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US police said a woman was killed and four others wounded in a shooting at a medical building in Atlanta on Wednesday. Police said the suspect in the shooting was Deon Patterson, a former Coast Guard member, who fled after the incident. CNN reported that Patterson became enraged during a visit before opening fire. In the United States, the number of firearms outnumbers the population, and the country has the highest rate of gun-related deaths among developed nations.
A woman was killed and 4 others were wounded on Wednesday when a gunman opened fire in a waiting room at a hospital in Atlanta, South Carolina United Stateaccording to the police announced.
Police said the suspect in the shooting, which took place at North Side Hospital in the afternoon local time (1700 GMT), was named Deon Patterson, a former Coast Guard member, who fled after the incident.
“We believe the suspect is armed and dangerous, and are cautioned against approaching him,” Atlanta Police said on Twitter.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the victims were women.
Police announced in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the victims ranged in age from 25 to 71.
Police Chief Darren Sherboom indicated that several agencies are involved in pursuing the suspect, including the FBI and the Secret Service.
Scherbohm said Patterson’s mother was with him in the waiting room at the hospital, and that she was not injured in the shooting. CNN reported that Patterson became enraged during a visit before opening fire.
Scherbohm said it was too early to tell if any of the victims had been specifically targeted, noting that the suspect’s family was cooperating with the investigation.
And the authorities published a picture of Patterson, in which he appeared to be wearing dark pants, covering his head, wearing a muzzle, and carrying a gun.
Television footage showed the deployment of police and law enforcement personnel at the site, as well as a number of ambulances.
The White House announced that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were informed of the incident. And presidential spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre stressed the necessity of “taking more steps to combat the violence we are witnessing in our communities, schools and churches,” noting that the president’s powers are restricted in this regard.
Since the beginning of this year, more than 190 mass shootings have been recorded in the United States, according to the Armed Violence Archive.
In the United States, the number of firearms exceeds the population, and the country has the highest rate of gun-related deaths among developed countries: 49,000 in 2021, compared to 45,000 in the previous year.
