One dead and four wounded in shooting in central Atlanta

One person has been shot dead and at least four others injured in a shooting at a medical building in Atlanta, police said.

Officers said there had been no additional shots fired since the initial shooting unfolded inside a Northside Medical building in West Peachtree Street in a commercial area with many office towers and high-rise apartments.

Atlanta police said the suspected gunman is believed to be Deion Patterson, 24, and that he is considered armed and dangerous.

The four injured people were taken to hospital and a fifth was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting comes as cities around the US have been wracked by gun violence and mass shootings in 2023.

Police sent out a photo of the suspect. He was wearing dark trousers and a light-coloured hoodie with the hood pulled up.

He had a mask on his face and appeared to be wearing a bag across his front.

Authorities asked anyone with information on Patterson’s whereabouts to call 911. Police urged anyone in the area to secure their building and shelter in place.

Dozens of police and fire vehicles were gathered along West Peachtree Street, as officers with assault-style rifles, helmets and vests continued to arrive more than an hour after the shooting.

Many officers clustered outside the front entrance of the Northside Medical building, and helicopters hovered overhead while police tried to keep traffic moving on nearby streets.

Construction workers watched from the nearest corner in the Midtown neighbourhood where many new high-rises are being built.