HOUSTON – One day after chaos erupted in downtown Houston, security is tighter at the Harris County courthouse complex.
The change comes after a brazen shooting outside the courthouse left one deputy injured and raised concerns about safety in an area many believed to be one of the most protected in the city.
OUR FIRST REPORT: Harris County Pct. 1 deputy constable shot during shootout near Family Law Center; suspect also injured
On Monday, visitors arriving at the courthouse said they immediately noticed things were different.
“I had to shake my sandals. I’ve never had to do that before,” said Anastasia Anderson, who came downtown for court Tuesday morning. “They even made someone sip from their water bottle. That’s how I knew something must’ve happened.”
Stronger security measures in place
Several people told KPRC 2 they were being asked to remove jackets, show items in greater detail, and go through more thorough screenings than usual.
Attorney Marquette Green-Young, who frequents the courthouse, said she welcomed the extra precautions.
“She asked me to take off my jacket, which I normally don’t have to do,” Green-Young said. “And when I asked about it, she said, ‘Well, you can keep it on, but we’ll pat you down.’ That’s when it clicked for me—it’s probably because of what happened yesterday. But I appreciate it. We all want to be safe.”
Green-Young added that in her years practicing family law, she’s seen tensions run high in courtrooms. “All walks of life come into this courthouse. Sometimes emotions can spill over. I’m grateful they’re taking safety seriously.”
‘We were just blocks away’
Daniel Lee, a local attorney, said the shooting happened just minutes after he left court. His office is just two blocks from the crime scene.
“We had a hearing that morning, so we probably missed the shooting by five or ten minutes,” Lee said. “Our staff was shaken. I told everyone to stay away from the windows until we knew what was happening.”
Lee said his team huddled in an inner office space until it was clear the suspect had been apprehended.
“It’s scary, especially in a place like this. You expect the courthouse to be safe because of all the law enforcement around. But after what happened, we’re all on edge.”
‘She could have been killed’
Antonio Benavides, who works near the courthouse and passes through daily, said he was stunned when he heard the news but believes this was an isolated event.
“I deal with defendants every day,” Benavides said. “I believe this was an isolated incident because I’ve never really heard or seen this happen previously.”
He said he feels incredibly lucky the injured deputy survived.
“She could have been killed. So the fact that she survived, you know, is very, very lucky—thank God,” he said. “Hopefully she never has to encounter anything like this ever again.”
Veteran prosecutor: ‘Security worked as it should have’
Longtime attorney Nathan Beedle, who has worked as both a prosecutor and defense attorney for more than two decades, said he walks the downtown courthouse area nearly every day.
“I’m not surprised because this is a large city. There’s a lot of traffic around the courthouses,” Beedle said. “Precinct 1 does a great job with courtroom security, but when people are under stress, something’s going to happen at some point.”
Still, he commended the deputy’s actions and the quick response by other law enforcement officers.
“I’m amazed she was able to get some shots off and hit the target,” he said. “It’s not an easy thing to do in a stressful situation. All praise to her.”
Beedle had a message for anyone now hesitant to visit the courthouse.
“The security is there. It operated as it should have—maybe even better than people expected,” he said. “They’re here every day doing their job. Come down and take care of your business.”
A resilient return
Despite the scare, many attorneys and visitors returned to court Tuesday, some expressing nervousness—but also faith in law enforcement.
“I’m surprised people came back today,” Anderson said. “I know I was scared. But I’m glad to see they’re taking it seriously.”
Green-Young echoed that sentiment. “There’s always risk, but there’s also resilience. This is where justice happens—and we can’t let fear stop that.”
