ATLANTA — Authorities have released a photo of the gunman responsible for last Friday’s deadly shooting outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, which left a DeKalb County police officer dead and caused significant damage to multiple CDC buildings.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the shooter as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during the incident. According to GBI Director Chris Hosey, White used five firearms — belonging to his father — after breaking into a locked safe. Investigators say most of the nearly 500 recovered shell casings came from a long gun.
The shooting began near the CDC’s Clifton Road campus, with nearly 200 rounds striking six buildings. Officers reported more than 150 windows shattered, including in Building 21, which houses CDC Director Susan Monarez’s office. Officials have not confirmed whether her office was hit.
DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, was killed while confronting White near the CDC and an Emory Point CVS. Officer Rose is survived by his wife, two children, and a third child on the way. A GoFundMe campaign for his family has raised more than $330,000.
Investigators say White had no criminal history, but records show ten 911 calls to his Cobb County residence over the last two years, including suicide threats and domestic disturbances. In a search of his home, officers found writings expressing anger over COVID-19 vaccinations, which White reportedly blamed for depression and suicidal thoughts.
White’s father, Kenneth White, made multiple 911 calls Friday, fearing his son was involved in the attack. “I’m very worried that he might have been involved in this shooting today,” he told dispatchers.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited the CDC Monday to survey the damage and meet with Officer Rose’s family. Kennedy condemned the violence, saying, “No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.”
CDC employees are expected to work remotely through the week while safety assessments continue. Officials estimate it could take weeks or months to repair all the damage.
Colleagues and friends remember Officer Rose as a “loving father, devoted husband, cherished brother, and loyal friend.” His mother told 11Alive he would not have hesitated to respond again.