Fatal news reporting

By Diamond Fisher
April 24, 2017 3:10 p.m.
Roanoke, Va. - Earlier this morning at 6:48 a.m. employees from the WDBJ news station

were shot on live television.

The victims were news anchor Alison Parker, age 24 and photojournalist Adam Ward,

age 27. Parker and Ward were conducting a live interview with Vicki Gardner, executive director

of the local chamber of commerce, at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, Virginia.

During the interview, that was being watched live by a number of people, the three were

attacked by a gunman, Vester Lee Flanagan II. Flanagan, age 41, was a former reporter at WDBJ

and fled the scene after committing the shooting.

Parker and Ward died at the scene and Gardner was also shot but survived and is being

treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital where she is reported to be in no critical danger.

Flanagan was identified as the likely suspect after the video of the shooting was reviewed

and WDBJ staff identified him before informing the proper authorities.

After fleeing the scene Flanagan got into his Ford Mustang and abandoned it at

RoanokeBlacksburg Regional Airport, he then drove a rented Chevrolet Sonic north on I-81.

Citizens helped the polices search effort by calling about possible sightings in response to event.

Tips from local resident and commonwealth have been extremely helpful over the past 7

hours, said Mike Mock from The Franklin County Sheriffs Office during a press conference.
 An automated license plate reader in a Virginia state trooper's car identified the rented

Sonic at 11:20 a.m. The officer on patrol followed Flannagans car for a short distance trying to

initiate a traffic stop before receiving assistance.

Once a license plate is inserted to the system is automatically scans, a police officer

said at the press conference.

Flanagan refused to pull over and officers pursued him until his car ran off the road onto

the median. Officers got out of their cars and went to the rented vehicle where Flannigan sat

inside with a gunshot wound that turned out to be self inflicted. He was flown to Fairfax Nova

hospital where he died at 1:26 p.m. as result of the gunshot wound.

In answering questions during the press conference officers have revealed that they are

currently unaware of if the individuals shot were aware of Flannigan's presence. They are also

looking into whether he knew where they would be and what his motive was.

A homicide investigation is being carried out to better understand Flanagans motive and

its suspected to be a long investigation.