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Lord Borg
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Joined: 27 May 2003
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Location: Vulcan Capital City, Vulcan
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 Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:09 pm Georgia courthouse killer evades manhunt |
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(This is an update, but enought for new news)
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Man who allegedly kills judge, 2 others apparently planned attack
ATLANTA - Brian Nichols appeared to have been plotting violence the day before he allegedly went on a rampage during his rape trial Friday.
Authorities said Nichols sharpened parts of a doorknob into dangerous weapons and showed up to court Thursday with the objects in his shoes, prompting the judge and prosecutors to request extra security.
But police say Nichols found another way to carry out his attack. The 33-year-old former computer technician allegedly overpowered a sheriff�s deputy leading him to court and stole her gun, then killed the judge and two other people. Authorities said he then pistol-whipped a newspaper reporter, stole his car and fled, setting off a massive manhunt.
Hundreds of officers in cruisers and helicopters swarmed the area in search of Nichols, who had been on trial for rape, burglary and other charges stemming from an August incident involving an ex-girlfriend.
$60,000 reward offered
Neither Nichols nor the car in which he escaped had been found, Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington said at a 9:30 p.m. ET news conference. Pennington said a reward of $60,000 was offered for information leading to Nichols' capture. He said two tip lines would be staffed round-the-clock: (404) 730-7983 and (404) 730-7984.
The rampage led to chaos around the city, with schools, restaurants and office buildings locking down amid fears that the suspect might strike again. Nichols� mug shot was plastered all over TV screens, and highway message boards issued descriptions of the stolen vehicle.
�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 gun 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 then went to the courtroom, held about a dozen people at bay for a short time and shot and killed the judge and a court reporter, he said.
Path of destruction
Another deputy was later killed outside the Atlanta courthouse when he confronted the suspect, Dreher said. The deputy shot while leading Nichols to court survived. Hospital officials said she was in critical condition with facial fractures and a gunshot wound to the head but was expected to live.
Authorities said Nichols then carjacked the newspaper reporter�s green 1997 Honda Accord in a parking garage and sped away. Authorities were searching for the car, with Georgia license plate no. 6584-YN.
�When he had the gun in my face, you start to think, �How can I stay alive?� I thought this was a routine carjack. I didn�t know two other people were killed,� said Don O�Briant, a features writer for the paper.
Witnesses reported the suspect carrying out a series of carjackings before that; a police spokesman would only say he attempted to commandeer at least one other vehicle.
Chief Pennington said the car had not been found but said authorities suspect Nichols is still using the car though he may have changed the license plate.
source: MSNBC |
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Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
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