Dade Courthouse Re-Opens After Gun Scare

MIAMI (CBS4) – A gun scare forced the evacuation of the Miami-Dade County Metro Justice Center Thursday morning.

"Approximately 10:00 a.m., a package that went through the x-ray machine detected what looked like a weapon, but at the same time someone picked up that package," explained Miami-Dade Police Lt. Rosanna Cordero-Stutz. "The photo on the machine showed what could be a weapon, however, we still don't know, it could be a toy gun."

The person with package then walked off into the courthouse before security could stop them.

"Like 12 to 15 securities were arguing amongst themselves about letting in someone with a weapon. They just stopped the line and we couldn't go through," said Natalie who asked that CBS4 not use her last name in this report.

Natalie said after several moments of bickering among themselves and finger-pointing, security resumed as if nothing had happened.

"Then they started slowly letting each one of us in," said Natalie.

Minutes later an alert went out over the courthouse's loudspeakers.

"Everyone that is not an employee of Dade County please leave the building. Code Brown. Everyone evacuate the building." A code brown means evacuate the building but doesn't specify a reason for the evacuation.

Attorney Jeffrey Feiler told CBS4's Jasmine Kripalani that court observers and others on the third floor of the building searched for a weapon, before the alert was issued.

Hundreds of people inside the building were evacuated as officers with police dogs scoured the building, floor-by-floor, room-by-room, looking for the gun.

"We have never encountered anything like this for as long as we have been working here," said drug court case manager Michelle August.

Just before 1 p.m. police gave the all clear and everyone was allowed back in the building. CBS4 reporter David Sutta was near the x-ray machine when security guard's reviewed the picture again. He snapped an exclusive picture of what it looked like; the shape of a gun inside a purse or bag.

Police have not said whether they found the gun or its owner during their search.

Some who were at the courthouse wondered how the company which provides security for the courthouse, 50 State Security Services, could have let someone with a weapon get inside and then wait minutes to respond to it.

"I don't think the security is prepared for a situation. Definitely not," said Natalie.

CBS4's Michele Gillen who also in the building reported as the order was given doors flew open and everyone quickly left their offices.

The elevators shutdown and everyone headed for the stairs. Officers took to the hallways looking for the person who got past the security checkpoint.

Israel Perez was in traffic court and was nervous. "A little bit, we were like a code brown? What's that? Maybe there is a criminal on the loose. It is a courthouse."

"Kinda like a whole lot of ants trying to overpower each other. But we did exit and no one got hurt," said Robert Turner.

Inmates who were at the courthouse remained locked up and secure and security personnel inside the building were told to stay inside their areas.