St. Petersburg courthouse building reopens after shooting

ST. PETERSBURG -- The sliding glass doors whisked open and business resumed at the St. Petersburg Courthouse at 8 a.m. this morning, one day after deputies shot and killed a man who drew a gun on them.

"It's a very good day today," said Pinellas Sheriff's Capt. Gary B. Schobel, because the courthouse was back in business and everyone except shooter Glen Powell had gone home safely the night before.

Most of the people who came in to the courthouse were well-aware of the previous day's shooting, but there was no visible aftermath. The floor was clean, and deputies were calmly asking people to empty their pockets and pass through the metal detectors,  as they always do. The sheriff's office did bring in a few extra people for added security, partly to reassure the public that everything has returned to normal, Schobel said.

Legal assistant Cindy Topfer was waiting for the courthouse to open and said she had "no qualms" about entering the building, which she feels is well-maintained and safe.

"See, I'm done," she said a few minutes later after filing some paperwork inside. Others said they also felt safe as they came into the building.

Curtis Krueger, Times staff writer