Thursday (June 28) bullets whizzed through the newsroom of the Capital Gazette newspaper when a lone gunman, Jarrod W. Ramos, stood at the doorway, armed with a shotgun and opened fire, according to Baltimore Sun. The shooter also brought several canisters of smoke grenades which he used upon entering the building.

This is the second shooting this year in the state of Maryland that has caught the eye of the public. Earlier this year, a child was shot in a school shooting in Maryland.

The Capital Gazette now joins the list of schools and eating establishments like the Waffle House in Tennessee which have experienced gun violence and mass shootings.

Eyewitness survivor tweets about chaotic-mayhem during Capital Gazette shooting

The Gazette is a community newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland and owned by the Baltimore Sun. Its distribution mightily circulates the paper to over 30,000 readers and has been in business since the 1800's, according to CNN.

The Annapolis newspaper had always welcomed the community into their home, acknowledge local and state officials like the mayor, county executive, and governor in a briefing. However, no one expected that Thursday would bring trauma-filled tweets.

The public and media learned of the news through social media from a Capital Gazette intern who was the first to tell about what was happening inside the newsroom and unfolding just steps from her desk.

Around the same time, at 2:30 PM the police received the active shooter call and responded immediately, according to law enforcement officials.

Phil Davis a police reporter who works for the Capital Gazette tweeted out what was happening in the newsroom while seeking shelter from the bullets under his desk.

Davis' second tweet described the horror felt by the reporters who tried to hide from the gunman.

Law enforcement and officials brief the public on the shooting

Lt. Ryan Frashure from Anne Arundel County Police and part of the first responders' team facilitated three press briefings along with local and state officials.

County Executive SteveSchuh spoke to the media and shared his sorrow for the five Capital Gazette employees who died: Wendi Winters, Rebecca Smith, Robert Hiaasen, Gerald Fischman and John Mc Namara. Those injured were transported to Arundel Medical center and John Hopkins Shock Trauma.

The local police were on the scene within 60-90 seconds reported Lt. Frashure. Mayor Gavin Buckley attributed their quick response to their preparation and active shooter drills, and one as recent as the week prior. He noted that it paid off because police interrupted the shooting and there could have been more fatalities.

The apprehension of the suspect proved to be easy because he hid under a desk after trying to get rid of the shotgun.

Once in custody, Acting Chief Bill Krampf and his team secured the building and ensured there were no explosive devices. The team evacuated 170 people and they were taken to a reunification center at a nearby mall.

The shooter's motive

Kampf told the public that although no specific person appeared to be targeted, there were general threats made to the Capital Gazette through social media; some were as recent as the day of the shooting. According to the Baltimore Sun, the suspect had a "longstanding grudge" with the paper. He was also said to have had a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper in 2012 but lost his case; and when he appealed, the case was thrown out and found to be unwarranted.

The shooting was a "targeted attack" according to Kampf who said the shooter was "prepared to shoot people" and "his intent was to cause harm." The police continue to investigate and acquired search warrants for the suspect's home in a nearby area.

The community and officials thank heroic first responders

County Executive Steve Schuh, the governor, mayor, senator and house of representative each notably thanked the Anne Arundel County Police Department and other law enforcement officers for their well trained and rapid response to the shooting.

Among the Anne Arundel County officers were other units from nearby counties, fire and rescue departments, the state police, SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), Quick Response Team (QRT), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and Alcohol Tabacco and Firearms (ATF).

Schuh said it was a "finely tuned" operation and echoed the words of Mayor Gavin Buckley who said if it were not for the quick response of first responders the shooting could have been worse.

Trump didn't answer questions from the media about newspaper shooting

Since the president's campaign, reporters and news organizations have been repeatedly and publicly labeled by Trump as the "enemy of the people" and bringers of fake news.

Reporters caught up with the president Thursday afternoon and hurled questions at him about the shooting as he walked across the White House lawn. Trump offered no response about his thoughts on the horrific incident and remained silent

Although Trump did not answer questions, he did send out a condolence tweet shortly after the shooting sending a message of prayers to the families and victims.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also offered her thoughts and condolences through an early tweet.
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