Man fatally shot in courthouse lobby by deputy scaled White House wall earlier in year, DA says
A Pennsylvania man shot and killed in the lobby of a suburban Philadelphia courthouse on Tuesday had been arrested earlier this year for scaling a wall and entering the White House grounds in Washington, D.C., authorities said.
Curtis Smith, 34, entered the lobby of the Chester County Courthouse in West Chester with a knife a little before noon and charged a sheriff’s deputy, District Attorney Tom Hogan said. Another deputy responded with gunfire, fatally wounding Smith, reports NBC 10 Philadelphia.
The deputy who was attacked by Smith was injured in his hand and arm, but is in stable condition, WPVI in Philadelphia reported.
Meanwhile, as police swarmed the courthouse and detectives investigated during the afternoon, the legal business of the day continued.
Although the courthouse was closed to new visitors, trials went on and a courthouse worker was married by a judge, reports the Daily Local News of West Chester. When it was time to leave, those already in the building exited via a loading dock.
Retired courthouse employee Sara Finneran was visiting friends at the building and told NBC that she and her friends heard at least three shots. While waiting for the all-clear, they hid in the office of a judge who happened to be absent today.
Smith’s attorney Lewis Hannah III told NBC that the day’s events were tragic. “He was a truck driver,” Hannah told the station. “He worked every day, had a family, a wife, you know, you would have never have thought.”
Hannah was representing Smith in a domestic violence case, and said that Smith was supposed to obtain counseling before the next hearing in his case. Smith was facing burglary, assault and harassment charges.
The Philadelphia Inquirer also has a story.
Hat tip: Associated Press
Related coverage:
Daily Local News: “Chester County man allegedly climbs White House wall”
Updated at 5:18 p.m. with more quotes and information.
