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Capital Gazette Remembers Its Own

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This morning, the Capital Gazette newspaper group in Annapolis, Md., put out a paper. This, despite the deaths of five members of their team yesterday when a gunman Opened fire at their office. On the paper's front page, Capital editor Rick Hutzell writes, we are heartbroken, devastated our colleagues and friends are gone.

NOEL KING, HOST:

The Capital Gazette has been covering its own tragedy from the beginning. The paper's crime reporter Phil Davis was in the office when the gunman opened fire. Phil Davis gave this description to CNN.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PHIL DAVIS: He was going down our newsroom, starting from the front, continually shooting people. At one point, I'm pretty sure, I heard him reload while I was still under my desk, where he was only a few feet away from me.

GREENE: Now the victims. We're going to read from the remembrances published in the Capital Gazette.

KING: Editorial writer Gerald Fischman was the conscience and voice of the Annapolis news organization. He wrote scathing, insightful and exacting editorials about the community.

GREENE: Editor Rob Hiaasen's wife of 33 years is quoted, saying, "he loves words. He loves humor. He loved journalism. He loved helping those young writers at the Gazette."

KING: Reporter and editor John McNamara's wife said, he was devoted to his friends and family, he was devoted to his craft, and he was devoted to me.

GREENE: Sales assistant Rebecca Smith's boss was quoted as saying "she was a very thoughtful person. She was kind and considerate and willing to help when needed."

KING: And of reporter Wendi Winters, the paper wrote, after a career in fashion and public relations in New York City, Wendi Winters built a reputation as a prolific freelance reporter and well-known community resource at the Capital Gazette.

GREENE: Remembering the victims of yesterday's tragic shooting at a newspaper in Annapolis, Md. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.