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Natchez police made a quick capture of a recent masked intruder at the Adams County Courthouse.

The morning of March 23 started like most mornings in the offices of Sixth District Circuit Court Judge Debra Blackwell.

That was until the court administrator noticed something was amiss when she opened the office door, Blackwell said.

“We had a flower arrangement on a table in the reception area and it was completely torn apart,” said Blackwell, who was out of town at the time of the break-in. “She shut the door immediately and called security.”

Security officials were able to open the door and identify the intruder.

“It was actually a live raccoon in the room,” Blackwell said.

Officials were able to take a quick picture of the animal hanging upside down, clinging to a piece of woodwork in the office.

Officers with Natchez Police Department arrived and quickly captured the four-legged intruder with a trap.

“He was released back into the wild,” Blackwell said, adding “he had no bond.”

The judge said crews from Adams County are working to remove limbs that are close to the courthouse, which likely made access to the building easier for the raccoon.

And, she said, this isn’t the first time a four-legged visitor has made its way into the office. “It happened with Judge Al Johnson was on the bench,” she said. “And unfortunately, the raccoon made it into his office. That was a mess.”