The four Berrien County Courthouse shooting victims were identified Monday night, July 11.
Joe Zangaro, 61, and Ron Kienzle, 63, were shot and killed by 45-year-old Larry Darnell Gordon, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said.
Berrien County Sheriff’s deputy James Atterberry Jr., 41, of Benton Harbor and an unidentified female citizen are listed in stable condition at Lakeland Hospital after they were shot by the suspect. Atterberry is being treated in the intensive care unit and underwent surgery Monday afternoon.
Zangaro was the head of security at the courthouse. He and Kienzle were both retired police officers. Bailey said it’s common for cops to work at bailiffs after retirement.
Gordon, who was from Coloma, was likely not handcuffed when he tried to break out of jail by stealing Atterberry’s gun near a holding cell on the third floor of the courthouse. Gordon shot Atterberry in the arm, then shot and killed both Zangaro and Kienzle, Bailey said.
Gordon then went into the courtroom, where he shot the woman in the arm and attempted to take hostages. Two other bailiffs shot and killed Gordon, stopping him, Bailey said.
In all, the entire incident lasted 5 minutes or less.
Gordon was being held at the jail on multiple felony charges, Bailey said, but he did not say what those charges were.
Bailey knew Zangaro and Kienzle for more than 30 years.
“They were well respected people in our community,” he said. “They were loving guys.”
