Murders of Alison Parker and Adam Ward
| Murders of Alison Parker and Adam Ward | |
|---|---|
 Moneta
Moneta
|
|
| Location | Bridgewater Plaza Moneta, Virginia, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 37°08′36″N 79°40′13″W / 37.143304°N 79.670275°WCoordinates: 37°08′36″N 79°40′13″W / 37.143304°N 79.670275°W |
| Date | August 26, 2015 Shooting: 6:46 a.m. Manhunt 6:46 a.m. – c. 11:30 a.m. (EDT) |
| Target | Alison Parker and Adam Ward |
|
Attack type
|
Murder–suicide |
| Weapons | Glock 19 9mm pistol |
| Deaths | 3 (including the perpetrator) |
|
Non-fatal injuries
|
1 |
| Perpetrator | Vester Lee Flanagan II (aka Bryce Williams) |
| Motive | Perceived workplace animosity, supposed revenge for the Charleston church shooting |
| Vester Lee Flanagan | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Vester Lee Flanagan II October 8, 1973 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | August 26, 2015 (aged 41) Falls Church, Virginia, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Self-inflicted gunshot wounds |
| Residence | Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Bryce Williams |
| Education | San Francisco State University |
| Occupation | Television news journalist; former model |
On August 26, 2015, news reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward, employees of CBS affiliate WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia, United States, were shot to death while conducting a live television interview near Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta. The news team was interviewing Vicki Gardner, executive director of the local chamber of commerce, when all three were attacked by a gunman. Parker, age 24, and Ward, age 27, died at the scene while Gardner survived. Parker and Ward were the seventh and eighth journalists killed on the job in the United States since 1992.
The gunman was identified as 41-year-old Vester Lee Flanagan II, also known by the professional pseudonym of Bryce Williams, a former reporter at WDBJ. The station fired Flanagan for disruptive conduct in 2013. After a manhunt that lasted for almost five hours, Flanagan shot himself during a car chase with police officers and died later at a hospital.
Parker and Ward were conducting a live interview with Gardner at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, Virginia, about upcoming events for the 50th anniversary of Smith Mountain Lake, located 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Roanoke. The shooting occurred at 6:46 a.m. Eastern Time in the middle of the segment, which was broadcast on WDBJ's morning news program, Mornin'. Video of the incident showed Parker conducting the interview, before at least eight gunshots were heard, followed by screams. Ward's camera fell to the ground, briefly capturing the image of Flanagan holding a Glock 19 9mm pistol.
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Wikipedia