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TV Reporter, Cameraman Killed by Gunman-Virginia

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hachiban08 View Drop Down
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    Posted: August 26 2015 at 6:32am

TV Reporter, Cameraman Killed After Gunman Opens Fire in Virginia

http://abcnews.go.com/US/tv-reporter-camerman-killed-gunman-opens-fire-virginia/story?id=33327920


A shooting on live television has left a reporter and a cameraman dead, according to their news station.

Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, were killed in the field during a live news segment this morning in Moneta, Virginia, according to their station, WDBJ-TV, a CBS affiliate serving the Roanoke-Lynchburg television market.

The Franklin County sheriff confirmed that it is considered an active-shooter situation and the suspect, who is believed to be male, is not in custody at this time.

The incident was reported at 6:45 a.m. and schools in the surrounding area have been placed on lock down, according to a Facebook post from Bedford County Public Schools.

The shooting itself took place at Bridgewater Plaza, a recreational facility with shops, restaurants, a mini golf course and boat rentals.

WDBJ president and general manager Jeffrey A. Marks went on air this morning confirming the two deaths and noting that both victims were in relationships with other staffers at the station.

He said it was his "very very sad duty" to report their deaths, and noted that the shooting is under investigation. "We have other members of the team with us today holding back tears, frankly," Marks said.

Marks said Parker was a graduate of James Madison University, while Ward was a Virginia Tech graduate.

Marks and the anchors confirmed on air that Ward's fiancee was a morning producer at the station who was celebrating her last day at work today before starting a new job. Parker reportedly brought in balloons as part of the celebration before going out for the fatal live report.

The station is owned by Schurz Communications of South Bend, Indiana.




Stay safe out there members in the Virginias! Yesterday, W.V. had a hostage situation at a high school, and now today, this. Three juveniles were stabbed down the road from my apartment near my new school in Southern California, two days ago.  To me, it feels like things tend to pop off right around the start and end of every school year. :/

Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 7:06am
How horrible!  I saw the live video of them being shot.  Just terrible.  So sad.  You could see the shooter from about he knee down as he walked by the camera laying on the ground.  I hope they catch him.  I wonder if terror was his motive or something about the woman being interviewed or the project they were talking about.  If I had to guess I think he just took opportunity to cause terror on live TV... but then again how would he know if it was live or pre-recorded... just thinking out loud.  How terrible for their families though. :(
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 7:24am
I feel similar, Jen. Like it might have been a chance to commit terror live, but the woman being interviewed is a part of the Chamber of Commerce so I wonder if it was a hit out on her as well. She's in surgery after being shot in the back. He might have went after the other two to try and ahut down the recording. He made himself shown though anyway. I saw the video  as well. I also heard the female reporter was close to my age and the cameraman as well. Hopefully they catch him soon. I feel for the families of those lost.





*side note, is anyone else having trouble posting and typing by mobile device? *
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 7:34am
I'm on PC right now Hachi, but I'm not surprised.  I still have to sign in every time I come here it will not retain my cookies info.  I've tried using a different browser.  I've just given up trying & resigned myself to signing in if I want to post or have to remove spam (which I did this morning) but if I'm just here to read then I just stay anonymous.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Albert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 7:47am
Crazy stuff.   Parental discretion advised.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:13am
Someone got a great still of the guy. Saw this on FB.





EDIT: I'm on my ipad now & yes Hachi I'm having issues. The reply form is not the same & can't post pics.

Here's the guy via news website:
http://wtvr.com/2015/08/26/camera-captures-image-of-shooter-who-killed-va-news-crew/
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:17am
Picture isn't showing, Jen. They are looking for a former employee named Vester L. Flanagan now.  must be the guy from the still. http://m.kcra.com/national-news/virginia-tv-crew-involved-in-shooting/34924526?utm_campaign=KCRA%203&utm_medium=FBPAGE&utm_source=Social
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:21am
Authorities believe the gunman who killed two WDBJ journalists may be a disgruntled WDBJ employee
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:22am
Yeah I couldn't get the pic to work. Thanks for adding his name. I heard they were in a chase with him then I heard that wasn't true. Hope they get him.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:23am
He went by a second name on aire Bryce Williams.  yeah mobile is hard to work with. Some people said he posted video on his own twitter,  but that's still hearsay
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:28am
Twitter suspended the account of the person according to news sources.
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:40am
ABC News said someone claiming to be him faxed them a 23 pg manuscript, which they gave to police.
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:45am
Love the updates! Thanks Hachi
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Albert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:46am
Here's a video taken by the sick gunman himself.   Hope they do the same to him.  Poor woman. 






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:56am
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 8:58am
These poor families. I hope they can find peace, at least he's dead. Little consolation.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 9:01am
That last video is brutal! Oh my goodness. I believe in Hell so I hope he rots in it.
Mark 9:44
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 9:13am
Some slight mixed reporting going on now. Some say he's dead and some say critical. More say dead though. I wonder which is true.
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 9:14am
Yeah I just saw the same. Who knows there were people arguing on one News post that the Chamber of Commerce lady was dead. But everything I see is that she's critical was in surgery.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 9:16am
I watched a Fox News report they were interviewing someone at that station & they were saying he was very difficult to work with.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 9:21am
Seems he used to work in San Francisco, as well. Maybe in a half hour everyone will be on the same page about his outcome.
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Satori Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 9:30am


Virginia Reporter, Photographer Killed During Live TV Report; "Disgruntled Employee" Gunman Tweets Attack, Shoots Himself


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-08-26/caught-tape-virginia-reporter-photographer-killed-during-live-tv-report


"Vester Lee Flanagan - aka Bryce Williams - the gunman who killed two journalists during a live broadcast in Virginia has attempted suicide and is "in a very critical condition", media report."



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 9:33am
If he shot himself in the head I doubt he'll make it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2015 at 11:24am
Abc News and GMA say he's deceased now per officials. I think they might be doing a conference about it.
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Albert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2015 at 10:47am
Here's one for you.  They're calling it a hoax.  I apologize if this conspiracy theory offends anyone.






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Albert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2015 at 10:49am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Albert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2015 at 10:52am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2015 at 12:54pm
They love crying out false flag for everything. They need to stop being so dismissive of tragedy.  It gets old so fast. It also discredits the deceased and injured. :/
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote onefluover Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2015 at 3:49pm
Edited. Sad.
"And then there were none."
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Albert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2015 at 6:07pm
I agree that this is all dishonoring them.  It would help if Hurst and the father weren't pushing their political agenda's within hours after the shooting.  They should have been grieving, and telling about the type of person Allison Parker was, etc... Those two nutjobs seem to be more concerned with gun control then poor Allison Parker, and they have created a lot of suspicion with their lack of caring.   Sometimes activists like that can be so fanatical that they lose touch with reality, and in this case, the tragic loss of life.   None of this would be happening if it wasn't for Hurst and the father.   The colleagues at the news station were devastated and very sad. Still not sure what the deal with Hurst and the father is.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2015 at 7:42pm
Yeah, they shouldn't have politicized their deaths. That alone ruined their memory. The media also keeps emphasizing the killer, which as usual triggers more short term fame seekers. Gun control won't change a thing because it's not as hard as people think it is to get black market guns. Especially if they live in areas with huge gun running endeavors. If anything, gun control just makes law abiding citizens have to become criminals to protect their families.

I am not that big on guns, prefer edged weapons and martial arts. Even still, I know and accept that it's too late for gun control. We need to fix our mental illness though. It's not too late for that, especially in certain communities. I can attest that the discussion of mental health is mostly frowned upon in the African-American community, and it shouldn't be. We shouldn't fear or treat the mentally ill like second class citizens, but provide as much resources as possible so the stigma goes away and they get their help.

If media stops glamorizing criminals, that could even help a tad bit too.

Sorry, got a little soapboxy (not a real word).  Hurst is the boyfriend, right?
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technophobe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2015 at 2:03am
I could not agree more, Hatchi'.  If you control guns you take them away from the law abiding citizens, but leave them in the hands of criminals just the same.  -  My only concession would be a doctor's signature stating the person was not being treated for a psychiatric disorder.

Soapboxy might not be a word, but it should be.  The world needs such words: along with "niffle" (to steal in small quantities or consume quickly) and "steatophrygia" (the condition of having too much fat about the buttocks).  The first being applicable often in student lodgings, the second in my household - and the rest of the western world.  There, I am being soapboxy.
How do you tell if a politician is lying?
His lips or pen are moving.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2015 at 1:08pm
I agree with all of you. I was kind of shocked when the dad came out so quick. I guess that's how he deals with his grief though. It's not helping anyone though. Yes you could see the staff at the news station were devastated. That's the way to do it, show your grief, remember the person, put up highlights, talk about them, relay funny stories. That's what makes American's feel that person's life... as soon as you bring an agenda into it, people turn off & forget & move on.

I hate these conspiracies. How believable is it that these two bright & beautiful people established life long residence in this town & built careers on tv & now pretend to be dead... what next... give up their lives & move off somewhere... for what reason? Makes no sense what so ever. I've never been more angry with fellow Repubs than when "some" of them bought into the Sandy Hook conspiracy... that it never happened. How could you dishonor these little babies & their parents by dismissing their lives & loss of their lives. I had a couple family members post some pro "never happened" stuff on facebook & I shamed them as hard as I could.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2015 at 1:21pm
Those videos think they are pointing out some major gotcha discrepancies... when really there's a couple typos & some early reporting mistaken locations. And so what if they did active shooter training earlier in the week??? What is that suppose to prove? Maybe I'm just dumb but I don't see the revelation.

These people give pro 2nd Amendment people a bad name.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hachiban08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2015 at 5:24pm
The doctor's signing off on medical clearance could be a start, Techno. Kind of like how they do when people have seizures and they have a driving hold. Some doctors pretend like it didn't happen though. A few years ago, I had two seizures due to medicine I was given, and they never gave me a driving hold (even though I didn't have a car then, I did have a driver's license). The main issue is having a doctor that's professional enough to do that.

Side note: We call shoplifting a "five-fingered discount" around here as a colloquial term.


I know how you feel, Jen. Some of my friends are becoming tin foil hat types. I like reading about conspiracy theories, have been since I was about 10ish. However, even then, I am a major skeptic when it comes to them. I like to fact check once, twice, and a few more times before I post anything online. Most my friends post the first thing they see even when it's obviously fake.
Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jen147 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2015 at 8:50pm
Virginia shooting conspiracy theories debunked

September 2, 2015 by Craig Charles 0 Comments

Once again the conspiracy theorists have come from underneath the woodwork to proclaim that the Virginia shooting that saw two journalists murdered on live TV was entirely faked, or as is the common term, a “false flag” event.

And once again despite the plethora of promises of “concrete evidence” and “damning proof” we are again offered bizarre and often incomprehensible nonsense about crisis actors, misunderstandings about social media time stamps and inexplicable “continuity errors” that not only spectacularly fail to serve as evidence for anything, in most cases fail to make any sense on even the most basic of levels.

Yes, again we find ourselves drudging through absolute nonsense from people who believe that no shooting that garners mainstream media attention ever really happens, and the US government are continually staging shooting incidents in order to justify stricter gun control laws in the United States.

As usual this piece isn’t going to convince any die hard conspiracy theorist already “down the rabbit hole” that the shooting wasn’t staged. Given the irrational nature of the below claims, any notion of a logical through process is sadly lacking from such people and thus it stands to reason that any logical or common sense analysis of the incident will simply be lost on those who can no longer reason without the presence of extreme paranoia and distrust of essentially everybody in an authoritative or media related position. But for those who have asked us for a debunk of some of the more popular claims, here we are.

Whilst not an exhaustive compilation of the conspiracy claims by any means, here are some of the popular claims made by conspiracy theorists regarding the Virginia shooting of two journalists, Alison Parker and Adam Ward.

The article contains no footage of the shooting.

Andy Parker is an actor



The staple part of any truther conspiracy theory of late is the use of crisis actors. Those who work for the government to play key parts of any fake shooting event. In this case most hoax videos point to Andy Parker.

Andy Parker is indeed an actor. He has appeared in a number of Broadway shows, and this information is available to anyone capable of doing an Internet search. Curiously, many with YouTube videos point to this being an indication of him being a crisis actor and thus pointing the finger to a staged event. Why anyone staging a fake shooting would use a crisis actor with a public record of acting is left unexplained by those making the accusations. It isn’t proof – nor even an indication – of anything.

Chris Hurst posted tweet before the shooting

A screenshot of a tweet from Christ Hurst tweeting about the shooting at 6.34am is used as proof the shooting must have been staged, with the claim that the powers that be accidentally posted about the shooting before the shooting takes place, at 6.45am.

This is easily explained since the screenshot of the tweet was taken from a different time zone than that of which Hurst posted it. When viewed from the correct time zone, Eastern Time Zone, it is clear the tweet was made at 9.30am, hours after the shooting occurred. You can check for yourself by changing your Twitter time zone in your main settings.



The tweet would show a different time stamp depending on your time zone settings on Twitter.


Why didn’t they notice the shooter?

A common claim amongst conspiracy theorists is that the three victims never saw the shooter approach. In fact upon close inspection of the video it is likely that they did. When performing a live broadcast, it is not uncommon for people to walk close to the cameraman or reporter, possibly out of curiosity or to even make a nuisance of themselves.

One only need to look at a news blooper reel on YouTube to see how many times this can occur and that typically the reporter will simply ignore those who do and continue with their jobs focusing on the camera or the interviewee, and this is what we’re seeing in this case.

A still of the video shows that Alison Parker did briefly look towards the shooter – now identified as Vester Flanagan – from the corner of her eye. However it would be impossible to determine if she recognised him, and unlikely that she saw a gun since at that moment it was presumably down at his side (it wasn’t in view of the camera at that point.)

Thus to use this to back up the claim that the shooting was staged is nonsensical. In fact it could be argued that if one was to stage a shooting, one would orchestrate a more convenient and less visible vantage point for the shooter to take that would look less suspicious to the suspicious minds that those arranging a fake shooting would no doubt be more than aware exist.

How does Alison Parker run away is she’s been shot?

Life isn’t a Hollywood movie, as we’ve explained during previous debunkings. Whilst many unfamiliar with real life shootings may be expecting something more akin to the latest Rambo movie, real life does not play out that way.

Being shot doesn’t necessarily result in graphic bloody injuries and the victim falling lifelessly to the floor straight after the bullet strikes. If Parker was indeed struck by one of the initial shots that were caught on camera, it is perfectly normal for someone to be able to react in a similar way as if the shot had missed. Other footage of gun crime elsewhere often illustrates people continuing to – for example – run away, even after being shot multiple times. Even if they have been shot in the head.

The shooters hand is white and his jacket changes colour half way through the video

Why, when staging a video, would those behind it use a person of a different ethnicity to perpetrate the hoax and get him to change his clothes half way through the staged event?

This is certainly one of the more bizarre claims and one that only a handful of videos use to illustrate their points. The answer to both questions is simply down to the quality of the video and the lighting that will inevitably change as you move around a scene.

Higher quality and enhanced videos show that the shooter was wearing a blue plaid shirt throughout the entire video, and the colour of the hand simply appears lighter when exposed to the daylight as you would expect.

More crisis acting

The assertions that the supposed grieving families and friends do not “react like you’d expect them to” or “seem too happy” or are “not crying enough” is just about as meaningless as it is abhorrent.

Whilst many conspiracy theorist may claim to have some expert level in what constitutes the “correct” way to grieve, the fact is that anyone with substantial expertise in dealing with grief and shock will explain that no one reacts in the same way, and that during the initial hours or days after such a loss, people will experience a variety of emotions, of which many will seem unpredictable.

Taking that fact and the fact that conspiracy theorists seem willing to take frozen image stills or two second clips of those grieving and use those cherry picked moments in an attempt to demonstrate that the person is not grieving but in fact an actor is simply absurd to the highest degree.

Conspiracy theorists – in this regard – think in only two dimensions, and assume that someone who has experienced loss must continually appear sad or crying, when in reality the situation is much more complex.



Devil’s Advocate

To put into perspective how completely absurd the conspiracy claims are, we play devil’s advocate and assume that the hoax theories are correct with their claims, and that the entire incident was staged in order to fool the mass public into thinking it was a genuine shooting.

Orchestrating a fake shooting where one person with a camera sneaks up on three others and begins “shooting” wouldn’t be a particularly hard thing to fake, you would think. At least not for a “black-ops” government outfit, as typically claimed by most theories. We’d assume that if this was orchestrated by shadowy figures within the government, that they’d have certain equipment or apparatus at their disposal to help fool millions of people watching. And that such an outfit would, at the very least, be able to avoid basic continuity errors.

Yet those who spout such conspiracy nonsense want us to believe that, whilst trying to attribute the shooting to a black man, the government inexplicably opted to use a white actor whose hand was clearly visible on camera, and who also changed his clothes half way through the “take”. The conspiracy theorists want you to believe the government employed crisis actors who couldn’t act, and in one case made his acting career public to those capable of doing a Google or Facebook search.

Not only that, but conspiracy theorists would like you to believe that the government also managed to accidentally publish social media posts about the shooting before the shooting. That they paid off or employed an entire new station to keep quiet about “the truth” as well as countless others who would naturally have had to be involved in such a cover up including family members and friends of the journalists and the injured.

And the conspiracy theorists also want you to believe that those behind the hoax – for some unexplained reason – uploaded a second video showing the staged event that would surely increase the chances of providing evidence that the shooting wasn’t real.

All so the US can more than likely get no closer to introducing stricter gun control laws.

If that doesn’t make any sense to you whatsoever, then we’re glad. Because it doesn’t make any sense. It is apparent that fringe conspiracy theorists who continually assert that every shooting in the USA just didn’t happen are increasingly moving away from reality, so much to even isolate themselves from more mainstream conspiracy communities.

Yet the power of social media platforms, video websites like YouTube and the ability to capitalise on trending events like the Virginia shooting still provide them a powerful platform to publish their nonsensical rants, despite those rants continuing their spiraling, ludicrous journey down the rabbit hole of which there is usually so little chance of return.

http://www.thatsnonsense.com/virginia-shooting-conspiracy-theories-debunked/
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