[peacebaby]

My husband frequents the Fulton County Courthouse as well as other courthouses in the metro atlanta area. He's on top of this ongoing story right now. He told me the deputies get lax from time to time - and this was one of those times.

The husband has also said before that he can tell when a guilty verdict is going down because the deputies and police forces are increased around the judge, the convicted, and the people.

[katana]

the deputies get lax

This goes beyond lax and travels well into WTF?! territory. Prayers for the families of the slain, but it seems inconceivable that someone can steal a gun from a sheriff's deputy, shoot (and kill three out of) four people, make it from the 8th floor of the building (which is loaded with armed police officers) to the street below, do a series of car jackings in the downtown of one of America's biggest cities, and disappear to God knows where. This reads like a really bad movie script.

[josh0351]

"An unloaded gun is pretty worthless. Maybe the deputies need more training or they should allow other people to carry concealed in the courthouse."

I wonder if the Fulton Co. Sheriffs Deputies have the high-speed locking holsters that prevent incidents such as this. It’s been my experience in law enforcement that many of the sheriff’s deputies assigned to bailiff and other court duties are not as well equipped as the beat-walking officers of most PD’s. I know of some bailiff’s who still carry revolvers!