Five people have been killed after a gunman launched what police called a “targeted attack” at the offices of the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland.
All the victims worked for the newspaper and have been named by police as: Rob Hiaasen, assistant news editor, Gerald Fischman, editorial page editor, Wendi Winters, special publications editor, Rebecca Smith, sales assistant, and John McNamara, staff writer.
The suspect was arrested minutes after the attack began on Thursday without any further exchange of gunfire.
The alleged attacker is a white male from Laurel, Maryland. He has been named by various news outlets as Jarrod W Ramos, aged 38.
Threats that “indicated violence” had been sent via social media earlier in the day, police said. They appeared to target the company rather than specific employees, said the acting police chief, William Krampf.
The suspect used smoke grenades as part of the attack. These were initially reported as being an improvised explosive device.
Four victims died at the scene. One died in hospital, the Anne Arundel county executive, Steve Schuh, said.
Tributes to the victims poured in. The author and journalist Carl Hiaasen, whose brother Rob was killed, told the Washington Post: “I just want people to know what an incredibly gentle, generous and gifted guy my brother was. He was an unforgettably warm and uplifting presence as a father and brother, but he also had dedicated his whole life to journalism.”
Pat Furgurson, a veteran journalist for the Capital Gazette, said: “Something like this might happen in Afghanistan or Iraq or something like that, but you don’t expect it in a sleepy office across the street from a local mall.” He added: “We’re still putting out a newspaper.”
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