UPDATE - US: Several people shot at newspaper office in Maryland

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - Multiple people have been fatally shot and wounded when a gunman opened fire at the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

“A single shooter shot multiple people at my office, some of whom are dead,” Phil Davis, a reporter for the Gazette, tweeted.

Davis said the gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees.

“I’m a police reporter. I write about this stuff, not necessarily to this extent, but shootings and death, all the time,” Davis continued. “But as much as I’m going to try to articulate how traumatizing it is to be hiding under your desk, you don’t know until you’re there and you feel helpless.”

The shooting has prompted a massive police response. It was not immediately clear the conditions of the victims and police were still securing the newspaper building.

“Please help us,” an intern at the newspaper said in tweet shortly before police announced they had evacuated the building.

Speaking to the the media, Anne Arundel County Sheriff Ron Bateman said at least one suspect has been taken into custody.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said he is “absolutely devastated to learn of this tragedy in Annapolis,” adding he was in contact with authorities and Maryland State Police who were on the scene assisting county police.

“Please, heed all warnings and stay away from the area. Praying for those at the scene and for our community,” Hogan noted.

"We must unite to end the violence,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen tweeted.

President Donald Trump has been briefed about the shooting.

Federal agents from Baltimore’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also in the scene.

* This is a developing story.