On Wednesday, May 4th, a shooting at a medical facility in Atlanta left one person dead and four others injured. The suspect, Deion Patterson, was captured by authorities after a manhunt that lasted several hours.
Suspect in Atlanta shooting
The shooting took place in the sitting area of the Northside Hospital Midtown Medical Building, where Patterson had an appointment. The motive for the shooting is still unknown, and it is unclear whether the victims were specifically targeted or if they were patients or employees of the medical practice.
Three of the injured victims were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital and were in critical condition as of Wednesday night. The victims ranged in age from 25 to 71 years old.
After the shooting, Patterson fled on foot to a nearby Shell gas station and then took a pickup truck that was left running. Police were able to track the truck to Cobb County, where they arrested Patterson near a shopping area close to Truist Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and a criminal case against Patterson is pending. Law enforcement officials have not released many details about the case, including Patterson's prior criminal history, if any.
The Northside Hospital Midtown Medical Building will be closed on Thursday, and the hospital has released a statement asking for patience and prayers during this difficult time.
This shooting is yet another tragic example of the ongoing gun violence epidemic in the United States. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 190 mass shootings in the US so far this year, defined as any event where there were at least four victims, excluding the shooter.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, who represents Georgia, spoke out about the shooting on the Senate floor and criticized the lack of action on gun violence from lawmakers. He noted that his own children were on lockdown at school during the shooting.
"It isn't normal. It isn't right for us to live in a nation where no one is safe, no matter where they are," Warnock said in his address to the Senate.
As we mourn the loss of life and pray for the injured victims and their families, it is time for our elected officials to take meaningful action to address the root causes of gun violence in our country. Only then can we hope to prevent future tragedies like this one.
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