Virginia journalist killings were revenge for Charleston, according to apparent manifesto of suspected shooter
A person claiming to be Bryce Williams — aka Vester Lee Flanagan, the suspected shooter who killed two journalists on live television on Wednesday — earlier this morning faxed a 26-page document to ABC News that appears to be a manifesto and confession. The document suggests the shooter killed journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward in revenge for the mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier this summer that killed nine African American churchgoers.
"Why did I do it?" the document reads. "I put down a deposit for a gun on 6/19/15. The Church shooting in Charleston happened on 6/17/15…"
The author goes on, "What sent me over the top was the church shooting. And my hollow point bullets have the victims' initials on them."
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ABC said the manifesto also praises Virginia Tech mass killer Seung Hui Cho, and expresses admiration for the "total amount" murdered by the Columbine High School shooters.
The person also wrote (with ABC's edits): "As for Dylann Roof? You (deleted)! You want a race war (deleted)? BRING IT THEN YOU WHITE…(deleted)!!!" Roof is thought to be the shooter behind the Charleston killings.
In a section labeled "suicide note for friends and family," Williams said that he had suffered racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and bullying for being a gay, black man. "I've been a human powder keg for a while," he wrote, "just waiting to go BOOM!!!!"
ABC said it contacted authorities immediately upon becoming aware of the document.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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