Writes he was a powder keg in his words waiting to go boom. And the last straw was the recent racially motivated Church Shooting in South Carolina. Were also learning more about the gunman this morning. He grew up in oakland and graduated from sf state in 1959 with a degree in 1995 with a degree in radio and television. He worked it the kpix in the 90s as an intern and production assistant. Anne makovec has more from the newsroom. Reporter people who worked with him more recently describe an angry volatile man. But we are hearing from some of his former friends who say thats not the Vester Flanagan they knew growing up here in the bay area. Some Law Enforcement officers have concerned. Reporter there is flanagan collecting a machine pistol on his reporter resume tape an image that took on new meaning after yesterdays shooting. He grew up in the northeast bay. His father and other relatives still live on the block in vallejo. We spoke with one friend who went to Skyline High School in o
Go getter. Whats especially tragic is not only that he was robbed of his life; this world was robbed of future goals he would have achieved. Reporter the gunman was a former reporter who had worked at the roanoke station but was fired two years ago. Vester flanagan died from a selfinflicted gunshot wound. Police say he sent a video and messages to the media. Many of you have gotten a lot of the correspondence, emails that have been sent out. Its obvious that this gentleman was disturbed in some way. Reporter in a 23page fax sent to abc news, flanagan writes, he was a powder keg in his words waiting to go boom. And the last straw was the recent racially motivated Church Shooting in south carolina. That was Pablo Sandoval reporting. Were learning more about the gunmans history in the bay area. He grew up in oakland and graduated from San Francisco state in 19959 with a degree in radio and television. He worked hear at kpix in the 90s as an intern and then production assistant. Anne makov
Theyre looking closely at the shooter as background to see what could have led him to commit this crime on live tv. He bounced around the country working as a journalist, he was fired. Two years ago the management had to call police after firing him. he actually had to be escorted by the police out of the building because he was not willing to leave. Ryan but nobody would have guessed this, that he would shoot the reporter and the cameraman who were interviewing a local he ambushed the team while filming with his oncamera, he shot all three people, telling the reporter and the cameraman killing soon he posted his video to social media, and he then faxed a suicide note he blamed it on fraught persecution for being gay and black and now 2 people are killed simply for doing their jobs the father of the reporter came to the crime scene and was joined by her boyfriend, also an anchor at the station he said that when he they learned the name of the shooter they were not surprised and describ
Good evening, ill julie haener. And im frank somerville. He was a Television News reporter, but today, he made news for all the wrong reasons. A graduate of bay area state, fired by a television station in roanoke, virginia two years ago. Today he emerged from the shadows and ambushed two former colleagues, as they were carrying out an interview on live television. Were going to begin our coverage, not by talking about the gunman, but by talking about the victims. Reporter three victims were shot, frank. The reporter, the photographer, both killed, and the woman that they were interviewing is in the hospital tonight. Alison parker was doing her job. A routine interview on tourism. Her friend and colleague photographer adam ward was behind the camera. A team who worked closely together, rising stars at wdbj and then as viewers watched on live tv, the gunfire began coworkers, shocked, in horror watched it all. The station general manager later delivered the news. We have determined throu
Black blocked off. Allie rasmus has more. Reporter this area is still closed off to traffic. Even people who live in the area are having to show officers their i. D. S to get past the crime scene tape. The investigation is still ongoing. It started around 8 30 this morning when an Oakland Police officer responded to a call by herself of an assault in the area. Now, police wont say who made the call. They wouldnt grifern us any more information surroundth assault but they say when the officer arrived, the man was outside. A physical confrontation broke out. The suspect struck the officer with a metal object and thats when she discharged her firearm shooting the suspect. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel. Reporter now, a witness doing some landscaping work outside in this area saw this conflict happen. She told us in spanish that the man used a metal chain to hit the officer in her face and neck. [speaking in spanish] reporter now, the woman told us it was a horrible, distu