CUMMING — Those who work in downtown Cumming were asked to lock their doors and remain inside after a shooting Friday morning outside the Forsyth County Courthouse.

Ethan Underwood, an attorney with Lipscomb, Johnson, Sleister, Dailey & Smith LLP, was in his office just off the square behind Bank of America when the events started to unfold.

“We heard someone had called one of our co-workers and said there was a shooting at the courthouse and of course we were all concerned and doing a head count to make sure all of our staff and lawyers were accounted for,” he said.

Underwood said several members of the office stepped outside to watch the happenings as they unfolded.

“We watched [sheriff’s deputies] put on their bullet-proof vests and we watched some of the marksmen up on top of some of the buildings and probably in about five minutes, they came by and asked everyone to go in and lock their doors.”

He said later he spoke with a client who was in the Forsyth County Administration Building getting a building permit when the incident occurred. 

“He was bragging on the security,” Underwood said. “He said they were great. They were calm and they shuffled everybody where they needed to go to.

“Obviously, everyone’s nerves were wrecked, but they did what they needed to do.”

Underwood also praised the emergency responders.

“It’s sad to realize that all of the expenditures that we’ve made for SWAT and police are necessary,” he said. “But I’m very, very grateful that we have invested in that and that we have a great group of folks out there who are handling this situation.”