Fox News

As reports emerged of a shooting in the Capital Gazette's newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, the Fox News correspondent Trace Gallagher told his viewers that the newspaper didn't have an ideological bent.

"Fox News's Trace Gallagher says they checked into Capital Gazette's ideological bent and concluded that it was very much a local newspaper," the Washington Post columnist Erik Wemple tweeted.

Many on social media jumped on the comments, accusing Fox of insinuating that the paper may have "deserved" the attack had it been political.

As reports emerged on Thursday of a shooting at the Capital Gazette's newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, the Fox News correspondent Trace Gallagher told his viewers that the network had investigated whether the newspaper had an ideological bent and determined that it was simply a local paper.

"The editorial board doesn't seem to have any severe ideological bent, so you kind of look toward what's the M.O., what's the motive behind something like this, and there's nothing that jumps out at you that says, 'Well, it could possibly be this,'" Gallagher said.

During an interview on Fox, Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, agreed that the Capital Gazette - a historic community paper - is not known for having a political orientation, and likely wasn't targeted for any ideological reason.

But Gallagher's comment generated swift criticism online.

"Fox was trying to determine if they 'deserved' it or not," one person wrote. "America 2018."

Referring to President Donald Trump's characterization of the news media as the "enemy of the American people," another Twitter user replied: "So, enemy of the people or no?"

"Good Lord," the CNN anchor Jake Tapper tweeted.

Law-enforcement officials have said five people were killed and several others were "gravely injured" in the shooting. Authorities have not released information about a possible motive.

Authorities also said that a "long gun" was used in the shooting and that no gunfire was exchanged between the gunman and officers.

One suspect is in custody and being interviewed by police, said Lt. Ryan Frashure of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

One of the newspaper's reporters, Phil Davis, tweeted: "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." He added that he was safe and was waiting to be interviewed by police.

Michelle Mark contributed to this report.

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