The correspondent was talking with Vicki Gardner, a financial advancement official, about nearby tourism when gunfire rang out, evidently hitting cameraman Adam Ward first. Then he screamed, ran and was heard saying “Wow,” as he also was shot.
WDBJ said the suspect, Vester Lee Flanagan II, 41, was a previous representative who showed up at the station as Bryce Williams. He posted the gruesome video on his Twitter account, alongside several messages.
The video showed an outstretched arm holding the handgun and discharging over and again at Parker as she attempted to take off. The shooter seemed to approach the victims and stand a couple of feet away from them while holding the weapon.
The three, in the midst of a live TV interview, don’t seem to see the shooter, who doesn’t start shooting until Ward points the camera at Parker and Gardner.
Parker is heard screaming and is seen taking off as shots are discharged. About 15 shots can be heard, including several that were discharged after the video goes dim.
Alongside the realistic video, a series of tweets evidently referring to the victims were posted to the supposed shooter’s Twitter account.
“Alison offered racist remarks,” said one tweet. “EEOC report filed.”
Another post makes an obvious reference to Ward: “Adam went to hr on me subsequent to working with me one time!!!”
The perishing cameraman figured out how to record a glimpse of the shooter, who fled with police close behind.
The station immediately switched back to a shot of the anchor back at the station, her eyes huge and stunning as she said, “Alright, not sure what occurred there. We will of course tell you as soon as we figure out what those sounds were from.”
The suspect later passed on from a self-incurred gunshot twisted, as per Franklin County Sheriff W.Q. “Charge” Overton Jr.
WDBJ senior supervisor Jeffrey A. Marks said that Vester was “a miserable man” who “immediately gathered a standing that was someone who was difficult to work with.”
“Eventually after numerous incidents of his resentment coming to the front, we dismissed him,” Marks said.
As per court filings, the case was settled in January 2001.
The shooting occurred around 6:45 a.m. at Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County, as Parker talked with Gardner about the impending 50th anniversary festivities for Smith Mountain Lake, a nearby tourism destination. Gardner was injured and is in stable condition, as per Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital.
Both the shooting victims were sincerely engaged with other employees at the station, as per Parker’s boyfriend, WDBJ anchor Chris Hurst.
Parker had just turned 24. She had just finished a special report on child abuse at the station, where she had functioned as an understudy. She attended James Madison University, where she was the editor of the school’s newspaper, The Breeze. As indicated by her Facebook page, Parker spent most of her life outside Martinsville, Virginia. She was a devoted kayaker and attended community theater events in her spare time.
Hurst said they hadn’t shared their relationship openly but “were a lot of in affection.” He said they had just moved in together and needed to get hitched. “I’m numb,” he said.
Ward, 27, moved on from Virginia Tech University and was locked in to a maker at the station, Melissa Ott, said WDBJ spokesman Mike Morgan.
“Adam was our go-to fellow. He essentially was available to do anything that we asked,” Morgan said. “He did live shots during our morning show for quite some time.”
The station is based in Roanoke, Virginia, and serves the southwest and focal part of the state. The shopping center where the episode happened is just off Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, around 25 miles southeast of Roanoke.
