WDBJ-TV Reporter, Photographer Murdered During Live TV; Gunman Shoots Self

A Virginia reporter and photographer were gunned down Wednesday morning at 6:45 a.m. as the pair were covering a story. The shootings took place early this morning at Bridgewater Plaza near Moneta. Named suspect Vester Flanagan, who went by the name Bryce Williams, a disgruntled former WDBJ-TV reporter ambushed the group and opened fire during a live broadcast, killing reporter Allison Parker (24) and photographer Adam Ward (27). Sources now report that the gunman shot himself.

The chilling incident took place during a live broadcast while Parker was mid-interview, only to be startled as shots and screams of horror rang out to viewers watching the live feed. The camera immediately cut back to shocked anchor, Kimberly McBroom, back in the studio.

According to CNN, Flanagan shot and killed both Parker and Ward, and wounded interviewee Vicki Gardener who was shot in the back and is undergoing surgery.

After authorities engaged in a statewide manhunt for Flanagan, he shot himself. The Washington Post reports he's in critical condition.

In Ward's last breaths he managed to get a picture of the shooter which authorities were able to identify as Flanagan. Although the motive is unknown, authorities revealed that Flanagan was a former reporter for the station who went by the on-air name of Bryce Williams. He worked at the station for about a year and was fired from the station for unknown reasons.

Minutes after the killings took place he uploaded a graphic video documenting his horrendous acts, tweeting that he had filmed the killings.

The footage was immediately removed and all his social media accounts suspended. In a post prior to his Twitter's deletion, he suggested that both Parker and Ward had somehow aggrieved him.

Let our prayers and thoughts be with the victims families in this trying time.