Two journalists killed in shooting during live newscast at Smith Mountain Lake

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

All it took was the first page before the Second Amendment cheap shots started.

originally posted by: Rocker2013
That tells me that this had to have either been a lone crazy who just snapped and started killing people, or there is a link to the victims and they were targeted for a specific reason.

Given that they're saying that the two victims were engaged, and that they were moving away, my guess is that this was either a crazy ex or a stalker. I doubt it was random.

originally posted by: Rocker2013

Personally, I would be looking into the people who work with those two victims, their families and their relationships. If that comes up with nothing, then anyone in the area with a history of paranoia leading to violence needs to be checked up on.

Considering the majority of people are murdered by someone they know I tend to agree with this assessment.

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa
I wonder if the reporter could have stopped the shooter if she was armed?

Really? That couldn't have waited at least a decent amount of time??

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa
I wonder if the reporter could have stopped the shooter if she was armed?

I wonder if the police could have stopped it if they were called when the first shot rang out? I am shocked a bunch of law books didn't jump out in front of the bullet and stop the shooter from breaking the law....utterly shocked.

The picture of the shooter looks like he/she is wearing a mask. And it wasn't the camera man and the reporter. It was the reporter and an anchorman back at the studio. From Twitter:

Chris Hurst ‏@chrishurstwdbj 6m6 minutes ago

We were together almost nine months. It was the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married.We just celebrated her 24th birthday

a reply to: tnhiker

Yep. I was just about to correct that. Earlier reports were that the cameraman and reporter were engaged to one another. Apparently, that was not the case.

a reply to: vor78

That is the way I first understood it. Fox just said. "They were both engaged" I took that as meaning to one another.

a reply to: vor78

Think I read he was engaged to somebody else? So both were engaged, just not to each other I believe.

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa
I wonder if the reporter could have stopped the shooter if she was armed?

Probably not. She should have politely asked him to stop so that she could reach into her purse and call 911 and wait for the cops to arrive .

Seriously, do we need to play this little game right now?

Condolences to the family and friends of the victims. Seems there is no end to warped and twisted mindsets in America out to prove a point with a gun.

From the video it looks like the cameraman is shot first and keels over as the female interviewer begins to scream. She isn't shot right away, but a few seconds after the cameraman, she screams 3 or 4 times.

The only plausible explanation I can think of is that the shooter is not known to the reporter or cameraman, but the fact that they work in the media might well have been enough for the shooter to condemn them (in his twisted mindset) as enemies of America.

This (I feel) was a lone nut killing out of conspiratorial paranoia? The facts will emerge eventually.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

Horrible to see. Crazy synchronicity or coincidence but at 17 seconds right when the reporter gets hit what word is right below her on the news scroll bar?

RIP - I hope they catch this probably mentally deranged killer ASAP...

originally posted by: masqua
This incident is all over the news within minutes. What I don't as yet know is who was being interviewed or why.

Until this information comes out, we have no possible motive for the shooting (if there was one).

In before the second amendment crowd pipes up.

It was a fluff piece about a water park. As soon as the interviewee says "safe for tourism", the shots rang out. That's enough for someone to kill people, right? At least the interviewee survived and can provide eyewitness descrip of the perp.

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe
I've been there a thousand times at least. Days and nights have been spent fishing and boating on Smith Mountain Lake. I would have never guessed something like this would occur in such a small community as we have here. I live right down the way.

They are still looking for the shooter even now. The local news is streaming live now as the news station is discussing it.

Come to find out the reporter and the cameraman were engaged. They were together.

Sad for the families. Sad for this community.

Oh no...If they were engaged then it's most likely an attack by a jealous ex. How awful. I wonder if there was a restraining order against the attacker?

My heartfelt condolences to the families of the two.

ETA: So they weren't engaged to each other? Oops, my mistake. But I still think it's related and there's possibly a restraining order against the attacker.

originally posted by: UnBreakable

originally posted by: masqua
This incident is all over the news within minutes. What I don't as yet know is who was being interviewed or why.

Until this information comes out, we have no possible motive for the shooting (if there was one).

In before the second amendment crowd pipes up.

It was a fluff piece about a water park. As soon as the interviewee says "safe for tourism", the shots rang out. That's enough for someone to kill people, right? At least the interviewee survived and can provide eyewitness descrip of the perp.

That is another reason I think the shooter knew one or both of the victims....he left the interviewee alive.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Come to find out the reporter and the cameraman were engaged. They were together.

Yes they were just not to each other.

She was engaged to a co anchor at the station, and he was engaged to a producer at the station...who was actually producing the segment when they were shot.

And here is a pic of the gunman.

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa
I wonder if the reporter could have stopped the shooter if she was armed?

And here come all the gun nutters who think life is a scripted action movie.

Yeah, having a loaded gun off safety in your bag, always on your body, is absolutely practical and of course will save your life when someone completely UNEXPECTEDLY shoots you!

/sarc

Seriously, are the pro-gun nuts really this f-ing insensitive and idiotic?

originally posted by: tnhiker
The picture of the shooter looks like he/she is wearing a mask. And it wasn't the camera man and the reporter. It was the reporter and an anchorman back at the studio. From Twitter:

Chris Hurst ‏@chrishurstwdbj 6m6 minutes ago

We were together almost nine months. It was the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married.We just celebrated her 24th birthday

That's what I got out of the story too, is that the two victims were dating other workers at their news station, not each other. Don't know why everyone is saying the victims were together. Also, it was the cameraman and his girlfriend back at the station that were talking about moving.

On a semi positive note, the person being interviewed is still alive, although in surgery with a gunshot to the back.

Breaking News ‏@BreakingNews 2m2 minutes ago

Vicki Gardner, who was subject of WDBJ interview, was shot in the back and is in surgery - @roanoketimes http://(link tracking not allowed)/1NBhz3T

well if it was a local they are busted. if it was someone known to the pair they too are busted. the various stills will allow a very accurate description to be made for visual identification bearded guy brownish hair with graying beard and mustache.

that is no mask. it is distortion due to enlarging the image. the previous shot posted gave a good views of his lower face and side of the head. good enough for verifying the color, graying and waviness curl of the hair. if he shaves it his neighbors coworker or whatever will know it is him. in the first still shot his mouth is sunken in a bit like he normally wears dentures.