Police chief on deadly Maryland newspaper shooting: ‘This was a targeted attack’

The deadly shooting at a newsroom in Annapolis, Md., on Thursday was a “targeted attack,” authorities said. 

Acting Anne Arundel County Police Chief William Krampf told reporters at a news briefing Thursday evening that the gunman entered the newsroom of the Capital Gazette with a shotgun and scouted victims as he walked through the building.

“This person was prepared today to come in. This person was prepared to shoot people. His intent was to cause harm,” Krampf said. 

He added, “We have no knowledge at all that he was targeting anyone specific at the Capital.”

BREAKING: “This was a targeted attack on the Capital Gazette,” authorities say. https://t.co/IxnUmCJp0v pic.twitter.com/rOlNhQ0835

— ABC News (@ABC) June 29, 2018

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At least five people were killed and several others were injured on Thursday afternoon, after a man wielding a long gun opened fire on the Ann Arundel County newsroom of the Capital Gazette, authorities said.

Police also found what was initially thought to be an explosive device in the building, but Krampf later said that it was determined to be smoke grenade canisters used by the suspected shooter when he entered the building.

Police have arrested the suspected shooter, but have not yet released his identity nor announced a motive for the attack. 

Krampf said that there may be a possible connection to threats made over social media as recently as Thursday. Those threats, he said, “indicated violence.”

“We know there were threats sent to the Gazette through social media,” he said. “We’re trying to confirm what account that was and we’re trying to confirm who actually sent them.”

Krampf also pushed back on reports that police turned to facial recognition software, because the suspect’s fingerprints were determined to be too damaged or had been altered. 

“Eventually his fingerprints will be taken,” he said. “I’m going to be really clear about this guys. We have no information about facial recognition or anything about his fingerprints.”