UPDATE: Vester Flanagan, also known as Bryce Williams, has died in a hospital in Virginia, WSB-TV reports. The suspect in the death of two Virginia journalists died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Early reports stated Flanagan was in critical condition.
#BREAKING: Suspect in #WDBJ shooting of reporter, cameraman during live broadcast dies at hospital.
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) August 26, 2015
Vester Lee Flanigan switched cars shortly after the #WDBJ shooting. Police tracked his phone to I-66 in Northern VA.
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) August 26, 2015
At 6:45 a.m. Wednesday morning (Aug. 26), Virginia’s WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, were both killed during a live broadcast by a gunman.
READ: Virginia Reporter And Videographer Shot And Killed During Live Broadcast
The suspect’s identity has been revealed as Vester Flanagan, also known as Bryce Williams. He was described as a “disgruntled former employee” at WDBJ7 who was hired by the news station in 2012 as a general assignment and multimedia reporter, Vice News states.
A pursuit ensued between the police and Flanagan, where it was made known that Flanagan committed suicide around 11:25 a.m. Now, the state police have released an update that Flanagan is still alive and is in critical condition, CBS News reports.
State Police: Suspect in TV shooting ran off road, crashed, was suffering from gunshot wound –@AP
— Mic (@micnews) August 26, 2015
Franklin County Shooting Suspect In CustodyShortly before 11:30 a.m., Virginia State Police spotted the suspect…
Posted by Virginia State Police on Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Flanagan filmed himself approaching Parker and Ward before he fatally shot them, which he posted to his now defunct Twitter and Facebook accounts. Minutes after the shooting, Flanagan also made further comments on the slain journalists on his social media accounts.
Details are still forthcoming which will be addressed in a press conference Wednesday at 1 p.m.