Roanoke, Va. - It was a horrific scene for viewers who were watching WDBJ's live morning broadcast Wednesday morning.
24-year-old reporter Alison Parker and 27-year-old photographer Adam Ward were killed during a live news interview. The suspect, who later turned the gun on himself, has been identified as a former co-worker and reporter, 41-year-old Vester Lee Flanagan who also went by the name name Bryce Williams.
Another woman was also injured during the shooting, Chamber of Commerce executive Vicki Gardner. She had to undergo emergency surgery after she was shot in the back. She is the chamber's special projects manager. She is now listed as stable.
NewsChannel 3's Gabriella DeLuca spoke with a main anchor there, Chris Hurst, who revealed that he and Parker were in a relationship.
Deluca was outside of WDBJ all afternoon as people dropped off flowers and other items.
Hurst showed us a photo album Parker made for him for their anniversary.
He says Adam and Alison were a part of the station family and now a piece of that family is missing.
"This morning she had to get up a little extra early to go to Smith Mountain Lakes. I made her breakfast. I made her lunch. I sent her on her way. I had a habit of always wanting her to text me when she got to work safely. She did so and the last thing she said to me was 'good night sweet boy' and the next thing I know, I wake up to a phone call from the station telling me there had been a shooting that happened live on television and I needed to come to the station."
Hurst then went on to show us the photo album.
"These photos are just photos of her, the most beautiful woman I've ever met. Someone I never thought would love me for me and she did. She is inside and out the most beautiful woman I've ever met and I was lucky enough to call her my girlfriend," says Hurst.
He also spoke about the working relationship between Parker and Ward.
"They were out there nearly every day together as a team. And they were murdered together. It is still very difficult for me to rationalize what has happened," says Hurst.
Related:
Roanoke reporter, photographer killed by shooter during live news interview
WDBJ reporter, photographer hailed by colleagues, friends
Virginia chamber of commerce executive in stable condition after on-air shooting
