Aug. 26 (Reuters): Two television journalists were shot and killed in Virginia today in an attack during a live early-morning broadcast, and authorities said the suspected gunman was a former employee of the TV station.

The suspect, 41-year-old Vester Flanagan, shot and wounded himself several hours later as police pursued him on a Virginia highway, police said.

The two journalists who were killed were reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman, Adam Ward, 27, who worked for CBS affiliate WDBJ7 in Roanoke, Virginia. The woman they were interviewing was wounded in the shooting.

Police said Flanagan was in life-threatening condition.

The on-air shooting occurred at about 1045GMT during an interview for the morning news programme at Bridgewater Plaza, a Smith Mountain Lake recreation site with restaurants, shops, boating and arcades and holiday rentals.

The broadcast was abruptly interrupted by the sound of shots as Parker and the woman being interviewing screamed and ducked for cover.

Hours after the shooting, someone claiming to have filmed it posted video online that appeared to be from shooter's vantage point. The videos were posted to a Twitter account and on Facebook.