Fulton Co. Judge shot and killed in courthouse shooting (BREAKING Fri 9A)

WAGA-TV/WSB-TV Atlanta | 3.11.05

[mhking]

This is a breaking news situation.

A man entered a courtroom in the Fulton County Courthouse this morning and shot a Fulton County Sheriff's deputy, a clerk and a judge; there are reports from both WSB and WAGA, the judge is deceased.

The perp has carjacked multiple vehicles -- now on his third -- and is still at large.

I've just come from downtown Atlanta, and the city is a madhouse.

[Republican Red]

Local news reported that the fourth victim, a woman was shot in the head - grazed rather. It is not life threatening however, she is listed in critical condition because she has sustained head injuries sustained in a fall.

I guess she must have fallen when shot.

[FourtySeven]

He may have been planning to use the knife as a way to (more easily) get the gun from a deputy. When it was taken away from him, he may have decided to go ahead with his plan to escape anyway, and just got lucky getting the gun without the knife.

I'm just speculating here. I've watched a good number of crime dramas in my life. I'm probably giving this guy too much credit. hehe

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks, I realized that must be the situation after I posted.

[JeffAtlanta]

It is now being reported that Nichols was not at the courthouse for a criminal matter. It is being reported that he was there on a civil matter. The rape trial that ended in a hung jury had not yet resumed.

He would have never been shackled.

[Howlin]

It's not my fault you don't understand humor.

[Carolinamom]

The woman deputy was shot in the mouth.

[bikepacker67]

Evidently it was a woman deputy whose gun was taken.

Hmmm... a 140lb woman escorting a dangerous 210lb man into court - what could go wrong?

[txradioguy]

Yes! Goodbye ABC Primetime hello Fox News live! Thank you AFN!

[Ignatz]

Yeah, Fox-5 is reporting that he is a Unix Administrator at UPS.

What can brown do for you?

[Wolfstar]

Thanks for all the photos.

You're welcome. Re lawlessness, add the death of self-restraint to the list of reasons.

[cedarswingman]

At your request I bow out gracefully. Have a good day.

[newcats]

That'd make it either a 9mm or a .40 Short and Weak.

Not too weak take out 3 people.

[Lurking in Kansas]

What can brown do for you?

Race the truck?

[eyespysomething]

I wanna drive the truck!

[txradioguy]

Lurking you must be near the KMS?

[Republican Red]

According to local news and the AJC she was shot in the head but it didn't enter the skull:

The second deputy, Salomone said, “appeared to have a single gunshot wound to the head.”

Salomone said the bullet did not enter the deputy’s skull.

“She has a small bruise on her brain and some fractures around her face,” the doctor said. “It appears that after being shot, the deputy perhaps fell to the ground, receiving some of those fractures to her head.”

He said that while that deputy is in critical condition, “she is expected to survive the injuries.”

AJC link

[retrokitten]

Okay this is getting ridiculous. It's just after 2 eastern and we still have no new updates on this guys whereabouts??

[Lurking in Kansas]

Lurking you must be near the KMS?

:-) A 10 minute drive.

[FourtySeven]

I was just thinking the same thing. Time for a ciggie break.

[Dead Corpse]

At close range, a .22 would do the job. The .40 S&W is a cut down version of the 10MM. Severely underpowered, not much better than a .38. The cops like it as it is a "big" round and yet easy to shoot.

I don't particularly like the round, hence the disparaging remark.