Just six days ago Australian businessman and Annapolis mayor, Gavin Buckley, visited a high school in his adopted US city.
He joined local police, fire and other authorities at St Mary's High School to take part in an active shooter drill, sadly a regular event for Americans as they attempt to combat mass-shootings in their communities.
On Thursday, not too far from St Mary's, a man with a shotgun and a canister of smoke grenades walked into the office of Annapolis' newspaper, the Capital Gazette, and opened fire on journalists and other staff in what was described as a targeted attack.
At least five people were shot dead, two others were injured and the shooter was arrested after being found "cowering" under a desk by police.
"We are a small community," Mr Buckley told CNN on Thursday.
"The city of Annapolis is a city of about 38,000 and everybody knows each other in this town. They even let Australians be mayor here."
South African-born, Perth-raised Mr Buckley, 55, who still sports a thick Australian accent, was elected mayor of Annapolis last year.
The historic city is the capital of the US east coast state of Maryland.
Mr Buckley, after departing Australia as a 20-year-old on a global backpacking trip, landed in the US in 1992.
He became a central figure in the Annapolis community and owns multiple restaurants in the city.
Political rivals unsuccessfully attempted to derail his campaign for mayor by playing up his Australian background, including releasing a flier with a photo of Crocodile Dundee and alleging Buckley had "kangaroos loose in the top paddock".
The attack has rocked the city.
"It is a village and we are devastated and we are especially devastated because we know the journalists," Mr Buckley said.
"The journalists who sit through council meetings, report on us, report on our kids' sports teams, cats up in trees, all of that local journalism that is really important."
Mr Buckley said a reporter in the newsroom attempted to alert local police about the shooting by sending a text or via Twitter message.
What greeted the police, who incredibly arrived within 60 to 90 seconds of the emergency call, was a horror scene.
"They stepped over bodies, they went to the source of the violence and I think he heard them coming and he threw down his weapon," Mr Buckley said.
Mr Buckley confirmed the shooter, described as a white male aged in his late 30s, was found cowering under a desk.
"That is exactly what I heard as well," Mr Buckley said.
