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UPDATE: Man arrested after shooting near Chesterfield courthouse

Posted at 1:41 PM, Jun 21, 2012
and last updated 2012-06-21 21:20:57-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - A suspect is in custody after shots were fired outside a Chesterfield office building Thursday afternoon near the Chesterfield County Courthouse.

Police said 41-year-old Mark M. Lowe was apprehended after an off-duty Virginia Capitol Police officer and a Chesterfield police lieutenant who happened to be nearby and disarmed and arrested him.

Suspect Mark Lowe

Police said Lowe, of the 200 block of Philray Road, was charged with attempted murder, abduction, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and shooting into an occupied dwelling.

Lowe is being held at the Chesterfield County Jail without bond pending a hearing on Friday.

Chesterfield Police Capt. Dave Pritchard said the shooting happened outside the Centre Court building at 9401 Courthouse Road.

Pritchard said a lawyer representing someone involved in a custody battle was the intended target of the shooting. The lawyer and a bystander suffered minor injuries trying to get away from the gunman. No one was shot. 

CBS 6 News' Sandra Jones confirmed that a lawyer from the firm of Barnes & Diehl was the intended target of the shooting. 

A person inside the building said he heard at least one gunshot. He said the building was first on lockdown, but that police later ordered the building evacuated.

The Chesterfield Courthouse building, which is across the street from the office building, was on lockdown after the shooting. However, officials said the lockdown was lifted after the suspect was arrested.

Police said the building was deemed safe and people will be let back in within the hour.

Police said Courthouse Road will be shutdown for around two hours as police complete their investigation. 

CBS 6 News' Jon Burkett is on the scene. Check back with WTVR.com and watch CBS 6 News for the latest on this breaking story.

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