In August 2015, reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward, based in Roanoke, VA, were conducting a live broadcast at Smith Mountain Lake. They were interviewing chamber of commerce director Vicki Gardner when Bryce Williams, a disgruntled former employee recently fired from WDBJ, their station, approached them. Holding a pistol and filming with his cell phone, Williams aimed his gun at both Gardner and Parker before opening fire. The shocking incident, with eight gunshots heard, resulted in Ward’s camera falling to the ground, prompting the studio to cut back to anchors. While both Parker and Ward succumbed to the on-air attack, Gardner survived her injuries. Perhaps more haunting is Williams’ cell phone footage capturing the chilling moment of the shooting.

One of the most renowned on-air deaths occurred when Jack Ruby murdered Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy. This incident unfolded in front of national news cameras broadcasting Oswald’s escort from the Dallas Police Headquarters to an armored car. In a shocking turn of events, Ruby shot Oswald in the gut, instantly causing his death (though the official pronouncement occurred later that day). With millions tuned in to their TV sets the day after President Kennedy’s assassination, Ruby’s actions unfolded on live television.

During a live broadcast of Studio B (now known as Shepherd Smith Reporting) on Fox, news helicopters were tracking a high-speed chase involving Arizona Highway Patrolmen pursuing Jodon F. Romero, a car thief. The chase ended when Romero veered onto a dirt road, exited the stolen vehicle, and ran briefly into the brush before stopping. In a shocking turn of events, Romero pulled out a .45 caliber pistol, placed it against his temple, and took his own life.

Immediately following the incident, Shepherd Smith can be heard yelling, “Get off it, get off it, GET OFF IT!,” urging to cut the live feed. However, the video was on a delay, explaining the delay in Smith’s plea after Romero’s suicide. Following a commercial break, Smith apologized for the graphic nature of the footage.

Allegedly dissatisfied with his HMO coverage, Daniel Jones, a cancer and HIV patient, took a drastic and tragic step. He parked his pickup truck in the middle of an L.A. freeway, ignited the vehicle (with his dog inside), and ended his life by placing a shotgun barrel under his chin and pulling the trigger.

This disturbing incident unfolded during a high-speed chase, initially interrupting the afternoon cartoons of several school children who witnessed the event. The prevalence of minute-by-minute coverage of such events, popularized after O.J. Simpson’s widely televised Bronco chase, prompted some stations to reconsider their approach.

The demise of this British comedian took place during a broadcast of Live from Her Majesty’s, a Sunday night variety show on ITV. While engaged in one of his well-known routines, the comedian, Tommy Cooper, suddenly collapsed into a sitting position. Moments later, his entire body slumped over, creating a chilling scene. The broadcast continued for several more agonizing moments before finally cutting to a commercial break.

The unsettling aspect of this incident lies in the fact that everyone, including the audience, initially thought the fall was part of Cooper’s act. The most disturbing element is the laughter echoing through the crowd as Cooper slowly succumbed to his death. While the audience had no way of knowing the severity of the situation in real-time, the retrospectively unsettling contrast between laughter and the unfolding tragedy is poignant.

Writer, orator, and academic M.N. Vijayan passed away due to cardiac arrest during a live conference at the Thrissur press club. His on-air death sparked controversy, not primarily because of the disturbing nature of the video, but because some suspected that the severe heart attack Vijayan experienced might have been triggered intentionally by bringing him to the second floor.

Critics also pointed out that Vijayan was transported to a hospital that was farther away, rather than opting for a closer medical facility near the press club.

Inejiro Asanuma, a prominent politician and leader of the Japan Socialist Party, met a tragic end during a nationally televised debate. A 17-year-old militant nationalist named Otoya Yamaguchi stormed the stage and fatally stabbed Asanuma with a traditional samurai sword. The blade pierced Asanuma through the ribs, causing instant death.

The assassination left a profound impact, shocking and enraging many Japanese citizens. In response, there were widespread “mass demonstrations for peace and order” as the nation grappled with the consequences of this violent event.

One of the most unforgettable moments on live television occurred when major news networks broadcasted the World Trade Towers in New York City, showing a massive column of smoke from the north tower. Initially thought to be an accidental crash, the situation took a horrific turn as a second plane crashed into the south tower, causing a massive explosion. The fear and panic in reporters’ voices reflected the realization that New York City was under attack. While it may seem like just a plane hitting a building in retrospect, it’s essential to remember the countless lives lost, both on the planes and inside the buildings.

On October 3, 2005, Italian football manager Franco Scoglio tragically passed away during a live discussion on a Genoa TV station with Genoa president Enrico Preziosi. As Preziosi responded to one of Scoglio’s comments, Scoglio lost consciousness and slumped over in his chair, succumbing to a fatal heart attack on live television. Describing the sudden incident, the TV channel Primocanale noted, “Suddenly he was taken ill, his head leaning backward, his breathing more and more difficult.” Scoglio, the manager of the Tunisia and Libya teams, was 64 years old.

Despite the inherent risks in Formula One racing, the death of racing legend Ayrton Senna on May 1, 1994, remains profoundly shocking. The three-time Formula One champion fatally crashed his car during the San Marino Grand Prix while leading the race.

Senna’s car collided with a concrete barrier, resulting in his instant death. The tragic incident occurred a day after another driver, Roland Ratzenberger, lost his life in a crash during the qualifying round. These fatalities marked a pivotal moment for the safety of Formula One racing.

The Italian Supreme Court eventually ruled mechanical failure as the cause of Senna’s fatal accident.

On July 7, 2011, during a Rangers game at Arlington Stadium, tragedy struck when Shannon Stone, attending the game with his son, attempted to catch a foul ball thrown into the crowd by outfielder Josh Hamilton. Stone leaned over the railing, lost his balance, and fell approximately 20 feet onto the concrete below. In the video, the announcers initially chuckled, assuming he would be okay.

Despite appearing fine initially, the 39-year-old Stone fell headfirst out of the stands. He repeatedly inquired about his son as medical personnel attended to him. While being transported in the ambulance to the hospital, Stone suffered a full cardiac arrest and tragically lost his life.

Christine Chubbuck, a troubled TV reporter, took her own life on live television during her morning show, Suncoast Digest. Struggling with depression and frustration over her station’s focus on violent news, Chubbuck researched suicide methods for a supposed awareness-raising piece. On the morning of her death, she looked into the camera, announced an “attempted suicide” in line with her station’s sensationalism, and shot herself with a .38 caliber revolver. The footage was given to her family and is said to no longer exist.

Robert Budd Dwyer was a Pennsylvania politician who served as the State Treasurer. In a shocking and tragic event, he took his own life during a live press conference on January 22, 1987. Facing charges of bribery, conspiracy, fraud, and racketeering, Dwyer professed his innocence throughout the legal proceedings.

During the press conference, Dwyer handed out sealed envelopes to his staff and then pulled a .357 Magnum revolver from a bag. With TV cameras rolling, he uttered his final words and tragically took his own life in front of the gathered audience. The incident remains a highly publicized and disturbing moment in American political history.

Owen Hart, less known than his brother Bret “The Hitman” Hart but a respected figure in professional wrestling, tragically lost his life on May 23, 1999. As part of a live Pay-per-View event, Over the Edge, at a Kansas City arena, Hart’s planned entrance involved rappelling from the venue’s rafters. Unfortunately, his harness malfunctioned, causing him to fall approximately 80 feet and land chest-first on the ring’s top rope. The impact severed his aorta, leading to rapid bleeding and his tragic death within minutes.

In the aftermath, the confused crowd hushed as an ambulance was called over the intercom. TV broadcasters “broke the fourth wall,” informing viewers that Hart’s fall was not part of the planned entertainment for the evening. The incident stands as a somber moment in the history of professional wrestling.

On August 23, 2010, a former Philippine police officer, disgruntled over perceived injustice, hijacked a tourist bus in Manila with 25 people on board, including visitors from Hong Kong. Seeking to plead his case, he took hostages armed with an assault rifle and a .45-caliber handgun. The situation gained international attention as TV stations broadcast it live.

A SWAT team arrived, and negotiations, including the gunman’s brother, ensued. Demanding his brother’s release, the hostage-taker began executing hostages. After killing a tour guide, he targeted others. Amidst the chaos, the driver escaped and mistakenly informed police that “everyone is dead.” During the intervention, the gunman opened fire, resulting in a tragic and poorly handled hostage crisis.

The Olympic massacre unfolded during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. On September 5, 1972, members of the Palestinian group Black September took 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage in the Olympic Village.

Demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, the terrorists initially took hostages inside their quarters. Despite attempts by German authorities to negotiate, the crisis culminated in a failed rescue attempt at the Fürstenfeldbruck airbase on September 6, resulting in the deaths of all 11 Israeli hostages, a German police officer, and five of the eight terrorists.

Victor Barrio was a Spanish professional bullfighter who tragically lost his life in the arena. On July 9, 2016, during a bullfight in Teruel, Spain, Barrio was fatally gored by a bull named Lorenzo. The incident occurred when Barrio tripped and fell during a maneuver, and the bull’s horn pierced his chest.

Despite immediate medical attention, including emergency surgery in the arena’s infirmary, Barrio succumbed to his injuries. His death marked a somber moment in the world of bullfighting and reignited debates about the dangers and ethical implications of the sport.

Karst Roeland Tates is indeed known for carrying out an attack on the Dutch royal family. On April 30, 2009, during Queen’s Day celebrations in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, Tates drove his car into a crowd gathered to see the royal family on a parade route. His intention was to target an open-topped bus carrying Queen Beatrix and other members of the royal family.

However, Tates missed the bus and crashed into a monument, resulting in his own death and injuring several bystanders. The Queen and other members of the royal family were unharmed. The incident shocked the Netherlands and led to increased security measures during public events involving the royal family.