BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (December 13, 2012)--An employee died Thursday after shooting himself inside a federal courthouse in Alabama, authorities said.

Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams said the unidentified worker pulled out a weapon and shot himself once in the head at around 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

No one else was harmed and Williams says there wasn't a threat to anyone else in the building.

Williams said the shooting happened in a first-floor clerk's office.

He says the man evidently was able to get the weapon inside because he worked in the building.

Visitors are normally required to go through metal detectors.