WDBJ television reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward died while covering their final journalism assignment on Wednesday, Aug. 26. Parker and Ward were shot by a disgruntled ex-WDBJ employee at Bridgewater Plaza in Smith Mountain Lake during a live television interview on tourism.
Parker, 24, was interviewing Vicki Gardner, the executive director of Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce and Ward, 27, was capturing footage of the interview in a live television broadcast. Vester Flanagan, the gunman began firing bullets with a handheld gun at Parker, Ward, and Gardner without warning at 6:45 a.m. ET.
What began as a routine morning program ended in two unexpected deaths. The video captured by Ward shows Gardner answering a question to Parker, when all of a sudden the interview is cut short and interrupted by the sound of several gunshots. Parker and Gardner scream for their lives and Parker tries to run away to evade the shooter.
“You know, you send people into war zones, you send people into dangerous situations and into riots, and you worry that they are going to get hurt. You send somebody out to do a story on tourism and -- how can you expect something like this to happen?" said Jeff Marks, the General Manager of WDBJ to CNN.
The station promptly cut away from the shooting, as the program returned back to the studio. A speechless female anchor stared wide-eyed at the screen, reeling from the shock of what she had just seen.
“It is shocking and deeply saddening for this community to be again struck by gun violence. We deplore this senseless violence, now seemingly commonplace in our society," stated Virginia Tech, Ward’s alma mater.
Flanagan was caught by the police on Interstate 66 at 11:30 a.m. ET. He was found with a gunshot wound and was rushed to the hospital. Flanagan was fired from WDBJ in 2013. He was described to be an “unhappy” employee with a reputation for being “difficult” to work with at the station. His on-air name was Bryce Williams.
ABC News received a 23-page manifesto by fax from Bryce Williams. The manifesto has been handed over to authorities investigating the homicide. The fax was received sometime between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.
Two videos of the shooting were posted to Twitter under the account name Bryce Williams on Wednesday. One recording showed Ward standing with his back towards Flanagan. Parker was holding a mic to Gardner and Gardner was facing the killer. Screams are heard in the video.
Ward’s final footage was of the gunman’s face. Flanagan pointed a black handheld gun to Ward. The TV audience saw Flanagan’s face before the segment cut away.
Gardner survived the shooting and is currently in stable condition. She was rushed to Carilion Roanoke Memorial hospital for immediate surgery after incurring a gunshot wound to her back.
Parker and Ward were described to be “the kindest and nicest people” who “worked hard.” Parker’s boyfriend of nine months, who is also a reporter, said that she was “the most radiant woman.” Ward’s fiancee, Melissa Ott, the show’s producer was in the control room during the time of the shooting. Ott said that before his death, Ward planned on getting out of news.
