Vester Lee Flanagan filmed his murder of two journalists on live television and then broadcast it to the world through social media.
The following video only shows Flanagan approaching journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward. The Daily Beast has edited out the moment Flanagan raises his gun to shoot.
A second video posted by Flanagan shows rest of the shooting. Interview subject Vicki Gardner of the local Chamber of Commerce was wounded but survived and is now in stable condition.
Flanagan had worked at WDBJ-TV with Parker and Ward, but under the on-air name Bryce Williams. He was fired for what the station manager said were anger issues.
Twitter and Facebook suspended Flanagan’s accounts shortly after he posted both videos and a string of tweets decrying his former employer and Parker as racists.
Police said in a statement they began pursuing Flanagan shortly before 11:30 a.m. on an interstate. Flanagan resisted a traffic stop, sped off, and crashed. Officials say they found him with a self-inflicted gunshot and at first reported he was dead. Police found a pulse, but Flanagan died after 1:30 p.m.
ABC News said it received a 23-page fax from Flanagan that referenced a “race war,” the Charleston church murders in June, and Flanagan’s belief he was being oppressed for being black and gay.
