Two bailiffs were killed during a shooting at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph Monday afternoon.

A deputy with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and a civilian also sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Names of victims and the shooter were not available as of press time.

In a 6 p.m. press conference, Sheriff Paul Bailey said a male inmate was being taken out of a holding cell when a fight broke out with a deputy. Bailey said the inmate grabbed a gun and shot two bailiffs before entering a corridor and shooting an officer and a civilian.

Bailey said the suspect was then shot and killed by other officers in the courthouse.

“I stand here with a heavy heart today because of what occurred at the courthouse,” Bailey said during a press conference in a parking lot near the courthouse during an earlier press conference. “We ask people to pray for the families of the deceased.”

Bailey said police responded to a disturbance on the third floor of the courthouse at approximately 2:15 p.m.

Bailey said both bailiffs killed in the shooting were veteran officers.

“Our hearts are torn apart,” he said. “They were my friends. I’ve known them for over 40 years.”

Bailey said people went for shelter once the shooting occurred.

“Other brave officers were able to come to their rescue and take the shooter down,” he said.

Following the shooting, Gov. Rick Snyder traveled to St. Joseph to share his condolences.

“I’m here to show my support after a terrible act in a wonderful community,” Snyder said during the second press conference. “This is a particularly hard time for law enforcement officers. … We need to rally together to support them.”

Bailey said a deputy who was shot remained in stable condition at Lakeland Regional Hospital in St. Joseph. The civilian is also in stable condition, according to a press release.

A prepared statement from the sheriff’s department released shortly after the shoot said the courthouse has been secured and the scene was considered safe.

As of press time, Bailey was unable to confirm whether the shooter was in handcuffs during his transfer. He said 10 court officers were present at the time of the shooting.

The investigation into this incident is being handled by the Berrien County Homicide Task Force, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, the Saint Joseph City Department of Public Safety, the Michigan State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Berrien County Trial Court locations in St. Joseph and Niles will be closed to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 12, due to the incident. The county’s juvenile center and friend of the court locations will also be closed.