A civilian and a deputy were also injured, but both are in stable condition.
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Gordon, 45, of Coloma was being held on several felony charges, Bailey said.
Dead are Bailiffs Joseph Zangaro who was 61 and Ronald Kienzle who was 63.
An investigation was underway, Bailey said.
The sheriff said deputy James Atterberry Jr., 41, had just secured the door of the inmate’s holding cell when Gordon began fighting him and disarmed him.
In the meantime, President Barack Obama is in Dallas, where he will honor the five police officers killed by an Army veteran-turned-sniper who said he wanted revenge for the killings of blacks by police. “Generally there are at least two people in the courthouse at all times and we also monitor the administration building”.
All the officers involved were armed.
She wouldn’t comment on the criminal charges against him.
Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey gave new details about the shooting at a press conference Monday evening. “I love him, will always love him”, Jessica Gordon said.
“Our hearts are torn apart”, Bailey said. They were my colleagues.
On Tuesday, members of the small tight-knit law enforcement community, including police officers and court workers, were turning to each other in their grief, trying to deal with the emotional loss of two of their friends and brethren.
The sheriff says a bystander was injured in the shooting and transported to the hospital.
Bailey said the courthouse would be closed on Tuesday.
The courthouse has been evacuated and according to Berrien County police dispatch, there is heavy police presence at the courthouse.
“Larry was not a violent person”, she said Monday at the home they shared.
Gov. Rick Snyder cut short a visit to Midland and traveled across the state to St. Joseph to meet with investigators and victims’ families. “I want to reinforce the fact that we’re being supportive in every way possible”.
Jiera Welche, 38, lives across the street from the courthouse. “My first concern was for her”.
Marcus Muhammad, mayor of nearby Benton Harbor, said that the shooting “was a reminder that tragedy can strike anywhere at any time”.
The shooting happened Monday afternoon.
In their retirement, both men chose to stay in law enforcement in what might be considered a relatively safer job as court bailiffs. He called the day’s events “terrible”. “We have lost two very able public servants and we all grieve for them and their families”.
He retired from the state police in 2003 then became a bailiff.
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Chris Gautz, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Corrections, tweeted that all Department of Corrections staff were safe and accounted for. “He was running to the danger to protect the rest of us”.
