Photo Courtesy Capital Gazette
Annapolis, MD - “Today is June 28, 2024, the sixth year anniversary of the mass shooting incident at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis. On that day, we tragically lost five souls to senseless gun violence. Their names are: Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, Wendi Winters, Rebecca Smith and John McNamara. They are greatly missed by family, friends, and the Annapolis community. May they rest in peace.
“Earlier today, we gathered for a private ceremony at the Guardians of the First Amendment Memorial on Compromise Street. The families asked for this year’s acknowledgment to be solemn, a wish honored with a wreath-laying remembrance at 9:30 a.m. for family and invited newspaper staff.
“Being a victim or survivor of violent crime is a traumatic experience. We recognize the need to balance privacy with the needs of the greater community to honor those lost.
“The five wreaths will remain displayed for the next few days at the Guardians Memorial site. Please take the opportunity to visit the memorial and reflect on the importance of our First Amendment freedoms and the role a free press plays in our democratic republic. And please take a moment to remember these victims - and all those in our Annapolis community whose lives have been forever changed by gun violence.”
Gavin Buckley, Mayor of Annapolis, Annapolis, Maryland - June 28, 2024
