Authorities in Maryland have named the suspect who killed five people at the offices of the Capital Gazette newspaper.
Police respond to a shooting in Annapolis, Maryland where at least five people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside the offices of the Capital Gazette newspaper. Photo: AFP
The Gazette reported the man - named as Jarrod Ramos - had a long-running feud with the newspaper.
Ramos attempted to sue the paper in 2013, when he alleged he was defamed in newspaper stories about his court appearence on a charge of criminal harassment.
He subsequently went to the Maryland Appeals Court , which also rejected his defamation claim against the newspaper.
The Court said the newspaper articles were based on public records and Ramos presented no evidence they were inaccurate.
The suspect has been apprehended at the Capital Gazette newspaper's office and no motive is known for the attack, local political leaders said, adding they believe he acted alone.
Police said it was a targeted attack on the newspaper, which had recently received "violent" threats through social media.
County executive Steve Schuh told CNN the suspect was hiding under a desk in the building when police officers arrived "within 60 seconds" of receiving news of the incident.
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When police found the suspect, his weapon was on the ground and "not in his immediate proximity," Mr Schuh told CNN.
"Law enforcement does have a name [for the suspect] but we are not able to confirm it at this time."
None of the victims or the suspect have been identified by authorities. Anne Arundel county police said on Twitter the name of the suspect would be released at a later time.
He is reportedly refusing to cooperate with officers and a police source told CBS News that he had "damaged" his fingertips to avoid being identified.
He was found to be carrying fake grenades and smoke bombs in a backpack, police said. They said he used a shotgun but did not give further details.
An item "believed to be an explosive device" was found at the scene of a shooting in the Maryland capital of Annapolis where at least five people were killed, according to reports citing police.
The deputy chief of Anne Arundel County Police, William Krampf, said an item "we believed to be an explosive device" had been found at the premises and destroyed.
The suspect, who police say is a white male in his 20s, surrendered to officers without a struggle.
Several others were "gravely injured" police said at a press conference after the shooting.
#Annapolis Shooting Update: Confirm 5 victims killed in shooting at 888 Bestgate Rd. Others injured, # still being confirmed. Shooter in custody. Name to be released at a later time.
— Anne Arundel Police (@AACOPD) June 28, 2018
Bestgate Rd remains closed for several hrs between Generals Hwy/Admiral Dr. please avoid the area pic.twitter.com/rrvsR1YtuH
Police said what was believed to be an explosive device was recovered at the scene and "taken care of", according to the Baltimore Sun.
A reporter for the newspaper described the scene in the newsroom as being "like a war zone," with reporters hiding under their desks for safety.
Phil Davis, who identified himself as a courts and crime reporter at the Capital Gazette, which runs multiple newspapers in its Annapolis office, tweeted that multiple people had been shot.
Mr Davis said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun, which owns the Gazette, that he and others were still hiding under their desks when the shooter stopped firing.
"I don't know why. I don't know why he stopped," he said. "But as much as I'm going to try to articulate how traumatizing it is to be hiding under your desk, you don't know until you're there and you feel helpless."
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.
— Phil Davis (@PhilDavis_CG) June 28, 2018
There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload
— Phil Davis (@PhilDavis_CG) June 28, 2018
Mr Davis later said he was safe and being interviewed by police.
Another Twitter user who identified himself as a photojournalist for the Gazette posted images of the scene from outside the office.
Massive police response to shooting in my newsroom in Annapolis. @capgaznews pic.twitter.com/M1Bjwa0mMh
— Joshua McKerrow (@joshuamckerrow) June 28, 2018
The daily newspaper and sister publications has an editorial staff of around 45 supported by a sales and advertising team of about 10 staff, according to the company's website.
Mr Krampf said more than 170 people had been escorted safely from the building, which houses other businesses.
For now, the Annapolis shooting was being treated as a local incident and not one that involves terrorism, a law enforcement official said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is on the scene assisting local authorities, the official said.
Police said they were on the scene in about a minute from the initial call about the shooting.
Prior to departing Wisconsin, I was briefed on the shooting at Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Thank you to all of the First Responders who are currently on the scene.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2018
US President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.
"My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Thank you to all of the First Responders who are currently on the scene," Mr Trump said in a tweet.
Law enforcement in Baltimore and New York City deployed protective forces to major media outlets as a precaution, authorities said.
Police went to the offices of the Baltimore Sun as a precaution, the Gazette reported.
The New York Police Department said it was beefing up security at New York-based news organizations as a precaution.
LAPD "reaching out to our media partners as a precautionary measure” following Maryland shooting. https://t.co/ivi7CqqvVH pic.twitter.com/xXtMQ18nl0
— Dan Linden (@DanLinden) June 28, 2018
Right now: 4 NYPD officers stationed outside @nytimes headquarters as a precaution after newsroom shooting in Maryland #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/j2a9M9w7zk
— Michael George (@mgeorge4NY) June 28, 2018
"We're deploying units from our Critical Response Command to news outlets throughout New York City," said Officer Andrew Lava, an NYPD spokesman.
"There is no active threat at this time," he said.
Agents from the Baltimore office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were responding to the incident, the bureau tweeted.
Police are checking the building in Annapolis for explosives and whether more than one suspect was involved, Anne Arundel County police spokesman, Lieutenant Ryan Frashure, told reporters.
Live video images showed people leaving the building, walking through a parking lot with their hands in the air. Scores of police vehicles were on the scene.
-Reuters/BBC
