UPDATED: Reporter, cameraman shot to death on air in central Virginia - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2015-08-29

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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate NEWS NOW   Pot businesses have eyes on Medford       ...       Ashland schools put new policy to the test       ...       Crater Lake's north entrance reopens       ...       Pot businesses have eyes on Medford       ...       Ashland schools put new policy to the test       ...       Crater Lake's north entrance reopens       ...           UPDATED: Reporter, cameraman shot to death on air in central Virginia Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 26, 2015 at 7:18 AM Updated Aug 26, 2015 at 9:42 AM Posted Aug. 26, 2015 at 7:18 AM Updated Aug 26, 2015 at 9:42 AM »  Social News Updated 9:42 a.m. Virginia State Police say that as they were pursuing the suspect in an on-air fatal shooting, he ran off the road and crashed, and was found suffering from a gunshot wound. Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Wednesday that the suspect is being treated for life-threatening injuries. The suspect has been identified as 41-year-old Vester Lee Flanagan II of Roanoke, who appeared on air at the TV station WDBJ in Virginia as Bryce Williams. A reporter and cameraman from WDBJ-TV were killed in the incident Wednesday morning. Police say that shortly before 11:30 a.m., they initiated a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle on Interstate 66. Police say the driver refused to stop and sped away from the trooper, but ran off the road and crashed. Police say the troopers approached and found the driver suffering from a gunshot wound, and he is being taken to a hospital. 7:21 a.m. MONETA, Va. (AP) — A television reporter and cameraman were shot to death on the air during a live broadcast Wednesday morning from a shopping center in Virginia. Jeffrey A. Marks, general manager of WDBJ-TV, identified the two killed as Alison Parker and Adam Ward. Marks said state and county police "are working very diligently to track down both the motive and the person responsible for this terrible crime against two fine journalists." Video shows Parker interviewing someone about tourism on Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County. She was smiling when suddenly at least eight shots were heard. Parker screams, runs and can be heard saying, "Oh my God." As the camera drops to the ground, it captures what appears to be a fleeting image of the shooter. The person is wearing black pants and a blue top and appears to be holding a handgun. The station then switches back to a shot of an anchor back at the station, who appears shocked and says, "OK, not sure what happened there. We will of course let you know as soon as we find out what those sounds were from." In a tweet, the station said: "We love you, Alison and Adam." Parker just turned 24 and attended James Madison University, where she was the editor of the school's newspaper, The Breeze. She also had been an intern at WDBJ-TV. According to her Facebook page, Parker spent most of her life outside Martinsville, Virginia. She was an avid kayaker and attended community theater events in her spare time. Her boyfriend, WDBJ anchor Chris Hurst, said they hadn't shared their relationship publicly but "were very much in love." He said they had just moved in together and wanted to get married. "I am numb," he said. The station's website says Ward was 27 and a graduate of Virginia Tech. He was engaged to a producer at the station, Melissa Ott, said WDBJ spokesman Mike Morgan. "Adam was our go-to guy. He pretty much was available to do anything that we asked," Morgan said. "He did live shots during our morning show for several years." The station is based in Roanoke, Virginia, and serves the southwest and central part of the state. The shopping mall where the incident happened is just off Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, about 25 miles southeast of Roanoke. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 26, 2015 at 7:18 AM Updated Aug 26, 2015 at 9:42 AM » Comment or view comments   Reader Reaction »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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