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Sadly, the only time anyone ever talks about throwing some money at security for courtrooms and courthouses is after a tragedy. In the latest case, changes are being implemented at the Crawford County Courthouse in Van Buren, Arkansas after a man went on a 12-minute shooting rampage injuring a judge's secretary and a police officer.
Police shot James Ray Palmer, 48, of Kibler, once in the torso and once in the head on the courthouse lawn, according to investigators.
Van Buren Police Officer David Passen, Detective Randy Allen, and Lt. Steven Staggs all exchanged fire with the suspect, according to Det. Jonathan Wear.
All of the involved officers are on paid administrative leave while the investigation is concluded.
Palmer died from his injuries after exchanging fire with the police.
Officer Passen sustained minor injuries when Palmer fired shots at his patrol car, Det. Wear told reporters. He was treated and released.
Sheriff Ron Brown says the two officers from his department were also involved in the shooting and they are currently on active duty.
The courthouse was closed for a short time after the shooting but later reopened. Just one entrance was opened for entering and leaving the building and two armed deputies were on duty.
Like a lot of other courthouse shootings, and there are plenty every year, the only security measures in place in the past at the courthouse was a metal detector installed outside the court room.
Judge Hall noted that the courthouse is one of the state's oldest courthouses west of the Mississippi River.
"We've always prided ourselves as the type that, you know, you could come and go and you could go inside and see the historical parts of this thing," Judge Hall said of the historic courthouse building. "It's a shame, but the situation is such that we no longer can do this to protect our people."
Judge Hall says the county does not have the money needed to beef up security. But he says officials will just have to find a way.
Deputies say Palmer was targeting Crawford County Division 1 Judge Gary Cottrell, who presided over a divorce and custody hearing involving Palmer and his ex-wife in 2001.
Sheriff Ron Brown told reporters. "This guy came heavily armed. He came here for a mission. When all the pieces are put together in this case the public will see, this man came to die on the Crawford County Courthouse lawn. He was going to take as many people as he could with him."
Police say the shooter fired at least 70 rounds. Judge Cottrell's secretary Vickie Jones sustained a non-life threatening wound to the leg after Palmer opened fire on the second floor of the courthouse around 3:45 p.m..
Palmer was armed with three semi-automatic handguns, a semi-automatic rifle and a tactical vest with webbing, allowing the gunman to carry additional ammunition. The weapons were hid under a trench coat he was wearing.
"It's obvious that he came here with the intent to do some killing," Lt. Brent Grill with Van Buren Police told 5News.
Sheriff Brown says surveillance video shows Palmer's gun malfunctioned several times and if it weren't for that more people would have been injured.
Palmer had also placed timed incendiary devices at his home discovered during a subsequent search but they failed to function.
Palmer sent a suicide note-email to friends and relatives prior to the shooting indicating that he was going to kill himself. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites        
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