SLOATSBURG, N.Y., May 8, 2007
Man Fires Shot In N.Y. Courtroom
Sawed-Off Shotgun Round Misses Woman In Court For Civil Dispute With Shooter, Police Say
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(AP / CBS)
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Leo Lewis, who Ramapo police said was in his 60s and was in a domestic dispute with the woman, was arrested as he tried to flee the Sloatsburg courtroom following the Monday night shooting, said Detective Sgt. John Lynch.
A Ramapo officer who was in the courtroom for traffic court fired off a shot, then chased him down and, with the help of a bystander, tackled him, Lynch said.
"She (the officer) believed he was going to fire again. She fired one round at him and missed," Lynch said outside the courtroom. "And about midway into the parking lot here the officer and a civilian unrelated to the case were able to tackle him in the lot."
No charges had been filed against Lewis by Tuesday morning, but were expected, police said. They said they didn't know if Lewis had an attorney.
Shortly after 6 p.m., Sloatsburg Justice Thomas Newman called the civil dispute between Lewis and the unidentified woman to trial. As the trial prepared to open, Lewis, who was sitting in the row behind the woman, pulled a .22-caliber sawed-off rifle from an envelope and fired at her, police said.
After the round missed her and struck a few feet above where the judge was sitting, Lewis took off, followed by the officer, police said.
Rodney Van Dunk, a relative of the woman's boyfriend who was in the courtroom, said the scene was chaotic.
"This could have been a disaster," Van Dunk told the Journal News.
The courtroom, on the second floor of Village Hall off Route 17, has no metal detectors. A bid for security cameras and other safety measures was awarded about a month ago but does not include a metal detector, Sloatsburg Mayor Carl Wright told the Journal News.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 14 Comments
- Most crimes are commited by illegal guns. So in otherwords, because we have some who legally have a drivers license, but illegaly drink and drive, then we should take away all cars?
Good idea. Lets take away rights to guns from law abiding citizens and let criminals carry illegal guns. While we are at it, lets outlaw alcohol for everyone because a few people beat their wives or drink and drive. Lets also outlaw potato chips for everyone because some people over eat and we all know junk food IS bad for ones health. See the pattern and the point I am making?
I know someone will come back and say, "well a gun and a potato chip are nothing alike...."
and my response is, "duhhh."
My point is what I said above. Most crimes ARE commited by those who have illegal guns.
Now as far as this court house goes..... Uhm, most people since 9/11 have seriously increased security. How did a person get a sawed off shotgun into a court room. It is not like you can just shove it down your pants and hide it.... and even if you could they have this new crazy invention called a metal detector. I mean if this county or town really cared about its judges, citizens, etc, you would think they would have one. Unless they do and that gun used was made from plastic. - Reply to this comment
- THIS IS FUN!
MORE GUNS FOR THE GUN NUTS! LOL
We want to see how long it will take Americans to get the message to MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF GUNS IN A POPULATION THAT HAS SO MANY NUT CASES! LOL - Reply to this comment
- Thank you kindrox, it definitely seems like not enough of us realize that the news media is largely controlled by the corporate elite and has become little more than a propaganda machine.
- Reply to this comment
- RandalDS,
Find just about any news article and go find the truth of the matter yourself. At the end you will probably find huge differences between the news story and obvious truth. Or you will see huge lies of omission. I see it time and time again about all sorts of stories.
The "news" is no different then WWF wrestling or Rush Limbaugh. *Truth* and *accuracy* are not a concern for any news people anymore. - Reply to this comment
- The sub-title says it was a shotgun, but the story says it was a rifle. Do some people not know the difference? If it was a shotgun then how in the world do you miss with a shotgun in an enclosed room? Now that's Di*ck Cheney level shooting!
- Reply to this comment
- Says a bid was awarded a month ago that didnt include metal detectors.
I bet it will now! lol - Reply to this comment
- Says a bid was awarded a month ago that didnt include metal detectors.
I bet it will now! lol - Reply to this comment
- OOPS sorry for the double posting- computer locked up - hate electronics
- Reply to this comment
- take away the legal guns and all you have left are illegal guns. You seriously think that those who have guns illegally will turn them in because YOU want them too... get into the real life please.... in some of the dark districts of any city you can walk down a dark alley and buy a gun from the trunk of a car. The more legal guns you take away the MORE defenseless you are against an intruder and if you think yelling help is going to bring someone fast to your rescue before the intruder shoots you - you live in a dream world. that said...
the article said that they just got a new security system authorized BUT it did not include a metal detector... so that means that you can have all the cameras you want but it won't reveal what is in the pocket or envelope unless EVERYONE is body searched before they walk in. Metal detectors is what they need and then the possibility of this happening again is very slim. I agree with gunnerv1 - guy needs to hung out to dry at the old oak tree - Reply to this comment
- take away the legal guns and all you have left are illegal guns. You seriously think that those who have guns illegally will turn them in because YOU want them too... get into the real life please.... in some of the dark districts of any city you can walk down a dark alley and buy a gun from the trunk of a car. The more legal guns you take away the MORE defenseless you are against an intruder and if you think yelling help is going to bring someone fast to your rescue before the intruder shoots you - you live in a dream world. that said...
the article said that they just got a new security system authorized BUT it did not include a metal detector... so that means that you can have all the cameras you want but it won't reveal what is in the pocket or envelope unless EVERYONE is body searched before they walk in. Metal detectors is what they need and then the possibility of this happening again is very slim. I agree with gunnerv1 - guy needs to hung out to dry at the old oak tree - Reply to this comment
- How did he get a gun into a courtroom is what I want to know.
Posted by Phoenix1218 at 12:10 PM : May 08, 2007
...the same way 12 million illegles got into our country....someone not doing their job. Sounds like this town needs to fire their 'Barney Fifes". At least hire some real law enforcement that would have taken this guy out and avoid a costly trial. - Reply to this comment
- The world is coming to an end...me and a co-worker were talking and she said it must be a full moon!
- Reply to this comment
- How did he get a gun into a courtroom is what I want to know.
- Reply to this comment
- Hang'em high, jerk-wad deserves nothing less.
- Reply to this comment
