The gunman who opened fire near the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campus and Emory University on Friday was fixated on the Covid-19 vaccine, his father reportedly told police.
Police say 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White opened fire from a CVS on Friday afternoon, striking several CDC buildings across the street and leaving bullet holes in windows. A DeKalb County police officer was killed in the shooting, and White was found dead at the scene.
White’s father told police his son believed the Covid-19 vaccine made him suicidal, the Associated Press reports. White’s neighbor also said the 30-year-old often discussed anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.
No civilians were hurt, officials confirmed.
Here’s what we know about the suspected gunman and how Friday’s shooting unfolded:
Police identify the suspected shooter
Police identified White as the shooter on Saturday morning. The 30-year-old lived with his parents in Kennesaw, Georgia, a suburb about 30 miles from the CDC campus in Atlanta.
The suspected gunman was found dead on the second floor of the CVS, though officials don’t know “whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Friday.
What was the gunman’s motive?
Officials have yet to confirm White’s motive. However, CDC Chief Operating Officer Christa Capozzola told agency staff that the shooting was a “targeted attack on C.D.C. related to Covid,” according to an email reviewed by The New York Times.
White’s father told police his son believed the Covid-19 vaccine made him depressed and suicidal, the Associated Press reports. White had become fixated on the Covid-19 vaccine and was also upset about the recent death of his dog, his father revealed.
White’s neighbor, Nancy Hoalst, told The New York Times that he was “unsettled” and would often talk about anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Hoalst noted she “never thought he would take it out on other people.”
“He very deeply believed that vaccines had hurt him, and that they were hurting other people,” Hoalst said.
Law enforcement officials told CNN on Friday they are working with the theory that White targeted the CDC because he believed the Covid-19 vaccine made him sick.
Officer killed in the line of duty
DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed in the shooting after working in the role for nearly a year. He was a 33-year-old married father of two children, with a third on the way.
Rose was fatally shot after the gunman turned his aim away from the CDC campus and toward the officer, a law enforcement official told CNN. Rose later died at Emory University Hospital.
“Officer Rose served DeKalb County with courage, integrity, and unwavering dedication,” the DeKalb County Police Department said in a tribute.
“Even in the face of danger was he diligent in his duty to protect our community.”
Several CDC buildings hit by gunfire
Police say the gunman opened fire from inside a CVS across the street from the CDC campus on Friday afternoon. Before driving to the CVS, White tried to enter the CDC campus but was turned away by guards, the AP reports.
The gunman struck at least four buildings on the health agency’s campus, CDC Director Susan Monarez said. No civilians were injured. White was armed with five guns, including one long gun, a law enforcement official told the AP.
CDC employees told CNN that bullets broke through the windows and flew past cubicles.
“It’s a miracle no one was killed here,” one employee said.
There were also 92 children in a daycare on the CDC campus during the shooting. A mother whose child was at the daycare told CBS News, "I'm also a bit angry that at a year and a half, he would have to experience something like this.”
“It’s anxiety-inducing, it’s very scary,” she added.
Employees at a nearby deli, General Muir’s, also reported hearing gunshots, according to the Associated Press. Brandy Giraldo, the deli’s chief operating officer, said it sounded like “fireworks going off, one right after the other.”
The gunfire sent the nearby Emory University campus into lockdown, along with the CDC, Emory University Hospital and other nearby schools and daycares.
“Active shooter on Emory Atlanta Campus at Emory Point CVS. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT,” campus officials wrote in a statement. “Avoid the area. Continue shelter in place. Police on scene.”
What have officials said about the shooting?
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson told reporters Friday was a “very dark day” for the community and for Rose’s family.
“This evening there is a wife without a husband,” Cochran-Johnson said of Rose. “There are three children, one unborn, without a father.”
Several Georgia lawmakers, including Senator Raphael Warnock and Representative Mike Collins, acknowledged the shooting and sent prayers to those impacted. FBI Director Kash Patel also commented on the shooting.
“Pray for the family, friends, and colleagues of this hero who acted quickly to defend others and made the ultimate sacrifice,” Patel wrote on X. “The FBI will offer them our full support.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
