The two victims are, and At about 2:20 pm Charles Johnson entered Doctors Hospital on 19th Street off Hamilton Road in Columbus, Georgia. With a concealed pistol he rode the elevator the fifth-floor intensive care ward where his mother died in 2004. He waited for 44-year-old Peter Wright, a charge nurse, and followed him into a room. After a confrontation where Johnson yelled "Do you remember me? Do you remember my mother?" according to local news sources. He then shot the man. At this point Wright left room but Johnson followed him and shot him again. Wright fell to the floor.

A second man, 44 year-old administrative assistant Leslie Harris, entered intensive care asking personnel "Where is he?" Johnson shot and killed him. While attempting to leave Johnson shot a third person near the elevators before abandoning his escape route and leaving down a nearby staircase. Apparently a fourth man tried to block Johnson's escape in the parking lot. He was shot after parking his car in front of Johnson's and getting out. Johnson shot him in the neck as he got out of the car.

A Columbus police officer then approached Johnson, still in the Doctors Hospital parking lot. She returned fire when Johnson fired at her. A Columbus detective then fired, wounding Johnson.