Reporter, cameraman shot dead during live shot in Virginia

A television reporter and cameraman were shot to death on the air during a live broadcast Wednesday morning from a shopping centre in Virginia.

Jeffrey A. Marks, general manager of WDBJ–TV, identified the two killed as Alison Parker and Adam Ward and called the shooting “a terrible crime against two fine journalists.”

Video shows Parker interviewing someone about tourism on Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County. She was smiling when suddenly at least eight shots were heard. The camera drops to the ground and captures what appears to be a fleeting image of the shooter. The person is wearing black pants and a blue top and appears to be holding a handgun. Parker can be heard screaming.

The station then switches back to a shot of an anchor back at the station, who has a shocked expression on her face.

No arrests have been made and the shooter has not been identified.

In a tweet, the station says “We love you, Alison and Adam.”

The station’s website says Ward was 27 and a graduate of Virginia Tech. Parker just turned 24 and attended James Madison University, where she was the editor of the school’s newspaper, The Breeze. She also had been an intern at WDBJ–TV.

According to her Facebook page, Parker spent most of her life outside Martinsville, Virginia. She was an avid kayaker and attended community theatre events in her spare time.

The station is based in Roanoke, Virginia, and serves the southwest and central part of the state. The shopping mall where the incident happened is just off Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, about 25 miles southeast of Roanoke.

Warning. This video contains graphic material that may be offensive to viewers.