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Person Of Interest In Detroit City Hall Lockdown Identified

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A man caught on surveillance photos about the time another man made it through security at two adjacent buildings housing courtrooms and Detroit city hall with what might have been a handgun in a briefcase no longer is considered a person of interest.

Detroit police Sgt. Michael Woody says in a release Monday evening that the man in the photos was identified and interviewed by investigators. The investigation remains open.

Police are excluding that man from further investigation and did not release his identity.

According to Detroit police, the man somehow made it through security with the weapon at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center — also known as the city-county building, on Woodward Ave. and Larned St. — late Monday morning.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig said they were looking for a man, possibly in his 50s, with a handgun in a bag.

Craig stressed that this was not an active shooter situation and there was no specific threat against anyone, but that there were concerns that the man may still be in the building.

The first floor of the building on the courthouse side was evacuated; and, according to a source talking to WWJ from inside of the building, people on other floors were put on lockdown after what they were told was a "security breach."

By 1:30 p.m., police had evacuated most of the building.

"So what we're doing right now is a floor-by-floor search, room-by-room. We're working with Wayne County — it's Wayne County and DPD — that are searching. We have staff from ATF; and so, we're probably about a quarter through the building right now," the chief said. "...We're just trying to get a handle on identifying and locating this suspect."

gun in bag
Police say this x-ray image shows what may be a revolver in a bag. (credit: Detroit police)

Asked how the man got through security with a gun, Craig said personnel apparently did not notice the weapon on the x-ray image until the man was already in the elevator.

"Certainly you shouldn't pass a checkpoint if something like a weapon comes up — just like at the airport," Craig said. "You don't let someone through when you recognize there's a possible weapon."

"Preliminary, I'm going to call it a failure. This should not have happened."

He said security personnel at the courthouse did not tell security on the city side of the building what was going on, and that Detroit police didn't know that there was a potential gunman situation until about 45 minutes after the man had entered the building.

"...There was a failure of communication in a timely way, and we're looking at that," Craig added.

Craig said Mayor Mike Duggan wasn't in the building at the time and that judges, City Council members and others were safely removed.

The building was closed for the remainder of the day.

Craig said the all clear was given shortly after 3 p.m., but added that they were conducting a third sweep of the building just to be safe.

There have been no injuries reported.

Anyone who has any information about this case is asked to call Detroit police at 313-596-1616.

 

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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