As word of a shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper spread, journalists who worked at the paper but weren't inside were left wondering what had happened.
Many shared their experiences Thursday on Twitter and then began covering the mass shooting that occurred at their own workplace.
Photojournalist Joshua McKerrow quickly tweeted that he was safe and on the way to the office. Once on the scene he started sharing photos and details about his colleagues.
"Chase Cook, Pat Ferguson, Paul Gillespie, Phil Davis, Selene San Felice, Anthony Messenger all ok," McKerrow tweeted.
He later added that he was simply "heartbroken" but said there would be a paper on Friday.
Reporter Pat Furgurson told ABC News he was across the street when he got a call from the Baltimore Sun warning him not to go back to the building.
He reportedly told his wife that he was safe and charging up his phone, then planned to try to find his colleagues and work on "putting out a paper," according to an account shared by MSNBC's John Harwood.
The most vivid account of what happened inside came from business and politics reporter Phil Davis. He shared a series of tweets about the lone gunman shooting through a glass door to the office and shooting several employees.
Davis was later quoted in an article on the paper's website where he described what happened inside as a "war zone."
An intern inside the building, Anthony Messenger, tweeted his plea for help as the situation unfolded.
After the shooting, the Baltimore Sun, which owns the Capital Gazette, was able to publish an article on the Gazette's website to keep readers updated on what was unfolding.
Jimmy DeButts, an editor for the paper, said he was devastated, heartbroken and numb.
"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," DeButts tweeted.
"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," DeButts added.
