Global Courant 2023-05-04 08:26:49
The man’s mother accused of shooting five people in downtown Atlanta said he was angry that doctors wouldn’t give him Ativan, an anti-anxiety drug.
Deion Patterson, 24, is accused of opening fire in the waiting room of a Northside Hospital medical ward, killing a woman and wounding four others.
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Sophia Choi from Channel 2 spoke to Patterson’s mother off-camera after the shooting. She told Choi that doctors wouldn’t give her son the sedative, which treats anxiety but can also be addictive.
Channel 2 Action news learned that Patterson was a coast guard, but that he was fired in January. It is not clear why he was fired.
Police said he was only in the medical office for two minutes before opening fire.
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Patterson was arrested hours later after hiding in a pool house in a Cobb County apartment complex. Video shows him surrendering to officers before being handcuffed.
Surveillance video from nearby businesses showed Patterson running from the medical office.
Police said Patterson ran away from the medical office after the shooting and stole a truck that ran empty at a nearby Shell station.
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The woman who was killed has been identified as 39-year-old Amy St. Pierre, who worked at the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.
The other four victims, three of whom are in critical condition, have not been identified.
Patterson has been charged with one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault.
