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A Moment of Silence for WDBJ Employees (Update)

WDBJ-TV

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - WDBJ-TV has observed a moment of silence on air for its two journalists who were killed in a shooting during a live interview.

The station marked the moment of silence at 6:45 a.m. Thursday. At that time Wednesday, reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were killed by a former employee of the Virginia TV station.

During the moment of silence, WDBJ showed photos of the two victims during the live broadcast of its "Mornin"' show.

Gunman

Flanagan sued the station a month after he was fired in early 2013, claiming racial discrimination.

Court documents from the lawsuit say the station fired him for poor performance and an unending stream of conflicts with co-workers.

When Flanagan was fired, he refused to leave and the station called police. New director Dan Dennison wrote that as Flanagan was finally being escorted out, he placed a wooden cross in Dennison's hand and told him, "You'll need this."

The documents say cameraman Ward recorded the incident and that Flanagan insults him and flips off the camera.

In the suit, Flanagan, who is black, frequently mentions a watermelon that he saw at the station that he perceived as a racial slur.

In a letter to the judge, Flanagan writes, "How heartless can you be? My entire life was disrupted after moving clear across the country for a job only to have my dream turn into a nightmare. ... Your Honor, I am not the monster here."

After the shooting Flanagan was found to be carrying extra license plates, a wig, sunglasses and a hat when police tried to pull over his rental car.

A search warrant return for the car driven by Vester Flanagan on Wednesday in Fauquier County shows an inventory of the contents of the silver Chevrolet Sonic sedan. Police obtained the warrant and searched the car after they tried to pull Flanagan over. He ran off the road and shot himself, dying a short time later at a hospital.

Flanagan was traveling with a Glock pistol with multiple magazines and ammunition. He carried a white iPhone, as well as letters, notes, cards and a to-do list. It's not clear what the to-do list said.

Police said they found a "briefcase w/3 license plates, wig, shawl, umbrella, sunglasses," as well as a black hat.

After the Shooting

Even after gunning down a TV news reporter and cameraman during a live interview in Virginia, Vester Lee Flanagan II continued to rage. But after a volatile career that had seen him fired at least twice for clashing with co-workers who recall an off-kilter loner, this would be the former broadcaster's last, brutal sign-off.
 
"I've been a human powder keg for a while...just waiting to go BOOM!!!" Flanagan wrote in a rambling 23-page note faxed to ABC News.
 
Hours after he killed his former co-workers and then posted video of the attack to his Facebook page, Flanagan fatally shot himself.
 
Family of Gunman

The family of the gunman who fatally shot a reporter and cameraman during a live broadcast has issued a statement offering condolences to the victims' loved ones.

The statement from Flanigan's the family, whose son went by Bryce Williams as an on-air reporter, was read on several TV stations, which was said to have been released by a family representative.

Vester Flanagan
Vester Flanagan

It says: "It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we express our deepest condolenses to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. We are also praying for the recovery of Vicki Gardner. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims' families and the WBDJ7 NEWS family. Words cannot express the hurt that we feel for the victtims. Our family is asking that the media respect our privacy."

Surviving Shooting Victim

The husband of the surviving victim of an on-air shooting in Virginia says she's doing better and is in fair condition.

Tim Gardener noted the support from friends and the community, and said anyone who wants to help can pray for his wife or go out and enjoy Smith Mountain Lake. Vicki Gardner is the executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, and she's been described as a champion for the area. She was being interviewed about local tourism when she was wounded.

Chris Hurst

Alison Parker and Chris Hurst
Credit facebook
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facebook
Alison Parker and Chris Hurst

The boyfriend of the reporter killed in an on-air shooting appeared at the station where both worked on Thursday, told his co-workers and viewers that he wants to tell his girlfriend's story even as he grieves.

Station anchor Chris Hurst dated reporter Alison Parker.

Hurst appeared on that same show Thursday at the anchor desk to offer a remembrance. He recalled how Parker's voice could light up a room with its kindness and joy, and how excited she was about her work, including an upcoming piece on hospice care.

He said: "Alison, what great things she could have done." 

Hurst also said he will take a brief break from his anchor role.

Morning anchor Kim McBroom told Hurst that he and Parker "were just the perfect couple."

Grief Counseling

WDBJ Station Manager Jeff Marks on the Air After Shooting
Credit WDBJ
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WDBJ
WDBJ Station Manager Jeff Marks on the Air After Shooting

A grief counselor has joined the WDBJ-TV newscasters at the anchor desk for a morning-show segment the day after two station employees were killed in a shooting during a live broadcast.

Anchor Kim McBroom, her voice faltering at times during the Thursday newscast, called it "a show like no other." She was on the air Wednesday morning just after reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were fatally shot during a live interview.

McGroom asked the grief counselor: "As a community, how do we take steps to move forward after something like this?"

Counselor Thomas Milam said it's important to respect that people grieve in different ways and give them space to do so. He also said it's important to comfort children who may have seen coverage or had their schools on lock down.

Statement from Parker’s Father

During a live morning broadcast on WDBJ-TV, an anchor read a statement from the father of the reporter killed on. 

Anchor Kim McBroom read the statement from Andy Parker which says: "Our vivacious, ambitious, smart, engaging, hilarious, beautiful and immensely talented Alison was taken from the world. This is senseless, and our family is crushed."

The station displayed the text of the statement as McBroom read it. 

Credit creative commons
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creative commons

Gun Bought Legally 

The ATF says the disgruntled former reporter who killed a television reporter and a cameraman legally purchased the gun.
 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesman Thomas Faison said Flanagan legally bought the gun used to kill Parker and Ward. They were doing a live broadcast Wednesday morning when they were shot to death.
 
Faison did not say where or when Flanagan bought the gun. In his purported manifesto faxed to ABC News, Flanagan said he decided to buy a gun after the Charleston church massacre.
 
The handgun can be seen in a video of the shooting that Flanagan posted on social media. Flanagan later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
 

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.