UPDATE: The suspect, 41-year-old Vester Lee Flanagan II — a.k.a. Bryce Williams — reportedly shot himself after posting video (graphic content warning) of his attack to social media Wednesday morning.
UPDATE II: Flanagan died Wednesday afternoon while being treated at a northern Virginia hospital.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
A TV reporter and cameraman for Virginia’s WDBJ7 in Roanoke were shot and killed in the middle of a live report, the station reported Wednesday.
The victims were Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27. The woman being interviewed by Parker at the time, Vicki Gardner of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was shot in the back, the Roanoke Times reports. Gardner is in surgery, according to the Times.
The murders were announced on Twitter by WDBJ meteorologist Brent Watts.
Update: Allison Parker and photographer Adam Ward have been killed in the shooting at Bridgewater Plaza at SML. pic.twitter.com/m4ElK04GLf
— Brent Watts (@wattsupbrent) August 26, 2015
Franklin County, Va. authorities are searching for the shooting suspect. The incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday near Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, Va., according to the Roanoke Times.
Videographer Adam Ward managed to get a shot of the gunman who killed him and @AParkerWDBJ7 pic.twitter.com/o8QOdtAxEV
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 26, 2015
Here is a clearer photo of the gunman seen in video opening fire and killing @WDBJ7 crew. pic.twitter.com/IpZThAZ8jf
— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) August 26, 2015
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO: