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Louisiana inmate grabs deputy’s gun, fatally shoots himself in head inside courthouse, State Police say

The shooting near a courtroom at the St. Mary Parish courthouse in Franklin led to a lockdown.
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NEW ORLEANS — A prisoner grabbed a guard's gun and fatally shot himself in the head at a south Louisiana courthouse on Monday, investigators said Friday.

The shooting near a courtroom at the St. Mary Parish courthouse in Franklin led to a lockdown.

Trooper Derek Senegal, a spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police, said investigators have determined that 34-year-old Chad Williams of Berwick got into a struggle with a sheriff's deputy assigned to the parish jail and got control of the guard's gun during a struggle. Senegal said that Williams then shot himself in the head.

No one else was injured.

Senegal earlier said witnesses and available video recordings would help determine what happened.

The investigation into Williams' death is continuing, Senegal said. Once it's done, it will be turned over to District Attorney Bo Duhé for review. State police routinely investigate shootings involving officers from other Louisiana law enforcement agencies.

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