The Wake County Courthouse reopened on Tuesday for the first time since police said two lawyers were shot last week outside after a tense hearing.
For those returning to work, safety was in the spotlight.
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"You know the feeling that you have to look around what is going on and if it's still safe," Justice Center Cafe employee Samar Eido said.
Inside the courthouse, each visitor goes through security screening to ensure weapons or illegal items don't enter the building.
Friday's shooting happened outside the courthouse in a public space.
"All too often we're seeing more and more incidents happen outside of the courthouse," Nathan Hall with the National Center for State Courts said.
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He noted there are challenges to having the same level of security in public areas outside of the courthouse.
"Whether it's streets or even a public alley that's in the area around a courthouse, we don't have the ability to lock that down in many cases," Hall said.
Raleigh police chief Rico Boyce says shooting suspect Gwendolyn White became "belligerent" during a civil hearing on Friday.
"The suspect left on their own and returned back in a vehicle," Boyce told reporters after the shooting.
The Wake County Sheriff's Office oversees courthouse security.
"Security at the entrances is handled by a third-party company contracted by Wake County Government. WCSO has deputies stationed at the entrances, in courtrooms, and throughout the buildings. Deputies also handle perimeter searches outside and inside the buildings," a spokesperson for the Wake County Sheriff's Office said.
Hall said there are steps teams can take to boost security outside when the leave the courthouse.
"We've talked about enhanced patrols in areas surrounding the courthouse, increased camera coverage, better lighting," Hall said.
A leader of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association says bailiffs do get warnings about potentially sensitive cases.
"You typically do not see that in civil court," Executive Vice President and General Counsel Eddie Caldwell said. " ...not something you would anticipate that would be quite as an emotional situation as what turned out to be the case."
