Fulton County DA Investigator Accidentally Shoots Herself at Courthouse

Media vehicles are shown outside the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on Aug. 14, 2023. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis announced grand jury indictments in her investigation into former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies' alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

An investigator with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Atlanta accidentally shot herself while she was inside the county courthouse last week, officials said.

“The shooting was an accidental discharge by a Fulton County District Attorney’s Office investigator who wounded herself. She was not critically wounded,” said the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department on X on Sept. 22. The office had said it was “gathering details” on a shooting inside the courthouse, but it stressed there was no “active threat.”

“A Fulton County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded and administered aid until EMS arrived,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement to multiple media outlets. “There was never an active threat at the courthouse.”

Officials told local media that the investigator shot herself in the leg. According to the Atlanta Police Department, she was conscious, alert, and breathing when she was treated.

“She was transported to Grady Hospital for treatment and thankfully did not suffer a life-threatening injury,” the district attorney’s office also said. “The matter is now under investigation by the Atlanta Police Department. The office is reserving further comment until the Atlanta Police Department completes its work.”

It isn’t clear if any charges will be filed against the investigator, whose identity was not disclosed by local authorities.

“It was an accidental shooting, so there is no intent to commit a crime. Unfortunately for the investigator, she was the one who was shot,” former prosecutor Ash Joshi told Fox5 Atlanta.

The Epoch Times contacted the sheriff’s department for additional comment Monday.

Notable Fulton County Cases

The Fulton County Courthouse is the same courthouse where former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants were recently arraigned on charges related to their alleged activity after the 2020 election.

In August, the former president entered the courthouse for his arraignment and had his mugshot taken in a historic first. He and the other Georgia co-defendants have pleaded not guilty.

“The indictment alleges that rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, whose office brought the case, said last month in announcing the charges.

Other defendants include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows; Trump attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark. Other lawyers charged in the case include John Eastman, Sidney Powell, and Kenneth Chesebro.

Former President Donald Trump arrives at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta on Aug. 24, 2023. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Earlier in September, President Trump’s lawyers filed motions to dismiss the charges in the Georgia election case. In one motion, the former president’s lawyer, Steven Sadow, made reference to Ms. Powell’s arguments (pdf) that her lawyers made in court papers days before.

“President Trump hereby adopts the general demurrer timely filed by co-defendant Powell as to count one. Specifically, President Trump adopts Powell’s particularized argument in Part III that count one must be dismissed for violation of fundamental constitutional principles of due process and fair warning,” the motion on Monday said (pdf). “WHEREFORE, President Trump respectfully ADOPTS the general demurrer timely filed by co-defendant Powell.”

Ms. Powell and Mr. Chesebro have requested expedited proceedings and are slated to go to trial on Oct. 23. Both attempted to sever their cases from each another, while both their cases were severed from the 17 other co-defendants’ cases, including President Trump’s.

High Security

Also this month, Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee shut down a plan from Ms. Willis’ office to try all the co-defendants at the same time. Under Ms. Willis’ timeline, their trial would start next month, but the judge said it’s not feasible.

“Beginning with the logistical concerns, the Fulton County Courthouse simply contains no courtroom adequately large enough to hold all 19 defendants, their multiple attorneys and support staff, the sheriff’s deputies, court personnel, and the State’s prosecutorial team,” he wrote in his ruling. “Relocating to another larger venue raises security concerns that cannot be rapidly addressed.”

The Fulton County Courthouse is also overseeing the racketeering trial of rapper Young Thug and some of his associates, who prosecutors allege formed a criminal street gang. Local media outlet WSB-TV reported that security at the courthouse remains high amid the Young Thug and Georgia election cases.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.