Midtown Atlanta shooting reignites debate over planned police training site

ATLANTA - The Atlanta City Council is thanking first responders for their efforts during the mass shooting at the waiting room of a Midtown medical practice last week.

Monday afternoon, Prenzinna Spann, the deputy chief of the Atlanta Police Department, briefed the council's Public Safety Committee on the response to the deadly violence.

Spann said armed officers escorted firefighters up to the 11th floor of the Northside Medical Midtown facility so they could care for the victims before police even knew the shooter had left the building.

"Knowing that we had a loose gunman and then trying to go into that building to locate who was hurt, who was injured to make sure we didn't have any additional fatalities," she said.

All of this was happening while other officers were working to lock down the building and area with still more trying to track down the shooter.

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Deion Patterson (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Deion Patterson, was arrested hours later in Cobb County after residents called 911 to report seeing someone who matched his description.

While Spann said there were some minor missteps they plan to review, overall she called the response phenomenal.

"We train for this our whole careers," she said. "I was very proud of our officers."

Council members say the quick thinking and bravery of the 911 operators, police officers, and firefighters possibly prevented more injuries or deaths.

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But Council members Antonio Lewis and Michael Bond expressed concern about whether the response could have been even greater if some on-duty APD officers weren't being used outside their designated zones, providing security for the planned Public Safety Training Facility in DeKalb County.

 "While you're working under our taxpayer dollars, we need you for that all-cavalry call in Downtown Atlanta. We're afraid for our lives," Lewis said. "I'm hopeful that someone can tell me if it's an all-call because that's property."

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum has repeatedly said there is an ongoing safety threat posed by activists at the site, which they call "Cop City."

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That was the same message Spann reiterated Monday.

Councilman Dustin Shipman defended the facility, saying he believes it will help better prepare police and firefighters to work together during any active shootings that may happen in the future.