Atlanta Hospital Shooting: 1 Killed, 4 Hurt at Northside Medical Midtown
The suspect was apprehended eight hours after he allegedly opened fire in the waiting room of an Atlanta medical facility.
Photo: Atlanta Police Department
ATLANTA, Ga. — A suspect is in custody following an hourslong manhunt after police say he killed one person and wounded four others in an Atlanta medical center waiting room.
The alleged gunman, identified as 24-year-old Deion Patterson, was arrested Wednesday in Cobb County shortly before 8 p.m. ET, reports NPR. He has been charged with one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault.
Around 12 p.m., Patterson, who arrived at the hospital with his mother for a scheduled appointment, allegedly burst into a waiting room at Northside Hospital Medical Midtown and opened fire with a handgun. Fatally wounded was 38-year-old Amy St. Pierre, who worked at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Atlanta-based headquarters.
Four other women, ages 25, 39, 56, and 71, were also wounded and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta’s only Level 1 trauma center. They were identified in the arrest warrants for the suspected shooter as Lisa Glynn, Georgette Whitlow, Jazzmin Daniel, and Alesha Hollinger.
Three of the victims arrived at the hospital in critical condition and two were taken into surgery immediately. As of 4:20 p.m. Thursday, Grady Hospital’s Chief of Staff Dr. Robert Jansen said three of the victims remain in the intensive care unit and the fourth is stable and remains in the hospital’s medical unit. Jansen said he has spoken with two of the victims but the others are unable to speak.
Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Charles Hampton said Patterson was only in the medical center for two minutes before he opened fire. He then fled the scene and stole a pickup truck that was running at a nearby gas station, according to Yahoo. A shelter-in-place advisory was issued for the area, including at local schools.
The vehicle’s tag was submitted to a license plate reader system, according to Hampton, and the vehicle was spotted by transportation department cameras in Cobb County around 12:30 p.m. The suspect was eventually located inside a gated condominium complex about 10 miles north of where the shooting unfolded. He was armed but taken into custody without incident.
Hampton said the footage and tips received from civilians led to Patterson’s arrest.
“Technology played a huge role,” Cobb County Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer reiterated during a news conference announcing Patterson’s capture. “But technology doesn’t do any good without people who are determined to capture an individual that would do something like this. And today we saw where those two things came together.”
Source: Atlanta Hospital Shooting Suspect Unhappy with VA Care
A source with the Atlanta Police Department told CNN that Patterson’s mother, Minyone Patterson, said her son was seeking new treatment after he was dissatisfied with the care he was receiving from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Witnesses said Patterson arrived late for his appointment and was told he would have to come back another time, AJC reports. His mother told WSB that when the doctors wouldn’t give him anti-anxiety medication, he became agitated, drew the gun from his bag, and opened fire.
Patterson, who Schierbaum said had “minimal contact” with police prior to the shooting, served in the Coast Guard from July 2018 until he was discharged in January. The Coast Guard said it is working closely with Atlanta police and other authorities in the investigation. Police say Patterson’s family is also cooperating with the investigation.
Minyone Patterson issued an apology following the incident, stating her son suffers from mental illness.
“This mental illness is real, and when we say it’s real, from the medical standpoint, it is real,” she said. “And when someone is saying they need help, or you see that they are acting out of sorts, they need help. Help them, just don’t disregard them. They need help.”
Northside Medical Midtown, along with all locations of the Laureate Medical Group, remain closed Thursday.
Patterson was due in court Thursday but waived his right to a first court appearance.
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Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
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