It’s been three years since a gunman opened fire on the newsroom in Annapolis, Md., killing five employees.
Yet, despite the time passing by, an editor for the newspaper says that ordeal continues to affect him, which is why he’s leaving. Capital Gazette editor Rick Hutzell issued his farewell column over the weekend, highlighting those lost in the attack.
“I wish I could say it’s all been grand, and I’m headed off to retirement,” Hutzell said. “But it hasn’t, and I’m not. The murder of my five friends, Rob Hiaasen, Gerald Fischman, Wendi Winters, John McNamara, and Rebecca Smith, changed me.”
“I always enjoyed the job. But I became consumed with the notion that it was my purpose to save the paper. A man with a shotgun tried to kill us — to kill me and the newspaper I’ve poured my life into for 33 years. I wasn’t going to let it die.”
Hutzell said he took a buyout from Alden Global Capital, the Capital Gazette’s new owner, after three decades working at the publication. Alden Global Capital bought the media outlet from Tribune Publishing last month.
Hutzell said that he believed it was essential to cover the trial of the gunman, Jarrod Ramos. The latter had a long-standing hatred toward the newspaper, according to The Associated Press.
“One of the greatest joys of my life has been generations of reporters, editors, and photographers who are convinced they have an important contribution to make. My job has been to help give birth to their successes,” Hutzell said.
“Things will change. That is the nature of life. It will be different under new owners and leadership. Some of it will be good; some will be bad. I hope you’ll keep reading it because that is how it will survive and grow.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
