Capital Gazette Staffers Honored On Newseum Memorial Wall

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Visitors to the interactive Newseum in Washington, D.C., learn the importance of a free press and the First Amendment, experience the production cycle of news and grasp the important role the free press has played in covering major events throughout history. The Newseum recently added individuals to its memorial wall who were slain in the line of journalistic duty, including the four reporters who were tragically gunned down in the Capital Gazette newsroom.

A total of 21 journalists from around the world killed while producing and delivering the news have had their names added to the memorial wall. The new additions include Gerald Fischman, Wendi Winters, John McNamara and Rob Hiaasen —the four reporters who were among the five people killed inside the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis last year, along with a sales assistant.

On June 28, 2018, the Capital Gazette newsroom was abuzz with staffers covering the news and prepping the next day's paper. Unbeknownst to them, an assailant barricaded the back door and blasted his way into the newsroom with a shotgun. Staffers hid under the desks and behind filing cabinets.

Colleagues, friends and family of the five individuals from the Capital Gazette were present during the induction ceremony. One of those former colleagues, reporter Chase Cook, tweeted after the shooting that “We are putting out a damn paper tomorrow.” Even in the face of heartbreak and devastation, the staff did indeed put out a newspaper. For their efforts, the newspaper earned a special citation when Pulitzer Prizes were awarded, Patch reported.

The gunman, 39-year-old Jarrod Ramos of Laurel, remains behind bars. Judge Laura Ripken has ordered that his mental status be evaluated at the maximum security Clifton T. Perkins Hospital to determine his competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility. His trial date has been set for Nov. 4. He has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder.

Attorneys for the accused shooter on April 29 entered a plea by Ramos of not criminally responsible by reason of insanity, Patch reported. Judge Ripken will rule on outstanding motions at a daylong hearing June 25, WJZ reported. Jury selection currently is set for Oct. 30. The court-ordered mental health evaluation likely will not be completed until August at the earliest.