ATLANTA — One person is dead and four others are hospitalized after being shot inside Northside Medical Midtown Wednesday, according to the Atlanta Police Department.
APD has identified the suspected shooter as 24-year-old Deion Patterson. Authorities said he was taken into custody Wednesday evening.
Here's everything we know about how the scene unfolded.
What happened at Northside Medical Midtown?
Patterson is suspected of shooting five women during what was first alerted to the public as an active shooter situation in Midtown Atlanta around noon. One woman died, and four others were hurt, according to officials.
APD responded to a call at Northside Medical Midtown around noon -- an urgent care and family medicine facility -- where they learned Patterson was with his mother. It's not yet clear why he might have arrived with his mother but police have clarified she is not one of the five victims.
1 dead, 4 injured in Midtown shooting on West Peachtree Street
Police said Patterson was on the 11th floor in the waiting room when he opened fire. He was only in the building for two minutes, according to police.
People advised people to avoid Midtown in the area of West Peachtree Street between 12th Street and 13th Street where the shooting scene unfolded.
Authorities later said they had refocused their search for Patterson in Cobb County. Cobb County SWAT was activated and the search was ramped up for Patterson in the area of The Battery and Truist Park.
Who is the suspect?
Deion Patterson, a 24-year-old man, was identified by APD as the suspect in the Northside Medical Midtown shooting.
He is facing four counts of aggravated assault and is accused of murder, jail records show. Patterson was booked into jail Wednesday night.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that Patterson served within the military branch from July 2018 to January 2023. According to the Coast Guard, Patterson last served as an Electrician's Mate Second Class. He was discharged from active duty in January 2023.
The Coast Guard said they were aware of the tragic incident in Atlanta allegedly involving Patterson and offered their deepest condolences to the victims and their families. The Coast Guard Investigative Service said it is working closely with the APD and local authorities in the investigation.
On Friday his attorney, public defender Shawn Hoover, issued this statement:
I met with Mr. Patterson Thursday morning. He is a veteran and suffers from apparent mental health issues. My team is investigating the details and circumstances of the charges to provide him with zealous, effective, and timely representation. While I cannot comment further at this time, I will be working tirelessly on Mr. Patterson's behalf toward a resolution. Thank you.
Who are the victims?
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said all the victims were women.
The victim who died was 38 years old, APD Chief Darin Schierbaum said. The Fulton County medical examiner identified her as Amy St. Pierre. She is an employee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the health agency. A spokesperson issued a statement Wednesday evening calling her death a tragic loss.
"CDC is deeply saddened by the unexpected loss of a colleague killed today in the Midtown Atlanta shooting. Our hearts are with her family, friends, and colleagues as they remember her and grieve this tragic loss," the statement said.
The police chief said the other injured victims were a 71-year-old, 56-year-old, 39-year-old and a 25-year-old.
Grady Memorial Hospital officials said three women were critically hurt while the other was stable when the four arrived at the trauma center. The three women with the most serious injuries underwent emergency surgery and procedures and are now in the ICU.
The woman in stable condition remains in Grady's trauma center.
Schierbaum explained all five victims were shot inside the waiting room at Northside Medical Midtown. 11Alive is working to learn more about the victims.
More on the manhunt
Suspect search started in Atlanta
Police arrived at the medical center for an active shooter call and issued a shelter-in-place order for much of the area that included businesses and schools.
Investigators said Patterson ran from the medical building to a nearby gas station, where he found a white pick-up truck with keys in the ignition. He hopped in and drove off, according to police.
Search spreads to Cobb County
In an evening update, authorities said they had refocused their search for Patterson in Cobb County.
Cobb County Police Department was tipped off about Patterson's potential whereabouts around 2:30 p.m., according to Sgt. W.A. Delk. He said a Georgia Department of Transportation camera caught sight of Patterson near Windy Ridge Parkway and Heritage Court at 12:30 p.m., adding that the two-hour difference hindered the law enforcement search.
Vehicle found
A vehicle that had been stolen in Midtown shortly after the shooting was also found in a parking deck near The Battery and Truist Park, believed to be driven by Patterson, according to authorities.
Cobb Police said they had officer presence in the Vinings, Cumberland and Truist Park areas. Delk said police believed it was highly likely Patterson was in the area.
And around 8 p.m., APD confirmed the suspect had been arrested.
Combined effort to arrest suspect
After receiving several tips about Patterson's whereabouts, investigators said their search led them to a Cobb County condominium complex in Smyrna along Lismore SE.
An undercover Cobb County police officer was the one to apprehend Patterson at the heavily wooded complex. Uniformed officers would soon arrive as a backup and assist in handing off Patterson to APD custody.
APD and Dickens held a press conference, where they said a multi-jurisdictional effort was in place as they searched for the suspect, including help from other agencies such as the GBI and the FBI.
APD Chief Schierbaum said the city's camera network helped and assisted in the investigation.