Reporter resigns after fake tweet that Maryland suspect shot had MAGA hat

A reporter from Springfield, Mass., Resigned from office Friday after posting a message on Twitter falsely claiming that Jarrod Ramos, a suspect firing on Maryland, had brought a "Make America Great Again" hat to the office. the Capital Gazette. Conor Berry, who wrote for the Republican, tweeted a picture of a MAGA hat Thursday, and suggested that Ramos had left him behind the Gazette office after supposedly killing five employees of the Gazette.

The backlash was swift. Berry removed the tweet and apologized in a follow-up tweet on Friday morning.

"Folks, My 21 year career as a" journalist ", a fancy term that makes me goose bumps, frankly, abruptly stopped yesterday with a stupid and unfortunate tweet," wrote Barry: "I can not take it back; if only I could. My apologies to all the good journalists and supporters of POTUS. "

Berry told the Boston Globe that the tweet was to be a" sarcastic, sarcastic and cynical remark. "

In his resignation letter, Berry conceded that his tweet" tarnishes the good work of unbiased journalists everywhere. "

Wayne Phaneuf, Republican editor, said that journalists must be" more vigilant than ever "in their efforts to be fair and accurate.

President Donald Trump, who has often criticized journalists for reporting "false news," said Friday that "journalists, like all Americans, should be freed from the fear of being violently attacked in the performance of their duties."

First reporter to apologize for a tweet suggesting that the president or one of his supporters shared responsibility for the Thurday massacre.

Reuters reporter Rob Cox tweeted on Twitter on Thursday: "That's what happens when @realDonaldTrump calls the people's enemies reporters.The blood is in your hands, Mr. Speaker, keep your thoughts and prayers for your soul empty."

The tweet was deleted afterwards.

Associated Press contributed to this report.