Security Beefed Up At Broward's Courthouse
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - Security has been beefed up at the Broward County courthouse following an incident last week when a man with a gun walked in through an exit door and threatened to kill himself.
On Wednesday that man, 59-year-old Marin Stroia, had a weapons charge against him increased; He was also charged with two additional counts of violating a domestic injunction.
Outside the courthouse, people were met by new security measures. An armed guard was stationed next to the exit doors to stop anyone from entering and new cones were positioned to keep people on the outside away from them.
"It makes me nervous because with today what's going on," said Deborah Carey as she waited to enter the courthouse. "You never know, you just never know."
Broward Chief Judge Victor Tobin said the measures were only temporary until a more permanent solution can be found.
"We need to install something that will prohibit people from coming in. This is a stop gap. You've seen how fast in history things happen and there's no way a person standing there, armed or not, can stop something like this with a cone, even though they are armed. It's just a deterrent," said Tobin.
"I'm preaching safety and everybody else is preaching cut the budget," said Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti. He says over the past ten years, 31 judges have been added at the courthouse, while 6 deputies have been cut, all because of budget problems. He says for the past 5 years, he's been pushing for more security. "We'd like to see revolving doors, only one way, so they can only go out, nobody can go in thru that."
Ground will be broken in August for a new Broward County Courthouse.
