Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly
A Roanoke television station is defending a lawsuit filed by the only survivor of the 2015 on-air shooting that claimed the life of a reporter and cameraman.
The suit, filed in Franklin County Circuit Court, seeks damages for the former head of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce who was injured in the gunfire, The Roanoke Times reports.
Vicki Gardner contends CBS-affiliate WDBJ is liable for negligent hiring and negligent retention of Vester Flanagan, a former reporter for the station who shot and killed two ex-colleagues as they were doing a live interview with Gardner on Aug. 26, 2015. The shooting took the lives of reporter Alison Parker and videographer Adam Ward.
The lawsuit cites prior incidents with Flanagan to support the claim that the station was negligent in hiring him and keeping him on staff through 2013. A Franklin County judge reportedly dismissed the lawsuit in July but allowed filing of an amended complaint.
Gardner is represented by William Stanley of Moneta and WDBJ is represented by attorneys with Harman, Claytor, Corrigan & Wellman in Richmond, the paper said.
