Nearly 70 Weapons Confiscated from Courthouse Patrons

In only one week since at three Hennepin County suburban courthouses—including the —approximately 70 items were confiscated from more than 3,000 people who passed through screening checkpoints.

The  Hennepin County Sheriff's Office reports confiscating knives, box cutters, sharp items, nail clippers and pepper spray since the screenings began. There were previously no security measures at the three courts.

The weapons screening checkpoints were installed at suburban court locations in Edina, Minnetonka and Brooklyn Park on April 23. They were implemented by the office as an added safety measure due to "violent incidents and threats" that have occurred in courthouses both in Minnesota and throughout the U.S., according to a release.

The Sheriff's Office works together with Hennepin County Property Services and the Fourth Judicial Court system to secure 96 courtrooms across the county.