Gunman kills 5 at Annapolis newspaper
At least 3 others ‘gravely’ injured; suspect arrested
A gunman opened fire Thursday in the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, killing at least five people and “gravely injuring” at least three others, Anne Arundel County officials said.
Police reporter Phil Davis, who took cover under a desk at the height of the shooting, described the scene to The Baltimore Sun as “like a war zone.”
Anne Arundel police spokesman Lt. Ryan Frashure described the gunman as an adult white male who was armed with a “long gun.” He said officers arrived on the scene within 60 seconds of the initial reports.
Indications were that the man acted alone. The suspect mutilated his fingers to obscure his identification, the Associated Press and CNN reported.
Authorities searched the man's home Thursday evening.
County Executive Steve Schuh said the suspect had put his weapon down and was hiding under a desk when police found him. Schuh described the suspect as “not being particularly forthcoming.” Officials had not established a motive.
Police officers recovered what appeared to be an explosive device and secured the building.
Davis described the horror in a series of tweets, saying a gunman “shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees.”
“There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you’re under your desk and then hear the gunman reload,” he tweeted.
Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted that he was “absolutely devastated.”