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Newspaper shooting suspect 'barricaded exit' | Newspaper shooting suspect 'barricaded exit' |
(35 minutes later) | |
The suspect in Thursday's mass shooting at a Maryland newspaper office barricaded an exit so that employees could not escape, says a prosecutor. | The suspect in Thursday's mass shooting at a Maryland newspaper office barricaded an exit so that employees could not escape, says a prosecutor. |
Police earlier told reporters the accused, Jarrod Ramos, was not co-operating with the investigation. | Police earlier told reporters the accused, Jarrod Ramos, was not co-operating with the investigation. |
Police found evidence the attack on the Capital Gazette in Annapolis was planned at the suspect's house. | Police found evidence the attack on the Capital Gazette in Annapolis was planned at the suspect's house. |
Mr Ramos, 38, appeared in court via video link to be charged with five counts of first-degree murder. | Mr Ramos, 38, appeared in court via video link to be charged with five counts of first-degree murder. |
A judge ordered him held without bail during Friday's hearing at Anne Arundel County criminal court. | A judge ordered him held without bail during Friday's hearing at Anne Arundel County criminal court. |
Wearing blue detention clothes, the suspect reportedly said nothing, but watched the proceedings attentively. | |
Speaking at the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump expressed his condolences. | |
"This attack shocked the conscience of our nation and filled our hearts with grief," he said. | |
"Journalists, like all Americans, should be free from the fear of being violently attacked while doing their job." | |
How was the exit blocked? | |
Prosecutor Wes Adams said during Friday's news conference: "We brought to the judge's attention the evidence that suggested a co-ordinated attack. | |
"The barricading of a back door, and the use of a tactical approach in the hunting down and shooting of the innocent victims." | "The barricading of a back door, and the use of a tactical approach in the hunting down and shooting of the innocent victims." |
Mr Adams said Mr Ramos had "entered through the front door and worked his way through the office". | |
He also said there was "one victim who attempted to escape through the backdoor and was shot at that point". | He also said there was "one victim who attempted to escape through the backdoor and was shot at that point". |
The prosecutor called the defendant a "danger to our community". | |
The victims were Wendi Winters, 65, editor and community reporter; Rebecca Smith, 34, sales assistant; Robert Hiaasen, 59, assistant editor and columnist; Gerald Fischman, 61, editorial writer; and John McNamara, 56, reporter and editor. | |
Two other people who hurt by broken glass, said police. | |
Who is the suspect? | |
Investigators say Jarrod Ramos had a "long-standing grievance" with the newspaper. | |
The defendant had sued the Gazette for defamation over a 2011 column that reported on his guilty plea to criminal harassment of a woman over social media. | |
He lost the case in 2015. | |
In the harassment case, Mr Ramos reportedly received a 90-day sentence but avoided jail time and was ordered to get therapy. | |
Police said Mr Ramos had made threatening comments online in May 2013 against the Gazette. | |
But the newspaper had declined to pursue charges, not wishing to "exacerbate" the situation, he added. | |
What's the latest in the investigation? | |
Also on Friday, Anne Arundel County police chief Timothy Altomare said authorities had found evidence at Mr Ramos' residence "showing the origination of planning". | |
He was asked by reporters how the suspect was able to buy a firearm despite having been convicted of harassment. | |
Mr Altomare said only those convicted of serious crimes and certain misdemeanours were banned from buying guns in Maryland. | |
Authorities also found devices they say were meant to "distract and confuse people" in the suspect's possession. | |
"The fellow was there to kill as many people as he could," Mr Altomare said. | |
Police said they used facial recognition technology from the Maryland Image Repository System to identify Mr Ramos. | |
Maryland is one of several US states that provides the FBI with access to its drivers' licences, police mug shots and other prison records. | |
Civil liberties advocates have said the system jeopardises innocent citizens' privacy. |