Courtroom Evacuated After Outburst At Lawrence Murder Arraignment

LAWRENCE (CBS) -- The arraignment of a suspect in the weekend murder of a Lawrence woman was interrupted by an outburst from one of the victim's family members, the Essex District Attorney's office said.

Tony Ventura, 32 of Lawrence, was in court Monday morning, charged with first degree murder in the killing of his girlfriend, 32-year-old Maria Morton.

Morton was found dead in her apartment near the corner of Prospect and East Haverhill Streets Sunday afternoon. Ventura was arrested Sunday night.

The Essex DA's office said a family member of Morton's jumped over the bar at Ventura's arraignment to charge Ventura. He was tackled by court officers, and the incident prompted the evacuation of the courtroom.

After the evacuation, false reports of an active shooter in the courthouse prompted Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera to post on social media that no shooter situation had occurred.

"No shooting in and around the court house," Rivera wrote in the post on his Facebook page. "Unofficial Facebook posts are the worst places for information about crime. #fakenews & #alternativefacts."

Ventura was held without bail. He is due back in court February 23 for a probable cause hearing.

Lawrence District Court also said one other person will be charged in connection to the outburst in court.