TV News Reporter, Photographer Shot to Death on Air (Graphic Video)

WDBJ7’s Alison Parker and photographer Adam Ward were doing live shot at water park when gunman opened fire; Ward’s fiancée saw horrifying scene from station control room

(Editor’s note: The video below is extremely disturbing of the shooting. Warning that content is graphic. TheWrap sends its condolences to the victims’ loved ones and their WDBJ7 family.)

UPDATED 11:50 a.m. PT, Aug. 26:

Vester Flanagan, the suspect in the slaying of two journalists at Virginia TV station WDBJ and a former colleague, died Wednesday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

Previously:

An active shooter is on the loose after shooting to death two local Virginia journalists while they were on-air live on Wednesday. Before reading on, be aware that this story includes graphic video of the tragedy.

WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker, 24, and photographer Adam Ward, 27, were doing a standard live shot with a woman at Bridgewater Plaza near Moneta, Virginia, at 6:45 a.m. ET when a gunman opened fire on them live.

CNN reported authorities are in car chase with the suspect on Interstate-64. He is believed to be driving a 2009 gray Mustang. Police are looking to speak to former station reporter Vester L. Flanagan. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said on the radio that the suspect is currently on Interstate-64 and is believed to be a disgruntled station employee.

The station reported on its journalists’ death on-air Wednesday morning. “We do not know the motive or who the suspect is,” an anchor said on-air.

Vicki Gardner, the Executive Director at Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce official who was being interviewed by Parker, was shot in the back. She underwent surgery and has come out alive and in recovery.

Both journalists were in relationships with colleagues at the station. WDBJ7 General Manager Jeffrey A. Marks told CNN that Ward’s fiancee was in the control room when the shooting occurred.

Station anchor Chris Hurst, who was engaged to Parker, tweeted about his fiancée.

Watch video below

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