Deadly shooting at Maryland newspaper

By Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha and Brian Ries, CNN

Updated 5:17 p.m. ET, June 29, 2018
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11:04 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

Suspect in newspaper shooting identified, sources say

From CNN's Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz and Josh Campbell

The suspect in the shooting was identified as Jarrod Warren Ramos, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Police are outside an address connected to Ramos in Laurel, Maryland.

Ramos has a connection to the paper. He filed a defamation claim in 2012 against the paper but the case was dismissed.

8:45 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

Social media threats were made to Capital Gazette, acting police chief says

Anne Arundel County Acting Chief William Krampf said threats were made over social media to the Capital Gazette.

"We know there were threats sent to the Gazette through social media," he said.

Police are trying to confirm who sent the threats, Krampf said. Some of the threats were made today, he said.

The threats indicated violence, Krampf said. He said the department does not have any knowledge that one person at the paper was being targeted.

8:25 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

The shooting was a targeted attack on Capital Gazette, acting police chief says

A shooting this afternoon that left five dead was a targeted attack on the Capital Gazette, said Anne Arundel County Acting Chief William Krampf.

The suspect, a white male in his late 30s, entered the building at 888 Bestgate Road, with a shotgun and looked for potential victims as he walked through the lower level, he said.

Krampf said the suspect’s intent was to cause harm.

8:05 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

Executives from Capital Gazette parent company on way to Annapolis

From CNN's Brian Stelter

A newspaper stand selling the Capital Gazette is pictured in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 28, 2018.
A newspaper stand selling the Capital Gazette is pictured in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 28, 2018.

Executives from the Capital Gazette's parent company are on the way to Annapolis, according to an internal memo from Tronc CEO Justin Dearborn.

In the memo, obtained by CNN, Dearborn said that "out of abundant precaution, we are increasing security presence at the company."

He also reminded employees that counseling and support services are available. The company's papers in Maryland will have counselors on site in the coming days.

"We are focused on providing support to our colleagues and their families," Dearborn wrote in the memo. "Members of our corporate leadership team are traveling to Maryland immediately to assist our local leadership and employees in Annapolis and Baltimore."

Dearborn also said "we are fully cooperating with the authorities."

Capital Gazette Communications is a unit of The Baltimore Sun Media Group, which in turn is owned by Tronc.

8:00 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

Paul Ryan: Shooting at newspaper is "sickening"

House Speaker Paul Ryan took to Twitter tonight to offer prayers to journalists at the Capital Gazette.

He tweeted:

7:46 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

The Capital Gazette is still publishing tomorrow

From CNN's Brian Stelter

Yes, the Capital Gazette will be publishing a newspaper tomorrow.

Multiple newsroom staffers, plus reporters from its parent company, The Baltimore Sun, are working on stories for Friday's edition.

"I can tell you this: We are putting out a damn paper tomorrow," reporter Chase Cook tweeted.

Joshua McKerrow of the Sun tweeted that he is working with Cook and another journalist, Pat Ferguson, on a coverage plan. "Thanks to our @baltimoresun colleagues who are here too," McKerrow wrote. "There will be a Capital Friday."

There has been an outpouring from journalists -- both from rival Maryland newsrooms and from others across the country -- offering to help however they can.

8:06 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

Suspect had previous interaction with newspaper executive, source says

From CNN's Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz and Josh Campbell

Police are executing a search of an address associated with the suspect, law enforcement officials tell CNN. 

They believe the suspect had a some interaction with an executive at the newspaper previously, one of the sources said. The source cautioned that this is preliminary information, and the investigation is just beginning. 

The suspect is described as being in his 30s.

7:39 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

Suspected incendiary device was a bag of gas cans, mayor says

From CNN's Marc Rod

Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley revealed that the suspected incendiary device was a bag containing multiple gas cans in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on “Out Front.”

“My understanding on the bag that could have been explosives, it was gas cans. I don’t know if there were any kind of detonation things with them,” he said. “I just know that our emergency responders didn’t even think about that.”

Buckley called today's shooting devastating. He said police were at the scene of the shooting within 60 seconds.

"If they didn't get there as fast as they did, I think there could have been a lot more devastation," he said.

7:31 p.m. ET, June 28, 2018

Melania Trump calls shooting "tragic" and "evil"

From CNN's Betsy Klein

 

First lady Melania Trump, returning from Arizona, has tweeted about the shooting in Annapolis, Maryland, saying it was "tragic" and "evil."

Some background: Trump was in Arizona to “learn and educate herself” about issues at the border.

She met with US Marshals, border patrol agents and ICE agents. The first lady also visited small children and babies at a facility.