Suspect detained in shooting at Atlanta medical facility, 1 dead, 4 wounded
A man accused of shooting in the waiting room of an Atlanta medical facility on Wednesday, killing a woman and injuring four others, has been arrested in a nearby county after an hour-long search, police said. Stated.
Atlanta police said they arrested 24-year-old Dion Patterson in Cobb County, northwest of the city, around 8 p.m., nearly eight hours after the deadly shooting just after noon.
However, it remains unclear why Patterson allegedly opened fire in the waiting room on the 11th floor of the North Side Hospital medical facility.
Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Charles Hampton told a news conference, “I know he had appointments at the facility. Why he did that is all still under investigation.”
Patterson fled midtown Atlanta when police descended on the scene, officials said.
The vehicle and suspect were seen on cameras at the Cobb County Department of Transportation around 12:30 p.m., police there said.
Cobb County Police Chief Stuart Van Hooser said a 911 call about the video and possible sightings led to Patterson’s arrest.
The five victims, all women, were all shot. They are not publicly identified. Hospital officials said the three were still in critical condition Wednesday night. The fourth was stable.
The slain woman has been identified as Amy St. Pierre, 39, an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health agency said.
The ages of the four injured were 71, 56, 39 and 25, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Scherbaum previously said. It was not immediately clear whether they were patients or medical center employees.
“It’s still too early to know why these individuals were chosen,” Scherbaum said at a news conference Wednesday.
The shooter used a handgun, which was recovered, Hampton said.
Patterson was at the medical facility with his mother for an appointment, police told NBC News.
A woman who responded with a number related to the suspect’s mother refused to answer questions and handed the phone to an Atlanta police officer.
The shooter’s mother was not injured in the shooting, and his family was cooperative with investigators.
Patterson was in the Coast Guard. He enlisted in the Coast Guard in July 2018, last serving his second degree in electrical engineering, the statement said. He was discharged from active duty in January.
Two of the three injured underwent surgery, and a third underwent minimally invasive vascular surgery, Dr. Robert Jansen, chief medical officer at Grady Memorial Hospital, told reporters.
The hospital had been mobilized in preparation for a possible “mass casualty incident” and was ready to treat up to 12 gunshot victims, he added.
“Within minutes, multiple trauma surgeons and multiple staff members” were ready to shoot the victims, Jansen said. “We were fully prepared. We expected a maximum of 12 patients. Luckily, we only received four.”
The North Side Hospital locations where the shooting took place include a cancer center, an orthopedic institute, and a radiology department, according to the website.
“This tragedy is affecting all of us and we ask for your patience and prayers at this time,” said the North Side Hospital medical system. statement.
police murmured At approximately 12:30 p.m., the 1110 W. Peachtree St. Atlanta Police Department lifted the shelter-in-place order following an investigation into an “active shooter.” past 3pm.
Within minutes of the police alarm, the block containing the facility was flooded with police cars and ambulances.
Peachtree Street, Atlanta’s main street, is lined with bars, comedy clubs, shops and a variety of dining options.
In Atlanta’s Midtown district, which is lined with hotels, museums, and restaurants, it was usually a busy lunch rush, with few pedestrians on the streets.
Atlanta Public Schools has announced that a nearby campus has been put on lockdown. officials saidThe student was later dismissed.
Cobb County Police Chief Van Hooser said being able to use the Department of Transportation’s cameras was a key tool in finding Patterson.
“These cameras were very useful today. They gave us the exact location of the building he entered,” he said.
After calling police, undercover agents encountered Patterson, other police arrived and took him into custody without incident, he said.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the shooting, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Senator Rafael Warnock (D-Georgia) said his two children were caught in the lockdown.
“This is knocking on all of our doors and we are feeling it this afternoon in a very real way,” Warnock said on the Senate floor. I feel it in my bones because it was locked down in the afternoon. I have two small children and their schools were locked down in response to this tragedy. I am here. I hope and pray that they will be safe. But the truth is that none of us are safe.
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