Burbank woman who went to prom with Vester Flanagan reacts to Virginia shooting

BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- A Burbank woman says she's sick to her stomach after learning the man she went to junior prom with, Vester Flanagan, is responsible for the fatal shooting of a WDBJ-TV news crew in Virginia.

In an exclusive interview with ABC7 Eyewitness News, Lorah Joe said that in school, Flanagan was a "shy gentleman."

Joe said she was shocked to learn Flanagan fatally shot a news reporter and photographer, and injured a third person, sparking ongoing national live coverage of the event and several social media hashtags, including #WDBJ and #VirginiaShooting.

"It almost feels a bit numbing because you don't think this would ever happen," Joe said. "I knew him as a different person."

Joe says Flanagan never displayed anger problems growing up. She described him as friendly, always laughing and joking around.