APALACHICOLA, Fla. (WTXL) - Law enforcement in Franklin County used the courthouse to train for an active shooter situation Friday afternoon.
Deputies worked with local police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to stage different scenarios that could happen at the county courthouse.
The situations included a gunman breaking through the security access point, making his way into a courtroom and opening fire during an active hearing.
Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith says, his team will always hope for the best outcome but prepare for the worst.
"I think that, with the importance that's been placed on the school shootings of late, that our courthouses and places like that are probably right there on that list of places that can be vulnerable to an active shooter or something like that," said Smith. "So, we want to make sure that, should we have something like that, that we are prepared."
The training inside the courthouse was so loud that the shots were heard around downtown Apalachicola.
People started calling 911, thinking there was a real emergency. The sheriff says it's important everyone in the community is prepared.
The sheriff's office says in real-life active shooter situations, deputies are "prepared for the worst and thankful for the least."
