An armed man is shot and killed by a security guard inside the Dearborn Heights Justice Center.

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI - The Justice Center is now a crime scene. At nine Thursday morning, a man identified as 48 year old Mark David Henning, walked into the front door of the courthouse with a kitchen knife in his pocket. It’s not clear what his intentions were, but he didn’t make it past security.

"He didn't want to shoot him. You could tell he wasn’t trying to shoot him, but the guy was relentless," said Jamal Collins who witnessed the deadly altercation.

Collins also described the actions of court officer taking down the armed man. 

"The guy was going through the metal detector. I was on my way through the metal detector after him."

Collins says Henning didn’t say a word – even as his weapon set off the metal detector.

"It was a kitchen knife, like a steak knife."

He says the court officer noticed it right away as well.

"He pulled the knife out,” said Collins. “He started going towards the cop. The cop repeatedly told him ‘Drop the knife.’"

Those commands were apparently ignored, even after the shooting started.

"Kept coming didn't flinch, just like he didn't get shot. I was watching. I thought he missed him then I saw blood coming through his chest," said Collins.

Being so close, Collins got a good look at the man.

"White male, slim, late 40’s probably early 50’s, balding, 5'9”, 5'10."

He says the man was there with his brother.  

"And he said, ‘He's on cocaine.’"

Police arrived within seconds and locked down the scene.

Dearborn Heights mayor Daniel Paletko said, "There is no danger to anyone in the community. The Justice Center will stay closed for obvious reasons."

Police spent hours interviewing witnesses like Collins one by one, trying to figure out what exactly happened at the justice center.