TV anchor Kimberly McBroom stunned in seconds after Virginia on-air shooting
Date
August 27, 2015 - 10:44AM
Megan Levy

Vester Flanagan, also known as TV reporter Bryce Wiliams, wrote in a manifesto that it was the Charleston shooting massacre that ultimately drove him to fire upon two of his former colleagues.

The stunned expression on the face of television anchor Kimberly McBroom​ summed up the sheer disbelief surrounding what appeared to have just played out during the live breakfast broadcast.

Amid the sounds of screams and gunfire ringing out, Virginia station WDBJ7-TV quickly switched its live television feed back to the studio at 6.45am on Wednesday, local time, where McBroom was trying to make sense of what had just occurred.

At first wide-eyed and open-mouthed, McBroom quickly regained her composure to tell viewers she would find out what had happened.

"OK, not sure what happened there," McBroom said, remarkably calmly.

"We will of course let you know as soon as we find out what those sounds were from."

Soon, station general manager Jeff Marks went on air to deliver the distressing news: reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, had been shot dead during their live report from a shopping centre district near Moneta​ in Virginia.

"It is my very, very sad duty to report that we have determined through the police and our own employees that Alison and Adam died this morning," Marks said. "Our hearts are broken."

An estimated 40,000 people were tuned in to the station when the on-air shootings took place, according to US news reports.

The person Parker was interviewing, Vicki Gardner, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was shot in the back and has since undergone surgery.

The shooter, Vester Flanagan, died in hospital as result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had shot himself while being pursued by police, authorities said.

Marks also appeared in a noon broadcast, when Flanagan was still clinging to life in hospital.

"I'm going to step out of my role as a former journalist and say I'm not sure if I want him to live or die," Marks said during the broadcast. "If he dies, he took the coward's way out."

Later, McBroom expressed her grief on social media following the deaths of her colleagues.



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Black, gay and gun violence.

Media will have an absolute feast.

-PB

Institutionalised racial and gender discrimination plus wild west gun laws and this is the result. This is not hard to understand but what is impossible to fathom is how the redneck republican right continue to allow this to happen with their outdated ideological principles.

This dude claimed that he was racially discriminated against, but it's clear that he's a fucking nutcase.

He confessed to killing his cats in his manifesto (in fact, writing a manifesto before doing something like this to somehow justify yourself is crazy in and of itself), he was reported to human resources for anger issues or something by a co-worker and when he was fired, all the employees had to stay in a room while he was escorted out by police officers, he justified these shootings by saying it was for the victims of the massacre at the black church and above all he murdered two innocent people and wounded a third in broad daylight on live TV because he was fired by the journalists' new station two years ago, recorded the shooting with a chest mounted camera, uploaded it to social media and then killed himself.

One of the worst things about this is the two victims were dating people who worked with them and one of their partner's was in the control room watching the live feed when he was murdered.

Not only is it sickening that pro and anti gun activists haven't even waited for the bodies to go cold to start debating again, it's pointless. The NRA has shown that they're willing to deal with thirty children being slaughtered just before Christmas by a psychopath who has just committed matricide, what the hell will two more deaths do, televised or not?

Institutionalised racial and gender discrimination plus wild west gun laws and this is the result. This is not hard to understand but what is impossible to fathom is how the redneck republican right continue to allow this to happen with their outdated ideological principles.

And when Tone says no to a weapon that can fire 8 rounds in 8 seconds peanuts complain.

In before Paulbagz. :lol: 8-[

A black gay man could never be accountable for murdering people.

Institutionalised racial and gender discrimination plus wild west gun laws and this is the result. This is not hard to understand but what is impossible to fathom is how the redneck republican right continue to allow this to happen with their outdated ideological principles.

And when Tone says no to a weapon that can fire 8 rounds in 8 seconds peanuts complain.

He's a perfect illustration for universal background checks. Databasing someone like this with all those warning signs would go a long way to stop crazy people from owning guns and committing these acts. It also helps ensure they receive the proper care and medications they require . Of course this is not foolproof but every little piece of progression helps toward the goal.

I reckon that people wishing to own a gun in the U.S should also have to provide the contact details of several family members or close friends who would be able to say whether or not the person should be allowed to own a gun.

muh freedum

Not all muslims are terrorists but all gun owners are ? never followed that logic

If Alison Parker or Adam Ward had a gun this would not have happened - pro gun logic -_-

RIP.

Whilst these massacres grab the headlines (understandably), they actually aren't even the biggest risk when it comes to gun deaths. Its the massive amount of murders that occur between families, neighbours, suicides etc that account for the higher US murder rate.

Quite simply, when domestic or neighbourly arguments escalate, easy access to guns means people die instead of getting punched or stabbed.

The US "freedom" argument has always seemed silly to me - what about the [size=7]freedom to be safe[/size]?

Just saw the videos, pretty fucked up.

R.I.P.

Edited by iridium1010: 27/8/2015 03:02:48 PM

Where did you see the videos?

And when Tone says no to a weapon that can fire 8 rounds in 8 seconds peanuts complain.

Ii'm just going to leave this here. Jim Jefferies, nail on fucking head. Worth a watch. Good laugh too.
[youtube]2lP1ocnwpN8[/youtube]

I thought the shooter was a black guy? The guy in the video has white hands ffs.

The one main thing I hated about america especially in the south.

Went to Arkansas for a month a couple of years ago to visit my dear late fiance and couldn't believe my eyes that you would have a bank right next to a gun shop. Didn't even feel comfortable walking a sidewalk for about a block wondering if something would happy to me. This was around the time the Australian Baseballer was murdered in Oklahoma by a senseless drive-by.

If only Americans were this passionate about universal Healthcare as they are about the 2nd amendment.


2 people senselessly murdered.

Another debate on gun control that will lead to nowhere.

Repeat cycle.

Don't even fucking start.

Out of your depth.

-PB

Touch a nerve there fella?

Not all muslims are terrorists but all gun owners are ? never followed that logic

There's a legitimate reason for being a Muslim - I can't think of a single legitimate reason for a civilian to own a semi-auto/full-automatic weapon.

You've shown your ignorance autos are banned in the u.s and semi auto has a legitimate purpose for pest control and self defence

Not that the u.s needs a reason because it's a a constitutional right

Who in their right mind has a semi auto for pest control?

Professional pest controllers.

Plenty in Australia have AR15's or modified AK's and the like as well as other pattern semi autos.

-PB

An fair enough, but dont think lukey boy was refering to professional pest controllers

Professional pest controllers.

Plenty in Australia have AR15's or modified AK's and the like as well as other pattern semi autos.

-PB

there must be some big termites about

And what class license would those blokes hold PB?

You've shown your ignorance autos are banned in the u.s and semi auto has a legitimate purpose for pest control and self defence

Not that the u.s needs a reason because it's a a constitutional right

While sweeping change will never happen thanks to the 2nd amendment, what they really do need is a uniform and better system in place like in Australia for actually getting these things.

Of course they will jump up and down and scream blur murder about their rights, but the fact is it isn't changing their right to bear arms, just their ability to obtain them so easily.

Being able to walk into a shot show and pay cash for a weapon and not have to do any paperwork or any background checks is just retarded.

-PB

C and D which you can only get by being a professional.

The Adler was always going to be a Cat B until some Greens secretary got their knickers in a knot.

-PB

Didnt obama try to pass legislation to get back ground checks done but was shot down by the republicans and the nra campaigning saying it infringed their rights ? Nothing will change over in the U.s

No. It was going to be category A. The widest and easiest to get license category in Australia. 7000 were pre ordered even before they got to Australia.

7000 !

It's a constitutional right because in 1791, when there was a greater degree of lawlessness and there was no proper police force, it was necessary that individuals should be able to bear arms to protect themselves. There's a profound and excellent dimension of US politics insofar as individual rights are protected. In 1791, the best way of protecting the individual's rights was to permit the individual to bear arms.

Today however, there is proper law enforcement in the US (well, allegedly).

There were any number of rights which people exercised in Britain in hundreds of years ago which either no longer exist (because they are no longer necessary) or custom dictates that they no longer demanded. In fact, it's often the latter. Britain still has the death penalty for high treason. However, this would never be enforced.

I gather that, strictly speaking, in the UK an expectant mother has the right to urinate in a policeman's helmet.

Would this ever happen? No.

This says a lot about the States and its curious political nuances. They still interpret rights which are no longer necessary (in fact downright dangerous) literally and demand those rights. It speaks of the emphasis on individual rights, the inability to deal with unnecessary/dangerous rights in today's society, the entrenched right-wing politics and the sheer stupidity of a large proportion of the society.

Edited by quickflick: 28/8/2015 03:28:55 AM

[youtube]RC4JJWUtzkc[/youtube]

^ Now if I was that gun guy Piers Morgan interviewed and we were in the same room he wouldnt have stood a chance, because I have a gun #strongwins

Jesus Fucking Christ.

The real scary thing is that that is exactly what a vast number of yanks think.

Yup, unfortunately the debate doesn't get past the 2nd where it should be aiming at looking at background checks and what not.

People can't get past the "they're restricting my freedom!" when it should be "they trying to make it harder for crazy people to have access to guns" which is the correct way of looking at it.

As a whole though, America as a society has some really really major issues that are so deep seeded I don't know how even restricting guns to a choke hold would ever change anything.

That and the fact that the NRA has some seriously major pulling power in America (like any lobby or big business/company when it comes to politics).

America is just a bit silly.

-PB

Lol'd when he tried to say England have mass murders all the time. I also like how he completely brushed over the interviewers points about Port Arthur and our response to it.

Guns = Safety? What a fucking nutjob.

Unfortunately guns does equal safety in America because they are so widespread (millions upon millions of firearms) because they have been making and selling them for 150+ years with things like paperwork and because they're so widespread and easy to get into the hands of the criminal elements of society, you need to arm yourself accordingly.

Fight fire with fire etc.

-PB

Yep, which is just fucking retarded.

-PB

It took 1 world wide headline grabbing atrocity for us to act on gun control.

Now I am a bit to young to remember the reaction of the public here after Port Arthur but I would imagine that it would not be the same as if the same atrocity has occurred in the states.

Lol'd when he tried to say England have mass murders all the time. I also like how he completely brushed over the interviewers points about Port Arthur and our response to it.

Guns = Safety? What a fucking nutjob.

Well there was a stunned shock that rocked around oz. The fact howard took the gun lobby on and said enoughs enoughs shows guts. The problem is that the restrictions on licenced gun holders have become way to restrictive

The problem is that the restrictions on licenced gun holders have become way to restrictive

It took 1 world wide headline grabbing atrocity for us to act on gun control.

Now I am a bit to young to remember the reaction of the public here after Port Arthur but I would imagine that it would not be the same as if the same atrocity has occurred in the states.

Care to elaborate on these "way to (sic) restrictive" restrictions?

Or is this just another unsubstantiated, second-hand, anecdotal assertion.

Restrictive isn't the correct word to use, an absolute fuck about is more correct.

The way the anti-gun crew in Australia paint things is like we're America or some shit.

-PB

I just don't get how you can have 12,000 people a year die from gun crime not to mention horrible mass murders like Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Charlestown Church and still think the answer is anything but Gun Control.

Edited by scotty21: 28/8/2015 10:23:49 AM

"The United States is, by a long shot, the global leader in mass shootings, claiming just 5 per cent of the global population but an outsized share – 31 per cent – of the world's mass shooters since 1966, a new study finds".

"A 2007 survey found 270 million firearms in American civilian households – an ownership rate of 88.8 firearms per 100 people. Yemen followed, with 54.8 firearms per 100 people".

http://www.theage.com.au/world/why-the-us-is-no-1-in-mass-shootings-study-20150827-gj9oi8.html

Maybe a mass shooting live on air will be the last straw.

Yemen; werd.

-PB

If Sandy Hook, with 20 six year olds getting slaughtered didn't do it, no chance this will.

If Sandy Hook, with 20 six year olds getting slaughtered didn't do it, no chance this will.

Too much money involved, too many people wielding influence that have invested interests.

It's not about saving lives, its about saving stock prices.

-PB

Dont know if anybody has brought this up, but go on YouTube and watch Jon Oliver's 3 part series on Gun Control from wen he was back on John Stewart's show as a reporter.

Pollies in the US dgaf about the people, they spend most of their time in office trying to get re-elected. Its a joke.

I love America (traveled through a little bit) but their gun issues are a systematic problem and are becoming emotionally crippling for many Americans. Its unbelievable that they can still have the attitudes they have in the face of all the data showing gun control works and the pleas of the remainder of the rest of the world.

That Mass Shooting Map stuff is so depressing to look at as well.

This isnt entirely true.
Background checks are gaining momentum and there are quite a number of new laws on the table.
It may not be the change to the constitution you want but progress is happening. I expect Hillary to continue when she's elected.

There's more guns in Australia now than there were at the time of the Port Arthur shooting, yet we have a lowered amount of gun violence. Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-14/australians-own-as-many-guns-as-in-1996/4463150

What does this prove? That banning guns does nothing to the supply of firearms and criminals will get there hands on them any way. We've not had any mass-shootings (since people seem to ignore the Monash one), but we've still got the same amount of guns on our streets.