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| Version 30 | Version 31 |
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| Virginia shooting: WDBJ7 journalists memorialized by community on 'unimaginable day' | Virginia shooting: WDBJ7 journalists memorialized by community on 'unimaginable day' |
| (12 days later) | |
| 7.09am BST | 7.09am BST |
| 07:09 | 07:09 |
| Closing summary | Closing summary |
| Claire Phipps | Claire Phipps |
| Here is a catch-up of what we know so far about the shooting in Roanoke, Virginia: | Here is a catch-up of what we know so far about the shooting in Roanoke, Virginia: |
| This is the worst day of my career. Worst day of all our careers. We’ve lost beloved colleagues. | This is the worst day of my career. Worst day of all our careers. We’ve lost beloved colleagues. |
| our bright, shining light … cruelly extinguished by yet another crazy person with a gun. | our bright, shining light … cruelly extinguished by yet another crazy person with a gun. |
| Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims’ families and the WBDJ7 news family. | Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims’ families and the WBDJ7 news family. |
| It breaks my heart every time you read or hear about these kinds of incidents … [It is] one more argument for why we need to look at how we can reduce gun violence. | It breaks my heart every time you read or hear about these kinds of incidents … [It is] one more argument for why we need to look at how we can reduce gun violence. |
| Politicians were wrong today to go out there and begin to do the same old song about gun control when that is not the issue. | Politicians were wrong today to go out there and begin to do the same old song about gun control when that is not the issue. |
| It’s infuriating because it’s diverting us away from what we can do to solve this problem and that is to identify people who are unstable. | It’s infuriating because it’s diverting us away from what we can do to solve this problem and that is to identify people who are unstable. |
| This live blog is closing now. Click below to follow the latest updates: | This live blog is closing now. Click below to follow the latest updates: |
| Related: Virginia shooting: family and colleagues mourn WDBJ7 journalists | Related: Virginia shooting: family and colleagues mourn WDBJ7 journalists |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.29am BST | at 8.29am BST |
| 6.35am BST | 6.35am BST |
| 06:35 | 06:35 |
| The Guardian’s Matthew Teague is in Roanoke, from where he sends this dispatch: | The Guardian’s Matthew Teague is in Roanoke, from where he sends this dispatch: |
| Outside WDBJ7’s studio, people left flowers, balloons, and trinkets in a makeshift memorial for the victims. When Vester Flanagan shot through the barrier that separates news and consumers, it ruptured in both directions. The killings turned regular people into broadcasters, but it also made broadcasters into regular people. | Outside WDBJ7’s studio, people left flowers, balloons, and trinkets in a makeshift memorial for the victims. When Vester Flanagan shot through the barrier that separates news and consumers, it ruptured in both directions. The killings turned regular people into broadcasters, but it also made broadcasters into regular people. |
| “They were there every morning with me,” said Pamela Cook, a longtime WDBJ7 viewer. She wept openly, in the studio parking lot. “Maybe I didn’t know them super well, but they were like part of my family. They were like real people.” | “They were there every morning with me,” said Pamela Cook, a longtime WDBJ7 viewer. She wept openly, in the studio parking lot. “Maybe I didn’t know them super well, but they were like part of my family. They were like real people.” |
| The station’s reporters and cameramen wandered through the crowd in their parking lot, interviewing other journalists, being interviewed themselves. | The station’s reporters and cameramen wandered through the crowd in their parking lot, interviewing other journalists, being interviewed themselves. |
| Gil Harrington laid flowers on the memorial. “I knew all three” news people, she said – the victims and the shooter. Her daughter was murdered at a Metallica concert a few years ago, she said, and in the aftermath she became friendly with WDBJ7’s reporters. | Gil Harrington laid flowers on the memorial. “I knew all three” news people, she said – the victims and the shooter. Her daughter was murdered at a Metallica concert a few years ago, she said, and in the aftermath she became friendly with WDBJ7’s reporters. |
| “I really just want to support our journalistic community right now. I know they’re walking around with their skin turned inside out.” | “I really just want to support our journalistic community right now. I know they’re walking around with their skin turned inside out.” |
| 6.22am BST | 6.22am BST |
| 06:22 | 06:22 |
| As I reported earlier, before Wednesday, 39 journalists had been killed in the course of their work so far in 2015. This graphic shows how that compares with previous years: | As I reported earlier, before Wednesday, 39 journalists had been killed in the course of their work so far in 2015. This graphic shows how that compares with previous years: |
| 5.41am BST | 5.41am BST |
| 05:41 | 05:41 |
| It has emerged that Flanagan purchased two handguns, reported to be Glock pistols, legally in Virginia. | It has emerged that Flanagan purchased two handguns, reported to be Glock pistols, legally in Virginia. |
| Officials have not identified when and where the guns were bought, but CBS reports that it was from a gun store in Roanoke on 10 July. | Officials have not identified when and where the guns were bought, but CBS reports that it was from a gun store in Roanoke on 10 July. |
| It’s also not clear whether both guns were used in Wednesday’s attack. | It’s also not clear whether both guns were used in Wednesday’s attack. |
| 5.06am BST | 5.06am BST |
| 05:06 | 05:06 |
| Reporters Without Borders, which campaigns among other issues on journalist safety, says Wednesday’s killings were the first in the US to involve journalists doing their job since 2007. | Reporters Without Borders, which campaigns among other issues on journalist safety, says Wednesday’s killings were the first in the US to involve journalists doing their job since 2007. |
| In that year, Chauncey Bailey was murdered in connection with a story he was investigating. | In that year, Chauncey Bailey was murdered in connection with a story he was investigating. |
| Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, said on Wednesday: | Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, said on Wednesday: |
| The murder of two journalists, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, on live television in Virginia is an unprecedented tragedy, even in a country where thousands of people are killed each year by firearms. | The murder of two journalists, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, on live television in Virginia is an unprecedented tragedy, even in a country where thousands of people are killed each year by firearms. |
| Delphine Halgand, the organisation’s US director, said: | Delphine Halgand, the organisation’s US director, said: |
| Even if this is not a case of journalists being targeted while reporting in war-torn countries or murdered because of their investigation on corruption or drug-trafficking, to kill two journalists on live television in cold blood demonstrates a certain willingness to dramatise the crime committed against them. | Even if this is not a case of journalists being targeted while reporting in war-torn countries or murdered because of their investigation on corruption or drug-trafficking, to kill two journalists on live television in cold blood demonstrates a certain willingness to dramatise the crime committed against them. |
| The group said it would investigate whether “their work as journalists was indeed a factor in this criminal act”. | The group said it would investigate whether “their work as journalists was indeed a factor in this criminal act”. |
| According to the most recent annual report by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 60 journalists around the world were killed in the course of their work in 2014. | According to the most recent annual report by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 60 journalists around the world were killed in the course of their work in 2014. |
| Prior to Wednesday, the CPJ said 39 journalists had been killed in connection with their work so far in 2015, including eight who were murdered at the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo in January. | Prior to Wednesday, the CPJ said 39 journalists had been killed in connection with their work so far in 2015, including eight who were murdered at the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo in January. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.09am BST | at 5.09am BST |
| 4.44am BST | 4.44am BST |
| 04:44 | 04:44 |
| Images are coming in now from vigils held tonight for Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who died in the attack, and for Vicki Gardner, who remains in hospital after emergency surgery: | Images are coming in now from vigils held tonight for Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who died in the attack, and for Vicki Gardner, who remains in hospital after emergency surgery: |
| 4.28am BST | 4.28am BST |
| 04:28 | 04:28 |
| Christina Cooke in Moneta has been talking to local residents, several of whom know Vicki Gardner, the third victim who is currently recovering in hospital after the shooting: | Christina Cooke in Moneta has been talking to local residents, several of whom know Vicki Gardner, the third victim who is currently recovering in hospital after the shooting: |
| Steve Drake, a realtor with Lyons Team Realtors in downtown Moneta, has known Gardner since he moved to the area in 2001. Lyons Team is a member of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, of which Gardner is the executive director. | Steve Drake, a realtor with Lyons Team Realtors in downtown Moneta, has known Gardner since he moved to the area in 2001. Lyons Team is a member of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, of which Gardner is the executive director. |
| Drake was watching WDBJ7 news this morning as he was getting ready for work and saw the shooting happen live. | Drake was watching WDBJ7 news this morning as he was getting ready for work and saw the shooting happen live. |
| “I was watching it live, and I had to keep playing it back because I couldn’t believe what I had just seen. It was just incredible. The fact that [Gardner] didn’t join the rest of them – it was very lucky. | “I was watching it live, and I had to keep playing it back because I couldn’t believe what I had just seen. It was just incredible. The fact that [Gardner] didn’t join the rest of them – it was very lucky. |
| “I called my wife in and said, ‘I can’t believe what’s going on! It’s Vicki.’ At first she was worried about going into work – nobody knew where this guy was at, and it was very strange, because all you could see was that blue shirt and those black pants, which looked like about half a dozen uniforms of stores or a businesses, they looked very familiar.” | “I called my wife in and said, ‘I can’t believe what’s going on! It’s Vicki.’ At first she was worried about going into work – nobody knew where this guy was at, and it was very strange, because all you could see was that blue shirt and those black pants, which looked like about half a dozen uniforms of stores or a businesses, they looked very familiar.” |
| On questions of gun control that have been raised by the president and others, Drake said: “I’m ex-military, I believe in freedom of speech and having guns and all that stuff, but you have to have a little control. | On questions of gun control that have been raised by the president and others, Drake said: “I’m ex-military, I believe in freedom of speech and having guns and all that stuff, but you have to have a little control. |
| “I think we’re in desperate need of it. We’re going a little crazy about not enforcing it the same all the way across all states, having a federal database. That’s not going to stop people from hunting. You don’t need a hollow-point bullet to kill a deer.” | “I think we’re in desperate need of it. We’re going a little crazy about not enforcing it the same all the way across all states, having a federal database. That’s not going to stop people from hunting. You don’t need a hollow-point bullet to kill a deer.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.40am BST | at 12.40am BST |
| 3.51am BST | 3.51am BST |
| 03:51 | 03:51 |
| The decision by some media to broadcast or print images from the video taken by the gunman and posted by him to Facebook has met a lot of criticism. | The decision by some media to broadcast or print images from the video taken by the gunman and posted by him to Facebook has met a lot of criticism. |
| Several newspapers in the UK have led their Thursday front pages on pictures showing the killer pointing a gun at Parker, taken from the gunman’s own video or the live WDBJ footage. I won’t link to them here. The Guardian is not publishing either of the videos in any of its US or international editions. | Several newspapers in the UK have led their Thursday front pages on pictures showing the killer pointing a gun at Parker, taken from the gunman’s own video or the live WDBJ footage. I won’t link to them here. The Guardian is not publishing either of the videos in any of its US or international editions. |
| If you think the front page is shocking - inside tomorrow's Sun are five more photos taken from the gunman's video | If you think the front page is shocking - inside tomorrow's Sun are five more photos taken from the gunman's video |
| Around 40,000 WDBJ viewers saw the shooting unfold live on Wednesday morning. Station chief Jeffrey Marks said the news channel would not show the video again: | Around 40,000 WDBJ viewers saw the shooting unfold live on Wednesday morning. Station chief Jeffrey Marks said the news channel would not show the video again: |
| We are choosing not to run the video of that right now because, frankly, we don’t need to see it again. And our staff doesn’t need to see it again. | We are choosing not to run the video of that right now because, frankly, we don’t need to see it again. And our staff doesn’t need to see it again. |
| WDBJ news director Kelly Zuber said the station also did not intend to air the film taken by the gunman himself: | WDBJ news director Kelly Zuber said the station also did not intend to air the film taken by the gunman himself: |
| At this point we don’t. We’ll review that as we go. It’s pretty raw right now in our newsroom. And we will continue to process the journalism, and if that piece of video is important to what we do, we’ll include it. | At this point we don’t. We’ll review that as we go. It’s pretty raw right now in our newsroom. And we will continue to process the journalism, and if that piece of video is important to what we do, we’ll include it. |
| But for right now, no. No. | But for right now, no. No. |
| 3.34am BST | 3.34am BST |
| 03:34 | 03:34 |
| And Ben Carson, a rather more serious Republican presidential candidate, has also distanced himself from talk of the need for gun control, although in less strident terms than Gilmore, saying of Wednesday’s shooting: | And Ben Carson, a rather more serious Republican presidential candidate, has also distanced himself from talk of the need for gun control, although in less strident terms than Gilmore, saying of Wednesday’s shooting: |
| It makes me question what’s happening to us as people. People are the problem, not so much guns. | It makes me question what’s happening to us as people. People are the problem, not so much guns. |
| Anything we’re going to do has to be done with respect to the second amendment. | Anything we’re going to do has to be done with respect to the second amendment. |
| 3.24am BST | 3.24am BST |
| 03:24 | 03:24 |
| Jim Gilmore: 'The gun is not the issue' | Jim Gilmore: 'The gun is not the issue' |
| Jim Gilmore, former governor of Virginia and a Republican presidential hopeful, has lambasted those calling for a revision of gun control laws after another shooting, insisting: “The gun is not the issue.” | Jim Gilmore, former governor of Virginia and a Republican presidential hopeful, has lambasted those calling for a revision of gun control laws after another shooting, insisting: “The gun is not the issue.” |
| Gilmore said: | Gilmore said: |
| We’re not going to let this madman take away the lawful rights of Americans to keep and bear arms. We’re going to stand up for the second amendment. | We’re not going to let this madman take away the lawful rights of Americans to keep and bear arms. We’re going to stand up for the second amendment. |
| The time has come to turn our attention to mental health … We can’t divert attention away from this … by trying to go into gun control issues the way some politicians have today. I think that diverts us from the real solutions. | The time has come to turn our attention to mental health … We can’t divert attention away from this … by trying to go into gun control issues the way some politicians have today. I think that diverts us from the real solutions. |
| More gun controls are not going to solve this problem. We continue to talk about the wrong issue. | More gun controls are not going to solve this problem. We continue to talk about the wrong issue. |
| Gilmore rejected claims that current gun controls are insufficient: | Gilmore rejected claims that current gun controls are insufficient: |
| If this man [Flanagan] bought these guns legally, he went through a background check … | If this man [Flanagan] bought these guns legally, he went through a background check … |
| The issue is that family members, community leaders, people that are out there working with people, need to be in a position to learn about what we can do regarding mental health to report dangerous people, to get them some treatment and under some supervision so that they don’t go off and do some tragedy like this. | The issue is that family members, community leaders, people that are out there working with people, need to be in a position to learn about what we can do regarding mental health to report dangerous people, to get them some treatment and under some supervision so that they don’t go off and do some tragedy like this. |
| If elected president, Gilmore says, he would focus on mental health, not gun laws: | If elected president, Gilmore says, he would focus on mental health, not gun laws: |
| I refuse to participate in the taking away of lawful rights under the second amendment for Americans to keep and bear arms. | I refuse to participate in the taking away of lawful rights under the second amendment for Americans to keep and bear arms. |
| Politicians were wrong today to go out there and begin to do the same old song about gun control when that is not the issue. It’s infuriating because it’s diverting us away from what we can do to solve this problem and that is to identify people who are unstable. | Politicians were wrong today to go out there and begin to do the same old song about gun control when that is not the issue. It’s infuriating because it’s diverting us away from what we can do to solve this problem and that is to identify people who are unstable. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.26am BST | at 3.26am BST |