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[Updated] Three People Dead After Gunman Opens Fire Outside A Michigan Courthouse

By Rahul Srinivas
Published on: 08:23 PST, Jul 11, 2016

Three people were reported dead following a shootout at a courthouse in Michigan, Russia Today reports, citing WBND News. Initial reports say that the shooting took place at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan. The shooter is also among the dead. The other two people who have been killed are two court bailiffs. One police officer was injured after he was shot in one arm and a finger, the reports add. There are other injuries being reported as well.

Here is another video, reportedly captured by an eyewitness.

While the actual circumstances that led to the incident remain unclear, a county commissioner revealed that the shootout happened when a man who was on his way to jail managed to snatch a gun from a deputy and open fire. Other news outlets reveal that the shootout happened outside the courtroom of Judge Charles LaSata. Eyewitness Mark Laukus, who was reportedly in the area, described the situation.

“They had a gentleman in there, in his jail greens and handcuffs. One of the sheriff’s bailiffs took him into another hallway, and you heard a scuffle, you heard someone hit the floor. Then the courtroom bailiff went into that room, and you heard a gunshot.”

Russia Today adds that officers from the Michigan State Police are on the scene. An investigation is already underway.

Meanwhile, the victims of the shootout have been taken to the Lakeland Hospital. None of the injured or the dead have been identified so far.

Update

A Washington Post report has confirmed that the gunman was shot and killed by other bailiffs present nearby. However, they were unable to stop him from shooting four people. While the two other bailiff’s were declared dead at the scene, two others were rushed to a hospital. One of the injured has been identified as a deputy. The fourth individual was a civilian. In a press conference a few hours after the incident, a visibly shaken Sheriff L. Paul Bailey said;

“I lost some friends today. So I’m here with a heavy heart.”

The exact circumstances that led to the shooting still remains a mystery. However, Bailey did add that the incident happened in a courthouse corridor and that it happened after “a fight occurred with an inmate on the way to the courtroom.” He went on to add that the yet-to-be-named inmate managed to disarm one of the officers and used that gun to fire at others nearby.

Efforts are on to inform the families of the deceased. Meanwhile, Chuck Heit, the Berrien County undersheriff, has revealed that both the deceased bailiffs were armed at the time of the incident and they were “deputized by the sheriff.”

Governor Rick Snyder also mourned the death of the officers and tweeted about the incident.

We at the Inquisitr offer our condolences to the families of the officers who died in the line of duty today.

[Image Via Pixabay]

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