Investigation reveals more about Vester Flanagan

Police identified Vester Flanagan as a person of interest in the on-air shootings of reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward near Roanoke, Virginia on Wednesday based on a communication with a friend.

In seeking a search warrant for the car Flanagan was driving Wednesday, Virginia State Police had to give a magistrate in Fauquier County probable cause. "Investigators identified Vestor Lee Flanagan II as a person of interested based on a text message sent to a friend making reference to having done something stupid," police wrote. Flanagan's first name is spelled several different ways in the document.

Police said they put out a lookout for Flanagan and the car was spotted in Fauquier County. "When troopers attempted to stop the vehicle, the subject operating the vehicle failed to yield and was observed to place an object to his head," police wrote. Flanagan shot himself in the head and died at 1:26 p.m. at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

Virginia State Police wrote that Flanagan's offenses included capital murder, first- and second-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, reckless handling of a firearm and disregarding law enforcement. In addition to Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who died early Wednesday, Flanagan shot a third person who survived.

Flanagan sued the station a month after he was fired in early 2013, claiming racial discrimination. Court documents from the lawsuit say the station fired Vester Lee Flanagan for poor performance and an unending stream of conflicts with co-workers.

When Flanagan was fired, he refused to leave and the station called police. New director Dan Dennison wrote that as Flanagan was finally being escorted out, he placed a wooden cross in Dennison's hand and told him, "You'll need this." The documents say cameraman Adam Ward recorded the incident and that Flanagan insults him and flips off the camera.

In the suit, Flanagan, who is black, frequently mentions a watermelon that he saw at the station that he perceived as a racial slur. In a letter to the judge, Flanagan writes, "How heartless can you be? My entire life was disrupted after moving clear across the country for a job only to have my dream turn into a nightmare. ... Your Honor, I am not the monster here."

Flanagan was carrying extra license plates, a wig, sunglasses and a hat when police tried to pull over his rental car.Police obtained the warrant and searched the car after they tried to pull Flanagan over. He ran off the road and shot himself, dying a short time later at a hospital.

Flanagan was traveling with a Glock pistol with multiple magazines and ammunition. He carried a white iPhone, as well as letters, notes, cards and a to-do list. It's not clear what the to-do list said. Police said they found a "briefcase w/3 license plates, wig, shawl, umbrella, sunglasses," as well as a black hat.

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