State Watch

Reported active shooter leaves multiple injured, 1 dead in Atlanta

Emergency vehicles arrive on West Peachtree in Atlanta on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Police say are investigating an “active shooter situation” in a building in Atlanta's Midtown neighborhood and that multiple people had been injured.

The Atlanta Police Department said officers are responding to an active shooter situation that has left at least four people injured and one person dead Wednesday.

Police identified the suspect in the shooting as 24-year-old Deion Patterson in an update on Twitter, adding that he remains at large as of 2:46 p.m. Wednesday.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said during an afternoon news conference that the shooting occurred inside the waiting room of Northside Hospital at 12:08 p.m. on Wednesday. He said at the conference that a 39-year-old woman died at the scene and four other women ranging in ages from 25 to 71 years old were hospitalized for their injuries. 

Schierbaum said at the press conference that the search remains “active.” He noted that police believe Patterson carjacked a vehicle and fled the scene, saying that they do not believe he remains in the area.

The department has advised people to shelter in place. They added that, as of 1:30 p.m., no additional shots had been fired since the initial incident.

Officials also tweeted photos of the suspect, warned that they believe the suspect is “armed and dangerous” and said people should not approach him.

“Anyone in the area is asked to secure their building and shelter in place. Anyone not in the area is asked to stay away,” the department said on Twitter. “We will communicate via social media and our website with updates.”

Updated: 4:14 p.m.