Major General James G. Blunt

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On May 3, 2023, a mass shooting occurred at a Northside Hospital facility in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Five people were shot, one fatally and three critically, before a male suspect, Deion Patterson, fled the scene. He was apprehended eight hours later and charged with one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault.[3][4][5]

Shooting

The shooting took place on May 3, 2023, at approximately 12:00 p.m. EDT. Police were dispatched at 12:08 p.m.[6] The Atlanta Police Department (APD) issued a tweet at 12:37 p.m. urging residents to shelter in place near Northside Hospital's Midtown facility, following up reports of an active shooter situation inside the building with multiple confirmed injuries.[7] The facility is located in a commercial district within Atlanta.[8] According to police, the suspect was there for an appointment and was accompanied by his mother. At some point, he became agitated and pulled out a handgun. The nature of the appointment has not been disclosed due to HIPAA regulations.[9] The APD began a manhunt for the suspect several minutes later, tweeting a photograph of the suspect.[10] Atlantic House apartments, located near the hospital, was put under lockdown.[11] The shelter-in-place was lifted an hour later.[12]

According to APD chief Darin Schierbaum, the suspect stole a white Toyota Tacoma truck at a nearby Shell gas station and was able to flee the scene.[13] Police in Cobb County increased their presence in Vinings, Cumberland, and the area surrounding Truist Park in an effort to find the suspect.[14] According to a license plate reader, the suspect was near Truist Park and The Battery.[15] The stolen vehicle was recovered at a parking garage with a nearby camera recording the suspect around 12:30 p.m.[16][17]

Atlanta Public Schools dispatched officers at the schools it administrates and held students for dismissal.[18] All patient appointments at the facility were canceled for May 4.[19]

Nearly eight hours later, at 7:40 p.m. police arrested 24-year-old Deion Patterson[20][21] in Smyrna's Waterford Place neighborhood,[22] 13 miles (21 km) from the scene of the shooting.[23]

Victims

The victims are all women, with ages ranging from 25 to 71. The deceased was identified as 39-year-old Amy St. Pierre, who was employed by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[2] A reward of $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the indictment of the male suspect.[24] The suspect's mother was also inside the hospital at the time of the shooting but left uninjured.[25]

Victims are currently being treated at Grady Memorial Hospital. According to the Associate Chief of Neurosurgery Sanjay Gupta, three victims arrived in critical condition and required surgery.[26] The fourth victim is in stable condition and is not expected to require surgery.[2]

Investigation

The Atlanta Police Department and United States Coast Guard were working together to investigate the shooting.[27] The family of the suspected gunman is working with law enforcement.[28]

Accused

Deion Patterson was born in Hanover, Maryland in October 1998, and raised in Jonesboro, Georgia.[29] He is a former Coast Guard electrician's mate second class, serving from July 2018 until January 2023. He had previous criminal histories in both Henry County and Clayton County dating back to 2015.[30][31][32][9][33] He was subsequently charged with one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault.[21]

Reactions

President Joe Biden and vice president Kamala Harris were made aware of the shooting. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden is "frustrated about what we're seeing in our communities and in our schools and our churches".[34] Governor Brian Kemp, following the capture of Patterson, said: "We are heartbroken by today’s tragedy in Midtown Atlanta and join all Georgians in praying for those impacted and their loved ones…also thanking God for the brave local and state law enforcement who responded forcefully and without hesitation".[35] Georgia senator Raphael Warnock, whose children were put under lockdown during the shooting, addressed Congress to demand action on gun legislation.[36] Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens said it was a "traumatic day" for the city and called for stricter gun laws.[2]

CDC spokesperson Benjamin Haynes said in an email that the organization was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Amy St. Pierre, who was an employee of the Atlanta-based CDC headquarters, and the only fatality of the shooting.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Massie, Graeme (May 3, 2023). "Georgia Shooting: Deion Patterson was angry at 'messed up' meds before killing one woman and injuring four others, says mother". Independent. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Police detail the hourslong manhunt that ended in the Atlanta shooting suspect's arrest". CNN. May 4, 2023. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  3. ^ Midtown Atlanta shooting suspect arrested, police say CNN
  4. ^ "Live updates: Atlanta Midtown shooting news". CNN. May 3, 2023. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  5. ^ Li, David K.; Arkin, Daniel (May 3, 2023). "Suspect at large in shooting at Atlanta medical facility that left 1 dead and multiple injured, police say". NBC News. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  6. ^ "Police chief: 5 women were shot in medical center waiting room". CNN. May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  7. ^ Riess, Rebekah (May 3, 2023). "Multiple people injured in shooting in midtown Atlanta, police say". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  8. ^ Williams, Ashley (May 3, 2023). "What we know about the area where the Atlanta shooting unfolded". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Riess, Rebekah (May 3, 2023). "Suspected shooter was going to a medical appointment, police say". CNN. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  10. ^ "Police are searching for the suspect". CNN. May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  11. ^ Sykes, Jillian (May 3, 2023). "Atlanta resident says her apartment building was placed on lockdown". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  12. ^ Smart, Sara (May 3, 2023). "Police lift shelter-in-place advisory as search for suspect continues". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  13. ^ "Suspect carjacked a vehicle and was able to flee the scene of the shooting, police chief says". CNN. May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  14. ^ Smart, Sara (May 3, 2023). "Police ramp up law enforcement presence in areas of Cobb County". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  15. ^ Morris, Jason; Tuchman, Gary (May 3, 2023). "Atlanta shooting suspect may be near Truist Park, according to license plate reader". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  16. ^ Tumin, Remy; Diaz, Johnny (May 3, 2023). "One Dead and 4 Injured in Shooting at Atlanta Medical Building, Police Say". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  17. ^ "Midtown Atlanta shooting suspect arrested, police say". CNN. May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  18. ^ Riess, Rebekah (May 3, 2023). "Atlanta school district is clear to dismiss students near Midtown shooting, police say". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  19. ^ Smart, Sara (May 3, 2023). "Northside Medical will be closed Thursday and all patient appointments have been canceled". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  20. ^ "Shooting inside Atlanta building leaves 1 dead, 4 injured, suspect identified". WMGT-TV. May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  21. ^ a b "Midtown Hospital Shooting Timeline: Atlanta's manhunt for active shooter ends". FOX 5 Atlanta. May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  22. ^ "Midtown Atlanta shooter who killed 1 and injured 4 arrested, charged, police say". FOX 5 Atlanta. May 3, 2023. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  23. ^ "New video shows the Jonesboro native suspect in Midtown Atlanta shooting captured by Cobb County Police in Smyrna". WSB-TV. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  24. ^ 1 dead, 4 hurt in shooting inside Atlanta medical facility Archived May 3, 2023, at the Wayback Machine Associated Press
  25. ^ Deion Patterson: Everything we know about the at-large Atlanta mass shooting suspect Archived May 3, 2023, at the Wayback Machine Independent
  26. ^ Gupta, Sanjay (May 3, 2023). "3 people remain hospitalized in critical condition, and 2 of them are in surgery, hospital says". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  27. ^ Britzky, Haley (May 3, 2023). "Atlanta shooting suspect is a former Coast Guard member". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  28. ^ Smart, Sara (May 3, 2023). "Shooting suspect's family cooperating with law enforcement, Atlanta police chief says". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  29. ^ Diaz, Jaclyn; Hagen, Lisa (May 3, 2023). "Atlanta police search for a gunman who killed 1 and injured 4 in a medical building". NPR. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  30. ^ "Who is Deion Patterson, the Jonesboro man in Midtown Atlanta's mass shooting?". WGCL-TV. May 3, 2023. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  31. ^ "What we know about the Midtown Atlanta shooting suspect". WAGA-TV. May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  32. ^ Diaz, Jaclyn; Hagen, Lisa (May 3, 2023). "Atlanta police search for a gunman who killed 1 and injured 4 in a medical building". NPR. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  33. ^ "Patterson's court records, including a St. Louis traffic violation in 2020". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  34. ^ Judd, DJ (May 3, 2023). "White House is monitoring search for suspect in Atlanta medical center shooting". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  35. ^ Bunch, Riley. "Kemp thanks law enforcement involved in shooting investigation". ajc. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  36. ^ Robertson, Nicky (May 3, 2023). "Sen. Warnock: My own two children were on lockdown after Atlanta shooting". NPR. Retrieved May 3, 2023.