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Employees return to Berrien County courthouse after shooting

Employees returned Wednesday, July 13, to the Berrien County Courthouse after it was closed yesterday.

Employees returned Wednesday, July 13, to the Berrien County Courthouse after it was closed yesterday.

Counselors are also there to assist in the healing process.

"These people that work together here are family," Chief Judge Gary Bruce said.

A family that has now experienced tragedy.

"I was on the fourth floor and we had just finished a court hearing and my Baliff came rushing into the office," Bruce said.

He was told to lock himself and other employees in the bathroom, but with the harm done, an important step was taken Wednesday as court employees returned.

"This is our family, we needed to be around each other, we needed to talk to each other, we needed to start the healing process," Bruce said.

That process included laying flowers on the desks of the slain bailiffs.

"I did not have the guts to go to the third floor and one of my fellow judges said come on lets go and we did, we put flowers on Joe's desk and Ron's desk and we had to suck it up and get back in here and start healing," Bruce said.

Counselors will be on hand for the rest of the week to help grieving employees. And starting Thursday, the court will reopen to the public.

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