Attorney Carlos Moore threatened by man with gun

GRENADA, Miss. — Quick thinking by a North Mississippi attorney prevented what could have been a workplace tragedy.

Grenada attorney Carlos Moore defused a situation involving an upset client with a gun who demanded a large amount of money.

In what started off as a normal meeting between Moore, his client and his client’s wife, things quickly went off the rails.

“He told me that basically he was the Messiah or he was God or something and at that point I knew he was talking out of his head for certain,” Moore said.

Moore, whose law firm is representing the man in a workman’s compensation case, noticed the man was becoming increasingly agitated.

“He told me he was not leaving here today without 25 thousand dollars,” Moore said. “At that point, I figured I could try to exit the room safely.

Moore told his client that he would call opposing counsel to get them to cut the check, while also creating a safe distance between the man and Moore’s office staff.

“I was real calm. I just picked up the phone and dialed 911,” Moore said “They answered and I told them I had a schizophrenic in my office and I need them to send somebody.”

Moore then sent a group text to his staff telling them to stay in their offices.

“I was concerned what he would do when I came back to tell him there would not be a $25,000 check today.”

However, Moore said what concerned him greater was the gun he learned the man had inside a small leather bag.

“He was going for a gun and his wife was telling him, ‘no, you’re not doing this today,” Moore said. “He said, ‘well the gun is not loaded’ but he continued to reach for it and she continued to tell him not to do that.”

Police and paramedics arrived within minutes, but since the man was a client and never threatened harm he was not charged.

Though the office was rattled by the incident, Moore said he was grateful that things did not turn out differently.

“We don’t take it for granted that the Lord spared our lives yesterday,”

Moore told WREG that he will move to withdraw from representing the man.

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