Sep 22, 2019 5 min read

You could call the local magistrate’s office “the people’s court,” but just how safe are the staff and public during proceedings that involve criminal cases, landlord-tenant disputes and small claims?

In the year since a gunman opened fire at a Masontown magisterial district judge’s office, the area’s district courts have become safer.

Magisterial District Judge Dan Shimshock can recall everything about the day of Sept. 19, 2018. He held court that morning, and was heading back to his courtroom housed in the Masontown Borough building to hear the 43 criminal cases he had scheduled for that afternoon. He was in his office when shots started ringing out.

At first, he wasn’t sure what the sound was. The commotion that followed – continued popping and the sounds of people running – left no question that something was very wrong. After that, it’s difficult for him to describe what he felt.

“It’s the fear of the unknown while shots are being fired … it’s something that unless you’ve experienced it, you can’t explain it,” Shimshock said. “Definitely going through the experience changes you. You won’t forget it the rest of your life.”

The gunman was scheduled for a preliminary hearing and opened fire at the building, injuring his wife, an officer and two others before he was fatally shot by police.

Shimshock said that not only did the shooting change those who were there on that day, but it also acted as a catalyst to change security in courts in Fayette and across the commonwealth.

Lori Lambie, deputy court administrator for Fayette County, said the biggest change has been the addition of armed security guards at each of the seven district judge offices and central court during hearings.

Lambie said the guards have collected knives and even a firearm from people coming to court.

“It’s been amazing what they’ve gathered up,” Lambie said.

Shimshock said he’s grateful to have armed security on hand during hearings.

“It’s the paramount of security,” he said.

In Washington County, two officials interviewed for this story were somewhat reluctant to discuss details of magisterial security, lest they tip off someone who is up to no good.

But the commissioners in August changed providers of the panic button system that has been in use for years.

The county had been using Security Systems of America, but the commissioners accepted Court Administrator Patrick Grimm’s recommendation to enter into an agreement with Vector Security.

“We try to keep it hush-hush, but the state of security is very important,” said Randy Vankirk, Washington County purchasing director.

The new panic buttons cost $439 for each of the 11 Washington County magisterial offices, plus an additional $30 per month to monitor.

“The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts has agreed to reimburse us with grant money to pay for the entire first year,” Vankirk said of the 36-month agreement with options to extend.

“Some of these issues are matters that the state legislature is looking at,” Grimm said. “We continue to review the security in all of our offices, including magisterial district courts.

“We’ve applied grant money to update camera security systems, and we continue to to look at ways to augment security in those offices.”

According to Grimm, one of the challenges Washington County faces is that all but two of the 11 magistrates’ offices occupy space in privately leased buildings, not county-owned property or within the purview of another government unit.

“We have to work with landlords in any change we would make,” Grimm said.

Last month, the Fayette commissioners approved a contract for a new office for Magisterial District Judge Nathan Henning in North Union Township. The office will have steel doors, shatterproof glass windows, ballistic paneling and panic buttons, among other security-geared upgrades.

Solicitor Jack Purcell said at the time that he expects similar conditions to be put into place for any future district court locations in the county.

Lambie said the staff at the offices have also taken part in active-shooter training with others planned at individual offices so they have a more site-specific plan in place. He said other security upgrades include panic buttons, new security glass separating the office staff and the public, new doors and cameras everywhere, which was something that Shimshock specifically fought for.

Monitors placed in a judge’s office, on the judge’s bench and in the office allow the viewer to know what’s going in and around the court from nine different points of view.

If a situation would occur like a shooting or a fight, Shimshock said, he could look at the monitor and call 911 and have the ability to tell police exactly what’s going on compared to being in his office and blind to what was happening outside his door, as he was last Sept. 19.

“We’re learning different things as we go,” Lambie said. “We would like to be proactive and not have to just react to something.”

While many of the improvements have been physical, Shimshock said the shooting also made him and his office staff also became more aware of their surroundings, keeping a closer eye on those who come into the office.

After the shooting, Shimshock said he was flooded with phone calls from judges across the state. They weren’t calling to ask what happened, he said, but called to offer assistance and ask for advice about safety in their courts.

“What happened here was able to be turned into something to make security better in Pennsylvania,” Shimshock said. “They’re looking to see what Fayette County does so they can follow.”

Staff writer Barbara Miller contributed to this story.