The man accused of killing five people at a Maryland newspaper was investigated five years ago for a barrage of menacing tweets against staff members, but a detective concluded he was no threat, and the paper didn't want to press charges for fear of inflaming the situation, according to a police report released Friday.

The newspaper was afraid of "putting a stick in a beehive."

The 2013 police report added to the picture emerging of Jarrod W. Ramos, 38, as the former information-technology employee with a longtime grudge against The Capital of Annapolis was charged with five counts of first-degree murder in one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in US history.

Authorities said Ramos barricaded the rear exit of the office to prevent anyone from escaping and methodically blasted his way through the newsroom Thursday with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, gunning down one victim trying to slip out the back.

Three editors, a reporter and a sales assistant were killed.

"The fellow was there to kill as many people as he could," Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare said.