Unfortunately every week in America another bizarre incident occurs to inevitably increase racial tension among Americans. The latest event tragically involves WBDJ reporter Allison Parker (24) & videographer Adam Ward(27). Both journalist were reporting with Vicki Gardner to commemorate the 50th anniversary for Smith Mountain Lake located in Moneta, Virginia. At approximately 6:45AM on August 8, 2015, an ex-reporter of WBDJ, identified as Vester Flanagan, opened fire on Allison, Adam, and Vicki. As a result Allison and Adam were found dead on the scene. Vicki Gardner, however, managed to stay alive after undergoing surgeries at a local hospital. A few hours later Vester Flanagan was said to have died from gun inflicting wounds after local police found him during the imminent man hunt.
The eerie thing about this fatal shooting was that it was shown LIVE on television. Moreover, Flanagan also recorded the shooting in first person using his own recording device. The motive behind this attack was said to have manifested after Flanagan had his job “taken” by Allison Parker.
[Excerpt of WDBJ manager Jeff Marks via Vox.com]
“-We employed him as a reporter, and he had some talent in that respect and some experience, although he’d been out of the business for a while,” Marks said. “He quickly gathered a reputation as someone who was difficult to work with.”
He added, “Eventually after many incidents of his anger coming to the fore, we dismissed him. And he did not take that well, we had to call the police to escort him from the building. Since then, well, he then filed an action with the Equal Opportunity Employment Committee in which he made all kinds of complaints.”
The complaints were allegedly about “racial comments.” But Marks said that “none of them could be corroborated by anyone, we think they were fabricated.”-
While many people focus their attention around this incident on gun laws, we actually want to focus on Flanagan’s attempt to start a “race war”. According to many sources, the ex-WDBJ reporter sent over a 23 page manifesto that said his past experience with the news company as well as the latest church shooting in South Carolina, sparked Flanagan’s rage. The irony. Unfortunately Mr. Flanagan, you’re no different from the various Dylann Roofs or Seung Hui-Chos that continue to plague our society. The majority of us would rather spend our time finding solutions to end these tragic incidents, however, it is people like you that make it very difficult.
Ask yourself, how many more people do you now think have hatred for black men due to recent actions of violent killings. Our plan of action is to not ponder and think about the various reasons, however, it is to find preventative measures to move forward.
Prayers up for the families of every victim lost including Mr. Flanagan’s who now have to bare the burden of an incident they probably never will be able fathom.
Product Of Society 