President Trump on Friday said journalists deserve to work “free of fear” of violent attack, expressing shock and grief over the deadly shooting a day earlier in the newsroom of the Annapolis Capital.
“This attack shocked the conscience of our nation and filled our hearts with grief,” Mr. Trump said during a White House event. “Journalists, like all Americans, should be free from the fear of being violently attacked while doing their jobs.”
Armed with a shotgun, a 38-year-old man with a grudge against the newspaper burst into Capital newsroom Thursday and killed five people and gravely wounded two.
Some early reports about the shooting suggested that Mr. Trump’s criticism of the news media could have motivated the shooter. However, the motive appeared to be a personal grudge.
Mr. Trump called the attack a “horrible, horrible event.”
“We pledge our eternal support. The suffering is so great,” said the president. “My government will not rest until we’ve done everything in our power to prevent violent crime and protect innocent life.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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