Events planned for anniversary of Capital Gazette shooting
A series of events will be held this month in honor of the five Capital Gazette employees who were killed a year ago after a gunman opened fire in its Annapolis office.
The commemorations include a concert at Maryland Hall, the unveiling of a memorial garden, a forum and a moment of silence coinciding with the one-year anniversary.
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“This will be a difficult time for everyone here,” said Rick Hutzell, editor of Capital Gazette, which is part of Baltimore Sun Media.
“To those who have planned remembrances of June 28, or have chosen to honor the lives of our friends, or who are working to pay respect to
This past year saw a continuous cycle of commemorative events as well as the establishment of a college scholarship
The Capital Gazette Memorial Scholarship Fund supports students enrolled at the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Fischman and McNamara were alumni, and Hiaasen worked there as an adjunct professor teaching news writing. The fund is also in honor of Rachael Pacella, an alumna and Capital reporter who was injured as a result of the attack. The scholarship has $180,148 to distribute next year, according to Amy Francis, the foundation’s director of development.
The Capital Gazette Families Fund has been applied to death benefits, victims who were injured in the shooting and some other Capital Gazette employees. The fund has distributed $1.8 million to individuals to date, Francis said, after raising about $1.9 million.
Most events are scheduled for June 28, the one-year anniversary of the shooting and the date selected for the state’s first Freedom of the Press Day:
A memorial garden will be dedicated by Baltimore Sun Media and the City of Annapolis at 10:30 a.m. June 28 at the Acton’s Cove Waterfront Park. Representatives from Baltimore Sun Media and Gavin Buckley, the mayor of Annapolis, will speak. The event is open to the public.
At 2:33 p.m. June 28, which marks the time the gunman entered the news organization’s office, Tribune Publishing staff at properties across the country
At 7 p.m. June 28, the city of Annapolis is hosting a concert and community gathering at Maryland Hall with musical performances by Eastport Oyster Boys, Gary Wright and Leah Weiss, and the First Christian Church of Annapolis Gospel Choir. Family, friends and colleagues will recall their favorite memories of Fischman, Hiaasen, McNamara, Smith and Winters. The event will end with a candlelight illumination.
On June 27 and 28, the