WATCH ABOVE: Virginia TV reporter’s boyfriend speaks about victim, their relationship
TORONTO – The heartbroken boyfriend of Alison Parker spoke about their relationship and final hours together before she was shot to death live on air in Virginia Wednesday morning.
Chris Hurst, 28, an anchor/reporter with WDBJ7 in Moneta, Va., told reporters Wednesday afternoon that he and Alison started dating after meeting at a Christmas party and had recently moved in together.
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Hurst said they had begun dating Jan. 1 and that he loved her “infinitely.”
“We had just moved in together because we had desires to get married and buy a house together. We needed to move in and cut costs and save money,” he said. “Our schedule was, I anchor the six o’clock and 11 o’clock news, I would come home around midnight, wait for her to get up – she needed to be at work at 3:30 a.m. This morning she had to get up a little extra early to go to Smith Mountain Lake. I made her breakfast, I made her lunch and sent her on her way.”
READ MORE: Tributes pour in for journalists killed during live report
Hurst said he had a habit of asking Parker to send a text when she got to work safely.
“The last thing that she said to me was: ‘goodnight sweet boy.’ The next thing I knew I wake to a phone call. It’s from the station a little after 7 a.m., telling me that there had been a shooting that happened live on television and that I needed to come to the station.”
Police identified the gunman as Vester Lee Flanagan II, 41, who appeared on WDBJ7 as Bryce Williams. Flanagan was later found to be suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he ran his car off the road. He was transported to hospital where he later died.
WATCH: Boyfriend and co-worker of Virginia TV reporter tears up while showing anniversary gift from victim
The Parker family was also left heartbroken following the tragic shooting. In a statement from the family to Entertainment Tonight, family members said they were left “crushed” by the “senseless” act of violence.
“Today we received news that no family should ever hear. Our vivacious, ambitious, smart, engaging, hilarious, beautiful, and immensely talented Alison was taken from the world. This is senseless and our family is crushed.”
Cameraman Adam Ward, 27, was the second victim in the shooting. He had also found love in the newsroom and was engaged to morning producer Melissa Ott.
READ MORE: WDBJ live TV shootings add to growing U.S. gun violence death toll
“To me the love that we had and the love that Adam had for his fiancée, who is the morning show producer, is something that I was envious of before I went into the relationship and thought it was a love that I did not deserve,” said an emotional Hurst.
“She loved me more than anyone else could and I loved her right back in equal measure.”
Hurst showed reporters a photo album Alison had put together for their six month anniversary.
“These photos are just photos of her. The most beautiful woman that I have ever met, someone I never thought would love me for me and she did,” Hurst said holding back tears. “She is inside and out the most beautiful woman I have ever met and I was lucky enough to call her my girlfriend.”
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