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Coordinates: 37°08′36″N 79°40′13″W / 37.143304°N 79.670275°W / 37.143304; -79.670275
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'''Vester Lee Flanagan II''' (January 19, 1974 &ndash; August 26, 2015), originally of [[Oakland, California]], was identified as the perpetrator. Flanagan attended [[San Francisco State University]] and earned a degree in radio and television in 1995. He began his career as a news intern at [[KPIX]] in [[San Francisco]] in 1993, eventually joining that station as a production assistant and weekend news writer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Suspected-killer-in-Virginia-slayings-of-6466587.php|title=Suspected killer in Virginia slayings had Bay Area ties|publisher=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=August 26, 2015|accessdate=August 26, 2015}}</ref>
'''Vester Lee Flanagan II''' (January 19, 1974 &ndash; August 26, 2015), a homosexual African-American male<ref>{{cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/beta/US/shooting-alleged-gunman-details-grievances-suicide-notes/story?id=33336339|title=Alleged gunman details grievances|publisher=[[ABC News]]|date=August 26, 2015|accessdate=August 26, 2015}}</ref> , originally of [[Oakland, California]], was identified as the perpetrator. Flanagan attended [[San Francisco State University]] and earned a degree in radio and television in 1995. He began his career as a news intern at [[KPIX]] in [[San Francisco]] in 1993, eventually joining that station as a production assistant and weekend news writer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Suspected-killer-in-Virginia-slayings-of-6466587.php|title=Suspected killer in Virginia slayings had Bay Area ties|publisher=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=August 26, 2015|accessdate=August 26, 2015}}</ref>


Between March 1999 and March 2000, Flanagan worked as a reporter for NBC affiliate [[WTWC]] in [[Tallahassee, Florida]]. After losing his job in March 2000, Flanagan filed a civil lawsuit against WTWC alleging [[racial discrimination]]. Flanagan also allegedly threatened to file a complaint with the [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]] (EEOC), but it is unknown whether he followed through with that action. Flanagan's lawsuit against WTWC was settled under unspecified terms in January 2001. Former colleagues at WTWC later stated that Flanagan was fired for his poor work ethic and had fabricated his allegations. After a short period working outside the news business, he joined [[Media General]]-owned CBS affiliate [[WNCT-TV]] in [[Greenville, North Carolina]] from 2002 until 2004.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/heres-what-we-know-about-the-virginia-tv-shooter|title=Here's What We Know About The Virginia Shooting Suspect|work=Buzzfeed|date=August 26, 2015|accessdate=August 26, 2015}}</ref>
Between March 1999 and March 2000, Flanagan worked as a reporter for NBC affiliate [[WTWC]] in [[Tallahassee, Florida]]. After losing his job in March 2000, Flanagan filed a civil lawsuit against WTWC alleging [[racial discrimination]]. Flanagan also allegedly threatened to file a complaint with the [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]] (EEOC), but it is unknown whether he followed through with that action. Flanagan's lawsuit against WTWC was settled under unspecified terms in January 2001. Former colleagues at WTWC later stated that Flanagan was fired for his poor work ethic and had fabricated his allegations. After a short period working outside the news business, he joined [[Media General]]-owned CBS affiliate [[WNCT-TV]] in [[Greenville, North Carolina]] from 2002 until 2004.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/heres-what-we-know-about-the-virginia-tv-shooter|title=Here's What We Know About The Virginia Shooting Suspect|work=Buzzfeed|date=August 26, 2015|accessdate=August 26, 2015}}</ref>

Revision as of 20:24, 26 August 2015

Murders of Alison Parker and Adam Ward
LocationBridgewater Plaza
Moneta, Virginia, U.S.
Coordinates37°08′36″N 79°40′13″W / 37.143304°N 79.670275°W / 37.143304; -79.670275
DateAugust 26, 2015 (2015-08-26)
Shooting: 6:46 a.m.
Manhunt 6:46 a.m. – c. 11:30 a.m. (EDT)
TargetAlison Parker and Adam Ward
Attack type
Murder
WeaponsPistol
Deaths3 (including the perpetrator)
Injured1
PerpetratorVester Lee Flanagan II (aka Bryce Williams)

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Moneta is located in Virginia
Moneta
Moneta
class=notpageimage|
Location in Virginia

On August 26, 2015, news reporter Alison Parker and camera operator Adam Ward, of Roanoke, Virginia, CBS affiliate WDBJ, were conducting a live television interview near Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, Virginia when they were murdered by a gunman.[1] The person being interviewed, Vicki Gardner of the Moneta Chamber of Commerce, was shot in the back during the attack but survived.

During the live broadcast, eight shots and Parker's screams could be heard, after which Ward's camera fell to the ground. The footage captured a fleeting image of the attacker, who was wearing black trousers and a blue shirt, holding a handgun. The assailant was confirmed to be Vester Lee Flanagan II, also known as Bryce Williams, a former reporter at WDBJ.[2][3][4][5]

After a manhunt and car chase, he died from multiple self-inflicted gunshot wounds at the hospital at approximately 1:32 p.m. (EDT).[6][7]

Shooting

Parker and Ward were conducting an interview with Gardner at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, Virginia, concerning the upcoming 50th anniversary of Smith Mountain Lake, 26 miles (42 km) from Roanoke. The shooting occurred at 6:46 a.m. (EDT) in the middle of the segment, broadcast live on WDBJ's Mornin' program. Video of the incident showed Parker conducting the interview, before the sound of at least eight gunshots were heard, followed by screams. Ward's camera fell to the ground, briefly capturing the image of Flanagan, before the broadcast switched back to Mornin' anchor Kimberly McBroom, seemingly uncertain of what had just happened. It was confirmed that Parker and Ward were killed at the scene, while Gardner was shot in the back. She was subsequently admitted into surgery. Her injuries are not considered to be life-threatening.[8]

At around 11:30 a.m. (EDT), a trooper from the Virginia State Police spotted Flanagan's rental car heading east on Interstate 66 near Front Royal, Virginia. The trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Flanagan sped away and eventually crashed. He was found inside the car with multiple self-inflicted gunshot wounds.[7] Flanagan was rushed to the hospital, but was declared deceased at 1:32 p.m. (EDT).[9]

Victims

Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, were both killed at the scene. Parker grew up in Martinsville, Virginia, and attended Patrick Henry Community College and James Madison University. She joined WDBJ in 2014 and had just moved in with her boyfriend Chris Hurst, an anchor at the station. Ward graduated from Salem High School and Virginia Tech, and was engaged to Melissa Ott, a producer at the station.[10][11] Ott, who was working in the control room at the time and reportedly witnessed the shooting live, was in her final day at WDBJ, as she had accepted a job at a Charlotte station; Ward was planning on moving with her and leaving journalism.[12] Vicki Gardner, the interviewee, was also shot but survived. Gardner is the head of the local chamber of commerce. After surgery, Gardner was listed in stable condition.[13][14]

Perpetrator

Vester Lee Flanagan II
Born(1974-01-19)January 19, 1974
Oakland, California
DiedAugust 26, 2015(2015-08-26) (aged 41)
Falls Church, Virginia
Cause of deathSelf-inflicted gunshot wounds
Other namesBryce Williams (professional name)
EducationSan Francisco State University
Known forMurders of Alison Parker and Adam Ward

Vester Lee Flanagan II (January 19, 1974 – August 26, 2015), a homosexual African-American male[15] , originally of Oakland, California, was identified as the perpetrator. Flanagan attended San Francisco State University and earned a degree in radio and television in 1995. He began his career as a news intern at KPIX in San Francisco in 1993, eventually joining that station as a production assistant and weekend news writer.[16]

Between March 1999 and March 2000, Flanagan worked as a reporter for NBC affiliate WTWC in Tallahassee, Florida. After losing his job in March 2000, Flanagan filed a civil lawsuit against WTWC alleging racial discrimination. Flanagan also allegedly threatened to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), but it is unknown whether he followed through with that action. Flanagan's lawsuit against WTWC was settled under unspecified terms in January 2001. Former colleagues at WTWC later stated that Flanagan was fired for his poor work ethic and had fabricated his allegations. After a short period working outside the news business, he joined Media General-owned CBS affiliate WNCT-TV in Greenville, North Carolina from 2002 until 2004.[17]

WDBJ announced their hiring of Flanagan, using the professional name Bryce Williams, as a multimedia journalist on April 19, 2012.[18] WDBJ dismissed him less than a year later, citing his volatile temper and difficulty with coworkers. According to a former colleague, Flanagan lashed out at newsroom staffers after learning of his firing, resulting in the staffers being put in a room while police escorted Flanagan out of the building. WDBJ provided security to the staffers for an unknown time after the incident.[19] Flanagan filed an EEOC complaint against WDBJ, again alleging racial discrimination; he allegedly named Parker in his complaint. Following an investigation, the EEOC dismissed the complaint.[17][20]

Flanagan maintained accounts on Facebook and Twitter, both of which were suspended after he was named as a suspect in the shooting. On both profiles, he repeated his claims of racial discrimination by WDBJ, specifically naming Parker and Ward. Following the shooting, Flanagan uploaded a video, shot from the shooter's first-person perspective of the incident, to his Twitter account before it was suspended.[21] The video shows the shooter approach the live interview; brandish a handgun for approximately 15 seconds without Ward, Parker, or Gardner noticing; and mutter "bitch" while pointing the weapon at Parker. He lowers the gun momentarily before raising it again and opening fire directly at Parker.[22][23][24]

On the night before the shooting, a 23-page fax was received by ABC News, allegedly sent by Flanagan.[25] In the fax, he described his grievances over what he alleged to be racial discrimination and sexual harassment in his workplace, believing he was targeted because he was a homosexual black man.[7] Flanagan also claimed to have been provoked by the Charleston church shooting that occurred over two months before, and made threatening comments about Dylann Roof, the sole suspect in that crime.[24] He also expressed an admiration for the perpetrators of the Columbine High School and Virginia Tech mass shootings.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ Web Staff (August 26, 2015). "Two WDBJ7 employees killed in attack at Bridgewater Plaza". Local News – WDBJ7.com Central and Southwest VA. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  2. ^ McLaughlin, Eliott C. (August 26, 2015). "Virginia TV reporter, photographer killed in shooting during live interview". CNN. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  3. ^ Rogers, Katie; Blinder, Alan (August 26, 2015). "Virginia TV Reporter and Photographer Shot During Live Broadcast". The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  4. ^ Worland, Justin (August 26, 2015). "Photographer and Reporter Killed During Live Broadcast". TIME. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  5. ^ Bacon, John (August 26, 2015). "Virginia reporter, photographer killed on live TV". USA Today. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  6. ^ Bacon, John (August 26, 2015). "Suspect in on-air murder of journalists kills himself". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c Stanglin, Doug; Pager, Tyler (August 26, 2015). ""Disturbed' Va. gunman angered by Charleston shootings". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  8. ^ Brand, Anna (August 26, 2015). "Reporter and cameraman killed during live broadcast". MSNBC. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  9. ^ "Suspect in On-Air Shooting Dies From Self-Inflicted Wound". ABC News. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  10. ^ "Va. reporter, cameraman shot, killed during live interview". WTOP. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  11. ^ Compiled Christine Rushton, USA TODAY (August 26, 2015). "Virginia TV journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward shot dead: Here's what we know". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  12. ^ Walsh, Michael (August 26, 2015). "WDBJ producer watched from control room as cameraman fiance killed on live TV report". Yahoo! News. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  13. ^ "State police: Shooting suspect in 'very critical condition' after shooting himself". The Roanoke Times. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  14. ^ Antonio Olivo (August 26, 2015). "Shooting victim Vicki Gardner is head of local chamber of commerce". Washington Post. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  15. ^ "Alleged gunman details grievances". ABC News. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  16. ^ "Suspected killer in Virginia slayings had Bay Area ties". San Francisco Chronicle. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  17. ^ a b "Here's What We Know About The Virginia Shooting Suspect". Buzzfeed. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  18. ^ "WDBJ Adds Two Veteran Reporters". TV Spy. April 19, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  19. ^ "Accused WDBJ Killer Shoots Self; Had Been Fired From Station in 2013". TV Spy. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  20. ^ Gore, Leada (August 26, 2015). "Virginia TV shooter posts chilling video". Alabama Media Group. al.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  21. ^ "Bryce Williams (Twitter Account)". Twitter. August 26, 2015. Archived from the original on August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  22. ^ John Wheatly (August 26, 2015). "Bryce Williams (AKA Vester Flanagan) first person POV shooting". YouTube. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  23. ^ "Alleged Newscast Gunman Shoots Self After Posting Vid Of Shooting". Talking Point Memo. August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  24. ^ a b Silverstein, Jason (August 26, 2015). "TV news reporter, cameraman are fatally shot during live broadcast in Virginia; suspected shooter posts video of attack, then kills himself (SHOCKING VIDEO)". The New York Daily News. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  25. ^ ABC News (August 26, 2015). "Suspect in On-Air Virginia Shooting Identified". ABC News. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  26. ^ McClam, Erin (August 26, 2015). "Vester Lee Flanagan II, aka Bryce Williams, Named as Suspect in Live TV Shooting in Virginia". NBC News. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
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