Sheriff: Virginia Suspect Dead From Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

Published August 26, 2015 at 12:45 PM CDT

Authorities say Vester Lee Flanagan, who also used the name Bryce Williams, shot his former colleagues during a live broadcast. (Facebook)

Update 2:23 p.m.: Franklin County Sheriff Bill Overton says the suspect in the shooting has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Virginia State Police say that as they were pursuing the suspect in an on-air fatal shooting, he ran off the road and crashed, and was found suffering from a gunshot wound.

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Wednesday that the suspect is being treated for life-threatening injuries.

The suspect has been identified as 41-year-old Vester Lee Flanagan II of Roanoke, who appeared on air at the TV station WDBJ in Virginia as Bryce Williams.

A reporter and cameraman from WDBJ-TV were killed in the incident Wednesday morning.

Police say that shortly before 11:30 a.m., they initiated a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle on Interstate 66. Police say the driver refused to stop and sped away from the trooper, but ran off the road and crashed. Police say the troopers approached and found the driver suffering from a gunshot wound, and he is being taken to a hospital.

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Peter O’Dowd, assistant managing editor at Here & Now. He tweets @odowdpeter.