USA postpones 'Mr Robot' finale after Virginia shooting

USA Network announced Wednesday it is postponing the season finale of hacker drama Mr. Robot out of respect to the victims of a deadly shooting in Virginia.

The network issued a statement hours before the episode was scheduled to air.

"The previously filmed season finale of Mr. Robot contains a graphic scene similar in nature to today's tragic events in Virginia," the statement said. "Out of respect to the victims, their families and colleagues, and our viewers, we are postponing tonight's episode. Our thoughts go out to all those affected during this difficult time."

WDBJ reporter Alison Parker, 24, and videographer Adam Ward, 27, were shot dead Wednesday during a live broadcast about 6:45 a.m. at the Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, Va., near Roanoke, Va. Vester L. Flanagan, the suspected shooter and former WDBJ employee, led police on a high-speed chase before dying of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Mr. Robot stars Rami Malek and Christian Slater as computer hackers. The show follows Malek's character, Elliot, a young programmer who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and as a vigilante hacker by night.

"Elliot finds himself at a crossroads when the mysterious leader of an underground hacker group recruits him to destroy the firm he is paid to protect," a synopsis said. "Compelled by his personal beliefs, Elliot struggles to resist the chance to take down the multinational chief executive officers he believes are running -- and ruining -- the world."