Larry Darnell Gordon
Larry Darnell Gordon
Authorities identified the inmate who killed two court bailiffs on Monday afternoon in the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph and wounded two other people as Larry Darnell Gordon, 45, of Coloma in western Michigan. Gordon was shot and killed during the shooting spree.
Gordon was reportedly trying to escape and grabbed the gun of a sheriff's deputy, who he shot and wounded around 2:30 p.m. He also fatally shot the two bailiffs, wounded a civilian and held citizens hostage for a short time before being killed by bailiffs, according to the Detroit Free Press.
He had been taken out of a holding cell and was being escorted to a courtroom when the trouble began, the South Bend Tribune reported.
“It doesn’t appear he was cuffed at the time of the incident,” Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said, according to the Detroit News. “Not everybody who goes into the courtroom is handcuffed.”
Michigan State Police records show Gordon was charged with kidnapping, sex assault and obstructing police in April, according to a report by Andrew Krietz of WZZM.
Gordon worked on automotive detailing and home improvement and had been in the county jail since April 20, his ex-wife, Jessica Gordon of Coloma, said in a story by Chad Livengood, Francis X. Donnelly and Candice Williams of the Detroit News reports.
Jessica Gordon said she and Larry were divorced in February, but had continued to raise a daughter together who turns 7 on Saturday, the News reports.
The deceased courthouse bailiffs were identified by the Berrient County Sheriff's Department as retired Michigan State Police Lt. Joe Zangaro, 61, and retired Benton Township police Sgt Ron Kienzle, 63.
