After more than two years of legal delays, a Fulton County judge on Thursday ruled that Deion Patterson is competent to stand trial in the Midtown Atlanta medical office shooting, clearing the way for a jury to hear the case starting June 1, 2026. Patterson is accused of opening fire in a Northside Medical Midtown waiting room on May 3, 2023, killing one woman and wounding four others.
Judge Declares Defendant Competent
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Eric Dunaway announced in court Thursday that Patterson is competent and formally set the June 2026 trial date, according to CBS News Atlanta. Dunaway had previously ruled Patterson not competent in 2024 and ordered him committed for treatment, an outcome described in earlier local coverage.
What Happened In 2023
Authorities say Patterson became agitated during a medical appointment and opened fire on the 11th floor of the Northside Medical Midtown building on May 3, 2023, killing 38-year-old Amy St. Pierre and wounding four other women, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Investigators say he then stole an unattended pickup truck and fled into Cobb County, where officers captured him hours later after a multi-agency search.
Remembering The Victim
St. Pierre, 38, worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and co-authored research focused on reducing pregnancy-related deaths, her family said in a statement highlighted by CBS News Atlanta. Her loved ones described her as "driven by compassion" and said she leaves behind a husband and two young children whose lives were permanently altered in a matter of minutes.
Legal Road Ahead
Patterson is charged with one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault, according to court records cited by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 2024 order that found him not competent sent him to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities for evaluation and treatment, a process that led to Thursday’s reevaluation and Judge Dunaway’s determination that he can now stand trial, as outlined by AP News.
