Advertisement

Back On Air: Emotional WDBJ7 News Team Return After Journalists Killed On Live TV

The television station where murdered journalists Adam Ward and Alison Parker worked returned to the air this morning.

Just 24 hours after they witnessed their colleagues being executed by former employee Vester Lee Flanagan, the morning news team at WDBJ7 were back in front of the cameras to pay tribute to their colleagues.

The Mornin’ Show put up pictures of Parker, 24, and Ward, 27, at 6.45am - 24 hours after Parker and Ward were killed.

Just before the tribute, anchor Kimberly McBroom joined hands with fellow anchor Steve Grant and weatherman Leo Hirsbrunner, saying: “Joining hands here on the desk. It’s the only way to do it.”

Reporters from sister stations around America flew in to Virginia to help the through the broadcast, which saw the team break down in tears on several occasions.

At one point, McBroom comforted weatherman Leo Hirsbrunner as the emotions became too much for him.

Parker’s grieving boyfriend and fellow employee, Chris Hirst, was also in the studio to pay tribute to his girlfriend of nine months.

Confirming he was taking a break from work for a while, he said: “As soon as we confirmed news that she had died, I said that it was going to be important for us to share her story and share the love that she had for this job.

“So I decided that I was OK enough to do the only thing that I know how to do which is to communicate.”

He added: “This station is resilient, her family is resilient, they’re strong, and we’ll be back folks.”

A memorial outside the station has been set up and WDBJ news director Kelly Zuber said of the tributes: They have talked to us on social media on Facebook on Twitter and through email and have really just put their arms around the people here at WDBJ as we grieve these two wonderful individuals.”

Parker and Ward were killed while broadcasting a live report yesterday morning.

Gunman Flanagan casually walked up to them and opened fire as Parker screamed and ran away in terror.

Flanagan, who was fired from WDBJ and had a history of anger issues, also filmed the murders and uploaded the footage to social media.

Police managed to track him down after he posed a disturbing manifesto online.

He shot himself before police could arrest him and he later died of his wounds in hospital.

Pics: PA/AP