© 2024
Virginia's Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

WDBJ Journalists Fatally Shot at Smith Mountain Lake

WDBJ via Twitter

  3:55 UDATE: Portions of Williams's manifesto have been published by ABC News where he alleges he experienced instances of racial discrimination and bullying at work, and cites the Charleston Church shooting as a tipping point.  

2:15 UPDATE: Outlets report that the suspect has died. 

1:55 UPDATE: Vicki Gardner, head of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, is out of surgery and is reportedly in stable condition.

Virginia State Police say they spotted the suspect vehicle on Interstate 66 in Fauquier County around 11:30. After initiating a traffic stop on the vehicle, it swerved off the road. Police found a male driver inside suffering from a gunshot wound. That individual has been airlifted to a nearby hospital.

ABC News claims they have received a 23-page manifesto via fax from someone claiming to be Bryce Williams. 

12:00 UPDATE: Governor Terry McAuliffe told WTOP Radio in Washington, DC he believes the gunman is a disgruntled former employee of the Roanoke-based station.

A video allegedly taken by the gunman has surfaced on a Facebook account under the name Bryce Williams depicting the shooting. Williams, whose real name is Vester Lee Flanagan, is a former employee of the station. The video has since been removed.

State Police are reporting that the suspected shooter has shot himself, but is still alive. That incident occurred on Interstate 66 in Fauquier County.  

Credit Twitter
A screen capture of a video posted on Twitter, which shows the shooting from the suspect's point of view.

  UPDATE: The third person involved, interviewee Vicki Gardner, was shot in the back and is currently in surgery.

Scanner traffic indicates shooter is heading westbound on I-64. Police believe shooter might be a disgruntled former WDBJ Employee.

AP - Video shows the fatal shooting of two TV station employees who were killed in an on-air shooting in central Virginia.

In the video from the Wednesday incident, a female reporter is interviewing someone about tourism on Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County. She was smiling when suddenly at least eight shots were heard. The camera appeared to be dropped on the ground. The reporter can be heard screaming.

As the camera falls to the ground, it captures a fleeting image of a man in black pants and a blue top who appears to be holding a handgun.

The station then switches back to a shot of an anchor back at the station, who has a shocked expression on her face.

WDBJ-TV identified the two killed as reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward.

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.

Moneta is about 25 miles southeast of Roanoke.