Our hearts at the Benicia Herald go out to the family, friends and co-workers of the five employees of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md. who were shot and killed Thursday afternoon as well as the several others who were injured. It is a tragedy that has left people shook since the news broke, especially the journalists who have faced similar threats and now worry about potential copycat crimes.

I felt affected by the news on two major levels: first as a newspaper editor and secondly as somebody who grew up in Anne Arundel County, which the Capital Gazette extensively covers. I remember reading The Capital, and I have many memories of Annapolis itself. Living in a town that barely registered on any maps meant that Annapolis was my family’s go-to destination for a lot of amenities. It was where we did our grocery shopping, where we went to the movies, swimming pool or mall. Even if it was about 30 minutes from where I lived, Naptown– as the locals call it– felt like a second home, which is a big part of why this latest news struck me so hard. With all the mass shooting coverage I’ve watched over the years, I’ve often wondered how close to home it would get to me. This is about as close as it’s gotten.

I’m not going to get into the politics regarding this shooting or go into the history of the shooter, as that is something for other people to discuss I would ask, however, that if you do read up on the shooter– who will not be named in this article– that you also spend that time reading the stories about the five victims: Gerald Fischman, Robert Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters.

What I instead wanted to do with this editorial is use it as an opportunity to commend the bravery and incredible work of the Capital Gazette staff.

Throughout all the sadness, I have seen the hard work of the Capital staff that truly exemplifies the determination of journalism. Even amidst the trauma of being in the same building as their colleagues were murdered, that did not stop them from working to get the word out about the shooting and the victims first through social media and then in the print edition. As reporter Chase Cook succinctly stated in a tweet: “we are putting out a damn paper tomorrow.” I even saw a photo being circulated of two Capital Gazette reporters working on the next day’s paper in a parking garage, while they were waiting for confirmation on whether their co-workers were alive or dead. That is dedication.

Even as most people are just starting to learn about them, the Capital Gazette has always done what a good community newspaper should do: keep its citizens informed while covering all aspects of its region. Of course, the Capital is not just a community newspaper. It is also a county paper, and since Annapolis is the capital of Maryland, it is also a state newspaper. That is a lot of information to pack into a print edition, but they do it each and every day. Don’t think this will stop them either. Even in the face of terror, the bravery of reporters will live on.

For those who would like to help pay for medical bills, newsroom repairs or additional expenses, a GoFundMe page has been set up by Bloomberg reporter Madi Alexander at .https://www.gofundme.com/capitalgazette.

Nick Sestanovich is editor of the Benicia Herald.

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