In the summer of 2016, a routine day at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan, turned into a scene of tragedy and violence. Court Officer Ronald Eugene Kienzle, a 63-year-old male, was a dedicated public servant with a long career in law enforcement. Having previously retired from the Benton Township Police Department, he continued to serve his community as a court officer.
His commitment to justice and public safety was a hallmark of his character, earning him the respect of his colleagues and the community he served. A veteran of the United States Army, Kienzle was known as a man with a big heart.
On the afternoon of July 11, 2016, the courthouse proceedings were violently disrupted. An inmate, identified as Larry Darnell Gordon, was being escorted from a holding cell following a court appearance on multiple felony charges, including kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct. In a desperate attempt to escape, Gordon attacked a sheriff's deputy in a corridor behind the courtroom. He managed to disarm the deputy, seizing the officer's handgun and forever altering the course of the day. Hearing the struggle, Kienzle rushed to the corridor to intervene. As he opened the door, he was immediately met with gunfire from the armed inmate.
The chaos escalated as Gordon, now armed, moved into a public hallway. He exchanged gunfire with other court officers, tragically killing another of his colleagues, Security Supervisor Joseph Zangaro. In the ensuing confrontation, Gordon was shot and killed by other responding court officers, bringing an end to his violent escape attempt. The incident left not only the two officers dead but also a sheriff's deputy and a civilian injured. The courthouse, a symbol of order and justice, became a scene of profound loss and grief for the close-knit law enforcement community of Berrien County.
