Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - Shooting at courthouse in Downtown Atlanta

HomerJSimpson · 03-11-2005, 09:21 PM

Full Story:

Sheriff's official tells how shootings happened

> By BETH WARREN
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
> Published on: 03/11/05
Fulton Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Thompson described how a man in custody was able to obtain the gun he used to shoot and kill three people this morning at the Fulton County Courthouse.

Thompson said Deputy Cynthia Hall had shooting suspect Brian Nichols in a holding area on the eighth floor of the Justice Center Tower in downtown Atlanta. Nichols was changing his jail clothes to his street clothes to appear before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes in his rape case.

Before Hall was able to handcuff Nichols after he had changed, Thompson said, he grabbed the deputy's gun and shot her and grabbed her keys. Nichols needed the keys to leave the the hold room, which was between courtrooms 8A and 8B in the newest part of the courthouse.

Nichols opened the door and ran across a nearby walkway that connects the new part of the justice center to the old part, where Barnes was in court. Nichols made his way to the courtroom, entered and began shooting, Thompson said. Barnes was shot in the head. Court reporter Julie Brandau was also shot. Both died on the scene.

Nichols ran out of an exit and apparently ran down seven flights of stairs and out an emergency exit, which triggered an alarm, although deputies had already been put on alert. Nichols fled through the side of the building on Martin Luther King Drive.

Sheriff's Deputy Hoyt Teasley ran after Nichols as he left the building. As Teasley stepped off the sidewalk onto MLK, Nichols turned around and fired six shots, Thompson said. At least one hit Teasley in the abdomen.

Two female City Hall employees were walking down the sidewalk near the deputy before he was shot. They said Nichols looked at them coldly, looked at the deputy, then shot the deputy.

Teasley, who was not wearing a bulletproof vest, had drawn his gun but didn't have a chance to fire it. His weapon was found near his body.

Thompson arrived shortly thereafter and saw other sheriff's employees pick Teasley up and put him in a patrol car because traffic was blocked and ambulances could not reach him. Thompson told those helping Teasley to take him back out of the car so Thompson could administer CPR. The CPR was unsuccessful, and Teasley was put back into the patrol car.

Thompson wiped the blood off his hand and began roping off the area with yellow crime scene tape.

"I tried to help him. I did all I could," Thompson said as he hugged one of the City Hall employees after the shooting.

Thompson said Teasley was assigned to building security and would be seen as people entered the court building. Thompson called Teasley quiet and good-natured.

03-11-2005, 09:21 PM	#145
HomerJSimpson College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Springfield, USA	Full Story: Sheriff's official tells how shootings happened > By BETH WARREN Atlanta Journal-Constitution > Published on: 03/11/05 Fulton Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Thompson described how a man in custody was able to obtain the gun he used to shoot and kill three people this morning at the Fulton County Courthouse. Thompson said Deputy Cynthia Hall had shooting suspect Brian Nichols in a holding area on the eighth floor of the Justice Center Tower in downtown Atlanta. Nichols was changing his jail clothes to his street clothes to appear before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes in his rape case. Before Hall was able to handcuff Nichols after he had changed, Thompson said, he grabbed the deputy's gun and shot her and grabbed her keys. Nichols needed the keys to leave the the hold room, which was between courtrooms 8A and 8B in the newest part of the courthouse. Nichols opened the door and ran across a nearby walkway that connects the new part of the justice center to the old part, where Barnes was in court. Nichols made his way to the courtroom, entered and began shooting, Thompson said. Barnes was shot in the head. Court reporter Julie Brandau was also shot. Both died on the scene. Nichols ran out of an exit and apparently ran down seven flights of stairs and out an emergency exit, which triggered an alarm, although deputies had already been put on alert. Nichols fled through the side of the building on Martin Luther King Drive. Sheriff's Deputy Hoyt Teasley ran after Nichols as he left the building. As Teasley stepped off the sidewalk onto MLK, Nichols turned around and fired six shots, Thompson said. At least one hit Teasley in the abdomen. Two female City Hall employees were walking down the sidewalk near the deputy before he was shot. They said Nichols looked at them coldly, looked at the deputy, then shot the deputy. Teasley, who was not wearing a bulletproof vest, had drawn his gun but didn't have a chance to fire it. His weapon was found near his body. Thompson arrived shortly thereafter and saw other sheriff's employees pick Teasley up and put him in a patrol car because traffic was blocked and ambulances could not reach him. Thompson told those helping Teasley to take him back out of the car so Thompson could administer CPR. The CPR was unsuccessful, and Teasley was put back into the patrol car. Thompson wiped the blood off his hand and began roping off the area with yellow crime scene tape. "I tried to help him. I did all I could," Thompson said as he hugged one of the City Hall employees after the shooting. Thompson said Teasley was assigned to building security and would be seen as people entered the court building. Thompson called Teasley quiet and good-natured.