Counterterrorism Cops Guarding NYC News Outlets After On-Air Virginia Shooting

Written by SIMONE WILSON (Patch Staff)

Police in New York City weren’t taking any chances after two Virgina-based TV reporters were shot and killed on the job Wednesday morning.

John J. Miller, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner for counterterrorism and intelligence, released the following statement at 10:30 a.m., as cops in Virginia continued their hunt for a suspect and a motive. (The suspect, a disgruntled employee, later killed himself in front of cops. More below.)

“Out of an abundance of caution the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Bureau, Critical Response Vehicles and Hercules Teams have been deployed to television news outlets in New York City. This was ordered following the shooting this morning in Virginia. While there is no indication of any threat to media outlets beyond this incident, we have provided an additional layer of security until we have a fuller understanding of the motive behind the Virginia incident.”

A spokesperson for the NYPD could not immediately provide a list of TV stations or general locations where local counterterrorism cops were gathering.

However, Anthony Quintano, social media manager for the TODAY Show, shared the following photo of NYPD officers clearing the show’s plaza in Rockefeller Center between 48th and 49th ”earlier than normal” on Wednesday.

Here’s the full story on the Virginia shooting, via Patch reporter Greg Hambrick.

A gunman has killed himself in northern Virginia, hours after fatally shooting a WDBJ reporter and cameraman during a live interview outside of Roanoke, Va.

The alleged shooter has been identified as Vester Lee Flanagan, according to the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office. Flanagan was reportedly a former WDBJ employee who reported under the name Bryce Williams.

Flanagan killed himself after authorities confronted him on Interstate 66 in Faquier County, according to WDBJ.

Facebook and Twitter accounts attributed to Bryce Williams showed the shootings from the point of view of the shooter. The accounts, which were quickly suspended Wednesday morning, also included statements critical of the victims.

WDBJ-TV has identified the victims as Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, two members of its news team.

Ward was the cameraman during a live segment for the morning broadcast regarding tourism at Bridgewater Plaza. Parker was interviewing a business leader, who was wounded in the attack.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe told WTOP radio that law enforcement hopes to have the suspect in custody soon.

“We believe it was a disgruntled employee who fired at the TV crew,” McAuliffe said. “Not a case of terrorism. It is a criminal case.”

Vicki Gardner, head of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, was shot in the back during the shooting and is in surgery, according to the Roanoke Times.

A video of the broadcast shows the reporter interviewing Gardner when gunshots are heard. The camera falls to the ground and cries are heard.

Parker had recently moved in with her boyfriend, WDBJ anchor Chris Hurst.

“I am numb,” Hurst wrote in messages on Twitter, noting that Parker had recently celebrated her birthday. “She worked with Adam every day. They were a team.”

Ward was engaged to a producer at the television station.