EDITORS NOTE: We have removed the video of the shooting out of respect for the victims and their families. At the time we posted it, it was not clear what if anything happened to the reporters or those around them.
As details came to light and it became clear what we had seen was in fact a tragic murder of two people and wounding of another, we made the decision to pull the video from our website. There are many other sites that are happy to show it. We are not one of them.
Manifesto Faxed To ABC News 2 Hours After Killings:
In a 23 page manifesto sent to ABC News, Flanagan says:
“Why did I do it? I put down a deposit for a gun on 6/19/15. The Church shooting in Charleston happened on 6/17/15…”
“What sent me over the top was the church shooting. And my hollow point bullets have the victims’ initials on them.”
On the subject of Dylann Storm Roof directly, Flanagan said:
“As for Dylann Roof? You (deleted)! You want a race war (expletive)? BRING IT THEN YOU WHITE …(expletive)!!! God spoke to me telling me to act!!!”
Suspect filmed shooting co-workers:
Seconds before he opened fire [note: I was able to grab the the full shooting video before Twitter took it down but it’s too disturbing to publish]:
Tweeting that racism was the motive:
UPDATE: Rot in hell.
UPDATE: Looks like Hell has a waiting line.
UPDATE: Dead.
Previous updates from breaking story:
Augusta County Sheriff's Office: Vester Lee Flanagan, a light-skinned black man who is 6-feet-3-inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds
— Talya Cunningham (@TalyaCunningham) August 26, 2015
Man believed to be the shooter:
UPDATE:
Hearts go out to team @WDBJ7 – handling it with incredible dignity on air. Dead reporter was 24, dead crew aged 27. http://t.co/xUfTKZLdu8
— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) August 26, 2015
UPDATE:
#BREAKING Reporter, photographer killed by shooter during live news interview in Virginia http://t.co/74eUBix7JX pic.twitter.com/QLhGKRRMua
— FOX CT (@FoxCT) August 26, 2015
UPDATE:
Reporter killed was just 24 years old
Reporter Alison Parker was just 24 years old. 2 years out of college. Shot and killed on live TV. #Roanoke pic.twitter.com/KQyMVbb0Xp
— jaye11alive (@jayewatson) August 26, 2015
UPDATE:
How Alison Parker & Adam Ward should be remembered instead of the horrific video [via New York Daily News] pic.twitter.com/KoNjJOqr7k
— Shawn Reynolds (@ShawnRTV6) August 26, 2015
UPDATE:
Vicki Gardner, who was subject of WDBJ interview, was shot in the back and is in surgery – roanoketimes http://t.co/x6Wt67gGzJ
— News24/7 (@AsItBreaks_) August 26, 2015