Officers block the entrance to the Hugo L. Black U.S. Courthouse in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Police say an employee is dead after shooting himself inside the federal courthouse. Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams says an unidentified worker pulled out a weapon and shot himself once in the head early Thursday. No one else was harmed and Williams says there wasn't a threat to anyone else in the building. Williams says the shooting happened in a first-floor clerk's office. He says the man apparently was able to get the weapon inside because he worked in the building. Visitors are normally required to go through metal detectors.

Section:Photo

Thu., Dec. 13, 2012