Update (same link):
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/03/cnn...ing/index.html
Hospital: Woman dead after CNN Center shooting
POSTED: 4:51 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2007
Story Highlights• NEW: Woman dead after shooting at CNN center, hospital official says
• Witnesses: woman appeared to be pregnant
• Atlanta police describe shooting as "domestic situation"
• CNN writer witnesses man shoot woman twice near newsroom
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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A woman has died according to Atlanta's Grady Hospital following a shooting Tuesday at the CNN Center complex, in what Atlanta police called a "domestic situation."
The victim has been identified Clara Riddles, 22, of College Park. Riddles was an employee of the Omni Hotel at the CNN Center complex.
Riddles, who witnesses said appeared to be pregnant, was shot and the
gunman was then shot by a Cpt. Odell Adams, who joined Turner Security in 1996, according to a Turner spokesperson.
Preliminary reports indicate that the man was shot in the face, a law enforcement source said on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
The man and the woman were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. The man is in surgery, the hospital said. (Watch suspect at gunpoint, wounded woman on floor )
Grady spokeswoman Denise Simpson said the family of the dead woman arrived at the hospital. "They were having a tough time accepting the news of her death," Simpson said.
A witness saw a man dragging a woman by her hair one level above where the shooting occurred. The suspect told him to get out of the way. The witness went to get a guard, and then saw the suspect apparently take the woman downstairs. The witness heard gunshots less than a minute later.
The incident occurred about 30 feet from the back door of the CNN.com newsroom, outside a second set of glass doors. Several CNN.com employees witnessed the shooting. (Scenes from the shooting)
Brad Lendon, a writer for CNN.com, said he heard a loud bang, and then saw a woman on the ground next to a potted plant near a back entrance to the CNN.com newsroom. A man stood over her "and fired at least two shots into her," he said. (Watch Brad Lendon describe what he saw )
After the shots, Lendon said, the gunman "looked around, his head turning in my direction. I don't know if he saw me, but at that moment the gravity of what I'd witnessed hit me. I turned away and tried to find the safest way I could out."
CNN.com's Simit Shah said he heard a loud noise and saw two people in front of a doorway visible from the CNN.com newsroom. "At first they were moving in a manner that made me believe that they were running from something, but it then became clear that they were struggling," he said.
"They crashed into the a potted plant near the door, and then I heard the other shots in quick succession. At that point, it was clear to me that this was gunfire," he said.
CNN.com's John Helton had a direct view through the glass doors. "I saw him coming down the escalator pulling her along, around the corner; he ran into the plant and that's when they started struggling," he said.
"She seemed to be trying to wrestle free of him." Helton said the woman appeared to be shot at point-blank range. "He looked like he had the gun right on top of her head and shot her."
The atrium of the CNN Center is surrounded by shops and restaurants. The area has been especially crowded because the Georgia Dome hosted the NCAA championship game Monday night.
The CNN.com newsroom, near the Omni, was temporarily evacuated. Some workers had already scrambled out of the building seeking cover after hearing shots. (Watch for sounds from inside CNN.com during the evacuation )
In a message to employees, Turner Broadcasting said the shooting took place at approximately 1:30 p.m. at an entrance near the Omni Hotel, which is part of CNN Center.
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