Capital Gazette Shooting Victims To Be Honored June 28 At Events

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Several memorial events will be held June 28 to remember the five Capital Gazette employees who were killed last year after a gunman opened fire at the newspaper's office in Annapolis. Gerald Fischman, 61, Rob Hiaasen, 59, John McNamara, 56, Rebecca Smith, 34, and Wendi Winters, 65, lost their lives in the tragic shooting.

The special events scheduled for June 28 include a concert at Maryland Hall, a forum, a moment of silence at the approximate time of the shooting one year ago and the unveiling of a memorial garden.

On Friday, June 28, at Acton's Cove Waterfront Park will be the dedication of the memorial garden at 10:30 a.m. Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley is one of the guest speakers along with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. There will be a moment of silent at all Tribune Publishing offices across the country at 2:33 p.m. June 28, marking the moment when the gunman entered the newspaper's office.

At 7 p.m. June 28, the City of Annapolis will host the "Hope and Remembrance" concert and community gathering at Maryland Hall with musical performances by Eastport Oyster Boys, Gary Wright and Leah Weiss, and the First Christian Church of Annapolis Gospel Choir. Loved ones and colleagues of the five victims will have the opportunity to speak and share memories.

As reported previously by Patch, Annapolis Poet Laureate Temple Cone will read an original poem and the Annapolis' Filmsters Academy will show a video slide presentation. Special guest John Tecklenburg, mayor of Charleston, N.C., will present "Amazing Grace." A candlelight vigil will be held at the end of the concert in the Maryland Hall Labyrinth.

"Last year, the Annapolis community suffered a tragedy when five people were killed at the Capital Gazette. We put on a concert to bring the community together. We are doing the concert again this year at Maryland Hall to make a tradition to remember the victims and bring the community together," Buckley told Patch.

The City of Annapolis will host a Safe Cities summit June 28 where key players will work together to map out ways to help prevent and reduce gun violence. June 28 also serves as Freedom of the Press Day as proclaimed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a day to honor the five victims.

“One year ago, in a horrific attack, we lost five Marylanders who were doing their job as journalists,” Hogan said in a statement. “Today, as we honor those we lost and all who have lost their lives in the pursuit of informing our citizens, we recognize the vital role that the freedom of the press has in our democracy and our duty to honor and protect this constitutional right.”

Also this past year, the Capital Gazette Memorial Scholarship Fund was created for students enrolled at the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Fischman, McNamara and Hiaasen had ties to the university, as did Rachael Pacella who was injured in the shooting.
The Capital Gazette Families Fund was formed to help the families of the five victims, as well as those injured in the shooting. The four reporters were added to the Newseum's memorial wall, too.

Tickets to the memorial concert are free, but reservations are recommended. Visit https://marylandhall.org/hope-remembrance-annual-community-gathering for tickets.