FMF DOC
01-04-2010, 12:45
(CNN) -- Two federal personnel were shot, one fatally, Monday in the lobby of a federal courthouse building in Las Vegas, Nevada, federal officials said.
"A deputy U.S. marshal and court security officer were shot at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse in Las Vegas this morning," said U.S. Marshals spokesman Jeff Carter.
"The gunman was shot by Marshals Service personnel and has been pronounced dead. The deputy U.S. Marshal is in stable condition at a local hospital. Unfortunately, the court security officer succumbed to his wounds and passed away."
The incident occurred about 8 a.m. PT, FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey said.
Authorities were in the process of securing the building, Carter said.
"We do not know the motive for the shooting at this time, and the investigation into the shooting is still under way," he said.
No one else was in the lobby at the time of the incident, police spokeswoman Barbara Morgan said.
A nearby school was on lockdown, said Clark County School District spokeswoman Cynthia Sell.
Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign both have offices in the federal building. Ensign spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper said the senator was not there, although the staff was evacuated.
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Video: FBI: Gunman shot and killed
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Reid, the Senate majority leader, issued a statement saying his thoughts were with the victims and their families.
"The law enforcement personnel who protect the courthouse put their lives at risk every day to keep the people who are inside safe and I greatly appreciate their service," the senator said.
Troy Saceal told CNN affiliate KNTV that he had just parked his car on the fourth floor of a garage nearby when he heard gunshots.
"I saw some people running out of the building and what looked like security," he said. "It was the marshals, and the whole firefight kind of opened up. It was just blast after blast with a gun."
Saceal said he saw a marshal shot at the corner of the building "and another marshal ran up and covered him up" as police officers began arriving at the scene.
"When the shots kind of subsided, I saw some officers run up and check on that marshal that was apparently hit," he said.
Over about two minutes, he said, he heard 30 to 40 shots.
"It was kind of surreal watching it because I didn't realize what was going on at the time," he said. "By the time I kind of realized what was going on, I just saw people coming out of the building shooting toward the street." He said a building blocked his view of what they were shooting at.
Shortly after the incident, a video was posted on YouTube that appeared to capture the scene and the sound outside the courthouse during the shooting. At least 45 gunshots are heard on the video, with many in rapid succession. The video lasts a minute and 13 seconds.
"Shooting outside of a Las Vegas courthouse," a voice says. "Unbelievable."
The video was posted to YouTube by a user with the name NickyFlips, who wrote on the Web site that he had just exited the courthouse after receiving a jury summons.
"Hell of a morning for jury duty," the voice adds.
"A deputy U.S. marshal and court security officer were shot at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse in Las Vegas this morning," said U.S. Marshals spokesman Jeff Carter.
"The gunman was shot by Marshals Service personnel and has been pronounced dead. The deputy U.S. Marshal is in stable condition at a local hospital. Unfortunately, the court security officer succumbed to his wounds and passed away."
The incident occurred about 8 a.m. PT, FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey said.
Authorities were in the process of securing the building, Carter said.
"We do not know the motive for the shooting at this time, and the investigation into the shooting is still under way," he said.
No one else was in the lobby at the time of the incident, police spokeswoman Barbara Morgan said.
A nearby school was on lockdown, said Clark County School District spokeswoman Cynthia Sell.
Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign both have offices in the federal building. Ensign spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper said the senator was not there, although the staff was evacuated.
Video: 'Blast after blast' at courthouse
Video: FBI: Gunman shot and killed
RELATED TOPICS
Las Vegas
Shootings
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Reid, the Senate majority leader, issued a statement saying his thoughts were with the victims and their families.
"The law enforcement personnel who protect the courthouse put their lives at risk every day to keep the people who are inside safe and I greatly appreciate their service," the senator said.
Troy Saceal told CNN affiliate KNTV that he had just parked his car on the fourth floor of a garage nearby when he heard gunshots.
"I saw some people running out of the building and what looked like security," he said. "It was the marshals, and the whole firefight kind of opened up. It was just blast after blast with a gun."
Saceal said he saw a marshal shot at the corner of the building "and another marshal ran up and covered him up" as police officers began arriving at the scene.
"When the shots kind of subsided, I saw some officers run up and check on that marshal that was apparently hit," he said.
Over about two minutes, he said, he heard 30 to 40 shots.
"It was kind of surreal watching it because I didn't realize what was going on at the time," he said. "By the time I kind of realized what was going on, I just saw people coming out of the building shooting toward the street." He said a building blocked his view of what they were shooting at.
Shortly after the incident, a video was posted on YouTube that appeared to capture the scene and the sound outside the courthouse during the shooting. At least 45 gunshots are heard on the video, with many in rapid succession. The video lasts a minute and 13 seconds.
"Shooting outside of a Las Vegas courthouse," a voice says. "Unbelievable."
The video was posted to YouTube by a user with the name NickyFlips, who wrote on the Web site that he had just exited the courthouse after receiving a jury summons.
"Hell of a morning for jury duty," the voice adds.