County Sheriff’s Office Stops Loaded Handgun from Entering Courthouse

Published on January 25, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office stopped an individual from entering the courthouse with a fully loaded, concealed Smith & Wesson .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Jan. 17.

The individual reported to the Arlington County Courthouse for a court hearing in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations court, when deputies spotted the gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine.

The handgun was loaded with seven bullets and located in the individual’s bag. The person was later detained and charged with carrying a weapon into the courthouse, a class 1 misdemeanor (Virginia Code 18.2-283.1). The individual was seen by the local magistrate and released on a summons.

“Our Deputies did an outstanding job in identifying a loaded pistol that was concealed within his bag. They are on the frontline everyday ensuring the safety and security of the courthouse. I could not be prouder of what they do each day to keep us all safe,” said Sheriff Jose Quiroz.

After further investigation, there was no information to believe that this weapon was going to be used inside of the courthouse. However, this is a reminder to the public that weapons of any kind are not permitted inside of the courthouse.