Flowers and candles for a tv station after a murder on the air. A former coworker pulling the trigger, even recording the killings with his cellphone. As we learn more about him, we hear from devastated journalists inside the station reporting on their own taj tragic story. Good evening, everyone, im maurice dubois. And we begin in roanoke virginia where the two victims were employed. Reporter it played out jarringly and suddenly on thousands of tv screens this morning tuned to morning tv in roanoke virginia, and it was a devastating and jarring impact, especially for the people in the control room. Tonight the killer is dead, but the damage is done. Candles burn among the memorial tribltds in own oak at the tv station. Former tv reporter Vester Lee Flanagan fumed and brooded over his professional misfortunes and took them out on two young journalists during a live report for the station that fired him two years ago. Were pausing the video, but the shots continue. A, lison parker and a
The growing memorial behind me is proof of that. Many here in southwest virginia were tuned in for what was supposed to be a live feel good story. It turned into anything but. A memorial of flowers and balloons grew overnight outside wdbj tv in roanoke, virginia. The station still cant believe two beloved colleagues are gone. All day the community has provided an outpouring just of support for us. Reporter reporter Alison Parker and photographer adam ward were ambushed and killed live on the air wednesday morning. [ sound of gunfire ] by a disgruntled former employee of their station. Im going to have reporter that employee was a fellow journalist. Vester flanagan. He went by the name Bryce Williams while reporting for the station. The 41yearold was let go two years ago and andy parker says his daughter died doing what she loved. Its hard to get your arms arnold it and around it ask realize or try and make sense of why it happened. Reporter before killing himself Authorities Say flanag
Before shooting himself, he tweeted under his onair name that parker made racial comments and that ward reported him to hr. On cbs this morning, a former fbi Deputy Director john miller called flanagan an injustice collector. He viewedded himself as a guy that should be is on network news. And he found the masseter thible way to get there. Reporter and investigators searched his apartment for more evidence, answers will be harder to the find. Victimky gardner is still hospitalized. She is expected to have more surgery today but she has been upgraded to good condition. And her husband said his wife is doing better. Back to to you. Live in virginia, thank you. And today we are hearing from Alison Parkers father. He is sharing his heart break and outrage over the killings. We have his story. She was so loved by all. And i know, my heart is broken. Reporter andy parker struggling to cope with the death of his daughter, killed while pursuing her broadcast dreams and reporting the news in he
Stretcher en route to a hospital. Flanagan was pronounced dead at the hospital this afternoon. Police say he bought two glock handguns in july and theyre trying to determine if he was after the tv station specifically or specifically wanted to targets that reporter and photographer. And people who knew Alison Parker and adam ward, said they were gogetters, already making a name for themselves. Ray villeda has more. They were killed on Live Television. Tonight were hearing about the moments after the shooting and how their loved ones found out. Outside the wdbj 7 in roanoke, virginia, a growing tribute. In nearby churches, vigils for the two murdered journalists. Wen date night Alison Parkers boyfriend remembers the last words. She texted me good night, sweet boy. After that text, a lifechanging phone call. I was startled away this morning from phone calls from the station telling me there had been a shooting on Live Television and i needed to come to the station. Reporter parker had ju
A brief High Speed Pursuit of flanagan followed. Police finding him in his car with a selfinflicted gunshot. As i was air lifted to a hospital wdbj went back on the air at noon. We have determined through the help of the police and our employees that alison and adam died this morning shortly after 6 45 when the shots rang out. Reporter in a 23page documented faxed to abc news, a man claiming to be flanagan said he had been discriminated against for being gay and motivated by a shooting at a Historic Black Church in charleston. Why did i do it . I put down a deposit for a gun on june 19th. Ive been a human powder keg for awhile, he wrote. Just waiting to go boom. Reporter as the day surreal excruciating events settled. Those closest began to mourn them including parkers boyfriend chris hurst. Outside the apartment the couple had moved into together. Ill carry it with me for the rest of my life. Shes made these past nine months i shared with her the best time of her life. Reporter her fa