FRESNO (KMJ) — The man who Fresno County’s Sheriff says sparked off a lockdown in the city’s Courthouse Park, as well as other local government buildings nearby, made his first appearance in court Thursday.
According to the District Attorney’s Office Anthony Simpson is charged with attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury related to the shooting on July 1st. It is also alleged that the defendant discharged a handgun causing great bodily injury.
“The victim had been to the Sisk Civil Courthouse to obtain a restraining order against the suspect”, says Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims. “She was on the way to the Sheriff’s Officer to file that restraining order when the crime occurred”.
The 53 year old pleaded not guilty to those charges, while appearing confident during the hearing and keeping his head high throughout. The DA is considering the event domestic violence related. Simpson is currently being held on a $2,322,000 bail.
The charges he’s facing after the events of July 1st are in addition to allegations of stalking, corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant, and battery. Those charges relate to events on May 30th and June 1st. He could face a sentence of life in prison if convicted.
His next appearance in court is set for July 28th.
Hear the story from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
