We have, unfortunately, recently played witness to far too many shootings that have involved far too many people. From Las Vegas to YouTube’s headquarters, we’ve seen a lot in a very short period of time.

However, earlier today, a Maryland newspaper’s newsroom played host to such an attack.

It seems news first broke via this tweet.

Active shooter 888 Bestgate please help us

— Anthony Messenger (@anthonydmess) June 28, 2018

According to his Twitter profile, he’s an intern at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland.

Fox News is reporting multiple fatalities:

A suspect was apprehended following reports of shots fired and multiple fatalities in Annapolis, Maryland, Thursday afternoon outside the Capital Gazette newsroom, Anne Arundel Sheriff Ron Bateman told Fox News.

BREAKING: Fox News confirms, citing sheriff, that there are multiple fatalities following shooting at office building of @capgaznews

— Evan Rosenfeld (@Evan_Rosenfeld) June 28, 2018

A short time ago, WBALTV reported that law enforcement is asking people to shelter in place, however, and are going floor to floor to make sure the building is indeed safe. That basically means they’re not 100 percent sure they have the guy responsible. Of course, that’s also both the cautious and correct way to look at a situation like this.

Meanwhile, WBAL Radio is reporting at least six people shot.

At least six people were injured in a shooting at the Capital Gazette building in Annapolis. One suspect is in custody.

Annapolis, Anne Arundel County and state police, along with officers from neighboring jurisdictions are at the scene in the 800 block of Bestgate Road, near the Annapolis Mall.

Four of those wounded suffered critical injuries. Two state police helicopters have been called the scene, and a triage has been set up, SkyTeam 11 Capt. Roy Taylor reports.

They’re also reporting that some suspicious packages were found.

Parent newspaper, The Baltimore Sun ATF agents are on the scene, reports that. They also report that a police officer is on the scene in their newsroom. The paper says there aren’t any threats against the paper, but that the officer is there as a precaution.

Remember, folks, this is a fluid situation. While we’re being told six were shot, that number could go up or down as the day goes on, as is usual in these cases.

As we have with other recent mass shootings, we’ll update this story as more information becomes available.

3:47 EST Edit:  has been informed According to CNN, President Trump of the shooting. The president is in Wisconsin today to meet with supporters there and to attend a groundbreaking ceremony.

However, a spokesman for the police department said he can’t confirm if an arrest has actually been made or not.

Lt. Ryan Frashure, a spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Police Department, told CNN affiliate WJLA that officers could not confirm whether any arrests have been made in the shooting.

“We’re doing the best we can,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can to get people out safe and we’re trying to minimize the casualties.”

Frashure said the shooting occurred at 888 Bestgate Road. Officers, he said, were evacuating the building to “make sure people are out safe.”

3:59 EST: Reporter Phil Davis shared the following on Twitter:

Gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees. Can't say much more and don't want to declare anyone dead, but it's bad.

— Phil Davis (@PDavis_LLC) June 28, 2018

Gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees. Can't say much more and don't want to declare anyone dead, but it's bad.

— Phil Davis (@PDavis_LLC) June 28, 2018

There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload

— Phil Davis (@PDavis_LLC) June 28, 2018

Frankly, I think all of us can imagine that would be terrifying. To be stuck there, no means to fight back, just waiting and hoping he doesn’t look where you’re hiding.

4:05 EST Update: Maryland Governor Larry Hogan released this tweet a short time ago.

Absolutely devastated to learn of this tragedy in Annapolis. I am in contact with County Executive Steve Schuh, and @MDSP is on the scene assisting @AACOPD. Please, heed all warnings and stay away from the area. Praying for those at the scene and for our community. https://t.co/bI6PdUjHfh

— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) June 28, 2018

4:15 EST Update: Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has called on people to “unite to end the violence.”

My heart is with the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims as we learn more about this terrible situation. We must unite to end the violence. https://t.co/MINrFfTfUr

— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) June 28, 2018

Unfortunately, I think we all know what he meant by that.

Others were a bit more circumspect.

I'm closely monitoring situation at @capgaznews in Annapolis. @ATFHQ Baltimore is responding to the shooting along with state and local law enforcement.

Will share more information as I receive updates https://t.co/zCqOf9Bxkx

— Anthony Brown (@RepAnthonyBrown) June 28, 2018

4:25 PM EST Update: According to CNN, the police are still in the process of evacuating the building.

Lt. Ryan Frashure, spokesperson of Anne Arundel County Police Department, told reporters that law enforcement officers are still in evacuating the building, following a shooting inside a newspaper building.

He confirmed that there were injuries, but did not expect it to be a mass casualty situation. Frashure said additional information about victims and the suspect will be provided once the building is completely secure.

That bit about not expecting it to be a mass casualty situation is a small glimmer of good news. While there do appear to be multiple people shot, it sounds like the casualties will be relatively few in number.

Obviously, this is still a tragedy, but it does sound like it’s not as bad as it could have been.

4:36 PM EST Update: CNN is reporting that the weapon used was a shotgun.

A law enforcement source says a shotgun was used in the Annapolis shooting.

Multiple people were shot inside the newsroom at the Capital Gazette newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland. Two law enforcement sources tell CNN there are multiple wounded and multiple fatalities.

5:55 PM EST Update: It now appears that police did find what they believed to be an explosive device inside the building.

From CNN:

Police recovered what they thought may have been an explosive device from inside the building of today’s shooting in Annapolis, Maryland, Anne Arundel County Acting chief William Krampf told reporters.

“We have members of the bomb squad on scene,” he said. “We don’t anticipate having anymore explosive devices.”

Meanwhile, Fox News is reporting that at least five people are dead.

At least five people were killed and several others were “gravely injured” during a shooting at the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, Thursday afternoon, local officials said. An unidentified suspect is in custody, Anne Arundel Sheriff Ron Bateman told Fox News.

A possible motive was unclear.

Authorities were called to the scene at Bestgate Road around 2:40 p.m. following word of an active shooter, Anne Arundel County Police Lt. Ryan Frashure told reporters. An investigation is underway but “at this point we believe that it is one suspect,” he said.

An official told The Associated Press the shooting suspect is a white male who was believed to have used a shotgun and is not cooperating with investigators.

6:20 PM EST Update: It seems that the suspect was found hiding under a desk, his weapon away from his person. It also seems that he may not have even intended to shoot up a newsroom. Per CNN:

Police found the suspect in today’s shooting hiding under a desk in the building, said Steve Schuh, Anne Arundel county executive.

The suspect’s weapon was on the ground, and “not in his immediate proximity,” he said.

He told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that authorities have a name on the gunman but are not able to confirm it.

Schuh said he doesn’t know if the newspaper was the target of today’s shooting.

When law enforcement officials entered the building, they found a package or carrying device, which contained a flammable liquid, on the ground, he said.

Schuh said the shooting doesn’t appear to be well-planned.

In other words, this doesn’t look like we’re looking at a master criminal by any stretch of the imagination.

7:02 PM EST Update: CNN, as part of their update, has decided to add a bit of hand-wringing to things.

Right now we don’t know if this newsroom was targeted or not, but we know that four of the five people who died were pronounced dead in the newspaper office. The fifth person died at the hospital.

Threats against journalists have been on the rise in recent years. Press freedom groups have also reported an uptick in physical assaults on journalists, particularly at campaign events and other political venues.

But, thankfully, murders of journalists are very rare. That’s one of the reasons why this day is so shocking. In some ways, it harkens back to the WDBJ shooting in Virginia in 2015, when two members of a TV news crew were attacked and killed by an ex-employee while on live TV.

In the wake of that attack, and the general rise in threats, many newsrooms have stepped up emergency drills and taken other measures to increase security. But newsrooms are inherently open and journalists strive to be accessible. Some sick person exploited that openness today.

We still don’t know why this happened much less why it happened at this particular place, but let’s focus on it being a newsroom, as if it were any more sacred than a church, school, or music concert.

While my heart goes out to the victims and their families, it’s a little early to lament violence against reporters when we’re not even sure the suspect targeted the newspaper intentionally.