# Reporter shooting in Virginia **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942 "2015-08-26T13:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/1 "2015-08-26T13:30:06Z")
A horrible story is developing in Virginia. A reporter and cameraman were shot and killed live on air. No information on the shooter other than he is still at large right now. The video is circulating and I’ve seen it but I won’t post it. Very disturbing. Edited to add link: [http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/26/us/virginia-shooting-wdbj/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/26/us/virginia-shooting-wdbj/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/2 "2015-08-26T13:45:30Z")
If only the reporter had been holding a gun whilst conducting the interview, this wouldn’t have happened… (I actually think the NRA might try to say something like this) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/3 "2015-08-26T13:55:53Z")
Shot during an interview promoting tourism. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/4 "2015-08-26T14:14:06Z")
My sister and family are currently vacationing on a houseboat right across from the shooting. The marina owners want them to go out onto the water because it would be safer there (presumably harder for the killer to access) but my BIL is unable to get back from the store because the roads are closed. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/5 "2015-08-26T14:14:28Z")
Just now seeing an image of the gunman captured once the camera was dropped. He looks to me like he is definitely aiming at one of the people on the ground. That makes me think the cameraman and reporter weren’t hit by random gunfire. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/6 "2015-08-26T14:20:35Z")
The Twitter feed for a station in DC is quoting Gov. McAuliffe saying the shooter is a disgruntled employee of WDBJ7 and troopers are in pursuit. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/7 "2015-08-26T14:20:56Z")
That’s awful. God i hope they catch him soon. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/8 "2015-08-26T14:25:53Z")
My little sister was a reporter for that station several years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/9 "2015-08-26T14:33:20Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > The Twitter feed for a station in DC is quoting Gov. McAuliffe saying the shooter is a disgruntled employee of WDBJ7 and troopers are in pursuit. You would hope the governor has accurate information but with breaking stories so much bad info is reported its hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![Shearer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/57b2e6/32.png) [@Shearer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shearer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/10 "2015-08-26T14:38:04Z")
> **[‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens](https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1819576527)** > > ISLA VISTA, CA—In the days following a violent rampage in southern California in which a lone attacker killed seven individuals, including himself, and seriously injured over a dozen others, citizens living in the only country where this kind of mass... ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/11 "2015-08-26T14:50:50Z")
Unfortunately, I’m afraid this really raises the bar for how much publicity a shooter can get. Here’s hoping that this is not copied or repeated. “Too soon” comment spoilered. Silver lining: we might get better journalism, as people grow less willing to do live fluff pieces on things like shopping at the mall. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/12 "2015-08-26T14:52:34Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Just now seeing an image of the gunman captured once the camera was dropped. He looks to me like he is definitely aiming at one of the people on the ground. That makes me think the cameraman and reporter weren’t hit by random gunfire. If you look around 12 seconds (or don’t…), you can see blood spattering on the ground, presumably from the cameraman he shot. > [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > The Twitter feed for a station in DC is quoting Gov. McAuliffe saying the shooter is a disgruntled employee of WDBJ7 and troopers are in pursuit. This would make more sense than any kind of random attack, or simple “suicide by media” gambit, or assuming it had anything to do with a vanilla-morning show interview about tourism. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/13 "2015-08-26T15:13:09Z")
His name is Lester Lee Flanighan and apparently there’s a pursuit on the highways. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/14 "2015-08-26T15:23:20Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > His name is Lester Lee Flanighan and apparently there’s a pursuit on the highways. There is a bunch of information going around the web saying that Vester Flanigan is know as Bryce Willams who was a fired reporter from the station. There is also rumors that he filmed the shooting and posted it. Too many bloggers and Twitter names to see who is telling the truth right now. The Bryce Williams Twitter account is suspended now. Reporters Twitter feed with some information: [https://twitter.com/AmyALaPorte?ref\_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author](https://twitter.com/AmyALaPorte?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/15 "2015-08-26T15:24:37Z")
The fact that this video is available and people are watching (and presumably sharing) it is just deeply disgusting. What the fuck is wrong with them? I’d advise against watching it. Apparently the producer at the station and the reporter were engaged and this was her last day on the job. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/16 "2015-08-26T15:29:17Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Apparently the producer at the station and the reporter were engaged and this was her last day on the job. Slightly off. The cameraman was engaged to a producer who was moving on to another show or station. She was in the control room when it happened. The reporter was dating an anchor at the station and they just moved in together. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/17 "2015-08-26T15:29:29Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > There is also rumors that he filmed the shooting and posted it. It’s true, although I can’t attest to the fact that it goes through to the end (I don’t see this guy having any particular restraint). I saw what it was turning out to be and quickly stopped it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/18 "2015-08-26T15:33:02Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > The fact that this video is available and people are watching (and presumably sharing) it is just deeply disgusting. What the fuck is wrong with them? I’d advise against watching it. The video is up on the usual uncensored sites. I deal with bad shit all the time and I spent time in Iraq but I was still disturbed by it. Vester/Bryce posted it and was live Tweeting about it so there is no doubt who is responsible. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/19 "2015-08-26T15:33:37Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > It’s true, although I can’t attest to the fact that it goes through to the end (I don’t see this guy having any particular restraint). I saw what it was turning out to be and quickly stopped it. Yeah I checked more reliable sources and confirmed it. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/20 "2015-08-26T15:38:59Z")
Just suicide I 66 mile marker 17 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942.md?page=2)