Virginia TV reporter, cameraman fatally shot during live interview

The suspect in the shooting of reporter and cameraman at the Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County, Va. died of self-inflicted gunshot wound at the hospital.

Police named the suspect as Vester Lee Flanagan, 41, a former reporter at the station who used the on-air name Bryce Williams.

The shots rang out on-air as reporter Parker and Ward were presenting a local tourism story at an outdoor shopping mall.

In the early part of the live broadcast, Parker was seen interviewing an woman whose identity was later confirmed to be Vicki Gardner, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce. Virginia state police said he ran off the road and crashed, and was being treated for life-threatening injuries.

The father of Vester Flanagan, the gunman who murdered two former TV news coworkers and himself in Virginia on Wednesday, was drafted by the Green Bay Packers, according to TMZ. He had suffered a gunshot wound.

“We’re just very saddened and just sickened…by this horrific event”, Roanoke Mayor David Bowers told CNN.

A Twitter account under the suspect’s name was suspended after it posted video of the killings. The station spokesperson describes Ward as their “go-to guy” – doing live shots for the station’s morning show for several years.

Both Parker and photographer Adam Ward were pronounced dead at the scene after the gunman fired about 15 shots. “He then filed an action with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission“. In the video of the attack, Parker is heard screaming and the recording appears to include a look at the shooter aiming his gun at the cameraman. ABC News says it has turned the document over to authorities.

Flanagan was dismissed from the station two years ago, and was escorted out of the building by police, Marks said. The camera appeared to be dropped on the ground.

“They’re right behind him”, McAuliffe said during an appearance on WTOP-FM’s “Ask the Governor” Wednesday morning. A tweet from the account said, “I filmed the shooting”.

Jeffrey A Marks, general manager of WDBJ-TV, identified the two killed as Alison Parker and Adam Ward.