Barack Obama's spoken about the fatal shooting of two employees from a Virginia TV station - describing their deaths as "heartbreaking".

The gunman was a disgruntled former colleague who later killed himself.

Reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were in the middle of a report when they were shot dead.

The US President says the incident's part of a nationwide problem with gun violence:

Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, of CBS affiliate WDBJ, died at the scene of the attack during an interview in Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta.

The suspect, Vester Lee Flanagan, was pursued by authorities in a highway car chase before veering off the road in his rented Chevrolet Sonic and crashing.

The 41-year-old was later pronounced dead in hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, state police said.

A recording of the broadcast at Bridgewater Plaza shopping centre showed the camera dropping to the ground as gunfire rang out.

The programme cut back to the studio where Kimberly McBroom, anchorwoman of the Mornin' newscast, was sitting in shock.

An image from the broadcast showed the gunman standing over the camera and pointing his weapon down.

Flanagan, who was fired by WDBJ in 2013 after workplace disputes, posted a horrifying video of the shooting to social media.