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Virginia killings: Shooter Flanagan 'a human powder keg' Virginia shootings: Gunman ordered to seek medical help
(about 2 hours later)
A man who shot dead two journalists on live TV in the US state of Virginia apparently sent a rambling fax to ABC News describing himself as a "human powder keg" shortly after the attack. An ex-TV journalist who shot dead two ex-colleagues live on air in Virginia had been ordered to seek medical help by his bosses, memos reveal.
Vester Flanagan, who had been dismissed by the same station, WDBJ7, killed himself after a police chase. Internal memos from Dan Dennison, then news chief of WDBJ7, show concerns about Vester Flanagan's "aggressive" behaviour towards colleagues.
In the fax, a man said to be Flanagan describes suffering discrimination and bullying for being gay and black. They indicate the station tried to help him before firing him in February 2013.
Flanagan shot dead Alison Parker and Adam Ward at a shopping centre in Moneta on Wednesday.
He filmed the attack and posted it on social media. ABC News also said it had received a rambling fax from the 41-year-old describing himself as a "human powder keg".
The White House said Wednesday's attack showed the need for better gun control.The White House said Wednesday's attack showed the need for better gun control.
The two people killed were WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward. Station manager Jeff Marks said: "I cannot tell you how much they were loved." Flanagan was hired by WDBJ7, in Roanoke, Virginia, in March 2012 and was known on air by his professional name, Bryce Williams.
He said Flanagan was an "unhappy man" who had to be escorted from the WDBJ7 building after being dismissed in 2013. Within a few weeks, colleagues were complaining of "feeling threatened or uncomfortable" while working with him.
Ms Parker was conducting a live interview with a guest on tourism early on Wednesday in the town of Moneta when the incident occurred. The memos highlight "heated confrontations" with camera operators and producers in front of guests while out covering stories.
Suddenly, shots rang out, and viewers saw the camera fall to the ground. Screams could be heard and the footage captured a brief glimpse of the gunman. By July 2012, Mr Dennison was requiring him to contact the Health Advocate, the employee assistance programme, or face being sacked.
The station cut back to the studio - journalists would later have to continue broadcasting on the deaths of two of their colleagues. "We can no longer afford to have you engage in behaviours that constitute creation of a hostile work environment," he said.
Alison ParkerAlison Parker
Adam WardAdam Ward
Who were the two journalists?Who were the two journalists?
Hours later, the gunman posted footage online of himself opening fire at close range, although this was later removed. Speaking on Wednesday from Hawaii where he now works, Mr Dennison said Flanagan had complained of racial discrimination but "all these allegations were deemed to be unfounded".
The interviewee, Vicki Gardner of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, is in a stable condition in hospital following surgery. He said when Flanagan was fired, he had to be escorted from the building by police "because he was not going to leave willingly or under his own free will".
ABC News said it received a 23-page fax, apparently sent by Flanagan under his professional name Bryce Williams later on Wednesday, in which he said his anger had been "building steadily" and that he had become "human powder keg" that was "waiting to go BOOM!!!!" In the 23-page fax to ABC News apparently sent by Flanagan under his professional name, he complained of suffering discrimination and bullying at work for being gay and black.
Virginia TV shooting He said his anger had been "building steadily" and that he had become a "human powder keg" that was "waiting to go BOOM!!!!"
The writer says he suffered racism and homophobia at work, and expresses admiration for the teenagers who killed 13 people at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999. The writer expressed admiration for the teenagers who killed 13 people at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 and said the attack in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine black churchgoers were killed in June this year, was what "sent me over the top".
He said the attack in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine black churchgoers were killed in June this year, was what "sent me over the top".
Franklin County Sheriff Bill Overton said the ABC fax was being used by investigators, adding: "It's obvious... this gentleman was disturbed in some way."
Late on Wednesday, a representative for Flanagan's family issued a statement expressing their "deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward".Late on Wednesday, a representative for Flanagan's family issued a statement expressing their "deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward".
"Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victim's families and with WDBJ television station family," the statement added."Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victim's families and with WDBJ television station family," the statement added.
Reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were conducting a live interview with a guest on tourism for the breakfast show early on Wednesday when the incident occurred.
Suddenly, shots rang out, and viewers saw the camera fall to the ground. Screams could be heard and the footage captured a brief glimpse of the gunman.
The station cut back to the studio - journalists would later have to continue broadcasting on the deaths of two of their colleagues.
Hours later, the gunman posted footage online of himself opening fire at close range. This was later removed.
He killed himself after a police chase.
The interviewee, Vicki Gardner of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, is in a stable condition in hospital following surgery.
Virginia TV shooting
President Barack Obama repeated his call for tougher gun laws after the attack.President Barack Obama repeated his call for tougher gun laws after the attack.
"We're willing to spend trillions of dollars to prevent terrorist activities, but we haven't been willing so far at least to impose some common sense gun safety measures," he said."We're willing to spend trillions of dollars to prevent terrorist activities, but we haven't been willing so far at least to impose some common sense gun safety measures," he said.
However Republican presidential hopefuls Jim Gilmore and Ben Carson have warned against any rush to introduce tougher gun controls. However Republican presidential hopefuls Jim Gilmore and Ben Carson warned against any rush to introduce tougher gun controls.
"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," Jim Gilmore, a former governor of Virginia, told CNN. "We're not going to let this madman take away the lawful rights of Americans to keep and bear arms," Jim Gilmore, a former governor of Virginia, told CNN.
US media reactionUS media reaction
Gun control, social media and workplace violence are some of the issues being discussed.Gun control, social media and workplace violence are some of the issues being discussed.
Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times takes on the sensitive issue of tightening gun controls. "Surely we can regulate guns as seriously as we do cars, ladders and swimming pools," he says.Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times takes on the sensitive issue of tightening gun controls. "Surely we can regulate guns as seriously as we do cars, ladders and swimming pools," he says.
The moment of the shooting was filmed and posted on social media by the killer. The Washington Post found it encouraging that large news organisations chose not to show it and Twitter and Facebook quickly removed it from their sites.The moment of the shooting was filmed and posted on social media by the killer. The Washington Post found it encouraging that large news organisations chose not to show it and Twitter and Facebook quickly removed it from their sites.
CNN Money headlined their article on the issue "the ugly side of autoplay". The Boston Globe called such footage "the darkest form of entertainment".CNN Money headlined their article on the issue "the ugly side of autoplay". The Boston Globe called such footage "the darkest form of entertainment".
A number of media outlets across the US have been discussing workplace violence. Pennlive.com said the shooting was a "jarring reminder that we never really know the people with whom we work".A number of media outlets across the US have been discussing workplace violence. Pennlive.com said the shooting was a "jarring reminder that we never really know the people with whom we work".