The suspect believed to have shot a reporter and cameraman to death on live television and posted video of it to social media was described Wednesday as a disgruntled former employee of the station.
He was identified as Vester Lee Flanagan , 41, who also used the on-air name Bryce Williams .
The general manager of the station, WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia, said that Flanagan had a reputation as “being difficult to work with” and was fired because of anger problems.
Flanagan shot himself about five hours after the attack, while he was being chased by state police, federal authorities told NBC News. Virginia state police said he ran off the road and crashed, and was being treated for life-threatening injuries.
Police identified Flanagan as the man who walked up to Alison Parker, an on-air reporter, during a live remote interview on WDBJ’s morning show, and shot her to death along with Adam Ward, a cameraman. The woman being interviewed was shot and wounded.
Later, during the police chase, Flanagan apparently posted videos of the shooting to Facebook and Twitter accounts under the name Bryce Williams. Those accounts were quickly taken down.
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