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The man accused of killing five in a newsroom shooting at the offices of the Capital Gazette last year will plead guilty, NBC Washington reports. Jarrod Ramos, a 39-year-old from Maryland, entered his plea through his attorney at a pre-trial hearing on Monday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court—admitting guilt to all 23 charges against him in the shooting that killed five. The charges include five counts of first-degree murder. Judge Laura Ripken will still have to accept Ramos’ plea to make it official, at which point his trial will pivot to determining whether Ramos is criminally responsible for the shooting. Capital Gazette employees reportedly attended the Monday hearing, and held hands while Ramos’ attorney spoke before the court.
In June 2018, Ramos allegedly went into the Annapolis-area office with a shotgun and killed those inside in a methodical manner. According to officials and prosecutors, Ramos had a grudge against the newspaper after it ran a piece about a guilty plea he made in a harassment case. He previously claimed to not be criminally responsible for the shooting, arguing he has a mental disorder that prevented him from understanding the consequences of his actions. Jury selection in his trial was reportedly slated to begin this week.