![]() He recalled that police had to escort Flanagan out of the building because he refused to leave when he was fired. “Eventually after many incidents of his anger coming to the fore, we dismissed him. Their interview subject, Vicki Gardner, also was shot, but emerged from surgery later Wednesday in stable condition.įlanagan, 41, who was fired from WDBJ in 2013, was described by the station’s president and general manager, Jeffrey Marks, as “an unhappy man” and “difficult to work with,” always “looking out for people to say things he could take offense to.” WDBJ quickly switched to the anchor back at the station, clearly shocked, who told viewers, “OK, not sure what happened there.” ![]() Their live spot Wednesday was nothing out of the ordinary: They were interviewing a local official at an outdoor shopping mall for a tourism story before the shots rang out.Īs Parker screamed and Ward collapsed, Ward’s camera kept rolling, capturing the image of the suspect pointing the gun. Parker and Ward were a regular team, providing stories for the station’s Mornin’ show on everything from breaking news to feature stories on subjects like child abuse. He described himself as a “human powder keg,” that was “just waiting to go BOOM!!!!” The fax also included admiration for the gunmen in mass killings at places like Virginia Tech and Columbine High School in Colorado. shooting that was part-manifesto, part-suicide note - calling himself a gay black man who had been mistreated by people of all races, and saying he bought the gun two days after nine black people were killed in a June 17 shooting at a Charleston church. He sent ABC’s newsroom a 23-page fax two hours after the 6:45 a.m. He used his insider’s knowledge of TV journalism against his victims - a 24-year-old reporter who was a rising star and a 27-year-old cameraman engaged to a producer who watched the slaughter live from the control room.įlanagan’s planning may have started weeks ago when, ABC News said, a man claiming to be Bryce Williams called repeatedly, saying he wanted to pitch a story and needed fax information. He graduated from Salem High School and Virginia Tech.Wednesday’s on-air murders reverberated far from central Virginia because that’s just what the killer wanted - not just to avenge perceived wrongs, but to gain maximum, viral exposure. She grew up in Martinsville and attended Patrick Henry Community College and James Madison University. Marks says the identity of the shooter and the motive are currently unknown. We heard screaming, and then we heard nothing.” Marks, “Someone with a gun, we believe it was man, barged into where they were, and fired several shots. hLSzQi06XEĪccording to the station manager Jeffrey A. The station says law enforcement from Franklin County and Bedford County are on the scene. The camera turns away shortly after the shooting begins. In viewing video of the shooting, it appears at least six shots were fired. WDBJ says police are looking for a suspect who opened fire during an interview that Parker was conducting with a member of the local chamber of commerce. Reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward of WDBJ-TV died in a shooting at the Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, on the Franklin County-Bedford County line, according to the station. WASHINGTON – A reporter and a cameraman were killed during a live interview on Wednesday morning in Virginia. Business & Finance Click to expand menu.
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