Grieving Station Comes Together for Newscast After Deaths

WDBJ has not allowed live shots Thursday out of an "abundance of caution," said news director Kelly Zuber

Just one day after two of their own crew members were killed during a live broadcast, the news team at Virginia station WDBJ-TV regrouped, gathered together and leaned on one another for the live broadcast of its "Mornin'" show.

"We march together, putting one foot in front of the other, mourning our loss, never forgetting Alison and Adam and realizing they died in the performance of their duty. And we are not going to shirk that duty going forward, “WBDJ-TV General Manager Jeff Marks said during a press conference on Thursday.

Marks said Thursday staff were wearing ribbons in honor of Alison Parker and Adam Ward: teal for Parker — her favorite color — and maroon for Ward's alma mater of Virginia Tech.

On Thursday at 6:45 a.m., WDBJ — the CBS affiliate in Roanoke — observed a moment of silence, marking the time Parker, 24, and Ward, 27, were killed Wednesday by a former station employee during a live interview.

The two were fatally shot while conducting an interview just off Smith Mountain Lake, a large vacation destination in Moneta, Virginia, about 25 miles southeast of Roanoke. The woman they were interviewing, Vicki Gardner, was shot and wounded. She underwent surgery and is in good condition, the TODAY Show reported Thursday.

SHOOTING SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY ANGRY AFTER FIRING

Marks said the suspect in the slayings, Vester Lee Flanagan II, worked at the station from March 2012 until he was fired in February 2013. Background checks only showed up positive references, Marks said.

"We get good employees here," Marks said. "Every once in a while one's going to slip through the cracks."

Marks said Flanagan — who went by the professional name Bryce Williams — began showing signs of anger. "We made it mandatory that he seek help," Marks said of Flanagan.

But Marks said the then-reporter reacted angrily when he was fired, saying they would have to call the police because he was going to make a stink that would make headlines.

Police escorted him out, but Flanagan gave a wooden cross to the then news director, saying, "You will need this."

Marks said Flanagan's only contact with the station after that consisted of routine calls about termination benefits, but he did file a civil action suit two and a half years after being fired. Employees had reported seeing Flanagan, but nothing had happened, Marks said.

Less than two hours after the killings, a man claiming to be Flanagan faxed a 23-page document to ABC News including a list of grievances. NBC News has not independently verified this information. The writer of the document claimed he was bullied at work.

"We do not tolerate any attitude of illegal discrimination, harassment," Marks said Thursday afternoon. "We have terminated employees for violating that standard."

"I would defend the actions of everyone in the newsroom while he was there," Marks said. "I saw the way he [Flanagan] behaved."

WBDJ has not allowed live shots Thursday out an "abundance of caution," Kelly Zuber, WBDJ's news director, said during Thursday afternoon's press conference. 

"I have the greatest news team," Zuber said Thursday afternoon. "I love each and every one of them. They cry, they hug, and then they get the job done."

'A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GRIEVING'

During a weather report Thursday morning, Leo Hirsbrunner became emotional while recalling how Ward would come over to the weather desk every morning, grab a piece of candy and hide the wrapper somewhere on the desk.

Hirsbrunner said he found one of those wrappers Thursday morning. "I still have one over there this morning, so that kind of touches me here," he said.

Throughout the show, during Hirsbrunner's periodic updates, his voice faltered. "I don't even know how to do weather on a day like this," he said.

Parker's boyfriend, station anchor Chris Hurst, appeared at the station where they both worked, telling his coworkers and viewers he wants to tell his girlfriend's story even as he grieves.

Hurst recalled how Parker's voice could light up a room with its kindness and joy, and how excited she was about her work, including an upcoming piece on hospice care.

"Alison, what great things she could have done," Hurst said.

Hurst said he will take a brief break from his anchor role. "You won't be seeing me in my normal position for, who really knows how long. But hopefully not too long because Alison would want me back," he said.

For a brief segment, a grief counselor joined the newscasters.

"As a community, how do we take steps to move forward after something like this?" McBroom asked him.

The grief counselor, Thomas Milam, a psychiatrist at the Carilion Clinic, said it's important to respect that people grieve in different ways and give them space to do so. He also said it's important to comfort children who may have seen coverage or had their schools on lockdown.

"A lot of people are grieving this morning," he said.

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