Four Shot Outside Judge’s Office

On Wednesday, September 19th, a man opened fire outside of a Fayette County magistrate’s office. The suspect was facing felony charges of domestic abuse where he was accused of strangling his wife with a belt. The suspect first opened fire at a woman using a handgun, then shooting four people. The police then shot and killed the suspect.

One witness, Xuan Sayles, aided an officer that was hurt in the shooting.

“I saw the cop, he was taking cover beside the vehicle, and he said, ‘Stay back,’ but he was shot. I ran over to him, took my shirt off, my tank top first, and wrapped it around his hand. But, he was still bleeding so profusely that I took my other shirt off and wrapped it around his hand and then, I took my belt off and wrapped it around his wrist,” Sayles said to CBS Pittsburgh. “The shooter had shot the windows out as I was running to the cop, he was shooting through the glass doors. Once he went in, I heard at least ten shots.”

“For me, the most terrifying thing was that the shooter came in, swept the room with the gun, pointed it at me and then just walked out,” One of the attorneys Eric Randolph said to WPXI.

“I’m watching the door, I’m crouched down against the wall, there are people too my left, people still flowing into the courtroom and the gentleman comes in, sweeps the room with the gun, and it ends up being on me. I’m staring at this gun, staring at him and praying, ‘Dear God, don’t let this be my day. I’ve never looked down the barrel of a gun.” Another witness told CBS News.

“As soon as I looked down the hallway and seen that woman running and the glass shattering behind her with the bullets coming through the glass, I grabbed my mom’s wrist, and we went to the floor,” Todd Ensley, another witness, told WPXI.


Mollie Tibbetts’ Killer Pleads Not Guilty

The accused killer of Millie Tibbetts plead not guilty to murder on September 19th. The suspect was arrested and charged on August 21st with first-degree murder. The suspect appeared in front of a judge where he waived his right to a fair and speedy trial. The suspect’s trial is set for April 16th, 2019.

Following the appearance, in court, The suspect’s attorney Alan Richards told People magazine.“Whether or not there was something that happened that was very outrageous, that is a different matter. I have seen no evidence on that at no point.”

The killing of Tibbetts has left many strongly opinionated on the immigration debate with Kim Reynolds (R-IA) the governor of Iowa saying in a statement following the suspect’s August arrest.

“We are angry that a broken immigration system allowed a predator like this to live in our community, and we will do all we can bring justice to Mollie’s killer,” Reynolds said.

“We’re at the end of a long ordeal, but now we need to turn toward life,” Mollie’s father Robert said at her funeral in August. “We need to heal this community needs to heal, our family needs to heal, but the problem with that is the person best equipped to help us through this is Mollie. So, let’s try to do what Mollie would do. Let’s say what Mollie would say. Let’s start with baby steps.”

Tibbetts also has been critical of those using his daughter’s death for political gainsaying in a Des Moines Register Column “Please leave us out of your debate. I’m tired of my family being abused … We want Mollie to die with dignity.”