Texas Judge Found Dead In His Chambers With A Gunshot Wound To The Head

Police initially appeared to be on the lookout for an active shooter but left the courthouse after just a few minutes. The paper said it expected to get more information on Judge Tom Greenwell's death on Tuesday.

There's a metal detector in the courthouse, but judges with the appropriate licenses are allowed to bring their own weapons to their chambers, WPTV reported. Greenwell was supposed to be on vacation this week and was looking forward to presiding over a trial related to the murder of a 16-year-old girl.

In addition to presiding over a trial court, Greenwell was in charge of a newly created veteran's court designed to help keep people who've served in the military away from the criminal justice system.

“He was the epitome of a good judge, he seemed very calm and peaceful; it’s just really shocking," attorney Rene Flores told WPTV.

Kiiii News reported that his gunshot would was believed to be self-inflicted, though police have yet to announce a cause of death. Suicide rates among middle-aged Americans have increased dramatically in the past decade, with a particularly high rate among lawyers.