A gunman killed a reporter and videographer for a CBS affiliate in Virginia in a shooting that was broadcast live Wednesday morning.
The affiliate, WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, reports that police are looking for a suspect.
Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, a reporter and cameraman respectively for WDBJ-TV, died in the shooting, the station's general manager, Jeff Marks, said during a broadcast later in the morning.
Marks said that Parker and Ward died shortly after 6:45 a.m., when the shots rang out.
"We heard screaming and then we heard nothing," Marks said.
This is an ongoing story so updates will be provided as they come in.
Update: I just heard that the woman being interviewed when the shots were fired was injured but is alive.
Update 2: Photo of the reporter Alison Parker, and her cameraman Adam Ward.
Update 5: Here is a better photo of Flanagan from WDBJ-T.
Update 6: New reports coming in that the shooter has now taken his own life. Before doing that he also filmed the shooting from his perspective and uploaded it to Facebook under his stage name, Bryce Williams.
Update 7: More here. Also news that Flanagan is NOT dead, but that he is in very bad shape after shooting himself.
Update 8: Here is the terrifying video that the shooter took himself. Warning it is very hard to watch, and will probably be take down pretty soon.
Update 9: Okay now the reports are that the suspect, Vester Lee Flanagan, has died.
Mashable posted stills of the gunman. White guy, dressed in black. Looks to have a camera in one hand & gun in the other. Army Vet son is visiting, & said shots were steady & controlled. Looks like cameraman was first hit as camera drops, but he could have just been closer. HUGE local story here. One of the Mashable posters (Jamie Singleton) was a local weatherguy on the other Roanoke station. That station just did a long cut in on NBC with more details. WDBJ is too broken up about it right now. Don't expect any updates from them until noon news unless they catch the guy. Local schools are on lockdown as shooter is still on the loose.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to rival the Tech shooting as far as affecting the local area.
This is the image of the U.S. that most people abroad perceive - guns, gun violence. No fuckin' wonder Americans are the laughingstock of the planet, no thanks to morons like that fuckin' idiot palin! What did these poor people do to deserve this???
ReplyDelete,,,and Fox News (once again) will have some excuse for the POS gunman. NRA will say the newspeople should have been armed themselves. They didn't even SEE the gun pointed at Ms. Parker.
DeleteAmerica, Land of the Free (to be shot).
What sad, sad times we live in.
Roanoke Times (roanoke.com) is now reporting that the woman being interviewed, Vicki Gardner, was shot in the back & is in surgery, presumably in Roanoke as that would be the nearest trauma hospital. Keeping the tv on & open pages for roanoke.com & WSLS for updates.
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking video. My first thought was a jealous boyfriend?
ReplyDeleteJust another day in 'merika. If only the reporter had been packin'... god-damned libtards don't know how to defend themselves.
ReplyDeleteSad, very sad.
Oh FFS shut UP.
DeleteYou're the one that's sad.
SMDH.
6:38 it's snark. Why is it so hard for people to recognize?
DeleteYeah, 5:58, these days you have to spell it out. [snark] or maybe a winkie emoji? I don't know, but you do have to clarify or the assholes will run with it.
DeleteA little background info. Smith Mt Lake is a manmade rec area, literally just celebrating it's 50th anniversary. Thus the reason for the story. Largely a bunch of retirement communities. A few films have been made there (What About Bob?) & gained a little more fame recently as one of the places ex-Gov McDonnell vacationed on Johnny's dime.
ReplyDeleteFranklin County crime mostly consists of vandalism, property crime & drugs. Used to be a HUGE moonshine area. One big unsolved murder in the recent past--the Shortt family--but I doubth that had anything to do with this tragedy. Our feeling here is that the news team really really pissed off someone. Allison was very involved with a special the other day about area child abuse.
Channel 10 (WSLS) just showed better screen grabs that the police just released. Definitely older white guy. They need to catch him soon.
Is gunman wearing a mask?
ReplyDeleteNo. Bearded.
DeleteLone-wolf terrorist?
ReplyDeleteDonald Trump will say it was a Mexican illegal ... one that murders and rapes.
DeleteActually, if it does turn out to be Orlando, he's Bolivian, & his dad is a doctor in Blacksburg.
Deletefyi, Alex Jones (InfoWars) now has it. I didn't click, but I'll bet his take is "interesting."
oh boy.
ReplyDeleteSNBC saying Isis potential.
I am gonna guess it is someone they knew that killed them or who has a grudge against the station or the person they were interviewing.
It was at a Mall at 0645 in the am? Seems they were very set- up to be slaughtered.
Police are saying the shooter might be a disgruntled employee.
ReplyDeleteOr ex-employee.
Gov is now reporting the police are chasing him on I-64 & arrest is imminent. Doesn't say if he's headed toward Richmond or WV. Remember, everything's breaking so things will change.
DeleteThere *is* one recently let-go employee who DOES look like the shooter. Orlando Salinas was hired from a Fox station, highly confrontational in his interview style, & his contract was not renewed. Army Vet son just looked at both his profile pix & the shooter, & definitely similar features. Could have had the hots for Allison & would have been pissed she moved in with Chris. Army Vet son is wondering if he'll be taken alive.
Here's a story & pix of Orlando:
http://www.roanoke.com/arts_and_entertainment/tv/orlando-salinas-and-wdbj-part-ways/article_544d0aea-f8dd-5938-b030-21d9c5093fbf.html
It's NOT that guy and I really wish people wouldn't start throwing out names. I know it's not your intention, but people's lives can be ruined.
DeleteThe anonymous based-on-nothing speculation above your comment, Gryphen, is another reason I comment a lot less here. It's almost like reading at Politico or Real Clear Politics.
DeleteKajo - reporting that the police are saying it may be an ex employee (and, btw, they were, and it was) is not "anonymous based on nothing speculation."
DeleteAmerican exceptionalism: US is No. 1 in mass shootings — by a very wide margin
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2015/08/american-exceptionalism-us-is-no-1-in-mass-shootings-by-a-very-wide-margin/
Gunman has tentatively been identified as Lester Lee Flanagan, driving a 2009 gray Ford Mustang according to state police scanner (USA Ch 9, via the Augusta Co Sheriff's office. Light skinned black male, 6'3", armed. Headed north on I-81 toward Fishersville, which is the I-64 interchange headed toward Richmond. Still developing...
ReplyDeleteState Police have confirmed the suspect is Vester Lee Flanagan, aka Bryce Williams, a former reporter who filed suit against the station. Suit was dismissed. Trying to find a pix of him now as this is the station we generally watch & I can't put a face to the name. Pretty sure roanoke.com & WSLS will have the info shortly.
ReplyDeleteOh gee, it wasn't ISIS targeting major media as alluded to by MSNBC??
DeletePretty clear it was a person disgruntled with ghe station, the employees or the town.
GrannyMe7:13 AM
DeleteYou are absolutely right and he is a very lite skinned AA man who did have a grudge against the station. Apparently Alison got his slot after he was let go. Don't know why he took out the Cameraman....
<--snark!
I tweeted out to Tan man boner he has blood on his hands. I'm sick of writing to my representative every flippin' time this happens and getting the same bla, bla, bla,letter? I guess it won't stop until one of their own gets targeted? This was another Guy who should not have had a handgun period. He had issues. Why did he have a gun?
This was the cameraman's last day. They were having a party for him. He was going off with his fiancee... He said "I'm doing something different tomorrow...."
Heart-wrenching.
When will it END!!!!!?
Car was just found at Roanoke airport. No sign of the suspect, & State Police are reporting that despite media they are NOT in pursuit.
ReplyDeleteSo sad. WSLS posted a pix of Allison & Chris. Such a cute couple.
https://twitter.com/chrishurstwdbj/status/636531364356063232/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
Yesterday this happened:
ReplyDeleteWest Virginia School Hostage Situation: 14-Year-Old Boy Surrenders After Holding 29 Students And Teacher Hostage
The students and teacher are not dead, so it's not headline news.
http://www.ibtimes.com/west-virginia-school-hostage-situation-14-year-old-boy-surrenders-after-holding-29-2068669
These 29 students and their teacher got a good lesson in workplace/school violence. The lesson is that they are targets and there is nothing they can do to make themselves less of a target. Pissed off people with guns are their future.
DeleteThank you, NRA. Thank you GOP. You have now turned America into the Land of the Slaughtered. When will it be enough? We need gun registration, gun control, and common sense. So who are you supporting? Why, the biggest bully in the world, Donnie Trump, who no doubt will have something stupid to say today about this, but be all for full 2nd amendment rights. Two more innocent people shot. In America. Nice work, LaPierre.
ReplyDeleteStations msnbc, cnn will all "break away" just to put his mug shot, blovating puke spew on 1st..Trump the shit hole ego man..yeh he"ll fix it for sure dontcha know?
DeleteWhy is this country held hostage by gun manufacturers and crazy gun owners??? WHY?????
ReplyDeleteThe never ending triangle. Money, power, greed. It's what this country was built on. It's always been that way and I think it always will.
DeleteOkay, best source for most reliable info seems to be the live feed on CBS News. They're talking to FBI profilers & broadening the search area. Dumped original car at the Roanoke airport & seems to have switched there. Sounds like a rental car since it's a 2015.
ReplyDeleteArmy Vet son was right--he DID have a camera in his other hand. Bastard posted video of the actual shooting. Fires a couple shots at Allison first, then turns gun on Adam. Just watched the vid myself. They never saw the gun as Allison was engaged in the interview & Adam had his back to the shooter.
ABC is reporting a 26 page manifesto (faxed). Def has been sending out tweets & FB justifying his actions. FBI calling him an "injustice collector" (sounds like a certain ex-gov).
fwiw, someone posted pix of shooter next to Orlando Salinas. Very similar in appearance. Glad is wasn't Orly.
Now State Police are reporting that he's still alive, has a pulse, & was captured in Fauquier Co.on I-66 (the connector to DC). WDBJ is showing footage of the scene.
DeleteSpeculation that is was a rental from the airport. Very familiar to us.
Horrible.
ReplyDeleteThis shooter had pre-planned this; the photo of him looks demonic. Notice he has his other hand pressed hard against his leg with two his fingers doing some kind of 'sign'. This guy posted this on his Twitter, trying to make some kind of statement. The world is cracking up.
Waiting on confirmation that shooter killed himself. Ch 7 is now telling the whole story about his firing in response to what he posted on Twitter, FB & his manifesto.
ReplyDeleteYou can watch the livestream from WDBJ itself.
http://www.wdbj7.com/video/livestreaming
Guy stayed in town after he was fired & discrimination suit dismissed. People reported bumping into him at the grocery store, etc. but didn't seem upset.
Really feel for Kimberly, who was the on-air anchor during the shooting. We see these folks not only on tv, but at local fairs & festivals. They really are like family to us. Just saw Adam at the Salem Fair booth.
The chicken shit mother fucker is dead.Killed himself rather then face up to his crime. Well that does it. Babies need to be issued hand guns at birth.Let's turn 'murica back to the wild west. Wife piss you off? Kill her. Hubby cheating shoot the bastard. Nice work NRA.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAugusta County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to The Huffington Post that they are searching for suspect Vester Lee Flanagan, 41.
Flanagan previously worked as a reporter for WDBJ and went by the name Bryce Williams on air. At around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, a Twitter account linked to that name tweeted out two videos of the shooting, shot from the perspective of the gunman. One video cuts off just as he aims the gun at Parker. A second video shows him opening fire.
Other tweets sent around the same time stated "Parker made racist comments" and asked "They hired her after that???" The Twitter account has since been suspended.
Someone claiming to be Bryce Williams sent a 23-page fax to ABC News on Tuesday night, the network reported. ABC turned it over to law enforcement.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/wbdj-shooting-on-air_55ddaa54e4b0a40aa3acca3c?aj9ssjor
Very sad.
ReplyDeleteot
It's not just Trump: Latinos should boycott the Republican party en masse | Daniel Peña
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/26/atinos-should-boycott-donald-trump-republican-party-en-masse
Come forth, "On Point Palin," I dare you to denounce this on Facebook, gun-hugging bitch!
ReplyDeleteDamn, can't you leave Silly Sarah out of this. We get it, you don't like her. You're as bad as the idiots at C4pee.
DeleteNo I won't, DGM, because she has encouraged this from the start. That you don't like it is YOUR problem.
DeleteHey DGM, I remember you from Malia Litman's blog. If anyone belongs on c4p, it's you.
DeleteHave to agree with 9:55. Silly Sarah was never silly and should not have been dismissed as such then or now.
DeleteWe don't like her because of what she represents and justifies for millions of dumbass Americans. They are coming out of the woodwork and killing people. The anger and fear they harbor is sick but potent. Anybody can be killed now: you, too, 9:40.
Anyone that goes out and buys their "husband" in honor of Sandy Hook deserves every bit of backlash they get.
DeleteGabby Giffords crosshairs, and she encouraged it again earlier this year.
Is Scarah on radio this week? I am sure she will feature this story and make a point of how it proves she is right.
DeleteAlmost correct DGM, these folks are actually worse than the c4pers, which is really really hard to do.
Delete10:18. You're right about me being on Litman's blog. That woman has a very sick fascination Palin. This tragedy has nothing to do with the Palins. To say it does is wrong and takes away from the victims.
DeleteSick fascination? Maybe, but it has everything TO do with the Palins. Ask Alaska, and no self-professed CHRISTIAN would ever go that route. "Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing."
DeleteYou are so on point DGM. Unfortunately, Litman isn't the only person who is sickly fascinated with the Palin family. But her blog is a real joke. And that pisses me off cause people like her make liberals look bad.
DeleteTrue that, 6:50 PM, I used to post there and quit, but she is right on the scam we're supposed to take at face value truth.
DeleteAs you can see the video that I posted earlier has now been taken down.
ReplyDeleteI will not replace it as it will surely be taken down again.
If you click my 7th update you can see the footage for yourself, as well as the terrifying video that the shooter took himself and uploaded to Facebook.
I wish nobody would satisfy the guy's sick desires and view any of the videos.
DeleteI guess the fuckhead isn't dead yet. They've detected a faint heartbeat. Wouldn't it be a shame if one of the attendants pulled a Tony Soprano on him.
ReplyDeleteNo, he be dead.
DeleteWatch Obama Address Homicidal Gun Violence Again, And Again, And Again, And Again, And...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/18/obama-gun-violence-_n_7615838.html
Americans kill more Americans than the terrorists do.
ReplyDeleteVarious sites on the web report that he was a Jehovah Witness, and a male prostitute/escort.
ReplyDeleteWe need an Australian moment of sanity, so we can try to stop the thousands of gun crimes happening every single day in the Christian States of 'Murica
Are you ready for this???
ReplyDeleteEvery single one of the 17 GOP Presidential candidates will say: "Now is not the time to talk about gun control. Now is the time to comfort the grieving."
Just wait . . . 5 . 4 . 3 . . . .
What a crock if they do.
DeleteI know the disgruntled shooter filmed it himself but look at the station cameraman's camera. The shooter had his gun up at the reporter and then lowered it until you see the station cameraman's camera pan back to the reporter then the shooter started shooting. It is as if he waited and wanted the station camera to film the woman getting shot then he shot the station cameraman. That's my guess.
ReplyDeleteI work at the CBS station in Baltimore. Some of my co-workers were friends with Alison Parker, and her cameraman Adam Ward. Very tough day today.
ReplyDeleteFlanagan left a trail of lawsuits in his wake, suing multiple employers for what he perceived as racial and antigay discrimination.
ReplyDelete“Why did I do it? I put down a deposit for a gun on 6/19/15. The Church shooting in Charleston happened on 6/17/15,” Flanagan wrote. “What sent me over the top was the church shooting. And my hollow point bullets have the victims’ initials on them.”
“As for Dylann Roof? You (deleted)! You want a race war (deleted)? BRING IT THEN YOU WHITE (deleted)!!!”
Flanagan was a Jehovah’s Witness who said that God spoke to him and told him to carry out the shootings.
“Yes, it will sound like I am angry…I am. And I have every right to be. But when I leave this Earth, the only emotion I want to feel is peace…,” the rambling missive said.
“The church shooting was the tipping point…but my anger has been building steadily…I’ve been a human powder keg for a while…just waiting to go BOOM!!!!”.
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/08/wdbj-shooter-vester-flanagan-is-dead-manifesto-cites-charleston-killings-as-motivation/
He sounds like he had serious mental issues as well.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the NRA and gun lobby as these stories all unfold? I'm sure there's something beyond wrong with this coward murderer, but I watched the news early on in the story, and they wasted about two hours "speculating" on the state of his mental health, as a way to fill air time in the hopes of keeping viewers tuned in. And hardly anyone addresses the elephant in the room. Within seconds, they shut down his twitter and facebook feeds, wiped the net clean of his rantings, and someone said he faxed a manifesto looking for attention and trying to excuse his crime.
ReplyDeleteHow long does it take to find out if he legally purchased the gun? Was a background check done? Did it show he had a history of mental issues? One "officer" said he's "not at liberty to divulge his health because of hippa laws" ... REALLY? He killed two, injured one and was on the loose with more than one rented car hidden strategically, the cops chased the first car for over an hour, and realized it was the wrong one. He was crazy like a fox, alright. This was well planned and executed, not a spur of the moment act of a madman.
Something's got to be done to strengthen gun laws. Lip service isn't enough. Lets tax the hell out of bullets, like we did with cigarettes and booze, it's a start. Then hold businesses accountable for having their representatives' mental health evaluated. Call it an occupational hazard and get OSHA involved.
Have the candidates put out their solutions, and let the people vote. Let's send letters to Pastors everywhere, to call on folks to defund the gun industry. Can't be pro life and pro gun at the same time.
Virginia is open carry where were the good guys with guns
ReplyDeleteIn defense of life, no argument for restricting guns is acceptable. We are told we must look for other solutions, the second amendment is too precious, too sacred to tamper with. It may be even more important than life itself. The right to own and carry and worship a gun is more important than another's right to be safe from the gun. The gun is the core of our national character. Without it we are at the mercy of those who would do us harm, those who would take our freedoms. Our love of life cannot interfere with our love of guns. We are told the right to own and bear arms is a right worth to die for.
ReplyDeleteSadly, that happens all too often.