UPDATE: The suspect who shot and killed 2 Virginia reporters has apparently taken his own life shot himself following a high speed police chase on I-66 in Fauquier County, Virginia, MSNBC reports.
The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Vester Lee Flanagan II, is in critical condition at a hospital after shooting himself at the end of a police chase along I-66.
Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, were shot and killed while interviewing Vicki Gardner from the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce at 6:45 a.m. Wednesday morning. Gardner was shot in the back. She is expected to survive her injuries. At least 15 shots were fired.
There have been wildly conflicting reports that the gunman was dead. He is in fact alive and in critical condition, MSNBC reports.
The suspect was a former employee of WDBJ-TV who used the professional name Bryce Williams on air.
The shooting is classified as a workplace crime. The NYPD has deployed extra security to television news stations in the greater New York area. There is no specific threat to news reporters in NYC, MSNBC reports.
WDBJ General Manager Jeff Marks told MSNBC News that Williams worked for the station for 2 years. He said Williams was a “difficult” person to work with, and there had been complaints from Williams about racist taunts from co-workers.
Williams was a “serial litigator” who filed lawsuits after leaving every news station where he worked.
Marks said Williams quickly gained a reputation as someone who was “difficult” to work. “Vester was an unhappy man. He was… looking out for people to say things that he could take offense to,” he said.
When Williams was eventually fired, he didn’t take his termination well. “We had to call the police to escort him from the building,” said Marks.
Williams reportedly captured images and video of the shooting on a Go-Pro camera, then uploaded the footage to his Twitter and Facebook account. Both accounts have been deactivated.
Go-Pro Footage (Does not include shooting)
RAW, UNEDITED FOOTAGE from WDBJ (Only screams and gunshots)
