The suspect in the shooting deaths of a judge, US Customs agent and two other people is in custody after his surrender on Saturday to an overwhelming police presence.

Brian Nichols, 33, surrendered at an apartment complex which was surrounded by a special tactics police team in northern Gwinnett County about 26 hours after he fled a downtown Atlanta courthouse where he had opened fire on Friday, police said.

"He is currently under arrest, and we're still trying to decipher out the charges," Atlanta police chief Richard Pennington told a news conference.

Dead are Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, court stenographer Julie Brandau, sheriff's deputy Hoyt Teasley and US Customs agent David Wilhelm.

"We are determined that we will bring the murders of these people to justice," said US Attorney David Nahmias.

Nichols gave himself up without a struggle after a woman tipped police that he had forced his way into her apartment in the early morning, authorities said. The woman, who police said did not know Nichols, escaped unharmed.

(China Daily March 14, 2005)