A man is in critical condition after being shot both by himself and by a bailiff Friday morning at Eastside District Court, where Baltimore Police said the man pulled a gun while suffering a “behavioral crisis.”
Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said that the 35-year-old was hospitalized after shooting himself in the head and being shot twice in his lower extremities by the bailiff, who was not injured.
When the man entered the courthouse at 1400 E. North Ave. at around 8:42 a.m., it was “clear that he was suffering from a behavioral crisis,” Worley said.
He had entered both sets of the courthouse’s glass doors but did not make it past security, Worley said. As sheriff’s deputies and bailiffs tried to interact with the man, who the commissioner said was walking “back and forth a little bit,” he withdrew the firearm from “under his garments” and pointed it at his head.
“Bailiffs tried to get him to drop the weapon, unfortunately, he did not,” Worley said. “At some point, one of the bailiffs fired a shot, the victim fired a shot at himself,” the commissioner said.
The Maryland Attorney General’s office is over the investigation, Worley said.
It was unclear if the man had any recent business with the judiciary. “We don’t know why he was here,” Worley said, also noting that police hadn’t retrieved any audio or video.
“We hope that the victim is able to survive, but we again just want to pray for everyone involved,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said, who said he was “thankful for the quick action of law enforcement” but added that “we have to have serious conversations” about mental health and access to firearms.
The union that represents current and retired Baltimore Police officers, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, said on social media that union officials responded to the scene “with our attorneys” to assist the bailiff, who is a member.
A spokesperson for the Maryland Judiciary said earlier Friday that she did not have details on what happened, though the judiciary’s website noted that the courthouse will be closed for the remainder of the day.
Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement that his staff was safe, and his office was coordinating with Baltimore Police “to gather more details.” The office declined to comment further, noting it was an active investigation. The Baltimore Sheriff’s Office, which is responsible for security at the city’s circuit court complex, said in a statement that deputies were deployed to the district court to assist staff and provide “additional law enforcement services.” The statement said that there was no ongoing threat to city courthouses.