SandyMaloneKokomo, IN – The mother and sister of fallen hero Howard County Sheriff’s Deputy Carl Koontz were attacked in a courthouse on Monday.
Deputy Koontz was murdered in the line of duty while serving a warrant on March 20, 2016.
The fallen deputy’s sister, Alice Koontz, and mother, Jackie Koontz, were at the Howard County courthouse on March 26 for a paternity hearing when they were both attacked by Bryson Small, the respondent in their case, WRTV reported.
Witnesses said that Small, 36, was walking toward the women when he suddenly attacked them, WXIN reported.
The Howard County Sheriff’s Office told WXIN that small struck both women multiple times.
Passersby intervened to help save the women, and to assist deputies with controlling Small. He was subdued and shackled in the courthouse hallway.
Both victims suffered facial and head injuries. The infant they had with them, Amelia Koontz, was not injured in the altercation, WRTV reported.
Alice, 27, was seriously injured in the fray. She was unconscious at the scene and transported to the hospital. She was later transferred to a major medical center in Indianapolis for more treatment.
Jackie, 54, was treated and released from the hospital.
Small was arrested and charged with multiple counts of felony assault, according to WRTV.
Deputy Koontz was only 26 years old when he died of a gunshot wound to his hip. He had served with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office for two years.
He left behind a wife and infant son, the Kokomo Tribune reported.
Deputy Koontz and a sergeant were serving a warrant at a mobile home in Russiaville when the suspect opened fire and shot both of them just after they entered the residence, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Additional deputies and a Russiaville police officer were able to pull both officers out of the house and transport them to the hospital, but Deputy Koontz later died during surgery.
His killer was found by SWAT several hours later, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.