Vester L. Flanagan
The car of suspected gunman Vester L. Flanagan, also known as Bryce Williams, is seen off Highway I-66 in Fauquier County, Virginia August 26, 2015. Two television journalists were shot and killed in Virginia on Wednesday in an attack during a live early-morning broadcast, and authorities said the suspected gunman Flanagan was a former employee of the TV station. The suspect, 41-year-old Vester Flanagan, shot and wounded himself several hours later as police pursued him on a Virginia highway, police said. Reuters/David Manning

Former reporter Vester Lee Flanagan II of WDBJ, a local Virginia TV station in the U.S., has admitted murdering his ex-colleagues, journalist Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward, at 6:45 a.m. (8.45 p.m. AEST) on Wednesday during a live interview broadcast.

Vicki Gardner from Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce was interviewed when the incident occurred. She was also injured and taken to the hospital. However, she is now stable.

The accused uploaded video footage of the murder to social media and shot himself to death at 1:26 p.m. the same day (03:26 a.m. Thursday AEST). In the footage, Parker was found running way from the convict and screaming. Flanagan described himself as a “human power keg” and appeared to be a disturbed man. After shooting Parker and Ward, he tweeted posts accusing the former of being a racist. In his tweet, he also said Ward had complained about him to the HR department of WDBJ.

General Manager of WDBJ-TV, Jeffrey Marks, recognised the man and said that he was fired from his job two years ago. He was appointed as a TV reporter, but soon complaints about him started. He was a difficult person to work with. Guardian US memos reported that Flanagan was told to seek medical attention.

“Eventually, after many incidents of his anger coming to the fore, we dismissed him,” Marks said. He also mentioned that Flanagan did not take this well. When he was fired, police had to come to escort him. Marks said the suspect alleged other employees always said racist comments against him and hence he filed a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The allegations were never found justified and hence the case was dismissed.

ABC News U.S. reported to have received his manifesto “Suicide Note for Friends and Family,” consisting of 23 pages where he outlined his grievances of being discriminated because of his African American origin and sexual preference.

“Alison made racist comments ... EEOC report filed ... They hired her after that,” he wrote on the note. “Adam went to hr on me after working with me one time!!!” he said about Ward. However, the TV station hardly remembered whether Parker and Flanagan ever worked together.

CNN reported that the suspect applied for the job there but his application was rejected.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.

RELATED STORIES