Annapolis Newspaper Shooting Suspect May Have Had Sent Threats Via Social Media Before Taking Five Lives

UPDATED with evening presser details: Authorities are interviewing a white male in his 30s apprehended at the Annapolis, Maryland newspaper where five people were gunned down today. Various media outlets, including CNN and NBC, are identifying the suspect as Jarrod Warren Ramos, citing unnamed law enforcement sources. In 2012, Ramos filed a defamation claim against the Capital Gazette Newspaper; the case was dismissed.

Anne Arundel County police said in the “targeted attack” the suspect, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by authorities, entered the newspaper’s office, located on the first floor of a larger building, armed with a shotgun and smoke grenades intending to kill people. Authorities are looking into whether the attack was related to social media threats sent to the newspaper, indicating violence. At least one of these threats came as recently as the morning of the attack, which began after 2:30 PM local time.

Lt. Ryan Frashure told Anderson Cooper tonight the suspect is not known to have had a beef with any particular employee or exec at the paper, rather “some conflict with the paper in general.”

Police are preparing warrants to search the suspect’s residence.

Previous: Five people are dead and several people are “gravely injured” after a gunman opened fire inside the newsroom at the Baltimore Sun-owned Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Md. this afternoon. Police responded to the building within about one and a half minutes of receiving a call for help and engaged the gunman, whose weapon of choice was a shotgun. The gunman is in custody but is not cooperating with investigators, authorities report.

Police also went to the Baltimore Sun as a precaution. And NYPD and LAPD are among police departments who are reportedly sending cops to media companies in other markets as a precaution, fearing possible copycatting. Additionally, Tronc, the newspaper company that owns Capital Gazette parent The Baltimore Sun Media Group, said in a memo it is increasing security at the company.

President Donald Trump, who repeatedly has declared the media to be the enemy of the people, was briefed about the shooting. He has tweeted:

Walking across the White House lawn upon his return to Washington, Trump dodged all question shouted to him by reporters about the shooting and his past remarks:

Capital Gazette’s crime reporter Phil Davis tweeted from inside the building, immediately after the shooting:

In an interview after the shooting, Davis said he still was under his desk when the shooter stopped firing, saying he did not know why the gunman stopped.

Anne Arundel County Exec Steve Schuh told press the gunman had discarded his weapon and was hiding under a desk when police located him.

Four of the dead died on scene in the newsroom; one victim died while being treated at the University of Maryland, authorities told press.

An intern at the newspaper tweeted a call for help when the incident began.

“Annapolis” quickly became a Twitter top trender, worldwide, and the conversation including this:

Maryland State Police responded to the shooting around 3 PM ET. Local police reported “active shooter” at the newspaper’s address in Annapolis, about 32 miles from Washington, D.C.

FBI and ATF also responded to the shooting:

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has tweeted urging people to stay away: