License plate reader led police to man who killed reporter, cameraman

The man who authorities said infamously killed two Virginia television journalists Wednesday was tracked down by police via license plate reader technology, according to law enforcement.

A Virginia state trooper told a news conference Wednesday that she hit Vester Lee Flanagan's plate number on her first try along Interstate 66 around 11:20am ET. "As soon as it was entered, it came up with a positive hit that that vehicle just passed me less than three minutes earlier," she said. "I let my dispatch know that the vehicle has passed me and I attempted to catch up with the vehicle, which was travelling eastbound on 66."

Moments later, police tried to stop the Chevrolet the man was driving. The vehicle drove off the road and crashed, and Flanagan, who also went by Bryce Williams, was discovered to have shot himself. He later died of his self-inflicted injuries.