May 3, 2023 - Suspect arrested after deadly Midtown Atlanta shooting, police say

Raphael Warnock
Hear lawmaker lament on Senate floor as his kids are in lockdown
01:58 - Source: CNN
01:58

What we covered here

  • The suspect in the deadly shooting at an Atlanta medical facility was arrested Wednesday night inside a gated condominium complex in Cobb County, about 11 miles from the scene.
  • One person was killed and four others were injured, three critically, in the shooting. All the victims were women, the police said.
  • The shooting happened after a man became enraged during a visit to a Midtown medical facility and opened fire, police said. He was accompanied by his mother, who was not injured, police said.

Our live coverage has ended. Follow the latest news here or read through the updates below. 

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Victim in Atlanta shooting identified as CDC employee, medical examiner says

Amy St. Pierre.

The woman shot and killed Wednesday at Northside Medical Midtown has been identified as Amy St. Pierre, 38, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office. 

St. Pierre worked for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.

Northside Medical Midtown in Atlanta will be closed on Thursday and all patient appointments are canceled for Thursday, the facility tweeted.

The four other women shot are being treated at Grady hospital. Three patients are in ICU and a fourth is in stable condition, according to a statement from the hospital.

Police have arrested the suspected gunman. Here's the latest

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens applauded local agencies and officials for their collaboration in apprehending the suspected gunman in Wednesday’s mass shooting incident.

The arrest of Deion Patterson comes following a chaotic multi-hour manhunt in Atlanta. Patterson will now be charged and stand trial for his alleged crimes, Dickens said.

Here’s how we got here:

The shooting. Officers initially were called to the Northside Hospital Medical in Midtown Atlanta at 12:08 p.m. ET Wednesday, according to the Atlanta Police Department. The suspected shooter, accompanied by his mother, was at the facility for an appointment seeking new treatment after being dissatisfied with the care he was receiving from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the suspect’s mother, a high-level source with the Atlanta Police Department told CNN. At some point, the man became agitated and used a handgun to open fire.

The manhunt. The gunman left the facility on foot and went to a nearby gas station, where he got into a pickup truck that was left running and unattended, police said. The license plate of the vehicle was detected by a plate reader, according to authorities. Throughout the day, officials were being called to various locations for what police described as apparently legitimate sightings of the suspect. An undercover officer saw and confronted the gunman, then backup was called, police said. The suspect was arrested in Cobb County near the Truist Park baseball stadium at roughly 7:45 p.m. ET without incident, according to police

The victims. One person was killed and four others were injured, three critically, in the shooting. All the victims were women, police said. Three of them who were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital are in critical condition, while another patient is now stable, the hospital said. One of the patients was admitted with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and another with a wound to the arm, according to a hospital representative. The third critical patient was shot in the face, the hospital said.

The suspect. Police have identified the suspect as Deion Patterson, 24. He was a former Coast Guardsman and was discharged from active duty in January of this year. Patterson had minimal contact with the police department before the shooting.

Shooting suspect captured inside gated condo community. Residents say barking dogs raised suspicions

Deion Patterson, the Midtown Atlanta shooting suspect, was captured inside a gated condominium complex in Cobb County on Wednesday night, about 11 miles north of the shooting scene, local residents told CNN.

Christy Colwell, who lives at Waterford Place, said dogs barking within the complex made her concerned the fugitive might be hiding in the pool area, which includes a gazebo. She informed a police officer who was at the facility responding to the noise call. 

Atlanta police said Patterson traveled to Cobb County in a stolen pickup truck.

Georgia's top politicians react to shooting in Atlanta

Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock speaks with CNN's Abby Phillips on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Georgia’s top politicians — two senators and the state’s governor — commented Wednesday on the deadly shooting that left one person dead and four injured.

Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock told CNN’s Abby Phillips he was heartened to learn that the Atlanta shooting suspect was arrested. 

Earlier in the day, Warnock, a pastor from Atlanta, gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor where he disclosed his two children were on lockdown in Atlanta as police scrambled to find the gunman.

Sen. Jon Ossoff released a statement Wednesday decrying gun violence.

“The level of gun violence in America today is unconscionable and unacceptable, and policy makers at all levels have a responsibility to ensure public safety and implement long-overdue reforms,” the Democratic senator said

Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, praised first responders and law enforcement who “responded forcefully and without hesitation.”

Atlanta mayor calls for gun reform following shooting

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens speaks during a news conference on Wednesday.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens called for gun reform following Wednesday’s mass shooting in the city.

“We know that there is more that needs to be done,” he said, adding that there is a “national epidemic” of gun violence.

Dickens, speaking at a news conference to announce the arrest of a suspect in the shooting, called for universal background checks, better red-flag laws to allow judges to remove guns from people who pose risks – and more action to make sure “those who shouldn’t have guns don’t have them.”

The mayor thanked Grady Memorial Hospital and the authorities involved in the investigation and offered prayers to the victims and their families.

Undercover officer was first to confront the suspect, police chief says

Cobb County PD Chief Chief Stuart VanHoozer speaks during a news conference on Wednesday.

Authorities late Wednesday described the chaotic manhunt that led to the apprehension of Deion Patterson, the suspect in the mass shooting at an Atlanta medical facility.

Patterson was arrested in Cobb County, near the Truist Park baseball stadium.

He commandeered a pickup truck near the scene of the shooting, according to police. And the plate of the truck was detected by a license plate reader in Cobb County, which is northwest of downtown Atlanta, they said.

VanHoozer said officials were being called to various locations throughout Cobb County for what he described as apparently legitimate sightings of Patterson, as he was still at large.

Late in the day, a real-time operator flagged to 911 a call about the suspect that appeared legitimate, VanHoozer said.

An undercover officer went to the scene, saw and confronted Patterson, according to VanHoozer. Backup was called and the suspect was taken into custody without incident, the police chief said.

Shooting suspect was apprehended in a condo complex near Truist Park, police say

Atlanta mass shooting suspect Deion Patterson was apprehended in Cobb County in a condominium complex near Truist Park at roughly 7:45 p.m. ET, a county police officer told CNN.

Truist Park, which is the home of the Atlanta Braves professional baseball team, is about 11 miles from the scene of the shooting in Midtown Atlanta.

Midtown Atlanta shooting suspect arrested, police say

The suspect in the Midtown Atlanta shooting has been apprehended, according to Atlanta police. 

Deion Patterson, 24, was identified by police as the gunman in the shooting at a Northside Hospital medical facility in Atlanta.

Five women were shot and one has died from her injuries, police said. 

A press conference is happening soon from the Atlanta Police Headquarters.

Atlanta police to provide update on Midtown shooting shortly

The Atlanta Police Department will hold a news conference at 8 p.m. ET with updated information on the deadly Midtown shooting.

The news conference will be held at the Atlanta Police Headquarters.

Mother of Atlanta shooting suspect says he was seeking new treatment, source says

The man accused of opening fire at an Atlanta medical facility was seeking new treatment after being dissatisfied with the care he was receiving from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the suspect’s mother, a high-level source with the Atlanta Police Department told CNN.

CNN has reached out to the VA for comment.

Deion Patterson’s mother accompanied him to Northside Medical Midtown on Wednesday. She was not injured in the shooting and is cooperating with authorities, police said.

Patterson joined the Coast Guard in 2018 and was discharged from active duty in January of this year, the service said.

Patterson was identified by Atlanta police as the gunman in the shooting that left one person dead and four others wounded at the medical facility. He fled the scene after carjacking a vehicle and is on the run, according to authorities.

Northside Medical will be closed Thursday and all patient appointments have been canceled

Police officers work the scene of a shooting at Northside Medical Midtown in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Northside Medical Midtown in Atlanta will be closed on Thursday following the shooting on Wednesday afternoon.

All patient appointments are canceled for Thursday, the facility tweeted.

Patients are encouraged to follow up directly with their provider to reschedule.

Man accused of opening fire at an Atlanta medical center is on the run. Here's what we know

The man who opened fire in a Midtown Atlanta medical facility Wednesday, killing one person and wounding four other people, is on the run, according to authorities.

There is a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest and indictment and police are asking people to call 911 if they have any information.

Here’s what we know:

  • The shooting: Officers were first called to the Northside Hospital Medical in Midtown Atlanta at 12:08 p.m. ET Wednesday, according to Atlanta Police Department Chief Darin Schierbaum. The suspected shooter, accompanied by his mother, was at the facility for an appointment, police said. The man at some point became agitated, used a handgun and started shooting. The gunman was able to flee the scene by carjacking a vehicle as police were arriving, the chief said.
  • The victims: Five people were shot in a waiting room on the 11th floor, one of whom died at the scene, police said. All the victims were women. Three people who were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital are in critical condition, while another patient is now stable, the hospital said. One of the patients was admitted with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and another with a wound to the arm, according to a hospital representative. The third critical patient was shot in the face, the hospital said.
  • The suspect: Police have identified the suspect as 24-year-old Deion Patterson. They are also still looking for the gun that was used in the shooting, Schierbaum said. Officials from various law enforcement agencies are following up on “credible leads” both in Cobb County and in the city of Atlanta, he said. Patterson was a former Coast Guardsman and was discharged from active duty in January of this year. Patterson had minimal contact with the police department before the shooting. His family is cooperating with officials, police said.

Atlanta shooting suspect may be near Truist Park, according to license plate reader

Law enforcement search for the suspected shooter Deion Patterson near Truist Park in Cobb County on Wednesday.

Suspected shooter Deion Patterson was spotted in Cobb County, which is northwest of downtown Atlanta, at around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Cobb County Police Department Sgt. Wayne Delk.

The deadly shooting at a Midtown Atlanta medical facility happened at around 12:08 p.m., according to police.

Officials were not alerted of the suspect’s location until around 2:30 p.m. That is when they began searching the license plate camera footage, Delk said.

The footage of Patterson was taken from a camera near Windy Ridge Parkway and Heritage Court, which is close to Truist Park. The vehicle allegedly carjacked by Patterson was recovered by the Atlanta Police Department in a parking garage near the baseball stadium, Delk said.

There has been no eyewitness confirmation of the suspect being in Cobb County, Delk added. Police continue to search the area, but there have been no additional sightings on cameras, he said.

Truist Park, which is the home of the Atlanta Braves professional baseball team, is about 11 miles from the scene of the shooting in Midtown Atlanta.

CNN’s Sara Smart contributed reporting.

3 people remain hospitalized in critical condition, and 1 is stable, medical officials say

Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.

Three people who were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital after a shooting at a Northside Hospital location in Atlanta remain in critical condition, while another patient is now stable, according to a hospital news release.

One of the patients was admitted with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and another with a wound to the arm, according to a hospital representative.  

A third critical patient was shot in the face and required an interventional radiology procedure, which is used to stop bleeding by using catheters inserted directly into blood vessels.

The three patients had what Grady Health System’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Jansen described as “particularly serious” injuries.

Grady says it had 1,215 patients come into the hospital with gunshot wounds in 2022.

Watch below: The chief medical officer at Grady Hospital gives an update on victims:

a5fae79d-3152-47ff-a0ef-38e5c6a7b647.mp4
04:28 - Source: CNN

Shooting suspect's family cooperating with law enforcement, Atlanta police chief says

Shooting suspect Deion Patterson.

The family of suspected gunman Deion Patterson has been cooperative with law enforcement following the shooting at a Midtown Atlanta hospital facility, police say.

Patterson’s mother, who had accompanied him to the hospital, was not injured in the shooting, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said in a news conference on Wednesday.

When asked if Patterson had prior involvement with law enforcement, Schierbaum responded there had been minimal contact.

Police ramp up law enforcement presence in areas of Cobb County

Cobb County police are increasing their presence to help look for the suspect in the Midtown Atlanta hospital shooting.

Police will increase in the areas of Vinings, Cumberland and near Truist Park, the county police tweeted.

Authorities are searching for the 24-year-old suspected gunman, Deion Patterson, who is accused of shooting five women at a Northside Hospital facility in Midtown Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon.

The Cobb County area is located about 11 miles northwest of where the shooting occurred.

The post was updated to specify that the Cobb County area where police are searching is about 11 miles from where the shooting occurred.

Atlanta shooting suspect is a former Coast Guard member

The suspect in an Atlanta shooting that left one person dead and at least four others injured is a former Coast Guardsman, the agency said in a statement Wednesday.

According to the Coast Guard, Deion Patterson “entered the Coast Guard in July 2018 and last served as an Electrician’s Mate Second Class. He was discharged from active duty in January 2023.” 

The Coast Guard said it is working closely with the Atlanta Police Department and other authorities in the investigation of the shooting. 

Sen. Warnock: ''My own two children were on lockdown'' after Atlanta shooting

Georgia Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock speaks at an awards dinner in Washington, DC, on April 26.

Georgia Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock addressed the Midtown Atlanta shooting Wednesday in an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, urging Congress to take action on gun control.

Administrators at his son and daughter’s school took safety precautions as a result of the shooting.

While he said he’s praying for those affected by the tragedy, Warnock added that “thoughts and prayers are not enough,” calling for immediate action on gun legislation.

He also slammed the gun lobbying industry.

Police chief: 5 women were shot in medical center waiting room

The Midtown Atlanta gunman opened fire in a waiting room on the 11th floor of the medical center, according to police.

The shooter shot five people, one of whom died at the scene, according to Atlanta Police Department Chief Darin Schierbaum. All five people who were shot were women, the chief added

Officers were first called to the Northside Hospital Medical in Midtown Atlanta at 12:08 p.m. ET Wednesday, Schierbaum said.

The chief said police are still looking for the suspect, who they have identified as 24-year-old Deion Patterson. They are also still looking for the gun that was used in the shooting, Schierbaum said.

Officials from various law enforcement agencies are following up on “credible leads” both in Cobb County and in the city of Atlanta, he said.

CNN’s Sara Smart contributed reporting to this post.

Suspect carjacked a vehicle and was able to flee the scene of the shooting, police chief says

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum speaks at a press conference in Atlanta on Wednesday. 

Atlanta Police Department Chief Darin Schierbaum said Wednesday afternoon that police believe the shooting suspect carjacked a vehicle a “short distance” from the scene.

Schierbaum said the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Deion Patterson, was able to flee the scene as police “were descending on this area.” 

“We believe he has left the area,” Schierbaum said, adding that the suspect “may not still be in that vehicle.” 

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Police detail the hourslong manhunt that ended in the Atlanta shooting suspect’s arrest

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Police detail the hourslong manhunt that ended in the Atlanta shooting suspect’s arrest