RIMS Conference Cut Short by Fatal Shooting in Midtown Atlanta

A fatal shooting incident Wednesday that locked down portions of Atlanta as a suspect was on the loose, resulted in the early closing of RIMS’ Riskworld annual conference.

The shooting occurred at a medical facility on West Peachtree Street in Atlanta’s midtown neighborhood, about two and a half miles from the Georgia World Congress Center where the annual RIMS Riskworld conference was wrapping up on its final day. A shelter-in-place advisory was issued for individuals in the immediate vicinity, with several Atlanta Public Schools on lockdown until the advisory was lifted.

RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche on Wednesday issued an emergency video statement on the conference website to let attendees know that everyone at Riskworld was safe and the RIMS-Sedgwick official closing party would be canceled.

“I wanted to bring this update to let everyone know that everyone at Riskworld is safe and sound,” he said. “We’ve unfortunately had to cancel the closing finale session simply out of an abundance of caution. Everybody in the convention center and in our hotels are all safe.”

Several bus routes set up to take attendees back-and-forth from hotels were affected by the resulting investigation since four hotels were within close vicinity, he said.

Police arrested former U.S. coastguardsman Deion Patterson about eight hours after the shooting. The Associated Press has since reported that according to Fulton County jail records, Patterson has been charged with one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault.

The incident wounded four and killed one. Three of the victims – all women – were in critical condition and underwent surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital, Reuters reported. A motive for the shooting is currently unknown.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued an open letter through his office to thank emergency responders and the community.

“My prayers are with the victims of this shooting and their families,” he said in the letter. “There will be justice in this case. But that doesn’t change the fact that one woman died, and four others were seriously injured. It doesn’t change the fact that our city experienced a collective trauma. Families are grieving today, and our community is on edge.”

He added that the city of Atlanta is currently investing in police and fire personnel, equipment, and training, as well as non-police activities such as violence interruption and youth engagement, to enhance safety in the community and address the root causes of crime. However, he called for more unified national action to combat gun violence.

“This is a moment for healing as a community. But it is also a moment that calls us to action,” he said. “Atlanta is a group project. Just as we came together yesterday to respond to this shooting, we must now come together with resolve to each do our parts to stop these horrific events from happening again, whether here in Atlanta or anywhere in our country.”

U.S. Senator for Georgia, Raphael Warnock, echoed these statements in remarks on the U.S. Senate floor following the shooting, sharing that his own children were on lockdown at school for the afternoon due to the incident.

“That’s what makes this particular shooting ironic, and deeply upsetting because it underscores the fact that none of us is safe, no matter where we are. This happened in a medical facility where people are trying to find healing,” he said. “I’m pleading, I’m begging all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to remember the covenant that we have with one another as an American people to stand up in this defining moment and do everything we can to protect all of us and certainly all of our children.”

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