First-degree murder charges were filed Friday against a man with a grudge against Maryland鈥檚 capital newspaper after police said he shot his way into the newsroom, killing four journalists and a staffer and wounding two others.
Jarrod Warren Ramos was swiftly arrested, interrogated and jailed pending a 10:30 a.m. hearing in Annapolis. No defence attorney was listed in online court records, but one note suggests he could be represented by a public defender. Another classifies him as 鈥渞ecalcitrant.鈥� Investigators said earlier that he was unco-operative.
Acting Police Chief William Krampf of Anne Arundel County said the gunman 鈥渓ooked for his victims鈥� Thursday in the newsroom of The Capital Gazette in Annapolis. 鈥淭his person was prepared today to come in, this person was prepared to shoot people,鈥� Krampf said.
Ramos, 38, has a well-documented history of harassing the paper鈥檚 journalists that began years ago after the Gazette reported about his criminal conviction in a harassment case.
The attack began with a shotgun blast that shattered the glass entrance of the open newsroom. Journalists crawled under desks and sought other hiding places, describing agonizing minutes of terror as they heard his footsteps and the repeated blasts of the weapons. Police said he also was armed with smoke grenades.
It鈥檚 unclear what immediate motivation the gunman may have had. Investigators were reviewing his social media postings and searching his apartment in Laurel, Maryland, searching for clues.
鈥淭he shooter has not been very forthcoming, so we don鈥檛 have any information yet on motive,鈥� Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh said.
Those killed included Rob Hiaasen, 59, the paper鈥檚 assistant managing editor and brother of novelist Carl Hiaasen. Carl Hiaasen said he was 鈥渄evastated and heartsick鈥� at losing his brother, 鈥渙ne of the most gentle and funny people I鈥檝e ever known.鈥� Also slain were Gerald Fischman, editorial page editor; features reporter Wendi Winters; reporter John McNamara, and sales assistant Rebecca Smith. The newspaper said two other employees had non-life threatening injuries and were later released from a hospital.
鈥淭here is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you鈥檙e under your desk and then hear the gunman reload,鈥� tweeted Phil Davis, the paper鈥檚 courts and crime reporter. In a later interview appearing on the paper鈥檚 online site, Davis likened the newspaper office to a 鈥渨ar zone.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 a police reporter. I write about this stuff 鈥� not necessarily to this extent, but shootings and death 鈥� all the time,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut as much as I鈥檓 going to try to articulate how traumatizing it is to be hiding under your desk, you don鈥檛 know until you鈥檙e there and you feel helpless.鈥�
In this frame from video, people leave the Capital Gazette newspaper after multiple people have been shot on Thursday, June 28, 2018, in Annapolis, Md. (WJLA via AP)
Reporter Selene San Felice told CNN she was at her desk but ran after hearing shots, only to find a back door locked. She then watched as a colleague was shot, adding she didn鈥檛 glimpse the gunman.
鈥淚 was breathing really loud and was trying not to, but I couldn鈥檛 be quiet,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to need more than 鈥榯houghts and prayers.鈥欌��
The reporter recalled a June 2016 mass shooting attack on Orlando鈥檚 gay nightclub Pulse and how terrified people crouching inside had texted loved ones as dozens were killed. Said San Felice, 鈥淎nd there I was sitting under a desk, texting my parents and telling them I loved them.鈥�
Police spokesman Lt. Ryan Frashure said officers arrived within about 60 seconds and took the gunman into custody without an exchange of gunfire. About 170 people were then evacuated from the building, which houses other offices, many leaving with their hands up as police and other emergency vehicles arrived.
The attack came amid months of verbal and online attacks on the 鈥渇ake news media鈥� from politicians and others from President Donald Trump on down. It prompted New York City police to immediately tighten security at news organizations in the nation鈥檚 media capital.
At the White House, spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said: 鈥淭here is no room for violence, and we stick by that. Violence is never tolerated in any form, no matter whom it is against.鈥�
The president tweeted: 鈥淢y thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Thank you to all of the First Responders.鈥�
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders added in a tweet: 鈥淪trongly condemn the evil act of senseless violence in Annapolis, MD. A violent attack on innocent journalists doing their job is an attack on every American. Our prayers are with the victims and their friends and families.鈥�
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Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said the community is grieving.
鈥淭hese are the guys that come to city council meetings, have to listen to boring politicians and sit there,鈥� Buckley said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 make a lot of money. It鈥檚 just immoral that their lives should be in danger.鈥�
The newspaper is part of Capital Gazette Communications, which also publishes the Maryland Gazette and CapitalGazette.com. It is owned by The Baltimore Sun.
The Associated Press Media Editors promised to help Capital Gazette journalists as they recover. An APME statement called on newspapers nationwide to help the paper continue its community coverage and fight for freedom of the press.
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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Michael Balsamo in Los Angeles contributed to this story.
Brian Witte, The Associated Press
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