A reporter and photographer for a Roanoke, Virginia, television station were shot and killed Wednesday while doing a live report on a morning news show.
Part of the attack was seen live on WDBJ-TV just before 9 a.m., according to station manager Jeff Marks.
Reporter Alison Parker was interviewing a local chamber of commerce official when the shooting happened at Smith Mountain Lake. She and photographer Adam Ward were killed and a third person was wounded, according to a sheriff's spokesman.
Video: Gunman records, the posts shocking shooting video online
The suspected killer shot himself when confonted by police and died at a hospital hours later, according to police. WHSV News identified him as Vester Lee Flanagan, a former WDBJ reporter who worked under the name Bryce Williams. He had been fired two years earlier, according to the station.
The #WDBJ shooting suspect's name is Vester Lee Flanagan, not Lester as reported by other outlets: http://t.co/0wWbFcVlbX
-- WHSVnews (@WHSVnews) August 26, 2015
The shooter escaped and a search is underway. According to some reports he is visible in the last frame of the attack video:
#Manhunt: Police may have name, license plate of shooter in deaths of #WDBJ reporter, photographer. #prayersforWDBJ https://t.co/QapIPLe4b0
-- WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) August 26, 2015
The suspect in the #WDBJ shooting is being chased north on I-81
-- WHSVnews (@WHSVnews) August 26, 2015
Unbelievable shooting on live TV in the Roanoke area this morning. Prayers to my friends at WDBJ7. pic.twitter.com/q8ob9mI8VL
-- Jacob Wycoff (@4cast4you) August 26, 2015
Update: the station is paying tribute to their fallen colleagues via their livestream:
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