Annapolis Officials Propose Memorial Designs For 5 Slain In Newspaper Shooting
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — As we prepare to say goodbye to the year 2018, for those in the journalism profession, in this community, one event stands out in violence and tragic loss.
On June 28, a gunman broke into the offices of Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis and killed five journalists.
Now the city of Annapolis is ready to honor those victims and their profession and it is looking to the public for input.
"Gerald Fishman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Wendi Winters, and Rebecca Smith," said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley "These five outstanding people will never be forgotten."
Their names echoed at every opportunity, including earlier in December when TIME Magazine named them, and the Capital Gazette staff, fallen and threatened journalists, "Person of the Year."
"This is a great and terrible thing," said one Rick Hutzell, editor of the Capital Gazette. "It's great because it recognizes what happened here on June 28, the death of Rob Hiaasen, Wendi Winters, John McNamara, Gerald Fishman, and Rebecca Smith."
Remember the names. Remember the loss. Remember the sacrifice.
Annapolis Planning Memorial To 5 Slain In Newspaper Shooting
Several proposals for a memorial in the state capital were made to do just that, each honoring five journalists who died doing their jobs.
To make sure, a committee unveiled the proposals Thursday and announced its determination to erect a memorial to those lost in the deadliest attack on journalism since 9/11.
A memorial "to honor their sacrifice," said Buckley "as well as the role that reporters play in our country's democracy."
Links to the monument renderings will be up just after the new year.
Votes will be taken for 90 days before a final decision is made on how the fallen journalists will be remembered in perpetuity.
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