Atlanta police have identified the suspect in Tuesday’s shooting that left one woman dead and four others injured as 24-year-old Deion Patterson, a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard. Patterson was taken into custody after a manhunt that lasted several hours and involved multiple law enforcement agencies.
The shooting occurred on the 11th floor of a medical facility on West Peachtree Street between 12th and 13th Streets. All five victims were women, ranging in age from 25 to 71. Four were rushed to Grady Hospital for treatment, while the fifth was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police advised the public not to approach Patterson, who was considered armed and dangerous. He reportedly carjacked a vehicle before fleeing the scene, and police later recovered the vehicle during the manhunt.
According to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, the shooting took place in a waiting area of the medical facility, and the suspect’s motive remains unknown. Mayor Andre Dickens urged citizens in the area to shelter in place, and multiple police and emergency vehicles were on the scene as the search for the suspect continued.
Patterson’s military service and possible connection to the medical facility where the shooting took place are currently under investigation.
