Maryland's Capital Gazette stands tall after shooting tragedy
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland -- Just hours after a gunman opened fire on employees of Maryland's Capital Gazette, the paper banned together to honor the five lives lost.
Police said alleged shooter Jarrod Ramos, 38, fired a shotgun and armed smoke grenades at staffers, killing five, and was then swiftly taken into custody by officers who rushed into the building.
After the tragic loss, the paper took to Twitter to honor each victim:
Editorial writer Gerald Fischman
Editor Rob Hiaasen
Reporter and editor John McNamara
Sales assistant Rebecca Smith
Reporter Wendi Winters
And while still trying to piece together what happened, the staff refused to let the incident stop them from going to print the next day.
The five victims featured above the fold -"5 shot dead at The Capital."
Amid months of verbal and online attacks on the "fake news media" around the nation, the paper took a stand, leaving their Opinion section "blank."
"Today, we are speechless. This page is intentionally left blank today to commemorate victims of Thursday's shooting at our office: Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, Wendi Winters. Tomorrow this page will return to its steady purpose of offering our readers informed opinions about the world around them that they might be better citizens."
While authorities are still investigating Ramos' motives, Tom Marquardt, former editor and publisher of the paper, told ABC News that Ramos filed a defamation lawsuit in 2012 against the paper following a story about a stalking case in which Ramos was the defendant.
"He represented himself and took advantage of the legal system to keep the case alive for a long period of time during which he sued lawyers, judges, anybody who crossed his path and disagreed with him," Marquardt said.
Capital Gazette plans to carry on with their journalistic duties while carrying those lost along with them.
----------
