Vester Flanagan, "Bryce Williams" Family Releases Statement Following WDBJ Televised Shooting

After a tragic day in America on Wednesday Aug. 26, 2015, the family of shooter Vester Flanagan, also known as Bryce Williams, is finally speaking out after their loved one cold-heartily shot and killed WDBJ reporter Alison Parker and her cameraman Adam Ward while they were working on a live broadcast near Roanoke, Virginia.

In a statement released on the same day as the killings, Vester's family said:

"It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we express our deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. We are also praying for the recovery of Vicki Gardner," they continued, "Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims' families and the WBDJ7 NEWS family. Words cannot express the hurt that we feel for the victims."

MStars News has been on this news from the beginning, when we first learned that Vester Lee Flanagan II fatally shot reporter Parker, 24, and Ward, 27, around 6:45 am on Wednesday as they conducted a live television interview with chamber of commerce executive Vicki Gardner.

Flanagan, 41, later shot himself when Virginia State Police found him in a rented car on Interstate 66 in northern Virginia. The former reporter and employee of WDBJ was pronounced dead around 1:30 pm, Wednesday.

A friend of the family revealed that Flanagan's family is asking for privacy at this time. Amber Bowman attended high school with the shooter and admitted that the killings were shocking. Bowman said: "It's a shock to everyone."

While reporting on this sad story, MStars News also learned that Parker was dating a fellow employee, Chris Hurst. The couple had dated nine months and wanted to get married. Ward was engaged to WDBJ morning producer Melissa Ott. It was her last day working at the station; she had taken another job in Charlotte, North Carolina.

MStars News is continuing to pray for the family, friends, and victims involved.