greyhound
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**Notice NO mention that shooter has CCW, but won't matter**
2 reported shot at Hennepin County Government Center
David Chanen and Pam Louwagie, Star Tribune
Published September 29, 2003 SHOT30
Two people were shot on the 17th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center's west tower this morning, and a woman was immediately arrested by a sheriff's deputy.
Both victims, a man and a woman, were wounded and, at noon, were in surgery at Hennepin County Medical Center. Sheriff Pat McGowan said during a noontime news conference that he had no idea about the nature of their wounds or which of the victims was shot first.
McGowan said he believes the incident involved a dispute between the two females, but declined to offer other details.
The shooting occurred at about 10 a.m. near the Property Court courtrooms. However, those courtrooms were being used today by Harassment Court, which deals with such things as harassment and stalking cases, said Chief Judge Kevin Burke, who also spoke at the news conference. The shots were fired before the case was called, Burke said.
The female victim was shot in a restroom, McGowan said. The male victim, an attorney who represented one of the women, was shot near the courtroom. It was not clear whether he represented the woman with the gun or the victim. Burke said the attorney volunteers to mediate some cases.
An instructor takes attendance during their Government Center field trip.Mary HarnanStar TribuneSheriff's deputies recovered the weapon and took the woman into custody without incident.
One of the Government Center's towers contains primarily courtrooms and the other contains primarily administrative offices. They offices were reopened by noon and the Government Center was open for business, McGowan said.
Today's shooting raised immediate questions about security at the busy center.
Burke predicted a "firestorm of concern about upgrading security in the Government Center." He said harassment court was not known as a "high visibility courtroom" and would not normally be considered a security threat.
But Burke acknowledged the need to re-evaluate security protections at the center, something that has been debated since the building opened in 1975.
McGowan, who declined to discuss security issues today, said he would be meeting with Burke and others to talk about changes. He said that currently, his department runs security checks when judges request them.
"Can we give guarantees about safety?'' he asked. "We can't as much as we might might want to.''
He said he believes the shooting is the first at the government center.
One witness who was on the 17th floor saw a man lying on the floor in the reception area. The witness went to a bathroom after seeing him. As she left the bathroom, she heard four or five gunshots.
Robert Washington, who works in the shipping and receiving department of the building, said he was walking down from the 18th floor at the time of the shooting.
``When I was coming down I heard two pops and heard a lot of commotion,'' he said. He said he was shoved against the stairwell wall by police.
``A lot of officers told everyone to get to the ground,'' he said. ``The main thing I was trying to do was just get out of there.''
The court tower had been blocked off for a while, but was reopened quickly. Access had been blocked off from a couple of floors above and below the shooting site in the administrative tower. Other than that and a horde of media members gathered on the public service level of the Government Center, business was continuing normally.
Burke said the focus today would be on the employees at the Government Center, especially those in the vicinity of the shooting. After they are interviewed by investigators they will be sent home, he said. The county is already at work on getting help for those who feel they need it, he said.
"This is a huge tragedy for everyone in the building,'' Burke said.
**Sigh** The leftists TOLD us this would happen if they allowed CCW in MN! When will we learn that LEFT=RIGHT? Suddenly, I feel a strange urge to march around downtown waving a puppet.
Seriously, how much you wanna bet that the shooter isn't even ELIGIBLE for a CCW (just a hunch), but this fact will be totally ignored in the shrieking of the harpies!
2 reported shot at Hennepin County Government Center
David Chanen and Pam Louwagie, Star Tribune
Published September 29, 2003 SHOT30
Two people were shot on the 17th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center's west tower this morning, and a woman was immediately arrested by a sheriff's deputy.
Both victims, a man and a woman, were wounded and, at noon, were in surgery at Hennepin County Medical Center. Sheriff Pat McGowan said during a noontime news conference that he had no idea about the nature of their wounds or which of the victims was shot first.
McGowan said he believes the incident involved a dispute between the two females, but declined to offer other details.
The shooting occurred at about 10 a.m. near the Property Court courtrooms. However, those courtrooms were being used today by Harassment Court, which deals with such things as harassment and stalking cases, said Chief Judge Kevin Burke, who also spoke at the news conference. The shots were fired before the case was called, Burke said.
The female victim was shot in a restroom, McGowan said. The male victim, an attorney who represented one of the women, was shot near the courtroom. It was not clear whether he represented the woman with the gun or the victim. Burke said the attorney volunteers to mediate some cases.
An instructor takes attendance during their Government Center field trip.Mary HarnanStar TribuneSheriff's deputies recovered the weapon and took the woman into custody without incident.
One of the Government Center's towers contains primarily courtrooms and the other contains primarily administrative offices. They offices were reopened by noon and the Government Center was open for business, McGowan said.
Today's shooting raised immediate questions about security at the busy center.
Burke predicted a "firestorm of concern about upgrading security in the Government Center." He said harassment court was not known as a "high visibility courtroom" and would not normally be considered a security threat.
But Burke acknowledged the need to re-evaluate security protections at the center, something that has been debated since the building opened in 1975.
McGowan, who declined to discuss security issues today, said he would be meeting with Burke and others to talk about changes. He said that currently, his department runs security checks when judges request them.
"Can we give guarantees about safety?'' he asked. "We can't as much as we might might want to.''
He said he believes the shooting is the first at the government center.
One witness who was on the 17th floor saw a man lying on the floor in the reception area. The witness went to a bathroom after seeing him. As she left the bathroom, she heard four or five gunshots.
Robert Washington, who works in the shipping and receiving department of the building, said he was walking down from the 18th floor at the time of the shooting.
``When I was coming down I heard two pops and heard a lot of commotion,'' he said. He said he was shoved against the stairwell wall by police.
``A lot of officers told everyone to get to the ground,'' he said. ``The main thing I was trying to do was just get out of there.''
The court tower had been blocked off for a while, but was reopened quickly. Access had been blocked off from a couple of floors above and below the shooting site in the administrative tower. Other than that and a horde of media members gathered on the public service level of the Government Center, business was continuing normally.
Burke said the focus today would be on the employees at the Government Center, especially those in the vicinity of the shooting. After they are interviewed by investigators they will be sent home, he said. The county is already at work on getting help for those who feel they need it, he said.
"This is a huge tragedy for everyone in the building,'' Burke said.
**Sigh** The leftists TOLD us this would happen if they allowed CCW in MN! When will we learn that LEFT=RIGHT? Suddenly, I feel a strange urge to march around downtown waving a puppet.
Seriously, how much you wanna bet that the shooter isn't even ELIGIBLE for a CCW (just a hunch), but this fact will be totally ignored in the shrieking of the harpies!
