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August 27, 2015

Virginia: Vigils Held for Two Journalists Shot Dead on Live Broadcast 
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In Virginia, vigils have been held for two journalists who were fatally
shot on live television during the morning broadcast Wednesday of the
local news station WDBJ in Roanoke. Twenty-four-year-old broadcast
journalist Alison Parker and 27-year-old cameraman Adam Ward died after
suspected gunman Vester Flanagan opened fire. Flanagan was a former
journalist at the station who was fired two years ago. He also went by
the name Bryce Williams. After the shooting, he allegedly faxed a
23-page letter to ABC News saying, "I've been a human powder keg for a
while...just waiting to go BOOM!!!!" Flanagan is African-American. The
letter cited racial grievance at WDBJ and several other stations. The
letter also said the Charleston shooting was "the tipping point" and
that he had put down a deposit for a gun two days after the massacre.
Police say Vester Flanagan shot himself later Wednesday as they closed
in on his car on the Virginia Parkway. He died in the hospital soon
after. President Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary
Clinton and other politicians called for increased gun control in the
wake of the shooting.

 

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