ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The editor for the Capital Gazette said he is “devastated and heartbroken” and “numb” after five people were killed at the newspaper Thursday afternoon. All of the victims were employees at the newspaper.
Jimmy DeButts tweeted just a couple hours after the deadly shooting, which left several other people seriously injured.
“Please stop asking for information/interviews. I’m in no position to speak,” DeButts said.
In an impassioned series of tweets, he went on to highlight the hard work of the journalists who report for the newspaper.
“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 [sic].”
“We keep doing more with less. We find ways to cover high school sports, breaking news, tax hikes, school budgets & local entertainment.”
“We are there in times of tragedy. We do our best to share the stories of people, those who make our community better. Please understand, we do all this to serve our community.”
“We try to expose corruption. We fight to get access to public records & bring to light the inner workings of government despite major hurdles put in our way. The reporters & editors put their all into finding the truth. That is our mission. Will always be.”
Phil Davis, who is a courts and crime reporter at the Capital Gazette, described the situation at the office as “bad.”
According to Davis, a single gunman shot through the glass door to the newspaper’s office and fired at multiple employees.
He described hiding under his desk and hearing gunfire.
"There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload," Davis wrote in another tweet.
Anne Arundel County Police took the suspect into custody and said he is being interviewed.
