM: Police reportedly have confirmed that Flanagan has now committed suicide.
UPDATE 12:09 PM: After confirming Flanagan was once an employee for the station, WDBJ confirmed he did shoot himself but is still alive and in very critical condition.
UPDATE: State police now say man suspected of killing two WDBJ7 employees shot himself, and he is still alive https://t.co/XLx3pS2I5X — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015
UPDATE 12:18 PM: WBDJ is live-streaming their emotional and personal broadcast about the situation.
UPDATE 2:30 PM: Flanagan reportedly died at a Virginia hospital at 1:30 p.m. from his self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
UPDATE 3:00 PM: ABC News has published excerpts from Flanagan's faxed manifesto, in which he calls the Charleston church mass murder back in June as a sending him "over the top," shows empathy for Virginia Tech mass shooter Seung Hui Cho (whom he calls "his boy"), and claims to have been discriminated again because he was black and gay.