ABC News Allegedly Got A 23-Page Fax From Gunman After WDBJ Shooting
The man who killed a cameraman and reporter on live TV this morning allegedly faxed a suicide note to ABC News shortly after.
A few weeks ago, a man reportedly contacted ABC News claiming to be Bryce Williams, the name Vester Lee Flanagan used as a reporter for WDBJ. The man spoke about faxing information regarding an unspecified news story.
At 8:26 am today, a 23-page document was found in ABC's fax machine. The fax said,
MY NAME IS BRYCE WILLIAMS.
It was also referred to as a “Suicide Note For Friends & Family."
Williams, 41, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound this afternoon after allegedly murdering WDBJ's Adam Ward, 27, and Alison Parker, 24, at around 6:45 am.
The document reportedly stated the shooting was motivated by Dylann Roof's murder of nine African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina in June.
According to ABC News, the fax continued,
Why did I do it? I put down a deposit for a gun on 6/19/15. The Church shooting in Charleston happened on 6/17/15… What sent me over the top was the church shooting. And my hollow point bullets have the victims' initials on them… As for Dylann Roof? You (deleted)! You want a race war (deleted)? BRING IT THEN YOU WHITE …(deleted)!!!
Williams, who was fired from WDBJ in 2013, said he faced discrimination for being black and gay.
A few hours after the shooting, Williams tweeted Alison Parker made racist comments to him, and USA TODAY reports Williams previously filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report.
WDBJ general manager Jeffrey Marks said Williams was an "unhappy man," ABC News reports.
The manifesto reportedly continued,
Yes, it will sound like I am angry... I am. And I have every right to be. But when I leave this Earth, the only emotion I want to feel is peace.... The church shooting was the tipping point… but my anger has been building steadily... I've been a human powder keg for a while… just waiting to go BOOM!!!!
The fax also praised the shootings at Virginia Tech and Columbine High School; the writer called Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho his "boy." The writer added,
[Cho] got NEARLY double the amount that [Columbine shooters] Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold got…just sayin.
A man claiming to be Bryce Williams called ABC News around 10 am today to announce he shot two people, and he claimed authorities were "after" him.
The network sent the fax to authorities immediately afterward.
Citations: After Shooting, Alleged Gunman Details Grievances in 'Suicide Notes' (ABC News), Suspect in on-air murder of journalists kills himself (USA TODAY)
