ROANOKE, Va. (MEDIA GENERAL) — Condolences are pouring in on social media following Wednesday morning’s tragic shooting of WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward.
Parker, 24, and Ward, 27, were shot at about 6:45 a.m. during an interview on live TV near Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, southeast of Roanoke.
Chris Hurst, an anchor at WDBJ7, was Parker’s boyfriend and two planned to get married. “I am numb,” he tweeted.
Ward’s fiance also works at WDBJ7. Reports say she was in the control room at the time and witnessed the shooting.
Kay Norred, news director at WRBL in Columbus, Ga., said Parker, a Roanoke native and former intern of hers at WHSV in Harrisonburg, Va., dreamed to report for a station in her hometown.
“I am so glad she achieved that dream. My heart breaks for her family this morning,” Norred said.
Daren Stoltzfus, an anchor and reporter at WCIV in Charleston, S.C., also worked with Parker when she was an intern. He tweeted she “worked like crazy” to get her job at WDBJ7.
Parker just celebrated her 24th birthday last week.
“Another Hokie and Duke in heaven,” tweeted Alyssa Rae, anchor at WSLS, also in Roanoke.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe also offered his condolences, saying that he is “heartbroken” over the “senseless murders.”
