A knowledge that if something is so terrible it can’t be unseen, it will most certainly be seen many times. “My entire life was disrupted after moving clear across the country for a job only to have my dream turn into a nightmare”, Flanagan wrote in a letter to a judge filed as part of his 2013 lawsuit against WDBJ-TV.
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The on-air news team wore ribbons in memory of the two fallen reporters – a red one symbolizing Ward’s alma mater Virginia Tech and a teal ribbon, which was Parker’s favorite color.
Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were gunned down by a former colleague on Wednesday. Both died at the scene. She came out of a medically-induced coma on Thursday and is expected to make a full recovery.
In a fax to ABC News after the shooting, Flanagan, who was black, called himself a “powder keg” of anger over what he saw as racial discrimination at work and elsewhere in the United States. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital but died after he arrived.
Viewers, as well as the anchors on the WDBJ morning show, were stunned by the live shooting. I think we finally reached a tipping point.
“Flanagan acted alone and shared his plans with no one, ” according to the Sheriff’s Department statement.
I was shocked and horrified, but not surprised, at social media’s role on Wednesday. I clicked the video and with growing horror realized it was a first-person version of the shooting, apparently uploaded directly from the killer’s phone.
Shooter: Flanagan was cornered by police about five hours after the incident, when he committed suicide.
“It’s the last that I ever heard from her”, Hurst said.
I clicked and was directed to the profile page of what appeared to be a new and not-very-popular Twitter user.
The station then went into a series of news pieces on the shooting, including ones about the criminal investigation. That simple request was retweeted 2,000 times.
In the wake of this tragedy, many close to the victims are now pushing for stricter gun control laws. Brandon Foster posted a video of the July 6 encounter on YouTube after Wednesday’s shooting. “Wouldn’t this be wonderful?’ And so now we’re going to place her ashes there”.
Clearly, the gunman in this case carefully planned this barbaric attack. He had claimed staff had mistreated him during his time there.
Two police officers stood by as two WDBJ journalists did a quick standup, but there were no problems.
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Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said Parker’s advocacy so soon after his daughter’s death “speaks volumes about his strength and his commitment to fight for reform”. Couple that with No. 1 and you have a recipe for carnage.
