Slain TV reporter, cameraman had become local celebrities - San Jose Mercury News
The two young journalists were killed on live television Wednesday by a disgruntled former reporter they once worked with at WDBJ-TV. The chilling images of Parker running away were captured on Ward's camera as he fell to the ground. Like young journalists across the country, the pair was eager for a story, chomping at the bit to cover big news and active on social media. In Roanoke, the nation's 67th largest media market, Parker and Ward were also something else: hometown kids who became local celebrities. They were also part of a close-knit family of TV station employees who watched the killings unfold on the air and grieved publicly. Her last day was supposed to be Wednesday because she had accepted a new job at a station in Charlotte, North Carolina. Parker, 24, was dating Chris Hurst, an anchor at the station. The couples attended ball games and local restaurants together, documenting their lives with photos and comments on social media. It's one that requires, I think, a sense of camaraderie, and I think we have that here," Hurst said. Parker and Ward worked as a team for the station's "Mornin'" show, a time-slot where many broadcast journalists get their start. Source: www.mercurynews.com
