Roanoke, August 27 (RHC)-- In the U.S. state of Virginia, vigils have been held for two journalists who were fatally shot on live television during the morning broadcast Wednesday of the local news station WDBJ in Roanoke.

Twenty-four-year-old broadcast journalist Alison Parker and 27-year-old cameraman Adam Ward died after suspected gunman Vester Flanagan opened fire. Flanagan was a former journalist at the station who was fired two years ago. He also went by the name Bryce Williams.

After the shooting, he allegedly faxed a 23-page letter to ABC News saying, "I’ve been a human powder keg for a while...just waiting to go BOOM!!!!" Flanagan was an African-American and the letter cited racial grievance at WDBJ and several other stations. The letter also said the Charleston shooting was "the tipping point" and that he had put down a deposit for a gun two days after the massacre.

Police say Vester Flanagan shot himself later Wednesday as they closed in on his car on the Virginia Parkway. He died in the hospital soon after. U.S. President Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and other politicians called for increased gun control in the wake of the shooting.