Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters were killed Thursday.
The Maryland newspaper that lost five members of its staff in a deadly shooting Thursday is paying tribute to those lost in the tragedy.
Capital Gazette employees Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters were shot dead when police say the suspect, identified as Jarrod Ramos, 38, opened fire at the Annapolis daily.
On its Twitter feed, and in individual stories dedicated to each victim, the Capital Gazette paid tribute to the fallen late Thursday, including 61-year-old Fischman.
Fischman had been with the paper since 1991 and was known for his "brilliant mind, wry wit and 'wicked pen' that his colleagues would treasure."
"For more than 25 years, Fischman was the conscience and voice of the Annapolis news organization, writing scathing, insightful and always exacting editorials about the community," the paper wrote. "He was the guardian against libel, the arbiter of taste and a peculiar and endearing figure in a newsroom full of characters."
Assistant editor and columnist Hiaasen was also killed. "Hiaasen’s wryly observant writing style and his generous mentoring of young journalists assured him of roles in several newsrooms, including the Capital Gazette," the paper wrote.
Hiaasen, 59, had only last week celebrated his 33rd wedding anniversary with his wife, Maria, whose 58th birthday was the day her husband was killed.
Sports editor McNamara was with the Capital Gazette for more than 24 years when he was killed Thursday.
"McNamara was remembered by his colleagues for his flexibility, concise writing and extensive knowledge of regional sports," the paper wrote. McNamara is survived by his wife, Andrea Chamblee, whom he met while a student at the University of Maryland.
At 34, Rebecca Smith was the youngest victim in Thursday's shooting and was a recent hire at the Capital Gazette, but had "already proved herself a valuable asset," the paper wrote.
Smith, whose job was to ensure the sales office ran smoothly, lived in eastern Baltimore County with her fiance.
Wendi Winters came to the Capital Gazette after a career in fashion and PR in New York City.
A prominent member of her community and proud military mom, Winters started with the Gazette over a decade ago on a freelance basis and had more recently become a staff member.
Winters was 65 and leaves behind four children.
Following the shooting Thursday, a GoFundMe account was set up to cover medical bills, repairs, funeral costs and other expenses.
"Please give what you can to help the Capital Gazette newsroom and their journalists. Our hearts break for our colleagues in Annapolis," the organizers wrote.
As of Friday morning, $85,000 of a $100,000 goal had been raised.
Meanwhile, the suspect in the shooting, Ramos, has been detained by police. He was being interrogated by detectives Thursday evening.
Ramos has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder. He is due to be arraigned Friday morning. It's not clear whether he has an attorney.
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