The gunman who shot dead two former colleagues on-air had reportedly been filmed by one of his victims as he was escorted from the news station building when he was fired, court documents reveal.
Vester Flanagan, 41, killed 24-year-old reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, on Wednesday in Virginia during a live segment for local news channel WDBJ.
Following the attack, he posted films of the shooting and faxed a 23-page ‘manifesto’ to ABC News seemingly detailing his reasons behind the killing.
Now court documents, obtained by The Huffington Post, allegedly indicate Flanagan – who had been ordered to seek mental health counselling by the station – had been filmed by Mr Ward as he was escorted from WDBJ headquarters following his dismissal in 2013.
Flanagan allegedly told the cameraman to “lose your big gut” and flicked off the camera.
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The internal memos indicating the confrontation surfaced as part of a $25,000 lawsuit Flanagan brought against the news station in 2014, claiming wrongful dismissal.
When presented with a dismissal letter in February 2013, Flanagan allegedly told WDBJ employees: “You better call police because I'm going to make a big stink."
Staff called police and Flanagan was allegedly escorted from the building by officers. It was then that Mr Ward reportedly caught Flanagan leaving on camera.
The court documents also reveal Flanagan had requested the personnel files of Ms Parker and Mr Ward.
As the latest information about the shooter emerges, his family apologised to the victims, telling reporters his actions were “a shock to everyone”.
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“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness we express our deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward,” Amber Bower, who went to secondary school with Flanagan, said in a statement from his family.
Following the shooting, Flanagan was pursued by police and appears to have shot himself. A woman, Vicki Gardner, was injured in the on-air confrontation but is believed to be in a stable condition.
Flanagan’s 2014 lawsuit, filed in Roanoke City General District Court, was later dismissed for lack of evidence. It is unclear whether a settlement was reached.
