Atlanta: Police said a shooter opened fire inside an Atlanta medical building, killing one and injuring four others Wednesday as authorities swarmed the city’s bustling midtown neighbourhood in search of the 24-year-old suspect.
Atlanta police said there had been no additional shots fired since the initial shooting unfolded inside a Northside Medical building on West Peachtree Street in a commercial area with many office towers and high-rise apartments.
Atlanta police said the suspected shooter is believed to be Deion Patterson and that he was considered armed and dangerous.
The four injured people were taken to a hospital for treatment and the fifth person was pronounced dead at the scene.
More than two hours after the shooting, police said they had no information indicating that Patterson was still in the area. They lifted a shelter-in-place advisory, but asked people to stay away from the area due to the active investigation.
Authorities also put out a photo of Patterson showing his face and asked anyone with information about his whereabouts to call 911 and not approach him. Crime Stoppers was offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the suspect.
The shooting comes as cities around the US have been wracked by gun violence and mass shootings in 2023.
In surveillance photos released by police, the suspect was wearing dark pants and a light colored hoodie with the hood pulled up. He had a mask on his face and appeared to be wearing a bag across his front.
Atlanta police said they are aware of a carjacking that happened not long after the shooting a few blocks away. They said the vehicle has been recovered in suburban Cobb County, and they were working to determine whether the vehicle was connected to the shooting.
Dozens of police and fire vehicles were gathered along West Peachtree Street, as officers with assault-style rifles, helmets and vests continued to arrive more than an hour after the shooting.
Many officers clustered outside the front entrance of the Northside Medical building. Multiple helicopters hovered overhead while police tried to keep traffic moving on nearby streets. Construction workers watched from the nearest corner in the midtown neighborhood where many new high-rises are being built.
