Michigan inmate Larry Gordon gets officer’s gun, murders bailiffs Joe Zangaro, Ron Kienzle
A Michigan inmate took an officer’s gun and murdered two bailiffs, shooting two other people, while he was being moved from a holding cell inside the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan, on Tuesday. Identified as Larry Darnell Gordon, the prisoner was eventually shot and killed.
Gordon, 45, of Coloma, Minnesota, killed the two bailiffs, Joe Zangaro, 61, and Ron Kienzle, 63, who has been with the court since 2005, according to details revealed by Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey. Bailey said Gordon first shot a county sheriff’s deputy, then the bailiffs and a civilian in the arm before he was taken down.
The people inside the courthouse “went for shelter,” Bailey said, describing the shooting spree “and other brave officers were able to come to the rescue and take the shooter down.”
Zangaro, 61 was head of courthouse security and has been with court police since 2004 after retiring from Michigan State Police. Kienzle had been with the court since 2005, retiring as sergeant with Benton Township Police, He was also a U.S. Army veteran.
Bailey said the civilian and the sheriff’s deputy suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Gordon was jailed on numerous felony charges, Bailey said, noting that he he didn’t appear to have been cuffed at the time, which included felony charges of kidnapping, sexual assault and obstructing police. He was arrested in April.
The courthouse was later secured and the scene was rendered safe, Bailey said, noting that it appeared to be an attempted jail break during the inmate’s arraignment.
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