(Image source from: Yeshiva World News)

A gunman opened fire in a targeted attack on Monday at Capital Gazette newspaper office in Maryland's capital Annapolis, killing at least five people including veteran journalist Rob Hiaasen and injuring several others.

Rob Hiaasen, the brother of best-selling author and long-time columnist for the Miami Herald Carl Hiaasen grew up in Fort Lauderdale and graduated from the University of Florida. He worked for The Palm Beach Post and joined Capital Gazette in 2010.

"I just want people to know what an in­cred­ibly gentle, generous and gifted guy my brother was," Carl Hiaasen told a media source. "He was an unforgettably warm and uplifting presence as a father and brother, but he also had dedicated his whole life to journalism."

According to authorities, the four victims were identified as a special publications editor Wendi Winters, a sales assistant Rebecca Smith, an editorial page editor Gerald Fischman, and a staff writer John McNamara.

The gunman was identified as Jarrod W. Ramos, who as well wounded two others before being taken into custody in what appeared to be one of the deadliest attacks on Journalists in the United States history, police and witnesses said.

Police said the suspect was a white man in his late 30s whose rampage at The Capital Gazette followed social media threats directed at the newspaper.

Authorities said the man entered the building and "looked for his victims." He threw smoke grenades and fired a shotgun at his victims, according to Anne Arundel County Acting Police Chief William Krampf.

"This person was prepared today to come in, this person was prepared to shoot people. His intent was to cause harm," Krampf said.

Krampf declined to identify the suspect but said he was a Maryland resident and search warrants were being sought for his home. Ramos, the suspected gunman, had an unsuccessful defamation suit against the newspaper.

Phil Davis, a reporter who covers courts and crime for the paper, tweeted that the gunman shot out the glass door to the office and fired into the newsroom, sending people scrambling for cover under desks.

According to law enforcement official, the attacker had mutilated his fingers in an apparent attempt to make it harder to identify him. Another official who also spoke on condition of anonymity said investigators identified the man using facial recognition technology.

The New York City police tighten the security at news organizations in the nation's media capital.

By Sowmya Sangam