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Three Now Confirmed Dead in Atlanta Courthouse Shooting

Aired March 11, 2005 - 13:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Checking some stories now in the news. First of all, in about one hour's time we expect a news conference. The mayor of the city of Atlanta, the police chief of the city of Atlanta will be briefing reporters on our top story we'll tell you a little bit more about. A gunmen on the loose, three dead, including a superior court judge. Downtown Atlanta the scene right there.
A man on trial for alleged rape in the courtroom reportedly grabbed a deputy's gun, started shooting. Confirmed dead, the judge, Rowland Barnes, a court reporter and one sheriff's deputy. The man police are hunting looks like this: Brian Nichols, 33 years old, might be in a car he stole while fleeing the scene, reports of a green Honda Accord. Authorities are hoping someone on the roads around Atlanta will spot the car Nichols is believed to be driving in and call it in. Police are out in force. Many downtown streets are cordoned off, although the search is expanding.

Stay with CNN. We're following developments here closely. That's the license tag on that green Honda Accord.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the suspect opened fire in the courtroom, then shooting spilled outside. Witnesses are giving dramatic accounts what went on this morning right here in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was attempting to park, waiting to get my ticket, and as I was getting my ticket, I thought I heard shots, but didn't really pay it that much attention, went on to make my turn to go up the ramp, and I saw a gentleman run by, didn't really pay him a lot of attention, went on to start going up the ramp, and started hearing just a ton of sirens.

As I got up to the top and got parked, I went and looked over the wall of the parking garage, and I saw the sheriff laying on the ground, and that's kind of when I started connecting everything. You know, I heard shots, I see this guy run by. And at that point, you start to panic -- you don't know whether to leave out of the garage or get in your car and leave.

There were several of us standing there, not knowing really what to do, so two ladies and I made a decision just to get in the garage...

(END VIDEO CLIP) O'BRIEN: The shooting, as we told you, happened on day four of a rape trial. Jurors weren't in the courtroom at the time. One member of the jury at the time says the suspect was an intimidating presence in that courtroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was about 6'2", very athletic. An African- American gentleman, very short hair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was his name?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brian Nichols.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you spell it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how to spell it.

He -- his demeanor, was very interactive with the jury. He was like keeping his eye on all of our eyes to see our reaction and everything during the jury selection process as well. He had a background in criminal justice I guess on the -- in his education. So he knew maybe what was going on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So the trial started Tuesday?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It started Tuesday. Every time -- every time he looked up, we saw him looking at our reaction. So it made us a little nervous, and we always kind of looked the other way.

Today was anticipated to be the last day, but it looked like it was going to carry on past today. We had just heard the last witness for the prosecution. I think maybe we had one more detective to go. The defendant hadn't -- hadn't spoken yet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you expand on what made you nervous about him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, every time you looked up he was staring at you in the eyes. So I tried to always look, you know, to whoever was testifying. I mean, it was just -- you know, we all kind of formed somewhat of an opinion on the outcome of it, but we hadn't heard from him, and we wanted to hear him...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How old was the woman (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The woman was 33 and I think he was 33 as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You talked earlier about...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: CNN's Nancy Grace, former prosecutor who spent a lot of time in that particular courtroom, knew the judge well, knew that court reporter very well. She spoke with us a little while ago. We'll hear from her after the break.

PHILLIPS: Meanwhile, the search is still on for this suspect that has so far that we know of left three people dead, one injured. Brian Nichols is his name. Last seen driving a green Honda. We have the license plate number. We'll let you look at that as head to break.

More LIVE FROM, right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Once again, if you're just tuning in, you're watching rolling coverage. Police still on the lookout for Brian Nichols, the man, the gunman still on the loose still somewhere, not known if it's in the Atlanta area or not. Police looking -- hundreds of police officers out looking for this man who, we are told, after three people have been shot dead, including a superior court judge. Well, that superior court judge was Rowland Barnes, and happens to be a friend of former prosecutor Nancy Grace. As you know, Nancy Grace works for us here at CNN. She had a chance to talk with Wolf Blitzer about this man she knew well in the past hour and a half.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NANCY GRACE, FMR. PROSECUTOR: Wolf, I am en route to Atlanta right now. I am heartbroken.

I've been playing softball with Judge Barnes since 1987, when I was a rookie prosecutor. And his court reporter, Julie, had just been up visiting me, staying with me in New York this past couple of months. And I'm just -- I'm stunned.

Wolf, there were a million times we as prosecutors and judges walk into the courtroom going about our everyday business as public servants. And I am stunned. I am stunned about Judge Barnes' death and Julie's death, and the two deputy sheriffs trying to do their job.

Everybody keeps talking about how, maybe there was an accomplice. Listen, Wolf, anybody that's been in and out of that courthouse can figure out the lay of the courthouse. It is what it is. The man grabbed the gun and unloaded rather than go to jail on a rape charge. That's what happened.

BLITZER: Talk a little bit about Judge Barnes, Nancy. Give us some personal thoughts that are going through your mind right now.

GRACE: Wolf, I can't tell you how many times that I sat in the stands and cheered a softball game with Judge Barnes. He was a state court judge for many, many years, coming up in the ranks like all of us, as a trial lawyer.

And Wolf, when he made superior court judge, usually, you know, there are political hacks or appointees. This is a guy that everybody said, thank God somebody like Barnes finally made the bench. This makes it all worthwhile.

All I can say is Barnes was the kind of person that I was proud to practice in front of.

BLITZER: You have to ask yourself, how can these things happen? How can such a tragedy occur to such a good man who worked so hard to do -- to do right in the courtroom? It's just such a painful experience, but it does raise the question of security for judges, security for court personnel, not only in Atlanta, Nancy, but all around the country.

What needs to be done?

GRACE: Wolf, so many times I've sat in the courtroom and I've, you know, looked -- sitting there unarmed, of course. I was never armed in court.

The deputies would have their guns, and we would have 20, 30, sometimes 50 violent offenders. They were not all shackled, and they were there in the courtroom.

It is a risk that's being taken every day -- in every courtroom in this country. And Wolf, I just -- I just hate that it had to be Judge Barnes and his beautiful court reporter, Julie, that had to pay this horrible, horrible price.

And Wolf, the judge has a girl. He has a beautiful girl. And I'm just -- to have your father killed in this way as a public servant -- I mean, Wolf, this guy has tried so many cases.

He was one of the most decent lawyers I have ever known. And I'm stunned. I can hardly speak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: In addition to Judge Rowland Barnes, three now known dead: also the court reporter, also a deputy, sheriff's deputy with Fulton County.

O'BRIEN: One other injured, and it's a terrible tragedy, and to hear Nancy Grace talk about it in such personal terms, you realize what has happened here in the city of Atlanta.

As the search continues, too, the authorities have, obviously, taken a little bit of the focus off the downtown area of Atlanta and are extending it on because it was quite possible that this suspect, Brian Nichols, 33 years old, has made a fair amount of distance between -- over the four hours or so since this shooting occurred. We will bring you up to date on that search after break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: More now on the deadly courthouse shooting in Atlanta. Judge Barnes had been hearing a rape and kidnapping retrial of Brian Nichols, the suspect who had, reportedly, an unsettling habit of trying to stare down jurors. Renee Rockwell is a lawyer on an unrelated case who was heading into court this morning when the trouble broke out.

Here is her interview with one of our affiliates, WSB.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENEE ROCKWELL, ATTORNEY: I was about to walk into the courtroom. I was actually on the other side of the -- on the Central Avenue side, and deputies were running everywhere. There was a deputy's hat that was on the floor, on the ground, and they said, get in a courtroom or come with us.

Anyway, I ran into the elevator, and when I was in the elevator, one of the deputies told me that the defendant -- and I assumed that it was the defendant that was on trial for rape -- grabbed a deputy's gun and held the courtroom hostage, and shot the judge, and shot somebody else in the courtroom. I understand now that it's the court reporter.

And then we were whisked out of the courthouse, and when I came around the corner here on the MLK side of Central -- the big courthouse right here, there was a deputy down, and apparently, he had ran after the defendant and was trying to get him, but the defendant ran across here on MLK and shot at him, I heard, five times. I did not hear the shots. He ran into the parking deck, and then -- you've told me that he's carjacked a couple of vehicles.

I just -- what I know about this individual was that he was on trial last week. A girlfriend of mine was trying him, Gail Abramson (ph). That was my first concern, to make sure it wasn't her, because -- and I'm sure that they're checking on her now because she was trying him. She tried him last week. The trial got hung.

This individual was charged with raping his wife. He had gone to -- not his wife. His fiancee. He had gone to her house a couple days before her birthday with an ice chest with lunch meat and bread and all that. He was going to be with her on her birthday. He held her hostage for several days, raped her. Crazy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, the man, of course, that this woman is talking about is the man that police are looking for right now. And that is 33-year-old Brian Nichols, possibly still in a car that he stole while fleeing the scene of the courthouse after allegedly gunning down three people, including a superior court judge, a court reporter and a deputy.

What we know about Brian Nichols is he was in the -- he was on trial for alleged rape in the courtroom and reportedly grabbed a deputy's gun and started shooting. Now, police are in the process, hundreds of police officers, in the Atlanta and outside areas, searching for this man, a man we are told police had been looking for prior to his arrest in the Sandy Springs area. That's a suburb here in Atlanta, Georgia.

Detectives had been given search warrants and had impounded his car even at one point, had searched the area in Sandy Springs for weapons in an apartment that he'd allegedly been living in. Well, he was eventually arrested. He's been on trial for alleged rape.

Randy Travis (ph) with another one of our affiliates, WAGA, talked to the cameras not long ago about the search for this man and how police have gone back to that neighborhood months after going there before he was arrested. This is what he had to say.

RANDY TRAVIS (ph), WAGA REPORTER: I was told that his alleged victim, his fiance, lived in that same apartment complex that was listed as his address when he was arrested last August. So I was also curious to know whether she has been safely tucked away somewhere. And I was told by police that yes, she has. She's been taken into protective custody and she is safe. But they were thinking the same thing, that perhaps Mr. Nichols might be coming in that direction to visit her as well. There's no possibility of that happening now.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK, so Randy, no roadblocks or anything up there? They don't have specific areas cordoned off they're focusing on?

TRAVIS: No. I mean, obviously, a lot of police cars. I see a lot of state troopers. There is an Alpharetta police car. He's just passing here on Rosle (ph) Road and we're not in Alpharetta. Lots of law enforcement playing a very visible role out here and constantly slowing down, going through different cul-de-sacs, just looking for any sort of sign of Brian Nichols. But all we have is that there was a possible sighting of him in this area. Not a confirmed sighting, a possible sighting. Which is why they have decided that this is considered a hot zone and they're devoting so many resources to this area right now.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And again, just to reiterate, the vehicle that authorities are on the lookout for is a green 1997 Honda Accord with license tag of 6584YN. If you see this vehicle, you are urged to remain safe and call authorities immediately.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And Randy, they still believe that he is in that vehicle, correct?

TRAVIS: You know, I've heard conflicting reports of that, Mark. I've heard he is still in that vehicle. I've heard that the vehicle has been recovered up here. And I've heard that from two different police officers, so even they're not getting consistent information about this vehicle. I think to be on the safe side, until we hear otherwise, we should assume he is still in that green Honda Accord.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Right, but at the same time, Randy, we haven't had any reports of any more car jackings or anyone else being assaulted for their vehicle?

TRAVIS: That's correct. But if they did, indeed, recover this car, it just means that he's on foot somewhere and that may have explained this possibility sighting that we're hearing up here in Sandy Springs.

PHILLIPS: And once again, if you're just tuning in, we're continuing to cover our breaking news story of the day. Once again, that man police are looking for is Brian Nichols, 33 years old, possibly still in that 1997 green Honda Accord. You, of course, are asked to call authorities, 404-730-5129 if you know the whereabouts of this man.

O'BRIEN: Back with more in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A tragic and emotional scene outside the Fulton County Superior Courthouse in downtown Atlanta today. Alan Wang with our affiliate WSB is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALAN WANG, WSB REPORTER: ... was killed outside the courthouse, as he mentioned. He was coming to work, heard the call out, encountered the suspect, who shot him outside the courthouse and killed him. He was brought here, transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in the emergency room. The doctor who we spoke to earlier said they could not revive him. He was shot in the abdomen. He died here this morning at Grady Hospital. That's an update of information we have for you. I'm Alan Wang reporting live in downtown Atlanta. Back to you guys.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Alan, it's interesting that the reverend would point out his training, because earlier Dale Cardwell (ph) had information about -- he put in a tremendous number of hours in extra training in 2004, way above and beyond what would be expected.

WANG: Yes. That definitely confirms what Dale had investigated and uncovered there. The family didn't get into the details, obviously, but they knew and they mentioned that this deputy, their son, father, had tremendous amount of experience. And it just goes to show you that even with that experience, sometimes you just can't be prepared for a situation like this.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Indeed, Alan. He just barely began his day, I understand. He just -- arriving to work. I'm wondering, while we have you, have you heard anything from the staff there at Grady about the status or the location of the other two bodies, that of the judge and the court reporter? Last word that we heard is they may be still at the court building.

WANG: Yes. That's what I've been told, that because, apparently, the emergency crews realized they could -- there was no hope, that Judge Barnes and the court reporter were dead, they were shot and killed in that courtroom, that they should not move the bodies. That's pretty much a policy. And now they are part of a crime scene. We don't know the status is. But from what I understand, the bodies of the judge and the court reporter are still in the courtroom at this time as they map out that crime scene and take every detail in this situation.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It sounds, from what we heard from the sheriff in that news conference -- oh, I think maybe we lost Alan there. We still have Alan, great. It sounds like from the news conference what we heard from the sheriff, that the surviving deputy, who's now in critical condition, but as the emergency doctor said, looks like she will make it, was just unbelievably lucky.

WANG: Yes. They've mentioned that she is the deputy who was in the courtroom who had her gun taken away from her. She was shot through the mouth. Apparently, the bullet went in and out. She is in critical condition here, but it looks like she's going to be OK after she recovers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: All right, it's worth a little bit of clarification there. That was obviously not live. That's obviously recorded. If you look down at the lower part of your screen there, it's about 15 minutes or so ago. From Alan Wang, our affiliate WBS. And obviously, we've been augmenting our own coverage with help from our affiliates all day today. And that was just a little taste of their coverage about 15 minutes ago.

PHILLIPS: Breaking news, of course. We try to bring you a little bit of everything, it gets a little crazed around here. But right now what we can tell you, our coverage will be continuing and the search is on for this man, Brian Nichols, who allegedly opened fire at a courtroom in downtown Atlanta, 9:00 this morning Eastern time. Three people right now dead. Police looking for this man and they need your help. More LIVE FROM right after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired March 11, 2005 - 13:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Checking some stories now in the news. First of all, in about one hour's time we expect a news conference. The mayor of the city of Atlanta, the police chief of the city of Atlanta will be briefing reporters on our top story we'll tell you a little bit more about. A gunmen on the loose, three dead, including a superior court judge. Downtown Atlanta the scene right there.
A man on trial for alleged rape in the courtroom reportedly grabbed a deputy's gun, started shooting. Confirmed dead, the judge, Rowland Barnes, a court reporter and one sheriff's deputy. The man police are hunting looks like this: Brian Nichols, 33 years old, might be in a car he stole while fleeing the scene, reports of a green Honda Accord. Authorities are hoping someone on the roads around Atlanta will spot the car Nichols is believed to be driving in and call it in. Police are out in force. Many downtown streets are cordoned off, although the search is expanding.

Stay with CNN. We're following developments here closely. That's the license tag on that green Honda Accord.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the suspect opened fire in the courtroom, then shooting spilled outside. Witnesses are giving dramatic accounts what went on this morning right here in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was attempting to park, waiting to get my ticket, and as I was getting my ticket, I thought I heard shots, but didn't really pay it that much attention, went on to make my turn to go up the ramp, and I saw a gentleman run by, didn't really pay him a lot of attention, went on to start going up the ramp, and started hearing just a ton of sirens.

As I got up to the top and got parked, I went and looked over the wall of the parking garage, and I saw the sheriff laying on the ground, and that's kind of when I started connecting everything. You know, I heard shots, I see this guy run by. And at that point, you start to panic -- you don't know whether to leave out of the garage or get in your car and leave.

There were several of us standing there, not knowing really what to do, so two ladies and I made a decision just to get in the garage...

(END VIDEO CLIP) O'BRIEN: The shooting, as we told you, happened on day four of a rape trial. Jurors weren't in the courtroom at the time. One member of the jury at the time says the suspect was an intimidating presence in that courtroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was about 6'2", very athletic. An African- American gentleman, very short hair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was his name?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brian Nichols.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you spell it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how to spell it.

He -- his demeanor, was very interactive with the jury. He was like keeping his eye on all of our eyes to see our reaction and everything during the jury selection process as well. He had a background in criminal justice I guess on the -- in his education. So he knew maybe what was going on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So the trial started Tuesday?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It started Tuesday. Every time -- every time he looked up, we saw him looking at our reaction. So it made us a little nervous, and we always kind of looked the other way.

Today was anticipated to be the last day, but it looked like it was going to carry on past today. We had just heard the last witness for the prosecution. I think maybe we had one more detective to go. The defendant hadn't -- hadn't spoken yet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you expand on what made you nervous about him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, every time you looked up he was staring at you in the eyes. So I tried to always look, you know, to whoever was testifying. I mean, it was just -- you know, we all kind of formed somewhat of an opinion on the outcome of it, but we hadn't heard from him, and we wanted to hear him...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How old was the woman (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The woman was 33 and I think he was 33 as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You talked earlier about...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: CNN's Nancy Grace, former prosecutor who spent a lot of time in that particular courtroom, knew the judge well, knew that court reporter very well. She spoke with us a little while ago. We'll hear from her after the break.

PHILLIPS: Meanwhile, the search is still on for this suspect that has so far that we know of left three people dead, one injured. Brian Nichols is his name. Last seen driving a green Honda. We have the license plate number. We'll let you look at that as head to break.

More LIVE FROM, right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Once again, if you're just tuning in, you're watching rolling coverage. Police still on the lookout for Brian Nichols, the man, the gunman still on the loose still somewhere, not known if it's in the Atlanta area or not. Police looking -- hundreds of police officers out looking for this man who, we are told, after three people have been shot dead, including a superior court judge. Well, that superior court judge was Rowland Barnes, and happens to be a friend of former prosecutor Nancy Grace. As you know, Nancy Grace works for us here at CNN. She had a chance to talk with Wolf Blitzer about this man she knew well in the past hour and a half.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NANCY GRACE, FMR. PROSECUTOR: Wolf, I am en route to Atlanta right now. I am heartbroken.

I've been playing softball with Judge Barnes since 1987, when I was a rookie prosecutor. And his court reporter, Julie, had just been up visiting me, staying with me in New York this past couple of months. And I'm just -- I'm stunned.

Wolf, there were a million times we as prosecutors and judges walk into the courtroom going about our everyday business as public servants. And I am stunned. I am stunned about Judge Barnes' death and Julie's death, and the two deputy sheriffs trying to do their job.

Everybody keeps talking about how, maybe there was an accomplice. Listen, Wolf, anybody that's been in and out of that courthouse can figure out the lay of the courthouse. It is what it is. The man grabbed the gun and unloaded rather than go to jail on a rape charge. That's what happened.

BLITZER: Talk a little bit about Judge Barnes, Nancy. Give us some personal thoughts that are going through your mind right now.

GRACE: Wolf, I can't tell you how many times that I sat in the stands and cheered a softball game with Judge Barnes. He was a state court judge for many, many years, coming up in the ranks like all of us, as a trial lawyer.

And Wolf, when he made superior court judge, usually, you know, there are political hacks or appointees. This is a guy that everybody said, thank God somebody like Barnes finally made the bench. This makes it all worthwhile.

All I can say is Barnes was the kind of person that I was proud to practice in front of.

BLITZER: You have to ask yourself, how can these things happen? How can such a tragedy occur to such a good man who worked so hard to do -- to do right in the courtroom? It's just such a painful experience, but it does raise the question of security for judges, security for court personnel, not only in Atlanta, Nancy, but all around the country.

What needs to be done?

GRACE: Wolf, so many times I've sat in the courtroom and I've, you know, looked -- sitting there unarmed, of course. I was never armed in court.

The deputies would have their guns, and we would have 20, 30, sometimes 50 violent offenders. They were not all shackled, and they were there in the courtroom.

It is a risk that's being taken every day -- in every courtroom in this country. And Wolf, I just -- I just hate that it had to be Judge Barnes and his beautiful court reporter, Julie, that had to pay this horrible, horrible price.

And Wolf, the judge has a girl. He has a beautiful girl. And I'm just -- to have your father killed in this way as a public servant -- I mean, Wolf, this guy has tried so many cases.

He was one of the most decent lawyers I have ever known. And I'm stunned. I can hardly speak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: In addition to Judge Rowland Barnes, three now known dead: also the court reporter, also a deputy, sheriff's deputy with Fulton County.

O'BRIEN: One other injured, and it's a terrible tragedy, and to hear Nancy Grace talk about it in such personal terms, you realize what has happened here in the city of Atlanta.

As the search continues, too, the authorities have, obviously, taken a little bit of the focus off the downtown area of Atlanta and are extending it on because it was quite possible that this suspect, Brian Nichols, 33 years old, has made a fair amount of distance between -- over the four hours or so since this shooting occurred. We will bring you up to date on that search after break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: More now on the deadly courthouse shooting in Atlanta. Judge Barnes had been hearing a rape and kidnapping retrial of Brian Nichols, the suspect who had, reportedly, an unsettling habit of trying to stare down jurors. Renee Rockwell is a lawyer on an unrelated case who was heading into court this morning when the trouble broke out.

Here is her interview with one of our affiliates, WSB.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENEE ROCKWELL, ATTORNEY: I was about to walk into the courtroom. I was actually on the other side of the -- on the Central Avenue side, and deputies were running everywhere. There was a deputy's hat that was on the floor, on the ground, and they said, get in a courtroom or come with us.

Anyway, I ran into the elevator, and when I was in the elevator, one of the deputies told me that the defendant -- and I assumed that it was the defendant that was on trial for rape -- grabbed a deputy's gun and held the courtroom hostage, and shot the judge, and shot somebody else in the courtroom. I understand now that it's the court reporter.

And then we were whisked out of the courthouse, and when I came around the corner here on the MLK side of Central -- the big courthouse right here, there was a deputy down, and apparently, he had ran after the defendant and was trying to get him, but the defendant ran across here on MLK and shot at him, I heard, five times. I did not hear the shots. He ran into the parking deck, and then -- you've told me that he's carjacked a couple of vehicles.

I just -- what I know about this individual was that he was on trial last week. A girlfriend of mine was trying him, Gail Abramson (ph). That was my first concern, to make sure it wasn't her, because -- and I'm sure that they're checking on her now because she was trying him. She tried him last week. The trial got hung.

This individual was charged with raping his wife. He had gone to -- not his wife. His fiancee. He had gone to her house a couple days before her birthday with an ice chest with lunch meat and bread and all that. He was going to be with her on her birthday. He held her hostage for several days, raped her. Crazy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, the man, of course, that this woman is talking about is the man that police are looking for right now. And that is 33-year-old Brian Nichols, possibly still in a car that he stole while fleeing the scene of the courthouse after allegedly gunning down three people, including a superior court judge, a court reporter and a deputy.

What we know about Brian Nichols is he was in the -- he was on trial for alleged rape in the courtroom and reportedly grabbed a deputy's gun and started shooting. Now, police are in the process, hundreds of police officers, in the Atlanta and outside areas, searching for this man, a man we are told police had been looking for prior to his arrest in the Sandy Springs area. That's a suburb here in Atlanta, Georgia.

Detectives had been given search warrants and had impounded his car even at one point, had searched the area in Sandy Springs for weapons in an apartment that he'd allegedly been living in. Well, he was eventually arrested. He's been on trial for alleged rape.

Randy Travis (ph) with another one of our affiliates, WAGA, talked to the cameras not long ago about the search for this man and how police have gone back to that neighborhood months after going there before he was arrested. This is what he had to say.

RANDY TRAVIS (ph), WAGA REPORTER: I was told that his alleged victim, his fiance, lived in that same apartment complex that was listed as his address when he was arrested last August. So I was also curious to know whether she has been safely tucked away somewhere. And I was told by police that yes, she has. She's been taken into protective custody and she is safe. But they were thinking the same thing, that perhaps Mr. Nichols might be coming in that direction to visit her as well. There's no possibility of that happening now.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK, so Randy, no roadblocks or anything up there? They don't have specific areas cordoned off they're focusing on?

TRAVIS: No. I mean, obviously, a lot of police cars. I see a lot of state troopers. There is an Alpharetta police car. He's just passing here on Rosle (ph) Road and we're not in Alpharetta. Lots of law enforcement playing a very visible role out here and constantly slowing down, going through different cul-de-sacs, just looking for any sort of sign of Brian Nichols. But all we have is that there was a possible sighting of him in this area. Not a confirmed sighting, a possible sighting. Which is why they have decided that this is considered a hot zone and they're devoting so many resources to this area right now.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And again, just to reiterate, the vehicle that authorities are on the lookout for is a green 1997 Honda Accord with license tag of 6584YN. If you see this vehicle, you are urged to remain safe and call authorities immediately.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And Randy, they still believe that he is in that vehicle, correct?

TRAVIS: You know, I've heard conflicting reports of that, Mark. I've heard he is still in that vehicle. I've heard that the vehicle has been recovered up here. And I've heard that from two different police officers, so even they're not getting consistent information about this vehicle. I think to be on the safe side, until we hear otherwise, we should assume he is still in that green Honda Accord.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Right, but at the same time, Randy, we haven't had any reports of any more car jackings or anyone else being assaulted for their vehicle?

TRAVIS: That's correct. But if they did, indeed, recover this car, it just means that he's on foot somewhere and that may have explained this possibility sighting that we're hearing up here in Sandy Springs.

PHILLIPS: And once again, if you're just tuning in, we're continuing to cover our breaking news story of the day. Once again, that man police are looking for is Brian Nichols, 33 years old, possibly still in that 1997 green Honda Accord. You, of course, are asked to call authorities, 404-730-5129 if you know the whereabouts of this man.

O'BRIEN: Back with more in a moment.

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O'BRIEN: A tragic and emotional scene outside the Fulton County Superior Courthouse in downtown Atlanta today. Alan Wang with our affiliate WSB is there.

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ALAN WANG, WSB REPORTER: ... was killed outside the courthouse, as he mentioned. He was coming to work, heard the call out, encountered the suspect, who shot him outside the courthouse and killed him. He was brought here, transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in the emergency room. The doctor who we spoke to earlier said they could not revive him. He was shot in the abdomen. He died here this morning at Grady Hospital. That's an update of information we have for you. I'm Alan Wang reporting live in downtown Atlanta. Back to you guys.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Alan, it's interesting that the reverend would point out his training, because earlier Dale Cardwell (ph) had information about -- he put in a tremendous number of hours in extra training in 2004, way above and beyond what would be expected.

WANG: Yes. That definitely confirms what Dale had investigated and uncovered there. The family didn't get into the details, obviously, but they knew and they mentioned that this deputy, their son, father, had tremendous amount of experience. And it just goes to show you that even with that experience, sometimes you just can't be prepared for a situation like this.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Indeed, Alan. He just barely began his day, I understand. He just -- arriving to work. I'm wondering, while we have you, have you heard anything from the staff there at Grady about the status or the location of the other two bodies, that of the judge and the court reporter? Last word that we heard is they may be still at the court building.

WANG: Yes. That's what I've been told, that because, apparently, the emergency crews realized they could -- there was no hope, that Judge Barnes and the court reporter were dead, they were shot and killed in that courtroom, that they should not move the bodies. That's pretty much a policy. And now they are part of a crime scene. We don't know the status is. But from what I understand, the bodies of the judge and the court reporter are still in the courtroom at this time as they map out that crime scene and take every detail in this situation.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It sounds, from what we heard from the sheriff in that news conference -- oh, I think maybe we lost Alan there. We still have Alan, great. It sounds like from the news conference what we heard from the sheriff, that the surviving deputy, who's now in critical condition, but as the emergency doctor said, looks like she will make it, was just unbelievably lucky.

WANG: Yes. They've mentioned that she is the deputy who was in the courtroom who had her gun taken away from her. She was shot through the mouth. Apparently, the bullet went in and out. She is in critical condition here, but it looks like she's going to be OK after she recovers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: All right, it's worth a little bit of clarification there. That was obviously not live. That's obviously recorded. If you look down at the lower part of your screen there, it's about 15 minutes or so ago. From Alan Wang, our affiliate WBS. And obviously, we've been augmenting our own coverage with help from our affiliates all day today. And that was just a little taste of their coverage about 15 minutes ago.

PHILLIPS: Breaking news, of course. We try to bring you a little bit of everything, it gets a little crazed around here. But right now what we can tell you, our coverage will be continuing and the search is on for this man, Brian Nichols, who allegedly opened fire at a courtroom in downtown Atlanta, 9:00 this morning Eastern time. Three people right now dead. Police looking for this man and they need your help. More LIVE FROM right after a break.

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