Picking Up The Pieces: Virginia Shooter Vester Flanagan’s Family Apologizes For Tragic Killings

Vester Flanagan’s Family Offers Prayers And Apology For Tragic Shooting

These folks have to feel heartbroken and embarrassed…

Via NYDailyNews

The family of on-air murderer Vester Lee Flanagan II apologized for his killings Wednesday, as others from the ex-reporter’s past showed their shock at how the well-spoken man known as “Little Vester” snapped.

“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness we express our deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward,” Amber Bowen, a representative for Flangan’s family, said in a statement to media in Vallejo, Calif.

“We are praying for the recovery of Vicki Gardner (the third shooting victim). Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims’ families and the WDBJ television station family.”

Flanagan’s disturbed past emerged after he shot three people on live TV Wednesday morning, killing two of his former colleagues from the Roanoke news station WDBJ, before he posted his own video of the killings and fatally shot himself during a manhunt.

Flanagan’s former coworkers at WDBJ and other stations remembered him as an impossible coworker known for angry outbursts and accusations of racism against coworkers.

Others remember Vester Flanagan in a very different way…

His junior prom date, Lorah Joe of Burbank, told ABC she knew Flanagan as “shy gentleman” and “a different person than the person that we know today.”

Dwayne Barker, who lives across the street from the Oakland, Calif. home of Flanagan’s late mother, told KCBS the killer was “very well-dressed, well-spoken, very polite, honest.”

“I never seen it coming,” Barker, 53, said. “He was very educated. For some reason he snapped.”

Barker, who knew Flanagan as “Little Vester” when he was growing up, said Flanagan was a calm person who grew up “in the closet,” hiding the fact that he is gay.

“He was shunned by certain people because of his sexuality,” Barker said.

In a 23-page fax sent to ABC after the shooting, Flanagan said he was often attacked for being a gay, black man. He also said his murders were a response to the mass shooting at a black church in Charleston, S.C. in June.

R.I.P. to Alison Parker and Adam Ward. We continue to be hopeful that Vicki Gardner makes a full recovery

Image via WDBJ7