After shooting a Virginia reporter and her cameraman at point blank this morning, Bryce Williams reportedly faxed ABC News a 23-page manifesto
before calling the network to confess his involvement. In portions of
the document, which were published today by the network, Williams
expresses admiration for other recent mass shootings and claims he was
mistreated because he was a gay black man.
According
to ABC, Williams—who was pronounced dead at 1:26 p.m.—had repeatedly
called the station claiming he had a story for them. But it wasn’t,
apparently, until 8:26 a.m. that he actually faxed the information: a
23-page, unhinged, rambling manifesto. Less than two hours later, he
called again, this time to identify himself as the shooter. He
apparently told whoever answered the phone that the authorities were
after him and “all over the place.”
After
turning the document over to authorities, ABC published several
excerpts, many of which reference other mass murderers like Charleston
shooter Dylann Roof, Virginia Tech shooter Seung Hui Chon (“That’s my
boy right there”), and Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.
In the
manifesto, Williams writes that he was “sent over the top” by the racism
behind the Charleston shooting, putting a deposit down for a gun just
two days later. From ABC News:
In one part of the document, Williams calls it a “Suicide Note for Friends and Family.”—He says has suffered racial discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying at work.—He says he has been attacked by black men and white females.—He talks about how he was attacked for being a gay, black man“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!!!!”.
Williams, a former multimedia reporter, was apparently well-versed in pitching networks. After suing a Tallahassee station for discrimination in 2000 and losing his job at WDBJ in 2013, he reportedly—and
to no avail—sent in applications to CNN and “other news organizations.”
It does not appear that his entreaties resulted in any job offers.
A
WDBJ live report appears to have ended in gunshots after a gunman
apparently began firing at the news crew early Wednesday morning.
WDBJ
reporter Alison Parker was interviewing a woman at Bridgewater Plaza, a
shopping center in Roanoke, VA, when the apparent gunman strode into the
shot, firing what sounded like at least six shots.
The alleged gunman can be seen, briefly, in the shot before the camera drops.
WDBJ has confirmed that police are currently on the scene, investigating what they’re calling an “incident” involving their news crew.
According to WSLS10, there were at least three victims but the extent of their injuries is currently unknown.
Schools in the area are reportedly on lockdown and both directions of
Virginia 122 have been closed while officers from Bedford, Franklin
County, Virginia State Police and the Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland
Fisheries search for the alleged shooter.
Update 8:54 a.m.
WDBJ says reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, were both killed in the attack.
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