Staffers at a Virginia TV station have held a minute of on-air silence for two of their colleagues who were killed on Wednesday, exactly 24 hours after their deaths.

Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, were killed while filming a live-to-air interview for WDBJ7’s morning show at about 6.45am (local time).

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On Thursday, anchor Kimberly McBroom held a minute of silence, accompanied by weatherman Leo Hirsbrunner and co-anchor Steve Grant, who came in from sister station KYTV in Springfield, Missouri.

“Joining hands here on the desk, it’s the only way to do it,” Ms McBroom said.

“They were part of our family here at the station.”

Ms McBroom was in the studio on Wednesday when the incident happened and reacted with confused shock when the camera suddenly cut back to the studio from the on-site broadcast.

Gunman and former WDBJ employee Vester Lee Flanagan, also known as Bryce Williams, filmed the shooting of the reporter and cameraman, fleeing the scene only to be caught by Virginia state police after his car ran off the road.

Flanagan’s family expressed their “deepest condolences” to Ms Parker and Mr Ward’s loved ones.

“We are also praying for the recovery of Vicki Gardner [also shot in Flanagan’s attack], our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victim’s families,” one family member said on BBC News.