Roanoke Reporter Obtains Protective Order
/
Needless to say tensions are high in Roanoke newsrooms these days.
After the on air killing of a WDBJ news crew, everyone in the market is on high alert.
WSLS Reporter Duke Carter was granted a protective order Wednesday against a Franklin County man stemming from a threatening incident just days after the Aug. 26 WDBJ shootings.
Donald "Donnie" Visel Jr. made a shooting motion at Carter while he was reporting in the field, according to court testimony in Montgomery County, where Carter resides.
Based on other court evidence and testimony Wednesday, here's what happened on Saturday, Sept. 5:
Carter said he was working on a story at the Smith Mountain Lake Kroger on a fundraiser for WDBJ shooting survivor Vicki Gardner. WDBJ journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward were killed as a result of the shootings at Bridgewater Plaza at the lake.
Around 11:30 a.m. that day, Carter said he heard a man's voice yelling at him from a nearby truck.
"Hey, Frankie Jupiter," the man, later identified as Visel, yelled at Carter.
Jupiter is a former WDBJ reporter.
Carter said he was confused by the comment, ignored Visel, and continued filming his shot.
"I thought, he must be talking to the Channel 7 (WDBJ) guy who was filming next to me," Carter said.
But again, the voice rang out at Carter, yelling "Frankie Jupiter!"
Carter said he eventually realized the man was trying to get his attention, and Carter said he responded, "I"m not Frankie Jupiter."
Visel, 28, who had been circling the parking lot said to him, "Oh, you're right. You're dead," and then proceeded to make a shooting motion with his hands directly at Carter.
"I was frozen in fear," Carter said. "This was the exact same road where Alison and Adam were shot."
Parker and Ward were gunned down on live television by a former WDBJ employee. The shooting has news organizations reexamining security policies for television crews in the field.
For Carter, Visel's actions were deemed as a serious threat toward him.
"All of the news journalists in the area were on high alert," Carter said.
Roanoke Police confirmed that extra patrol officers were sent to WSLS on Sept. 5, prompted by the incident.
Carter said he decided to seek a protective order against Visel because no criminal charges were pressed.
