4 Women Injured In Midtown Shooting Improving

ATLANTA, GA — The four women shot and injured in the shooting at a Northside Hospital facility in Midtown Wednesday have "improved significantly," Dr. Robert Jansen, the chief medical officer at Grady Memorial Hospital, told reporters at a news conference Friday.

"Good news," Jansen said. "Everybody's doing very well."

Two women remained in the ICU after having surgery Thursday, Jansen said, adding that officials are pleased with their progress. A third victim is being moved out of the ICU and the fourth victim is being moved out of the hospital and is going home.

The four women who were injured were aged 25, 39, 56 and 71.

"We're very pleased with their progress," Jansen said.

Amy St. Pierre, a 39-year-old employee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, died in the Wednesday shooting.

The shooting happened around noon in a waiting room at the Midtown building. The accused gunman, 24-year-old Deion Patterson, is being charged on suspicion of one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault.

Patterson was taken into custody after an hourslong manhunt that put the metro Atlanta area on edge as police said the gunman — who they warned the public not to approach believing him to be armed and dangerous — had fled the scene and was believed to be in Cobb County. Police announced around 8 p.m. that he was taken into custody in an area near Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta.

The shooting happened not far away from Grady, which Jansen noted was beneficial for treatment.

"Every minute counts with these type of injuries and certainly close proximity helps," he said. "It's hard to say whether they had to travel a greater distance, it would have an impact on their outcomes. ... Time does matter."

Jansen said Friday the post-traumatic stress from a shooting is real and will impact all four of the women who were shot. He said they all have expressed their appreciation for Grady.