Person sheriff to beef up courthouse security following fatal shooting

Christopher Thomas Vaughan, 35, of Oxford, became enraged after he was convicted of a misdemeanor false imprisonment charge on Thursday and started yelling and threw a chair, a source told WRAL News.

Roxboro officials said it appeared the man attempted to attack people inside the courtroom, including the bailiff.

The bailiff and a Roxboro police officer who happened to be at the courthouse worked to subdue Vaughan, but during the struggle, Vaughan got hold of the bailiff's gun. At that point, the Roxboro officer shot Vaughan.

He died Friday at Duke University Hospital.

District Court Judge Ben Hunter said Monday he would postpone all cases he oversees until at least two armed bailiffs are in his courtroom, which he said is the norm in every other county where he presides.

Concerns about courthouse security have been raised for months, he said.

"Other judges and court staff have expressed concern about security, about there not being sufficient security were something like what happened on Thursday to occur. And then, it did," he said. "To still have just one bailiff in the courtroom [Monday] morning, I just felt like that wasn't sufficient."

Jones later acknowledged staffing issues left the courthouse short in recent months. Moving forward, he said, he intends to have at least two armed deputies in every active courtroom.

The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting.

The officer suffered a broken hand in the incident, while the bailiff suffered a gash on his head and scratches to his neck. Both were treated at a local medical facility and released.