ATLANTA — One year after a man shot five people inside the Northside Medical building in midtown Atlanta, a survivor is sharing her journey toward recovery.
“Your life comes to an instant stop,” said Alesha Hollinger.
Hollinger is a pharmaceutical sales representative, and she was at the medical building on May 3, 2023 to visit a potential client around noon.
“When I stepped out of the elevator, that is when I came face to face with the active shooter,” said Hollinger. “He raised his gun and shot me in the face at point-blank range.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
She was one of five people shot in the medical building that day. Amy St. Pierre, an employee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, died.
“I was obviously part of a very traumatic event. It’s certainly has taken its toll in a lot of ways, but at the end of the day, my family and I were able to turn a really, really difficult situation into something positive,” said Hollinger.
She said she’s the mother of three teenagers and a wife. She said with the help of family and faith, she’s found light.
“I saw a city really come together and help those in need, you know? I remember the first responders. I remember the EMTs that showed up. I remember the officers, the Atlanta PD, you know, the people, the mayor,” she explained to Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco.
She said treatments have consumed her year. One of her next milestones will include the court system.
RELATED STORIES:
- ATLANTA ACTIVE SHOOTER TIMELINE: Here’s how the mass shooting unfolded
- Woman killed in Midtown mass shooting was mother of 2 young children
- Mother reveals why suspected Atlanta mass shooter was upset before gunfire
- New surveillance video shows tense arrest of accused Midtown shooting in Cobb County
- Man accused of opening fire inside midtown Atlanta medical center indicted on murder charge
Deion Patterson faces four charges of aggravated assault and one murder charge. His mother told Channel 2 Action News he was agitated doctors would not give him Ativan.
His defense attorney has requested a private meeting with the judge before any court dates are set, which is holding up the process. The date for his plea hearing will be set after that.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to his attorney to find out what the ex-parte hearing on the court docket is about and is waiting for a response.
“I have chosen to almost compartmentalize that piece a bit so I could focus on my healing and my family,” said Hollinger. “But, my hopes is that justice will be served.”
She’s said she’s thankful to be with her family one year later but feels a lot of sadness and remorse for those who cannot.
“Through my journey. I hope people don’t really see me but see even in the most challenging of circumstances, through faith, you can still have peace, hope and joy,” said Hollinger.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/05-04-2023/t_c160b3101c6d447bb072ea6ef86eb1b5_name_Scene_where_Deion_Patterson_was_taken_into_custody.jpeg)
©2023 Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SW6L333ZR5ELJPXT2ISTSL6CDQ.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/GORDQ25UYNGRBDPNH7SMMGO2XM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/OBXODQOXQZFPNBQEYXVR6LBYR4.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/B6OKRK7RIVHVFDTFQT2LHWG4OM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/APX3563EOVEXBFZPVQ35AE5KHY.jpeg)