The Latest: Cobb County Police have arrested Deion Patterson, the suspect in the shooting in Midtown Atlanta earlier today. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens called it “an enormously tense afternoon.”
What Happened?: An active shooter situation unfolded inside a building on West Peachtree Street, between 12th Street and 13th Street in Atlanta at a medical office attached to Northside Hospital in Midtown Atlanta.
Five shooting victims have been identified, with four transported to the hospital in critical but stable condition and one pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say Patterson had an appointment at the medical office and was in the office for about two minutes after firing his first shot before he fled to a Shell gas station.
By The Numbers:
- 5 shooting victims
- 1 deceased
- $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the suspect
Suspect Details: Deion Patterson, 24 years old, is the primary suspect and was considered to be armed and dangerous.
Carjacked Vehicle: A vehicle was carjacked from 14th Street and Williams Street shortly after the shooting. Initially thought to have been recovered, the vehicle was later found in Cobb County.
The Search: Once it was determined that the suspect was in Cobb County, Cobb County Police took over the search. Cobb County Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer said his department searched a building that was under construction near The Battery that they knew Patterson had been in. Clearing the building was a top priority for police due to its close proximity to The Battery and Truist Park.
Patterson was later found at a Cobb County apartment complex and was arrested and taken to the Atlanta Police Department.
“These are massively complex investigations and information comes in so quickly — and it is so confusing and so contradictory — that we find we are often trying to go three or four places at the same time,” VanHoozer said.
According to VanHoozer, if this shooting had taken place four years ago it would have had a different outcome due to the technology that is available now that was not available to the police departments then such as Flock video cameras.
Dickens called for universal background checks and closing gun purchasing loopholes to stop incidents like this from happening.
“This was a horrible act of gun violence but equally horrifying is that we know that this is not unique in our country. In 2023 there have been nearly 200 instances of mass shootings in America,” Dickens said.
What We Don’t Know:
- The motive. While there has been speculation about mental health concerns, the Atlanta Police Department will not comment on the suspects mental health.
- The Gun. While the Atlanta Police Department has said that the weapon used was a handgun, they do not yet know if the gun was obtained legally.
- The Victims. The names of the victims have not been released. We do know that all victims were women.
- The Appointment. We know he had an appointment at the medical office. The Police Department will not release the reason for the appointment.
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