Three shot dead by court fugitive
A MAN being escorted into a US court for his rape trial yesterday stole a deputy’s gun, killed the judge and two other people and carjacked a reporter’s vehicle to escape, setting off a massive manhunt and public panic.
Hundreds of police officers in cars and helicopters swarmed Atlanta in search of IT technician Brian Nichols, 33.
The suspect had raised alarm a day earlier when he was found in court with two handmade knives hidden in his shoes.
The rampage led to chaos around the city, with schools, restaurants and office buildings locked down amid fears that the suspect might strike again. Nichols’ picture was shown continually on TV, and highway message boards issued descriptions of the stolen vehicle.
This morning, police reported that the car had been found in a downtown Atlanta car park, not far from where it was stolen.
"Mr Nichols is considered armed and extremely dangerous and should not be approached," Fulton County Sheriff Myron Freeman said. "We are not going to rest until we find him."
Nichols got the semi-automatic pistol by overpowering the female deputy while he was being led down a corridor in the Fulton County Courthouse, Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher said.
After shooting the deputy in the face, the suspect went to the courtroom, held about a dozen people at bay for a short time and killed Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes and court stenographer Julie Brandau, authorities said.
Another deputy, Sgt Hoyt Teasley, was killed outside the courthouse when he confronted the suspect. The deputy shot while leading Nichols to court, Cynthia Hall, was in critical condition but expected to survive.
Police said Nichols pistol-whipped an Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer, stole his car and sped away from a parking garage. Police Chief Richard Pennington said it was one of three or four carjackings he committed after the shootings.
The shootings came a day after the judge and prosecutors had requested extra security for deputies when the sharp objects were found in Nichols’ shoes.
The killings took place on the fourth day of Nichols’ re-trial on charges of rape, sodomy, burglary and false imprisonment after his first trial ended in a hung jury a week ago.
Um homem em julgamento pelo crime de estupro, segundo informações de testemunhas, tomou a arma de uma policial feminina que estava próximo,  entrou na sala de audiência e disparou na direção do juiz, Rowland Barnes, 64 anos e de sua estenógrafa, Julie Brandau, 43 anos,  matando-os.
A guarda de quem Brians roubou a arma encontra-se em estado grave no hospital, mas tem chances de sobreviver. Isto aconteceu  ontem, em um tribunal de Atlanta nos Estados Unidos. O supeito, Brian Nichols, tem 33 anos, estava no tribunal no quarto dia de seu julgamento por inúmeras acusações feitas por sua ex-namorada.

Depois de deixar o tribunal, roubou o carro de um dos repórteres e fugiu. Uma grande caçada teve início com a participação  de helicópteros e centenas de policias. Foi oferecida uma recompensa de  60 mil dólares por qualquer informação que levasse a sua captura.

Segundo recentes notícias divulgadas pelos canais de  televisão dos Estados Unidos, Nichols foi detido horas depois  em  Atlanta.