PHOTO: People bring flowers and candles to a memorial for the two journalists that were killed.
The community of Roanoke in Virginia is in mourning following the shooting of a local
television reporter and cameraman
during a live broadcast.
WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were shot by their former colleague Vester Flanagan on Wednesday morning (local time)at Bridgewater Plaza in the town of Moneta, Virginia.
The gunman shot himself as he was attempting to evade police and later died in hospital.
Businesswoman Vicki Gardner, who was being interviewed at the time, was critically injured during the incident.
Staff at the WDBJ station that employed the two victims, Parker and Ward, took a moment on air during Thursday's early morning broadcast to reflect and remember their colleagues, who were reporting on a "happy event" of the anniversary of a local lake when they were shot.
The presenters held hands as they spoke of Parker and Ward's final assignment.
"It was a conversation with Vicki Gardner about about another reason why we love living here when the peacefulness of our community was shattered," one of the presenters said.
"As we approach that moment we want to pause and reflect, and we want to share with you, once again, what made these two so special not just to us but to all of our hometowns WDBJ serves."
Earlier, on Wednesday evening (local time) people gathered near Smith Mountain Lake to sing and light candles for the WMDJ crew.
Relatives of Flanagan, 41, have passed on their condolences to the families of the victims.
A spokeswoman read a statement from the family at one of the local vigils.
"It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we express our deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward," the spokeswoman said.
"We are also praying for the recovery of Vicki Gardner.
"Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victims' families."
PHOTO: WDBJ7 journalist Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were killed in an on-air attack by Vester Flanagan.
WDBJ general manager Jeffrey Marks said Parker and Ward were "both in love with other members of the team" at the station.
"I am numb," Parker's boyfriend, WDBJ anchor Chris Hurst, said on Twitter.
"We were together almost nine months. It was the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married."
Mr Marks said Flanagan had worked for WDBJ and then about two years ago, managers "had to separate him from the company", adding that they knew he still lived in the area.
Flanagan had sued another station where he worked in Florida, alleging he had been discriminated against because he was black.
Media watchdog group Reporters without Borders said initial reports seemed to indicate the reporters "were personally targeted in an act of revenge and not because of their jobs".
PHOTO: Parker's boyfriend Chris Hurst (right) and station's general manager Jeffrey Marks speak with NBC's Today Show outside of the offices for WDBJ7
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