Terror in newsroom plays out on Twitter
A series of tweets from the staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md., reveal the horror as a gunman moved through the building, killing five people:
Capital Gazette intern Anthony Messenger, @amesscapgaz, tweeted at 2:43 p.m., “Active shooter 888 Bestgate please help us.”
Reporter Phil Davis, @PhilDavis_CG, tweeted after the attack at 3:42 p.m.: “A single shooter shot multiple people at my office, some of whom are dead.” At 3:45 p.m., he added, “Gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees. Can’t say much more and don’t want to declare anyone dead, but it’s bad.”
At 3:46 p.m.: “There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you’re under your desk and then hear the gunman reload”
At 4:10 p.m.: “I’m currently waiting to be interviewed by police, so I’m safe and no longer at the office.”
At 4:19 p.m., he clarified, “Ok, I was not tweeting from under my desk. I was already safe when I started tweeting”
Photojournalist Joshua McKerrow, @joshuamckerrow, tweeted at 3:04 p.m., “I am safe. Was not there. On my way to scene.”
At 4:36 p.m. he tweeted, “Heartbroken.”
Baltimore Sun Statehouse Bureau Chief Erin Cox, @ErinatTheSun, tweeted at 4:01 p.m.,“I worked at The Capital for five years after I moved to Maryland. It’s a tight knit family with some top-notch thinkers and writers, deeply devoted to the mission of community news.”
Capital Gazette editor Jimmy DeButts, @jd3217, tweeted at 5:07 p.m., “Devastated & heartbroken. Numb. Please stop asking for information/interviews. I’m in no position to speak, just know @capgaznews reporters & editors give all they have every day. There are no 40 hour weeks, no big paydays — just a passion for telling stories from our communty.”