Metro Atlanta Journalists React to the Capital Gazette Shooting
A Capital Gazette newspaper rack displays the day’s front page, Friday, June 29, 2018, in Annapolis, Md.
Patrick Semansky / Associated Press
Thursday’s tragedy at the Annapolis Capital Gazette shocked the country, but it especially rocked newsrooms. The man charged with killing five people at the Gazette’s offices had long resented the newspaper for its past reporting on him.
Friday morning WABE reviewed its security measures, as did other newsrooms around the country.
In metro Atlanta, the shooting sparked a new conversation about safety at the Marietta Daily Journal.
“We’re no different than any other newsroom,” said Managing Editor J.K. Murphy. “We publish stories people don’t like. They call us up and holler at us but you never imagine it would get to the point of someone wanting to do actual harm.”
Murphy said the paper will move forward with active shooter training.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said its security team is conducting an audit of its building and procedures. One of the Capital Gazette victims, Rob Hiassen was a Cox Media Group alum.
“We cover stories like this all the time, and this one really hit home,” said Kevin Riley, the newspaper’s editor. “We’re proud of the journalists in Maryland who put out a newspaper today and told their story.”
Gwinnett Daily Post Crime Reporter Isabel Hughes said the tragedy makes her pause, especially since she receives complaints about stories, too. But, she said, it doesn’t make her want to stop: “At the end of the day, we can’t not do our jobs because we’re scared.”
As Hughes pointed out, the Capital Gazette published an edition on Friday.
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